Sites and Collections

This page lists sites at which important rhizodont material has been found, as well as four sites at which little or no rhizodont material has been found, but which give important palaeoenvironmental information. There is also a list of the museums which house the best collections of rhizodont material (although it is rarely on display) and a list of the best material for each genus.

Best Sites

1. Important rhizodont localities.
Many of the best sites for rhizodont remains were coal, limestone and cementstone mines worked in the 19th century. Unfortunately, most have long been closed and further collecting is no longer possible. For sites that are still accessable, please be advised that collecting may be restricted to permit-holders only.
Unless otherwise stated, the information for the UK sites comes from Smithson (1980 &1985) and Land et al (1974). The dates used are from Harland et al (1989), although the local UK epoch and stage names are used in preference to the 'international' names, as these are most commonly used in literature pertaining to the sites.

Age of Sites - Click for larger image
Age of Sites

1. Southern Victoria Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, Antarctica.

Horizon: Aztec Siltstone (Young et al, 1992).
Age: ?Upper Givetian (Middle Devonian).
Lithology: Siltstones and fine sandstones.
Probable environment: Freshwater alluvial plain (ibid., p6).
Rhizodont remains: Notorhizodon mackelveyi (type locality).
Other remains: Placoderms, chondrichthyians, acanthodians, osteolepiforms (ibid.).

 

2. Canowindra, NSW, Australia.

Horizon: Single stratigraphic layer of Mandagery Sandstone.
Age: Famennian (Upper Devonian).
Lithology: Quartzite slabs.
Probable environment: Freshwater pool of undetermined size (Johanson & Ahlberg, 1997).
Rhizodont remains: Gooloogongia loomesi (type locality).
Other remains: Placoderms, osteolepiforms.
Largest collections: Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia.

 

3. Catskills; Railroad ‘grade’ along the bank of the Tioga River (between Blossburg and Covington), Tioga County, Pennsylvania, USA) and Powys Curve, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Horizon: Catskill Formation.
Age: Famennian (Upper Devonian).
Lithology: Fine-grained red sandstones and mudstones.
Probable environment: Meandering stream system on a broad coastal floodplain (Daeschler et al, 1994, p640).
Rhizodont remains: Sauripteris taylori (Blossburg site is the type locality).
Other remains: Placoderms, palaeoniscids, acanthodians, osteolepiforms, tetrapods. Largest collections: American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, USA.

 

4. Zap Valley, Hakkari Province, Turkey.

Horizon: Köprülü shales (Janvier et al, 1984, p150).
Age: Lower Tournaisian (TN1a) (Upper Devonian/Lower Carboniferous).
Lithology: Limestone and thin bedded shales.
Probable environment: Shallow (near shore) marine.
Rhizodont remains: Rhizodont indet. (= Strepsodus sp. of Janvier et al, 1984).
Other remains: Isolated fragments of chondrichthyians, acanthodians, placoderms, actinopterygians, dipnoans and possibly onychodonts.
Largest collections: MNHN, Paris, France.

 

5. Crooked Burn, Foulden, Berwickshire.

Horizon: Berwickshire Cementstone.
Age: TN3 of Tournaisian (Calciferous Sandstone Measures, Lower Carboniferous).
Lithology: Fine-grained Cementstone.
Probable environment: Shallow semi-perminant floodplain lake (with intermittent connections with meandering river channels), surrounded by swampy coal forest, with possible occasional marine incursions (Anderton, 1985).
Rhizodont remains: Strepsodus sauroides.
Other remains: Plants, crustacean and bivalves, acanthodians, actinopterygians (see the 12 papers in volume 76, part 1 (1985) of the Transactions of the Royal Society, Edinburgh: Earth Sciences for a detailed review of the fauna and flora).
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; Natural History Museum, London.

 

6. Wardie Beach, Wardie, Edinburgh.

Horizon: Bed 2 (Wood, 1975, p256).
Age: Holkerian (S2) of Viséan (Upper Oilshale Group, Lower Carboniferous); approx. 340Ma.
Lithology: Ironstone concretion in oilshales.
Probable environment: Subtropical floodplain lake (Lake Cadell), with heavy surrounding foliage (swampy coal forests). Occasional volcanic activity and marine incursions.
Rhizodont remains: Rhizodus hibberti; mostly isolated scales and teeth, but rare articulated elements (e.g. complete pectoral fin NMS G 1972.27.434c and complete individual MCZ 11916).
Other remains: A diverse fauna, including several species of palaeoniscids, a megalichthyid, an actinistian and an acanthodian. Three species of shark and a tetrapod. Also coprolites and plant material.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, Massachusetts, USA.

 

7. Middle Paddock, East Central Queensland, Australia.

Horizon: Ducabrook Formation.
Age: Holkerian of Viséan (Lower Carboniferous).
Lithology: Mudstone.
Probable environment: Shallow fluviatile and lacustrine (Thulborn et al, 1996).
Rhizodont remains: Isolated cleithra (possibly Barameda decipiens).
Other remains: A range of palaeoniscids, acanthodians, tetrapods, brachiopods and plants.
Largest collections: Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia.

 

8. Burdiehouse, Edinburgh.

Horizon: Burdiehouse Limestone.
Age: Asbian (D1) of Viséan (Upper Oilshale Group, Lower Carboniferous).
Lithology: Freshwater Limestone.
Probable environment: Shallow (floodplain) freshwater lake.
Rhizodont remains: Rhizodus hibberti (type locality) and Screbinodus ornatus.
Other remains: A range of chondrichthyians, actinopterygians, dipnoans, actinistians and osteolepiforms. Two tetrapod taxa.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; Natural History Museum, London.

 

9. Gilmerton (?Venturefair pit), Edinburgh.

Horizon: Gilmerton Ironstone.
Age: Brigantian (P2) of Viséan (Lower Limestone Group, Lower Carboniferous).
Lithology: Ironstone with calcite intrusions, thin (2mm) coal seams and iron oxide nodules.
Probable environment: Shallow (floodplain) freshwater lake occasionally reducing to swampy coal forest.
Rhizodont remains: Screbinodus ornatus (type locality) and Rhizodus hibberti.
Other remains: Similar to Burdiehouse.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; Natural History Museum, London.

 

10. Mansfield (intersection of Broken River and Bridge Creek, North of Mansfield, Victoria, Australia)

Horizon: Mansfield Formation.
Age: Viséan of Lower Carboniferous
Lithology: Hard red sandstone.
Probable environment: Freshwater.
Rhizodont remains: Barameda decipiens (type locality).
Other remains: Chondrichthyians, acanthodians, palaeoniscids , dipnoans (Long, 1989).
Largest collections: National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

 

11. Burghlee (Borough Lee) & Ramsey colliery, Loanhead, Edinburgh.

Horizon: Burghlee (Borough Lee; No. 3) Ironstone, Rumbles (No. 3) Ironstone.
Age: Pendelian (E1) of Namurian (Limestone Coal Group, Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Ironstone with coalshales.
Probable environment: ?
Rhizodont remains: Rhizodus hibberti, Screbinodus ornatus and Strepsodus sauroides (Traquair, 1903); It is not clear how these taxa are separated stratigraphically.
Other remains: A range of chondrichthyians, actinopterygians, dipnoans, actinistians and osteolepiforms. Several tetrapod taxa.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; Natural History Museum, London.

 

12. Dora Opencast site, Cowdenbeath, Fife.

Horizon: Lochgelly Blackband Ironstone and surrounding coalshales (Andrews et al, 1977, p530).
Age: Pendleian (E1) of Namurian (Limestone Coal Group, Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Blackband Ironstone and coalshales.
Probable environment: Freshwater lake with some swampy coal forest areas.
Rhizodont remains: Strepsodus sauroides.
Other remains: Acanthodians, palaeoniscids, tetrapods.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

 

13. Niddrie colliery, Niddrie, Edinburgh.

Horizon: 1. Stairhead Coalshale; Pendleian (E1) of Namurian (Limestone Coal Group, Upper Carboniferous).
2. Blue seam Coalshale; Pendleian (E1) of Namurian (Limestone Coal Group, Upper Carboniferous).
3. South Parrot coalshale; Pendleian (E1) of Namurian (Limestone Coal Group, Upper Carboniferous).
4. Four-foot Coalshale; Westphalian A (Coal Measures, Upper Carboniferous

Lithology: All horizons black shale.
Probable environment: Freshwater lake and swampy coal forests.
Rhizodont remains: Strepsodus sauroides. Also Rhizodus hibberti and/or Archichthys sulcidens. It is not clear how these taxa are arranged stratigraphically (see descriptive section).
Other remains: A range of chondrichthyians, actinopterygians, dipnoans, actinistians and osteolepiforms. Several tetrapod taxa.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; Natural History Museum, London.

 

14. Todhill’s Pit, Nr Dalry, Ayrshire.

Horizon: ? Dalry (Johnstone) Clayband Ironstone (see Richey et al, 1925).
Age: ?Pendleian (E1) of Namurian (Limestone Coal Group, Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: ?
Probable environment: ?
Rhizodont remains: Skull roof elements of ?Rhizodus hibberti (see Andrews & Westoll, 1970b).
Other remains: ?
Largest collections: Paisley Museum and Art Gallery, Paisley, Edinburgh.

 

15. Annick Lodge, Kilwinning, Nr Irvine, Ayrshire.

Horizon: ?Kilwinning Main Coalshale & associated ironstone (see Anderson & Wilson (1925, p48).
Age: ?Westphalian A (Coal Measures, Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Black coalshales.
Probable environment: Swampy coal forest with occasional deep, freshwater incursions.
Rhizodont remains: Strepsodus sauroides.
Other remains: Some acanthodians, actinistians, dipnoans and tetrapods.
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

 

16. Newsham colliery (?Hannah Pit), Newsham, Northumberland.

Horizon: Low Main Seam Coalshale.
Age: Westphalian B (Coal Measures, Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Coalshale.
Probable environment: Linear, freshwater lake (possibly formed by reflooding of abandoned river channel) within a swampy coal forest (see Boyd, 1984 & 1985).
Rhizodont remains: Strepsodus sauroides and Archichthys sulcidens (type locality).
Other remains: Some ostrocods and bivalves. Many plants, mainly lycopsids, sphenopsids and pteridosperms. Acanthodians, actinopterygians (mainly palaeoniscids), dipnoans, actinistians, osteolepiforms and some chondrichthyians (Boyd, 1984).
Largest collections: Hancock Museum, Newcastle; Natural History Museum, London.

2. Other localities.
These sites have not yeilded many (or any) rhizodont remains, but have given useful information on the palaeonenvironment and extinction of rhizodonts.

1. East Kirkton Quarry, Nr Bathgate, West Lothian.

Horizon: Little Cliff Shale.
Age: Brigantian (D2) of Viséan (Upper Oilshale Group of Lower Carboniferous); 335 Ma.
Lithology: Lenticular blue-grey shales overlying East Kirkton Limestone (Rolf et al, 1994).
 Probable environment: Shallow freshwater lake, within a richly vegetated landscape, subject to local heating by volcanic springs. May have had irregular contact with a much larger lake system (Lake Cadell; Clarkson et al, 1993).
Rhizodont remains: Large rhizodont (probably Rhizodus hibberti).
Other remains: Extremely diverse plant, invertebrate and vertebrate assemblage. Includes both aquatic terrestrial forms (see the 24 papers in volume 84, parts 3 & 4 (1994) of the Transactions of the Royal Society, Edinburgh: Earth Sciences for a detailed review of the fauna and flora and their geological setting).
Largest collections: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh; GLAHM, Glasgow; UCMZ, Cambridge.

 

2. Mazon Creek, Morris, Illinois, USA.

Horizon: Mazon Creek Shales.
Age: Westphalian D (Coal Measures, Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Shale bearing Ironstone nodules.
Probable environment: Freshwater delta within swampy coal forest, with occasional marine incursions.
Rhizodont remains: None.
Other remains: Diverse assemblage of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates, including dipnoans.
Largest collections: American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA; National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA.

 

3. Linton, Ohio, USA.

Horizon: Linton cannel coalshales (Olson, 1946).
Age: Westphalian D (Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Laminated coalshales and mudstones.
Probable environment: Small, isolated shallow lake within a swampy coal forest (Bardack, 1979, p524).
Rhizodont remains: None known.
Other remains: Chondrichthyians, acanthodians, actinopterygians, actinistians, dipnoans and tetrapods (ibid., table 1).
Largest collections: American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA; Ohio State University Museum, Ohio, USA.

 

4. Nyrany (Plattelkohle and Homboldt Mines), Czech Republic.

Horizon: Base of Gaskohle Series (Milner, 1980).
Age: Uppermost Westphalian D (Upper Carboniferous).
Lithology: Laminated coalshales and mudstones.
Probable environment: Small, isolated shallow lake within a swampy coal forest (including drier upland parts).
Rhizodont remains: None known.
Other remains: Large variety of small tetrapods; isolated fragments of chondrichthyians, actinopterygians and dipnoans.
Largest collections: Narodni Museum, Prague, Czech Republic.

Best Museum Collections
    

This is a list of some of the best museum collections. It covers only those with large and/or important collections - it is by no means comprehensive! Unfortunately, very few museums have much on display.

England Natural History Museum palaeontology collections, London (NHM P)
A big collection, including some type and figured material.

 
Manchester Museum palaeontological collection (MM)
 Not much, but some specimens collected by R.H. Traquair.

 
Hancock Museum geological collections, Newcastle (NEWHM G)
 Lots of Strepsodus and Archichthys material, including the majority of material from Newsham. Includes many figured and type specimens.

 
Collections of the British Geological Survey, Keyworth (BGS)
 Some very good specimens, including holotype material from James Portlock's collections.

 
Sedgwick Museum of Geology, Cambridge (SME)
 A small collection, but includes some of the most important Rhizodus and Screbinodus material (e.g. SME 4714, a complete skull of Screbinodus).

 
Scotland National Museums of Scotland Geological Collections, Edinburgh (NMS G)
 The collection of Rhizodus and Screbinodus material in the UK. A huge number of specimens, including many figured and type specimens.

 
Hunterian Museum vertebrate collection, University of Glasgow (GLAHM V)
 Smaller than the NMS, but some interesting material of Strepsodus.

 
Collections of the British Geological Survey, NMS, Edinburgh (IGS GSM)
 Some figured material, stored at the NMS.

 
Paisley City Museum, Paisley (PM)
 Some odds and ends, including figured pectoral material of Rhizodus.

 
USA American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA (AMNH)
 A small collection of material, including much of the US' figured and holotype material (e.g. ANMH 3341, a pectoral girdle and fin, holotype of Sauripteris taylori).

 
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, USA (ANSP)
 A significant (and ever increasing) collection of Sauripteris from the Catskill Formation.

 
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, USA (MCZ)
 Little, except for MCZ 11916, a complete Rhizodus specimen.

 
France Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France (MNHN)
A small collection, including all the Zap Valley material.

 
Australia Commonwealth Palaeontological Collection, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra, Australia (CPC)
All the material of Notorhizodon.

 
Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia (AMF)
All the material of Goologongia.

 
Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia (NMV)
Most of the Barameda material, including the figured and type material.

 

Best Material For Various Species
    

This is a list of some of the best material available in the UK and USA. It is by no means comprehensive!

Archichthys spp.

NEWHM G186.68b Disarticulated skull bones from Newsham. Referred to by Hancock & Atthey (1870b).

NEWHM G59.64 Tip of left mandlble from Newsham. Holotype of A. sulcidens Hancock & Atthey (1870b).

 

Barameda decipiens.

NMV P160 880 Silicone rubber cast of original specimen (a natural mould). The articulated skull of a juvenile in dorsal view from Mansfield site. Figured and described by Long (1989) - cast kept at University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge.

 

Rhizodus hibberti.

MCZ 11916 Complete specimen, 2.54 metres long from Wardie Beach (the 'Stock' specimen).

NMS G 1950.38.66 First vomer completely freed from matrix, from Gilmerton. Described by Traquair (1877a).

NMS G 1950.38.67 Left and right rami of mandible in lingual view, from Gilmerton. Described by Traquair (1877a).

NMS G 1950.38.68 Tip of mandible completely freed from matrix, from Gilmerton. Described by Traquair (1877a).

NMS G 1963.16.16 Parts of a very large cleithrum (complete with scapulocoracoid) and clavicle from Niddrie. Described and figured by Andrews & Westoll (1970b).

NMS G 1972.27.434c Associated pectoral fin bones from Wardie beach.

SME 4702 Left mandible in labial view, from Gilmerton.

SME 4715a Isolated cleithrum from Gilmerton. Figured and described by Andrews & Westoll (1970b).

 

Sauripteris taylori.

AMNH 3341 Articulated pectoral girdle and fin from Catskills. Figured and described as part of type series by Hall (1843); figured and described by Andrews & Westoll (1970b) and many other authors.

ANSP 20581 Articulated pectoral girdle and fin from Catskills. Figured and described by Daeschler & Shubin (1998).

 

Screbinodus ornatus.

NMS G 1874.6 Articulated anterior trunk, including pectoral fin and disarticulated skull bones from Gilmerton. Described by Traquair (1875); designated holotype of Rhizodus ornatus by Traquair (1878); figured and described by Andrews & Westoll (1970b).

NMS G 1963.16.18 Articulated skull roof from Gilmerton. Figured by Andrews (1973).

NMS G 1972.28.1 Isolated postparietal from Gilmerton. Referred to by Andrews (1973).

NMS G 1998.28.1 Articulated skull roof from Gilmerton.

SME 4714 Partially articulated, mostly complete skull from Gilmerton. Figured and described by Miall (1878); figured by Andrews (1985).

 

Strepsodus spp.

NEWHM G19.18 Mould of left mandible in lingual view, from Newsham. Referred to by Andrews & Westoll (1970b).

NMS G 1975.48.31 Tip of left mandible completely freed from matrix, from Dora. Referred to by Andrews (1985).

NMS G 1978.4.16 Isolated postparietal completely freed from matrix, from Dora. Referred to by Andrews (1985).

NMS G 1978.4.17 Isolated postparietal completely freed from matrix, from Dora. Referred to by Andrews (1985).

NMS G 1980.40.36 Complete juvenile individual. Figured, described and designated holotype of Strepsodus anculonamensis by Andrews (1985).