Besano Formation
The Besano Formation is a geological formation in the southern Alps of northwestern Italy and southern Switzerland. This formation, a short but fossiliferous succession of dolomite and black shale, is famous for its preservation of Middle Triassic marine life including fish and aquatic reptiles. It is exposed in the vicinity of Monte San Giorgio and is among the formations responsible for the area being designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In Switzerland, it is also known as the Grenzbitumenzone.Fossil content
The formation is highly fossiliferous and has among others provided the following fossils:
- Reptiles
- * Askeptosaurus italicus
- * Clarazia schinzi
- * Cyamodus hildegardensis
- * Cymbospondylus buchseri
- * Eusaurosphargis dalsassoi
- * Helveticosaurus zollingeri
- * Hescheleria rubeli
- * Lariosaurus buzzii
- * Macrocnemus cf. fuyuanensis
- * Macrocnemus bassanii
- * Nothosaurus giganteus
- * Nothosaurus cf. juvenilis
- * Pachypleurosaurus edwardsi
- * Paraplacodus broilii
- * Serpianosaurus mirigiolensis
- * Tanystropheus longobardicus
- * Ticinosuchus ferox
- * Mixosaurus sp.
- Fish
- * Bobasatrania ceresiensis
- * Ctenognathichthys bellottii
- * Eosemionotus diskosomus
- * Luganoia lepidosteoides
- * Meridensia meridensis
- * Peltopleurus lissocephalus
- * Pholidopleurus ticinensis
- * Platysiagum minus
- * Ptycholepis barboi
- * P. magnus
- * P. schaefferi
- * Saurichthys costasquamosus
- * S. curionii
- * Ticinolepis crassidens
- * T. longaeva
- * Hybodus cf. plicatilis
- * ?Acrodus lateralis
- Invertebrates
- * ?Mojsisovicsteuthis sp.
