Terrigal Formation

Terrigal Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early–Middle Triassic (Olenekian-Anisian) ~248.1–244.2 Ma
Terrigal, Central Coast, Australia
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofNarrabeen Group
UnderliesHawkesbury Sandstone
Thicknessup to 330 metres (1,080 ft)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone and siltstone
OtherClaystone
Location
Coordinates33°25′36″S 151°20′31″E / 33.4267°S 151.342°E / -33.4267; 151.342 (Gosford Quarry)
RegionNew South Wales
CountryAustralia
ExtentSydney Basin
Terrigal Formation is located in Australia
Terrigal Formation
Terrigal Formation (Australia)
Terrigal Formation is located in New South Wales
Terrigal Formation
Terrigal Formation (New South Wales)

The Terrigal Formation is a geologic formation in the Sydney Basin in eastern Australia. Commonly seen in the Central Coast region, this stratum is up to 330 metres thick. Formed in the early to mid Triassic, it is part of the Narrabeen Group of sedimentary rocks. This formation includes interbedded fine to medium-grained sandstone and siltstone, with minor deposits of claystone. Hawkesbury Sandstone occasionally overlies the Terrigal Formation.

Numerous fossils are known from this area, including the temnospondyl amphibians Arenaerpeton supinatus and Platycepsion wilksoni, as well as several species of various kinds of fish, most of whom were described from the Gosford Quarry, including the eponymous Gosfordia. Some of these species, namely Cleithrolepis, Gosfordia, Myriolepis and Saurichthys, are also known from the Sydney Sandstone, showing a limited degree of faunal continuity in that formation.

Fossil content

Paleobiota of the Terrigal Formation
Genus Species Clade Images
Apateolepis A. australis Palaeoniscidiformes, Palaeoniscidae
Arenaerpeton A. supinatus Temnospondyli,

Chigutisauridae
Arenaerpeton supinatus (AM F125866) skull and partial skeleton.
Chrotichthys C. gregarius Perleidiformes,

incertae sedis
Cleithrolepis C. altus Perleidiformes,

Cleithrolepididae
Fossil of C. altus. (Sydney S.s.)
C. granulatus
Fossil of C. granulatus. (Sydney S.s.)
Dictyopyge D. illustrans Redfieldiiformes,

Redfieldiidae
D. robusta
D. symmetrica
Gosfordia G. truncata Ceratodontiformes,Ceratodontidae
Fossil of G. truncata. (Sydney S.s.)
Myriolepis M. clarkei Palaeoniscidiformes, Palaeoniscidae
Fossil of M. clarkei. (Sydney S.s.)
M. lata
Fossil of M. lata. (Sydney S.s.)
Platycepsion P. wilksoni Temnospondyli,

Brachyopidae
Peltopleurus P. dubius Peltopleuriformes,

Peltopleuridae
Pristisomus P. crassus Perleidiformes,

Perleididae
Fossil of Pristisomus latus.
P. gracilis
P. latus
Saurichthys S. gigas Saurichthyiformes,

Saurichthyidae
Fossil of S. gigas. (Sydney S.s.)
S. gracilis
Semionotus S. australis Semionotiformes,

Semionotidae
S. tenuis

See also

References

  1. ↑ "PBDB". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  2. ↑ "Terrigal Formation". Geo Science Australia. Australian Government. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "Terrigal Formation". Down to Earth - Geology Exhibition. Adderley. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  4. 1 2 Hart, Lachlan J.; Gee, Bryan M.; Smith, Patrick M.; McCurry, Matthew R. (3 August 2023). "A new chigutisaurid (Brachyopoidea, Temnospondyli) with soft tissue preservation from the Triassic Sydney Basin, New South Wales, Australia". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2232829. hdl:1959.4/104059. ISSN 0272-4634.
  5. ↑ Cosgriff, J.W. (1969). "Blinasaurus, a brachyopid genus from Western Australia and New South Wales". Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. 52 (3). The Society: 65–90.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A. S. Woodward. 1890. The fossil fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of New South Wales. Palaeontology, 4:1-57
  7. ↑ McLean, Graham. (2024). Sydney Basin in the Triassic—A review of the geology, flora and fauna, and ecosystems. The Hawkesbury Sandstone. Technical Reports of the Australian Museum Online, 40. 1-44.
  8. ↑ A. S. Woodward. 1890. The fossil fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of New South Wales. Palaeontology, 4:1-57
  9. ↑ A. S. Woodward. 1890. The fossil fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of New South Wales. Palaeontology, 4:1-57
  10. ↑ Cosgriff, J.W. (1969). "Blinasaurus, a brachyopid genus from Western Australia and New South Wales". Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. 52 (3). The Society: 65–90.