Escucha Formation


The Escucha Formation is a geological formation in La Rioja and Teruel provinces of northeastern Spain whose strata date back to the late Aptian to middle Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
The approximately thick formation underlies the Utrillas Formation and overlies Castrillo de la Reina, Benassal & Oliete Formations. The Escucha Formation comprises siltstones, mudstones, sandstones, coal, siltstones and amber, in which several fossil insects were found. The formation was deposited in a variety of continental to paralic environments.

Depositional Environment

The Escucha Formation represents syn-rift depositional environment, deposited in siliciclastic carbonate platforms, coastal siliciclastic environments and other offshore settings. In the basal part of the formation, cobble to boulder-sized dropstones of glacial origin have been identified, representing long-distance iceberg rafting from Arctic sources.

Fossil content

The Escucha Formation has provided the following fossils, among others:

Dinosaurs

;Other dinosaurs
;ReptilesAragochersis lignitestaToremys cassiopeiaTrachydermochelys sp.
;Fish
;CrustaceansCretagourretia salasi

Insects

;Other arthropodsAlavia neliArchaelagonops alavensisMesozygiella dunlopiCretogarypinus zaragozaiIthioreolpium alavensisAlavesiaphis margaritaeHispanocader lisaeAlavametra popoviIberovelia quisquiliaGlaesivelia pulcherrimaGymnopollisthrips maiorG. minorManicapsocidus enigmaticusArchaeatropos alavensisPreempheria antiquaEmpheropsocus arilloiE. margineglabrusMorazatermes krishnaiCantabritermes simplexAutrigonoforceps ibericaHispanelcana alavensisH. arilloiH. lopezvalleiLibanophron sugaarHippocoon basajauniBurmaphron iratxoakB. jentilakB. sorginakTagsmiphron olentzeroElasmophron mariEctenobythus iberiensisLiztor pilosusCretepyris martiniZophepyris alavaensisAmpulicomorpha periallaMicrocostaphron parvusArchephedrus stolamissusProtorhyssalopsis perrichotiSpathiopteryx alavarommopsisSerphites lamiakAposerphites angustusArchaeromma hispanicumGalloromma alavaensisAlavaromma orchamumTithonoscelio resinalisBruescelio platycephalusElectroteleiopsis hebdomasAlavascelio delvalleiAmissascelio temporariusPerimoscelio tyrbastesPerimoscelio confectorProterosceliopsis masneriJuxtascelio interitusIberopria periallaIberoevania roblesiCretevania alonsoiIberomaimetsha nihtmaraIberomaimetsha rasnitsyniValaa delclosiMegalava truncataEosyntexis parvaCretasonoma corinformibusPenarhytus tenebrisProsolierius parvusCretakarenni hispanicusRhizophtoma longusDarwinylus marcosiMediumiuga sinespinisArchiaustroconops alavensisLeptoconops (Leptoconops) zherikhiniGerontodacus skalskiiChimeromyia alavaChimeromyina conciliaEuliphora grimaldiiAlavesia subiasiTethepomima holommaTethepomyia buruhandiLysistrata emeritaHegalari minorHegalari antzinakoAlavamanota hispanicaAllocotocera xavieriCretohaplusia ortunoiEltxo cretaceusHelius (Helius) alavensisHelius (Helius) spiralisEspanoderus barbaraeAlavaraphidia imperterritaBaissoptera cretaceoelectraCretokatianna bucculentaSphyrotheciscus senectusArcheallacma dolichopodaKatiannasminthurus xenopygusPseudosminthurides stoechusBurmisotoma spinuliferaProtoisotoma autrigoniensisProisotoma communisProleptochelia tenuissimaElectrotanais monolithusAlavatanais carabeAlavatanais margulisaeEurotanais terminatorSpinomegops arcanusStrieremaeus minguezaeIberofoveopsis miguelesiHispanothrips utrillensisAragonitermes teruelensisAragonimantis aenigmaMymaropsis turolensisSerphites silbanGalloromma turolensisAlavaromma orchamumCretevania rubusensisCretevania alcalaiCretevania montoyaiActenobius magneoculusArra legaloviLeptoconops (Leptoconops) zherikhiniAtriculicoides sanjustiAtriculicoides hispanicusGerontodacus skalskiiMicrophorites utrillensisLitoleptis fossilisBurmazelmira grimaldiiAragomantispa lacerataSpinomegops aragonensisAmetroproctus valeriaeCretaceobodes martinezaeTrhypochthonius lopezvallei
;Invertebrates
;Flora