Arén Formation
Geological formation
title: "Arén Formation" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["geologic-formations-of-spain", "upper-cretaceous-series-of-europe", "cretaceous-spain", "campanian-stage", "maastrichtian-stage", "sandstone-formations", "limestone-formations", "deltaic-deposits", "lacustrine-deposits", "ichnofossiliferous-formations", "ooliferous-formations", "fossiliferous-stratigraphic-units-of-europe", "paleontology-in-spain"] description: "Geological formation" topic_path: "philosophy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arén_Formation" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Geological formation ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox rockunit"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Arén Formation |
| type | Geological formation |
| age | Campanian-Maastrichtian |
| ~ | |
| period | Maastrichtian |
| prilithology | Sandstone |
| otherlithology | Limestone |
| namedfor | Arén |
| region | Lérida |
| country | Spain |
| coordinates | |
| paleocoordinates | |
| unitof | Tremp-Graus Basin |
| underlies | Tremp Group |
| map | {{Location map+ |
| relief | 1 |
| width | 250 |
| float | center |
| lat_deg | 42.3 |
| lon_deg | 1.6 |
| mark | Lightgreen pog.svg |
| marksize | 12 |
| :: |
| name = Arén Formation | image = | caption = | type = Geological formation | age = Campanian-Maastrichtian ~ | period = Maastrichtian | prilithology = Sandstone | otherlithology = Limestone | namedfor = Arén | namedby = | region = Lérida | country = Spain | coordinates = | paleocoordinates = | unitof = Tremp-Graus Basin | subunits = | underlies = Tremp Group | overlies = | thickness = | extent = | area = | map = {{Location map+ | Spain#Catalonia | relief = 1 | width = 250 | float = center | places = | lat_deg = 42.3 | lon_deg = 1.6 | mark = Lightgreen pog.svg | marksize = 12 | map_caption = The Arén Formation or Arén Sandstone (Catalan: Calcàries i gresos d’Areny) is a geological formation in the Tremp-Graus Basin around Arén, Catalonia, Spain whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. The formation dates to the Campanian to Maastrichtian and underlies the Tremp Group.
Fossil content
Dinosaurs
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Late_Cretaceous_paleogeography_and_distribution_of_titanosaur_nesting_sites.jpg" caption="Paleogeography of the Maastrichtian and distribution of titanosaur nesting sites"] ::
Dinosaur eggs (Megaloolithus baghensis, Sankofa pyrenaica), sauropod tracks, unnamed sauropod remains, theropod tracks, euornithopod tracks, and an unnamed iguanodont remains present in Lérida Province.
::data[format=table]
| Dinosaurs of the Arén Formation | Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richardoestesia | Indeterminate | Lérida | |||||
| Hypselosaurus | Indeterminate | Lérida | Later found to be unknown sauropod remains | ||||
| Orthomerus | Indeterminate | Lérida | |||||
| Pararhabdodon | P. isonensis | Lérida | [[File:Hadrosaure.jpg | center | |||
| Rhabdodon | R. priscus | Lérida | [[File:Rhabdodon by Tom Parker.png | center | |||
| Titanosaurus | T. indicus | Lérida | Later found to be indeterminate sauropod remains | ||||
| :: |
Paleontological sites of interest
-Les Serretes. It is a place in Vilamitjana municipality known by the finding of an important paleontological site. In this site there have found dinosaur remains that belongs to the Second biggest hadrosaur found in Spain, and the biggest of Catalonia. Also there have been found two carnívor dinosaur tooth that belongs to two new dinosaur species morphotypes.
Dentari_d%27hadrosaure_de_les_Serretes_(Vilamitjana,_Tremp).jpg Picture of the dentary from les Serretes. Nowadays exposed on the Museum of Isona.
References
Bibliography
References
- Arengol Segú, 2014, p.31
- [https://paleobiodb.org/classic/displayStrata?geological_group=&formation=Ar%E9n&group_formation_member=Ar%E9n Arén Formation] at [[Fossilworks]].org
- Weishampel et al., 2004, pp.588-593
- Prieto Márquez et al., 2001
- López Martínez & Vicens, 2012
- Listed as "cf. ''Ricardoestesia'' sp." in "15.8 Provincia de Lleida, Spain; 1. Arén Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 591.
- "15.8 Provincia de Lleida, Spain; 1. Arén Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 591.
- Listed as "''Titanosaurus'' cf. ''indicus''" in "15.8 Provincia de Lleida, Spain; 1. Arén Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 591.
- 2014, Fuentes-Buxó, R. & Dalla Vecchia, F.M. 2014. Les Serretes, a new Late Maastrichtian dinosaur site in the eastern Tremp Syncline (Southern Pyrenees, Spain). In: Paleontologia i Evolució. Reconstructing the Terrestrial end-cretaceous paleoenvironments in Europe. pp 70.[https://www.academia.edu/10410968/Les_Serretes_a_new_Late_Maastrichtian_dinosaur_site_in_the_eastern_Tremp_Syncline_Southern_Pyrenees_Spain_]
- Fuentes Buxó, R. 2012. Anàlisi de restes paleontològiques del Maastrichtià superior (Cretaci superior) procedents d’un nou jaciment situat en Les Serretes (Vilamitjana, Conca de Tremp, Espanya). Treball de fi de Master de Paleontologia (UAB-UB-ICP). 129 pp.[https://www.academia.edu/10944379/An%C3%A0lisi_de_restes_paleontol%C3%B2giques_del_Maastrichti%C3%A0_superior_Cretaci_superior_procedents_d_un_nou_jaciment_situat_en_Les_Serretes_Vilamitjana_Conca_de_Tremp_Espanya_]
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