The evolutionary significance of a new UK Middle Jurassic Largerstätte

Mass occurrences of articulated Jurassic echinoderms, containing high diversities at both species and class level are rare globally.

Whilst the UK Jurassic has spectacular and important echinoderm faunas, these are all known from multiple horizons, throughout relatively thick rock packages.

A new Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) site, found in 2020 by Neville and Sally Hollingworth, has produced an abundant, exquisitely preserved and diverse echinoderm fauna, from two horizons, separated by about 20cm, from a single, small locality in Wiltshire.

The new site exceeds all other British Middle Jurassic sites for diversity and abundance and is comparable to the best in the world, such as the Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) Schinznach site, near Basel, in the Swiss Jura (Hess 1972, 1973, 1999) although, again, this diversity and abundance is from multiple horizons within a relatively thick rock package. This exceptional site and the discovery story were broadcast widely by the world media in June 2021.

The unprecedented window these fossils provide on the evolution and diversity of echinoderms and other groups forms the focus of this project and how these in turn illuminate parts of the evolutionary history of major groups that are ecologically important today as well as the evolution of such modern ecosystems.

Of particular significance are the numerous exquisitely preserved comatulid and isocrinid (Class Crinoidea) fossils with regards to the evolution and early divergence and diversity of comatulid crinoids as well as insights into sea floor ecological tiering.

Aims

  • Describe the diversity of Invertebrates and plants, particularly the echinoderms, microfossils and arthropods at this site.
  • Elucidate the early diversity and radiation of comatulid crinoids based on data from the Wiltshire site and other Jurassic occurrences.
  • Understand and describe the environment which supported large numbers of echinoderms in a relatively small space, and which led to their preservation.
  • Understand the origins of tiered feeding in marine ecosystems.

Methods

  • Field investigation of the geology and fossils at site.
  • Standard bulk sampling and processing methods (sieving) for macro, meso and microfossils.
  • Fossil preparation techniques (air abrasion, air pen and chemical immersion)
  • Analysis and imaging of specimens using SEM and CT scanning, Light microscopy, photogrammetry and digital measurements.
  • Quantify shape using a landmark free analysis employing the deformation fields technique of Toussaint et al., 2021.

Who is involved?

The large number of collaborators listed illustrates the multifaceted approach taken to thoroughly investigate this important site. The people involved bring a wealth of different knowledge of both taxonomy, analytical and preparatory work required to fully understand the significance. Other institutions involved:

· University Colledge London, UK

· Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt, Germany

· Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg

· Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum, Braunschweig, Germany

· University of Southampton, UK

· University of Oxford, UK

· Diamond Light Source, Harwell, UK

The Natural History Museum's role

The museum plays a central role to this project because it houses the material being studied, the analytical and preparational facilities required to study the material as well as being the base of the lead investigator along with much of the diverse taxonomic expertise required.

Christian VOICULESCU-HOLVAD, Brett CLARK & Timothy A. M. EWIN., 2023: The internal anatomy of Middle Jurassic comatulid cups (Comatulida, Articulata, Crinoidea), as revealed by X-ray microtomography, and its implications for the radiation of comatulid crinoids. Oral Presentation, 11th European Conference on Echinoderms (ECE11) Lyon, France, Abstract Book, p. 117

Miles, K. and Ewin, T. A. M., 2022: “A Gentler Approach? Testing Rewoquat as an alternative to air abrasion on exceptionally preserved Echinoderms from the Forest Marble Formation”, Poster Presentation, Symposium on Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.

Timothy A. M. Ewin, Neville Hollingworth, Sally Hollingworth, Charles Underwood, David Ward, Alison Ward, Giles Miller, Steve Stukins, Alan Lord, Jeremy Young, Paul Bown, Paul Kenrick, Jon Todd, Mark R. Graham, Ben Thuy, Imran Rahman, Mike Reich and, Jeffery R. Thompson, 2021:  “‘Comatulid crinoids’ on the morning news: preliminary observations and implications of a new Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) Lagerstätte in Wiltshire, UK”. Palaeontological Association Annual Conference, Manchester, UK. Abstract volume, p. 65.

Oral presentations to scientific societies given by T. A. M. Ewin (unless otherwise stated):

· 2021 Bristol Naturalists Society, Monthly meeting, Bath, UK

· 2022 Geological Association Annual Meeting, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK

· 2023 Horsham Geological Field Club, Monthly Meeting, Horsham, West Sussex, UK

· 2023 Essex Rock and Mineral Society, Essex, UK

· 2023 Yorkshire Geological Society Monthly Meeting, North Yorkshire, UK

· 2023 Leicester University student geological society monthly lecture, Leicester, UK

· 2023 Harwell Schools Day, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK (in partnership with N. and S. Hollingworth).

· 2024 Bristol Aquarium public lecture, Bristol, UK (delivered by N. and S. Hollingworth)

Focus: Using multiple cutting-edge scientific methods on recently acquired, exquisitely preserved fossils to reveal novel insights into invertebrate evolution.

Dates: 2023-2030

Funding: The Natural History Museum in London is providing SIF bids, staff, and analytical equipment time.

NERC Grant: NE/X011526/1 (2023-2024) Exploring the Frontiers of Environmental Science: “Quantifying Tiering of Marine Animal Forests Through Deep Time”, £70,000.

Dr Timothy A. M. Ewin, Natural History Museum, London

Neville Hollingworth

Sally Hollingworth

Natural History Museum, London

Giles Miller

Steve Stukins

Paul Kenrick

Jon Todd

Mark R. Graham

Kieran Miles

Imran Rahman

David Ward

Alison Ward

Ebony Cutcliffe

Brett Clark

University Colledge London

Charles Underwood

Jeremy Young

Paul Bown

Christian Voicolescu-Holvad

Senckenberg Research Institute and the Natural History Museum, Frankfurt

Alan Lord

Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg

Ben Thuy

Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum, Braunschweig, Germany

Mike Reich

University of Southampton

Jeffery R. Thompson

James Mulqueeney

University of Oxford

Emily Mitchell

Interviews on National News broadcasters; BBC, ITV, Sky News, UK News and CBS

BBC’s Blue Peter

Viking TV - Tim Ewin | Viking.TV)

2022 Channel 5 “Digging for Treasure”

2023 Channel 5 Museum of Wonder My5 - Natural History Museum: World of Wonder - Season 2 - Episode 2 / Episode 2 (channel5.com)

Interviews on 8 national and international radio broadcasts including BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service.

All major UK national newspapers (e.g. Guardian, The Times, Daily Mail), hundreds of local UK news outlet websites covered by The Associated Press and tens of international science news websites (including Metro and Evening Standard).

Natural History Museum magazine

2022: Ewin T. A. M., “Jurassic Seabed frozen in time”, Evolve magazine, Issue 48, p. 6-7.

2022: Ewin T. A. M., “Adventures in the Field” article for Wild World Issue 37 p. 24-25