STAITHES TOWN WEB	Find me: Where: Staithes Web All the Web
Skip Access Home Site News Site Map FAQ Help Terms Feedback

Fossils found around Staithes

As discussed in the section on the palæoenvironment, the area around Staithes was in the Jurassic times a tropical marine delta. It is logical therefore to expect that the fossil record here is made up of the sea creatures of the time. The majority of fossils found today are of the Genus Amaltheus, commonly known as Ammonites.

Amaltheus margaritatus

Artists impression in life	Actual Fossil

The alternating geology of mudstones, shales and sandstones tell us that the environment was not static but changed back and forth over time and one finds a number of shell beds within the rock. These are notable at the Avicula and Pecten Seams and at the boundary between the Redcar Mudstone and the Staithes Sandstone Formations.

The images below are arranged roughly in chronographic order the highest being the youngest fossils above the Main Seam and the lowest being the oldest in the Redcar Mudstone

Other Fossils found around Staithes

Tenuicostatum Zone	Fossil	Local Stratigraphic Location
hawskerense	Pleuroceras hawskerese Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Pleuroceratidae Genus Pleuroceras Specie hawskerense var.
apyrenum	Pleuroceras apyrenum Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Pleuroceratidae Genus Pleuroceras Specie apyrenum var.	MAIN SEAM
	Pleuroceras spinatum Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Pleuroceratidae Genus Pleuroceras Specie spinatum var.
	Pseudopecten aequivalvis Phylum Mollusca Class Bivalva Sub Class Pteriomorphia Order Pterioida Family Pectinidae Genus Pseudopecten Specie aequivalvis var. Note: The Pecten is characteristic of sandy areas in deep water. The abundance of this specie gives its name to the local zone.	PECTEN SEAM
gibbosus	Amaltheus gibbosus Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Amaltheidae Genus Amaltheus Specie gibbosus var.
	Amaltheus ferrugineum Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Amaltheidae Genus Amaltheus Specie ferrugineum var.
subnodosus	Amaltheus margaritatus Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Amaltheidae Genus Amaltheus Specie margaritatus var.	AVICULA SEAM
	Oxytoma (ex Avicula) cygnipes / inaequivalvis Phylum Mollusca Class Bivalva Sub Class Pteriomorphia Order Pterioida Family Oxytomidae Genus Oxytoma Specie cygnipes var. Notes: The specie name is derived  from the similarity with a Swan's (Cygnus) foot. The abundance of this specie gives its name to the local zone.
	Amaltheus subnodosus Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Amaltheidae Genus Amaltheus Specie subnodosus var.
stokesi	Amaltheus stokesi Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Amaltheidae Genus Amaltheus Specie stokesi var.
	Harpoceras elegans Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Harpoceratidae Genus Harpoceras Specie elegans var.
figulinum	Oistoceras figulinum Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Oistoceratidae Genus Oistoceras Specie figulinum var.
tenuicostatum (All horizons including the Staithes Sandstone Formation)	Amaltheus hildoceras Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Amaltheidae Genus Amaltheus Specie hildoceras var.
	Dactylioceras tenuicostatum Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Sub Class Ammonides Family Dactylioceratidae Genus Dactylioceras Specie tenuicostatum var.
	Modiolus scalprum (Horse Mussel) Phylum Mollusca Class Bivalva Sub Class Pteriomorphia Order Mytiloida Family Mytilidae Genus Modiolus Specie scalprum var.
	Plicatula spinosa Phylum Mollusca Class Bivalva Sub Class Pteriomorphia Order Pterioida Family Plicatulidae Genus Plicatula Specie spinosa var.
	Gryphea gigantea - Devil's Toenail Phylum Mollusca Class Bivalva Sub Class Pteriomorphia Family Gryphaeidae Genus Gryphea Specie gigantea var.

These are not however the only fossils found near Staithes they are the most predominant. In 1968 part of an Ichthyosaur was found but before that a number of Plesiosaur were uncovered by the Alum mining.

Plesiosaur Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Sauropterygia Family Plesiosauridae Genus Plesiosaurus Specie var.

For more information visit The Plesiosaur Site

Ichthyosaurus Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Ichthyosauria Family Ichthyosauridae Genus Ichthyosaurus Specie var.

For more information visit The Ichthyosaur Page

Other types of fossils, known as trace fossils, notably Rhizocorallium burrows are common in the Main Seam whilst fossilised wood in the form of Lignite or Jet has been mined here for many hundred of years.