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Greater Levantine Formation: Difference between revisions
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Though many of the Greater Levantine Formation fossils are fragmentary, they are sufficient to provide a good picture of the flora and fauna in the Levantine Basin during the Late Jurassic period. Overall, the climate was dry, similar to a savanna but, since there were no angiosperms (grasses, flowers, and some trees), the flora was quite different. Conifers, the dominant plants of the time, were to be found with ginkgos, cycads, tree ferns, and horsetail rushes. Much of the fossilized vegetation was riparian, living along the river flood plains. Along the rivers, there were fish, frogs, salamanders, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, pterosaurs, crayfish, clams, and mammaliforms. | Though many of the Greater Levantine Formation fossils are fragmentary, they are sufficient to provide a good picture of the flora and fauna in the Levantine Basin during the Late Jurassic period. Overall, the climate was dry, similar to a savanna but, since there were no angiosperms (grasses, flowers, and some trees), the flora was quite different. Conifers, the dominant plants of the time, were to be found with ginkgos, cycads, tree ferns, and horsetail rushes. Much of the fossilized vegetation was riparian, living along the river flood plains. Along the rivers, there were fish, frogs, salamanders, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, pterosaurs, crayfish, clams, and mammaliforms. | ||
The dinosaurs were most likely riparian as well. Hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been discovered, such as ''[[Joanusaurus]]'', ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'', ''[[Macrilaimos]]'', ''[[Ionitops]]'', several stegosaurs comprising at least two species of ''Stegosaurus'' and the early | The dinosaurs were most likely riparian as well. Hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been discovered, such as ''[[Joanusaurus]]'', ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'', ''[[Macrilaimos]]'', ''[[Ionitops]]'', several stegosaurs comprising at least two species of ''Stegosaurus'' and the early testudosaurs, ''[[Aescaractapelta]]'' and ''[[Conchobarsaurus]]'', most notably a very broad range of sauropods (the giants of the Mesozoic era). Since at least some of these species are known to have nested in the area (''Joanusaurus'' embryoes have been discovered), there are indications that it was a good environment for dinosaurs and not just home to migratory, seasonal populations. However, the large body mass of the sauropods has been interpreted as an adaptation to migration in times of drought. | ||
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