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Bradgate Formation

{{Short description|Geologic formation in Leicestershire, the United Kingdom}}

{{Infobox rockunit

| name = Bradgate Formation

| image = File:Bradgate park rocks.jpg

| caption = Bradgate Park, which gave the name to the formation, which itself can be found here.

| type = Formation

| age = Ediacaran {{Geological range|561|557|ref={{cite journal |last1=Noble |first1=Stephen R. |last2=Condon |first2=Daniel J. |last3=Carney |first3=John N. |last4=Wilby |first4=Philip R. |last5=Pharaoh |first5=Timothy C. |last6=Ford |first6=Trevor D. |title=U-Pb geochronology and global context of the Charnian Supergroup, UK: Constraints on the age of key Ediacaran fossil assemblages |journal=Geological Society of America Bulletin |date=January 2015 |volume=127 |issue=1-2 |pages=250–265 |doi=10.1130/B31013.1}}}}

| period = Ediacaran

| prilithology = Pelite

| otherlithology = Tuff, Graywacke, Breccia

| namedfor = Bradgate Park

| namedby =

| region = Leicestershire

| country = {{Flag|United Kingdom}}

| coordinates =

| unitof = Maplewell Group

| subunits = Hallgate and Sliding Stone Slump Breccia Members

| underlies = Hanging Rocks Formation{{cite web |last1=Moseley |first1=John |last2=Ford |first2=Trevor |title=The Sedimentology of the Charnian Supergroup |url=https://www.emgs.org.uk/uploads/1/4/9/1/149143154/mg11_4_1989_251_moseley_ford_sedimentology_of_the_charnian_supergroup_2.pdf |publisher=Mercian Geologist}}

| overlies = Beacon Hill Formation

| thickness = 649 m (2,129 ft)

| extent =

| area =

| map =

| map_caption =

}}

The Bradgate Formation is a geologic formation in Leicestershire, and lies within the wider Bradgate Park area. It preserves fossils dating back to the Lower Ediacaran period.

Paleobiota

The Bradgate Formation contains the richest fossil beds within the Charnian Supergroup, from frondose organisms like Bradgatia and Charnia, which when the latter was discovered, showed definitive proof that macroscopic life did indeed exist before the Cambrian,{{cite journal |last1=Ford |first1=T. D. |title=PRE-CAMBRIAN FOSSILS FROM CHARNWOOD FOREST |journal=Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society |date=September 1958 |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=211–217 |doi=10.1144/pygs.31.3.211}} to discoid forms like Aspidella.

{{Paleobiota-key-compact}}

= Petalonamae =

class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
Genus

!Species

!Notes

!Images

Bradgatia{{cite journal |last1=Kenchington |first1=Charlotte G. |last2=Harris |first2=Simon J. |last3=Vixseboxse |first3=Philip B. |last4=Pickup |first4=Chris |last5=Wilby |first5=Philip R. |title=The Ediacaran fossils of Charnwood Forest: Shining new light on a major biological revolution |journal=Proceedings of the Geologists' Association |date=June 2018 |volume=129 |issue=3 |pages=264–277 |doi=10.1016/j.pgeola.2018.02.006}}

|

  • B. linfordensis

|Sessile frondose organism.

|File:Bradgatia.svg

Charnia

|

  • C. masoni

|Sessile frondose organism, and first organism found within this formation.

|File:Charnia.png

Charniodiscus

|

  • C. concentricus

|Sessile frondose organism.

|File:Charniodiscus.png

Hylaecullulus{{cite journal |last1=Kenchington |first1=Charlotte G. |last2=Dunn |first2=Frances S. |last3=Wilby |first3=Philip R. |title=Modularity and Overcompensatory Growth in Ediacaran Rangeomorphs Demonstrate Early Adaptations for Coping with Environmental Pressures |journal=Current Biology |date=October 2018 |volume=28 |issue=20 |pages=3330–3336.e2 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2018.08.036}}

|

  • H. fordi

|Sessile frondose organism.

|

Primocandelabrum{{cite journal |last1=Kenchington |first1=Charlotte G. |last2=Wilby |first2=Philip R. |title=Rangeomorph classification schemes and intra-specific variation: are all characters created equal? |journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications |date=January 2017 |volume=448 |issue=1 |pages=221–250 |doi=10.1144/SP448.19}}

|

  • P. aelfwynnia
  • P. aethelflaedia
  • P. boyntoni

|Sessile frondose organism.

|File:Pala12206-fig-0003-m Primocandelabrum.png

Vinlandia{{cite journal |last1=Brasier |first1=Martin D. |last2=Antcliffe |first2=Jonathan B. |last3=Liu |first3=Alexander G. |title=The architecture of Ediacaran Fronds |journal=Palaeontology |date=September 2012 |volume=55 |issue=5 |pages=1105–1124 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01164.x}}

|

  • V. antecedens

|Sessile frondose organism.

|File:Vinlandia.jpg

= ''incertae sedis'' =

class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
Genus

!Species

!Notes

!Images

Aspidella{{cite journal |last1=Wilby |first1=Philip R. |last2=Carney |first2=John N. |last3=Howe |first3=Michael P.A. |title=A rich Ediacaran assemblage from eastern Avalonia: Evidence of early widespread diversity in the deep ocean |journal=Geology |date=1 July 2011 |volume=39 |issue=7 |pages=655–658 |doi=10.1130/G31890.1}}

|

  • Aspidella sp.

|Enigmatic discoidal fossil.

|File:Aspidella surface.jpg

Thectardis

|

  • T. avalonensis

|Discoid organism, possibly holdfasts of petalonamids.

|File:Thectardis avalonensis - MUSE.jpg

= Undescribed forms =

class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
Genus

!Species

!Notes

!Images

Gladius form

|

  • ???

|Enigmatic fossil, described to be in the shape of a gladius sword.

|

Hemispherical form

|

  • ???

|Enigmatic fossil, described to be hemispherical in shape, with bifurcating radial ribs.

|

Lanceolate frond{{cite web |last1=Bowers |first1=Aron |title=Further Precambrian (Ediacaran) fossil discoveries in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire |url=https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/85626/mercian-2014-v18-p175-further-ediacaran-fossils-charwood-forest-bowers.pdf |website=Monash University |publisher=Mercian Geologist |access-date=5 May 2025}}

|

  • ???

|Enigmatic frondose fossil, described to be in the shape of a lance head, which has collapsed in onto itself.

|

See also

{{Portal|Earth sciences|United Kingdom|Paleontology|}}

References

  • {{cite web|title= Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database|author= ((Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database))|url= https://www.fossilworks.org|access-date= 17 December 2021}}

Category:Ediacaran Europe

Category:Geologic formations of England

Category:Geology of Leicestershire