Ardtun

Geological Conservation Review site | GCR #797 | Palaeontology | Palaeoentomology

Scotland's geosites are chosen because of their local, national or international importance. Take only photos, leave only footprints: avoid causing any damage to this site. You can walk almost anywhere in Scotland without the need to ask permission or keep to paths, but you have a responsibility to care for your own safety, to respect people's privacy and peace of mind and to cause no damage.

This site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage the protected natural features of a SSSI, and this includes unauthorised sample collection.

The right of access does not extend to quarries, building sites or any land where public access is prohibited, or to the collection of geological samples.

Report a problem at this geosite

Summary

The Leaf Beds of Mull, of earliest Tertiary age, contain a small insect fauna in association with the plant material. This fauna is of interest because of its northerly latitude and its inclusion of a species of Cicada Eotettigarcata scotica; a member of a family now confined to the uplands of south-east Australia. Also present are an early representative of the Gryllacrididae, a small cryptic family of warm climate Orthoptera. The assemblage recorded here is the most diverse known in the country from the Lower Eocene and it has no equivalents in coeval deposits in southern Britain.

More information on GeoGuide

Site information

Further information

https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/abs/10.1144/gsl.jgs.188…

Gardner, J.S. 1887. Leaf-beds and gravels of Ardtun, Carsaig, etc. Mull. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, volume 43, pages 270–300.