Aberlemno Quarry
Geological Conservation Review site | GCR #947 | Palaeontology | Silurian - Devonian Chordata
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.
Summary
This site exposes the highest fish bed of the Dundee Formation of the Arbuthnott Group (Lower Old Red Sandstone) in the Forfar area. In the past, cephalaspids have been found commonly at Aberlemno, whilst acanthodians occurred at the stratigraphically lower Tillywhandland site. Turin Hill is given as the type locality for Cephalaspis pagei Lankester, a species abundant and well-preserved at Aberlemno, which was the most prolific site for this widely known species in the Lower Old Red Sandstone of Scotland. Turinea pagei Powrie is also found here, at its type locality. Turinea, a thelodont, is common and widespread in Europe where it is used for correlation. There it only occurs as isolated denticles. Articulated specimens are extremely rare, and Aberlemno is the only specified site where complete specimens occur. One of Britain's most important agnathan localities.
Related geosites
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