The Grès à Voltzia is a geologic formation in France. It preserves fossils dating back to the Triassic period, more specifically the Anisian stage of the Middle Triassic epoch. It represents a lagerstatte that is well known for its palaeoflora, which shares numerous similarities with palaeobotanical assemblages in the Iberian Peninsula.

Paleobiota

Arthropods

Insects

InsectsGenusSpeciesHigher taxonNotesImagesAnisinodusA. crinitusChironomoideaEarliest chironomoid known, fossils are all of larvaeArchilimoniaA. vogesiana, A. grauvogelianaArchilimoniinae (Limoniidae)Formerly placed in its own family “Archilimonidae”Archostemata indet.UnapplicableColeopteraRepresented by 32 distinct forms, but unfortunately none of these can be named at present as they are only represented by isolated elytraArlecorisA. louisiArlecorinae (Naucoroidea)Earliest water bug knownBaharellinusB. umbrosusBlattogryllidae (Grylloblattodea)Has a dark wing membraneChaulioditesC. aniscusChaulioditidae (Grylloblattida)DorniellaD. elcanoides, D. apectinata, D. diluta, D. ovalisBlattogryllidae (Grylloblattodea)Most diverse grylloblattodean from the formationEmbigryllusE. shcherbakoviBlattogryllidae (Grylloblattodea)GalliaG. alsaticaStem-BrachyceraEarliest brachyceran knownGalliagryllavusG. vogesiacusGryllavidae (Ensifera)Similar to GryllavusGrauvogeliaG. arzevillerianaGrauvogeliidae (Diptera)Placed in an entirely separate infraorder (Grauvogeliomorpha) within Diarchineura (synonymous with the modern, broader Psychodomorpha), oldest known fly at time of discoveryLaurentipteraL. gallicaLiassophilidae (Mecoptera)Formerly placed in its own family “Laurentipteridae”LeaphisL. primusCreaphididae (Aphidomorpha)Earliest aphid known, synonymous with the later named “Vosegus triassicus”LouisaL. novaGrauvogeliidae (Diptera)Similar to GrauvogeliaMegakhosarodesM. vosgesicusMegakhosaridae (Grylloblattodea)Similar to the Permian M. zajsanicusMesoplectopteronM. longipesMesoplectopteridae (Ephemeroptera)Redescribed in a 2005 paperMinorellaM. virgataEphemeroptera incertae sedisSimilar to modern Leptophlebiidae, but the fossils are not well-preserved enough for confident identificationPalaeochresmodaP. grauvogeliProchresmodidae (Phasmatodea)Earliest known stick insect at the timePalaeomesorthopteronP. pullusMesorthopteridae (Grylloblattodea)Has dark wing membraneProchoristellaP. pilosaPermochoristidae (Mecoptera)Named after the abundance of microchaetae on the wingsPseudopolycentropusP. triassicusPseudopolycentropodidaeEarliest pseudopolycentropodid knownReisiaR. guillaumeiTriadotypidae (Odonatoptera)Formerly placed in the genus “Triadotypus”ScleroblattaS. densaArgentinoblattidae (Blattodea)Differentiated by a large costal veinSubioblattaS. undulataSubioblattidae (Blattodea)Caused a redescription of Subioblattidae in its original paperTanusT. triassicusNadipteromorpha (Psychodomorpha)Known from a fairly complete specimen, may be ancestral to TanyderidaeToxodotesT. coloratusToxodotidae (Ephemeroptera)Has coloured wingtipsTransitoblattaT. reticulataMancusoblattidae (Blattodea)Transitional between Paleozoic and Mesozoic cockroachesTriassodotesT. vogesiacusMisthodotidae (Ephemeroptera)Similar to Misthodotes, but has shorter hind wingsTriassoephemeraT. punctataTriassoephemeridae (Ephemeroptera)Unusually has an unflattened body and double claws, unlike all modern mayfly larvaeTriassomanthusT. parvulusTriassomanthidae (Ephemeroptera)Has long tusks like burrowing nymphs, but has legs not adapted for burrowingTriassonurusT. doliiformisSiphlonuridaeOldest siphlonurid knownTriassoparacyrtophyllitesT. bifurcatusTuphellidae (Hagloidea)Similar to ParacyrtophyllitesTriassophyllumT. leopardiiTettigoniidaeOldest tettigoniid knownVogerhyphaV. blagoderovi, V. krzeminskorumProtorhyphidae (Bibionomorpha)Formerly placed in “Vymrhyphus”VogesonymphaV. ludoviciVogesonymphidae (Sinebranchia/Panephemeroptera)Formerly classed as Pterygota incertae sedis, as it has a striking resemblance to Carbotriplura despite being vastly smallerVosgesopterumV. arzvillerensisBlattogryllidae (Grylloblattodea)VoltziaephemeraV. fossoriaVoltziaephemeridae (Ephemeroptera)Likely a burrowing nymph, as evidenced by having tusks, but different from extant ones in its long and narrow wing padsVoltziahaglaV. pseudofurcatusHaglidaeSimilar to ArchaboilusVoltzialestesV. triasicusVoltzialestidae (Protozygoptera)First odonate from the formationVoltziapupaV. cornuta, V. tentataGrauvogeliidae? (Diptera)Known from pupae

Misc. Arthropods

Misc. ArthropodsGenusSpeciesHigher taxonNotesImagesAnhelkocephalonA. handlirschiCyclidaFormerly interpreted as an isopodAntrimposA. atavusPenaeidaeA fairly widespread prawn genusApuditesA. antiquusCalmanostraca (Branchiopoda)Formerly placed within Triops cancriformisClytiopsisC. argentoratensisErymidaeSynonymised with two other species from the formation, which are likely larvae of this oneDiaphanosomaD. rarePeracarida incertae sedisPreviously thought to be a larval decapodEuestheriaE. minuta minutaEuestheriidae (Spinicaudata)Shell valve resembles that of tellins in shape, formerly placed in the genus “Isaura”EuthycarcinusE. kessleriEuthycarcinoideaFirst euthycarcinoid described, alongside the youngest and one of the most well-preservedGalloscorpioG. voltziGalloscorpionidae (Scorpiones)One of the youngest known scorpions from an extinct superfamilyGrauvogelocarisG. alsaticaStem-DiplostracaResembles the Cambrian Rehbachiella somewhat in its combination of a carapace covering the head/thorax and a long abdomenHalicyneH. ornataCyclidaSimilar to AnhelkocephalonHannibaliulusH. wilsonaeCallipodida?One of the few Mesozoic millipede fossilsLimulitellaL. bronniLimulidae?One of the few freshwater horseshoe crabs knownOlesenocarisO. grauvogeliStem-Diplostraca?Resembles the Cambrian Rehbachiella somewhat in its combination of a carapace covering the head/thorax and a long abdomenPalaegaP. pumilaFlabelliferaHad strong mandibles, likely carnivorousPalaeolimnadiaP. alsaticaLimnadiidaeBears two different egg types; one larger and one smallerPalaeolimnadiopsisP. dictyonataLimnadiopsidae (Conchostraca)Relatively large, over 1 cm longPraeleaiaP. spLeaiidae (Conchostraca)Also similar to EstheriellaProtobuthusP. elegansProtobuthidae (Buthoidea)Earliest known buthoid scorpionRosamygaleR. grauvogeliHexathelidaeOldest known mygalomorph spiderSchimperellaS. beneckei, S. kessleriMysidaDiffers from modern mysids in the lack of uropod statocystsTriasocarisT. peachiSyncaridaIndeterminate familyTriassinellaT. aff. tsorfatiaGlorianellidae (Podocopida)Fairly small, only around 0.75 mm long

Misc. Invertebrates

Misc. InvertebratesGenusSpeciesHigher taxonNotesImagesEnantiostreonE. difformeProspondylidae (Pectinida)Formerly placed within TerquemiidaeEntoliumE. discitesEntoliidaeSpecimens vary in size between different localities EunicitesE. triasicusLeodicidae (Errantia)Likely quite tolerant to salinity variations similar to modern eunicids HoernesiaH. spBakevelliidaeAlso similar to Gervillia, but too poorly preserved to identify furtherHomaphroditeH. speciosaAphroditidaeAlso resembles polynoidsHomomyaH. impressa, H. albertiiPholadomyidaeLikely a burrowerLingulaL. tenuissimaLingulidaeLingula is a common example of a “living fossil”, however recent evidence suggests this is a result of misidentificationLoxonemaL. obsoletumLoxonematidaeSimilar to L. detritumModiolusM. sp.MytilidaSimilar to M. triquetra, but longerMyophoriaM. vulgarisTrigoniidaLikely lived in muddy sediment like other trigoniidsNaticopsisN. gaillardotiNeritopsidaeMost specimens are flattened in various planesPleuromyaP. elongataPleuromyidae (Myida)Likely a burrowerProgonionemusP. vogesiacusLimnomedusaeOne of the oldest freshwater hydrozoans known”Spirorbis”S. pusillusSerpulidaePoorly preserved, despite another species assigned to the genus being common in the MuschelkalkTriadonereisT. spAnnelida incertae sedisIncompletely preserved, so its assignment to the genus is only provisionalUndulariaU. scalataProtorculidaeFormerly placed in “Ptenoglossa”VelataV. albertiiPectinidaeFormerly placed in “Eopecten”

Vertebrates VertebratesGenusSpeciesHigher taxonNotesImagesDipteronotusD. aculeatusPerleidiformesFormerly placed within “Praesemionotus”DorsolepisD. virgatusPlatysomidae (Palaeonisciformes)While the body is well-preserved and similar to other platysomids, the head is barely knownEocyclotosaurusE. lehmaniHeylerosauridaeFormerly placed in StenotosaurusMastodonsauridae indet.UnapplicableMastodonsauroideaFormerly classed as “Odontosaurus voltzii”, then moved into “Mastodonsaurus” vaslenensis before finally being removed from a genus altogetherMirasauraM. grauvogeliDrepanosauromorphaRelated to the enigmatic Longisquama from the Madygen FormationPericentrophorusP. minimusSemionotiformesResembles Acentrophorus, originally placed as a “transitional form” between Chondrostei and HolosteiSaurichthysS. daubreeiSaurichthyidaeSimilar to Saurichthys lepidosteoides from the Muschelkalk

See also

List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in France

References