# Grünbach Formation

The Grünbach Formation is an Austrian geological formation that dates to the early Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous. it forms part of the Gosau Group, and represents a marine regression event, representing a coastal/brackish environment, being underlain by the marine carbonate Maiersdorf Formation and overlain by the deep marine siliciclastic Piesting Formation. The main lithology is clay, marl, siltstone and sandstone, with a minor conglomerate component. Coal seams have also been noted. It is notable for its fossils including those of dinosaurs and plants.

## Vertebrate paleofauna

All remains have been found at a single locality, which is a thin marl seam in the Konstantin mining tunnel, within the Felbering Mine in the Neue Welt area north west of Muthmannsdorf in Lower Austria. The initial remains were discovered in 1859 after an ornithopod tooth was found in a piece of coal in a dump outside the mine by Professor Ferdinand Stoliczka, and the productive seam discovered thereafter. The first material was described by Emanuel Bunzel in 1871 and then additional material was described by Harry Seeley in 1881. Due to mining activity in the area ceasing at the end of the 19th century, no additional remains have been recovered since.

### Squamates

Squamates of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
| Araeosaurus | A. gracilis | Muthmannsdorf | | Vertebra | | |

### Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
| Doratodon | D. carcharidens | Muthmannsdorf | | "incomplete mandible, a fragmentary right maxilla, a parietal fragment, and isolated teeth" | | |
| Eusuchia | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | | "mandible fragment and some postcranial material" | | |

### Choristoderes

Choristoderes of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
| Choristodera | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | | "Two platycoelous vertebral centra" | | |

### Turtles

Turtles of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
| Dortokidae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | | Shell fragments | | |
| cf. Kallokibotioninae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | | Shell fragments | | |

### Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Abundance | Notes |
| "Ornithocheirus" | "O". buenzeli | Muthmannsdorf | | Remains found not diagnostic, remains referred to Azdarchidae and Pterodactyloidea indet. |
| Azdarchidae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Proximal portion of a humerus" | Previously referred to "O". buenzeli |
| Pterodactyloidea | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Articular region of a lower jaw, crushed phalangeal fragments" | Previously referred to "O". buenzeli |

### Non-avian dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Abundance | Notes |
| Mochlodon | M. suessi | Muthmannsdorf | Cranial and postcranial elements | |
| Struthiosaurus | S. austriacus | Muthmannsdorf | Cranial and postcranial elements | |
| Tetanurae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Two fragmentary teeth" | Referred to by the dubious name ‘Megalosaurus pannoniensis’ Nearly identical to teeth known from the Csehbánya Formation |

## Flora

Most of these specimens were recovered from mining dumps near Grünbach am Schneeberg in lower Austria. The flora of the formation is considered to represent that of a high humidity subtropical climate, typical of the Euro-Sinian phytogeographical region.
| Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon | Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited. |

### Bryophytes

Bryophytes of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Stereisporites | Indeterminate | | | | Spore, representative of Sphagnaceae | |

### Lycopodiophyta

Lycopodiophytes of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Camarozonosporites | Indeterminate | | | | Spore, representative of Lycopodiaceae | |
| Retitriletes | Indeterminate | | | | Spore, representative of Lycopodium | |

### Pteridophytes

Pteridophytes of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Notes |
| Appendicisporites | A. tricuspidatus | Spore, probable affinities with Schizaeaceae |
| Cicatricosisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, probable affinities with Schizaeaceae |
| Cingulatisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, affinities with Anemia |
| Cladophlebis | C. gosauensis | |
| Coniopteris | ? | |
| Cyathidites | Indeterminate | Spore |
| Echinatisporites | Indeterminate | Spore |
| Equisetites | Indeterminate | A horsetail |
| Gosauopteris | G. danaeoides | Probable affinities with Marattiaceae |
| Gleicheniidites | G. senonicus | Spore |
| Leiotriletes | Indeterminate | Spore, representative of Lygodium |
| Marsileaceaephyllum | M. campanica | Marsileaceae, very similar to extant Marsilea |
| Matonisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, Found in situ with Monheimia |
| Microphyllopteris | M. austriaca | |
| Microtaenia | M. austriaca | |
| Monheimia | M. ungerii | affinities with Matoniaceae, particularly Phanerosorus |
| Polypodiaceoisporites | Indeterminate | Spore |
| Raphaelia | R. lobifolia | |
| Sphenopteris | S. gruenbachiana, S. ungeri | Probable affinities with Schizaeaceae |

### Gymnosperms

Gymnosperms of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Notes |
| Geinitzia | G. formosa, G. reichenbachii | Pinopsida, Taxodioid affinity |
| cf. Lindleycladus | L. lanceolatus | |
| Nilsonia | N. cf. holyi | Bennettitales |
| Pagiophyllum | Indeterminate | |
| Pityosporites | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Podozamites | Indeterminate | |
| Taxiodiaceaepollenites | Indeterminate | Pollen, at least 2 taxa |

### Angiosperms
#### Monocots

Monocots of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Notes |
| Arecipites | Indeterminate | Pollen, representative of Palmae |
| Lysichiton | L. austriacus | Araceae, genus extant |
| Gruenbachia | G. pandanoides | Pandanaceae, reproductive organs of Pandanites |
| Pandanites | P. trinervis | Pandanaceae |
| Sabalites | S. longirhachis | Palm |
| Spinizonocolpites | Indeterminate | Pollen, representative of extant Nypa palm |
| Theiaiphyllum | T. kollmannii | |

#### Dicots

Dicots of the Grünbach Formation :
| Genus | Species | Notes |
| Brasenites | B. krasserii | affinity with Brasenia |
| Celastrophyllum | Indeterminate, C. johannae | Hamamelidae |
| Ceratoxylon | Indeterminate | Reproductive structure |
| Clavatipollenites | Indeterminate | Pollen, representative of Chloranthaceae |
| Complexiopollis | Indeterminate | Pollen, affinities with Myricaceae |
| Compositiphyllum | C. serratum | |
| Debeya | D. insignis | |
| Dicotylophyllum | Indeterminate | |
| Ettingshausenia | E. gruenbachiana, E. cf. laevis, Indeterminate | Platanaceae |
| Extremipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Grebenkia | G. europeica | |
| cf. Grevilleophyllum | G. constans | |
| Hungaropollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Juglandiphyllites | J. pelagicus | possible affinity with Juglandaceae |
| Krutzschipollites | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Laudaypollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Leguminosites | L. mucronata | |
| Longanulipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Menispermites | M. ettingshausenii, M. summesbergerii | |
| Momipetes | Indeterminate | Pollen, similar to extant Engelhardtia |
| Myricophyllum | M. cf. zenkeri, M. serratum | Affinities with Myrica |
| Myrtacaedites | Indeterminate | Pollen, Representative of Myrtaceae |
| Normapolles | Indeterminate | Pollen, very abundant. possibly associated with Juglandaceae |
| Oculipollis | O. sp, O. parvoculus O.zaklinskaiaiae | Pollen |
| cf. Pandemophyllum | Indeterminate, P. cf. proteoides | |
| Pseudoplicapollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Quereuxia | Q. angulata | Possible affinity with Trapa |
| Rogersia | Indeterminate | |
| Semioculipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Suemegipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen |
| Ternstroemites | T. (?) neueweltensis | |
| Tricolpopollenites | Indeterminate | Pollen, At least 8 distinct taxa |
| Viburniphyllum | V. ermannii, V. austriacum | |