Earth and Environment Atlas

How The Planet Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Geological Formations

Besano Formation

Sedimentary and Stratigraphic Formations

Citation Formats

General Reference

APA Style

BibTeX

The Besano Formation straddles the border between Lombardy in Italy and Ticino in Switzerland near Monte San Giorgio, a Middle Triassic deposit roughly two hundred and forty million years old formed from finely layered black shale on the floor of a stagnant lagoon that preserved marine reptiles, fish and other animals in exceptional detail. The formation's fossils, especially its diverse ichthyosaurs and other marine reptiles, contributed to Monte San Giorgio's recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.

View At A Past Year

The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.