Erfurt Formation, Geological formation near Erfurt, Germany.
The Erfurt Formation is a sequence of sedimentary rocks from the Triassic period that spans parts of Germany. It consists of alternating layers of claystone, siltstone, sandstone, dolomite, coal, salt minerals, and gypsum.
This rock sequence formed during the Triassic period roughly 250 million years ago and was first scientifically defined in 1830 by Franz Xaver Hofmann. Since then it has served as a standard reference for understanding the Triassic age in Germany.
The formation contains numerous vertebrate fossils, including complete skeletons of Batrachotomus, Mastodonsaurus, and various species of fish discovered near Kupferzell.
The formation spreads across Baden-Württemberg and Thuringia and varies greatly in thickness from less than 20 meters to over 700 meters in some areas. In many locations it functions as an aquifer, shaping the region's water supply conditions.
At various locations like Kupferzell, complete skeletons of extinct animals have been found within these rocks, including swimming crocodiles called Batrachotomus and giant salamanders named Mastodonsaurus. These fossils reveal that tropical freshwater lakes once covered this area millions of years ago.
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