Publications  •  Publikationen

Heyng, A.M. 2015. Einzellige Mikrofossilien. [In:] Arratia, G.; Schultze, H.-P.; Tischlinger, H. & Viohl, G. (eds.). Solnhofen. Ein Fenster in die Jurazeit. - 5 ms pp., 27 figs.; München (Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil). ISBN 978-3-89937-975-1

Heyng, A.M., Rothgaenger, M. & Röper, M. 2015. Die Grabung Brunn. [In:] Arratia, G.; Schultze, H.-P.; Tischlinger, H. & Viohl, G. (eds.). Solnhofen. Ein Fenster in die Jurazeit. - 5 ms pp., 20 figs.; München (Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil). ISBN 978-3-89937-975-1

Heyng, A.M., Leonhardt, U., Krautworst, U. & Pöschl, R. 2015. Die Mörnsheimer Schichten am Schaudiberg. [In:] Arratia, G.; Schultze, H.-P.; Tischlinger, H. & Viohl, G. (eds.). Solnhofen. Ein Fenster in die Jurazeit. - 16 ms pp., 67 figs.; München (Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil). ISBN 978-3-89937-975-1

Heyng, A.M. & Viohl, G. 2015. Octokorallen (Octocorallia). [In:] Arratia, G.; Schultze, H.-P.; Tischlinger, H. & Viohl, G. (eds.). Solnhofen. Ein Fenster in die Jurazeit. - 2 ms pp., 5 figs.; München (Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil). ISBN 978-3-89937-975-1

Arp, G. & Heyng, A.M. 2013. Jurassic Fossil Lagerstätten of Southern Germany. [In:] Reitner, J. & Reich, M. (eds.). Palaeobiology and Geobiology of Fossil Lagerstätten through Earth History. A Joint Conference of the “Paläontologische Gesellschaft” and the “Palaeontological Society China”, Göttingen, Germany, September 23-27, 2013. Field Guide to Excursions and Workshops. - 16 p., 12 figs.; Göttingen (Geowiss. Museum). ISBN 978-3-943647-06-8

Rauhut, O.W.M., Heyng, A.M., López-Arbarello, A., Hecker, A. 2012. A New Rhynchocephalian from the Late Jurassic of Germany with a Dentition That Is Unique amongst Tetrapods. - PLoS ONE 7(10): e46839. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046839

Heyng, A. 2011. Das Profil der Mörnsheim-Formation im Besuchersteinbruch. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 16-21.

Hecker, A. & Heyng, A. 2011. Fossilien aus der Mörnsheim-Formation unter UV-Licht. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 36-39.

Heyng, A. 2011. Radiolarien aus der Mörnsheim-Formation von Mühlheim. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 48-50.

Heyng, A. 2011.  Apropos Kalkkrusten... . - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 50-51.

Heyng, A. & Hecker, A. 2011. Problematische Fossilien aus Mühlheim. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 40-43.

Heyng, A., Leonhardt, U. & Krautworst, U. 2011. Tipps zur Suche, Bergung und Präparation. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 7-15.

Heyng, A., Leonhardt, U., Krautworst, U. & Pöschl, R. 2011. Die Fossilien der Mörnsheim-Formation am Schaudiberg. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 22-35.

Rauhut, O.W.M., Heyng, A., Hecker, A. & López-Arbarello, A. 2011. Die Mühlheimer Brückenechse. - Fossilien, Sonderband 2011: 44-46.

Rauhut, O. W. M., Heyng, A. & Leonhardt, U. 2011. Neue Reptilfunde aus der Mörnsheim-Formation von Mühlheim. - Jahresbericht 2010 und Mitteilungen der Freunde der Bayerischen Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Historische Geologie München e.V., 39: 61–71; München.

Publications  •  Publikationen

Fuchs, D. & Heyng, A.M. 2024. A new stem-octopod (Coleoidea: Cephalopoda) from the Late Jurassic Eichstätt Archipelago - juveniles or dwarfed adults?. N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh. 312/1: 1-14.

Fuchs, D., Iba, Y., Heyng, A.M., Iijima, M., Klug, Ch., Larson, N.L., & Schweigert, G. 2019. The Muensterelloidea: Phylogeny and Character Evolution of Mesozoic StemOctopods. Papers in Palaeontology, pp. 1-62. doi:10.1002/spp2.1254

Fuchs, D., Heyng, A.M. & Keupp, H. 2013. Acanthoteuthis problematica NAEF, 1922, an almost forgotten taxon and its role in the interpretation of cephalopod arm armatures. – N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh. 269(3): 241-250. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2013/0347

Heyng, A.M., Fuchs, D. 2011. Coleoid cephalopods from the Late Jurassic Mörnsheim Formation of Mühlheim (Southern Germany) – a faunal approach. Talk & Abstract, 4th International Symposium Coleoid Cephalopods through time, Stuttgart, 06.09. – 09.09.2011.

Heyng, A.M. 2009. Vertreter „moderner“ Tintenfische (Coleoidea Bather, 1888) aus der Moernsheim Formation (Oberer Jura) von Mühlheim (Oberbayern). Poster, Munich Show 2009.

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Publications  •  Publikationen

Heyng, A.M., Mayr, C., Lücke, A., Moschen, R., Wissel, H., Striewski, B. & Bauersachs, T. 2015. Middle and Late Holocene paleotemperatures reconstructed from oxygen isotopes and GDGTs of sediments from Lake Pupuke, New Zealand. - Quaternary International. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2014.12.040

Heyng, A.M., Mayr, C., Lücke, A., Wissel, H. & Striewski, B. 2014. Late Holocene hydrologic changes in northern New Zealand inferred from stable isotope values of aquatic cellulose in sediments from Lake Pupuke. - Journal of Paleolimnology 51 (4): 485-497.

Heyng, A.M., Mayr, C., Lücke, A., Wastegard, S., Wissel, H. & Striewski, B. 2012. Environmental changes in northern New Zealand since the Middle Holocene inferred from stable isotope records (delta 15N, delta13C) of Lake Pupuke. - Journal of Paleolimnology 48 (2): 351-366.

Publications  •  Publikationen

Heyng, A.M. 2012. Lithostratigraphie der Adelholzen Formation (Eozän, Lutetium) im Raum Siegsdorf (Oberbayern). - Documenta naturae 186: 1-105, 12 Abb. + Tab., 5 Taf., App.; München.

Berndt, H.-J., Gregor, H.-J. & Heyng, A.M. 2011. Eine pyritisierte Palmfrucht aus dem eozänen Schwarzmergel (Spirka Member) des Rohrdorfer Zementwerkes am Chiemsee. – Documenta naturae 164-2: 15-21; München.

Lammerer, B., Ortner, H. & Heyng, A. 2011. Field trip to the Northern Alps between Munich and the Inn Valley. [In:] Carena, S., Friedrich, A.M. & Lammerer, B. (eds.). Geological Field Trips in Central Western Europe: Fragile Earth International Conference, Munich, September 2011. - Geological Society of America Field Guide 22: 75–100. doi:10.1130/2011.0022(06).

Heyng, A.M. 2007. Zwei Zähne des Riesenhaies Carcharocles auriculatus (BLAINVILLE) aus dem Spirka Member der Adelholzen Formation (Eozän) von Rohrdorf am Chiemsee (Süddeutschland). – Documenta naturae, 164-1: 33-35, 1 Taf.; München.

Heyng, A. M. & Gregor, H.-J. 2007. Ein lauroider Blattrest aus dem marinen Eozän von Rohrdorf im Chiemgau. – Documenta naturae, 164-1: 29-31, 2 Abb., 1 Taf.; München.

A team of palaeontologists discovered a 197 million year old Jurassic horseshoe crab in Franconia, Bavaria. In considering this fossil, they came to a shocking conclusion: the horseshoe crab belonged to a family that was thought to be extinct at the end of Triassic.

The material was gathered from a locality called Pechgraben, near Neudrossenfeld (Franconia, Bavaria, Germany). These rocks are considered to come from the Bayreuth-Formation (Hettangium, ~197 million years old). In particular, rare clay lenses at this locality have preserved numerous and valuable plant fossils, but just a few animal fossils. However, in 1999, the Paläontologisches Museum Nierstein conducted an excavation and uncovered a 5 cm long horseshoe crab fossil; a fossil that could not easily be placed into other known species.

This interesting fossil became the focus of Russell Bicknell (University of New England, Armidale, Australia), Andreas Hecker (Jura-Museum Eichstätt) and Alexander M. Heyng (amh-Geo). Examination of the fossil determined that it belonged within its own genus, and was from the family Austrolimulidae. This outcome was a shock, as Austrolimulidae is traditionally considered to have gone extinct over the Triassic-Jurassic-boundary 201 million years ago. The research team named the fossil Franconiolimulus pochankei in honour of the region Franconia and Hartmut Pochanke, the sand pit worker who discovered the clay deposits and, by extension, allowed this fossil to be identified.

Horseshoe crabs are very peculiar animals. Contrary to their common name, they are no crustaceans. In fact they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions. Even more impressive: they are alive today! The most iconic is the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus which is observed along the west coast of America, between Mexico and Maine. Their overall shape - a body consisting of two sections and a long and slender tail (telson) - has not changed dramatically over the last several hundred million years. All modern horseshoe crabs belong to Limulidae - a family that appeared in the mid Triassic, ~ 240 million years ago.

To understand the life mode of Franconiolimulus pochankei, the paleoenvironment in which the new horseshoe crab lived was reconstructed through discussions with colleagues at the Urweltmuseum Oberfranken. It seems that ~197 million years ago, Franconiolimulus lived in a tropical river channel surrounded by large fern trees, giant horsetails, and gymnosperms. In considering this paleoenvironment, it was also identified that animal fossils are much rarer than previously thought. However, this is not overly surprising as it is similar to modern tropical streams where animal carcasses rapidly decay.

Bicknell, Hecker & Heyng - 22-02-2021