CITATION EAST KIRKTON QUARRY SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST West Lothian Site code: 586

NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: NS 990691

OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 65 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer Series 349

AREA: 2.43 hectares

NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES

Geological: Palaeontology: Arthropoda (excluding insects and trilobites) Palaeontology: Permian-Carboniferous Fish/Amphibia

DESCRIPTION:

Situated on the northern outskirts of Bathgate, West Lothian, East Kirkton Quarry is a disused, tree-lined limestone quarry, cut into a gently sloping agricultural landscape. The limestones were formed towards the beginning of the Carboniferous period, between 338 and 340 million years ago, when the area was a hot mineral spring within an active volcanic region. The highly mineralised spring water provided excellent conditions for the fossilisation of organic matter.

The site has yielded a rich terrestrial fauna and flora that is remarkably well preserved, including the first fully-articulated amphibians found in Scotland. Seven species of fully land-going amphibians have been recognised to date, the commonest being a primitive form of temnospondyl, similar to Dendrerpeton. At least two species of anthracosaur, the forerunners of reptiles, have also been found within the quarry. Perhaps the best known specimen recovered from the site is Westlothiana lizziae, which bore some resemblance to modern-day lizards.

Invertebrate fossils are also present within the East Kirkton limestones, with significant finds including: eurypterids (water scorpions), such as Hibbertopterus; the world’s oldest opilionid (harvestman spider); millipedes; and scorpions.

Many of the fossils found significantly pre-date similar remains from other areas of the world. This, combined with the richness of the fossil biota and the exceptionally high quality of the specimens obtained from the quarry, make this a site of international importance for the study of early Carboniferous life.

NOTIFICATION HISTORY

First notified under the 1981 Act: 20 May 1993 Notification reviewed under the 2004 Act: 24 March 2010

REMARKS

Measured area of site corrected (from 2.4 ha)