Coombs Hill: A Late Devonian fossil locality in the Witpoort Formation (Witteberg Group, South Africa)

Coombs Hill, a new fossil locality in the Witpoort Formation (Witteberg Group) of South Africa, preserves record Famennian (Late Devonian) life Gondwana. Fossil plants collected at Hill are preliminarily assigned to several classes. Shelly invertebrates include variety bivalve mollusc forms, some which appear be preserved position. Biodiversity is comparable that well-known Waterloo Farm lagerstätte ordinal diversity, but exhibits differences species composition. Ongoing taxonomic analysis will provide rare window into ecology high-latitude environments during this pivotal stage Earth history, immediately preceded end-Devonian extinction. Sandstone dominated sedimentary facies suggest high-energy coastal marine setting, with brackish back-barrier estuarine/lagoonally derived fossiliferous mudstones. Exact stratigraphic placement within hampered by structural deformation, and precise age comparisons currently tenuous.Significance:
 
 A comprises second known site suite well continental marginal fossils from Formation, providing an exceptionally example critical latest Devonian age.
 Several plant taxa diagnosed locality, also gives important insights morphology Archaeopteris notosaria, Africa’s earliest tree.
 Discovery palaeontologically significant provides impetus for further analyses align unit datable global eustatic events, clarify its internal chronology.