Charles Moore and Late Triassic vertebrates: history and reassessment

Abstract

Ilminster-born Charles Moore (1815-1881) was an indefatigable West Country geologist who made significant and wide-ranging contributions to the science, both in terms of the material he collected and his publications. Following his permanent move to Bath in 1853, Moore collected extensively in Late Triassic rocks, amassing a rich haul of fossil vertebrate specimens. A pioneer of bulk sampling, his fossil vertebrate collection from the Rhaetian fissure infills at Holwell, Somerset has provided much research material for subsequent study; Holwell is now the type locality for several Late Triassic mammaliaforms, reptiles (lepidosaurs) and chondrichthyans. His collection of vertebrate remains from the Arden Sandstone Formation (Carnian Age) at Ruishton has never been fully described, but contains some significant material including isolated xenacanth and hybodont shark's teeth, dorsal fin spines and cephalic spines. The objective of this present paper is to raise the profile of Moore's work on late Triassic vertebrate fossils, to highlight his innovative approach to bulk collecting, and to assess the scientific importance of his collections in both historical and modern contexts.