Skarlagerstätten

Skarlagerstätten is not a widely used, formal term in paleontology. In German-language sources, the standard concept is Lagerstätten—sites that preserve an unusually complete or diverse snapshot of ancient life, often including soft-bodied organisms. Skarlagerstätten may appear as a nonstandard coinage, sometimes used informally to denote Lagerstätten that are aesthetically notable for the red coloration of the surrounding sediments or for emphasis on striking preservation in iron-rich red beds, but it is not an established subcategory.

Key features of Lagerstätten include exceptional preservation due to rapid burial, low oxygen conditions, or early diagenetic mineralization; fine-grained sediments such as clays or shales; and a geological history that minimizes decay and scavenging. These conditions allow soft tissues, delicate structures, and rare organisms to be fossilized, providing detailed morphological information and a more complete view of past ecosystems.

Notable examples of Lagerstätten include Burgess Shale in Canada (Cambrian), Solnhofen limestone in Germany (Late Jurassic), Messel Pit in Germany (Eocene), Jehol Biota in China (Early Cretaceous), and Chengjiang in China (Early Cambrian). These sites are widely recognized as critical for understanding early animal life, the evolution of major groups, and other aspects of past biodiversity.

In scholarly practice, the term Lagerstätten covers both Burgess Shale-type preservation and other modes of exceptional fossil preservation, regardless of color or regional terminology. Skarlagerstätten, when encountered, is typically a nonstandard or informal usage rather than a formal category.