# Fault Bluff

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**Fault Bluff** is a 2,320 metres (7,600 ft) high rock bluff located about 9 nautical miles (17 km) northeast of [Mount Longhurst](/source/Mount_Longhurst) in the [Cook Mountains](/source/Cook_Mountains) of [Antarctica](/source/Antarctica). The rock bluff was visited in the 1957–58 season by the [Darwin Glacier](/source/Darwin_Glacier_(Antarctica)) Party of the [Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition](/source/Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition), 1956–58. They originated the name which presumably refers to a [geological fault](/source/Geological_fault) at the bluff.[1][2]

## Geology

Fault Bluff is a paleontologically important outcrop of the Aztec Siltstone that has yielded abundant [fossils](/source/Fossil) of [Devonian](/source/Devonian) [vertebrates](/source/Vertebrate), including *[Bothriolepis](/source/Bothriolepis)* and *[Groenlandaspis](/source/Groenlandaspis)* (armored [placoderm](/source/Placoderm) fishes) and scales of an extinct [lobe-finned](/source/Lobe-finned) fish. The fossils occur either as thin layers of well preserved, concentrated, [bone beds](/source/Bone_bed) or well-sorted, silt-size, *bone mush*. The bone beds have yielded complete fish spines and bony plates.[3] Fault Bluff' is the [type locality](/source/Type_(biology)) for the phyllolepid placoderms, *[Austrophyllolepis](/source/Austrophyllolepis) quiltyi* and *[Placolepis](/source/Placolepis) tingeyi*.[4] This outcrop of the Aztec Siltstone continues along a low [ridge](/source/Ridge) associated with Fault Bluff that has the equally important and [fossiliferous](/source/Fossiliferous) *Fish Hotel* vertebrate fossil site at its end. In addition to fossil fishes, fossil [lycopod](/source/Lycopod) and [psilophyte](/source/Psilophyte) plant remains, including *[Haplostigma](/source/Haplostigma) lineare*, have been found at both Fault Bluff and *Fish Hotel* fossil site.[4][5]

## See also

- [Mount Gudmundson](/source/Mount_Gudmundson), standing 6 nautical miles (11 km) northeast of Fault Bluff

## References

1. 4794. Retrieved 2023-09-30.

1. Stewart, J., 2011. *Antarctica: An Encyclopedia,* 2nd ed. Jefferson, North Carolina and London, McFarland & Company, Inc. 1771 pp. ISBN 978-0-7864-3590-6

1. Long, J., 2001. *Mountains of Madness: A Scientist's Odyssey in Antarctica.* Washington, DC, Joseph Henry Press and National Academy Press. 269 pp. ISBN 978-0309070775.

1. Young, G.C., and Long, J.A., 2005. *Phyllolepid placoderm fish remains from the Devonian Aztec Siltstone, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica.* *Antarctic Science*, 17(3), pp.387-408.

1. McLoughlin, S. and Long, J.A., 1994. *New records of Devonian plants from southern Victoria Land, Antarctica.* *Geological Magazine*, 131(1), pp.81-90.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fault Bluff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fault_Bluff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fault_Bluff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.