The Hudspeth Formation is a
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...
rock formation
A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock formation'' can also refer to specific sedime ...
, found in Oregon of the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...
. The formation dates to the
Albian
The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous Epoch/ Series. Its approximate time range is 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 100.5 ± ...
age of the
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous (geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous ( chronostratigraphic name), is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 145 Ma to 100.5 Ma.
Geology
Pr ...
period. During the Albian much of this formation was submerged beneath shallow seas resulting in the preservation of many marine fossils.
Pterosaur
Pterosaurs (; from Greek ''pteron'' and ''sauros'', meaning "wing lizard") is an extinct clade of flying reptiles in the Order (biology), order, Pterosauria. They existed during most of the Mesozoic: from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cre ...
,
dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
and marine fossils have been recovered from the formation. It is intertongued with the
Gable Creek Formation.
Fossil content
Vertebrates
Ammonites
Other invertebrates
See also
*
List of pterosaur-bearing stratigraphic units
This is a list of stratigraphic units, where pterosaur fossils have been recovered from. Units listed are all either formation rank or higher (e.g. group).
See also
* Pterosaur
* List of fossil sites
References
Further reading
*
Ext ...
*
Paleontology in Oregon
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
* {{cite journal , last=Gilmore , first=C.W , year=1928 , title=A new pterosaurian reptile from the marine Cretaceous of Oregon , journal=
Proceedings of the United States National Museum
The Smithsonian Contributions and Studies Series is a collection of serial periodical publications produced by the Smithsonian Institution, detailing advances in various scientific and societal fields to which the Smithsonian Institution has made c ...
, volume=73
Geologic formations of Oregon
Cretaceous geology of Oregon
Lower Cretaceous Series of North America
Albian Stage
Mudstone formations
Shale formations
Shallow marine deposits
Paleontology in Oregon
Formations
Formations