geologic formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exp ...
in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...
and possibly
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
. It preserves
fossils
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
dating back to the
Oligocene epoch
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but th ...
of the
Paleogene
The Paleogene ( ; also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of ...
period
Period may refer to:
Common uses
* Era, a length or span of time
* Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Period (music), a concept in musical composition
* Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...
. It rarely exposes on land and is under-studied. However, deposits from this period are rare and the Old Church Formation likely contains many scientifically significant taxa. Ward (1985) recommended placing this formation in the Chesapeake Group.
Species
Some of the species known from the Old Church Formation are included below. Further study will likely reveal a more diverse fauna.
Chondrichthyans
*''
Otodus angustidens
''Otodus angustidens'' is a species of prehistoric megatoothed sharks in the genus '' Otodus'', which lived during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs about 33 to 22 million years ago. This shark is related to another extinct megatoothed shark, ''O ...
''
*''
Hemipristis serra
''Hemipristis serra'' is an extinct species of weasel shark which existed during the Miocene epoch. It was described by Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz ( ; ) FRS (For) FRSE (May 28, 1807 – December 14, 1873) was a Swiss-born ...
''
*''
Alopias vulpinus
The common thresher (''Alopias vulpinus''), also known as Atlantic thresher, is the largest species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae, reaching some in length. About half of its length consists of the elongated upper lobe of its caudal fin. Wi ...
Xenorophidae
Xenorophidae is an extinct family of odontocetes currently known from the Oligocene of the southeastern US. Known genera of xenorophids include ''Albertocetus'', '' Archaeodelphis'', '' Xenorophus'', '' Cotylocara'', ''Echovenator'', and ''Inerm ...
Ankylorhiza
''Ankylorhiza'' (meaning "fused roots"; in reference to the type of dentition seen in early toothed whales) is an extinct genus of toothed whale that lived in what is now the United States during the Oligocene epoch, between 29 and 23.5 million y ...
Coronodon
''Coronodon'' is a genus of toothed mysticetes from the Early Oligocene Ashley Formation of South Carolina.
Description
It was about the same size as ''Dorudon'', measuring long and weighing . The rostrum of ''Coronodon'' is wide, judging by i ...
'' sp.
*aff. ''
Cotylocara
''Cotylocara'' is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits of the Chandler Bridge Formation of South Carolina belonging to Xenorophidae
Xenorophidae is an extinct family of odontocetes currently known fro ...
'' sp. and ''
Echovenator
''Echovenator'' ("echolocation hunter") is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits in South Carolina belonging to Xenorophidae.
Description and paleobiology
''Echovenator'' is distinguishable from other xen ...
Carolinochelys wilsoni
''Carolinochelys'' is an extinct genus of sea turtle from Oligocene of United States. It contains one species: ''C. wilsoni'', and was first named by O.P. Hay in 1923.
References
Life History: Geologic History of Sea TurtlesAshleychelys palmeri''
Plicatula
Plicatula is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs, known commonly as kitten's paws or kittenpaws in the family Plicatulidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Plicatula Lamarck, 1801. Accessed through: World Register of Ma ...
Panopea
In Greek mythology, Panopea ( Ancient Greek: Πανόπεια ''Panopeia'') or Panope (Πανόπη) may refer to various characters. The names mean 'panorama' or means 'of the beautiful husband'.
* Panope or Poenope, Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' Prefac ...
sp.''
*''
Cyclocardia
''Cyclocardia'' is a genus of molluscs in the family Carditidae.
The related genus ''Vimentum'' is sometimes included here.
Species
* ''Cyclocardia astartoides'' (Martens, 1878)
*†''Cyclocardia awamoensis'' (Harris, 1897)
* ''Cyclocardia bail ...
sp.''
*''
Astarte
Astarte (; , ) is the Hellenized form of the Ancient Near Eastern goddess Ashtart or Athtart (Northwest Semitic), a deity closely related to Ishtar (East Semitic), who was worshipped from the Bronze Age through classical antiquity. The name i ...
Isognomon
(For the tree oyster mushroom, see ''Pleurotus ostreatus''.)
''Isognomon'' is a genus of marine bivalve mollusks which is related to the pearl oysters.
''Isognomon'' is known in the fossil record from the Permian period to the Quaternary period ...
Diadora
Diadora is an Italian sportswear and footwear manufacturing company based in Caerano di San Marco (Veneto), subsidiary of Geox, founded in 1948. Diadora produces football boots and athletic shoes, as well as a range of apparel that includes t- ...
sp.''
*''
Ecphora
Ecphora is the common name for a group of extinct predatory marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks within the family Muricidae, the rocks snails or murexes. The common name is based on the first officially described genus, ''Ecphora (genus), E ...
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia
This article contains a list of fossil-bearing stratigraphic units in the state of Virginia, U.S.
Sites
See also
* Paleontology in Virginia
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia
Virginia
Stratigr ...
*
Paleontology in Virginia
Paleontology in Virginia refers to paleontological research occurring within or conducted by people from the U.S. state of Virginia. The geologic column in Virginia spans from the Cambrian to the Quaternary. During the early part of the Paleozo ...