The Piney Point Formation is a
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 Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. 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 in ...
dating back to the
Lutetian Stage
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the Midd ...
of the
Eocene Epoch of the
Paleogene
The Paleogene ( ; British English, also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geologic period, geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period million yea ...
period.
Species
The following species are known from this formation. Keep in mind, this formation is vastly understudied, so the fauna represented is poorly known.
Chondrichthyans
*''
Carcharocles auriculatus''
*''
Galeocerdo eaglesomi
''Galeocerdo'' is a genus of requiem sharks that have lived since the Paleocene epoch. While these sharks were formerly diverse, only ''G. cuvier'' (the modern tiger shark) survives today.
Species
Species in the genus ''Galeocerdo'' include:
...
''
*''
Nebrius thielensis
''Nebrius'' is a genus of carpet sharks in the family Ginglymostomatidae.
It contains a single extant species, the tawny nurse shark (''Nebrius ferrugineus''), as well as a number of extinct species dating back to the Early Paleocene.Bourdon, ...
''
*''
Striatolamia macrota
''Striatolamia'' is an extinct genus of sharks belonging to the family Odontaspididae. These extinct sharks lived from the Early Paleocene to Late Miocene (61.7 to 10.3 Ma).
Etymology
The Latin genus name ''Striatolamia'' refers to the striati ...
''
*''
Carcharias hopei''
*''
Carcharias acutissima''
*''
Jaekelotodus trigonalis''
*''
Isurus praecursor
''Isurus'' is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks.
Description
The two living species are the common shortfin mako shark (''I. oxyrinchus'') and the rare longfin mako shark (''I. paucus''). They ...
''
*''
Scyliorhinus gilbberti''
*''
Abdounia beaugei
''Abdounia beaugei'' is an extinct species of requiem shark from the Paleocene and Eocene epochs of the Paleogene
The Paleogene ( ; British English, also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geolo ...
''
*''
Abdounia lapierrei
''Abdounia'' is an extinct genus of requiem shark which lived during the Paleogene period. It is mainly known from isolated teeth. It is one of the earliest requiem sharks, and attained widespread success in North America, Europe, and Africa.
Lo ...
''
*''
Abdounia recticona
''Abdounia recticona'' is an extinct species of requiem shark from the Eocene epoch
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the mo ...
''
*''
Adbounia spp.''
*''
Galeocerdo latidens
''Galeocerdo'' is a genus of requiem sharks that have lived since the Paleocene epoch. While these sharks were formerly diverse, only ''G. cuvier'' (the modern tiger shark) survives today.
Species
Species in the genus ''Galeocerdo'' include:
...
''
*''
Hemipristis
''Hemipristis'' (from el, ἡμι , 'half' and el, πρίστης 'saw') is a genus of weasel sharks, family Hemigaleidae. It contains one extant species, the snaggletooth shark (''H. elongata'') and several extinct species.
''Hemipristis'' ...
curvatus?''
*''
Carcarhinus gibbesi''
*''
Galeorhinus ypresiensis''
*''
Galeorhinus
The school shark (''Galeorhinus galeus'') is a houndshark of the family Triakidae, and the only member of the genus ''Galeorhinus''. Common names also include tope, tope shark, snapper shark, and soupfin shark. It is found worldwide in temperate ...
sp.''
*''
Physogaleus secundus''
*''
Coupatezia woutersi''
*''
Pristis lathami''
*''
Rhynchobatus vincenti''
*''
Rhinobatis bruxelliensis''
*''
Aetobatus irregularis''
*''
Myliobatis dixoni''
*''
Myliobatis
''Myliobatis'' is a genus of eagle rays in the family Myliobatidae.
Description
''Myliobatis'' species can reach a width up to about . Their bodies consist of a rhomboidal disc, wider than long, with one dorsal fin. The head is broad and short, ...
spp.''
Chelonians
Turtles are an order (biology), order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) an ...
*''
Allaeochelys
''Allaeochelys'' is an extinct genus of Carettochelyid turtle, known from the Eocene to Miocene of Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.
Fossils of the species ''Allaeochelys crassesculpta'' have been found in the Messel Pit near Darmstadt, G ...
sp.''
Cetaceans
Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...
*''
Basilotritus woodwardi''
Invertebrates
*''
Cubitostrea sellaeformis''
*''
Anomia lisbonensis''
*''
Plicatula fliamentosa''
*''
"Pecten" sp.'' (At least 3 distinct species)
*''
Glycymeris lisbonensis''
*''
Leda semen''
*''
Leda coelatella''
*''
Venericardia rotunda''
*''
Macrocallista perovata''
*''
Anapteris regalis''
*''
Caestocorbula fossata''
*''
Corbula
''Corbula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Corbulidae, the basket clams.Gofas, S. (2010). Corbula Bruguière, 1797. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca databas ...
sp.''
*''
Turritella nasuta''
*''
Dentalium sp.'' (at least 2 distinct species)
See also
*
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
Stratigraph ...
*
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 Paleozoic ...
References
*
Paleogene geology of Virginia
{{Virginia-geologic-formation-stub