Ashley Formation

Last updated
Ashley Formation
Stratigraphic range: Lower Oligocene (Rupelian)
Type Geological formation
Sub-unitsGettysville Member, Runnymeade Marl Member and Givhans Ferry Member. [1]
Location
RegionFlag of South Carolina.svg  South Carolina
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States

The Ashley Formation is a geologic formation in South Carolina. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period.

Contents

Vertebrate fauna

Mammals

Carnivorans
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Phocidae Gen. et. sp. indeterminateProximal portion of a right femur (ChM PV5713). [2] "A taxon closely comparable to the most specialized phocid, the modern genus Cystophora".
Cetaceans
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Agorophius A. pygmaeusUnderwater cliff face from the base of the formation. [3] A skull. [3]
Agorophius pygmaeus.jpg
Albertocetus A. meffordorumGivhans Ferry Member and Runnymede Marl Member. [4] A partial skeleton and an isolated braincase. [4] A xenorophid.
Albertocetus reconstruction outline.jpg
Ankylorhiza A. tiedemani AMNH 10445 (partial rostrum) and CCNHM 220 (partial skull and associated vertebrae). [5] An odontocete.
Ankylorhiza tiedemani life reconstruction by PaleoGeek.png
Ashleycetus A. planicapitisNear Charleston, South Carolina. [6] A partial skull. [6]
Coronodon C. havensteini"Wando River near Highway 41 Bridge, Berkeley County, South Carolina". [7] A basal mysticete.
Coronodon anterolateral at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History.jpg
Ediscetus E. osbornei"Slightly outside the odontocete crown group". [8]
Micromysticetus M. rothauseni2 braincases without rostra. [9]
Saurocetus S. gibbesi [10] A cheek tooth (MCZ 8760). [11]
Xenorophus X. sloaniiIncomplete skull. [12] A xenorophid.
Sirenians
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Crenatosiren C. olseni [13] A dugongid also found in the Chandler Bridge and Parachucla formations.
Stegosiren S. macei [14] A dugongid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Stegosiren skeleton.jpg

Reptiles

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Crocodilians
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Gavialosuchus G. carolinensis Dorchester County, South Carolina. [15] ChM PV 4282 (mandible). [15] Now moved to the genus Thecachampsa .
Thecachampsa T. carolinensis Dorchester County, South Carolina. [15] ChM PV 4282 (mandible). [15] A gavialoid.
Thecachampsa carolinensis.jpg
Turtles
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Ashleychelys A. palmeriEast bank of Limehouse Branch, Berkeley County, South Carolina. [16] A cheloniid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Carolinochelys C. wilsoniMCZ 1005-A (a nearly complete skull) and ChM PV8309. [16] A cheloniid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Carolinachelys wilsoni skull and shell.jpg
Natemys N. sp. 1Givhan's Ferry Member. [17] CCNHM 4288 (a non-ridged carapacial ossicle). [17] A dermochelyid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
N. sp. 2?Givhan's Ferry Member and ?Runnymede Marl Member. [17] CCNHM 4287.1 and 4287.2 (a pair of associated non-ridged carapacial ossicles) and CCNHM

4910 (a non-ridged ossicle). [17]

A dermochelyid.
Procolpochelys P. charlestonensisA humerus (MCZ 1005-B). [16] A cheloniid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Procolpochelys charlestonensis skull and shell.jpg
cf. Psephophorus cf. P. sp.Givhan's Ferry Member. [17] CCNHM 5460 (an isolated non-ridged carapacial ossicle). [17] A dermochelyid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Psephophorus sp. LACM.jpg

Fish

Cartilaginous fish

Rays
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Dasyatis "D." sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Multiple teeth. [1] A stingray.
Common stingray tynemouth.jpg
Mobula "M." sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] A devil ray.
Mobula breaching.jpg
Plinthicus P. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] A tooth (SC2007.36.48). [1]
Raja R. mccollumiGivhans Ferry Member. [1] Abundant teeth. [1] A skate also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
"R." sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Multiple teeth. [1] A skate, appears to be conspecific with R. sp. from the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Rhinoptera "R." sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] A broken symphyseal tooth (SC2015.29.30). [1] A cownose ray.
Rhinoptera steindachneri.jpg
Rhynchobatus R. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth (SC2007.36.39, SC2015.29.13, SC2015.29.32). [1] A wedgefish.
Rhynchobatus djiddensis durban.jpg
Taeniurops "T." cavernosusGivhans Ferry Member. [1] Multiple teeth. [1] A stingray.
Sharks
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Araloselachus A. sp.May be derived from the Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1]
Carcharhinus C. gibbesiGivhans Ferry Member. [1] A large number of teeth. [1] The most common shark in the Ashley Formation sample.
Carcharhinus gibbesi - Chandler Bridge Formation - USA.jpg
Galeocerdo G. aduncusGivhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1] A ground shark.
Galeocerdo aduncus 323.jpg
Ginglymostomatidae Gen. et. sp. indeterminateGivhans Ferry Member. [1] A partial tooth (SC2007.36.208). [1] A nurse shark.
Hemipristis H. cf. H. serra Givhans Ferry Member. [1] 4 teeth (SC2007.36.7, SC2007.36.8, SC2007.36.9). [1] A weasel shark.
Hemipristis serra teeth.jpg
Otodus O. angustidens Ashley River, in the Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Ablated specimens. [1] A megatoothed shark.
4-25 Angustidens.jpg
Pachyscyllium P. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] A tooth (SC2007.36.5). [1] A catshark.
Physogaleus P. cf. P. contortusGivhans Ferry Member. [1] SC2007.36.19, SC2007.36.20 (four teeth), SC2015.29.27. [1] A ground shark.
P. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] SC2007.36.21 and SC2007.36.22. [1] A ground shark.
Pristiophorus P. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] An incomplete tooth crown (SC2015.29.20). [1] A sawshark.
Pristiophorus delicatus csiro-nfc.jpg
Scyliorhinus S. weemsiGivhans Ferry Member. [1] Multiple teeth. [1] A catshark.
Sphyrnidae Gen. et. sp. indeterminateGivhans Ferry Member. [1] SC2007.36.23, SC2007.36.24, SC2007.36.25 (11 teeth), SC2007.36.26, SC2007.36.27, SC2007.36.28 (five teeth). [1] A hammerhead shark.
Squalus S. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1] A spurdog.
Squalus acanthias2.jpg
Squatina S. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth (SC2007.36.4, SC2007.36.126, SC2007.36.149, SC2007.36.227, SC2015.29.18, SC2015.29.19, SC2015.33.2). [1] An angelshark.
Squatina dumeril nefsc.jpg
Trigonotodus T. alteriTeeth. [1] A thresher shark.
Trigonotodus alteri lateral tooth (Oligocene, Chandler Bridge FM, SC).jpg

Bony fish

Bony fish
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Albula A. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] SC2007.36.165, SC2007.36.228 (five teeth), SC2015.29.200 (66 teeth), SC2015.29.201, SC2015.29.204. [1] A bonefish.
Bonefish Albula vulpes.jpg
Archosargus A. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Multiple teeth. [1] A sea bream.
Sheepshead.jpg
?Calamus ?C. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1] A sea bream.
Calamus bajonado.jpg
Diplodus D. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] SC2015.29.195 (13 teeth), SC2015.29.222, SC2015.29.223, SC2015.29.224. [1] A sea bream.
Sargo real (Diplodus cervinus), franja marina Teno-Rasca, Tenerife, Espana, 2022-01-09, DD 49.jpg
?Labridae Gen. et. sp. indet.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Multiple teeth. [1] A wrasse.
Osteoglossidae Gen. et. sp. indeterminateGivhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1]
Palaeocybium P. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] A tooth (SC2007.36.122), a neurocranium and a left dentary. [1] A scombrid.
Paralichthyidae Gen. et. sp. indeterminateGivhans Ferry Member. [1] A tooth (SC2015.36.259). [1] A flatfish.
?Pogonias ?P. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1] A croaker.
Pogonias cromis (S0897) (12639311174).jpg
Scomberomorus S. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Teeth. [1] A scombrid.
Scomberomorus cavalla.png
?Sciaenops ?S. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Many teeth. [1] A croaker.
Sciaenops ocellatus (S0230) (12527956414).jpg
Sphyraena S. sp.Givhans Ferry Member. [1] Many cheek and laniary teeth. [1] A barracuda.
Barracuda with prey.jpg
Trichiurides T. cf. T. sagittidensGivhans Ferry Member. [1] 2 ablated laniary teeth. [1] A cutlassfish.

See also

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