Belgrade Formation

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Belgrade Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Oligocene (Chattian) to Early Miocene (Aquitanian)
Type Geological formation
Sub-unitsPollocksville Member, Haywood Landing Member
Overlies River Bend Formation [1]
Lithology
Primary Limestone sand
Other Clay
Location
Region North Carolina
Country United States
Type section
Named forBelgrade, North Carolina

The Belgrade Formation is a limestone geologic formation in North Carolina characterized by limestone coquina mixed with sand, and thinly laminated clays. [2] It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period.

Contents

Description

The Belgrade Formation is composed of two subunits: the Pollocksville member and the Haywood Landing member. The Pollocksville member is composed of unconsolidated oyster shells and sand. It was deposited in the Oligocene and early Miocene. The Haywood Landing member is composed of shelly sands and thinly laminated clays. The Belgrade Formation was originally considered part of an Eocene formation called the Trent Marl before it was identified as being deposited in the Miocene and split off. [2]

Fossil content

Mammals

Carnivorans
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
 ? Amphictis Jones County. [3] A right mandible (NCSM 33670). [3] An ailurid.
Cetaceans
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Albertocetus A. meffordorumIsolated right petrosal (USNM 559392). [4] [5] A xenorophid.
Albertocetus reconstruction outline.jpg
Ankylorhiza A. tiedemaniCCNHM 6045 (a well preserved 10th lower postcanine). [5] An odontocete.
Ankylorhiza tiedemani life reconstruction by PaleoGeek.png
A. sp.CCNHM 5554 (an isolated postcanine) and CCNHM 5465 (a partial bulla). [5] An odontocete.
Ankylorhiza.jpg
Cotylocara cf. C. sp.CCNHM 4277 (a partial left bulla)". [5] A xenorophid.
Cotylocara.jpg
Echovenator E. sp.A fragmentary petrosal. [4] A xenorophid.
cf. E.Partial tympanic bullae. [5] A xenorophid, possibly the same taxon as Echovenator sp. [5]
Eomysticetidae Eomysticetidae indet.CCNHM 1831 and CCNHM 1821, both are right tympanic bullae. [5] An indeterminate species most similar to (but sti differing from) Eomysticetus whitmorei.
cf. Eoplatanista cf. E. sp."CCNHM 4276 (a partial right tympanic bulla)". [5]
Eurhinodelphinidae Eurhinodelphinidae indet.CCNHM 1828 (a partial right periotic) and CCNHM 4274 (a partial left tympanic bulla). [5] "Compares favorably with Xiphiacetus cristatus and Eurhinodelphis cocheteuxi". [5]
?Kentriodontidae ?Kentriodontidae indet."CCNHM 4275 (a partial bulla)". [5]
Odontocete IndeterminateBelgrade Quarry. [4] CCNHM 1903 (an isolated tooth). [5] Indeterminate toothed whale remains, may represent a squalodelphinid or kentriodontid.
cf. Physeteroidea cf. Physeteroidea indet."CCNHM 1904 (a partial tooth)". [5] May represent a juvenile physeteroid tooth.
Squalodelphinidae Squalodelphinidae indet.3 right periotics and 3 right tympanic bullae. [5]
cf. Squalodon cf. S. sp.A periotic and multiple teeth. [5] A squalodontid.
Squalodon BW.jpg
Waipatiidae Waipatiidae indet."CCNHM 1354 (a posterior lower molar)". [5]
Xenorophidae Xenorophidae indet."CCNHM 1833 (a partial right squamosal)". [5] "Falls within the size range of Albertocetus , Echovenator , and Inermorostrum ." [5]
Xenorophus X. sp.CCNHM 1826 (a partial postcanine) and CCNHM 1187 (a partial tympanic bulla). [5] A xenorophid, may represent X. sloanii.
Sirenians
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Crenatosiren C. olseni Onslow Beach. [5] Skull caps. [5] An early dugongid.
Sirenia Sirenia indet."CCNHM 1906 (a partial rib fragment)". [5] "Approximately twice the diameter of ribs of Crenatosiren olseni, potentially representing a larger dugongid like Dioplotherium ,

Stegosiren , or Priscosiren ". [5]

Reptiles

Reptiles
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Chelonioidea Belgrade Quarry. [4] Indeterminate sea turtle remains.
Crocodilia Belgrade Quarry. [4] Indeterminate crocodilian remains.

Fish

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.
Chondrichthyes
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Anoxypristis A. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] A sawfish.
AnoxypristisCuspidataCSIRO.jpg
Carcharhinus Belgrade Quarry. [4]
Carcharias C. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] A sand shark.
Carcharocles C. angustidens Belgrade Quarry. [4] A megatooth shark, now reassigned to the genus Otodus .
Galeocerdo G. casei or mayumbensisBelgrade Quarry. [4] A tiger shark.
Ginglymostoma G. delfortriei [6] A nurse shark.
Hemipristis H. serra Belgrade Quarry. [4] A snaggletooth shark.
Hemipristis serra teeth.jpg
Myliobatis M. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] An eagle ray.
Fish4341 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg
Nebrius or Ginglymostoma Belgrade Quarry. [4] A nurse shark.
Negaprion Belgrade Quarry. [4] A lemon shark.
Lemonshark (2).jpg
Notorynchus N. primigeniusBelgrade Quarry. [4] A cow shark.
Odontaspis O. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] A sand shark.
Otodus O. angustidens Belgrade Quarry. [4] A megatooth shark.
4-25 Angustidens.jpg
Plinthicus P. stenodonBelgrade Quarry. [4] An extinct ray.
Physogaleus P. aduncasBelgrade Quarry. [4] A ground shark.
Rhinoptera R. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] A cownose ray.
Rhinoptera steindachneri.jpg
Squatina S. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] An angelshark.
Squatina dumeril nefsc.jpg
Osteichthyes
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Lagodon L. sp.Belgrade Quarry. [4] A pinfish.
Pinfish1.JPG

Invertebrates

Molluscs
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Crassostrea C. gigantissima Upper finer grained unit, Pollocksville Member. [2] [4] An oyster.

See also

References

  1. Ward, L. W.; Lawrence, D. R.; Blackwelder, B. W. (1978). "Stratigraphic revision of the middle Eocene, Oligocene, and lower Miocene; Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina". Bulletin. doi: 10.3133/b1457F .
  2. 1 2 3 Ward, Lauck W.; Lawrence, David R.; Blackwelder, Blake W. (1979). "Stratigraphic revision of the middle Eocene, Oligocene, and lower Miocene; Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin. 1457-F: 3–10. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 Baskin, Jon; Dickinson, Edward; Hartstone-Rose, Adam (2020-07-08). "?Amphictis (Carnivora, Ailuridae) from the Belgrade Formation of North Carolina, USA". PeerJ. 8: e9284. doi: 10.7287/peerj.9284v0.1/reviews/2 . PMC   7353912 . PMID   32714653.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Boessenecker, Robert W.; Ahmed, Erum; Geisler, Jonathan H. (2017-11-08). "New records of the dolphin Albertocetus meffordorum (Odontoceti: Xenorophidae) from the lower Oligocene of South Carolina: Encephalization, sensory anatomy, postcranial morphology, and ontogeny of early odontocetes". PLOS ONE. 12 (11): e0186476. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1286476B. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186476 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   5695589 . PMID   29117197.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Boessenecker, Robert W. (2022-09-03). "Oligocene-Miocene marine mammals from Belgrade Quarry, North Carolina". Geobios. 74: 1–19. Bibcode:2022Geobi..74....1B. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2022.08.002. ISSN   0016-6995. S2CID   252077178.
  6. "Late Oligocene sharks and rays from the Chandler Bridge Formation, Dorchester County, South Carolina, USA - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica". www.app.pan.pl. Retrieved 2022-09-06.