Bladen Formation

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Bladen Formation
Stratigraphic range: Middle Campanian
~77.5–76  Ma
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Type Formation
Unit of Black Creek Group
Underlies Donoho Creek Formation, Peedee Formation
Overlies Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
Lithology
Primary Sandstone, siltstone
Location
Region North Carolina, South Carolina
Country United States
Type section
Named for Bladen County, North Carolina

The Bladen Formation is a geologic formation from the Late Cretaceous (middle Campanian) of North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. It is known for a plethora of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrate fossils, including dinosaurs and mosasaurs. [1] It appears to be roughly concurrent with the Tuscaloosa Formation of Alabama. [2]

Contents

Unlike many other Cretaceous geologic formations from eastern North America, which were deposited in entirely marine environments, the Bladen Formation appears to have been deposited in a former river delta in an estuarine habitat, allowing for a mixture of freshwater, terrestrial, and marine fauna. [3] An important locality is the former Bladen County landfill annex in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, which contains the richest known fauna from the formation. [4] [5] Another notable locality is near Quinby in Florence County, South Carolina, which also appears to have been deposited in a nonmarine environment with minor marine influence. [6]

It is deposited as a thin layer over the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation, which is often confused with. In North Carolina, it underlies the Maastrichtian-aged Peedee Formation, while in South Carolina it underlies the slightly younger Campanian-aged Donoho Creek Formation. [7]

Vertebrate paleobiota

Based on Crane (2011), Schwimmer et al (2015) and the Paleobiology Database: [3] [6] [8]

Cartilaginous fish

Based on Crane (2011) and Case et al (2019): [3] [9]

The chondrichthyan biota closely resembles that of the Aguja Formation from Texas. [9]

Hybodonts

Hybodonts of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Lonchidion L. babulskiiElizabethtown, NCA lonchidiid. Lonchidion sp. - Tendaguru Formation, Tanzania.jpg
Meristodonoides M. novojerseyensisElizabethtown, NCA hybodontid. Meristodonoides.jpg
M. sp.

Sharks

Sharks of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Archaeolamna A. kopingensisElizabethtown, NCAn archaeolamnid mackerel shark. Archaeolamna.jpg
Cantioscyllium C. clementsiElizabethtown, NCA nurse shark. Type locality of this species.
Cretalamna C. appendiculataElizabethtown, NCA megatooth shark. Cretalamna reconstruction.png
C. sp.
Cretorectolobus C. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA wobbegong.
Galeorhinus G. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA relative of the school shark. Galeorhinus galeus.jpg
Plicatoscyllium P. globidensElizabethtown, NCA nurse shark.
Protolamna P. borodiniElizabethtown, NCAn eoptolamnid mackerel shark. FOS2809.jpg
Scapanorhynchus S. texanusElizabethtown, NCA goblin shark. Scapanorhynchus sp Sahel Alma Santonian.jpg
Squalicorax S. kaupiElizabethtown, NCA crow shark. Squalicorax falcatus.jpg
S. cf. S. pristodontus
Squatina S. sp.Elizabethtown, NCAn angelshark. Sometimes assigned to the dubious species S. hassei. [9] Sand devil.png

Rays

Rays of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Anoxypristis A. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA sawfish. AnoxypristisCuspidataCSIRO.jpg
Borodinopristis B. schwimmeriElizabethtown, NCA sclerorhynchid sawskate. Type locality of B. shannoni. [10]
B. shannoni
Brachyrhizodus B. wichitaensisElizabethtown, NCAn eagle ray. Brachyrhizodus.jpg
Dasyatis D. cf. commercensis Elizabethtown, NCA whiptail stingray. Dasyatis akajei.jpg
Ischyrhiza I. avonicolaElizabethtown, NCA sclerorhynchid sawskate. Onchosaurus (Ischyrhiza) marrocanus Arambourg 1935 - Dalpiazia stromeri Checcia-Rispoli, 1933 7100.5122.jpg
I. mira
Onchopristis O. sp.Elizabethtown, NCAn onchopristid sawskate. Onchopristis numida.png
Ptychotrygon P. triangularisElizabethtown, NCA ptychotrygonid sawskate. Ptychotrygon sp.jpg
P. vermiculata
Protoplatyrhina P. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA hypsobatid ray. [11]
Pseudohypolophus P. ellipsisElizabethtown, NCA guitarfish.
Rhinobatos R. casieri Elizabethtown, NCA guitarfish. Rhinobatos sainsburyi csiro.jpg
Rhombodus R. binkhorstiElizabethtown, NCA rhombodontid ray. Rhombodus NT small cropped.png
R. laevis
Schizorhiza S. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA schizorhizid sawskate. Schizorhiza stromeri.jpg

Bony fish

Bony fish of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Albula A. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA bonefish. Bonefish Albula vulpes.jpg
Anomoeodus A. phaseolusElizabethtown, NCA pycnodontid pycnodont. Anomoeodus subclavatus.jpg
Cylindracanthus C. spElizabethtown, NCA fish of uncertain affinities. Cylindracanthus rectus.jpg
Enchodus E. cf. petrosusElizabethtown, NCAn enchodontid aulopiform. Enchodus petrosus.png
Hadrodus H. priscusElizabethtown, NCA hadrodontid fish (considered a pycnodont or a semionotiform) MenuhaHadrodusPriscus.jpg
Lepisosteus L. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA gar. Lepisosteus oculatus1.jpg
Paralbula P. caseiElizabethtown, NCA phyllodontid elopomorph.
Protosphyraena P. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA pachycormid. Protosphyraena perniciosa.png
Xiphactinus X. vetusElizabethtown, NCAn ichthyodectid ichthyodectiform. Xiphactinus audax.png

Amphibians

Amphibians of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Albanerpetontidae indet.Elizabethtown, NCAn albanerpetontid. [12] [13]

Reptiles

Dinosaurs

Based on Brownstein (2018): [14]

Dinosaurs of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
" Coelosaurus " (="Ornithomimus ")"C." sp.Elizabethtown, NCAn ornithomimosaur. Coelosaurus antiquus tibia.jpg
Hadrosauridae indet.Elizabethtown, NCA hadrosaur.
Tyrannosauroidea indet.Elizabethtown, NCA tyrannosauroid.

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Borealosuchus B. sp.Elizabethtown, NC

Quinby, SC

A eusuchian. Borealosuchus wilsoni HMNS.jpg
Deinosuchus D. rugosusElizabethtown, NC

Quinby, SC

An alligatoroid, one of the largest known crocodilians. Deinosuchus illustration Andrey Atuchin.jpg
Gavialoidea indet.Quinby, SCA gavialoid.

Turtles

Turtles of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Bothremys B. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA bothremydid side-necked turtle.
Chedighaii C. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA bothremydid side-necked turtle.
Euclastes E. wielandiQuinby, SCA pancheloniid sea turtle. Euclastes sp.jpg
" Trionyx " "T." halophilus Quinby, SCA stem-softshell turtle, likely not an actual member of the genus Trionyx. Species names are nomina dubia .
"T." priscus Quinby, SC
"T." sp.Elizabethtown, NC

Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Elasmosauridae indet.Elizabethtown, NC

Quinby, SC

An elasmosaurid.

Squamates

Squamates of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Coniophis C. sp.Elizabethtown, NCAn aquatic snake. [15] Coniophis precedens.jpg
Tylosaurus T. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA tylosaurine mosasaur. Tylosaurus-proriger.jpg

Mammals

Mammals of the Bladen Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Cimolomys C. sp.Elizabethtown, NCA multituberculate. Ptilodus.jpg

See also

References

  1. Various Contributors to the NCSM, et al. 2020. "NCSM Collection: Paleontology Database."
  2. "Geolex — Bladen publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  3. 1 2 3 Crane, Cynthia Danielle (2011). VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY AND TAPHONOMY OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS (CAMPANIAN) BLADEN FORMATION, BLADEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA (Thesis).
  4. "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  5. Crane, Cynthia Danielle (2011). Vertebrate paleontology and taphonomy of the late Cretaceous (Campanian) Bladen Formation, Bladen County, North Carolina (Thesis).
  6. 1 2 Schwimmer, David R.; Sanders, Albert E.; Erickson, Bruce R.; Weems, Robert E. (2015). "A Late Cretaceous Dinosaur and Reptile Assemblage from South Carolina, Usa". Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. 105 (2): i–157. ISSN   0065-9746. JSTOR   24398224.
  7. "Geolex — Bladen publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  8. "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  9. 1 2 3 Case, Gerald R.; Cook, Todd D.; Kightlinger, Taylor (2019-07-31). "A description of a middle Campanian euselachian assemblage from the Bladen Formation of North Carolina, USA". Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology. 7: 69–82. doi: 10.18435/vamp29345 . ISSN   2292-1389.
  10. Case, Gerard R.; Cook, Todd D.; Wilson, Mark V.H.; Borodin, Paul D. (2012). "A new species of the sclerorhynchid sawfish Borodinopristis from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) of North Carolina, USA" . Historical Biology. 24 (6): 592–597. doi:10.1080/08912963.2012.663367. ISSN   0891-2963.
  11. "Protoplatyrhina sp. | Shark-References". shark-references.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  12. "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  13. Gardner, James D.; DeMar, David G. (2013-12-01). "Mesozoic and Palaeocene lissamphibian assemblages of North America: a comprehensive review" . Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 93 (4): 459–515. doi:10.1007/s12549-013-0130-z. ISSN   1867-1608.
  14. Brownstein, Chase D. (2018-02-08). "The biogeography and ecology of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs of Appalachia". Palaeontologia Electronica. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  15. "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.