Marshalltown Formation

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Marshalltown Formation
Stratigraphic range: Middle to Late Campanian, 75–72  Ma
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Type Geological formation
Unit of Monmouth Group
Underlies Wenonah Formation
Overlies Englishtown Formation
Lithology
Primary Glauconite, sandstone
Other Siderite
Location
Region New Jersey, Delaware
Country United States
Type section
Named for Marshalltown, New Jersey

The Marshalltown Formation is a Late Cretaceous (Campanian)-aged geologic formation in New Jersey and Delaware, US. Dinosaur remains diagnostic to the genus level are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. It contains the most extensive Campanian-aged dinosaur fauna from New Jersey and Delaware. [1] [2]

Contents

The famous Ellisdale Fossil Site, a konzentrat-lagerstätten which contains one of the most diverse Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages (likely rapidly buried in a massive flood event) known from eastern North America/former Appalachia, is an exposure of this formation. [3]

The Marshalltown Formation stretches across southern New Jersey to northern Delaware, and is largely composed of marine sediments deposited off the eastern shore of Appalachia, although the Ellisdale site represents a fluvio-deltaic or tidal-estuarine environment reminiscent of the modern Albemarle Sound, and thus has more of a terrestrial influence. [3] [4]

Vertebrate paleobiota

Based on the Paleobiology Database: [5] [6]

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages

Bony fish

Based on: [5] [6]

Bony fish of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
Acipenser A. sp.Ellisdale SiteA sturgeon. Acipenser oxyrhynchus.jpg
Anomoeodus A. phaseolusEllisdale Site, St. GeorgesA pycnodont. Anomoeodus subclavatus.jpg
Atractosteus A. sp.Ellisdale SiteA gar. Alligator gar fish (white background).jpg
Cyclurus C. cf. fragosusEllisdale SiteAn amiid related to bowfins. Cyclurus kehreri 001.jpg
cf. Cylindracanthus C. sp.St. George'sA fish of uncertain affinities. Cylindracanthus rectus.jpg
Enchodus E. feroxEllisdale Site, St. GeorgesAn enchodontid aulopiform. Enchodus petrosus.png
E. sp.St. Georges
cf. Lepisosteus L. sp.St. GeorgesA gar. Lepisosteus platostomus drawing.jpg
Paralbula P. caseiEllisdale Site, St. GeorgesA phyllodontid elopomorph.
cf. " Platacodon "P. sp.Ellisdale SiteA sciaenid-like fish.
Stephanodus S. sp.St. GeorgesA pycnodont.
Xiphactinus X. audaxEllisdale SiteAn ichthyodectid. Xiphactinus audax.png
X. sp.St. Georges

Amphibians

Amphibians of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
Albanerpetontidae indet.Ellisdale SiteAn albanerpetontid.
Alytidae indet.An alytid frog.
cf. Habrosaurus H. sp.A sirenid salamander. Habrosaurus Dilatus.png
Parrisia P. neocesariensisA batrachosauroidid salamander. Type locality of genus and species. [7]
Pelobatidae indet.A relative of European spadefoot toads.
cf. Proamphiuma P. sp.A sirenid salamander.
cf. Scotiophryne S. sp.A frog of uncertain affinities.
cf. Theatonius T. sp.A frog of uncertain affinities.

Reptiles

Dinosaurs

Based on Brownstein (2018): [8] [9]

Dinosaurs of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
" Coelosaurus "C. antiquusAn ornithomimosaur. Coelosaurus antiquus tibia.jpg
Coelurosauria indet.Ellisdale SiteA coelurosaur theropod of uncertain affinities.
Dromaeosauridae indet.A dromaeosaurid theropod of uncertain affinities.
Dryptosaurus D. sp.A tyrannosauroid theropod. Specimens from this formation might belong to Appalachiosaurus instead. [10] 2023-12-01 15 40 55 Dryptosaurus aguilunguis cast, late Cretaceous Period, New Egypt Formation, West Jersey Marl Company Pit, Mantua Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, on display at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, New Jersey.jpg
Hadrosauridae indet.A hadrosaurid ornithopod.
?Hadrosauroidea indet.A hadrosauroid ornithopod.
Hadrosaurus H. foulkiiA hadrosaurid ornithopod. Hadrosaurus foulkii restoration.png
?H. sp.
Hypsibema H. crassicaudaA hadrosauroid ornithopod. HypsibemaCrassicaudaVertNC.jpg
Nodosauridae indet.A nodosaurid ankyosaur.
Ornithopoda indet.An ornithopod of uncertain affinities.

Crocodilians

Crocodilians of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
cf. " Allognathosuchus ""A". sp.Ellisdale SiteAn alligatorid.
cf. Brachychampsa B. sp.Ellisdale SiteAn alligatorid. Brachychampsa NT small.jpg
Deinosuchus D. rugosusEllisdale SiteAn alligatoroid, one of the largest known crocodilians. Remains of both juveniles and adults known. [11] Deinosuchus illustration Andrey Atuchin.jpg
" Diplocynodon ""D". sp.Ellisdale SiteAn alligatorid.
" Leidyosuchus ""L". sp.Cambridge Crossing Executive ParkAn alligatorid. [12]

Turtles

Turtles of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
Adocus A. beatusEllisdale SiteAn adocid. Adocidae - Adocus punctatus.jpg
Chedighaii C. barberiEllisdale SiteA bothremydid side-necked turtle.
Corsochelys C. sp.Ellisdale SiteA dermochelyid sea turtle.
Trionychidae indet.Ellisdale Site, St. GeorgesA softshell turtle of uncertain affinities.

Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
" Elasmosaurus ""E." orientalisSwedesboroTwo back vertebraeAn elasmosaurid, species name is a nomen dubium due to fragmentary nature. [13] Elasmosaurus Cope.jpg

Squamates

Squamates of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
Clidastes C. iguanavusSwedesboroA mosasaurine mosasaur. Type locality of species. [13] Clidastes AMNH FR 192.jpg
cf. C. sp.St. Georges
? Contogenys C. sp.Ellisdale SiteA globaurid lizard.
cf. Globidens G. sp.St. GeorgesA globidensine mosasaur. GlobidensDB2.jpg
Glyptosaurinae indet.Ellisdale SiteAn anguid lizard.
cf. Halisaurus H. sp.Ellisdale SiteA halisaurine mosasaur. Halisaurus arambourgi.jpg
Haptosphenus H. sp.Ellisdale SiteA chamopsid lizard.
cf. Odaxosaurus O. sp.Ellisdale SiteAn anguid lizard.
cf. Machaerosaurus M. sp.Ellisdale SiteAn anguid lizard.
Prototeius P. stageriEllisdale SiteA chamopsid lizard. Type locality of genus and species. [14]

Choristodera

Choristoderes of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
Neochoristodera indet.Ellisdale Site1 vertebraA neochoristodere, one of the very few records of this group from eastern North America. [15]

Mammals

Based on Grandstaff et al (1992): [16]

Mammals of the Marshalltown Formation
GenusSpeciesMemberLocationMaterialNotesImages
Cimolodontidae indet.Ellisdale SiteA cimolodontid multituberculate.
Cimolomys C. cf. clarkiA cimolomyid multiberculate. Ptilodus.jpg
cf. Didelphodon D. sp.A stagodontid metatherian. Didelphodon NT small.jpg
Protalphadon P. lulliA metatherian.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.
  2. "Geolex — Marshalltown publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  3. 1 2 "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  4. Denton, Robert (2022-04-07). "ALBEMARLE SOUND NC - A MODERN ANALOG FOR THE ELLISDALE FOSSIL SITE (LATE CRETACEOUS, CAMPANIAN, NJ)" . Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 54 (4). GSA. Bibcode:2022GSAA...5473518D. doi:10.1130/abs/2022NC-373518.
  5. 1 2 "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  6. 1 2 "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  7. Denton Jr., Robert K.; O'Neill, Robert C. (1998-09-15). "Parrisia neocesariensis, a new batrachosauroidid salamander and other amphibians from the Campanian of eastern North America" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 18 (3): 484–494. Bibcode:1998JVPal..18..484D. doi:10.1080/02724634.1998.10011076. ISSN   0272-4634.
  8. Brownstein, Chase D. (2018-02-08). "The biogeography and ecology of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs of Appalachia". Palaeontologia Electronica. 21 (1): 1–56. doi: 10.26879/801 . ISSN   1094-8074.
  9. Brownstein, Chase D. (2018). "The distinctive theropod assemblage of the Ellisdale site of New Jersey and its implications for North American dinosaur ecology and evolution during the Cretaceous". Journal of Paleontology. 92 (6): 1115–1129. Bibcode:2018JPal...92.1115B. doi: 10.1017/jpa.2018.42 . ISSN   0022-3360.
  10. Mortimer, Mickey (2024). "Tyrannosauroidea". The Theropod Database. Retrieved Jan 28, 2025.
  11. Brownstein, Chase Doran (2019-04-01). "First Record of a Small Juvenile Giant Crocodyliform and its Ontogenetic and Biogeographic Implications" . Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 60 (1): 81. Bibcode:2019BPMNH..60...81B. doi:10.3374/014.060.0104. ISSN   0079-032X.
  12. "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  13. 1 2 "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  14. Denton Jr., Robert K.; O'Neill, Robert C. (1995-06-13). "Prototeius stageri, Gen. et sp. Nov., a New Teiid Lizard from the Upper Cretaceous Marshalltown Formation of New Jersey, with a Preliminary Phylogenetic Revision of the Teiidae" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 15 (2): 235–253. Bibcode:1995JVPal..15..235D. doi:10.1080/02724634.1995.10011227. ISSN   0272-4634.
  15. Dudgeon, Thomas W.; Landry, Zoe; Callahan, Wayne R.; Mehling, Carl M.; Ballwanz, Steven (2021). "An Appalachian population of neochoristoderes (Diapsida, Choristodera) elucidated using fossil evidence and ecological niche modelling" . Palaeontology. 64 (5): 629–643. Bibcode:2021Palgy..64..629D. doi:10.1111/pala.12545. ISSN   1475-4983.
  16. Grandstaff, Barbara S.; Parris, David C.; Robert K. Denton, Jr.; Gallagher, William B. (1992). "Alphadon (Marsupialia) and Multituberculata (Allotheria) in the Cretaceous of Eastern North America" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 12 (2): 217–222. Bibcode:1992JVPal..12..217G. doi:10.1080/02724634.1992.10011450. ISSN   0272-4634. JSTOR   4523441.

References