Mooreville Chalk

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Mooreville Chalk
Stratigraphic range: Upper Cretaceous
Type Geological formation
Unit of Selma Group
Sub-unitsArcola Limestone Member
Underlies Demopolis Chalk Formation
Overlies Eutaw Formation
Lithology
Primary Chalk
Location
Region Alabama, Mississippi
Country United States

The Mooreville Chalk is a geological formation in North America, within the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi, which were part of the subcontinent of Appalachia. The strata date back to the early Santonian to the early Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous. [1] The chalk was formed by pelagic sediments deposited along the eastern edge of the Mississippi embayment. It is a unit of the Selma Group and consists of the upper Arcola Limestone Member and an unnamed lower member. [2] Dinosaur, mosasaur, and primitive bird remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the Mooreville Chalk Formation. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Fish

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish of the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Cretolamna

C. appendiculata [3]

A lamniform

Cretoxyrhina mantelli Cretoxyrhina mantelli 21DB.jpg
Cretoxyrhina mantelli
Squalicorax sp. Squalicorax2DB.jpg
Squalicorax sp.

Cretoxyrhina

C. mantelli [3]

A lamniform

Edaphodon

E. barberi [4]

Chimaeriforms

E. mirificus [4]

Ischyodus

I. williamsae [4]

A chimaeriform

Odontaspis

O. cuspidata

A lamniform

Propenser

P. hewletti [4]

Lamniformes

Ptychodus

P. mammillaris [4]

?Neoselachian incertae sedis

P. mortoni [3]

P. polygyrus [4]

Pseudocorax

P. affinis [4]

Lamniformes

P. laevis [3]

Serratolamna

S. serrata [3]

A lamniform

Scapanorhynchus

S. rhaphiodon [4]

Lamniformes

S. texanus [3]

Squalicorax

S. falcatus [4]

Lamniformes

S. kaupi [3]

Bony fish

Bony fish of the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Albula

A. dunklei [4]

An albuliform

Enchodus petrosus Enchodus petrosus.jpg
Enchodus petrosus
Saurodon leanus Saurodon BW.jpg
Saurodon leanus
Xiphactinus audax XiphactinusDB.jpg
Xiphactinus audax

Bananogmius

B. crieleyi [4]

A tselfatiiform

Cimolichthys

C. nepaholica [4]

An aulopiform

Enchodus

E. petrosus [4] [3]

An aulopiform

E. saevus [4]

Hoplopteryx

Hoplopteryx sp. [4]

A trachichthyiform

Ichthyodectes

I. ctenodon [4]

An ichthyodectiform

Moorevillia

M. hardi [4]

A tselfatiiform

Pachyrhizodus

P. caninus [4]

A crossognathiform

Protosphyraena

P. gladius [3]

A pachycormid

Saurodon

S. leanus [4]

An ichthyodectiform

Stratodus

S. apicalis [4]

An aulopiform

Xiphactinus

X. audax [4]

An ichthyodectiform

Reptiles

Dinosaurs

Indeterminate hadrosaurid, nodosaurid, dinosaur egg, and ornithomimosaur fossils are known from Mooreville Chalk outcrops in Alabama. [1] The nodosaurid remains most likely belong to a new taxon. [5]

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.
Dinosaurs reported from the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages

Angelinornis

A. antecessor

A. antecessor was originally described as Plegadornis antecessor, but the generic name Plegadornis was preoccupied, so the genus Angelinornis was erected to contain the species. It was later demonstrated that Angelinornis was a junior synonym of Ichthyornis , although the new combination I. antecessor was held to be valid for a while following the sinking of Angelinornis into Ichthyornis. Later the species would later be considered a junior synonym of the Ichthyornis type species, I. dispar. [1]

Eotrachodon Eotrachodon NT small.jpg
Eotrachodon
Ichthyornis dispar Ichthyornis restoration.jpeg
Ichthyornis dispar
Saurornitholestes Saurornitholestes digging Burrows wahweap.jpg
Saurornitholestes

Eotrachodon [6]

E. orientalis

A hadrosaurid known from a nearly complete skeleton and nearly complete skull.

Halimornis [1] [2]

H. thompsoni [1] [2]

"Vertebrae and limb elements." [7]

An enantiornithine

Ichthyornis [1] [2]

I. antecessor

The species I. antecessor was made the type species of the genus Angelinornis in 1962. Later, I. antecessor and Angelinornis were shown to be junior synonyms of the Ichthyornis type species, I. dispar [1]

I. dispar [1] [2]

An ichthyornithine.

Lophorhothon [1] [3]

L. atopus [1] [3]

A primitive species of hadrosaurid known from only a few skull fragments. [1]

Saurornitholestes [5] S. sp.A dromaeosaurid.

Plegadornis

P. antecessor

The name Plegadornis antecessor was applied to a fossil believed to represent a new bird species, but the generic name Plegadornis was preoccupied, so the genus Angelinornis was erected to contain the "new" species. It was later demonstrated that Angelinornis was a junior synonym of Ichthyornis , although the new combination I. antecessor was held to be valid for a while following the sinking of Angelinornis into Ichthtyornis. Later the species would later be considered a junior synonym of the Ichthyornis type species, I. dispar. [1]

Mosasaurs

Mosasaurs of the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Clidastes

C. liodontus [4]

Mosasaurines

Clidastes propython Clidastes proph1DB.jpg
Clidastes propython
Eonatator sternbergii Eonatator BW.jpg
Eonatator sternbergii
Globidens alabamaensis GlobidensDB2.jpg
Globidens alabamaensis
Platecarpus tympaniticus Platecarpus tympaniticus.jpg
Platecarpus tympaniticus
Selmasaurus russelli Selmasaurus life.png
Selmasaurus russelli
Tylosaurus proriger TylosaurusDB2.jpg
Tylosaurus proriger

C. "moorevillensis" [3]

C. propython [4] [3]

Ectenosaurus E. shannoni [8] A plioplatecarpine

Eonatator

E. sternbergi (sic) [3] [9]

A halisaurine E. sternbergii was formerly classified as Halisaurus sternbergii [10]

E. zangerli [11]

Globidens

G. alabamaensis [3]

A mosasaurine

Mosasaurus

M. missouriensis [3]

A mosasaurine

Platecarpus

P. tympaniticus [3]

A plioplatecarpine

Prognathodon

P. rapax [4]

A mosasaurine

Selmasaurus

S. russelli [3]

A plioplatecarpine

Tylosaurus

T. proriger [4]

A tylosaurine

Plesiosaurs

Very rare elasmosaurs are present in this formation. [3]

Plesiosaurs of the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Trinacromerum

Trinacromerum sp. [3]

Polycotylids

Trinacromerum sp. Trinacromerum BW.jpg
Trinacromerum sp.

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Pteranodon

Pteranodon sp. [3]

Pteranodontids.

Pteranodon sp. Pteranodon longiceps mmartyniuk wiki.png
Pteranodon sp.

Turtles

Turtles of the Mooreville Chalk Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Bothremys

B. barberi [3]

A pelomedusid.

Protostega gigas Protostega gigas.jpg
Protostega gigas

Corsochelys

C. haliniches

A dermochelyid.

Protostega

P. gigas [3]

A protostegid.

Toxochelys

T. moorevillensis [3]

A toxochelyid.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosasaurinae</span> Subfamily of reptiles

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Protostega is an extinct genus of sea turtle containing a single species, Protostega gigas. Its fossil remains have been found in the Smoky Hill Chalk formation of western Kansas, time-equivalent beds of the Mooreville Chalk Formation of Alabama and Campanian beds of the Rybushka Formation. Fossil specimens of this species were first collected in 1871, and named by Edward Drinker Cope in 1872. With a total length of 3.9 metres (13 ft), it is the second-largest sea turtle that ever lived, second only to the giant Archelon, and one of the three largest turtle of all time along Archelon and Gigantatypus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearpaw Formation</span> Geologic formation in North America

The Bearpaw Formation, also called the Bearpaw Shale, is a geologic formation of Late Cretaceous (Campanian) age. It outcrops in the U.S. state of Montana, as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and was named for the Bear Paw Mountains in Montana. It includes a wide range of marine fossils, as well as the remains of a few dinosaurs. It is known for its fossil ammonites, some of which are mined in Alberta to produce the organic gemstone ammolite.

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Ctenochelys is an extinct genus of marine turtle, which existed during the Cretaceous period, and lived in the shallow waters of the Western Interior Seaway. Its fossils have been found in the Ripley Formation and Mooreville Chalk of central Alabama, United States. It was first named by C. H. Sternberg in 1904, and contains two species, C. stenoporus and C. acris.

The Demopolis Chalk is a geological formation in North America, within the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The chalk was formed by pelagic sediments deposited along the eastern edge of the Mississippi embayment during the middle Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous. It is a unit of the Selma Group and consists of the upper Bluffport Marl Member and a lower unnamed member. Dinosaur and mosasaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the Demopolis Chalk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selma Group</span> Geological formation in North America

The Selma Group is a geological formation in North America, within the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The strata date from the Santonian to the Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous. The group is composed of, in ascending order, the Mooreville Chalk Formation, Demopolis Chalk Formation, Ripley Formation, and Prairie Bluff Chalk Formation. Dinosaur and mosasaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the Selma Group.

The Eutaw Formation is a geological formation in North America, within the U.S. states of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. The strata date from the late Coniacian to the early Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous. It consists of the upper Tombigbee Sand Member and an unnamed lower member. Dinosaur, mosasaur, and pterosaur remains have been recovered from the Eutaw Formation.

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During the time of the deposition of the Niobrara Chalk, much life inhabited the seas of the Western Interior Seaway. By this time in the Late Cretaceous many new lifeforms appeared such as mosasaurs, which were to be some of the last of the aquatic lifeforms to evolve before the end of the Mesozoic. Life of the Niobrara Chalk is comparable to that of the Dakota Formation, although the Dakota Formation, which was deposited during the Cenomanian, predates the chalk by about 10 million years.

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<i>Eotrachodon</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Eotrachodon orientalis is a species of hadrosaurid that was described in 2016. The holotype was found in the Mooreville Chalk Formation in Alabama in 2007 and includes a well-preserved skull and partial skeleton, making it a rare find among dinosaurs of Appalachia. Another primitive hadrosaur, Lophorhothon, is also known from the same formation, although Eotrachodon lived a few million years prior. A phylogenetic study has found Eotrachodon to be the sister taxon to the hadrosaurid subfamilies Lambeosaurinae and Saurolophinae. This, along with the other Appalachian hadrosaur Hadrosaurus and possibly Lophorhothon, Claosaurus and both species of Hypsibema, suggests that Appalachia was the ancestral area of Hadrosauridae.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, North America)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 574-588. ISBN   0-520-24209-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chiappe, Luis; Lamb, James P.; Ericson, PER G. P. (2002). "New enantiornithine bird from the marine Upper Cretaceous of Alabama". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (1): 170–174. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0170:NEBFTM]2.0.CO;2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Kiernan, Caitlin R. (2002). "Stratigraphic distribution and habitat segregation of mosasaurs in the Upper Cretaceous of western and central Alabama, with an historical review of Alabama mosasaur discoveries". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (1): 91–103. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0091:SDAHSO]2.0.CO;2.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Applegate, Shelton P.; Dale E. Russell (1970). The Vertebrate Fauna of the Selma Formation of Alabama. Part VII. Part VIII. The Mosasaurs The Fishes. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. pp. 387–430. OCLC   50419737.
  5. 1 2 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.
  6. Albert Prieto-Márquez, Gregory M. Erickson & Jun A. Ebersole, 2016, "A primitive hadrosaurid from southeastern North America and the origin and early evolution of ‘duck-billed’ dinosaurs", Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology DOI:10.1080/02724634.2015.1054495
  7. "Table 11.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 213.
  8. Kiernan, Caitlin R.; Ebersole, Jun A. (2023). "Two new plioplatecarpine mosasaurs (Mosasauridae; Plioplatecarpinae) of the genus Ectenosaurus from the Upper Cretaceous of North America". PaleoBios. 40 (13). doi: 10.5070/P9401362375 . ISSN   0031-0298.
  9. Kejiri, T.; Ebersole, J.A.; Blewitt, H.L.; Ebersole, S.M. (2013). "An Overview of Late Cretaceous Vertebrates from Alabama". Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History. 31 (1): 46–71.
  10. Bardet N, Suberbiola P, Iarochene M, Bouyahyaoui F, Bouya B, Amaghzaz M (2005). "A new species of Halisaurus from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, and the phylogenetical relationships of the Halisaurinae (Squamata: Mosasauridae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 143 (3): 447–472. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2005.00152.x .
  11. "The relationships of Alabama halisaurine mosasaurs". Academia.edu. Retrieved 10 December 2021.