Old Church Formation

Old Church Formation
Old Church Formation
Stratigraphic range: Oligocene
	Xenorophid(?) Cetacean tooth from the Old Church formation of Virginia
Type	Formation
Unit of	Chesapeake Group
Underlies	Calvert Formation, Popes Creek Sand
Overlies	Pamunkey Group, Piney Point Formation
Location
Region	Virginia
Country	United States

Last updated July 29, 2025

The Old Church Formation is a geologic formation in Virginia and possibly Maryland. It preserves fossils dating back to the Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene period. It rarely exposes on land and is under-studied. However, deposits from this period are rare and the Old Church Formation likely contains many scientifically significant taxa.

Species

Some of the species known from the Old Church Formation are included below. Further study will likely reveal a more diverse fauna.^[1]

Chondrichthyans

Otodus angustidens
Hemipristis serra
Alopias vulpinus
Squatina prima?

Cetaceans

Xenorophidae sp.
Micromysticetus sp.^[2]
cf. Ankylorhiza sp.^[2]
cf. Xenorophus sloani ^[2]
aff. Coronodon sp.^[2]
aff. Cotylocara sp. and Echovenator sp.^[2]
aff. Eosqualodon sp.^[2]

Chelonians

Invertebrates

Source:^[3]

Mercenaria gardnerae
Anomia ruffini
"Pectin" seabeensis
"Pectin" sp.
Lucina sp.
Plicatula sp.
Epitonium sp.
Panopea sp.
Cyclocardia sp.
Astarte sp.
Pycnodonte sp.
Isognomon sp.
"Cardium" sp.
Bicorbula idonea
Macrocallista sp.
Diadora sp.
Ecphora sp.
Trophon sp.
Calypttaea sp.

References

↑ Weems, Robert (2014). "Paleogene chelonians from Maryland and Virginia" (PDF). PaleoBios. 31 (1).
1 2 3 4 5 6 Weems, Robert E; Boessnecker, Robert W; Sanders, Albert E (2022). "Cetacean remains from the Lower Oligocene Old Church Formation of Virginia". The Mosasaur. 12: 29–44.
↑ Ward, Lauck W. (1985). "Stratigraphy and characteristic mollusks of the Pamunkey Group (lower Tertiary) and the Old Church Formation of the Chesapeake Group; Virginia Coastal Plain". Professional Paper. doi: 10.3133/pp1346 . ISSN 2330-7102.

Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

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[1] Weems, Robert (2014). "Paleogene chelonians from Maryland and Virginia" (PDF). PaleoBios. 31 (1).

[:1-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Weems, Robert E; Boessnecker, Robert W; Sanders, Albert E (2022). "Cetacean remains from the Lower Oligocene Old Church Formation of Virginia". The Mosasaur. 12: 29–44.

[:0-3] Ward, Lauck W. (1985). "Stratigraphy and characteristic mollusks of the Pamunkey Group (lower Tertiary) and the Old Church Formation of the Chesapeake Group; Virginia Coastal Plain". Professional Paper. doi: 10.3133/pp1346 . ISSN 2330-7102.

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