Puente Formation

Last updated
Puente Formation
Stratigraphic range: Tortonian
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Type Geological formation
Unit of Los Angeles Basin
Sub-units(ascending) La Vida, Soquel, Yorba, Sycamore Canyon [1]
Underlies
Overlies
ThicknessAbout 3900 meters [2]
Lithology
PrimarySandstone, conglomerate & mudrock [2]
Location
Region California
Country United States
Type section
Named for Puente Hills

The Puente Formation is a geologic formation in California. It preserves fossils dating back to the middle to upper Miocene epoch of the Neogene period, most of which were deposited in a deepwater environment. [2] Owing to its depositional environment, it is one of the very few geologic formations to preserve articulated specimens of fossilized deep-sea anglerfish. [3]

Contents

Stratigraphy of the Los Angeles Basin incl. Puente Formation Cenozoic Basin Stratigraphy.pdf
Stratigraphy of the Los Angeles Basin incl. Puente Formation

As its name suggests, it primarily outcrops in the Puente Hills. [1]

Paleoecology

The Yorba Member of the Puente Formation preserves some of the world's only known fossils of deep-sea anglerfish, most of which were discovered during the construction of a rail line. These anglerfish are assigned to several genera and species that inhabit hypoxic, upwelling-influenced subtropical and tropical environments in the eastern Pacific today, suggesting that the composition of these ecological communities has changed little in the time since the deposition of this formation. These taxa are not found off the coast of California today, suggesting that the region was much warmer and more tropical during the late Miocene. The minimum depth of this depositional environment would have been about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) deep. [4] [5]

Paleobiota

Ray-finned fish

Based on Fierstine et al (2012): [3]

GenusSpeciesLocationMemberMaterialNotesImages
Acentrophryne A. sp.City of Industry, Pomona Freeway Chalk HillYorbaArticulated skeletonAn leftvent deep-sea anglerfish. [6] Acentrophryne longidens 2.png
Acipenseridae indet. Subopercule A sturgeon of uncertain affinities.
Argentina A. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk Hill"Remains"A herring smelt. Argentina elongata (no common name).gif
Argyropelecus A. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA marine hatchetfish. Argyropelecus olfersii1.jpg
Atherinops A. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA Neotropical silverside related to the modern topsmelt silverside. Atherinops affinis.png
Atherinopsis A. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA Neotropical silverside related to the modern jack silverside. FMIB 51053 California "Smelt" or Pescadillo.jpeg
Bathylaginae indet.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA deep-sea smelt.
Borophryne B. cf. apogon LACM Locality 6202YorbaComplete articulated skeletonA leftvent deep-sea anglerfish, potentially referable to the modern netdevil. [5] Borophryne apogon.jpg
Chaenophryne C. aff. melanorhabdus LACM Locality 6202Yorba4 complete articulated skeletonsAn oneirodid deep-sea anglerfish, potential affinities to the modern smooth dreamer. [5] Chaenophryne longiceps 2-transformed.jpeg
Chauliodus C. eximius Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA viperfish. Chauliodus eximus LACM.jpg
Cyclothone C. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA bristlemouth. Cyclothone microdon1.jpg
Decapterus D. cf. hopkinsi Continental Oil Company “Turnbull” well number 3LowerOne scale; lostA scad. Decapterus punctatus.jpg
D. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknown
Etringus E. scintillansPuente HillsTwo scales; lostA herring.
Ganoessus G. clepsydraFeatherstone QuarryUnknownA herring.
G. meiklejohniFeatherstone QuarryArticulated skeleton
Ganolytes G. cameoPomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA herring.
Genyonemus G. whistleri Pomona Freeway Chalk HillPartial articulated specimen.A drumfish related to the white croaker. Genyonemus lineatus mspc102.jpg
Lampanyctus L. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk Hill">100 otoliths and several skeletal imprints with otoliths"A lanternfish. Lampanyctus macdonaldi.jpg
Leptacanthichthys L. cf. gracilispinis LACM Locality 6202YorbaArticulated skeletonAn oneirodid deep-sea anglerfish, potentially referable to the modern plainchin dreamarm. [5] Leptacanthichthys gracilispinis.JPG
Linophryne L. cf. indica LACM Locality 6202YorbaArticulated skeletonA leftvent deep-sea anglerfish, potentially referable to the modern headlight angler. [5] L indica.JPG
Lompoquia L. sp.UpperUnknownA drumfish. Lompoquia retropes.JPG
Molidae indet.An ocean sunfish of uncertain affinities.
Moridae indet.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA codling of uncertain affinities.
Oneirodes O. sp.LACM Locality 6202YorbaArticulated incomplete skeletonAn oneirodid deep-sea anglerfish. Oneirodes macronema.JPG
Paralabrax P. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA sand bass. Paralabrax clathratus 2.jpg
Pseudoseriola P. gilliandiA relative of the bluefish.
Sarda S. stockii Union Oil Company “Chapman” well number 29Lower2 scalesA bonito. Sarda sarda.jpg
Scomber S. cf. japonicus Continental Oil Company “Turnbull” well number 3Lower1 scale, lostA mackerel, potentially referable to the modern chub mackerel. Scomber japonicus.png
S. sp.Pomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA mackerel.
Seriphus S. lavenbergi City of IndustryYorbaDisarticulated skull with otolithA drumfish related to the queenfish. Seriphus politus Mspc094.jpg
Symphurus S. sp.Santiago Road OvercrossingLa Vida6 partial skeletonsA tonguefish. Symphurus pusillus.jpg
Syngnathus S. emeritus San DimasSeveral articulated skeletonsA pipefish. Syngnathus rostellatus.jpg
Thyrsocles T. kriegeriPomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA euzaphlegid. Euzaphlegidae.JPG
Xyne X. grexPomona Freeway Chalk HillUnknownA herring.
? Xyrinius X. houshi"Los Angeles"UnknownA herring, from either the Monterey or Puente Formations. Potentially conspecific with Xyne grex.
Zanteclites Z. hubbsiCovina, El Modena6 specimensA Neotropical silverside.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Geolex — Puente publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Salvatore Critelli, Peter E. Rumelh (January 1994). "Composition and Provenance of the Puente Formation (Miocene), Los Angeles Basin". AAPG Bulletin. 78. doi: 10.1306/bdff9302-1718-11d7-8645000102c1865d . ISSN   0149-1423.
  3. 1 2 California Academy of Sciences (1890). Occasional papers of the California Academy of Sciences. California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco : California Academy of Sciences.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Carnevale, Giorgio; Pietsch, Theodore W.; Takeuchi, Gary T.; Huddleston, Richard W. (2008). "Fossil ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes) from the Miocene of the Los Angeles Basin, California" . Journal of Paleontology. 82 (5): 996–1008. doi:10.1666/07-113.1. ISSN   0022-3360.
  5. Carnevale, Giorgio; Pietsch, Theodore W. (2009-06-12). "The deep-sea anglerfish genus Acentrophryne (Teleostei, Ceratioidei, Linophrynidae) in the Miocene of California" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29 (2): 372–378. doi:10.1671/039.029.0232. ISSN   0272-4634.