Pysht Formation

Last updated
Pysht Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Oligocene, Chattian
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Callianopsis clallamensis female 02b.jpg
Fossil Callianopsis from the Pysht Formation
Type Geological formation
Underlies Clallam Formation
Overlies Makah Formation
Lithology
Primary Siltstone, mudstone, conglomerate
Location
Coordinates 48°12′N123°54′W / 48.2°N 123.9°W / 48.2; -123.9
Approximate paleocoordinates 47°48′N114°54′W / 47.8°N 114.9°W / 47.8; -114.9
RegionFlag of Washington.svg  Washington (state)
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Type section
Named for Pysht River

The Pysht Formation is a geologic formation in Washington (state). It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period, which appear to have been deposited in an offshore marine environment. Outcrops are present on the northern Olympic Peninsula, in Clallam County. [1]

Contents

Fossil content

Based on the Paleobiology Database: [2]

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish of the Pysht Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Somniosus S. gonzalezi A sleeper shark. Somniosus microcephalus.jpg

Mammals

Mammals of the Pysht Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
cf. Allodesmus A. sp.A desmatophocid pinniped. Allodesmus gracilis LACM.jpg
Behemotops B. proteusThe most basal knowndesmostylian. Type locality for genus and species. Behemotops proteus Wikipedia Juandertal.jpg
Borealodon B. oseaxA stem-baleen whale. Type locality for genus and species. [3]
Fucaia F. goedertorumAn aetiocetid baleen whale.
? Kronokotherium K. sp.A desmostylian.
Olympicetus O. avitusTwo partial skulls belonging to a juvenile and a neonate, including part of the dentition and a tympanic bullaA simocetid toothed whale. Type locality for genus and species. [4] [5] Olympicetus thalassodon reconstruction.png
O. thalassodonPosterior part of skull
Pinnarctidion P. iverseniA nearly complete skull and limited postcrania (SDSNH 146624). [6] A pan-pinniped.
Sitsqwayk S. cornishorumPartial skull, tympanic bullae, mandibles and postcrania. [7] An basal baleen whale. Type locality for genus and species. [7]

Birds

Birds of the Pysht Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Klallamornis K. buchananiA plotopterid suliform. [8] Klallamornis.jpg
Tonsala T. hildegardaeA plotopterid suliform. [9] Tonsala hildegardae.png

Crustaceans

Crustaceans of the Pysht Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Upogebia U. bartiLocality RB 18. [10] Multiple specimens. [10] An upogebiid mud shrimp.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Klallamornis is an extinct genus of Plotopteridae, a family of large, flightless birds related to modern cormorants, darters, gannets, and boobies. This genus included the largest North American plotopterids. Its remains can be found in Late Eocene to Late Oligocene rocks from the Makah Formation, the overlying Pysht Formation and the Lincoln Creek Formation of the State of Washington. During its existence, Klallamornis was the largest plotopterid on the North American continent. The first fossil remains attributed to the taxon were collected in 1983, although the genus wasn't described until 2016.

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References

  1. "Geolex — Pysht publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
  2. Czaplewski, John J. "PBDB Navigator". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
  3. Shipps, B. K.; Peredo, Carlos Mauricio; Pyenson, Nicholas D. (2019). "Borealodon osedax , a new stem mysticete (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Oligocene of Washington State and its implications for fossil whale-fall communities". Royal Society Open Science. 6 (7): 182168. doi:10.1098/rsos.182168. ISSN   2054-5703. PMC   6689636 . PMID   31417706.
  4. Velez-Juarbe, J. (2017). "A new stem odontocete from the late Oligocene Pysht Formation in Washington State, U.S.A.". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 37 (5): e1366916. Bibcode:2017JVPal..37E6916V. doi:10.1080/02724634.2017.1366916. S2CID   90151706.
  5. Velez-Juarbe, J. (2023). "New heterodont odontocetes from the Oligocene Pysht Formation in Washington State, U.S.A., and a reevaluation of Simocetidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti)". PeerJ. 11: e15576. doi: 10.7717/peerj.15576 . PMC   10292202 . PMID   37377790.
  6. Everett, Christopher J.; Deméré, Thomas A.; Wyss, André R. (2023-03-23). "A new species of Pinnarctidion from the Pysht Formation of Washington State (U.S.A.) and a phylogenetic analysis of basal pan-pinnipeds (Eutheria, Carnivora)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 42 (3): e2178930. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2178930. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   257731013.
  7. 1 2 Peredo, Carlos Mauricio; Uhen, Mark D. (2016-11-01). "A new basal chaeomysticete (Mammalia: Cetacea) from the Late Oligocene Pysht Formation of Washington, USA". Papers in Palaeontology. 2 (4): 533–554. doi:10.1002/spp2.1051. ISSN   2056-2802.
  8. Mayr, G.; Goedert, J. L. (2016). "Eocene and Oligocene remains of the flightless, penguin-like plotopterids (Aves, Plotopteridae) from Western Washington State". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (4): 1–18. Bibcode:2016JVPal..36E3573M. doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1163573. S2CID   88129671.
  9. Olson, S. L. (1980). "A new genus of penguin-like pelecaniform bird from the Oligocene of Washington (Pelecaniformes : Plotopteridae)". Contributions in Science. 330: 51–57. doi: 10.5962/p.208144 . S2CID   4803730.
  10. 1 2 Fraaije, R. (January 2006). "Two new Paleogene species of mud shrimp (Crustacea, Decapoda, Upogebiidae) from Europe and North America". Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum (33): 81–89.