St. Marys Formation

Last updated
St. Marys Formation
Stratigraphic range: Neogene
Type Formation
Unit of Chesapeake Group
Underlies Eastover Formation
Overlies Choptank Formation
Location
Region Maryland, Virginia
Country United States

The St. Marys Formation is a geologic formation in Maryland and Virginia, United States. It preserves fossils dating back to the Miocene Epoch of the Neogene period. It is the youngest Miocene formation present in the Calvert Cliffs and is part of the Chesapeake Group.

Contents

Vertebrate paleofauna

A diverse vertebrate paleofauna is known from the St. Marys Formation:

Cartilaginous fish
GenusSpeciesNotesTooth exampleRef.
Notorynchus N. primigeniusThis species is possibly synonymous with the broadnose sevengill shark.
Notorhynchus primigenius from the Calvert Formation Notorhynchus primigenius lower 1.jpg
Notorhynchus primigenius from the Calvert Formation
[1]
Hexanchus H. gigasA species of cow shark. This species is extremely rare in this formation.
Hexanchus gigas teeth (not from St. Marys Formation) Hexanchus gigas 1.jpg
Hexanchus gigas teeth (not from St. Marys Formation)
[1]
Squalus Commonly known as the spurdog. [1]
Squatina Commonly known as the angel shark. [1]
Rhincodon R. typus Commonly known as the whale shark. This species is extremely rare in this formation.
Modern Rhincodon typus teeth Rhincodon typus teeth.jpg
Modern Rhincodon typus teeth
[1]
Carcharodon C. hastalis Putative ancestor to the extant great white shark
Carcharodon hastalis from the Calvert Formation Carcharodon hastalis.jpg
Carcharodon hastalis from the Calvert Formation
[1]
Carcharomodus C. escheri Commonly known as Escher's mako. It is also known as Carcharodon subserratus and is sometimes placed in Isurus. It is extremely rare in this formation.
Carcharomodus escheri teeth from Germany Carcharomodus-escheri-teeth.png
Carcharomodus escheri teeth from Germany
[1]
Otodus O. megalodon This is the largest shark known to have existed.
C. megalodon from Chile Megalodon.jpg
C. megalodon from Chile
[1]
Alopias A. latidensThis species may be synonymous with the extant common thresher shark.
Alopias latidens from the Old Church Formation Alopias latidens.jpg
Alopias latidens from the Old Church Formation
[1]
Mustelus Commonly known as smooth-hounds [1]
Hemipristis H. serra Commonly known as the snaggletooth shark. It is related to the extant snaggletooth shark.
Hemipristis serra teeth (Bone Valley) Hemipristis serra snaggettoth shark teeth 007 cropped.jpg
Hemipristis serra teeth (Bone Valley)
[1]
Carcharhinus C. falciformus Commonly known as the silky shark.
Carcharhinus falciformis upper teeth (modern) Carcharhinus falciformis upper teeth.jpg
Carcharhinus falciformis upper teeth (modern)
[1]
C. leucas Commonly known as the bull shark
Carcharhinus leucas teeth (modern) Carcharhinus leucas teeth.jpg
Carcharhinus leucas teeth (modern)
[1]
C. perezii Commonly known as the Caribbean reef shark
Carcharhinus perezii upper teeth (modern) Carcharhinus perezii upper teeth.jpg
Carcharhinus perezii upper teeth (modern)
[1]
C. priscusAn extinct requiem shark [1]
C. plumbeus Commonly known as the sandbar shark
Carcharhinus plumbeus upper teeth (modern) Carcharhinus plumbeus upper teeth.jpg
Carcharhinus plumbeus upper teeth (modern)
[1]
Negaprion N. brevrostris Commonly known as the lemon shark
Negaprion brevirostris upper teeth Negaprion brevirostris upper teeth.jpg
Negaprion brevirostris upper teeth
[1]
Rhizoprionodon Commonly known as the sharpnose shark [1]
Pteromylaeus Commonly known as the bull ray [1]
Aetobatus Commonly known as the eagle ray [1]
Bony fish
GenusNotesImageRef.
Acipenseridae gen. indet.
Extant Japanese sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) Japanese Sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii).jpg
Extant Japanese sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii)
[1]
Lepisosteus
Extant spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) Lepisosteus oculatus1.jpg
Extant spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)
[1]
Amia cf. A. calva
Extant Amia calva Amia calva 4 (cropped).jpg
Extant Amia calva
[1]
Alosa
Extant Alosa maeotica Alosa maeotica.jpg
Extant Alosa maeotica
[1]
Ictalurus
Drawing of extant Ictalurus punctatus Ictalurus punctatus.jpg
Drawing of extant Ictalurus punctatus
[1]
Merluccius
Drawing of extant Merluccius merluccius Merluccius merluccius.jpg
Drawing of extant Merluccius merluccius
[1]
Belone B. countermani
Extant Belona belona Belona.JPG
Extant Belona belona
[1] [2]
Prionotus
Extant bandtail searobin (Prionotus ophryas) Bandtail searobin ( Prionotus ophryas ).jpg
Extant bandtail searobin (Prionotus ophryas)
[1]
Agonidae gen. indet.
Extant Agonus cataphractus Agonus cataphractus.jpg
Extant Agonus cataphractus
[1]
"Paralbula""P." dorisiae [1]
Lagodon
Extant Lagodon rhomboides Lagodon rhomboides (S0235) (12598284094).jpg
Extant Lagodon rhomboides
[1]
Stenotomus
Extant Stenotomus chrysops Stenotomus chrysops (S0568) (12592129064).jpg
Extant Stenotomus chrysops
[1]
Pogonias
Extant black drum Black drum.jpg
Extant black drum
[1]
Sciaenops
Extant Sciaenops ocellatus Sciaenops ocellatus (S0230) (12527956414).jpg
Extant Sciaenops ocellatus
[1]
Tautoga
Extant Tautoga onitis Tautoga onitis (S1035) (15611353592).jpg
Extant Tautoga onitis
[1]
Astroscopus A. countermani
Artists rendition of Astroscopus countermani Astroscopus countermani.jpg
Artists rendition of Astroscopus countermani
[3] [1]
Sphyraena
Extant school of Sphyraena barracuda School of barracuda.JPG
Extant school of Sphyraena barracuda
[1]
Istiophoridae gen. indet.
Extant Atlantic blue marlin Atlantic blue marlin.jpg
Extant Atlantic blue marlin
[1]
Reptiles
GenusSpeciesNotesImageRef.
Thecachampsa T. antiquusA Tomistominae
Thecachampsa sp. Vertebra possibly derived from this formation Thecachampsa sp. Vertebra.jpg
Thecachampsa sp. Vertebra possibly derived from this formation
[1]
Sea mammals
TypeGenusSpeciesNotesImageRef.
Sirenians (sea cows) Metaxytherium M. floridanum
Metaxytherium floridanum skeleton Metaxytherium floridanum skeleton.jpg
Metaxytherium floridanum skeleton
[1]
Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) Aulophyseter A. mediatlanticusA sperm whale
Artists depiction of Aulophyseter Aulophyseter BW.jpg
Artists depiction of Aulophyseter
[4]
Lophocetus L. calvertensis [5]
Messapicetus
Messapicetus gregarius and M. longirostris skull diagrams Messapicetus gregarius e M. longirostris.jpg
Messapicetus gregarius and M. longirostris skull diagrams
[6]
Stenasodelphis S. russellae [7]
Terrestrial mammals
NameNotesImagesRef.
Procamelus cf. P. minor
Fossilized Procamelus mummy from Oklahoma Procamelus mummy.JPG
Fossilized Procamelus mummy from Oklahoma
[8]
Desmathyus [8]
Tapirus
Extant South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris) South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris).JPG
Extant South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris)
[8]
Neohipparion lenticulare
Skeleton and artists rendition of Neohipparion The age of mammals in Europe, Asia and North America (1910) (17322549474).jpg
Skeleton and artists rendition of Neohipparion
[8]
Equidae indet.Larger than Parahippus [8]
Rhinoceratidae [8]
Cormohipparion
Cranium of Cormohipparion occidentale Cormohipparion occidentale.jpg
Cranium of Cormohipparion occidentale
[8]

See also

References

  1. 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 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Godfrey, Stephen J., ed. (2018-09-25). "The Geology and Vertebrate Paleontology of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, USA". Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology (100): 2–274. doi: 10.5479/si.1943-6688.100 . ISSN   1943-6688.
  2. de Sant'Anna, V. B., Collette, B. B., & Godfrey, S. J. (2013). † Belone countermani, a new Miocene needlefish (Belonidae) from the St. Marys Formation of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 126 (2), 137-150.
  3. Carnevale, Giorgio; Godfrey, Stephen J.; Pietsch, Theodore W. (2011-11-01). "Stargazer (Teleostei, Uranoscopidae) cranial remains from the Miocene Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, U.S.A. (St. Marys Formation, Chesapeake Group)" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 31 (6): 1200–1209. doi:10.1080/02724634.2011.606856. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   196608143.
  4. Aulophyseter at Fossilworks.org
  5. Fuller, Anna J.; Godfrey, Stephen J. (2007-06-12). "A late Miocene ziphiid (Messapicetus sp.: Odontoceti: Cetacea) from the St. Marys Formation of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (2): 535–540. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[535:ALMZMS]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   85606021.
  6. Fuller, Anna J.; Godfrey, Stephen J. (2007-06-12). "A late Miocene ziphiid (Messapicetus sp.: Odontoceti: Cetacea) from the St. Marys Formation of Calvert cliffs, Maryland" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (2): 535–540. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[535:almzms]2.0.co;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   85606021.
  7. Godfrey, Stephen J.; Barnes, Lawrence G. (2008-06-12). "A new genus and species of late Miocene pontoporiid dolphin (Cetacea: Odontoceti) from the St. Marys Formation in Maryland" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 520–528. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[520:ANGASO]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   86216551.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Eshelman, R. Terrestrial Mammal Remains from the Miocene Chesapeake Group of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, and Comparisons With Miocene.