Tar Heel/Coachman Formation

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Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early-Middle Campanian
~83.2–77.5  Ma
Type Formation
Unit of Black Creek Group
Underlies Bladen Formation
Overlies Middendorf Formation
Lithology
Primary Siltstone, sandstone
Location
Coordinates 34°36′N78°30′W / 34.6°N 78.5°W / 34.6; -78.5
Approximate paleocoordinates 35°00′N50°12′W / 35.0°N 50.2°W / 35.0; -50.2
RegionFlag of North Carolina.svg  North Carolina
Flag of South Carolina.svg  South Carolina
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Type section
Named for Tar Heel, North Carolina

The Tar Heel Formation, also known as the Coachman Formation in South Carolina, is a Late Cretaceous (early to middle Campanian-aged) geologic formation in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. It preserves fossils, including amber dating back to the Cretaceous period. A locality known as Phoebus Landing, has been dated to 78.5-77.1 Ma, and the formation has been overall dated to the early Campanian based on fossil pollen. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Likely deposited in a nearshore coastal environment representing a lower shoreface, it contains a high diversity of vertebrate remains. It has one of the most diverse dinosaur faunas known from the former landmass of Appalachia, the majority of which are known from two sites: Phoebus Landing along the Cape Fear River in Bladen County, North Carolina, as well as Stokes Quarry in Darlington County, South Carolina. [4] [5] [6]

Fossil pollen grains suggest a subtropical to warm, moist temperate climate for the region, with an ecosystem largely dominated by flowering plants. [3] The Tar Heel/Coachman Formation appears to be roughly concurrent with the Marshalltown Formation of New Jersey, which preserves a similar fauna. [4]

Paleobiota

Cartilaginous fish

Based on the Paleobiology Database & Robb (1989): [7] [8]

Cartilaginous fish of the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
" Asteracanthus "A. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA hybodontid shark.
Brachyrhizodus B. wichitaensisPhoebus Landing, NCAn eagle ray. Brachyrhizodus.jpg
Carcharias C. holmdelensis Phoebus Landing, NCA sand shark. Carcharias taurus in UShaka Sea World WB.png
C. samhammeri
" Hypolophus "H. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA whiptail stingray.
Meristodonoides M. montanensisPhoebus Landing, NCA hybodontid shark. Meristodonoides.jpg
Rhombodus R. laevisPhoebus Landing, NCA rhombodontid ray. Rhombodus NT small cropped.png

Ischyrhiza

I. miraPhoebus Landing, NCA sawskate. Ischyrhiza mira.jpg
Ischyodus I. cf. bifurcatusPhoebus Landing, NCA callorhinchid chimaera. Ischyodus quenstedti 45456 (cropped).jpg
Scapanorhynchus S. texanusPhoebus Landing, NCA goblin shark. Scapanorhynchus sp Sahel Alma Santonian.jpg

Squalicorax

S. kaupiPhoebus Landing, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

An anacorid shark. Includes a coprolite potentially assignable to S. kaupi, containing the vertebrae of a baby turtle. [9] Squalicorax falcatus.jpg
S. pristodontus
Squatina S. hassei Phoebus Landing, NCAn angelshark. Squatina squatina.jpg

Ray-finned fish

Based on the Paleobiology Database, Robb (1989) & Stringer et al (2018). Some species are known only from otolith remains from Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, North Carolina, which are indicated: [7] [8] [10]

GenusSpeciesLocationMaterialNotesImages
Albula ? A. campaniana Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC263-378 otolithsA bonefish. Bonefish Albula vulpes.jpg
?A. cf. A. ripleyensis Blue Banks Landing, NC1 otolith
A. sp.Phoebus Landing, NC
Anomoeodus A. phaseolusPhoebus Landing, NCA pycnodontid pycnodont. Anomoeodus subclavatus.jpg
Ariidae indet.Blue Banks Landing, NC11 otolithsA sea catfish of uncertain affinities.
Aulopidae indet.Blue Banks Landing, NC1 otolithA flagfin of uncertain affinities.
Beryx ? B. maastrichtiensis Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC55 otolithsA potential relative of alfonsinos. Beryx splendens (Splendid Alfonsino).gif
? B. zideki 41 otoliths
?Congridae indet.Auger Hole Landing, NC1 otolithAn apparent conger eel of uncertain affinities.
Cylindracanthus C. ornatusPhoebus Landing, NCA fish of uncertain affinities. Cylindracanthus rectus.jpg
Enchodus E. cf. petrosusPhoebus Landing, NCAn enchodontid aulopiform. Enchodus petrosus.png
Gonostomatidae indet.Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC4 otolithsA bristlemouth of uncertain affinities.
Hoplostethus ? H. coffeesandensis Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC4 otolithsA slimehead. Hoplostethus latus.jpg
Kokenichthys K. ensisBlue Banks Landing, NC2 otolithsAn elopiform or osteoglossiform. [11]
Lepisosteidae indet.Phoebus Landing, NCA gar.
Megalopidae indet.Blue Banks Landing, NC1 otolithA tarpon of uncertain affinities.
Osmeroides O. weileriBlue Banks Landing, NC6 otolithsAn osmeroidid elopomorph. Osmeroides sardinoides.jpg
Paralbula P. caseiPhoebus Landing, NCA phyllodontid elopomorph.
? Pempheris ? P. huddlestoni Auger Hole Landing, NC1 otolithAn apparent sweeper. Pempheris molucca Ford 42.jpg
Percoidei indet.Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC5 otolithsA percoid.
? Polymixia ?P. cf. harderi Blue Banks Landing, NCAn apparent beardfish. Polymixia nobilis.jpg
Pterothrissus P. carolinensis Blue Banks Landing, NC67 otolithsA pterothrissine bonefish. Pterothrissus gissu.jpg
Saurodon S. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA saurodontid ichthyodectiform. Saurodon leanus.png
Stephanodus S. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA pycnodont.
Xiphactinus X. audaxPhoebus Landing, North Carolina, NCAn ichthyodectid ichthyodectiform. Xiphactinus audax.png
X. vetus

Reptiles

Records from SC based on Schwimmer et al (2015): [6]

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

Based mainly on Brownstein (2018): [4]

Ornithischians of the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages

cf. Hadrosaurus

?H. foulkiiPhoebus Landing & Sampson County, NC [12] A hadrosaurid, tentatively assigned to the well-known H. foulkii. Hadrosaurus foulkii restoration.png
" Hadrosaurus""H." minorPhoebus Landing, NCA small or juvenile hadrosaur, nomen dubium .

Hypsibema

H. crassicaudaPhoebus Landing & Sampson County, NCA gigantic hadrosauroid. First discovered in North Carolina from Sampson County, 1869, and described by Edward Drinker Cope. It was measured to be 12-17 meters, making it one of the largest hadrosauroids. [13] Type locality for genus and species. HypsibemaCrassicaudaVertNC.jpg
Leptoceratopsidae indet.Sampson County, NCA leptoceratopsid ceratopsian. Known from an indeterminate left maxilla found in 2016. [14]

Lophorhothon

L. atopusPhoebus Landing, NCA hadrosauromorph. Originally described from the Mooreville Chalk Formation, Alabama. Lophorhothon atopus.jpg

An indeterminate hadrosauroid is known from Stokes Quarry, SC. [4]

Theropods
Theropods of the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Appalachiosaurus A. montgomeriensisStokes Quarry, SCA large eutyrannosaur. [4] Appalachiosaurus montgomeriensis.jpg
cf. Coelosaurus (=" Ornithomimus ")C. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCAn intermediate ornithomimosaur. [4] [15] Coelosaurus antiquus tibia.jpg
Dromaeosauridae indet.Sampson County, NCA large dromaeosaurid, larger than Saurornitholestes but smaller than Dakotaraptor. [16]
Dryptosaurus D. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA large dryptosaurid eutyrannosaur. Originally known from the Maastrichtian of New Jersey, but similar remains referable to this species have been recovered from the Tar Heel. [4] However, most of the attributed specimens are considered as indeterminate Eutyrannosauria separate from this genus, with only a partial femur fragment tentatively classified as D. sp. [17] Dryptosaurus remains 01.png

Saurornitholestes

S. langstoniBurches Ferry & Stokes Quarry, SC

A widespread dromaeosaurid ("raptor"). Specimens from this formation provided the first evidence of this species from Appalachia. [4] [18] [19]

Saurornitholestes digging Burrows wahweap.jpg

Indeterminate theropods, ornithomimosaurs, and maniraptorans are known from Stokes Quarry. [4]

Crocodylomorphs

Based on the Paleobiology Database: [7]

GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Borealosuchus B. formidabilisPhoebus Landing, NCA eusuchian. Borealosuchus wilsoni HMNS.jpg
Bottosaurus B. sp.Stokes Quarry, SCAn early caiman.
Deinosuchus D. rugosus (=Thecachampsa rugosa, Polydectes biturgidus, Polyptychodon rugosus)Phoebus Landing & Clifton Farm, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

An alligatoroid, one of the largest known crocodilians. Type locality for genus and species. Deinosuchus illustration Andrey Atuchin.jpg
Gavialoidea indet.Stokes Quarry, SCA gavialoid.

Turtles

Based on the Paleobiology Database: [7]

GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Adocus A. beatusPhoebus Landing, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

An adocid. Adocidae - Adocus punctatus.jpg
Bothremys B. cookiPhoebus Landing, NCA bothremydid side-necked turtle.
Chedighaii C. barberiPhoebus Landing, NCA bothremydid side-necked turtle.
C. hutchinsoni
Corsochelys C. bentlyiStokes Quarry, SCA sea turtle, likely a dermochelyid. Type locality for species.
Euclastes E. wielandiStokes Quarry, SCA pancheloniid sea turtle. Euclastes sp.jpg
Osteopygis O. emarginatusPhoebus Landing, NCA macrobaenid. The American journal of science (1904) (18152226245).jpg
? Taphrosphys ?T. daresPhoebus Landing, NCA bothremydid side-necked turtle, taxonomic placement disputed.
Toxochelys T. sp.Stokes Quarry, SCA toxochelyid sea turtle. WLA hmns Toxochelys sea turtle.jpg
" Trionyx " "T." halophilus Phoebus Landing, NCA stem-softshell turtle, likely not an actual member of the genus Trionyx. Species names are nomina dubia .
"T." priscus Stokes Quarry, SC

Plesiosaurs

GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Elasmosauridae indet.Stokes Quarry, South CarolinaAn elasmosaurid.

Squamates

GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Halisaurus H. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA halisaurine mosasaur. Halisaurus arambourgi.jpg
Platecarpus P. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA plioplatecarpine mosasaur. Platecarpus tympaniticus.jpg
Prognathodon P. sp.Phoebus Landing, NCA mosasaurine mosasaur. Prognathodon saturator DB.jpg
Teiidae indet.Stokes Quarry, SCA teiid lizard.
Tylosaurus T. sp.Phoebus Landing, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

A tylosaurine mosasaur. Tylosaurus-proriger.jpg

Mammals

Based on the Paleobiology Database: [20]

GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImages
Marsupialia indet.Darlington County, SCA presumed marsupial relative. [20]
Multituberculata indet.Darlington County, SCA multituberculate. [20]

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