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Bladen Formation

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Bladen Formation
Stratigraphic range: Middle Campanian
~77.5–76 Ma
↓
TypeFormation
Unit ofBlack Creek Group
UnderliesDonoho Creek Formation, Peedee Formation
OverliesTar Heel/Coachman Formation
Lithology
PrimarySandstone, siltstone
Location
Region North Carolina
 South Carolina
Country United States
Type section
Named forBladen County, North Carolina

The Bladen Formation is a geologic formation from the Late Cretaceous (middle Campanian) of North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. It is known for a plethora of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrate fossils, including dinosaurs and mosasaurs.[1] It appears to be roughly concurrent with the Tuscaloosa Formation of Alabama.[2]

Unlike many other Cretaceous geologic formations from eastern North America, which were deposited in entirely marine environments, the Bladen Formation appears to have been deposited in a former river delta in an estuarine habitat, allowing for a mixture of freshwater, terrestrial, and marine fauna.[3] An important locality is the former Bladen County landfill annex in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, which contains the richest known fauna from the formation.[4][5] Another notable locality is near Quinby in Florence County, South Carolina, which also appears to have been deposited in a nonmarine environment with minor marine influence.[6]

It is deposited as a thin layer over the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation, which is often confused with. In North Carolina, it underlies the Maastrichtian-aged Peedee Formation, while in South Carolina it underlies the slightly younger Campanian-aged Donoho Creek Formation.[7]

Vertebrate paleobiota

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Based on Crane (2011), Schwimmer et al (2015) and the Paleobiology Database:[3][6][8]

Cartilaginous fish

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Based on Crane (2011) and Case et al (2019):[3][9]

The chondrichthyan biota closely resembles that of the Aguja Formation from Texas.[9]

Hybodonts

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Hybodonts of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Lonchidion L. babulskii Elizabethtown, NC A lonchidiid.
Meristodonoides M. novojerseyensis Elizabethtown, NC A hybodontid.
M. sp.

Sharks

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Sharks of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Archaeolamna A. kopingensis Elizabethtown, NC An archaeolamnid mackerel shark.
Cantioscyllium C. clementsi Elizabethtown, NC A nurse shark. Type locality of this species.
Cretalamna C. appendiculata Elizabethtown, NC A megatooth shark.
C. sp.
Cretorectolobus C. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A wobbegong.
Galeorhinus G. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A relative of the school shark.
Plicatoscyllium P. globidens Elizabethtown, NC A nurse shark.
Protolamna P. borodini Elizabethtown, NC An eoptolamnid mackerel shark.
Scapanorhynchus S. texanus Elizabethtown, NC A goblin shark.
Squalicorax S. kaupi Elizabethtown, NC A crow shark.
S. cf. S. pristodontus
Squatina S. sp. Elizabethtown, NC An angelshark. Sometimes assigned to the dubious species S. hassei.[9]

Rays

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Rays of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Anoxypristis A. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A sawfish.
Borodinopristis B. schwimmeri Elizabethtown, NC A sclerorhynchid sawskate. Type locality of B. shannoni.[10]
B. shannoni
Brachyrhizodus B. wichitaensis Elizabethtown, NC An eagle ray.
Dasyatis D. cf. commercensis Elizabethtown, NC A stingray.
Ischyrhiza I. avonicola Elizabethtown, NC A sclerorhynchid sawskate.
I. mira
Onchopristis O. sp. Elizabethtown, NC An onchopristid sawskate.
Ptychotrygon P. triangularis Elizabethtown, NC A ptychotrygonid sawskate.
P. vermiculata
Protoplatyrhina P. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A hypsobatid ray.[11]
Pseudohypolophus P. ellipsis Elizabethtown, NC A guitarfish.
Rhinobatos R. casieri Elizabethtown, NC A guitarfish.
Rhombodus R. binkhorsti Elizabethtown, NC A rhombodontid ray.
R. laevis
Schizorhiza S. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A schizorhizid sawskate.

Bony fish

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Bony fish of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Albula A. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A bonefish.
Anomoeodus A. phaseolus Elizabethtown, NC A pycnodontid pycnodont.
Cylindracanthus C. sp Elizabethtown, NC A fish of uncertain affinities.
Enchodus E. cf. petrosus Elizabethtown, NC An enchodontid aulopiform.
Hadrodus H. priscus Elizabethtown, NC A hadrodontid fish (considered a pycnodont or a semionotiform)
Lepisosteus L. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A gar.
Paralbula P. casei Elizabethtown, NC A phyllodontid elopomorph.
Protosphyraena P. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A pachycormid.
Xiphactinus X. vetus Elizabethtown, NC An ichthyodectid ichthyodectiform.

Amphibians

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Amphibians of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Albanerpetontidae indet. Elizabethtown, NC An albanerpetontid.[12][13]

Reptiles

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Dinosaurs

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Based on Brownstein (2018):[14]

Dinosaurs of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
"Coelosaurus" (="Ornithomimus") "C." sp. Elizabethtown, NC An ornithomimosaur.
Hadrosauridae indet. Elizabethtown, NC A hadrosaur.
Tyrannosauroidea indet. Elizabethtown, NC A tyrannosauroid.

Crocodylomorphs

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Crocodylomorphs of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Borealosuchus B. sp. Elizabethtown, NC

Quinby, SC

A eusuchian.
Deinosuchus D. rugosus Elizabethtown, NC

Quinby, SC

An alligatoroid, one of the largest known crocodilians.
Gavialoidea indet. Quinby, SC A gavialoid.

Turtles

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Turtles of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Bothremys B. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A bothremydid side-necked turtle.
Chedighaii C. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A bothremydid side-necked turtle.
Euclastes E. wielandi Quinby, SC A pancheloniid sea turtle.
"Trionyx" "T." halophilus Quinby, SC A stem-softshell turtle, likely not an actual member of the genus Trionyx. Species names are nomina dubia.
"T." priscus Quinby, SC
"T." sp. Elizabethtown, NC

Plesiosaurs

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Plesiosaurs of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Elasmosauridae indet. Elizabethtown, NC

Quinby, SC

An elasmosaurid.

Squamates

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Squamates of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Coniophis C. sp. Elizabethtown, NC An aquatic snake.[15]
Tylosaurus T. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A tylosaurine mosasaur.

Mammals

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Mammals of the Bladen Formation
Genus Species Location Notes Images
Cimolomys C. sp. Elizabethtown, NC A multituberculate.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Various Contributors to the NCSM, et al. 2020. "NCSM Collection: Paleontology Database."
  2. ^ "Geolex — Bladen publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  3. ^ a b c Crane, Cynthia Danielle (2011). VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY AND TAPHONOMY OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS (CAMPANIAN) BLADEN FORMATION, BLADEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA (Thesis).
  4. ^ "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  5. ^ Crane, Cynthia Danielle (2011). Vertebrate paleontology and taphonomy of the late Cretaceous (Campanian) Bladen Formation, Bladen County, North Carolina (Thesis).
  6. ^ a b Schwimmer, David R.; Sanders, Albert E.; Erickson, Bruce R.; Weems, Robert E. (2015). "A Late Cretaceous Dinosaur and Reptile Assemblage from South Carolina, Usa". Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. 105 (2): i–157. ISSN 0065-9746.
  7. ^ "Geolex — Bladen publications". ngmdb.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  8. ^ "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  9. ^ a b c Case, Gerald R.; Cook, Todd D.; Kightlinger, Taylor (2019-07-31). "A description of a middle Campanian euselachian assemblage from the Bladen Formation of North Carolina, USA". Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology. 7: 69–82. doi:10.18435/vamp29345. ISSN 2292-1389.
  10. ^ Case, Gerard R.; Cook, Todd D.; Wilson, Mark V.H.; Borodin, Paul D. (2012). "A new species of the sclerorhynchid sawfish Borodinopristis from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) of North Carolina, USA". Historical Biology. 24 (6): 592–597. doi:10.1080/08912963.2012.663367. ISSN 0891-2963.
  11. ^ "Protoplatyrhina sp. | Shark-References". shark-references.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  12. ^ "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  13. ^ Gardner, James D.; DeMar, David G. (2013-12-01). "Mesozoic and Palaeocene lissamphibian assemblages of North America: a comprehensive review". Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 93 (4): 459–515. doi:10.1007/s12549-013-0130-z. ISSN 1867-1608.
  14. ^ Center~chasethedinosaur@gmail.com, Chase D. Brownstein~Stamford Museum & Nature (2018-02-08). "The biogeography and ecology of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs of Appalachia". Palaeontologia Electronica. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  15. ^ "PBDB Collection". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
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