The Aquia Formation is a geologic sandstone formation that extends from the upper Chesapeake Bay to the James River near Hopewell, Virginia. It consists of clayey, silty, very shelly, glauconitic sand. Fossil records indicate that this stratigraphic unit was created during the Paleocene.

The Aquia formation was named for Aquia Creek where it is exposed in cliff faces along the banks.

Geology Lithology

When uncovered, it appears dark green to gray-green, argillaceous, with well sorted fine- to medium-grained sand and locally indurated shell beds. It is between 0 and 100 feet thick in Maryland. Quartz and phosphatic pebbles and/or very coarse glauconitic quartz sand mark the base of the unit. A few hard streaks of shells or thin "rock" layers are often reported but appear to be more abundant in the sections south of the James River.

Stratigraphy The Aquia formation is overlain by the Nanjemoy Formation and overlies the Brightseat Formation.

The Aquia formation is broken down into two members: the lower Piscataway member and upper Paspotansa member.

Age

The Aquia Formation is thought to be 59.0-55.5 million years old. The Piscataway member is 59–56.25 million years old, and the Paspotansa member is 56–55.5 million years old. This is the Paleocene period.

Older publications describe the Aquia as being of Eocene age.Tolchester folio, Maryland, Folios of the Geologic Atlas 204, by B. L. Miller, E. B. Mathews, A. B. Bibbins, and H. P. Little, 1917.

Vertebrate paleobiota

Bony fish Bony fish from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesLepisosteusPhatfossils Aquia Formation in Maryland and VirginiaL.sp.A Gar fishOstracionO. meretrixAn ostraciid (boxfish)PhyllodusP.sp.A bonefishScomberomorusS.sp.A mackrel fishLabridaeLabridae indet.A wrasse

Chondrichthyes

Sharks Sharks from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesAbdounia Elasmo.com, The Life and Times of Long Dead Sharks, Abdounia, Jim Bourdon, author.A.beaugeiA reqium sharkAnomotodon A.novusA goblin sharkCarcharias C.hopeiA sand tiger sharkCretolamna C.appendiculataA megatooth sharkDelpitoscylliumD.africanumFoumtizia F.abdouniGaleorhinusG.sp.A houndsharkGinglymostoma G.subafricanumA nurse sharkHeterodontus H.lericheiA bullhead sharkHypotodus H.verticalisIsurolamna I.inflataA mackrel sharkMegasqualus M.orpiensisNotidanodon N.looziA cow sharkOdontaspisO.looziOrectolobiformO. Indet.Otodus O.obliquusA Megatooth sharkPachygaleus P.lefevreiPalaeogaleusP.sp.Paleocarcharodon P.orientalisA megatooth sharkPaleohypotodus P.rutotiParaorthacodus P.clarkiiA Paraorthacodontid sharkPhysogaleus P.secundusA reqium sharkPremontreia P.subulidensScyliorhinusS.sp.A Scyliorhinid sharkSqualusS.sp.A dogfishSquatina S.primaAn Angel sharkStriatolamia S.macrotaA Sand sharkS.striataTriakisT.sp.A Houndshark

Rays Rays from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesMyliobatisM.sp.A Mylobatiform rayBurnhamiaB.sp.A devil rayCoupateziaC. soutersiA dasyatid rayDasyatisD.spHypolophodonH.sylvestrisIschyodusI. sylvestris

Birds Birds from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesPresbyornisP. isoniHumerus & alar phalanxA giant presbyornithid waterfowl.?Prophaeton?P. sp.Distal end of right humerusA potential prophaetontid phaetontiform.

Reptiles

Crocodylomorphs Crocodylomorphs from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesEosuchusE. minorA eusuchian crocodylomorph.?HyposaurusH. sp.TeethA potential dyrosaurid. ThoracosaurusT. neocesariensisA eusuchian crocodylomorph.

Turtles Based on Weems (2014): Turtles from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesAspideretoidesA. virginianusA softshell turtle. Type locality of species.Bothremydinae indet.A marine side-necked turtle of uncertain affinities.CatapleuraC. coatesiA pancheloniid sea turtle. Type locality of species.EosphargisE. insularisA dermochelyid sea turtle.EuclastesE. roundsiA pancheloniid sea turtle. Type locality of species.Kinosternoidea indet.A kinosternoid turtle of uncertain affinities.OsteopygisO. kranziA freshwater macrobaenid turtle. Type locality of species.PlanetochelysP. savoieiA planetochelyid trionychian. Type locality of genus and species.TasbackaT. ruhoffiA pancheloniid sea turtle. Type locality of species.

Squamates Squamates from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesPalaeophisP. virginianusA marine palaeophiid snake. Type locality of species.

Mammals Based on Rose (2000): Mammals from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesArctocyonidae indet.An arctocyonid of uncertain affinities.EctoganusE. cf. gliriformisA taeniodont.?Phenacodus?P. sp.A phenacodont.

Invertebrate paleobiota

Molluscs Gastropods

Gastropods from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesTurritella T.sp.very commonly found in the formationPleurotoma P.potomacensis

Bivalves

Bivalves from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesCrassatelites C.alaeformisCucullaeaC.giganteaDosiniopsis D.lenticularisMeretrix (bivalve)M.ovataModiolus (bivalve)M.alabamensisOstreaO.compressirostraPanopeaP.elongataVenericardiaV.planicostaVulsellaV.alabamensis

Cephalopods

Sharks from the Aquia Formation Genus Species Material Notes ImagesCimomiaC.marylandensisUncommonly found Mammal and bird fossils are also uncommonly found in the formation.

See also

List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia Paleontology in Virginia Aquia Creek sandstone Public Quarry at Government Island

References