Peedee Formation

The Peedee Formation is a geologic formation in North and South Carolina. A marine deposit representing an inner neritic environment, named for exposures along the Great Peedee River, it preserves invertebrate (primarily belemnites, echinoderms and foraminifera) and vertebrate (primarily shark teeth, with some marine reptile remains) fossils dating to the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian).

The formation is notable for its occurrence of Belemnitella americana, known as the Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB), a long-standing standard in stable carbon isotope research. A single pterosaur femur, possibly an Azhdarchid, from the Peedee formation is one of the few pterosaur body fossils found in Eastern North America.

The stratigraphy of the formation spans from the early Maastrichtian (in South Carolina) to the late Maastrichtian shortly before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. The formation is divided into several members, including the early-mid Maastrichtian Rocky Point Member and the late Maastrichtian Island Creek Member. Based on its fauna, it appears to be roughly concurrent with the Navesink Formation from New Jersey.

Vertebrate paleobiota

Cartilaginous fish Based on Case et al. (2017):

Sharks GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesAnomotodonA. cf. toddiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA goblin shark.ArchaeolamnaA. kopingensisDuplin County, North CarolinaAn archaeolamnid mackerel shark.CantioscylliumC. cf. meyeriMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA nurse shark.CarchariasC. cf. samhammeriMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA sand shark, related to the modern sand tiger shark.CretalamnaC. maroccanaMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA megatooth shark.HeterodontusH. grantiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA bullhead shark."Hybodus""H." sp.Duplin County, North CarolinaA hybodont shark.NotidanodonN. sp.Martin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA cow shark. Teeth damaged but resemble those of the widespread species N. dentatus.OdontaspisO. aculeatusMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA sand shark.PalaeogaleusP. sp.Martin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA houndshark.PlicatoscylliumP. antiquumMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaA nurse shark.P. derameeiPseudocoraxP. cf. affinisMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA pseudocoracid mackerel shark.ScapanorhynchusS. texanusDuplin County, North CarolinaA goblin shark.SerratolamnaS. serrataMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA serratolamnid mackerel shark.SqualicoraxS. kaupiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA crow shark.S. pristodontusSqualusS. huntensisMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA spurdog.

Rays GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesDasyatisD. commercensisMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA whiptail stingray.IschyrhizaI. avonicolaMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA sawskate.I. miraPtychotrygonP. clementsiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA ptychotrygonid sawskate.RajaR. farishiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA skate.RhinobatosR. sp.Martin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA guitarfish, tentatively placed in Rhinobatos.RhombodusR. binkhorstiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA rhombodontid stingray.SclerorhynchusS. cf. pettersiMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaIsland CreekA ganopristid sawskate.

Bony fish GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesEnchodusE. sp.East Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaRocky PointAn enchodontid aulopiform.

Reptiles

Pterosaurs GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagescf. Azhdarchidae indet.East Coast Limestone QuarryRocky PointA potential azhdarchid, known from a femur closely resembling that of Azhdarcho.

Crocodilians GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImagesBorealosuchusB. sp.Diamondhead Loop Road, South CarolinaA eusuchian.

Turtles GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesPeritresiusP. ornatusEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North Carolina Allison Ferry, South CarolinaRocky PointA pancheloniid sea turtle."Trionyx""T." halophilusLynchburg, South CarolinaA stem-trionychian.

Plesiosaurs GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesCimoliasaurusC. magnusEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaRocky PointAn elasmosaurid.

Mosasaurs GenusSpeciesLocationNotesImagesHalisaurusH. sp.Holden Beach, North CarolinaA halisaurine.MosasaurusM. cf. beaugeiHolden Beach, North CarolinaA mosasaurine.M. cf. hoffmanniiPrognathodonP. cf. solvayiHolden Beach, North Carolina ?Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaA mosasaurine.Prognathodontini indet.Holden Beach, North CarolinaAn indeterminate mosasaurine with large teeth, reminiscent of Thalassotitan.TylosaurusT. sp.Diamondhead Loop Road, South CarolinaA tylosaurine.

Invertebrate paleobiota

Echinoderms

Echinoids GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesCardiasterC. leonensisEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaRocky PointA holasterid.CatopygusC. mississippiensisEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaA cassidulid.HardouiniaH. aequoriaWadsworth Marl Pit, North Carolina Niels Eddy Landing, North Carolina East Coast Limestone Quarry, North Carolina Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaA cassiduloid.H. kellumiH. mortoniaFaujasiaF. cheloniumEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaA sand dollar.LefortiaL. trojanaEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaA sand dollar.LinthiaL. variabilisEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaA schizasterid heart urchin.PorosomaP. sp.East Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaA phymosomatid.

Sea stars GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesAldebaraniaA. areniteaMartin-Marietta Castle Hayne Quarry, North CarolinaRocky PointAn astropectinid.

Crinoids The Peedee Formation preserves some of the latest-occurring remains of the Roveacrinida, an extinct order of minute, pelagic crinoids. GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesApplinocrinusA. texanusWilmington, North CarolinaAn applinocrinine saccocomid.BirgelocrinusB. degraafiWilmington, North CarolinaAn hessicrinine saccocomid.LucernacrinusB. degraafiWilmington, North CarolinaAn hessicrinine saccocomid.B. jagtiPeedeecrinusP. sadorfiWilmington, North CarolinaAn applinocrinine saccocomid.

Molluscs

Cephalopods GenusSpeciesLocationMemberNotesImagesBelemnitellaB. americanaEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North Carolina Black Rock Landing, North CarolinaRocky PointA belemnite, source of the famous "Pee Dee Belemnite".SphenodiscusS. lobatusEast Coast Limestone Quarry, North CarolinaRocky PointA sphenodiscid ammonite.

Peedee Formation

Bron en licentie