The St. Marys Formation is a geologic formation in Maryland and Virginia, United States. It preserves fossils dating back to the Tortonian stage of the Late Miocene epoch of the Neogene period (11 to 8 million years ago). It is the youngest Miocene formation present in the Calvert Cliffs and is part of the Chesapeake Group.
Vertebrate paleofauna A diverse vertebrate paleofauna is known from the St. Marys Formation: + Cartilaginous fishGenusSpeciesNotesTooth exampleRef.NotorynchusN. primigeniusThis species is possibly synonymous with the broadnose sevengill shark.HexanchusH. gigasA species of cow shark. This species is extremely rare in this formation.SqualusCommonly known as the spurdog.SquatinaCommonly known as the angel shark.RhincodonR. typusCommonly known as the whale shark. This species is extremely rare in this formation.CarcharodonC. hastalisPutative ancestor to the extant great white sharkCarcharomodusC. escheriCommonly 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.OtodusO. megalodonThis is the largest shark known to have existed.AlopiasA. latidensThis species may be synonymous with the extant common thresher shark.MustelusCommonly known as smooth-houndsHemipristisH. serraCommonly known as the snaggletooth shark. It is related to the extant snaggletooth shark.CarcharhinusC. falciformusCommonly known as the silky shark.C. leucasCommonly known as the bull sharkC. pereziiCommonly known as the Caribbean reef sharkC. priscusAn extinct requiem sharkC. plumbeusCommonly known as the sandbar sharkNegaprionN. brevrostrisCommonly known as the lemon sharkRhizoprionodonCommonly known as the sharpnose sharkPteromylaeusCommonly known as the bull rayAetobatusCommonly known as the eagle ray +Bony fishGenusNotesImageRef.Acipenseridae gen. indet.LepisosteusAmiacf. A. calvaAlosaIctalurusMerlucciusBeloneB. countermanide 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.PrionotusAgonidae gen. indet."Paralbula""P." dorisiaeLagodonStenotomusPogoniasSciaenopsTautogaAstroscopusA. countermaniSphyraenaIstiophoridae gen. indet. +ReptilesGenusSpeciesNotesImageRef.ThecachampsaT. antiquusA Tomistominae +Sea mammalsTypeGenusSpeciesNotesImageRef.Sirenians (sea cows)MetaxytheriumM. floridanumCetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises)AulophyseterA. mediatlanticusA sperm whaleAulophyseter at Fossilworks.orgLophocetusL. calvertensisMessapicetusStenasodelphisS. russellae +Terrestrial mammalsNameNotesImagesRef.Procameluscf. P. minorEshelman, R. Terrestrial Mammal Remains from the Miocene Chesapeake Group of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, and Comparisons With Miocene.DesmathyusTapirusNeohipparion lenticulareEquidae indet.Larger than ParahippusRhinoceratidaeCormohipparion
See also
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia Paleontology in Virginia
References
External links