The Choptank Formation is a geologic formation in Virginia and Maryland. It preserves fossils dating from the mid-late Miocene of the Neogene period, from the latest Langhian to the early Tortonian (13.9 to 11 million years ago).

Fossils The Choptank Formation is extremely fossiliferous. Some of the fossil species represented include the following:

Sharks Otodus megalodon Carcharodon hastalis Isurus oxyrhincus Carcharomodus escheri Physogaleus contortus Galeocerdo aduncus Carcharhinus Hemipristis serra Squatina sp. Notorhyncus cepedianus Carcharias Isurus retroflexus Parotodus benedeni Alopias vulpinus Alopias grandis Cetorhinus Negaprion brevirostris Rhizoprionodon Sphryna laevissima

Rays and Other Cartilaginous Fish Aetobatus arcuatus Pteromyaleus sp. Dasyatis rugosa Dasyatis probsti Pinthicus stenodon

Fish Acipenseridae indet. Opsanus sp. Serranidae indet Pogonias sp. Sciaenops sp. Tautoga sp. Acanthocybium cf. solandri Thunnus sp. Istiophorus cf. platypterus Mola cf. pileata Ariopsis aff. A. felis Trisopterus sculptus Micromesistius cognatus Prionotus

Cetaceans Aglaocetus sp. Cetotherium sp. Delphinodon sp. Eurhinodelphis sp. Macrokentriodon morani Mesocetus Parietobalaena Orycterocetus Pelocetus

Pinnipeds Callophoca obscura Leptophoca proxima Prophoca sp.

Crocodilians Thecachampsa antiquus Thecachampsa sericodon

Invertebrates Chesapecten nefrens Chesacardium Euspira heros Mariacolpus octonnaria Macrocallista marylandica Stewartia anodonta Marvacrassitella marylandica Ecphora Panopea Albertella aberti

Terrestrial Mammals Chesalophodon gulottai Cynarctus wangi Gomphotherium calvertensis Hipparion cf. phosphorum

See also

List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia Paleontology in Virginia Paleontology in Maryland Calvert Cliffs State Park List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Maryland Chesapeake Group

References