Washakie Formation

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Washakie Formation
Stratigraphic range: Lutetian (Bridgerian-Uintan)
~48–42 Ma
TypeFormation
Sub-unitsAdobe Town & Kinney Rim members
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
Location
Coordinates41°42′N 109°00′W / 41.7°N 109.0°W / 41.7; -109.0
Approximate paleocoordinates45°36′N 95°06′W / 45.6°N 95.1°W / 45.6; -95.1
RegionColorado & Wyoming
Country United States
ExtentSand Wash & Washakie Basins
Washakie Formation is located in the United States
Washakie Formation
Washakie Formation (the United States)
Washakie Formation is located in Wyoming
Washakie Formation
Washakie Formation (Wyoming)

The Washakie Formation is a geologic formation in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. It preserves many mammal, bird, reptile and other fossils dating back to the Lutetian stage of the Eocene within the Paleogene period. The sediments fall in the Bridgerian and Uintan stages of the NALMA classification.[1]

Fossil content[edit]

The Washakie Formation has provided many fossil mammals, turtles and other reptiles, birds and other fossils.[1]

The artiodactyl Heliosus apophis was described from the formation by Burger and Jolley,[2] and the rodents Pareumys flynni, Pauromys turnbulli and Thisbemys intermedius by Korth in 2020.[3][4]

Mammals[edit]

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Taeniodonts
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Stylinodon S. mirus Lower part of the Adobe Town Member.[5] 6 specimens.[5] A stylinodontid taeniodont.
Ferae
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Carnivoraformes gen. indet. species A Adobe Town Member.[6] Tooth fragments.[6] A carnivoraform.
species B Adobe Town Member.[6] Teeth.[6] A carnivoraform.
Harpalodon H. sylvestris Adobe Town Member.[6] A carnivoraform.
Hyaenodontidae Hyaenodontidae gen. indet. 2 partial teeth.[6] A hyaenodont.
Limnocyon L. potens Adobe Town Member.[6] Partial skeleton.[6] A hyaenodont.
L. verus Adobe Town Member.[6] A hyaenodont.
Lycarion L. medius Adobe Town Member.[6] Cranium, dentary and right humerus.[6] A carnivoraform.
Machaeroidinae Machaeroidinae gen. indet. Posterior fragment of a right molar.[6] An oxyaenid.
Neovulpavus N. mccarrolli Adobe Town Member.[6] A carnivoraform.
N. washakius Adobe Town Member.[6] A carnivoraform.
Oodectes O. proximus Adobe Town Member.[6] Labial fragment of right molar.[6] A miacid.
O. pugnax Adobe Town Member.[6] Partial left dentary.[6] A miacid.
Patriofelis P. ferox Adobe Town Member.[6] An oxyaenid.
Sinopa S. lania Adobe Town Member.[6] A hyaenodont.
S. major Adobe Town Member.[6] A hyaenodont.
S. cf. S. minor Adobe Town Member.[6] "FMNH PM 56405, right m1 with broken paraconid".[6] A hyaenodont.
S. species A Adobe Town Member.[6] Left maxillary fragment.[6] A hyaenodont.
Thinocyon T. cf. T. medius Adobe Town Member.[6] Teeth.[6] A hyaenodont.
T. velox Adobe Town Member.[6] A hyaenodont.
Tritemnodon T. sp. Dentary fragments, fragments of vertebra and ulna.[6] A hyaenodont.
Uintacyon U. jugulans Adobe Town Member.[6] Left dentary fragment and right molar.[6] A miacid.
Viverravus V. gracilis Adobe Town Member.[6] Dentaries and teeth.[6] A viverravid.
V. minutus Adobe Town Member.[6] Right dentary fragment.[6] A viverravid.
V. sp. indet. Right dentary fragment.[6] A viverravid.
Rodents
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Mattimys M. sp. Lower Adobe Town Member.[3] "FMNH PM 56559, right dentary fragment with m1."[3] An ischyromyid.
Metaparamys M. compressidens Middle and upper Adobe Town Member.[3] Skull fragment and dentaries.[3] An ischyromyid.
Mysops M. sp. Adobe Town Member.[3] "FMNH PM 55377, right m1 or m2."[3] A cylindrodontid.
Pareumys P. flynni Lower, middle and upper Adobe Town Member.[3] Dentaries and teeth.[3] A cylindrodontid.
Pauromys P. turnbulli Middle Adobe Town Member.[3] Dentaries.[3] A sciuravid.
Perasciuravus P. mcintoshi Lower and possibly middle Adobe Town Member.[7] A sciuravid.
Protoptychus P. hatcheri Middle Adobe Town Member.[3][8]
Quadratomus Q. grandis Lower Adobe Town Member.[3] "FMNH PM 55166, left M1 or M2; FMNH PM 55348, associated right p4 and m1."[3] An ischyromyid.
Thisbemys T. intermedius [4] An ischyromyid.
T. cf. T. uintensis [4] An ischyromyid.
Tillomys T. senex Lower and middle Adobe Town Member.[3] Left dentary and teeth.[3] A sciuravid.
Uintaparamys U. bridgerensis Lower and middle Adobe Town Member.[3] Left and right dentaries.[3] An ischyromyid.
Ungulates
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Amynodon A. advenus Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] An amynodontid.
Dilophodon D. minusculus Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A helaletid.
Dolichorhinus D. sp. Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A brontothere.
Eobasileus E. cornutus Adobe Town Member.[10] A dinoceratan.
Eomoropus E. amarorum Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] An eomoropid.
Epihippus E. gracilis Upper unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] An equid.
cf. Forstercooperia cf. F. minuta Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A paracerathere, now reassigned to the genus Pappaceras.
Harpagolestes H. immanis Adobe Town Member.[6] A mesonychid.
H. sp. indet. Mandibular fragments.[6] A mesonychid.
Helaletes H. nanus Kinney Rim Member.[9] A helaletid.
Heliosus H. apophis Lower Adobe Town Member.[11] Dentary and associated humerus.[11] A helohyid.
Hyrachyus H. eximius Kinney Rim Member and lower unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A rhinoceratoid.
H. modestus Kinney Rim Member and lower unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A rhinoceratoid.
Isectolophus I. latidens Lower unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] An isectolophid.
Mesatirhinus M. sp. Kinney Rim Member and lower unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9][12] Over 20 partial skeletons.[12] A brontothere.
Mesonychia? Mesonychia? gen. indet. Teeth.[6] A mesonychian.
Metarhinus M. sp. Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A brontothere.
Orohippus O. sp. [9] An equid.
Pappaceras P. minuta Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A paracerathere.
Simidectes aff. S.? Left molar.[6] A mesonychian.
Synoplotherium S. lanius Adobe Town Member.[6] A mesonychid.
S. sp. indet. [6] A mesonychid.
Telmatherium T. sp. Lower unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A brontothere.
Triplopus T. cubitalis Middle unit of the Adobe Town Member.[9] A hyracodontid.
T. implicatus [9] A hyracodontid.
Uintatherium U. anceps Adobe Town Member.[10] A dinoceratan.

Reptiles[edit]

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Birds
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Bathornis B. grallator "Sand Wash Basin, Wyoming, locality 196".[13] Partial skeleton (CM 9377).[13] A bathornithid.
Neocathartes N. grallator "Sand Wash Basin, Wyoming, locality 196".[13] Considered a junior synonym of Bathornis grallator.
Testudines
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Anosteira A. pulchra Adobe Town Member (Sweetwater County, Wyoming).[14] FMNH PR966, a near-complete cranium.[14] A carettochelyid turtle.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Washakie Formation at Fossilworks.org
  2. ^ Burger & Jolley, 2020, p.178
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Korth, William W. (2020-05-14). "New material of fossil rodents (Mammalia) from the Eocene (Bridgerian-Uintan) Washakie Formation, southcentral Wyoming". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 133 (1): 18. doi:10.2988/19-00011. ISSN 0006-324X. S2CID 219442645.
  4. ^ a b c Korth, William W. (October 2020). "The Eocene ischyromyid rodent Thisbemys from the Washakie Formation, Wyoming (early Eocene, late Bridgerian) with comments on the systematics of the genus". Journal of Paleontology. 94 (6): 1180–1190. doi:10.1017/jpa.2020.37. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 222231682.
  5. ^ a b Turnbull, William D. (December 2004). "Taeniodonta of the Washakie Formation, Southwestern Wyoming". Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 2004 (36): 303–333. doi:10.2992/0145-9058(2004)36[303:TOTWFS]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0145-9058. S2CID 128542095.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap Tomiya, Susumu; Zack, Shawn P.; Spaulding, Michelle; Flynn, John J. (March 2021). "Carnivorous mammals from the middle Eocene Washakie Formation, Wyoming, USA, and their diversity trajectory in a post-warming world". Journal of Paleontology. 95 (S82): 1–115. doi:10.1017/jpa.2020.74. hdl:2433/274918. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 232358160.
  7. ^ Korth, William W. (2020-07-31). "A New Sciuravid Rodent (Mammalia) from the Early Eocene (Bridgerian) and the Sciuravid-Eomyid Transition". Annals of Carnegie Museum. 86 (2): 197–205. doi:10.2992/007.086.0204. S2CID 221348410.
  8. ^ Turnbull, William D. (1991). Protoptychus hatcheri Scott, 1895: the mammalian faunas of the Washakie Formation, Eocene age, of southern Wyoming. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Chicago, Ill. : Field Museum of Natural History.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q McCarroll, Steven M.; Flynn, John J.; Turnbull, William D. (1996). The mammalian faunas of the Washakie Formation, Eocene age, of southern Wyoming. Chicago, Ill: Field Museum of Natural History.
  10. ^ a b Turnbull, W. (1978). "The Mammalian faunas of the Washakie Formation, Eocene Age, of Southern Wyoming: Part I: Introduction: The geology, history, and setting". Fieldiana Geology. doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.5350. S2CID 132030789.
  11. ^ a b Burger, Benjamin John; Jolley, Lea Ann (March 2020). "A New Large Body Helohyid (Artiodactyla) from the Bridgerian Middle Eocene Washakie Formation Of Southern Wyoming". Paludicola. 12 (4): 175–184.
  12. ^ a b Turnbull, William D.; Martill, David M. (1988-02-15). "Taphonomy and preservation of a monospecific titanothere assemblage from the Washakie formation (Late Eocene), southern Wyoming. An ecological accident in the fossil record". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Ecological and Evolutionary Implications of Taphonomic Processes. 63 (1): 91–108. Bibcode:1988PPP....63...91T. doi:10.1016/0031-0182(88)90092-2. ISSN 0031-0182.
  13. ^ a b c Mayr, Gerald (March 2016). "Osteology and phylogenetic affinities of the middle Eocene North American Bathornis grallator—one of the best represented, albeit least known Paleogene cariamiform birds (seriemas and allies)". Journal of Paleontology. 90 (2): 357–374. doi:10.1017/jpa.2016.45. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 88936361.
  14. ^ a b Joyce, Walter G.; Volpato, Virginie S.; Rollot, Yann (2018-12-13). "The skull of the carettochelyid turtle Anosteira pulchra from the Eocene (Uintan) of Wyoming and the carotid canal system of carettochelyid turtles". Fossil Record. 21 (2): 301–310. doi:10.5194/fr-21-301-2018. ISSN 2193-0074. S2CID 92601499.

Bibliography[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • W. G. Joyce, V. S. Volpato, and Y. Rollot. 2018. The skull of the carettochelyid turtle Anosteira pulchra from the Eocene (Uintan) of Wyoming and the carotid canal system of carettochelyid turtles. Fossil Record 21:301-310
  • N. Vitek. 2011. Insights into the Taxonomy and Systematics of North American Eocene Soft-Shelled Turtles from a Well-Preserved Specimen. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 52(2):189-208
  • S. M. McCarroll, J. J. Flynn, and W. D. Turnbull. 1996. Biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy of the Bridgerian-Uintan Washakie Formation, Washakie Basin, Wyoming. In D. R. Prothero and R. J. Emry (eds.), The Terrestrial Eocene-Oligocene Transition in North America 25-39
  • R. K. Stucky, D. R. Prothero, W. G. Lohr and J. R. Snyder. 1996. Magnetic stratigraphy, sedimentology, and mammalian faunas of the early Uintan Washakie Formation, Sand Wash Basin, northwestern Colorado. In D. R. Prothero and R. J. Emry (eds.), The Terrestrial Eocene-Oligocene Transition in North America 40-51
  • S. M. McCarroll, J. J. Flynn, and W. D. Turnbull. 1996. The Mammalian Faunas of the Washakie Formation, Eocene Age, of Southern Wyoming. Part III. The Perissodactyls. Fieldiana, Geology 33:1-38
  • A. Wetmore. 1944. A new terrestrial vulture from the Upper Eocene deposits of Wyoming. Annals of Carnegie Museum 30:57-69
  • R. Zangerl. 1944. Brachyuranochampsa eversolei, gen. et sp. nov., a new crocodilian from the Washakie beds of Wyoming. Annals of Carnegie Museum 30:77-84
  • O. P. Hay. 1908. The fossil turtles of North America. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 75:1-568
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