The Ashley Formation is a geologic formation in South Carolina. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period.
Vertebrate fauna
Mammals
| Carnivorans |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Phocidae | Gen. et. sp. indeterminate | | Proximal portion of a right femur (ChM PV5713). | "A taxon closely comparable to the most specialized phocid, the modern genus Cystophora". | |
| Cetaceans |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Agorophius | A. pygmaeus | Underwater cliff face from the base of the formation. | A skull. | | |
| Albertocetus | A. meffordorum | Givhans Ferry Member and Runnymede Marl Member. | A partial skeleton and an isolated braincase. | A xenorophid. | |
| Ankylorhiza | A. tiedemani | | AMNH 10445 (partial rostrum) and CCNHM 220 (partial skull and associated vertebrae). | An odontocete. | |
| Ashleycetus | A. planicapitis | Near Charleston, South Carolina. | A partial skull. | | |
| Coronodon | C. havensteini | "Wando River near Highway 41 Bridge, Berkeley County, South Carolina". | | A basal mysticete. | |
| Ediscetus | E. osbornei | | | "Slightly outside the odontocete crown group". | |
| Micromysticetus | M. rothauseni | | 2 braincases without rostra. | | |
| Saurocetus | S. gibbesi | | A cheek tooth (MCZ 8760). | | |
| Xenorophus | X. sloanii | | Incomplete skull. | A xenorophid. | |
| Sirenians |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Crenatosiren | C. olseni | | | A dugongid also found in the Chandler Bridge and Parachucla formations. | |
| Stegosiren | S. macei | | | A dugongid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
Reptiles
| | |
|---|
| 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. |
| Taxon | Reclassified taxon | Taxon falsely reported as present | Dubious taxon or junior synonym | Ichnotaxon | Ootaxon | Morphotaxon |
| Crocodilians |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Gavialosuchus | G. carolinensis | Dorchester County, South Carolina. | ChM PV 4282 (mandible). | Now moved to the genus Thecachampsa. | |
| Thecachampsa | T. carolinensis | Dorchester County, South Carolina. | ChM PV 4282 (mandible). | A gavialoid. | |
| Turtles |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Ashleychelys | A. palmeri | East bank of Limehouse Branch, Berkeley County, South Carolina. | | A cheloniid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
| Carolinochelys | C. wilsoni | | MCZ 1005-A (a nearly complete skull) and ChM PV8309. | A cheloniid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
| Natemys | N. sp. 1 | Givhan's Ferry Member. | CCNHM 4288 (a non-ridged carapacial ossicle). | A dermochelyid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
| N. sp. 2 | ?Givhan's Ferry Member and ?Runnymede Marl Member. | CCNHM 4287.1 and 4287.2 (a pair of associated non-ridged carapacial ossicles) and CCNHM 4910 (a non-ridged ossicle). | A dermochelyid. | |
| Procolpochelys | P. charlestonensis | | A humerus (MCZ 1005-B). | A cheloniid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
| cf. Psephophorus | cf. P. sp. | Givhan's Ferry Member. | CCNHM 5460 (an isolated non-ridged carapacial ossicle). | A dermochelyid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
Fish
Cartilaginous fish
| Rays |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Dasyatis | "D." sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Multiple teeth. | A stingray. | |
| Mobula | "M." sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | | A devil ray. | |
| Plinthicus | P. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | A tooth (SC2007.36.48). | | |
| Raja | R. mccollumi | Givhans Ferry Member. | Abundant teeth. | A skate also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
| "R." sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Multiple teeth. | A skate, appears to be conspecific with R. sp. from the Chandler Bridge Formation. | |
| Rhinoptera | "R." sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | A broken symphyseal tooth (SC2015.29.30). | A cownose ray. | |
| Rhynchobatus | R. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth (SC2007.36.39, SC2015.29.13, SC2015.29.32). | A wedgefish. | |
| Taeniurops | "T." cavernosus | Givhans Ferry Member. | Multiple teeth. | A stingray. | |
| Sharks |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Araloselachus | A. sp. | May be derived from the Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | | |
| Carcharhinus | C. gibbesi | Givhans Ferry Member. | A large number of teeth. | The most common shark in the Ashley Formation sample. | |
| Galeocerdo | G. aduncus | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | A ground shark. | |
| Ginglymostomatidae | Gen. et. sp. indeterminate | Givhans Ferry Member. | A partial tooth (SC2007.36.208). | A nurse shark. | |
| Hemipristis | H. cf. H. serra | Givhans Ferry Member. | 4 teeth (SC2007.36.7, SC2007.36.8, SC2007.36.9). | A weasel shark. | |
| Otodus | O. angustidens | Ashley River, in the Givhans Ferry Member. | Ablated specimens. | A megatoothed shark. | |
| Pachyscyllium | P. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | A tooth (SC2007.36.5). | A catshark. | |
| Physogaleus | P. cf. P. contortus | Givhans Ferry Member. | SC2007.36.19, SC2007.36.20 (four teeth), SC2015.29.27. | A ground shark. | |
| P. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | SC2007.36.21 and SC2007.36.22. | A ground shark. | |
| Pristiophorus | P. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | An incomplete tooth crown (SC2015.29.20). | A sawshark. | |
| Scyliorhinus | S. weemsi | Givhans Ferry Member. | Multiple teeth. | A catshark. | |
| Sphyrnidae | Gen. et. sp. indeterminate | Givhans Ferry Member. | SC2007.36.23, SC2007.36.24, SC2007.36.25 (11 teeth), SC2007.36.26, SC2007.36.27, SC2007.36.28 (five teeth). | A hammerhead shark. | |
| Squalus | S. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | A spurdog. | |
| Squatina | S. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth (SC2007.36.4, SC2007.36.126, SC2007.36.149, SC2007.36.227, SC2015.29.18, SC2015.29.19, SC2015.33.2). | An angelshark. | |
| Trigonotodus | T. alteri | | Teeth. | A thresher shark. | |
Bony fish
| Bony fish |
|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Albula | A. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | SC2007.36.165, SC2007.36.228 (five teeth), SC2015.29.200 (66 teeth), SC2015.29.201, SC2015.29.204. | A bonefish. | |
| Archosargus | A. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Multiple teeth. | A sea bream. | |
| ?Calamus | ?C. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | A sea bream. | |
| Diplodus | D. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | SC2015.29.195 (13 teeth), SC2015.29.222, SC2015.29.223, SC2015.29.224. | A sea bream. | |
| ?Labridae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Multiple teeth. | A wrasse. | |
| Osteoglossidae | Gen. et. sp. indeterminate | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | | |
| Palaeocybium | P. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | A tooth (SC2007.36.122), a neurocranium and a left dentary. | A scombrid. | |
| Paralichthyidae | Gen. et. sp. indeterminate | Givhans Ferry Member. | A tooth (SC2015.36.259). | A flatfish. | |
| ?Pogonias | ?P. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | A croaker. | |
| Scomberomorus | S. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Teeth. | A scombrid. | |
| ?Sciaenops | ?S. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Many teeth. | A croaker. | |
| Sphyraena | S. sp. | Givhans Ferry Member. | Many cheek and laniary teeth. | A barracuda. | |
| Trichiurides | T. cf. T. sagittidens | Givhans Ferry Member. | 2 ablated laniary teeth. | A cutlassfish. | |
See also
Further reading
- Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. .