Old Church Formation Explained

The Old Church Formation is a geologic formation in Virginia and possibly Maryland. It preserves fossils dating back to the Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene period. It rarely exposes on land and is under-studied. However, deposits from this period are rare and the Old Church Formation likely contains many scientifically significant taxa.

Species

Some of the species known from the Old Church Formation are included below. Further study will likely reveal a more diverse fauna.^[1]

Chondrichthyans

• Otodus angustidens
• Hemipristis serra
• Alopias vulpinus
• Squatina prima?

Cetaceans

• Xenorophidae sp.
• Micromysticetus sp.^[2]
• cf. Ankylorhiza sp.
• cf. Xenorophus sloani
• aff. Coronodon sp.
• aff. Cotylocara sp. and Echovenator sp.
• aff. Eosqualodon sp.

Chelonians

• Procolpochelys charlestonensis
• Carolinochelys wilsoni
• Ashleychelys palmeri

Invertebrates^[3]

• Mercenaria gardnerae
• Anomia ruffini
• "Pectin" seabeensis
• "Pectin" sp.
• Lucina sp.
• Plicatula sp.
• Epitonium sp.
• Panopea sp.
• Cyclocardia sp.
• Astarte sp.
• Pycnodonte sp.
• Isognomon sp.
• "Cardium" sp.
• Bicorbula idonea
• Macrocallista sp.
• Diadora sp.
• Ecphora sp.
• Trophon sp.
• Calypttaea sp.

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia
• Paleontology in Virginia

References

• Web site: Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. ((Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database)). 17 December 2021.

Notes and References

1. Weems. Robert. 2014. Paleogene chelonians from Maryland and Virginia. PaleoBios. 31. 1.
2. Weems . Robert E . Boessnecker . Robert W . Sanders . Albert E . 2022 . Cetacean remains from the Lower Oligocene Old Church Formation of Virginia . The Mosasaur . 12 . 29–44.
3. Ward . Lauck W. . 1985 . Stratigraphy and characteristic mollusks of the Pamunkey Group (lower Tertiary) and the Old Church Formation of the Chesapeake Group; Virginia Coastal Plain . Professional Paper . 10.3133/pp1346 . 2330-7102 . free.