| Allenby Formation | |
| Period: | Ypresian |
| Age: | Ypresian |
| Type: | Geological formation |
| Prilithology: | Shale, sandstone |
| Otherlithology: | Coal–breccia, coal–chert |
| Namedfor: | Allenby, British Columbia |
| Namedby: | Shaw |
| Year Ts: | 1952 |
| Region: | British Columbia |
| Country: |  Canada |
| Paleocoordinates: | 53.1°N -107.5°W |
| Unitof: | Princeton Group, Eocene Okanagan Highlands |
| Subunits: | Princeton Chert, Vermillion Bluffs Shale |
| Overlies: | Cedar Formation |
| Thickness: | 1860- |
| Extent: | Princeton Basin & Tulameen basin |
| Area: | 300km2 |
The Allenby formation is a sedimentary rock formation in British Columbia which was deposited during the Ypresian stage of the Early Eocene. It consists of conglomerates, sandstones with interbedded shales and coal. The shales contain an abundance of insect, fish and plant fossils known from 1877 and onward, while the Princeton Chert was first indented in the 1950s and is known from anatomically preserved plants.
There are several notable fossil producing localities in the Princeton & Tulameen basins. Historical collection sites included Nine Mile Creek, Vermilian Bluffs, and Whipsaw Creek, while modern sites include One Mile Creek, Pleasant Valley, Thomas Ranch, and the Princeton Chert.
The Allenby is estimated to have an overall extent of approximately 300km², though actual outcroppings of the formation make up less than 1% of the formation, while other exploratory contact is via boreholes and mines. The half-graben which contains the formation is separated into two major depositional basins, the Princeton basin around Princeton, British Columbia and the Tulameen basin centered approximately 17km (11miles) west. The grabens extensional faults at the eastern side of the basin place the hanging wall Allenby strata in contact with much older foot wall strata of the Nicola Formation which dates to the Upper Triassic.[1] [2] [3]
The Allenby Formation is the southern-most of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands lakes in British Columbia, and second most southern site after the Klondike Mountain Formation of Republic, Washington and northern Ferry County. In British Columbia, the formation is coeval to the Tranquille Formation, known from the McAbee Fossil Beds and Falkland site, the Coldwater Beds, known from the Quilchena site, and Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park. The highlands, including the Allenby Formation, have been described as one of the "Great Canadian Lagerstätten" based on the diversity, quality and unique nature of the biotas that are preserved. The highlands temperate biome preserved across a large transect of lakes recorded many of the earliest appearances of modern genera, while also documenting the last stands of ancient lines.[4]
The warm temperate uplands floras of the Allenby Formation and the highlands, associated with downfaulted lacustrine basins and active volcanism are noted to have no exact modern equivalents, due to the more seasonally equitable conditions of the Early Eocene. However, the formation has been compared to the upland ecological islands in the Virunga Mountains within the Albertine Rift of the African rift valley.[5]
The earliest work in the region was on exploratory expeditions in 1877 and 1878, with fossils collected in the areas of Nine-Mile Creek, Vermilian Bluffs on the Similkameen River, and Whipsaw Creek. While reporting on additional plant fossils collected from British Columbia, Penhallow (1906) noted the likely coeval status of the Princeton basins with many of the sites now considered the Okanagan Highlands.[6] Modern collecting has centered on the areas around One Mile Creek, Pleasant Valley, and Thomas Ranch.[2]
The age estimates for the Allenby Formation have varied a number of times since the first explorations happened in the 1870s. Shaw (1952) dated the formation as Oligocene, an age followed by Arnold (1955).[7] [8] Half a decade later, the older age of was first suggested, with a younger age being suggested at in 2000 and an older date of obtained from uranium–lead dating of zircons from Vermilion Bluffs shale in 2005.[1]
The Allenby is composed of cyclical sedimentation events that were deposited along the course of a river-system in conjunction with depositional areas from nearby lakes and wetlands. Coeval volcanic eruptive events are recorded as interbeds of tephras and lavas, while the riverine course is marked with depositional areas of conglomerates and sandstones. The quieter environments are noted for finer layers of shales and coalified layers.[1]
The coal seams throughout the formation are typically sub-bituminous.[1]
Notable in conjunction with the coal seams are sections of chert which formed during silica rich periods. The rapid cyclical changes from coal to chert and back are not noted in any other fossil locality in the world. An estimated 49 coal-chert cycles are known, though the exact conditions for this process are not well understood. Silica rich volcanic episodes in the region during deposition would have been needed for formation of the cherts, while slowly moving waters and gently subsiding terrains would be needed for the peats and fens to accumulate. Rates of organic deposition in swamps have been estimated at NaNmm in modern temperate climates, this suggests the time needed for each NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) chert layer would be at least 100 years or more, with the full sequence of cycles taking place over no more than 15,000 years.[1]
Palynological analysis of samples from the Thomas ranch site by Dillhoff et al. (2013) resulted in the identification of 32 pollen and spore types that were assignable to family or genus level, with a total number of distinct pollen and spore types, including unassignable morphotypes, number over 70. The predominant pollens of the site are conifers, which make up between 85%–97% of the total pollens, while the angiosperm pollens are dominated by members of Betulaceae.[2]
Several pteridophyte families and genera are represented as spore fossils alone, without corresponding megafossil records, including Lycopodiaceae, Osmundaceae, and Schizaeaceae. Similarly, at least three additional conifer genera are only present as pollen fossils and up to 12 angiosperms are present in the pollen record. Sometimes considered a Biostratgraphic index fossil, the angiosperm palynospecies Pistillipollenites macgregorii has been recovered from several sites in the Allenby Formation, while the palynospecies Erdtmanipollis pachysandroides is rare, having only been reported from the formation twice.[2]
| Family | Genus | Species | Pollen/Macrofossil | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquifoliaceae | Ilex | Unidentified | Pollen | A holly palynomorph | |
| Arecaceae | Sabal | Cf. †Sabal granopollenites | Pollen | A palm palynomorph | |
| Buxaceae | †Erdtmanipollis | †Erdtmanipollis pachysandroides | Pollen | A box family palynomorph | |
| Betulaceae | Alnus | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | An alder palynomorph | |
| Betulaceae | Betula | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A birch palynomorph | |
| Betulaceae | Carpinus | Unidentified | Pollen | A hornbeam palynomorph | |
| Betulaceae | Corylus | unidentified | Pollen | A hazelnut palynomorph | |
| Cupressaceae | Cunninghamia | unidentified | Pollen | A Cunninghamia like palynomorph | |
| Cupressaceae | Sequoiapollenites | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A redwood palynomorph | |
| Cupressaceae | Taxodiaceaepollenites | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A Taxodioideae subfamily palynomorph | |
| Elaeagnaceae | Cf. Elaeagnus | Unidentified | Pollen | An elaeagnaceous palynomorph, similar to oleaster | |
| Ericaceae | unidentified | Unidentified | Pollen | An ericaceous palynomorph of uncertain affinity | |
| Fagaceae | Castanea | Unidentified | Pollen | A chestnut palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | †Eotrigonobalanus | Unidentified[9] | Pollen | A fagaceous palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | Fagus | "Fagus Pollen type 3" | Pollen | A beech palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | Fagus | "Fagus Pollen type 2" | Pollen | A beech palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | †Paraquercus | †Paraquercus eocaena | Pollen | A fagaceous palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | Quercus | "Quercus Pollen type 1" | Pollen | An oak palynomorph, similar to Quercus Group Lobatae pollen | |
| Fagaceae | Quercus | "Quercus Pollen type 2" | Pollen | An oak palynomorph, ancestral type with Quercus Group Ilex morphology | |
| Fagaceae | †Trigonobalanopsis | Unidentified | Pollen | A fagaceous palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | Unidentified | Unidentified | Pollen | A Fagoideceous palynomorph | |
| Fagaceae | Cf. Quercus | Unidentified | Pollen | ||
| Ginkgoaceae | †Cycadopites | †Cycadopites follicularis | Pollen & macrofossils | A Gingko palynomorph | |
| Hamamelidaceae | Liquidambar | Unidentified | Pollen | A sweet gum palynomorph | |
| Juglandaceae | Carya | Unidentified | Pollen | A hickory palynomorph | |
| Juglandaceae | Pterocarya | Unidentified | Pollen | A hickory palynomorph | |
| Lycopodiaceae | Lycopodium | Unidentified | Pollen | A lycopod palynomorph | |
| Malvaceae | Tilia | Unidentified | Pollen | A linden palynomorph | |
| Osmundaceae | Osmundasporites | Unidentified | Pollen | An osmundaceous fern palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | Abies | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A fir palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | †Alisporites | Unidentified | Pollen | A pine family palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | Picea | Unidentified | Pollen | A Picea palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A Pinus palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | †Pityosporites | Unidentified | Pollen | A pine family palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | Pseudolarix | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A Pseudolarix palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | Tsuga | Unidentified | Pollen | A Tsuga palynomorph | |
| Pinaceae | Cf. Larix | Unidentified | Pollen | A Laricoidae palynomorph, similar to larch | |
| Pinaceae | Cf. Pseudotsuga | Unidentified | Pollen | A Laricoidae palynomorph, similar to pseudotsuga | |
| Platanaceae | Platanus | Unidentified | Pollen | A Platanus palynomorph | |
| Potamogetonaceae | Potamogeton | Unidentified | Pollen | A Potamogeton palynomorph | |
| Rosaceae | Unidentified | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | Rose famnily palynomorphs | |
| Salicaceae | Salix | Unidentified | Pollen | A willow palynomorph | |
| Salviniaceae | Azolla | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A duck weed palynomorph | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A maple palynomorph | |
| Sapindaceae | Aesculus | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | A horse chestnut palynomorph | |
| Sapotaceae | Unidentified | Unidentified | Pollen | A sapotaceous palynomorph | |
| Taxaceae | Taxus | Unidentified | Pollen | A yew palynomorph | |
| Ulmaceae | Ulmus | Unidentified | Pollen & macrofossils | An elm palynomorph | |
| incertae sedis | †Pistillipollenites | †Pistillipollenites macgregorii | Pollen | A palynomorph of uncertain affinity, possibly a Gentianaceae or Euphorbiaceae species | |
A group of six mosses were described from the Allenby Formation by Kuc (1972, 1974) representing the genera Ditrichites, Hypnites and Plagiopodopsis, with two species placed in the morphogenus Muscites.[10] [11] Dillhoff et al. (2013) identified twelve distinct gymnosperm taxa spanning the families Cupressaceae, Ginkgoaceae, and Pinaceae. While being the minority component of the Thomas Ranch flora by total fossil numbers, angiosperms have a higher diversity, with 45 distinct morphotypes represented as foliage, reproductive structures, or both. Seventeen of the morphotypes are identifiable to genus or species, with members of the family Betulaceae being most prominent. At least common one leaf type is suggested to possibly represent an extinct plant order, but has not been described.[2] Only two pteridophyte species have been described from the compression flora, Azolla primaeva by Penhallow (1890) and Equisetum similkamense by Dawson (1878).[12] [8]
The following fossil conifers, pteridophytes, ginkgophytes and bryophytes have been described from the Allenby Formation:
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amblystegiaceae | Hypnites | †Hypnites jovet-astiae[13] | (Kuc) Miller | An amblystegiaceous moss First described as Palaeohypnum jovet-asti, moved to Hypnites jovet-astiae in 1980 | |
| Amblystegiaceae | Hypnites | †Hypnites steerei | (Kuc) Miller | An amblystegiaceous moss First described as Palaeohypnum steerei, moved to Hypnites steerei in 1980 | |
| Bartramiaceae | †Plagiopodopsis | †Plagiopodopsis eocenicus | (Kuc) Miller | A bartramiaceous moss First described as Muscites eocenicus, moved to Plagiopodopsis eocenicus in 1980 | |
| ?Ditrichaceae | †Ditrichites | †Ditrichites fylesi | Kuc | A Ditrichaceous moss | |
| incertae sedis | †Muscites | †Muscites maycocki | Kuc | A moss of uncertain placement | |
| incertae sedis | †Muscites | †Muscites ritchiei | Kuc | A moss of uncertain placement | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equisetaceae | Equisetum | †Equisetum similkamense | Dawson | A scouring rush | |
| Salviniaceae | Azolla | †Azolla primaeva | (Penhallow) Arnold | A mosquito fern First described as Azollophyllum primaevum | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgoaceae | Ginkgo | Ginkgo biloba[14] | Linnaeus | A ginkgo | |
| Ginkgoaceae | Ginkgo | †Ginkgo dissecta | Mustoe, 2002 | A ginkgo with highly dissected leaves | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cupressaceae | Chamaecyparis | †Chamaecyparis linguaefolia | (Lesquereux) MacGinitie | A false cypress | |
| Cupressaceae | Metasequoia | †Metasequoia occidentalis[15] | (Newberry) Chaney | A dawn redwood First identified as "Sequoia" brevifolia, "S." heeri. "S." langsdorfii (in part), "S." nordenskiöldi, & Taxodium distichum miocenum (in part) | |
| Cupressaceae | Sequoia | †Sequoia affinis | Lesquereux | A redwood | |
| Cupressaceae | Taxodium | †Taxodium dubium | (Sternberg) Heer | A bald cypress First identified as "Sequoia" angustifolia, | |
| Pinaceae | Abies | †Abies milleri | Shorn & Wehr, 1986 | Oldest true fir described | |
| Pinaceae | Picea | Undescribed[16] | Miller | A spruce Not described to species | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus latahensis | Berry | A 5-needle pine | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus monticolensis | Berry | A pinaceous winged seed | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus trunculus | Dawson, 1890 | A 3-needle pine | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus tulameenensis | Penhallow | A 5-needle pine | |
| Pinaceae | Pseudolarix | Pseudolarix amabilis[17] | (J.Nelson) Rehder | A golden larch Originally identified as Pseudolarix americana, then as Pseudolarix arnoldii[18] | |
| Pinaceae | Pseudolarix | †Pseudolarix wehrii | Gooch | A golden larch | thumb|center|upright|Pseudolarix wehrii |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anacardiaceae | Rhus | †Rhus malloryi | Wolfe & Wehr | A sumac | |
| Amaryllidaceae | †Paleoallium | †Paleoallium billgenseli[19] | Pigg, Bryan, & DeVore | An onion relative | |
| Araceae | Orontium | †Orontium wolfei[20] | Bogner, Johnson, Kvaček & Upchurch | A golden-club | |
| Betulaceae | Alnus | †Alnus parvifolia[21] | (Berry) Wolfe & Wehr | An Alder | |
| Betulaceae | Betula | †Betula leopoldae | Wolfe & Wehr | A birch | |
| Betulaceae | †Palaeocarpinus | †Palaeocarpinus stonebergae[22] | Pigg, Manchester, & Wehr | A coryloid genus | |
| Cercidiphyllaceae | Cercidiphyllum | †Cercidiphyllum obtritum | (Dawson) Wolfe & Wehr | A katsura | |
| Fagaceae | †Fagopsis | †Fagopsis undulata | (Knowlton) Wolfe & Wehr | A beech | |
| Fagaceae | Fagus | Undescribed | A beech species Not described to species | ||
| Grossulariaceae | Ribes | Undescribed | A gooseberry species Not described | ||
| Hamamelidaceae | Fothergilla | †Fothergilla malloryi | Radtke, Pigg & Wehr | A winter-hazel species | |
| Juglandaceae | Pterocarya | Undescribed[23] | A wingnut Not described to species | ||
| Lauraceae | Lindera | Undescribed | A laural species Not described to species | ||
| Lauraceae | Sassafras | †Sassafras hesperia | Berry | A laural species | |
| Malvaceae | Florissantia | Undescribed[24] | An extinct sterculioid flower Not described to species | ||
| Myricaceae | Comptonia | †Comptonia columbiana | Dawson | A sweet fern | thumb|center|upright|Comptonia columbiana |
| Nyssaceae | †Tsukada | †Tsukada davidiifolia | Wolfe & Wehr | A dove-tree relative | |
| Platanaceae | Macginicarpa | Undescribed | Manchester | A sycamore morphospecies | |
| Platanaceae | †Macginitiea | †Macginitiea gracilis | (Lesquereux) Wolfe & Wehr | A sycamore | |
| Rosaceae | Amelanchier | Unidentified[25] | A service berry Not described | ||
| Rosaceae | Neviusia | †Neviusia dunthornei[26] | DeVore, Moore, Pigg, & Wehr | A snow wreath | |
| Rosaceae | †Stonebergia | †Stonebergia columbiana[27] | Wolfe & Wehr | A Sorbarieae genus | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer princetonense[28] | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer rousei | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer stockeyae | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer stewarti | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer stonebergae | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer toradense | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Acer | †Acer wehri | Wolfe & Tanai | A maple | |
| Sapindaceae | Dipteronia | †Dipteronia brownii | McClain and Manchester | A Dipteronia species | |
| Trochodendraceae | Tetracentron | †Tetracentron hopkinsii[29] | Pigg et al. | A Tetracentron relative | |
| Trochodendraceae | Zizyphoides | Undescribed | A trochodendraceous species Not described | ||
| Ulmus | Ulmus | †Ulmus okanaganensis[30] | Denk & Dillhoff | An elm | |
| Urticaceae | Cf. Urticeae | Undescribed | A nettle not described to genus First identified as Rubus | ||
| Incertae sedis | †Chaneya | †Chaneya tenuis[31] | (Lesquereux) Wang & Manchester | A sapindalean flower of uncertain affiliations | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrobiidae | †Micropyrgus | †Micropyrgus camselli[32] | L.S. Russell, 1957 | A hydrobiid mud snail | |
| Lymnaeidae | Stagnicola | †Stagnicola tulameenensis | L.S. Russell, 1957 | A lymnaeine pond snail | |
| Physidae | Aplexa | †Aplexa ricei | L.S. Russell, 1957 | An aplexine bladder snail | |
| Physidae | Physa | †Physa saxarubrensis | L.S. Russell, 1957 | A physine bladder snail | |
| Planorbidae | Ferrissia | †Ferrissia arionoides | L.S. Russell, 1957 | An ancylinine ramshorn snail | |
| Planorbidae | Gyraulus? | Indeterminate | L.S. Russell, 1957 | A possible planorbinine ramshorn snail Not described to species | |
| Sphaeriidae | Sphaerium? | Indeterminate | L.S. Russell, 1957 | A possible sphaeriine fingernail clam Not described to species | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cantharidae | Unidentified | Unidentified[33] | A soldier beetle not identified to genus or species | ||
| Carabidae? | Unidentified | Unidentified | A caraboid superfamily beetle Displays traits similar to both Cicindelidae and Carabidae not identified to genus or species | ||
| Chrysomelidae | †Cryptocephalites | †Cryptocephalites punctatus | Scudder, 1895 | ||
| Chrysomelidae | Galerucella | †Galerucella picea | Scudder, 1879 | A leaf beetle | |
| Elateridae | Cryptohypnus? | †Cryptohypnus? terrestris | Scudder, 1879 | A click beetle | |
| Elateridae | Elaterites | Undescribed | Scudder, 1895 | A click beetle Not described to species | |
| Elateridae | Limonius | †Limonius impunctus[34] | Scudder, 1895 | A wireworm click beetle | |
| Tenebrionidae | Tenebrio | †Tenebrio primigenius | Scudder, 1879 | A darkling beetle | |
| Trogidae | Trox | †Trox oustaleti | Scudder, 1879 | A hide beetle | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bibionidae | Penthetria | †Penthetria? fryi[35] | Rice, 1959 | A marchfly | |
| Bibionidae | Penthetria | †Penthetria whipsawensis | Rice, 1959 | A marchfly | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia avus | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria avus (1910), moved to Plecia avus (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia canadensis | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria canadensis (1910), moved to Plecia canadensis (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia curtula | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria curtula (1910), moved to Plecia curtula (1959) Senior synonym of Penthetria avunculus (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia dilatata | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria dilatata (1910), moved to Plecia dilatata (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia elatior | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria elatior (1910), moved to Plecia elatior (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia minutula | Rice, 1959 | A marchfly | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia nana | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria nana (1910), moved to Plecia nana (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia pictipennis | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria pictipennis (1910), moved to Plecia pictipennis (1959) Penthetria lambei (1910), Penthetria ovalis (1910), & Penthetria separanda (1910) considered junior synonyms (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia pulchra | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria pulchra (1910), moved to Plecia pulchra (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia pulla | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria pulla (1910), moved to Plecia pulla (1959) Penthetria brevipes (1910) considered a junior synonym (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia reducta | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria reducta (1910), moved to Plecia reducta (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia similkameena | (Scudder, 1879) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria similkameena (1879), moved to Plecia similkameena (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia transitoria | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A marchfly First described as Penthetria transitoria (1910), moved to Plecia transitoria (1959) Penthetria falcatula (1910) & Penthetria fragmentum (1910) considered junior synonyms (1959) | |
| Bibionidae | Plecia | †Plecia tulameenensis | Rice, 1959 | A marchfly | |
| Dolichopodidae | †Microphor | †Microphor defunctus[36] | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A long-legged fly First described as Microphorus defunctus (1910), moved to Microphor defunctus (1994) | |
| Ptychopteridae | †Etoptychoptera | †Etoptychoptera tertiaria[37] | Handlirsh, 1909 | A phantom cranefly | |
| Tipulidae | Tipula | †Tipula tulameena | (Handlirsh, 1910) | A cranefly | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aphrophoridae | Aphrophora | †Aphrophora angusta[38] | Handlirsch, 1910 | A spittlebug | |
| Aphrophoridae | †Palaeoptysma | †Palaeoptysma venosa | Scudder, 1895 | A spittlebug | |
| Aphrophoridae | Palaphrodes | Undescribed | Scudder, 1895 | A spittlebug Not described to species | |
| Aphrophoridae | †Ptysmaphora | †Ptysmaphora fletcheri | Scudder, 1895 | ||
| Cercopidae | Cercopis | †Cercopis grandescens[39] | Scudder, 1895 | A froghopper | |
| Cercopidae | Cercopis | †Cercopis selwyni | Scudder, 1879 | A froghopper | |
| Cercopidae | †Cercopites | †Cercopites torpescens | Scudder, 1895 | A froghopper | |
| Cercopidae | †Dawsonites | †Dawsonites veter | Scudder, 1895 | A froghopper | |
| Cercopidae | Palecphora | Undescribed | Scudder, 1895 | A froghopper Not described to species | |
| Cercopidae | †Stenecphora | †Stenecphora punctulata | Scudder, 1895 | A froghopper | |
| Cercopidae | †Stenolocris | †Stenolocris venosa | Scudder, 1895 | A froghopper | |
| Cicadellidae | Coelidia | †Coelidia columbiana | Scudder, 1879 | A leafhopper | |
| Fulgoridae | †Enchophora | Undescribed | Scudder, 1895 | A fulgorid plant hopper Not described to species | |
| Gerridae | †Telmatrechus | †Telmatrechus stali | (Scudder, 1879) | A gerrine water strider First described as Hygrotrechus stali (1879), moved to Telmatrechus stali (1895) | |
| incertae sedis | †Planophlebia | †Planophlebia gigantea | Scudder, 1879 | A hemipteran of uncertain placement | |
Archibald, Mathewes, & Aase (2023) reported a Titanomyrma species ant queen from the Vermillion Bluffs site, and noted the range extension for Formiciinae into the highlands, as the subfamily was previously considered a strictly thermophilic ant group. Due to complications arising from preservational distortion during diagenesis, they were unable to determine the correct size of the queen in life. If the distortion was lateral, then compression to bilateral symmetry yielded an adult length of approximately, placing it the same range as Formicium berryi and F. brodiei, known only from wings, and sugg4ested as possible males. Conversely stretching the fossil to bilateral symmetry results in a larger length estimate, placing it as comparable to queens of T. lubei and T. simillima.[40]
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braconidae | Bracon | Undescribed[41] | A braconid wasp Not described to species | ||
| Formicidae | †Titanomyrma | Indeterminate | A formiciine titan ant Unplaced to species. | thumb|center|upright|Titanomyrma sp. | |
| Ichneumonidae | Xorides | †Xorides lambei | (Handlirsch, 1910) | A xoridine ichneumon parasitic wasp First named Xylonomus lambei (1910) | |
| Tenthredinidae | Eriocampa | †Eriocampa tulameenensis[42] | Rice, 1968 | ||
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| †Dinopanorpidae | †Dinokanaga | †Dinokanaga wilsoni[43] | Archibald, 2005 | ||
| Eomeropidae | †Eomerope | †Eomerope simpkinsae[44] | Archibald & Rasnitsyn, 2018 | An eomeropid scorpionfly | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authority | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aeshnidae | Indeterminate | Indeterminate[47] | A daner dragonfly Wing too incomplete to determine genus affiliation. | ||
| Cf. †Dysagrionidae | †Allenbya | †Allenbya holmesae | Archibald & Cannings, 2022 | A possible Dysagrionidae odonate. Not to be confused with the Princeton Chert waterlily Allenbya | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authors | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiidae | Cf. Amia | †"Amia" hesperia[49] | Wilson, 1982 | A bowfin | |
| Aves incertae sedis | Unidentified | Unidentified[50] | Mayr et al., 2019 | Indeterminate feathers and a skeleton | |
| Catostomidae | †Wilsonium | †Wilsonium brevipinne.[51] [52] | (Cope, 1893) | A catostomid sucker Originally described as Amyzon brevipinne Moved to Wilsonium in 2021 | |
| †Esthonychidae | †Trogosus | †Trogosus latidens[53] [54] | (Marsh, 1874) | A tillodont species | |
| Hiodontidae | Hiodon | †Hiodon rosei[55] | (Hussakof, 1916) | A mooneye First described as "Lucious" rosei (1916), moved to Eohiodon rosei in 1966, moved to Hiodon rosei in 2008 | |
| †Libotoniidae | †Libotonius | †Libotonius blakeburnensis[56] | Wilson, 1977 | A percopsiform fish | |
| Salmonidae | †Eosalmo | †Cf. Eosalmo driftwoodensis | Wilson, 1977 | An ancestral salmon | |
| Trionychidae | Cf. Apalone | Undescribed[57] | A soft shelled turtle Not described to species | ||
See main article: Princeton chert. The Princeton chert biota is unique in the Allenby formation due to the silicification of the chert, which has resulted in cellular and anatomical preservation of the organisms. As of 2016 over 30 different plant taxa had been described from chert fossils along with a number of fungal species.[58]
| Order | Genus | Species | Authors | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascomycota | †Cryptodidymosphaerites | †Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis[59] | Currah, Stockey, LePage | An ascomycetan fungus on the host palm Uhlia allenbyensis | |
| Ascomycota | †Monodictysporites | †Monodictysporites princetonensis[60] | Klymiuk | An ascomycotan fungus hosted on Dennstaedtiopsis aerenchymata | |
| Ascomycota | †Palaeoserenomyces | †Palaeoserenomyces allenbyensis | Currah, Stockey, LePage | An ascomycetan fungus on the host palm Uhlia allenbyensis | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authors | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athyriaceae | †Dickwhitea | †Dickwhitea allenbyensis[61] | Karafit et al. | An athyriaceous fern | |
| Athyriaceae | †Makotopteris | †Makotopteris princetonensis[62] | Stockey, Nishida, & Rothwell | An athyriaceous fern | |
| Blechnaceae | †Trawetsia | †Trawetsia princetonensis[63] | Smith et al. | A blechnacious fern | |
| Dennstaedtiaceae | †Dennstaedtiopsis | †Dennstaedtiopsis aerenchymata[64] | Cevallos-Ferriz, Stockey, & Pigg | A dennstaedtioid fern | |
| Osmundaceae | Osmunda | Undescribed[65] | An osmundaceous fern Not described | ||
| Family | Genus | Species | Authors | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cupressaceae | Metasequoia | †Metasequoia milleri[66] | Bassinger | A dawn redwood | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus allisonii[67] | Stockey | A 2-needled Pine foliage | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus andersonii | Stockey | A 3-needled Pine foliage | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus arnoldii[68] [69] | Miller | A basal Pine Cones belonging to the 5 needle Pinus similkameenensis foliage | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus princetonensis | Stockey | A pinaceous cone | |
| Pinaceae | Pinus | †Pinus similkameenensis | Miller | A basal Pine 5-needled foliage belonging to the Pinus arnoldii cones | |
| Family | Genus | Species | Authors | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alismataceae | †Heleophyton | †Heleophyton helobieoides[70] | Erwin & Stockey | An aquatic or emergent water-plantain | |
| Aponogetonaceae | Aponogeton | †Aponogeton longispinosum[71] | Grímsson, Zetter, & Halbritter | A Cape-pondweed pollen | |
| Araceae | †Keratosperma | †Keratosperma allenbyensis[72] | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | An arum family member | |
| Arecaceae | †Uhlia | †Uhlia allenbyensis[73] | Erwin & Stockey | A Coryphoid palm | |
| Grossulariaceae | Ribes | Undescribed[74] | Cevallos-Ferriz | A current fruit Not described | |
| Lythraceae | Decodon | †Decodon allenbyensis[75] | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A swamp loosestrife | |
| Magnoliaceae | †Liriodendroxylon | †Liriodendroxylon princetonensis[76] | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A Liriodendron-like wood. | |
| Myrtaceae | †Paleomyrtinaea | †Paleomyrtinaea princetonensis[77] | Pigg, Stockey & Maxwell | A Myrtaceous fruit | |
| Nymphaeaceae | †Allenbya | †Allenbya collinsonae[78] | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A water lily relative | |
| Nyssaceae | Diplopanax | †Diplopanax eydei[79] | Stockey, LePage, & Pigg | A tuplo relative. | |
| Rosaceae | †Paleorosa | †Paleorosa similkameenensis[80] | Bassinger | A rose family flower | |
| Rosaceae | Prunus | †Prunus allenbyensis[81] | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A prunoid wood. | |
| Rosaceae | Prunus | "Species 1" | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A prunoid seed. Not described | |
| Rosaceae | Prunus | "Species 2" | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A prunoid seed. Not described | |
| Rosaceae | Prunus | "Species 3" | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A prunoid seed. Not described | |
| Sapindaceae | †Wehrwolfea | †Wehrwolfea striata[82] | Erwin & Stockey | A possible dodonaecous soapberry family flower | |
| Saururaceae | Saururus | †Saururus tuckerae[83] | Smith & Stockey | A lizard's-tail species | |
| Vitaceae | Ampelocissus | †"Ampelocissus" similkameenensis[84] [85] | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A grape family fruit of uncertain generic placement | |
| Vitaceae | incertae sedis | "Type 1" | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A grape family fruit of uncertain generic placement Not described | |
| Vitaceae | incertae sedis | "Type 2" | Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey | A grape family fruit of uncertain generic placement Not described | |
| Cf. Iridaceae | †Pararisteapollis | †Pararisteapollis stockeyi[86] | Zetter & Hesse | A possible iridaceous pollen morphotype | |
| Incertae sedis | †Eorhiza | †Eorhiza arnoldii[87] | Robison & Person | A semi-aquatic dicot of uncertain affinity. | |
| Incertae sedis | †Ethela | †Ethela sargentiana[88] | Erwin & Stockey | A cyperaceous or juncaceous monocot | |
| Incertae sedis | †Princetonia | †Princetonia allenbyensis[89] [90] | Stockey | A possibly aquatic magnoliopsid flower of uncertain affiliation. | |
| Incertae sedis | †Soleredera | †Soleredera rhizomorpha[91] | Erwin & Stockey | A lilialean genus of uncertain placement | |