Ashley Formation Explained

Ashley Formation
Type:	Geological formation
Age:	Lower Oligocene (Rupelian)
Period:	Paleogene
Country:	United States
Subunits:	Gettysville Member, Runnymeade Marl Member and Givhans Ferry Member.^[1]

The Ashley Formation is a geologic formation in South Carolina. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period.

Vertebrate fauna

Mammals

Cetaceans
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Agorophius	A. pygmaeus	Underwater cliff face from the base of the formation.^[3]	A skull.
Albertocetus	A. meffordorum	Givhans Ferry Member and Runnymede Marl Member.^[4]	A partial skeleton and an isolated braincase.	A xenorophid.
Ankylorhiza	A. tiedemani		AMNH 10445 (partial rostrum) and CCNHM 220 (partial skull and associated vertebrae).^[5]	An odontocete.
Ashleycetus	A. planicapitis	Near Charleston, South Carolina.^[6]	A partial skull.
Coronodon	C. havensteini	"Wando River near Highway 41 Bridge, Berkeley County, South Carolina".^[7]		A basal mysticete.
Ediscetus	E. osbornei			"Slightly outside the odontocete crown group".^[8]
Micromysticetus	M. rothauseni		2 braincases without rostra.^[9]
Saurocetus	S. gibbesi	^[10]	A cheek tooth (MCZ 8760).^[11]
Xenorophus	X. sloanii		Incomplete skull.^[12]	A xenorophid.

Sirenians
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Crenatosiren	C. olseni		^[13]	A dugongid also found in the Chandler Bridge and Parachucla formations.
Stegosiren	S. macei		^[14]	A dugongid also found in the Chandler Bridge Formation.

Reptiles

Crocodilians
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Gavialosuchus	G. carolinensis	Dorchester County, South Carolina.^[15]	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.^[16]		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.^[17]	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.^[18]	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

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in South Carolina
• Paleontology in South Carolina

References

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

Notes and References

1. Cicimurri . David J. . Knight . James L. . Ebersole . Jun A. . 2022 . Early Oligocene (Rupelian) fishes (Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes) from the Ashley Formation (Cooper Group) of South Carolina, USA . PaleoBios . en . 39 . 1 . 10.5070/P939056976 . 247912932 . 0031-0298. free .
2. Book: J., Ray, Clayton Edward. Emry, Robert . Cenozoic mammals of land and sea : tributes to the career of Clayton E. Ray . 2002 . Smithsonian Institution Press . 179–183 . 1035595001.
3. Godfrey . Stephen J. . Uhen . Mark D. . Osborne . Jason E. . Edwards . Lucy E. . January 2016 . A new specimen of Agorophius pygmaeus (Agorophiidae, Odontoceti, Cetacea) from the early Oligocene Ashley Formation of South Carolina, USA . Journal of Paleontology . en . 90 . 1 . 154–169 . 10.1017/jpa.2016.4 . 132593720 . 0022-3360.
4. Boessenecker . Robert W. . Ahmed . Erum . Geisler . Jonathan H. . 2017-11-08 . New records of the dolphin Albertocetus meffordorum (Odontoceti: Xenorophidae) from the lower Oligocene of South Carolina: Encephalization, sensory anatomy, postcranial morphology, and ontogeny of early odontocetes . PLOS ONE . en . 12 . 11 . e0186476 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0186476 . 1932-6203 . 5695589 . 29117197. 2017PLoSO..1286476B . free .
5. Boessenecker . Robert W. . Churchill . Morgan . Buchholtz . Emily A. . Beatty . Brian L. . Geisler . Jonathan H. . 2020-08-17 . Convergent Evolution of Swimming Adaptations in Modern Whales Revealed by a Large Macrophagous Dolphin from the Oligocene of South Carolina . Current Biology . en . 30 . 16 . 3267–3273.e2 . 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.012 . 32649912 . 220435400 . 0960-9822. free .
6. Sanders . Albert E. . Geisler . Jonathan H. . 2015-01-02 . A new basal odontocete from the upper Rupelian of South Carolina, U.S.A., with contributions to the systematics of Xenorophus and Mirocetus (Mammalia, Cetacea) . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 35 . 1 . e890107 . 10.1080/02724634.2014.890107 . 85040115 . 0272-4634.
7. Geisler . Jonathan H. . Boessenecker . Robert W. . Brown . Mace . Beatty . Brian L. . 2017-07-10 . The Origin of Filter Feeding in Whales . Current Biology . en . 27 . 13 . 2036–2042.e2 . 10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.003 . 28669761 . 36765725 . 0960-9822. free .
8. Albright . L. Barry . Sanders . Albert E. . Geisler . Jonathan H. . April 2019 . An Unexpectedly Derived Odontocete from the Ashley Formation (Upper Rupelian) of South Carolina, U.S.A. . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 38 . 4 . (1)-(15) . 10.1080/02724634.2018.1482555 . 92830510 . 0272-4634.
9. Sanders Albert . E. . Barnes Lawrence . G. . 2002-11-21 . Paleontology of the late Oligocene Ashley and Chandler Bridge Formations of South Carolina; 2, Micromysticetus rothauseni, a primitive cetoteriid mysticete (Mammalia, Cetacea) . Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology . en . 93 . 271–293.
10. L. Agassiz. 1848. [on the species Saurocetus gibbesii]. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 4:4-5
11. Dooley . Alton C. Jr. 2003 . A Review of the Eastern North American Squalodontidae (Mammalia: Cetacea) . Jeffersoniana . 11 . 1–26.
12. Kellogg . Remington . 1923 . Description of an apparently new toothed cetacean from South Carolina . Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections . 76 . 7 . 1–7.
13. Domning . Daryl P. . 1997-06-19 . Fossil Sirenia of the west Atlantic and Caribbean region. VI. Crenatosiren olseni (Reinhart, 1976) . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 17 . 2 . 397–412 . 10.1080/02724634.1997.10010984 . 0272-4634.
14. Domning . Daryl P. . Beatty . Brian L. . 2019-05-04 . Fossil Sirenia of the West Atlantic and Caribbean region. XII. Stegosiren macei, gen. et sp. nov. . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 39 . 3 . e1650369 . 10.1080/02724634.2019.1650369 . 203407242 . 0272-4634.
15. Book: R.., Erickson, Bruce . The estuarine crocodile Gavialosuchus Carolinensis n.sp. (Crocodylia : Eusuchia) from the late Oligocene of South Carolina, North America . 1996 . Science Museum of Minnesota . 491733633.
16. Weems . Robert E. . Sanders . Albert E. . January 2014 . Oligocene pancheloniid sea turtles from the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A. . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 34 . 1 . 80–99 . 10.1080/02724634.2013.792826 . 128543145 . 0272-4634.
17. Web site: Multispecies leatherback turtle assemblage from the Oligocene Chandler Bridge and Ashley formations of South Carolina, USA - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica . 2022-09-11 . www.app.pan.pl . en.
18. Cicimurri . David J. . Knight . James L. . Ebersole . Jun A. . 2022 . Early Oligocene (Rupelian) fishes (Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes) from the Ashley Formation (Cooper Group) of South Carolina, USA . PaleoBios . en . 39 . 1 . 10.5070/P939056976 . 247912932 . 0031-0298. free .