Aquia Formation
The Aquia Formation is a geologic sandstone formation that extends from the upper Chesapeake Bay to the James River near Hopewell, Virginia.[1] It consists of clayey, silty, very shelly, glauconitic sand.[1] Fossil records indicate that this stratigraphic unit was created during the Paleocene.[1]
Aquia Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Late Paleocene ~ | |
Type | Geological formation |
Unit of | Pamunkey Group |
Sub-units | Paspotansa & Piscataway Members |
Underlies | Nanjemoy Formation |
Overlies | Brightseat Formation |
Thickness | up to 100 feet (30 m) |
Lithology | |
Primary | Sandstone |
Location | |
Location | Hopewell, Virginia |
Coordinates | 38.3°N 77.3°W |
Approximate paleocoordinates | 39.0°N 58.9°W |
Region | Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia |
Country | United States |
Extent | Upper Chesapeake Bay-James River |
Type section | |
Named for | Aquia Creek |
The Aquia formation was named for Aquia Creek where it is exposed in cliff faces along the banks.[2]
Geology
Lithology
When uncovered, it appears dark green to gray-green, argillaceous, with well sorted fine- to medium-grained sand and locally indurated shell beds.[3] It is between 0 and 100 feet thick in Maryland.[3] Quartz and phosphatic pebbles and/or very coarse glauconitic quartz sand mark the base of the unit.[4] A few hard streaks of shells or thin "rock" layers are often reported but appear to be more abundant in the sections south of the James River.[4]
Stratigraphy
The Aquia formation is overlain by the Nanjemoy Formation and overlies the Brightseat Formation.[5]
The Aquia formation is broken down into two members: the lower Piscataway member and upper Paspotansa member.[2]
Age
The Aquia Formation is thought to be 59.0-55.5 million years old.[2] The Piscataway member is 59–56.25 million years old, and the Paspotansa member is 56–55.5 million years old.[2] This is the Paleocene period.
Older publications describe the Aquia as being of Eocene age.[6]
Fossils
Sharks
- Abdounia beaugei[2][7]
- Anomotodon novus[2][8]
- Carcharias hopei[2][8]
- Cretolamna appendiculata[2][8]
- Delpitoscyllium africanum[2]
- Foumtizia abdouni[2]
- Galeorhinus[2]
- Ginglymostoma subafricanum[2]
- Heterodontus lerichei[2]
- Hypotodus verticalis[2]
- Isurolamna inflata[2]
- Megasqualus orpiensis[2]
- Notidanodon loozi[2]
- Odontaspisx loozi[2]
- Orectolobiform[2]
- Otodus obliquus[2][9][8]
- Pachygaleus lefevrei[2]
- Palaeogaleus[2]
- Paleocarcharodon orientalis[2][9][8]
- Paleohypotodus rutoti[2][10]
- Paraorthacodus clarkii[2]
- Physogaleus secundus[11]
- Premontreia subulidens[2]
- Scyliorhinus[2]
- Squalus
- Squatina prima[2]
- Striatolamia macrota[2][8]
- Striatolamia striata[2]
- Triakis[2]
Rays
- Myliobatis[12]
- Burnhamia[2]
- Coupatezia soutersi[2]
- Dasyatis[2]
- Hypolophodon sylvestris[2]
- Ischyodusx sylvestris[2]
Gastropods
- Turritella is very common.[2][8][15]
- Pleurotoma potomacensis[16]
Cephalopods
- Cimomia marylandensis is present but uncommon.[20]
See also
References
- Geology of the National Capital Region - Field Trip Guidebook. Reston, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior. 2004. p. 270.
- Phatfossils Aquia Formation in Maryland and Virginia
- "Coastal Plain Rocks and Sediments". Geological Maps of Maryland. Maryland Geological Survey. 1968. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- Powars, D.S.; Bruce, T.S. (2000). The Effects Of The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater On The Geological Framework And Correlation Of Hydrogeologic Units Of The Lower York-James Peninsula, Virginia. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- Page, Richard A (1959). "The Questionable Age of the Aquia Formation". Journal of Paleontology. 33 (2): 347–350. JSTOR 1300764.
- Tolchester folio, Maryland, Folios of the Geologic Atlas 204, by B. L. Miller, E. B. Mathews, A. B. Bibbins, and H. P. Little, 1917.
- Elasmo.com, The Life and Times of Long Dead Sharks, Abdounia, Jim Bourdon, author.
- "Fossil Identification for the Potomac River".
- "Potomac - Aquia Formation 3/15/18".
- "Paleohypotodus?".
- "Physogaleus secundus".
- "Myliobatis".
- "Thecachampsa".
- "Trionyx".
- "Turritella sp".
- Virginia Division of Mineral Resources (1912). Bulletin. p. 200.
fossils of the aquia formation.
- "Cucullaea Gigantea". 15 May 2010.
- "Views of the Mahantango: Cucullaea gigantea pelecypod from the Aquia Formation". 11 August 2014.
- "Ostrea compressirostra".
- "Sanity check: It's a Nautilus, right?".