Mooreville Chalk Formation Stratigraphic range: Upper Cretaceous |
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Type | Geological formation |
Unit of | Selma Group |
Sub-units | Arcola Limestone Member |
Underlies | Demopolis Chalk Formation |
Overlies | Eutaw Formation |
Lithology | |
Primary | Chalk |
Location | |
Region | Alabama, Mississippi |
Country | United States |
The Mooreville Chalk Formation is a geological formation in North America, within the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi. The strata date back to the early Santonian to the early Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous.[1] The chalk was formed by pelagic sediments deposited along the eastern edge of the Mississippi embayment. It is a unit of the Selma Group and consists of the upper Arcola Limestone Member and an unnamed lower member.[2] Dinosaur, mosasaur, and primitive bird remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the Mooreville Chalk Formation.[1][2][3]
Contents |
Cartilaginous fish of the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Cretalamna |
C. appendiculata[3] |
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C. mantelli[3] |
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E. barberi[4] |
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E. mirificus[4] |
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I. williamsae[4] |
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O. cuspidata |
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Propenser |
P. hewletti[4] |
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P. mammillaris[4] |
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P. mortoni[3] |
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P. polygyrus[4] |
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Pseudocorax |
P. affinis[4] |
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P. laevis[3] |
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Serratolamna |
S. serrata[3] |
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S. rhaphiodon[4] |
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S. texanus[3] |
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S. falcatus[4] |
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S. kaupi[3] |
Bony fish of the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
A. dunklei[4] |
An albuliform |
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B. crieleyi[4] |
A tselfatiform |
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C. nepaholica[4] |
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E. petrosus[4] |
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E. saevus[4] |
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Hoplopteryx sp.[4] |
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I. ctenodon[4] |
An ichthyodectiform |
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M. hardi[4] |
An elopiform |
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P. caninus[4] |
An elopiform |
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S. leanus[4] |
An ichthyodectiform |
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S. apicalis[4] |
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X. audax[4] |
An ichthyodectiform |
Indeterminate hadrosaurid, nodosaurid, dinosaur egg, and ornithomimmosaur fossils are known from Moorville Chalk outcrops in Alabama.[1]
Color key
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Notes Uncertain or tentative data are in small text; |
Dinosaurs reported from the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Angelinornis |
A. antecessor |
A. antecessor was originally described as Plegadornis antecessor, but the generic name Plegadornis was preoccupied, so the genus Angelinornis was erected to contain the species. It was later demonstrated that Angelinornis was a junior synonym of Ichthyornis, although the new combination I. antecessor was held to be valid for a while following the sinking of Angelinornis into Ichthtyornis. Later the species would later be considered a junior synonym of the Ichthyornis type species, I. dispar.[1] |
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"Vertebrae and limb elements."[5] |
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I. antecessor |
The species I. antecessor was erected after the genus previously containing the species, Angelinornis, was shown to be a junior synonym for Ichthyornis. Later I. antecessor itself was shown to be a junior synonym of the Ichthyornis type species, I. dispar[1] |
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An ichthyornithine. |
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P. antecessor |
The name Plegadornis antecessor was applied to a fossil believed to represent a new bird species, but the generic name Plegadornis was preoccupied, so the genus Angelinornis was erected to contain the "new" species. It was later demonstrated that Angelinornis was a junior synonym of Ichthyornis, although the new combination I. antecessor was held to be valid for a while following the sinking of Angelinornis into Ichthtyornis. Later the species would later be considered a junior synonym of the Ichthyornis type species, I. dispar.[1] |
Mosasaurs of the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
C. liodontus[4] |
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C. moorevillensis[3] |
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C. propython[4] |
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A halisaurine E. sternbergii was formerly classified as Halisaurus sternbergii |
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G. alabamaensis[3] |
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M. missouriensis[3] |
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P. tympaniticus[3] |
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P. rapax[4] |
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P. solvayi[3] |
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S. russelli[3] |
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T. proriger[4] |
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T. zangerli [3] |
Plesiosaurs of the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Trinacromerum sp.[3] |
Pterosaurs of the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Pteranodon sp.[3] |
Turtles of the Mooreville Chalk Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Bothremys |
B. barberi[3] |
A pelomedusid. |
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C. haliniches |
A dermochelyid. |
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P. gigas[3] |
A protostegid. |
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T. moorevillensis[3] |
A toxochelyid. |