Castle Gardens: Wasatchian, Wyoming

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Reptilia - Squamata
"lizards"
Reptilia - Necrosauridae
Smith 2009 1 specimen
UCMP 167299, right dentary fragment
Reptilia - Anguidae
Smith 2009 10 specimens
UCMP 150867 (left dentary fragment), 151094 (jaw fragment), 167255 (left maxilla fragment; Fig. 14A), 167268 (partial frontal; Fig. 14E), 167401 (left pterygoid fragment; Fig. 14C), ?167407 (frontal fragment), 167444 (left dentary fragment), 167500 (left jugal; Fig. 14D), 167511 (parietal fragment), 400181 (jaw fragment; Fig. 14B)
Smith 2009 10 specimens
UCMP 167422 (holotype), left frontal fragment; Paratypes: UCMP 167266 (right maxilla fragment), 167411 (parietal fragment; Fig. 1 1B, C), 167412 (left frontal fragment), 167421 (skull fragment), 167515 (left frontal fragment), 167603 (left dentary fragment; Fig. 1 1E), 400178 (left dentary fragment; Fig. 1 1D), 400179 (left dentary fragment). Referred: UCMP 167408 (left frontal fragment).
Smith 2009 5 specimens
UCMP 151033 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 16B), ?151068 (left pterygoid fragment), 151935 (parietal fragment; Fig. 17), 167269 (parietal fragment), ?167613 (right palatine fragment).
Smith 2009 28 specimens
UCMP 150828 (left maxilla fragment), 150856 (jaw fragment), 150861, 150862 (left maxilla fragments), 150863 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 16A), 150865 (partial left dentary), 150866, 150868, 150869 (jaw fragments), 150961 (partial parietal; Fig. 15C, D), 150983, 150984 (right maxilla fragments), 151038 (left frontal), 151061 (dentary fragment), ?151099 (premaxilla fragment), 151930 (dentary fragment), 167253 (left dentary fragment; Fig. 15E), ?167254 (left maxilla fragment), 167267 (right frontal fragment), 167337 (left pterygoid fragment; Fig. 15A), 167400 (palatine), 167510 (small partial right frontal), 167511 (partial parietal), 167513 (parietal fragment), 167610 (left dentary fragment), 167614 (left frontal fragment), 167629 (jaw fragment), ?167673 (right jugal fragment; Fig. 15B)
Smith 2009 23 specimens
UCMP 216000 (holotype), partial frontal; Paratypes: UCMP 150857 (partial parietal), 150928 (parietal fragment), 150966 (partial left frontal; Fig. 18E, F), 150967 (partial right dentary; Fig. 18K), 150968 (parietal fragment), 151030 (left and right dentary fragments; left one: Fig. 18J), 151034-151037 (jaw fragments), 151040 (parietal fragment), 151058 (dentary fragment), 151063, 151064 (jaw fragments), 151065 (right maxilla fragment; Figs 16C, 18B), 167245 (partial parietal; Fig. 18G, H), 167285 (left frontal fragment), 167296 (osteoderm), 167418 (skull fragment), 167523 (partial right palatine; Fig. 18C). Referred: UCMP 151044 (premaxilla; Fig. 18A), 167654 (right quadrate fragment; Fig. 18I).
Smith 2009 12 specimens
UCMP 150916 (right maxilla fragment), 150919 (right frontal), 150962 (partial left frontal; Fig. 12D), 151070,151071 (skull fragments), 167338 (partial right frontal), 167426 (left maxilla fragment; Fig. 12A), 167447 (left maxilla fragment), 167456 (jaw fragment), ?167527 (right pterygoid fragment; Fig. 12C), 167602 (right dentary fragment), 400180 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 12B).
Reptilia
Smith 2009 3 specimens
UCMP 150921 (jaw fragment with partial tooth), 151099 (premaxilla), 167572 (jaw fragment with tooth).
Smith 2009 5 specimens
UCMP 150873 (right dentary fragment with tooth), 150971 (tooth), 167324 (distal right humerus), 167336 (edentulous left dentary fragment), 167355 (parietal fragment).
Smith 2009 9 specimens
UCMP 150871, 150872 (jaw fragments), 150920 (jaw fragment), 150969 (parietal fragment), 151038 (left frontal; Fig. 19B), 151067 (right maxilla fragment), 151095 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 19A), 167499 (right maxilla fragment), 167553 (left maxilla fragment).
Smith and Gauthier 2013
(same specimens as above)
Reptilia - Xantusiidae
Smith 2009 8 specimens
UCMP 150827 (right maxilla fragment), 150965 (maxilla fragment; Fig. 8A, B), 150970 (right maxilla fragment), 167413 (left frontal fragment), 167495 (right maxilla fragment), 167575 (premaxilla), 167599 (right maxilla fragment), 167600 (left maxilla fragment).
Smith and Gauthier 2013 8 specimens
UCMP 150827 (holotype), partial left maxilla; Paratypes: UCMP 150965, 150970 (right maxilla fragments), 167413 (left frontal fragment; Figure 11I, J), 167495 (right maxilla fragment), 167575 (premaxilla; Figure 11A, B), 167599 (right maxilla fragment), 167600 (left maxilla fragment).
Smith 2009 23 specimens
UCMP 150829 (right dentary fragment), 150830 (left dentary fragment), 150848 (premaxilla; Fig. 9A, B), 150876 (partial right pterygoid; Fig. 9E), 150972, 150973 (right maxilla fragments), 150974 (partial left maxilla; Fig. 9C), 150975 (left maxilla fragment), 150986, 151029, 151069 (right dentary fragments), 151077 (left dentary fragment), 151080 (right dentary fragment), 167257 (dentary fragment), 167271 (right dentary fragment), 167289 (left pterygoid fragment; Fig. 9D), 167302 (right dentary fragment), 167334 (left maxilla fragment), 167390 (partial right quadrate; Fig. 9F-I), 167412 (left frontal fragment), 167460 (right spleniodentary fragment; Fig. 9J), 167533 (left dentary), 167550 (premaxilla).
Reptilia - Bipedidae
Smith 2009 52 specimens
UCMP 167594 (holotype) partial left dentary. Paratypes: UCMP 150852-150854 (dentary fragments), 150855 (anterior half of right maxilla; Fig. 10C, D), 150886- 150888 (vertebra fragments), 150903-150906 (dentary fragments), 150912 (vertebra; Fig. 10H), 150941 (vertebra), 150949, 150976-150980, 150982 (dentary fragments), 151008 (left maxilla fragment), 151072 (dentary fragment), 151073 (right maxilla), 151074-151076 (dentary fragments), 151081 (right maxilla fragment), 151940 (right dentary fragment), 167258, 167259 (dentary fragments), 167262 (premaxilla; Fig. 10A, B), 167263 (right maxilla), 167301,167303,167304,167435-167439 (dentary fragments), 167440 (left maxilla), 167534, 167536-167538 (dentary fragments), 167570 (premaxilla), 167592, 167593 (dentary fragments), 167595 (partial right dentary; Fig. 10E), 167596, 167597 (dentary fragments).
Reptilia - Iguanidae
Smith 2009 3 specimens
UCMP 151078, right dentary fragment; 400156, partial right postorbital; 400169, partial right squamosal
Smith 2009 47 specimens
UCMP 400150 (holotype), partial right postorbital; Paratypes: UCMP 150882 (left squamosal fragment), 150883 (partial right postorbital), 150892 (partial left postorbital; Fig. 5R), 150929 (left squamosal fragment), 150998, 151002 (jaw fragments), 151086 (left dentary fragment; Fig. 6G), 151087, 151090 (left dentary fragments), 167241 (partial parietal; Fig. 6D), 167242 (partial parietal; Fig. 6AC), 167290 (jugal fragment), 167292 (frontal fragment; Fig. 5J), 167293 (posterior fragment of frontal), 167305 (left dentary fragment), 167381 (right jugal fragment, Fig. 5N), 167384 (left jugal fragment, Fig. 5M), 167409, 167410 (frontal fragments), 167415 (partial parietal), 167424 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 5A), 167453, 167454 (dentary fragments), 167498 (parietal fragment), 167501,167505 (frontal fragments), 167539, 167540, 167542, 167578, 167583 (jaw fragments), 167585 (right maxilla fragment), 167586 (left maxilla fragment), 167587 (left maxilla fragment; Fig. 5B), 167662 (left prefrontal; Fig. 5H, I), 400151 (right postorbital fragment; Fig. 5S, T), 400152 (partial left postorbital; Fig. 5U, V), 400153 (partial left postorbital; Fig. 5W, X), 400158 (partial left ectopterygoid; Fig. 5D-G), 400159 (partial left ectopterygoid), 400160 (partial right ectopterygoid), 400166 (partial left squamosal; Fig. 6E, F), 400167 (right squamosal fragment), 400174 (partial frontal; Fig. 5K), 400175 (frontal fragment; Fig. 5L). Referred specimen: UCMP 167398 (right pterygoid fragment; Fig. 5C)
Smith 2009 67 specimens
UCMP 167664 (holotype), right postorbital; Paratypes: UCMP 150831 (right dentary fragment), 150833, 150834, 150836 (left dentary fragments), 150837 (right dentary fragment; Fig. 3P), 150838, 150839 (right dentary fragments), 150840, 150843, 150845 (dentary fragments), 150851, 150882 (jaw fragments), 150889 (premaxilla fragment), 150907, 150910, 150929 (jaw fragments), 150991, 150995 (jaw fragments), 151000 (frontal; Fig. 2P), 151006,151009 (jaw fragments), 151010 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 2F), 151082 (left dentary fragment), 151083, 151084 (jaw fragments), 151089 (dentary fragment), 151939 (right maxilla fragment), 167244 (frontal), 167252 (dentary fragment), 167291 (prefrontal fragment), 167305 (left dentary fragment), 167353 (frontal fragment), 167376, 167378 (jugal fragments), 167380 (partial right jugal; Fig. 3A), 167402 (ectopterygoid fragment), 167403 (partial right ectopterygoid; Fig. 2H), 167406 (ectopterygoid), 167420 (partial right prefrontal; Fig. 2N, O), 167425 (right maxilla fragment; Fig. 2E), 167497 (jugal fragment), 167502,167506, 167508 (frontal fragments), 167524 (jugal fragment), 167531 (partial ectopterygoid), 167588 (partial articulated dentary and splenial; Fig. 3N, O), 167590 (right dentary fragment), 167653 (partial frontal), 167660 (right prefrontal; Fig. 2M), 167666 (premaxilla; Fig. 2A), 400154 (partial right postorbital; Fig. 3E-G), 400155 (partial right postorbital), 400161 (partial right ectopterygoid; Fig. 2I-L), 400162-400164 (partial right ectopterygoids), 400165 (left ectopterygoid fragment), 400170 (right jugal fragment; Fig. 3B), 400171 (left jugal fragment; Fig. 3C), 400172 (frontal fragment; Fig. 2Q), 400173 (frontal fragment; Fig. 2R), 400176 (partial parietal; Fig. 3H-K), 400177 (partial premaxilla; Fig. 2B, C, D). Referred specimens: UCMP 167399 (right pterygoid fragment; Fig. 2G), 400168 (partial left squamosal; Fig. 3L, M).
Reptilia
see Holroyd et al. 2001
Reptilia - Testudines - Geoemydidae
see Holroyd et al. 2001
Reptilia - Testudines - Trionychidae
see Holroyd et al. 2001
Mammalia
(1 measurement)
(4 measurements)
(1 measurement)
Mammalia - Apatemyidae
Mammalia - Coryphodontidae
Mammalia - Macroscelidea - Amphilemuridae
Macrocranion sp. Weitzel 1949
(1 measurement)
Smith et al. 2002
Mammalia - Condylarthra - Hyopsodontidae
Hyopsodus sp. Leidy 1870
Strait 2003
Mammalia - Primates - Micromomyidae
Mammalia - Primates - Microsyopidae
Niptomomys favorum n. sp. Strait 2001
Mammalia - Rodentia - Cylindrodontidae
Strait 2003
Mammalia - Rodentia - Ischyromyidae
cf. Paramys copei Loomis 1907
(6 measurements)
Mammalia - Nyctitheriidae
Strait 2003
Strait 2003
Mammalia - Parapternodontidae
Strait 2003
Mammalia - Acreodi - Mesonychidae
(1 measurement)
Mammalia
(1 measurement)
Heinrich et al. 2008
Mammalia - Viverravidae
Mammalia - Hyaenodonta - Hyaenodontidae
(1 measurement)
Mammalia - Procreodi - Arctocyonidae
Chriacus sp. Cope 1883
(1 measurement)
Mammalia - Perissodactyla - Equidae
Mammalia - Phenacodontidae
(6 measurements)
(1 measurement)
Mammalia
Ectoganus sp. Cope 1874
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Neoplagiaulacidae
(1 measurement)
Amphibia - Temnospondyli
"frogs"
Actinopteri - Lepisosteiformes - Lepisosteidae
Actinopteri - Amiiformes - Amiidae
Angiospermae - Rosales - Ulmaceae
see common names

Geography
Country:United States State/province:Wyoming County:Washakie
Coordinates: 44.0° North, 107.6° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:51.6° North, 79.6° West (Wright 2013)
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Geographic resolution:outcrop
Time
Period: Paleogene Epoch: Eocene
Stage: Ypresian 10 m.y. bin: Cenozoic 2
*Period:Early/Lower Tertiary *Epoch:Early/Lower Eocene
*Local age/stage:Early/Lower Wasatchian
Key time interval: Wasatchian Zone:  Wa-0
Age range of interval: 54.9 - 50.5 m.y. ago
* legacy (obsolete) database fields
Stratigraphy
Formation:Willwood
Local section:ElkCr Local bed:15 m
Local order:bottom to top
Stratigraphic resolution:group of beds
Stratigraphy comments: "ca. 10 meter thick layer"
said to be a Wa0 fauna and in the general area of the Elk Creek section, but exact level unclear
said to be "< 30 m" in the southern Bighorn Basin section by Holroyd et al. 2001; 15 m level is arbitrary
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology:gray mudstone
Lithology description: "light gray mudstone with drab orange mottling"
Environment:terrestrial indet.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Articulated whole bodies:none
Associated major elements:some
Disassociated major elements:some
Disassociated minor elements:many
Collection methods and comments
Collection excludes:some genera
Collection methods:bulk,selective quarrying,surface (float),sieve
Minimum sieve size:1.000
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Museum repositories:UCMP
Taxonomic list comments:Hyopsodus loomisi, Diacodexis sp, Palaeanodon sp. are listed by Strait 1999 but omitted by Strait 2001
Metadata
Also known as:UCMP V-99019; UCMP V99019; USGS D2018
Database number:15458
Authorizer:J. Alroy, J. Marcot, J. Head, P. Barrett Enterer:J. Alroy, T. Cleary, J. Marcot, J. Head
Modifier:J. Alroy Research group:vertebrate
Created:1999-10-13 00:00:00 Last modified:2025-02-22 15:12:02
Access level:the public Released:1999-10-13 00:00:00
Creative Commons license:CC0
Reference information

Primary reference:
7530. S. G. Strait. 2001. New Wa-0 mammalian fauna from Castle Gardens in the southeastern Bighorn Basin. University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology 33:127-143 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]

Secondary references:

6294 J. Alroy. 2002. Synonymies and reidentifications of North American fossil mammals. [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/M. Kouvari]
50091 R. E. Heinrich, S. G. Strait, and P. Houde. 2008. Earliest Eocene Miacidae (Mammalia: Carnivora) from Northwestern Wyoming. Journal of Paleontology 82(1):154-162 [J. Bloch/J. Bloch]
17201 P. A. Holroyd, J. H. Hutchison, and S. G. Strait. 2001. Turtle diversity and abundance through the lower Eocene Willwood Formation of the southern Bighorn Basin. University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology 33:97-108 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
43541 K. T. Smith. 2009. A new lizard assemblage from the earliest Eocene (zone Wa0) of the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA: biogeography during the warmest interval of the Cenozoic. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 7(3):299-358 [J. Head/J. Head]
60297 K. T. Smith. 2011. The long-term history of dispersal among lizards in the early Eocene: new evidence from a microvertebrate assemblage in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming, USA. Palaeontology 54(6):1243-1270 [P. Barrett/T. Cleary]
60296 K. T. Smith and J. A. Gauthier. 2013. Early Eocene lizards of the Wasatch Formation near Bitter Creek, Wyoming: diversity and paleoenvironment during an interval of global warming. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 54(2):135-230 [P. Barrett/T. Cleary]
3328 S. Strait. 2000. Screen washing at Castle Gardens, An earliest Wasatchian locality. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(3):71A-72A [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Ju]
3327 S. G. Strait. 1999. A new earliest Wasatchian (WA0) locality from the Bighorn basin, Wyoming. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(3):79A [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Ju]
9573 S. G. Strait. 2003. New mammalian fossils from the earliest Eocene (Wa-0), Bighorn Basin, Wyoming. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(3):101A [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]