San Nicholas Island (SN-10) (Quaternary of the United States)

Also known as Vedder & Norris (1963) SN-10

Where: Ventura County, California (33.2° N, 119.5° W: paleocoordinates 33.2° N, 119.2° W)

• coordinate stated in text

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Unnamed Formation, Quaternary (2.6 - 0.0 Ma)

• Dune sand and fossiliferous marine terrace deposits of Quaternary age. These overlie Eocene strata. Fossils come from seven well-developed wave-cut platforms at altitudes of 25 to 990 feet. Several submerged terraces are present on the shelf adjacent to the island., the lowest being 400 ft below sea-level. Presumably all the terrace platforms on San Nicholas Island were cut later than the middle Pleistocene diastrophism recognized elsewhere in southern California. Terrace platforms are covered with a variety of sediments of marine and non-marine origin and range in thickness from a few inches to many feet.

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: coastal; pebbly, shelly/skeletal, conglomeratic, calcareous sandstone

• Higher emergent terraces may represent wave-abraded platforms that were eroded during eustatic changes in sea level combined with tectonic uplift. The lowest emergent terrace may have been cut during eustatic sea-level changes followed by very slight regional seaward warping. Presumably all the terrace platforms on San Nicholas Island were cut later than the middle Pleistocene diastrophism recognized elsewhere in southern California
• Generally comprise poorly sorted calcareous sand and gravel composed primarily of mollusc shell fragments, echinoid plates and spines, calcareous algae, and bryozoans.

Size class: macrofossils

Collection methods: quarrying,

• Collections made by Vedder et al (1955-1956). Earlier collections by Cooper (1894), and Howard (1955)

Primary reference: J. G. Vedder and R. M. Norris. 1963. Geology of San Nicolas Island, California. United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 369:1-65 [A. Miller/A. Hendy/P. Wagner]more details

Purpose of describing collection: general faunal/floral analysis

PaleoDB collection 37940: authorized by Austin Hendy, entered by Austin Hendy on 27.03.2004

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• Comprehensive for invertebrates
unclassified
  -
Anthozoa
 Scleractinia - Dendrophylliidae
Balanophyllia elegans Verrill 1864 stony coral
Polyplacophora
 Neoloricata - Ischnochitonidae
"Stenoplax cf. conspicuus" = Stenoplax conspicua
"Stenoplax cf. conspicuus" = Stenoplax conspicua Carpenter 1879 conspicuous chiton
 Neoloricata - Mopaliidae
Mopalia cf. muscosa Gould 1846 chiton
Gastropoda
 Trochoidea - Phasianellidae
"Tricolia cf. pulloides" = Eulithidium pulloides Carpenter 1865 snail
 Trochoidea - Turbinidae
Pupillaria pupilla Gould 1849 snail
"Homalopoma carpenteri" = Homalopoma (Homalopoma) luridum Dall 1885 snail
 Trochoidea - Trochidae
Calliostoma ? ligatum Gould 1849 top snail
Halistylus pupoideus Carpenter 1864 top snail
"Pupillaria cf. optabilis" = Lirularia optabilis Carpenter 1864 top snail
 Lepetellida - Fissurellidae
"Megatebennus bimaculatus" = Fissurellidea bimaculata Dall 1871 snail
Diodora aspera Rathke 1833 snail
Fissurella volcano Reeve 1849 snail
 Lepetellida - Haliotidae
Haliotis ? rufescens Swainson 1822 abalone
 Epitonioidea - Epitoniidae
"Opalia wroblewskyi" = Opalia borealis, Epitonium cf. indianorum
"Opalia wroblewskyi" = Opalia borealis Gould 1852 wentletrap
Subspecies: Opalia wroblewskyi chacei
Epitonium cf. indianorum Carpenter 1864 wentletrap
 Vanikoroidea - Eulimidae
"Balcis cf. arnoldi" = Melanella arnoldi
"Balcis cf. arnoldi" = Melanella arnoldi Bartsch 1917 snail
 Neotaenioglossa - Calyptraeidae
Crepidula perforans Valenciennes 1846 slipper shell
Crepidula onyx Sowerby 1824 slipper shell
Crepidula adunca Sowerby 1824 slipper shell
Bostrycapulus decorus Collin 2019 slipper shell
 Cerithioidea - Cerithiidae
"Bittium eschrichtii" = Neostylidium eschrichtii
"Bittium eschrichtii" = Neostylidium eschrichtii Middendorff 1849 cerith snail
Subspecies: Bittium eschrichtii montereyense
 Neogastropoda - Olividae
"Olivella cf. pedroana" = Callianax pedroana
"Olivella cf. pedroana" = Callianax pedroana Conrad 1855 olive snail
 Neogastropoda - Siphonaliidae
Calicantharus fortis Carpenter 1866 snail
 Neogastropoda - Fasciolariidae
Barbarofusus ? kobelti Dall 1877 snail
 Neogastropoda - Columbellidae
Amphissa columbiana Dall 1916 snail
Mitrella tuberosa Carpenter 1864 snail
 Neogastropoda - Pseudomelatomidae
Pseudomelatoma torosa Gabb 1864 snail
 Neogastropoda - Clathurellidae
Glyphostoma sp. n. sp. Gabb 1872 snail
 Neogastropoda - Mangeliidae
"Mangelia aff. rhyssa" = Cythara (Mangelia), "Mangelia variegata" = Tenaturris variegata, "Mangelia interfossa" = Perimangelia interfossa
"Mangelia aff. rhyssa" = Cythara (Mangelia) snail
"Mangelia variegata" = Tenaturris variegata Carpenter 1864 snail
"Mangelia interfossa" = Perimangelia interfossa Carpenter 1864 snail
 Neogastropoda - Mitromorphidae
"Mitromorpha cf. filosa" = Mitromorpha carpenteri
"Mitromorpha cf. filosa" = Mitromorpha carpenteri Glibert 1954 snail
 Neogastropoda -
"Mitromorpha cf. gracilior" = Cymakra gracilior, "Barbarofusus arnoldi" = Harfordia arnoldi
"Mitromorpha cf. gracilior" = Cymakra gracilior Tryon 1884 snail
"Barbarofusus arnoldi" = Harfordia arnoldi Cossmann 1903 snail
 Neogastropoda - Cystiscidae
"Gibberulina pyriformis" = Granulina margaritula
"Gibberulina pyriformis" = Granulina margaritula Carpenter 1857 snail
 Neogastropoda - Muricidae
Boreotrophon ? stuarti, "Acanthina spirata" = Acanthinucella spirata, "Ocenebra lurida" = Paciocinebrina lurida, "Ocenebra interfossa" = Paciocinebrina interfossa, "? Morula cf. lugubris" = Mexacanthina lugubris
Boreotrophon ? stuarti Smith 1880 murex snail
"Acanthina spirata" = Acanthinucella spirata Blainville 1832 murex snail
Subspecies: Acanthina spirata punctulata
"Ocenebra lurida" = Paciocinebrina lurida Middendorff 1848 murex snail
Subspecies: Ocenebra lurida munda
"Ocenebra interfossa" = Paciocinebrina interfossa Carpenter 1864 murex snail
"? Morula cf. lugubris" = Mexacanthina lugubris Sowerby I 1822 murex snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Littorinidae
"Lacuna cf. unifasciata" = Lacuna (Epheria) unifasciata, "Lacuna cf. carinata" = Lacuna (Epheria) carinata, "Littorina scutulata" = Littorina (Littorina) scutulata
"Lacuna cf. unifasciata" = Lacuna (Epheria) unifasciata Carpenter 1857 periwinkle
"Lacuna cf. carinata" = Lacuna (Epheria) carinata Gould 1848 periwinkle
"Littorina scutulata" = Littorina (Littorina) scutulata Gould 1849 periwinkle
 Sorbeoconcha - Rissoidae
"Alvania purpurea" = Alvinia purpurea, "Alvania cf. acutelirata" = Actonia compacta
"Alvania purpurea" = Alvinia purpurea Dall 1871 snail
"Alvania cf. acutelirata" = Actonia compacta Carpenter 1864 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Barleeiidae
Barleeia subtenuis Carpenter 1864 snail
Amphithalamus tenuis Bartsch 1911 snail
Amphithalamus inclusus Lozouet 1998 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Vermetidae
"Spiroglyphus lituellus" = Dendropoma lituella Morch 1861 worm shell
Petaloconchus complicatus Dall 1908 worm shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Cerithiopsidae
Cerithiopsis sp. Hanley 1849 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Hipponicidae
Antisabia panamensis Adams 1852 hoof shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Procerithiidae
"Bittium cf. armillatum" = Lirobittium armillatum
"Bittium cf. armillatum" = Lirobittium armillatum Carpenter 1864 snail
 Heterostropha - Pyramidellidae
 Patellida - Lottiidae
"Acmaea pelta" = Lottia pelta, "Acmaea scabra" = Lottia scabra, "Acmaea scutum" = Lottia scutum, "Acmaea limatula" = Lottia limatula, Acmaea mitra
"Acmaea pelta" = Lottia pelta Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea scabra" = Lottia scabra Gould 1846 limpet
"Acmaea scutum" = Lottia scutum Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea limatula" = Lottia limatula Carpenter 1864 limpet
Acmaea mitra Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
Bivalvia
 Arcida - Arcidae
"Arca ? sisquocensis" = Arca (Arca) sisquocensis
"Arca ? sisquocensis" = Arca (Arca) sisquocensis Reinhart 1937 ark
 Arcida - Glycymerididae
"Glycymeris subobsoleta" = Glycymeris septentrionalis
"Glycymeris subobsoleta" = Glycymeris septentrionalis Middendorf 1849 clam
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
"Chlamys ? hastatus" = Chlamys hastata
"Chlamys ? hastatus" = Chlamys hastata Sowerby 1842 scallop
 Mytilida - Mytilidae
Mytilus californianus Conrad 1837 mussel
 Lucinida - Lucinidae
Epilucina californica Conrad 1837 clam
 Cardiida - Neoleptonidae
Bernardina bakeri Dall 1910 clam
 Cardiida - Lasaeidae
"Lasaea cf. cistula" = Lasaea adansoni
"Lasaea cf. cistula" = Lasaea adansoni Gmelin 1791 clam
 Cardiida - Veneridae
"Transennella tantilla" = Nutricola tantilla, Saxidomus nuttalli, "Petricola cf. carditoides" = Petricola (Petricola) carditoides, Turtonia cf. minuta, "Ventricolaria ? fordii" = Globivenus fordii, "Protothaca cf. staminea" = Leukoma staminea
"Transennella tantilla" = Nutricola tantilla Gould 1853 venus clam
Saxidomus nuttalli Conrad 1837 venus clam
"Petricola cf. carditoides" = Petricola (Petricola) carditoides Conrad 1837 venus clam
Turtonia cf. minuta Fabricius 1780 venus clam
"Ventricolaria ? fordii" = Globivenus fordii Yates 1890 venus clam
"Protothaca cf. staminea" = Leukoma staminea Conrad 1837 venus clam
 Cardiida - Cardiidae
"Clinocardium nuttallii" = Clinocardium (Clinocardium) nuttallii
"Clinocardium nuttallii" = Clinocardium (Clinocardium) nuttallii Conrad 1837 cockle
 Cardiida - Tellinidae
"Tellina salmonea" = Cadella nuculoides
"Tellina salmonea" = Cadella nuculoides Reeve 1854 tellin clam
 Cardiida - Semelidae
Cumingia californica Conrad 1837 clam
 Hiatellida - Hiatellidae
Hiatella arctica Linnaeus 1767 clam
 Carditida - Carditidae
Miodontiscus prolongatus Carpenter 1864 clam
"Glans subquadrata" = Glans carpenteri Lamy 1922 clam
Scaphopoda
 Dentaliida - Dentaliidae
Graptacme semistriata Turton 1819 tusk shell
Echinoidea
 Camarodonta - Strongylocentrotidae
Strongylocentrotus cf. franciscanus Agassiz 1863 sea urchin
Strongylocentrotus ? purpuratus Stimpson 1857 sea urchin