Fisher/Sullivan Site (Eocene of the United States)

Where: Stafford County, Virginia (38.3° N, 77.4° W: paleocoordinates 38.8° N, 61.0° W)

• coordinate based on political unit

• small collection-level geographic resolution

When: Potapaco Member (Nanjemoy Formation), Wasatchian (55.8 - 50.3 Ma)

• zone 11 of Bed B of the Potapaco Member and is assigned to the calcareous nannofossil zone NP 11; estimated age of 53.6 to 52.8 million years

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: marine; lithology not reported

• shallow marine environment

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Primary reference: K. D. Rose. 1999. Part 7. Fossil Mammals from the Early Eocene Fisher/Sullivan Site. Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 152:133-138 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/M. Shalap]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 15595: authorized by John Alroy, entered by John Alroy on 15.05.2002, edited by Mark Uhen, Margaret Shalap, Philip Mannion and Grace Varnham

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Mammalia
  -
Mammalia indet.8 Linnaeus 1758 mammal
 Primates - Omomyidae
Omomyidae indet.9 Gazin 1958 tarsier
 Rodentia - Ischyromyidae
? Ischyromyidae indet. Alston 1876 rodent
 Carnivora - Miacidae
Miacidae indet. Cope 1880 carnivoran
 Perissodactyla -
aff. Homogalax sp. Hay 1899 odd-toed ungulate
 Theriamorpha - Pantolestoidae
cf. Palaeosinopa sp. Matthew 1901 placental
 Theriamorpha - Nyctitheriidae
Nyctitheriidae indet. Simpson 1928 placental
 Condylarthra - Hyopsodontidae
cf. Hyopsodus sp. Leidy 1870 condylarth
 Cimolesta - Esthonychidae
cf. Esthonyx sp. Cope 1874 tillodont
 Theriamorpha - Peradectidae
Peradectes guottai n. sp.8 marsupial
Reptilia
 Testudines - Cheloniidae
Puppigerus camperi10 Gray 1831 sea turtle
cheloniid
? Dollochelys sp.10 Zangerl 1971 sea turtle
toxochelyid
 Testudines - Dermochelyidae
cf. Eosphargis gigas10 Owen 1880 leatherback
dermochelyid
 Testudines - Pantrionychidae
cf. Trionyx pennatus10 Cope 1869 turtle
 Squamata - Palaeophiidae
Palaeophis virginianus10 Lynn 1934 snake
Palaeophis casei10 Holman 1982 snake
Palaeophis toliapicus10 Owen 1841 snake
palaeophid
 Squamata - Anguidae
Parophisaurus mccloskeyi n. sp.10 Weems 1999 squamates
anguid
Aves
 Aves -
Aves "gen. et sp. indet. B"4 Linnaeus 1758 bird
SMF Av 633; also listed as cf. Microena
Aves "gen. et sp. indet. C"4 Linnaeus 1758 bird
SMF Av 634; also listed as cf. Morsoravis
Aves "gen. et sp. indet. D"4 Linnaeus 1758 bird
SMF Av 637
Aves "gen. et sp. indet. E"4 Linnaeus 1758 bird
SMF Av 638-642; also listed as cf. Threskiornithidae
Aves "gen. et sp. indet."5 Linnaeus 1758 bird
USNM PAL 771593; USNM PAL 771608; USNM PAL 771601; USNM PAL 771604
  -
Aves "gen. et sp. indet. A"4 Linnaeus 1758 bird
Crane-sized
 Galliformes - Phasianidae
cf. Coturnipes cooperi6 Harrison and Walker 1977 pheasant
Mayr (2016): "may be conspecific with the putative procellariiform reported in the present study"
 Charadriiformes -
Charadriiformes indet.4 shorebird
SMF Av 619; USNM PAL 771602; USNM PAL 771603; USNM PAL 771607
 Charadriiformes - Graculavidae
? Graculavidae indet.6 Fürbringer 1888 shorebird
Two occurrences - one "may be conspecific with putative threskiornithid reported herein" (Mayr 2016)
 Charadriiformes -
Scolopaci indet.6 Strauch 1978 shorebird
"tarsometatarsus is likely to be from a messelornithid, whereas humerus may be from a procellariiform bird" (Mayr 2016)
 Odontopterygiformes - Pelagornithidae
"? Odontopteryx sp." = Dasornis6
"? Odontopteryx sp." = Dasornis6 Owen 1870 bird
 Neornithes -
? Procellariiformes indet.4 bird
SMF Av 617
 Suliformes - Fregatidae
cf. Limnofregata sp.4 Olson 1977 frigatebird
SMF Av 618
 Phoenicopteriformes - Phoenicopteridae
? Phoenicopteridae indet.6 Bonaparte 1838 flamingo
 Caprimulgiformes - Caprimulgidae
? Caprimulgidae indet.6 Vigors 1825 nightjar
Two occurrences
 Caprimulgiformes - Steatornithidae
? Steatornithidae indet.6 Bonaparte 1842 oilbird
 Strigiformes - Protostrigidae
Eostrix gulottai n. sp.4 Mayr 2016 owl
SMF Av 627 - type (distal end of right tarsometatarsus)
 Neornithes -
? Trogoniformes indet.4 Wetmore and Miller 1926 trogon
SMF Av 623
 Apodiformes - Eocypselidae
cf. Eocypselidae indet.4 Harrison 1984 swift
SMF Av 624
 Psittaciformes - Messelasturidae
 Psittaciformes - Halcyornithidae
cf. Halcyornithidae indet.1 Harrison and Walker 1972 parrot
USNM PAL 706444
cf. Pulchrapollia sp.4 Dyke and Cooper 2000 parrot
SMF Av 628; tentatively referred specimens: SMF Av 629-631; USNM PAL 771600; USNM PAL 771599; USNM PAL 771605;
 Neornithes - Zygodactylidae
Zygodactylidae indet.5 Brodkorb 1971 bird
USNM PAL 771590
 Coraciiformes -
Parvicuculus sp.5 Harrison and Walker 1977 bird
USNM PAL 496384
 Gruiformes - Messelornithidae
cf. Messelornis sp.4 Hesse 1988 bird
SMF Av 620-622
  - Psittacopedidae
cf. Pumiliornis sp.5 Mayr 1999 bird
USNM PAL 771594; USNM PAL 771592
Reptilia
 Crocodylia -
Crocodylia indet.7 Owen 1842 crocodilian
 Crocodylia - Gavialidae
Eosuchus lerichei10 Dollo 1907 crocodilian
Thoracosaurus neocesariensis10 De Kay 1842 crocodilian
Actinopteri
 Amiiformes - Amiidae
Amia sp.11 Linnaeus 1766 bowfin
 Lepisosteiformes - Lepisosteidae
Lepisosteus sp.11 Agassiz 1843 gar
 Pycnodontiformes - Pycnodontidae
Pycnodus sp.11 Agassiz 1833
 Acanthopteri - Sphyraenidae
Sphyraena bognorensis11 Casier 1966 barracuda
 Teleostei -
? Perciformes indet.11 Bleeker 1859 perch-like fish
Nine occurrences
 Perciformes - Serranidae
Prolates dormaalensis11 Casier 1967 perch-like fish
 Acanthomorphata - Percichthyidae
Cyclopoma folmeri n. sp.11 Weems 1999
 Tetraodontiformes - Ostraciidae
 Spariformes - Sparidae
 Acanthuriformes - Sciaenidae
Fisherichthys folmeri n. gen. n. sp.11
Fisherichthys folmeri n. gen. n. sp.11 Weems 1999
 Carangiformes - Carangidae
 Scombriformes - Palaeorhynchidae
 Scombriformes - Pomatomidae
Sullivanichthys mccloskeyi n. gen. n. sp.11
Sullivanichthys mccloskeyi n. gen. n. sp.11 Weems 1999
 Scombriformes - Scombridae
Sarda delheidi11 Leriche 1905
Scombrinus sp.11 Woodward 1901
Scomberomorus sp.11 Lacépède 1802
Scomberomorus bleekeri11 Storms 1892
Acanthocybium proosti11 Storms 1897
 Scombriformes - Trichiuridae
Trichiurides sagittidens11 Winkler 1874
 Siluriformes - Ariidae
? Arius sp.11 Cuvier and Valenciennes 1840 Ariid catfish
 Osteoglossiformes - Osteoglossidae
Brychaetus muelleri11 Woodward 1901 arowana
 Elopiformes - Phyllodontidae
Egertonia isodonta11 Cocchi 1866
Phyllodus toliapicus11 Agassiz 1839
Paralbula marylandica11 Blake 1940
 Elopiformes - Megalopidae
Megalopidae indet.11 Jordan 1923
 Anguilliformes - Congridae
cf. Bolcyrus formosissimus11 Eastman 1905 conger eel
Voltaconger latispinus11 Agassiz 1835 conger eel
 Albuliformes - Albulidae
Albula oweni11 Agassiz 1844 bonefish
Albula eppsi11 White and Frost 1931 bonefish
Osteichthyes
 Acipenseriformes -
Cylindracanthus rectus11 Agassiz 1843 ray-finned fish
 Acipenseriformes - Acipenseridae
Acipenser sp.11 Linnaeus 1758 sturgeon
Chondrichthyes
 Rajiformes - Rhinobatidae
"Rhinobatos bruxelliensis" = Rhinobatus bruxelliensis3
"Rhinobatos bruxelliensis" = Rhinobatus bruxelliensis3 Jaekel 1894 guitarfish
 Rhinopristiformes - Pristidae
Propristis schweinfurthi3 Priem 1897 sawfish
Pristis luthami3 sawfish
Anoxypristis sp.3 White and Moy-Thomas 1941 sawfish
 Carcharhiniformes - Triakidae
Triakis wardi2 hound shark
Galeorhinus ypresiensis2 Casier 1946 school shark
Pachygaleus lefevrei2 Daimeries 1891 hound shark
Palaeogaleus vincenti2 Daimeries 1889 hound shark
 Carcharhiniformes - Scyliorhinidae
"Scyliorhinus gilberti" = Premontreia (Oxyscyllium) gilberti2 Casier 1946 cat shark
Abdounia recticona2 cat shark
Abdounia beaugei2 Arambourg 1935 cat shark
Abdounia minutissima2 Winkler 1874 cat shark
 Carcharhiniformes - Carcharhinidae
Physogaleus secundas2 requiem shark
 Orectolobiformes - Ginglymostomatidae
Ginglymostoma subafricanum2 Arambourg 1952 nurse shark
"Ginglymostoma serra" = Nebrius serra2 Leidy 1877 nurse shark
Nebrius thielensis2 Winkler 1874 nurse shark
 Orectolobiformes - Rhinocodontidae
Palaeorhincodon wardi2 carpet shark
 Orectolobiformes - Orectolobidae
Orectolobidae indet.2 Jordan and Fowler 1903 wobbegong
 Lamniformes - Mitsukurinidae
Anomotodon novus2 goblin shark
Striatolamia macrota2 Agassiz 1838 goblin shark
 Lamniformes - Odontaspididae
Palaeohypotodus ratoti2 sand tiger shark
Odontaspis winkleri2 Leriche 1905 sand tiger shark
 Lamniformes - Carchariidae
Carcharias hopei2 Agassiz 1843 sand shark
 Lamniformes - Serratolamnidae
Serratolamna aschersoni2 mackerel shark
Serratolamna lerichei2 mackerel shark
 Lamniformes - Otodontidae
"Cretolamna appendiculata" = Cretalamna appendiculata2, Otodus obliquus2
"Cretolamna appendiculata" = Cretalamna appendiculata2 Agassiz 1835 mackerel shark
Otodus obliquus2 Agassiz 1838 mackerel shark
 Hexanchiformes - Hexanchidae
Hexanchus sp.2 Rafinesque 1810 sixgill shark
 Heterodontiformes - Heterodontidae
Heterodontus lerichei2 Casier 1943 bullhead shark
 Squaliformes - Squalidae
Squalus crenatidens2 Arambourg 1952 dogfish shark
 Squaliformes - Dalatiidae
Isistius trituratus2 Winkler 1874 shark
 Echinorhiniformes - Echinorhinidae
 Squatiniformes - Squatinidae
Squatina prima2 Winkler 1874 angel shark
 Myliobatiformes - Dasyatidae
"Jacquhermania duponti" = Dasyatis duponti3
"Jacquhermania duponti" = Dasyatis duponti3 Winkler 1874 whiptail stingray
 Myliobatiformes - Myliobatidae
Rhinoptera sherboni3 White 1926 cownose ray
Aetomylaeus sp.3 Garman 1908 eagle ray
"Myliobatis striatus" = Aetomylaeus striatus3 Agassiz 1843 eagle ray
"Myliobatis dixoni" = Aetomylaeus dixoni3 Agassiz 1843 eagle ray
Myliobatis latidens3 Woodward 1888 eagle ray
Meridiania conyexa3 eagle ray
Archaeomanta melenhorsti3 Herman 1979 eagle ray
Burnhamia daviesi3 Woodward 1889 eagle ray
 Myliobatiformes - Aetobatidae
Aetobatus irregularis3 Agassiz 1843 stingray
 Myliobatiformes -
Heterotorpedo fowleri3 Ward 1983 stingray
Hypolophodon sylvestris3 White 1931 stingray