San Nicholas Island (SN-13) (Quaternary of the United States)

Also known as Vedder & Norris (1963) SN-13

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 (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 37937: authorized by Austin Hendy, entered by Austin Hendy on 27.03.2004

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• Comprehensive for invertebrates
unclassified
  -
Echinoidea
 Camarodonta - Strongylocentrotidae
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Stimpson 1857 sea urchin
Gastropoda
 Heterostropha - Pyramidellidae
 Heterostropha - Trimusculidae
Trimusculus reticulatus Sowerby 1835 button snail
 Lepetellida - Haliotidae
Haliotis rufescens Swainson 1822 abalone
Haliotis cracherodii Leach 1814 abalone
 Lepetellida - Fissurellidae
Diodora aspera Rathke 1833 snail
Megathura crenulata Sowerby 1825 snail
Fissurella volcano Reeve 1849 snail
 Trochoidea - Trochidae
Norrisia norrisii, "Pupillaria cf. optabilis" = Lirularia optabilis, "Tegula cf. aureotincta" = Chlorostoma aureotincta, "Tegula brunnea" = Chlorostoma brunnea, "Tegula funebralis" = Chlorostoma funebrale, Calliostoma ligatum
Norrisia norrisii Sowerby I 1838 top snail
"Pupillaria cf. optabilis" = Lirularia optabilis Carpenter 1864 top snail
"Tegula cf. aureotincta" = Chlorostoma aureotincta Forbes 1852 top snail
"Tegula brunnea" = Chlorostoma brunnea Philippi 1849 top snail
"Tegula funebralis" = Chlorostoma funebrale Adams 1855 top snail
Calliostoma ligatum Gould 1849 top snail
 Trochoidea - Phasianellidae
"Tricolia cf. pulloides" = Eulithidium pulloides
"Tricolia cf. pulloides" = Eulithidium pulloides Carpenter 1865 snail
 Trochoidea - Turbinidae
"Homalopoma carpenteri" = Homalopoma (Homalopoma) luridum Dall 1885 snail
 Patellida - Lottiidae
"Acmaea pelta" = Lottia pelta, "Acmaea insessa" = Lottia insessa, "Acmaea digitalis" = Lottia digitalis, "Acmaea cf. limatula" = Lottia limatula, "Acmaea scabra" = Lottia scabra, Lottia gigantea
"Acmaea pelta" = Lottia pelta Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea insessa" = Lottia insessa Hinds 1842 limpet
"Acmaea digitalis" = Lottia digitalis Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea cf. limatula" = Lottia limatula Carpenter 1864 limpet
"Acmaea scabra" = Lottia scabra Gould 1846 limpet
Lottia gigantea Sowerby 1834 limpet
 Neotaenioglossa - Calyptraeidae
Crepidula adunca Sowerby 1824 slipper shell
Crepidula excavata Broderip 1834 slipper shell
Crepidula cf. perforans Valenciennes 1846 slipper shell
Crepipatella lingulata Gould 1846 slipper shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Procerithiidae
"Bittium cf. attenuatum" = Lirobittium attenuatum, "Bittium cf. armillatum" = Lirobittium armillatum
"Bittium cf. attenuatum" = Lirobittium attenuatum Carpenter 1864 snail
"Bittium cf. armillatum" = Lirobittium armillatum Carpenter 1864 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Hipponicidae
Hipponix tumens Carpenter 1864 hoof shell
Antisabia panamensis Adams 1852 hoof shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Littorinidae
"Lacuna unifasciata" = Lacuna (Epheria) unifasciata, "Littorina planaxis" = Littorina (Neritrema) keenae, "Littorina scutulata" = Littorina (Littorina) scutulata
"Lacuna unifasciata" = Lacuna (Epheria) unifasciata Carpenter 1857 periwinkle
"Littorina planaxis" = Littorina (Neritrema) keenae Rosewater 1978 periwinkle
"Littorina scutulata" = Littorina (Littorina) scutulata Gould 1849 periwinkle
 Sorbeoconcha - Naticidae
"Lunatia cf. lewisii" = Euspira lewisii
"Lunatia cf. lewisii" = Euspira lewisii Gould 1847 moon snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Cerithiopsidae
Cerithiopsis sp. Hanley 1849 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Triphoridae
"Triphora cf. pedroana" = Monophorus pedroanus
"Triphora cf. pedroana" = Monophorus pedroanus Bartsch 1907 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Rissoidae
"Alvania purpurea" = Alvinia purpurea, ""Rissoina" cf. aequisculpta" = Alvinia aequisculpta
"Alvania purpurea" = Alvinia purpurea Dall 1871 snail
""Rissoina" cf. aequisculpta" = Alvinia aequisculpta Keep 1887 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Barleeiidae
Barleeia subtenuis Carpenter 1864 snail
Barleeia cf. oldroydi Bartsch 1920 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Vitrinellidae
Vitrinella cf. oldroydi Bartsch 1907 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Caecidae
Caecum sp., "Caecum dalli" = Caecum quadratum, Caecum californicum, "Fartulum occidentale" = Fartulum dextroversum
Caecum sp. Fleming 1813 snail
"Caecum dalli" = Caecum quadratum Carpenter 1857 snail
Caecum californicum Dall 1885 snail
"Fartulum occidentale" = Fartulum dextroversum Carpenter 1857 snail
 Neogastropoda - Columbellidae
Amphissa versicolor, "Mitrella carinata" = Alia carinata
Amphissa versicolor Dall 1871 snail
"Mitrella carinata" = Alia carinata Hinds 1844 dovesnail
 Neogastropoda -
"Mitromorpha gracilior" = Cymakra gracilior
"Mitromorpha gracilior" = Cymakra gracilior Tryon 1884 snail
 Neogastropoda - Mitridae
"Mitra idae" = Mitra (Atrimitra) idae
"Mitra idae" = Mitra (Atrimitra) idae Melville 1893 mitre shell
 Neogastropoda - Mangeliidae
"Mangelia variegata" = Tenaturris variegata, "Mangelia interfossa" = Perimangelia interfossa
"Mangelia variegata" = Tenaturris variegata Carpenter 1864 snail
"Mangelia interfossa" = Perimangelia interfossa Carpenter 1864 snail
 Neogastropoda - Conidae
"Conus californicus" = Californiconus californicus
"Conus californicus" = Californiconus californicus Reeve 1844 cone shell
 Neogastropoda - Pseudomelatomidae
Pseudomelatoma ? torosa Gabb 1864 snail
 Neogastropoda - Olividae
"Olivella biplicata" = Callianax biplicata
"Olivella biplicata" = Callianax biplicata Sowerby 1825 olive snail
 Neogastropoda - Muricidae
"Ocenebra cf. subangulata" = Urosalpinx subangulata
"Ocenebra cf. subangulata" = Urosalpinx subangulata Stearns 1873 murex snail
 Neogastropoda -
"Barbarofusus ? arnoldi" = Harfordia arnoldi
"Barbarofusus ? arnoldi" = Harfordia arnoldi Cossmann 1903 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Triviidae
"Pusula californiana" = Pseudopusula californiana
"Pusula californiana" = Pseudopusula californiana Gray 1827 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Cypraeidae
"Zonaria spadicea" = Neobernaya spadicea
"Zonaria spadicea" = Neobernaya spadicea Swainson 1823 cowry
 Sorbeoconcha - Vermetidae
"Spiroglyphus lituellus" = Dendropoma lituella, Petaloconchus complicatus
"Spiroglyphus lituellus" = Dendropoma lituella Morch 1861 worm shell
Petaloconchus complicatus Dall 1908 worm shell
Bivalvia
 Mytilida - Mytilidae
Mytilus californianus Conrad 1837 mussel
Septifer bifurcatus Conrad 1837 mussel
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
"Hinnites giganteus" = Crassadoma gigantea
"Hinnites giganteus" = Crassadoma gigantea Gray 1825 scallop
 Cardiida - Semelidae
Cumingia californica Conrad 1837 clam
 Cardiida - Psammobiidae
"Gari californica" = Gari (Gobraeus) californica
"Gari californica" = Gari (Gobraeus) californica Conrad 1849 clam
 Cardiida - Veneridae
"Irus cf. lamellifer" = Irusella lamellifera, "Ventricolaria fordii" = Globivenus fordii, Saxidomus nuttalli, "Transennella tantilla" = Nutricola tantilla, "Petricola carditoides" = Petricola (Petricola) carditoides
"Irus cf. lamellifer" = Irusella lamellifera Conrad 1837 venus clam
"Ventricolaria fordii" = Globivenus fordii Yates 1890 venus clam
Saxidomus nuttalli Conrad 1837 venus clam
"Transennella tantilla" = Nutricola tantilla Gould 1853 venus clam
"Petricola carditoides" = Petricola (Petricola) carditoides Conrad 1837 venus clam
 Lucinida - Lucinidae
Epilucina californica Conrad 1837 clam
 Carditida - Carditidae
"Glans subquadrata" = Glans carpenteri
"Glans subquadrata" = Glans carpenteri Lamy 1922 clam
Polyplacophora
 Neoloricata - Acanthochitonidae
"Cryptochiton" stelleri Middendorf 1847 chiton
 Neoloricata - Mopaliidae
Mopalia cf. muscosa Gould 1846 chiton
 Neoloricata - Ischnochitonidae
Tonicella cf. lineata Wood 1815 lined red chiton
Thecostraca
 Balanomorpha - Balanidae
"Balanus cf. tintinnabulum" = Megabalanus tintinnabulum
"Balanus cf. tintinnabulum" = Megabalanus tintinnabulum Linnaeus 1758 barnacle
Subspecies: Balanus cf. tintinnabulum californicus
 Balanomorpha - Tetraclitidae
Tetraclita squamosa barnacle
Subspecies: Tetraclita squamosa rubescens
Anthozoa
 Scleractinia - Dendrophylliidae
Balanophyllia elegans Verrill 1864 stony coral