San Nicholas Island (SN-11) (Quaternary of the United States)

Also known as Vedder & Norris (1963) SN-11

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 37939: 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
Echinoidea
 Camarodonta - Strongylocentrotidae
Strongylocentrotus ? purpuratus Stimpson 1857 sea urchin
Bivalvia
 Carditida - Carditidae
"Glans subquadrata" = Glans carpenteri
"Glans subquadrata" = Glans carpenteri Lamy 1922 clam
 Cardiida - Lasaeidae
"Lasaea cf. cistula" = Lasaea adansoni
"Lasaea cf. cistula" = Lasaea adansoni Gmelin 1791 clam
 Cardiida - Neoleptonidae
Bernardina bakeri Dall 1910 clam
 Cardiida - Veneridae
"Transennella tantilla" = Nutricola tantilla, "Ventricolaria fordii" = Globivenus fordii, "Protothaca staminea" = Leukoma staminea, "Irus cf. lamellifer" = Irusella lamellifera
"Transennella tantilla" = Nutricola tantilla Gould 1853 venus clam
"Ventricolaria fordii" = Globivenus fordii Yates 1890 venus clam
"Protothaca staminea" = Leukoma staminea Conrad 1837 venus clam
"Irus cf. lamellifer" = Irusella lamellifera Conrad 1837 venus clam
 Cardiida - Semelidae
Cumingia californica Conrad 1837 clam
 Lucinida - Lucinidae
Epilucina californica Conrad 1837 clam
 Mytilida - Mytilidae
"Modiolus cf. fornicatus" = Modiolus carpenteri Soot-Ryen 1963 mussel
Mytilus californianus Conrad 1837 mussel
Septifer bifurcatus Conrad 1837 mussel
Polyplacophora
 Chitonida - Callistoplacidae
Callistochiton crassicostatus Pilsbry 1893 chiton
 Neoloricata - Acanthochitonidae
"Cryptochiton" stelleri Middendorf 1847 chiton
 Neoloricata - Mopaliidae
Mopalia cf. muscosa Gould 1846 chiton
Gastropoda
 Basommatophora - Siphonariidae
 Opisthobranchia - Cylichnidae
"Coleophysis ? harpa" = Acteocina harpa
"Coleophysis ? harpa" = Acteocina harpa Dall 1871 barrel-bubble
 Neotaenioglossa - Calyptraeidae
Crepidula onyx Sowerby 1824 slipper shell
Crepidula adunca Sowerby 1824 slipper shell
Crepipatella lingulata Gould 1846 slipper shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Procerithiidae
"Bittium attenuatum" = Lirobittium attenuatum, "Bittium armillatum" = Lirobittium armillatum
"Bittium attenuatum" = Lirobittium attenuatum Carpenter 1864 snail
"Bittium armillatum" = Lirobittium armillatum Carpenter 1864 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Caecidae
Fartulum cf. orcutti Dall in Orcutt 1885 snail
Caecum sp. Fleming 1813 snail
Caecum californicum Dall 1885 snail
"Caecum dalli" = Caecum quadratum Carpenter 1857 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Vitrinellidae
Vitrinella cf. oldroydi Bartsch 1907 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Barleeiidae
Amphithalamus cf. tenuis Bartsch 1911 snail
Amphithalamus inclusus Lozouet 1998 snail
Barleeia cf. oldroydi Bartsch 1920 snail
Barleeia subtenuis Carpenter 1864 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Rissoidae
Alvania almo, Alvania cf. oldroydi, ""Rissoina" aequisculpta" = Alvinia aequisculpta, "Alvania purpurea" = Alvinia purpurea
""Rissoina" aequisculpta" = Alvinia aequisculpta Keep 1887 snail
"Alvania purpurea" = Alvinia purpurea Dall 1871 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Triviidae
"Pusula californiana" = Pseudopusula californiana
"Pusula californiana" = Pseudopusula californiana Gray 1827 snail
 Neogastropoda - Muricidae
"Acanthina cf. lugubris" = Mexacanthina lugubris, "Ocenebra cf. foveolata" = Paciocinebrina foveolata, "Ocenebra cf. interfossa" = Paciocinebrina interfossa, "Acanthina cf. punctulata" = Acanthinucella punctulata
"Acanthina cf. lugubris" = Mexacanthina lugubris Sowerby I 1822 murex snail
"Ocenebra cf. foveolata" = Paciocinebrina foveolata Hinds 1844 murex snail
"Ocenebra cf. interfossa" = Paciocinebrina interfossa Carpenter 1864 murex snail
"Acanthina cf. punctulata" = Acanthinucella punctulata Sowerby I 1835 murex snail
 Neogastropoda - Pseudolividae
Macron cf. lividus Adams 1855 snail
 Neogastropoda -
"Barbarofusus ? arnoldi" = Harfordia arnoldi
"Barbarofusus ? arnoldi" = Harfordia arnoldi Cossmann 1903 snail
 Neogastropoda - Conidae
"Conus californicus" = Californiconus californicus
"Conus californicus" = Californiconus californicus Reeve 1844 cone shell
 Neogastropoda - Mangeliidae
? Cytharella sp., "Mangelia cf. variegata" = Tenaturris variegata, "Mangelia cf. nitens" = Cythara (Mangelia), "Mangelia ? interfossa" = Perimangelia interfossa
? Cytharella sp. Monterosato 1875 snail
"Mangelia cf. variegata" = Tenaturris variegata Carpenter 1864 snail
"Mangelia cf. nitens" = Cythara (Mangelia) snail
"Mangelia ? interfossa" = Perimangelia interfossa Carpenter 1864 snail
 Neogastropoda - Mitridae
"Mitra idae" = Mitra (Atrimitra) idae
"Mitra idae" = Mitra (Atrimitra) idae Melville 1893 mitre shell
 Neogastropoda - Olividae
"Olivella biplicata" = Callianax biplicata
"Olivella biplicata" = Callianax biplicata Sowerby 1825 olive snail
 Neogastropoda -
"Mitromorpha cf. gracilior" = Cymakra gracilior
"Mitromorpha cf. gracilior" = Cymakra gracilior Tryon 1884 snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Perissityidae
Amphissa versicolor Dall 1871 true whelk
Mitrella cf. tuberosa Carpenter 1864 true whelk
Calicantharus fortis Carpenter 1866 true whelk
"Littorina cf. scutulata" = Littorina (Littorina) scutulata Gould 1849 periwinkle
"Littorina planaxis" = Littorina (Neritrema) keenae Rosewater 1978 periwinkle
"Lacuna unifasciata" = Lacuna (Epheria) unifasciata Carpenter 1857 periwinkle
 Sorbeoconcha - Fasciolariidae
"Spiroglyphus lituellus" = Dendropoma lituella, Petaloconchus complicatus
"Spiroglyphus lituellus" = Dendropoma lituella Morch 1861 snail
Petaloconchus complicatus Dall 1908 snail
 Caenogastropoda - Fasciolariidae
Antisabia panamensis Adams 1852 hoof shell
"Balcis thersites" = Melanella thersites Carpenter 1864 snail
Cerithiopsis sp. Hanley 1849 snail
 Lepetellida - Fissurellidae
Diodora aspera Rathke 1833 snail
Fissurella volcano Reeve 1849 snail
Puncturella cf. cooperi Carpenter 1864 puncturella
"Megatebennus bimaculatus" = Fissurellidea bimaculata Dall 1871 snail
 Lepetellida - Haliotidae
Haliotis cf. cracherodii Leach 1814 abalone
Haliotis ? rufescens Swainson 1822 abalone
 Trochoidea - Turbinidae
"Homalopoma carpenteri" = Homalopoma (Homalopoma) luridum, Homalopoma cf. baculum, "Astraea cf. gibberosa" = Pomaulax gibberosa
"Homalopoma carpenteri" = Homalopoma (Homalopoma) luridum Dall 1885 snail
Homalopoma cf. baculum Carpenter 1864 snail
"Astraea cf. gibberosa" = Pomaulax gibberosa Dillwyn 1817 red turban
 Trochoidea - Phasianellidae
"Tricolia pulloides" = Eulithidium pulloides
"Tricolia pulloides" = Eulithidium pulloides Carpenter 1865 snail
 Trochoidea - Trochidae
"Tegula brunnea" = Chlorostoma brunnea, "Tegula gallina" = Chlorostoma gallina, "Tegula funebralis" = Chlorostoma funebrale, "Pupillaria cf. optabilis" = Lirularia optabilis
"Tegula brunnea" = Chlorostoma brunnea Philippi 1849 top snail
"Tegula gallina" = Chlorostoma gallina Forbes 1850 top snail
Subspecies: Tegula gallina multifilosa
"Tegula funebralis" = Chlorostoma funebrale Adams 1855 top snail
"Pupillaria cf. optabilis" = Lirularia optabilis Carpenter 1864 top snail
 Patellida - Lottiidae
Acmaea mitra, "Acmaea ? limatula" = Lottia limatula, "Acmaea cf. pelta" = Lottia pelta, "Acmaea digitalis" = Lottia digitalis, "Acmaea scabra" = Lottia scabra, "Acmaea insessa" = Lottia insessa, "Acmaea asmi" = Lottia asmi
Acmaea mitra Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea ? limatula" = Lottia limatula Carpenter 1864 limpet
"Acmaea cf. pelta" = Lottia pelta Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea digitalis" = Lottia digitalis Eschscholtz 1833 limpet
"Acmaea scabra" = Lottia scabra Gould 1846 limpet
"Acmaea insessa" = Lottia insessa Hinds 1842 limpet
"Acmaea asmi" = Lottia asmi Middendorff 1847 limpet
 Heterostropha - Pyramidellidae
 Heterostropha - Trimusculidae
Trimusculus reticulatus Sowerby 1835 button snail
Thecostraca
 Balanomorpha - Tetraclitidae
Tetraclita ? squamosa barnacle
Subspecies: Tetraclita squamosa rubescens