The Northumberland Formation is a Late Cretaceous (?Campanian-?Maastrichtian)-aged geologic formation in Canada. It belongs to the larger Nanaimo Group. Indeterminate bird and pterosaur fossils have been recovered from the formation, as well as a potential gladius of Eromangateuthis. An extensive diversity of shark teeth is known from the formation; many appear to be closely allied with modern deep-water shark taxa, suggesting a deep-water environment for the formation. The most well-known exposures of the formation are on Hornby Island.
Vertebrate paleofauna
Cartilaginous fish Source:
Hybodontiformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesMeristodonoidesM. sp.A hybodontid shark.
Hexanchiformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesChlamydoselachusC. balliA chlamydoselachid shark, related to the modern frilled shark.RolfodonR. ludvigseniA chlamydoselachid shark.R. cf. thompsoniDykeiusD. garethiA very large chlamydoselachid shark.HexanchusH. microdonA cow shark related to the modern bluntnose sixgill shark.NotidanodonN. pectinatusA cow shark.XampylodonX. dentatusA large cow shark.ProtoheptranchiasP. loweiA cow shark similar to the modern sharpnose sevengill shark.ParaorthacodusP. rossiA paraorthacodontid shark.KomoksodonK. kwutchakuthA komoksodontid shark.
Echinorhiniformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesEchinorhinusE. lapaoiA echinorhinid shark, related to the modern bramble shark.
Squaliformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesEoetmopterusE. supercretaceusAn etmopterid shark similar to modern lantern sharks.SqualusS. vondermarckiA dogfish shark, related to modern spurdogs.S. nicholsaeS. sp.CentrosqualusC. mustardiA dogfish shark.ProtocentrophorusP. steviaeA dogfish shark.RhinoscymnusR. clarkiA sleeper shark, possibly included within Somniosus.CentroscymnusC. sp.A sleeper shark related to the modern Portuguese dogfish.SqualiodalatiasS. savoieiA dalatiid shark.HessinodonH. wardiA possibly dalatiid shark.
Pristiophoriformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesPristiophorusP. smithiA sawshark.P. pricei
Orectolobiformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesPlicatoscylliumP. cf. globidensA ginglymostomatid shark.HemiscylliumH. hermaniA bamboo shark.
Lamniformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesCarchariasC. domingueiA sand shark, related to the modern sand tiger shark.
Synechodontiformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesSynechodusS. derekiA palaeospinacid shark.
Carcharhiniformes GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesScyliorhinidae indent.A catshark of uncertain affinities.FlorenceodonF. johnyiA florenceodontid shark.
Bony fish GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesGwawinapterusG. beardiJaw.A saurodontid ichthyodectiform, initially identified as an istiodactylid pterosaur.
Birds GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesMaaqwiM. cascadensisCoracoid and wing bones.A large ornithuran, either a vegaviid or a Procellariiform.Enantiornithes indet.indeterminate Incomplete left femur, tibiotarsus and fibula.An enanthiornithine avialan.
Pterosaurs GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesAzhdarchoidea indet.A possibly azhdarchid pterosaur.
Squamates GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesMosasauridae indet.A mosasaur.
Invertebrate paleofauna
Molluscs
Cephalopods GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesBaculitesB. occidentalisA baculitid ammonite.FresvilliaF. constrictaA baculitid ammonite.DiplomocerasD. cylindraceumA diplomoceratid ammonite.D. cf. cylindraceumExitelocerasE. densicostatumA diplomoceratid ammonite.E. bipunctatumPhylloptychocerasP. horitaiA diplomoceratid ammonite.SolenocerasS. exornatusA diplomoceratid ammonite.S. cf. reesideiNostocerasN. adrotansA nostoceratid ammonite.N. hornbyensisN. aff. pauperEnchoteuthisE. sp.A muensterellid octopodiform.EromangateuthisE. soniae?A plesioteuthid octopodiform.CyrtobelusC. hornbyenseA groenlandibelid spirulid.ActinosepiaA. canadensisAn actinosepiid vampyromorphid.Cirroteuthidae indet.Gladius.A cirroteuthid octopus.
Gastropods GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesTessarolaxT. louellaeAn aporrhaid gastropod.
Crustaceans GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesNeocallichirusN. manningiA callianassid decapod.LongusorbisL. cuniculosusA longusorbiid decapod.BournelyreidusB. grahamaeA raninoid decapod.
Paleoflora
Gymnosperms GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesCunninghamiaC. hornbyensisPermineralized wigs and leaves.A member of the extant Cupressaceae genus Cunninghamia. Closely resembles extant species.CycadeoideaC. maccafferyiiA bennettitalean.
Angiosperms GenusSpeciesLocationAbundanceNotesImagesAtliA. moriniiStemA member of the Ranunculales with a liana-like growth habit.ComoxiaC. multiporosaStemA liana of uncertain affinities.
See also
List of pterosaur-bearing stratigraphic units
Footnotes
References