Midland Formation

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Midland Formation
Stratigraphic range:
Late Triassic to Early Jurassic,
late Rhaetian to early Hettangian
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofMeriden Group
UnderliesHickory Grove Basalt
OverliesMount Zion Church Basalt
Lithology
Primarysandstone, siltstone
Othershale, limestone
Location
RegionMaryland, Virginia
CountryUnited States
ExtentCulpeper Basin
Type section
Named forMidland, Virginia
Named byLee & Froelich, 1989

The Midland Formation is a Mesozoic (latest Triassic to earliest Jurassic) geological formation in the Culpeper Basin of Virginia. It is a sedimentary unit which formed in a short period of time between the first two basalt flows in the basin: the Hickory Grove and Mount Zion Church basalts. The most common rocks in the formation are dark reddish interbedded sandstones and siltstones, representative of fluvial (stream) environments. Rare but fossiliferous calcareous shale and limestone also occurs, representing recurring lacustrine (lake) conditions.[1] The Midland Formation is considered equivalent to the Shuttle Meadow Formation of the Hartford Basin, the Feltville Formation of the Newark Basin, and the Bendersville Formation of the Gettysburg Basin.[2][3] Some sources prefer to classify the Midland Formation as part of the Shuttle Meadow Formation.[4][3][5]

Based on conchostracan biostratigraphy, the Midland Formation is believed to contain the Triassic-Jurassic boundary near its base.[6][7] A prominent shale layer containing Hettangian-age fossilized fish, the Midland fish bed, is present about 10 meters above the base of the formation. Though now flooded by a manmade lake, it was formerly well-exposed along Licking Run, just north of Midland, Virginia.[8][9][4][5] Plant spores,[1] coprolites,[8][9] and dinosaur footprints have also been recorded at nearby outcrops.[10][11][12][5]

Paleobiota

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Paleobiota of the Midland Formation
Genus / Taxon Species Notes Images
Anomoepus A. scambus Possible ornithischian dinosaur footprints.[10][11][5]
Batrachopus B. deweyii Crocodylomorph footprints.[11][5]
Darwinula D. sp. Freshwater ostracods (seed shrimp).[10]
Diplurus D. longicaudatus A coelacanth fish.[8][9][5]
Eubrontes E. giganteus Large theropod dinosaur footprints, up to 34 centimetres (13 in) in length.[11][5]
Grallator G. parallelus Theropod dinosaur footprints.[10][11][5]
G. tuberosus Theropod dinosaur footprints, often given the name Anchisauripus.[11][5]
Ptycholepis P. marshi A ptycholepiform fish.[8][9][5]
Redfieldius R. gracilis A redfieldiiform fish, the most common fish in the formation.[8][9][5]
Semionotus 'S. micropterus' group[4] A semionotiform fish.[9][5]

See also

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Footnotes

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  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  9. ^ a b c d e f Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  11. ^ a b c d e f Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.

References

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  • Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..


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