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Wind River Formation
The Wind River Formation is a geologic formation in Wyoming. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period. A recent study by Stanford suggests that fracking has contaminated the entire ground water resource in the basin. Fossil content Mammals Apatotheres Cimolestans Leptictids Primatomorphs Rodents Ungulates Reptiles Squamates Invertebrates Insects Plants See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Wyoming * Paleontology in Wyoming Paleontology in Wyoming includes research into the prehistoric life of the U.S. state of Wyoming as well as investigations conducted by Wyomingite researchers and institutions into ancient life occurring elsewhere. The fossil record of the US s ... References * Paleogene geology of Wyoming {{Paleogene-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geological Formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exposed in a geographical region (the stratigraphic column). It is the fundamental unit of lithostratigraphy, the study of strata or rock layers. A formation must be large enough that it can be mapped at the surface or traced in the subsurface. Formations are otherwise not defined by the thickness of their rock strata, which can vary widely. They are usually, but not universally, tabular in form. They may consist of a single lithology (rock type), or of alternating beds of two or more lithologies, or even a heterogeneous mixture of lithologies, so long as this distinguishes them from adjacent bodies of rock. The concept of a geologic formation goes back to the beginnings of modern scientific geology. The term was used by Abraham Gottlob ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ototriton
''Ototriton'' is an extinct genus of rhineurid amphisbaenian or worm lizard from the Early Eocene of the western United States, including the type and only species ''Ototriton solidus''. Paleontologist F. B. Loomis named ''Ototriton'' in 1919 on the basis of a single skull from the Wind River Formation in Wyoming, misinterpreting it as the skull of a salamander. Unlike salamanders and like other rhineurids, ''Ototriton'' has a shovel-shaped snout that it presumably used for burrowing underground. ''Ototriton'' is one of the earliest known rhineurids and also one of the largest. Several other species have been assigned to ''Ototriton'' since Loomis named the genus in 1919. In 1928, paleontologist Charles W. Gilmore assigned a vertebra from the Bridger Formation of Wyoming, first classified as ''Glyptosaurus Glyptosaurinae is an extinct subfamily of anguid lizards that lived in the Northern Hemisphere during the Late Cretaceous and the Paleogene. Description Glyptosaurines ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Squamates
Squamata (, Latin ''squamatus'', 'scaly, having scales') is the largest order of reptiles, comprising lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians (worm lizards), which are collectively known as squamates or scaled reptiles. With over 10,900 species, it is also the second-largest order of extant (living) vertebrates, after the perciform fish. Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scales or shields, and must periodically engage in molting. They also possess movable quadrate bones, making possible movement of the upper jaw relative to the neurocranium. This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very wide to accommodate comparatively large prey. Squamata is the most variably sized order of reptiles, ranging from the dwarf gecko (''Sphaerodactylus ariasae'') to the Reticulated python (''Malayopython reticulatus'') and the now-extinct mosasaurs, which reached lengths over . Among other reptiles, squamates are most closely ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dichobunidae
Dichobunidae is an extinct family of basal artiodactyl mammals from the early Eocene to late Oligocene of North America, Europe, and Asia. The Dichobunidae include some of the earliest known artiodactyls, such as '' Diacodexis''. Description They were small animals, averaging about the size of a modern rabbit, had many primitive features. In life, they would have resembled a long-tailed muntjac or chevrotain. Dichobunids had four or five toes on each foot, with each toe ending in a small hoof. They had complete sets of teeth, unlike most later artiodactyls, with their more specialist dentitions. The shape of the teeth suggests they were browsers, feeding on small leaves, perhaps in the forest undergrowth. The shape of their bodies and limbs suggests they would have been fast-running animals, unlike most of their contemporaries. Taxonomy Classification of dichobunids following McKenna and Bell: *† Family Dichobunidae **'' Paraphenacodus'' **'' Dulcidon'' **'' Chorlakkia'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diacodexis
''Diacodexis'' is an extinct genus of small herbivore mammals belonging to the family Dichobunidae which lived in North America, Europe and Pakistan from 55.4 mya to 46.2 mya and existing for approximately . Description ''Diacodexis'' is the oldest known even-toed ungulate. In life, it would have resembled a modern duiker A duiker is a small to medium-sized brown antelope native to sub-Saharan Africa, found in heavily wooded areas. The 22 extant species, including three sometimes considered to be subspecies of the other species, form the subfamily Cephalophinae ..., measuring about in body length, but with a much longer tail. Unlike most later species of artiodactyl, it still had five toes on each foot, although the third and fourth toes were already elongated. It may also have had small hooves on each toe. Its teeth suggest that it was a herbivorous browser. As suggested by its long legs, ''Diacodexis'' is believed to have been fast-running, capable of leaping relative ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ungulate
Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Ungulata which primarily consists of large mammals with hooves. These include odd-toed ungulates such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs; and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, sheep, deer, and hippopotamuses. Cetaceans such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises are also classified as even-toed ungulates, although they do not have hooves. Most terrestrial ungulates use the hoofed tips of their toes to support their body weight while standing or moving. The term means, roughly, "being hoofed" or "hoofed animal". As a descriptive term, "ungulate" normally excludes cetaceans as they do not possess most of the typical morphological characteristics of other ungulates, but recent discoveries indicate that they were also descended from early artiodactyls. Ungulates are typically herbivorous and many employ specialized gut bacteria to allow them to digest cellulose. Some modern species, such as pigs, are omnivor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paramys
''Paramys'' is an extinct genus of rodents from North America, Europe, and Asia. It is one of the oldest genera of rodents known and probably lived in trees. While the genus name literally means "near a mouse A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...", it coexisted with ''Thisbemys'', a similar rodent, thus yielding a reference to Pyramus and Thisbe. References Further reading * Matthew, W. D. 1910. On the osteology and relationships of ''Paramys'' and the affinities of the Ischyromyidae. ''Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History'', 28:43–72. * Kenneth D. Rose, 2006. ''The Beginning of the Age of Mammals''. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore MD. pp. 306–335 * Kenneth D. Rose and Brenda J. Chinnery. The Postcranial Skeleton of Early Eocen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are native to all major land masses except for New Zealand, Antarctica, and several oceanic islands, though they have subsequently been introduced to most of these land masses by human activity. Rodents are extremely diverse in their ecology and lifestyles and can be found in almost every terrestrial habitat, including human-made environments. Species can be arboreal, fossorial (burrowing), saltatorial/richochetal (leaping on their hind legs), or semiaquatic. However, all rodents share several morphological features, including having only a single upper and lower pair of ever-growing incisors. Well-known rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rabbits, hares, and pikas, wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Notharctinae
Notharctinae is an extinct subfamily of primates that were common in North America during the early and middle Eocene (55-34 million years ago). The six genera that make up the group ('' Cantius'', '' Pelycodus'', '' Copelemur'', '' Hesperolemur'', '' Notharctus'', and '' Smilodectes'') contain species that are among the most primitive of the adapiform group, which is one of the most primitive groups of primates. The evolutionary history of this subfamily has been comparatively well documented and has been used to argue for evolutionary gradualism. Though it is generally accepted that adapiforms gave rise to modern day lemurs and lorises, it is not currently known which branch of Adapiformes these living species are most closely related to. Notharctines became extinct in the middle Eocene, most likely because of a combination of factors including climatic change and competition with other North American primates. Taxonomic diversity Notharctinae is one of the two subfamilies, al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Copelemur
''Copelemur'' is a genus of adapiform primate that lived in North America during the early Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', .... References Bibliography * {{Taxonbar, from=Q20686294 Prehistoric strepsirrhines Prehistoric primate genera Eocene primates Ypresian life Wasatchian Eocene mammals of North America Paleontology in Colorado Paleontology in New Mexico Paleontology in Wyoming Fossil taxa described in 1877 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
