The Bermont Formation is a
geologic 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 exp ...
in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. It preserves mostly invertebrate
fossils that date back to the
Middle Pleistocene
The Chibanian, widely known by its previous designation of Middle Pleistocene, is an age in the international geologic timescale or a stage in chronostratigraphy, being a division of the Pleistocene Epoch within the ongoing Quaternary Period. Th ...
. Most of the fossils preserved are extant mollusk shells. It is mined commercially along with similar formations, to produce shell fill for construction.
A lot of our information on the Bermont Formation comes from commercial mining operations. Due to the nature of Florida's flat landscape, paleontologists rely on commercial interest in mining to gain access to otherwise inaccessible specimens for study. Such is the case with the Bermont Formation's bone bed in the Leisey shell pit.
As is the case with some other formations, UV can sometimes be used to bring out hidden pigmentation in some fossil shells. This is especially useful in telling the difference between some species, which would otherwise be indistinguishable.
Environment of Deposition
The original environment of the deposits has been interpreted as being that of a shallow coastal marine
reef
A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes— deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock o ...
, to open brackish waters, with a maximum depth of less than 15 meters. Currently, it is estimated that 10 - 20% of its mollusk species are extinct.
Index Taxa
Index taxa in the Bermont formation currently include
Strombus mayacensis,
Vasum floridanum,
Fusinus watermani,
Fasciolaria okeechobeensis, and
Miltha carmenae.
See also
*
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Florida
See also
* Paleontology in Florida
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Florida
Fossiliferous stratigraphic units of the United States, Florida
Paleontology in Florida, Stratigraphic units
Stratigraphy of Flo ...
References
*
*
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*
Geologic formations of Florida
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