Goler Formation
Geologic formation in California, U.S.
The Goler Formation is a Paleogene geologic formation in California. It outcrops in the El Paso Mountains in the Mojave Desert near Ridgecrest. Fossils of mammals, reptiles, and cartilaginous fish are found in a few late Paleocene (Tiffanian age) sites from this formation, representing the best terrestrial Paleocene deposits in California.
01Geology
The Goler Formation is split into four members (subunits), labelled 1-4, with member 4 divided further into 4a-4d. The oldest members (1-2) lack fossils, and they probably represent alluvial fan environments eroding down into older canyons of granite and metamorphic rock. Fossils are found in members 3 and 4, which represent westward flowing braided rivers and streams in a warm monsoonal climate with strong wet and dry seasons. During the Paleocene, the Goler Formation was not far from the coast, but the predecessors of the Sierra Nevada further west created a rain shadow over the area. By the time of member 4d, the area was submerged by rising sea levels.
02Paleobiota
Nearly all fossils from the Goler Formation are concentrated into members 4a and 4b (the Goler Assemblage), with the exception of indeterminate turtles from member 3 and a Phenacodus tooth from member 4d. Members 4a and 4b are probably Tiffanian (Ti3-Ti5) in age, around the start of the late Paleocene. Member 4d could be any time between Tiffanian 5 and Bridgerian (early-mid Eocene) in age.
Mammals
The most abundant mammal fossils are Phenacodus cf. bisonensis and Nannodectes lynasi.
| Mammals of the Goler Formation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus / Taxon | Species | Strata | Notes | Images |
| Arctocyonidae? | indet. | Member 4b | An indeterminate possible arctocyonid. | |
| Bessoecetor | B. septentrionalis | Member 4a | A pantolestid. | |
| Dissacus | D. sp. | Member 4a | A mesonychid. | |
| Golerdelphys | G. stocki | Member 4b | A herpetotheriid. | |
| Goleroconus | G. alfi | Member 4a, 4b | A periptychid. | |
| Ignacius | I. frugivorus | Member 4b | A paromomyid. | |
| Lambertocyon | L. cf. gingerichi | Member 4a | An arctocyonid. | |
| Mimotricentes | M. tedfordi | Member 4a | An arctocyonid. | |
| Nannodectes | N. lynasi | Member 4a, 4b | A plesiadapid. | |
| Paromomys | P. depressidens | Member 4a | A paromomyid. | |
| Peradectes | P. sp. | Member 4a, 4b | A peradectid. | |
| Phenacodus | P. cf. bisonensis | Member 4a, 4b | A phenacodontid. | |
| P. cf. grangeri | Member 4a | |||
| P. cf. matthewi | Member 4a | |||
| P. cf. vortmani | Member 4d | |||
| Promioclaenus | P. walshi | Member 4a | A hyopsodontid. | |
| Protictis | P. cf. agastor | Member 4a | A viverravid. | |
| P. paralus | ||||
| Protoselene | P. ashtoni | Member 4a | A hyopsodontid. | |
| Stylinodontidae | indet. | Member 4a | An indeterminate stylinodontid. | |
| Thryptacodon | T. sp. | Member 4a | An oxyclaenid. | |
Sources and credits
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