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Tar Heel/Coachman Formation

{{Infobox rockunit

| name = Tar Heel/Coachman Formation

| image =

| caption =

| type = Formation

| age = Early-Middle Campanian
~{{fossilrange|83.2|77.5}}

| prilithology =Siltstone, sandstone

| otherlithology =

| namedfor =Tar Heel, North Carolina

| namedby =

| region = {{Flag|North Carolina}}

{{Flag|South Carolina}}

| country = {{Flag|United States}}

| coordinates ={{coord|34.6|N|78.5|W|display=inline}}

| unitof = Black Creek Group

| subunits =

| underlies = Bladen Formation

| overlies =Middendorf Formation

| thickness =

| extent =

| area =

| map =

| map_caption =

|period=Campanian|paleocoordinates={{coord|35.0|N|50.2|W|display=inline}}}}

The Tar Heel Formation, also known as the Coachman Formation in South Carolina, is a Late Cretaceous (early to middle Campanian-aged) geologic formation in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. It preserves fossils, including amber dating back to the Cretaceous period. A locality known as Phoebus Landing, has been dated to 78.5-77.1 Ma, and the formation has been overall dated to the early Campanian based on fossil pollen.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667115300471|doi = 10.1016/j.cretres.2015.08.004|title = A ceratopsian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of eastern North America, and implications for dinosaur biogeography|year = 2016|last1 = Longrich|first1 = Nicholas R.|journal = Cretaceous Research|volume = 57|pages = 199–207| bibcode=2016CrRes..57..199L }}{{Cite web |title=Geolex — TarHeel publications |url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Geolex/UnitRefs/TarHeelRefs_4067.html |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=ngmdb.usgs.gov}}

Likely deposited in a nearshore coastal environment representing a lower shoreface, it contains a high diversity of vertebrate remains. It has one of the most diverse dinosaur faunas known from the former landmass of Appalachia, the majority of which are known from two sites: Phoebus Landing along the Cape Fear River in Bladen County, North Carolina, as well as Stokes Quarry in Darlington County, South Carolina.{{Cite journal |last=Brownstein |first=Chase D. |date=2018-02-08 |title=The biogeography and ecology of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs of Appalachia |url=https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2018/2123-appalachia-biogeography |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |language=en |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=1–56 |doi=10.26879/801 |issn=1094-8074 |doi-access=free}}{{Cite web |title=PBDB Collection |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicCollectionSearch?collection_no=57918 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=paleobiodb.org}}{{Cite journal |last1=Schwimmer |first1=David R. |last2=Sanders |first2=Albert E. |last3=Erickson |first3=Bruce R. |last4=Weems |first4=Robert E. |date=2015 |title=A Late Cretaceous Dinosaur and Reptile Assemblage from South Carolina, Usa |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24398224 |journal=Transactions of the American Philosophical Society |volume=105 |issue=2 |pages=i–157 |jstor=24398224 |issn=0065-9746}}

Fossil pollen grains suggest a subtropical to warm, moist temperate climate for the region, with an ecosystem largely dominated by flowering plants.{{Cite thesis|last=Mitra |first=Madhumi |date=2002-07-29 |title=Paleopalynology of the Tar Heel Formation of Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina, United States. |url=https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/items/00d1cf32-fa52-4e43-9fc0-a13c2886d444 |language=en}} The Tar Heel/Coachman Formation appears to be roughly concurrent with the Marshalltown Formation of New Jersey, which preserves a similar fauna.

Paleobiota

= Cartilaginous fish =

Based on the Paleobiology Database & Robb (1989):{{Cite book |last=Albert J Robb III |url=https://archive.org/details/robb-1989-phoebus-landing-fish |title=The Upper Cretaceous (Campanian, Black Creek Formation) fossil fish fauna of Phoebus Landing, Bladen County, North Carolina |date=1989}}

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
colspan="7" align="center" |Cartilaginous fish of the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

"Asteracanthus"

|A. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A hybodontid shark.

|

Brachyrhizodus

|B. wichitaensis

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|An eagle ray.

|frameless

rowspan="2" |Carcharias

|C. holmdelensis

| rowspan="2" |Phoebus Landing, NC

| rowspan="2" |A sand shark.

| rowspan="2" |frameless

C. samhammeri
"Hypolophus"

|H. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A whiptail stingray.

|

Meristodonoides

|M. montanensis

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A hybodontid shark.

|frameless

Rhombodus

|R. laevis

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A rhombodontid ray.

|frameless

Ischyrhiza

| I. mira

|Phoebus Landing, NC

| A sawskate.

|frameless

Ischyodus

|I. cf. bifurcatus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A callorhinchid chimaera.

|frameless

Scapanorhynchus

|S. texanus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A goblin shark.

|frameless

rowspan="2" |

Squalicorax

|S. kaupi

| rowspan="2" |Phoebus Landing, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

| rowspan="2" | An anacorid shark. Includes a coprolite potentially assignable to S. kaupi, containing the vertebrae of a baby turtle.{{Cite journal |last1=Schwimmer |first1=David R. |last2=Weems |first2=Robert E. |last3=Sanders |first3=Albert E. |date=2015 |title=A Late Cretaceous Shark Coprolite with Baby Freshwater Turtle Vertebrae Inclusions |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44708722 |journal=PALAIOS |volume=30 |issue=9/10 |pages=707–713 |doi=10.2110/palo.2015.019 |jstor=44708722 |bibcode=2015Palai..30..707S |issn=0883-1351}}

| rowspan="2" |frameless

S. pristodontus
Squatina

|S. hassei

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|An angelshark.

|frameless

= Ray-finned fish =

Based on the Paleobiology Database, Robb (1989) & Stringer et al (2018). Some species are known only from otolith remains from Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, North Carolina, which are indicated:{{Cite web |last=Czaplewski |first=John J. |title=PBDB Navigator |url=https://paleobiodb.org/navigator/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=paleobiodb.org |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last1=Stringer |first1=Gary L. |last2=Clements |first2=Don |last3=Sadorf |first3=Eric |last4=Shannon |first4=Kevin |date=2019 |title=First Description and Significance of Cretaceous Teleostean Otoliths (Tar Heel Formation, Campanian) from North Carolina |url=https://www.eaglehill.us/epalonline/access-pages/001-Stringer-accesspage.shtml |journal=Eastern Paleontologist |volume=4 |pages=1–22 |issn=2475-5117}}

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
Genus

! Species

! Location

!Material

! Notes

! Images

rowspan="3" |Albula

|?A. campaniana

|Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC

|263-378 otoliths

| rowspan="3" |A bonefish.

| rowspan="3" |frameless

?A. cf. A. ripleyensis

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|1 otolith

A. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

Anomoeodus

|A. phaseolus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|A pycnodontid pycnodont.

|File:Anomoeodus subclavatus.jpg

Ariidae indet.

|

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|11 otoliths

|A sea catfish of uncertain affinities.

|

Aulopidae indet.

|

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|1 otolith

|A flagfin of uncertain affinities.

|

rowspan="2" |Beryx

|?B. maastrichtiensis

| rowspan="2" |Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC

|55 otoliths

| rowspan="2" |A potential relative of alfonsinos.

| rowspan="2" |frameless

?B. zideki

|41 otoliths

?Congridae indet.

|

|Auger Hole Landing, NC

|1 otolith

|An apparent conger eel of uncertain affinities.

|

Cylindracanthus

|C. ornatus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|A fish of uncertain affinities.

|frameless

Enchodus

|E. cf. petrosus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|An enchodontid aulopiform.

|frameless

Gonostomatidae indet.

|

|Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC

|4 otoliths

|A bristlemouth of uncertain affinities.

|

Hoplostethus

|?H. coffeesandensis

|Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC

|4 otoliths

|A slimehead.

|frameless

Kokenichthys

|K. ensis

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|2 otoliths

|An elopiform or osteoglossiform.{{Cite journal |last1=Stringer |first1=Gary L. |last2=Sloan |first2=James Carson |date=2023-05-25 |title=First Cretaceous teleostean otolith assemblage (Arkadelphia Formation, upper Maastrichtian) from Arkansas, USA, early Gadiformes, and the Western Interior Seaway |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6zt71586 |journal=PaleoBios |volume=40 |issue=3 |doi=10.5070/P940361192 |issn=2373-8189 |doi-access=free}}

|

Lepisosteidae indet.

|

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|A gar.

|

Megalopidae indet.

|

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|1 otolith

|A tarpon of uncertain affinities.

|

Osmeroides

|O. weileri

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|6 otoliths

|An osmeroidid elopomorph.

|frameless

Paralbula

|P. casei

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|A phyllodontid elopomorph.

|

?Pempheris

|?P. huddlestoni

|Auger Hole Landing, NC

|1 otolith

|An apparent sweeper.

|frameless

Percoidei indet.

|

|Blue Banks & Auger Hole Landings, NC

|5 otoliths

|A percoid.

|

?Polymixia

|?P. cf. harderi

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|

|An apparent beardfish.

|frameless

Pterothrissus

|P. carolinensis

|Blue Banks Landing, NC

|67 otoliths

|A pterothrissine bonefish.

|frameless

Saurodon

|S. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|A saurodontid ichthyodectiform.

|frameless

Stephanodus

|S. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|

|A pycnodont.

|

rowspan="2" |Xiphactinus

|X. audax

| rowspan="2" |Phoebus Landing, North Carolina, NC

|

| rowspan="2" |An ichthyodectid ichthyodectiform.

| rowspan="2" |frameless

X. vetus

|

= Reptiles =

Records from SC based on Schwimmer et al (2015):

== Dinosaurs ==

=== Ornithischians ===

Based mainly on Brownstein (2018):

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
colspan="7" align="center" |Ornithischians of the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

cf. Hadrosaurus

|?H. foulkii

|Phoebus Landing & Sampson County, NC[https://collections.naturalsciences.org/ NCSM Paleontology Database]

|A hadrosaurid, tentatively assigned to the well-known H. foulkii.

|File:Hadrosaurus_foulkii_restoration.png

"Hadrosaurus"

|"H." minor

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A small or juvenile hadrosaur, nomen dubium.

|

Hypsibema

|H. crassicauda

|Phoebus Landing & Sampson County, NC

| A gigantic hadrosauroid. First discovered in North Carolina from Sampson County, 1869, and described by Edward Drinker Cope. It was measured to be 12-17 meters, making it one of the largest hadrosauroids.{{Cite journal |last=Miller |first=Halsey W. |date=1967 |title=Cretaceous Vertebrates from Phoebus Landing, North Carolina |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4064614 |journal=Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia |volume=119 |pages=219–239 |jstor=4064614 |issn=0097-3157}} Type locality for genus and species.

|frameless

Leptoceratopsidae indet.

|

|Sampson County, NC

|A leptoceratopsid ceratopsian. Known from an indeterminate left maxilla found in 2016.{{Cite journal |last=Longrich |first=Nicholas R. |date=2016-01-01 |title=A ceratopsian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of eastern North America, and implications for dinosaur biogeography |url=https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/a-ceratopsian-dinosaur-from-the-late-cretaceous-of-eastern-north- |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=57 |pages=199–207 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2015.08.004 |bibcode=2016CrRes..57..199L |issn=0195-6671}}

|

Lophorhothon

|L. atopus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A hadrosauromorph. Originally described from the Mooreville Chalk Formation, Alabama.

| frameless

An indeterminate hadrosauroid is known from Stokes Quarry, SC.

=== Theropods ===

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
colspan="5" align="center" |Theropods of the Tar Heel/Coachman Formation
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

Appalachiosaurus

|A. montgomeriensis

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|A large eutyrannosaur.

|frameless

cf. Coelosaurus (="Ornithomimus")

|C. sp.

| Phoebus Landing, NC

|An intermediate ornithomimosaur.[https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll9/id/22621 Baird D., and Horner, J., 1979, "Cretaceous dinosaurs of North Carolina"] Brimleyana 2: 1–28

| frameless

Dromaeosauridae indet.

|

|Sampson County, NC

|A large dromaeosaurid, larger than Saurornitholestes but smaller than Dakotaraptor.{{Cite journal |last=Brownstein |first=Chase D. |date=2018-12-01 |title=A large dromaeosaurid from North Carolina |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667118301253 |journal=Cretaceous Research |language=en |volume=92 |pages=1–7 |bibcode=2018CrRes..92....1B |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2018.07.006 |issn=0195-6671 |s2cid=135459468}}

|

Dryptosaurus

|D. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A large dryptosaurid eutyrannosaur. Originally known from the Maastrichtian of New Jersey, but similar remains referable to this species have been recovered from the Tar Heel. However, most of the attributed specimens are considered as indeterminate Eutyrannosauria separate from this genus, with only a partial femur fragment tentatively classified as D. sp.{{Cite web |last=Mortimer |first=Mickey |date=2024 |title=Tyrannosauroidea |url=https://theropoddatabase.github.io/Tyrannosauroidea.html |access-date=Jan 28, 2025 |website=The Theropod Database}}

|frameless

Saurornitholestes

|S. langstoni

|Burches Ferry & Stokes Quarry, SC

|

A widespread dromaeosaurid ("raptor"). Specimens from this formation provided the first evidence of this species from Appalachia.{{Cite journal |last=Brownstein |first=Chase D. |date=2018-04-05 |title=Diversity of raptor dinosaurs in southeastern North America revealed by the first definite record from North Carolina |url=https://peerj.com/preprints/26829 |journal=PeerJ Preprints |language=en |doi=10.7287/peerj.preprints.26829v1 |doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal |last=Brownstein |first=Chase D. |date=2018 |title=The distinctive theropod assemblage of the Ellisdale site of New Jersey and its implications for North American dinosaur ecology and evolution during the Cretaceous |journal=Journal of Paleontology |volume=92 |issue=6 |pages=1115–1129 |bibcode=2018JPal...92.1115B |doi=10.1017/jpa.2018.42 |issn=0022-3360 |doi-access=free}}

|frameless

Indeterminate theropods, ornithomimosaurs, and maniraptorans are known from Stokes Quarry.

== Crocodylomorphs ==

Based on the Paleobiology Database:

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

Borealosuchus

|B. formidabilis

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A eusuchian.

|frameless

Bottosaurus

|B. sp.

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|An early caiman.

|

Deinosuchus

|D. rugosus (=Thecachampsa rugosa, Polydectes biturgidus, Polyptychodon rugosus)

|Phoebus Landing & Clifton Farm, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

|An alligatoroid, one of the largest known crocodilians. Type locality for genus and species.

|frameless

Gavialoidea indet.

|

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|A gavialoid.

|

== Turtles ==

Based on the Paleobiology Database:

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

Adocus

|A. beatus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

|An adocid.

|frameless

Bothremys

|B. cooki

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A bothremydid side-necked turtle.

|

rowspan="2" |Chedighaii

|C. barberi

| rowspan="2" |Phoebus Landing, NC

| rowspan="2" |A bothremydid side-necked turtle.

| rowspan="2" |

C. hutchinsoni
Corsochelys

|C. bentlyi

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|A sea turtle, likely a dermochelyid. Type locality for species.

|

Euclastes

|E. wielandi

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|A pancheloniid sea turtle.

|frameless

Osteopygis

|O. emarginatus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A macrobaenid.

|File:The American journal of science (1904) (18152226245).jpg

?Taphrosphys

|?T. dares

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A bothremydid side-necked turtle, taxonomic placement disputed.

|

Toxochelys

|T. sp.

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|A toxochelyid sea turtle.

|frameless

rowspan="2" |"Trionyx"

|"T." halophilus

|Phoebus Landing, NC

| rowspan="2" |A stem-softshell turtle, likely not an actual member of the genus Trionyx. Species names are nomina dubia.

| rowspan="2" |

"T." priscus

|Stokes Quarry, SC

== Plesiosaurs ==

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

Elasmosauridae indet.

|

|Stokes Quarry, South Carolina

|An elasmosaurid.

|

== Squamates ==

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

Halisaurus

|H. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A halisaurine mosasaur.

|frameless

Platecarpus

|P. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A plioplatecarpine mosasaur.

|frameless

Prognathodon

|P. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

|A mosasaurine mosasaur.

|frameless

Teiidae indet.

|

|Stokes Quarry, SC

|A teiid lizard.

|

Tylosaurus

|T. sp.

|Phoebus Landing, NC

Stokes Quarry, SC

|A tylosaurine mosasaur.

|frameless

= Mammals =

Based on the Paleobiology Database:{{Cite web |title=PBDB Collection |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicCollectionSearch?collection_no=151919 |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=paleobiodb.org}}

class="wikitable" align="center" width="100%"
Genus

! Species

! Location

! Notes

! Images

Marsupialia indet.

|

|Darlington County, SC

|A presumed marsupial relative.

|

Multituberculata indet.

|

|Darlington County, SC

|A multituberculate.

|

References

{{Reflist}}

Category:Upper Cretaceous Series of North America

Category:Cretaceous geology of North Carolina

Category:Campanian Stage

Category:Cretaceous geology of South Carolina

Category:Shallow marine deposits