paleobiota of the Latah Formation
{{Short description|Organic elements preserved in Washington and Idaho lakes}}
File:MK02733 Spokane Upper Falls 3x2 crop.jpg, Spokane]]
File:Grand Coulee Dam aerial.jpg
The paleobiota of the Latah Formation encompasses both floral and faunal elements preserved in temporary lacustrine environments formed between eruptive phases of the Columbia River Basalts in central to east Eastern Washington and central to north Idaho. The Latah Formation is centered around the greater Spokane area, with a western extent outcropping at Grand Coulee and the eastern margins as far southeast as the area of White Bird, Idaho. Dating of the core Spokane sites is based on the host Grande Ronde Basalts which give an age range of {{ma|16.5|16.1}}. The Clarkia fossil beds lagerstätte site are slightly younger, being interbedded in the Wanapum Basalts Priest Rapids Member with an age constraint of {{ma|16.1|15.9}}, or Early Barstovian in age.{{cite journal |last1=Calede |first1=J. |last2=Orcutt |first2=J. |last3=Kehl |first3=W. |last4=Richards |first4=B. |year=2018 |title=The first tetrapod from the mid-Miocene Clarkia lagerstätte (Idaho, USA) |journal=PeerJ |volume=6 |issue=e4880 |pages=e4880 |doi=10.7717/peerj.4880|doi-access=free |pmid=29900070 |pmc=5995101 }}
The intermittent lakes were surrounded by a temperate ecosystem that was mesophytic in nature, and hosting a diverse flora with plants that are still native to the region and others now restricted to other areas of the globe. There is a small element of the flora that consists of fully extinct genera that are unique to the time and region. Based on work from sampling around Mica, Washington a diverse assembly of diatoms and algae lived in the Spokane area lakes though water conditions for growth were not ideal. The known fauna of the formation is smaller than the flora, with most taxa being insect species though one unnamed Sciuridae fossil was described in 2018, and fish belonging to the salmonid, cyprinid, and centrarchid groups are known. Preservation varies from carbonized compressions at most sites to exceptional organic preservations in some parts of the Clarkia area localities where original organic material is preserved down to living coloration and possible ancient DNA fragments. Upper layers of the Clarkia deposits have been recorded with modern fungi actively feeding on the ancient organic material of the fossils as a food source.{{cite journal |last1=O’Keefe |first1=J.M. |last2=Pound |first2=M.J. |last3=Romero |first3=I.C. |last4=Nuñez Otaño |first4=N.B. |last5=Gibson |first5=M.E. |last6=McCoy |first6=J. |last7=Alden |first7=M.E. |last8=Fairchild |first8=C.J. |last9=Fitzpatrick |first9=J. |last10=Hodgson |first10=E. |last11=Horsfall |first11=T. |last12=Jones |first12=S. |last13=Lennex-Stone |first13=J.E. |last14=Marsh |first14=C.A. |last15=Patel |first15=A.A. |last16=Spears |first16=T.M. |last17=Tarlton |first17=L. |last18=Smallwood |first18=L.F. |last19=VanderEspt |first19=O.L. |last20=Cabrera |first20=J.R. |last21=Eble |first21=C.F. |last22=Rember |first22=W.C. |last23=Starnes |first23=J.E. |last24=Alford |first24=M.H. |last25=Brink |first25=A. |last26=Warny |first26=S. |year=2024 |title=Summer-Wet Hydrologic Cycle during the Middle Miocene of the United States: New Evidence from Fossil Fungi. |journal=Research |volume=7 |pages=SI1.1 |doi=10.34133/research.0481|pmid=39319348 |pmc=11420851 |bibcode=2024Resea...7..481O }}
Plants
The initial taxonomic work on the flora was undertaken by Frank Knowlton with assistance from diatom specialist Albert Mann and bryologist Elizabeth Britton.{{cite report |last1=Knowlton |first1=F.H. |year=1926 |chapter=Flora of the Latah Formation of Spokane, Washington, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho |title=Shorter contributions to general geology, 1925 |series=Professional Paper |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=140 |pages=17–55, plates VIII-XXXI |doi=10.3133/pp140A |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0140a/report.pdf}} Their combined work was published as a supplemental chapter to the initial 1926 descriptive work by Joseph Pardee and Kirk Bryan. After Knowlton's death in November 1926, his revision of the Latah flora was taken over by Edward W. Berry who also erroneously included strata of the much older Klondike Mountain Formation around Republic, Washington.{{cite report |last1=Berry |first1=E.W. |year=1929 |title=A revision of the flora of the Latah Formation |series= Professional Paper |publisher=United States Geological Survey |doi=10.3133/pp154h |doi-access=free |id=154-H |pages=225–265}} This error was noted and corrected in later works by Roland W. Brown.{{cite report |last1=Brown |first1=R. W. |year=1937 |title=Additions to some fossil floras of the Western United States |series=Professional Paper |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=186 |pages=163–206 |doi=10.3133/pp186J |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0186j/report.pdf}} Ralph W. Cheney and Daniel I. Axelrod broke the Latah into four major florules, Grand Coulee and Spokane in Washington plus Coeur d'Alene and White Bird in Idaho, while noting several "miscellaneous" sites as well.{{cite book |last1=Chaney |first1=R. |last2=Axelrod |first2=D. |year=1959 |title=Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau: Part II. Systematic Considerations, by Ralph W. Chaney and Daniel I. Axelrod |publisher= Carnegie Institution of Washington |pages=1–226}}{{HathiTrust Catalog|uc1.c099384505|Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau}} Modern works have concentrated more on single taxa and certain florules.
=Mosses=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author/year ! Florule ! Notes ! Synonyms ! Images |
|---|
| Polytrichaceae
| | | |
| A possible polytrichaceous moss | | File:Polytrichites spokanensis holotype USNM36870 img3.jpg]] |
| rowspan=2 |incertae sedis
| rowspan=2 |†Hypnites | | (Steere) Miller{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=N. G. |year=1980 |chapter=Fossil mosses of North America and their significance |title=The Mosses of North America |pages=9–36}} |
| A moss of uncertain affiliation. |
| |
| †Hypnites patens
| (Britton) Miller |
| A moss of uncertain affiliation | | |
=Lycopods=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author/year ! Florule ! Notes ! Images |
|---|
| Lycopodiaceae
| | | Knowlton |
| A possible lycopod clubmoss | |
=Ferns=
=Ginkgos=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author/year ! Florule ! Notes ! Images |
|---|
| Ginkgoaceae
| | | (Unger) Heer |
| | |
=Conifers=
=Basal dicots=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author ! Florule ! Notes ! Images |
|---|
| Nymphaeaceae
| | | |
| A Nymphaea species leaf | |
=Monocots=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author ! Florule ! Notes ! Synonyms ! Images |
|---|
| rowspan=2 |Araceae
| | | Knowlton |
| An Arisaema species. | | |
| Lysichiton
| | Berry |
| First described as a skunk cabbage. | | File:Lysichiton washingtonense USNM P38621 Plate11 Fig2.jpg]] |
| rowspan=2 |Smilacaceae
|rowspan=2 |Smilax | | Chaney | | A green briar species |
| File:Smilax magna as Smilax lamarensis USNM P38093 img3.jpg]] |
| †Smilax praelaurifolia
| Ashlee |
| A green briar species | | |
| Typhaceae
| | | Cockerell | | A cattail species |
| |
| rowspan=2|Unidentified
|rowspan=2|Unidentified | Unidentified | |
| A poaceous like leaf. | | |
| Unidentified
| |
| Possibly a poalean plant | | |
=Magnoliids=
=Ceratophyllales=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author ! Florule ! Notes ! Images |
|---|
| Ceratophyllaceae
| | | Ashlee |
| First described as a Ceratophyllum | |
=Basal eudicots=
=Superasterids - basal=
=Superasterids=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author ! Florule ! Notes ! Synonyms ! Images |
|---|
| rowspan=3|Adoxaceae
|rowspan=3|Viburnum | | Berry |
| A Viburnum seed morphospecies. | | |
| †Viburnum lantanafolium
| Berry |
| A Viburnum species. | | |
| †Viburnum ribesiforme
| LaMotte |
| A Viburnum species. |
| File:Viburnum ribesiforme as Ribes fernquisti USNM P38136 img3.jpg]] |
| Apiaceae
| | | Berry |
| An apiaceous winged fruit morphogenus.{{cite journal |last1=Manchester |first1=S.R. |last2=O’Leary |first2=E.L. |year=2010 |title=Phylogenetic distribution and identification of fin-winged fruits |journal=The Botanical Review |volume=76 |issue=1 |pages=1–82 |doi=10.1007/s12229-010-9041-0|bibcode=2010BotRv..76....1M }} | | |
| Aquifoliaceae
| | | MacGinitie |
| A holly species. | | |
=Superrosids - Basal=
=Superrosids - Fabids=
=Superrosids - Malvids=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author ! Florule ! Notes ! Synonyms ! Images |
|---|
| Lythraceae
| | | Knowlton | | | A water caltrop species | |
| rowspan=2|Malvaceae
| | | (Lesquereux) MacGinitie |
| A malvalean flower. | | |
| Tilia
| | (Newberry) LaMotte | | A linden species | | |
| Meliaceae
| | | (Berry) Brown | | A Cedrela. | {{collapsible list|bullets = true |title={{small|synonymy}} |Carpolithes pteraformis |Umbellularia dayana }} | File:Cedrela pteraformis as Sapindus armstrongi USNM P38139 img3.jpg]] |
| Rutaceae
| | | Berry | | A Ptelea species | | File:Ptelea miocenica as Nyssa knowltoni USNM P38149 img3.jpg]] |
| rowspan=12|Sapindaceae
|rowspan=11|Acer | | Wolfe & Tanai |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer busamarum subsp. fingerrockense
| Wolfe & Tanai |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer chaneyi
| Knowlton |
| An Acer leaf morphospecies |
| |
| †Acer gigas
| Knowlton | | An Acer fruit morphospecies | |
| †Acer knolli
| Wolfe & Tanai |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer latahense
| Wolfe & Tanai |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer medianum
| Knowlton |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer niklasi
| Wolfe & Tanai |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer smileyi
| Wolfe & Tanai |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer tigilense
| Chelebaeva |
| An Acer species | | |
| †Acer whitebirdense
| (Ashlee) Wolfe & Tanai | | An Acer species |
| |
| Dilodendron
| | Brown |
| A Dilodendron species | |
=''incertae sedis''=
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author ! Florule ! Notes ! Synonyms ! Images |
|---|
| rowspan=5|Incertae sedis
|rowspan=4|†Carpites | | Knowlton |
| Seeds or nutlets of uncertain affinity | | |
| †Carpites ginkgoides
| Knowlton |
| A fruit/seed on a "fleshy" axis | | |
| †Carpites polygonoides
| Knowlton |
| Possible seeds or fruits | | |
| †Carpites spokanensis
| Knowlton |
| A seed or other reproductive organ | | |
| †Ozakia
| †Ozakia emryi{{cite journal |last1=Manchester |first1=S. R. |last2=Uemura |first2=K. |year=2013 |title=Ozakia, a new genus of winged fruit shared between the Miocene of Japan and western North America. |journal=Journal of Plant Research |volume=127 |issue=2 |pages=187–92|doi=10.1007/s10265-013-0602-2|pmid=24306324 |s2cid=22167161 }} | Manchester & Uemura |
| A winged fruit | | |
Fungi
The Clarkia outcrops is noted for exceptionally good palynological preservation, with a number of fungal palynomorphs preserved at the sites.
Insects
Fish
Mammals
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author/year ! Florule ! Notes ! Images |
|---|
| Sciuridae
| incertae sedis | incertae sedis | "2018" | Clarkia | The first tetrapod from Clarkia | File:Clarkia Sciuridae UWBM 113209 Fig1a.png specimen |
Algae
An initial survey of Latah Formation diatoms was conduced by Albert Mann at the behest of Frank Hall Knowlton. Based on sample material recovered from a well {{cvt|0.25|mi|km}} west of Mica, Washington, itself southeast of Spokane, Mann identified a large number of diatomaceous species, including 10 new species. Mann noted the diatoms appear to have lived under stressed conditions caused by caustic water, with many of the specimens showing malformed shapes or blurred ornamentations. The typical cause of this in diatoms is a high concentration of dissolved mineral salts in the water body.{{cite report |last1=Mann |first1=A. |year=1926 |chapter=The fossil diatom deposit at Spokane. In: Flora of the Latah Formation of Spokane, Washington, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho |title=Shorter contributions to general geology, 1925 |series=Professional Paper |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=140 |pages=51–55, plates XXX-XXXI |doi=10.3133/pp140A |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0140a/report.pdf}}
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin:auto; width:100% |
| Family
! Genus ! Species ! Author/year ! Florule ! Notes ! Synonyms ! Images |
|---|
| rowspan=2|Amphipleuraceae
| | | Grunow |
| An amphipleuraceous diatom | | |
| Frustulia
| | (Ehrenberg) De Toni |
| An amphipleuraceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=2|Aulacoseiraceae
|rowspan=2|Aulacoseira | | (Ehrenberg) Simonsen |
| A aulacoseiraceous diatom | | |
| Aulacoseira granulata
| (Ehrenberg) Simonsen |
| A aulacoseiraceous diatom | | |
| Cavinulaceae
| | | (Grunow ex A.Schmidt) D.G.Mann & A.J.Stickle |
| A cavinulaceous diatom | | |
| Coscinodiscaceae
| | Coscinodiscus subaulacodiscoidalis | Rattray |
| A coscinodiscaceous diatom | | File:Coscinodiscus subaulacodiscoidalis figured Plate30 fig 1.jpg]] |
| rowspan=6 |Cymbellaceae
|rowspan=6 |Cymbella | | A.W.F.Schmidt |
| A cymbellaceous diatom | | |
| Cymbella amphicephala
| Näegeli |
| A cymbellaceous diatom | | |
| Cymbella flexella
| Kützing |
| A cymbellaceous diatom | | |
| Cymbella lunula
| (Ehrenberg) Rabenhorst |
| A cymbellaceous diatom | | |
| Cymbella partita
| Mann |
| A cymbellaceous diatom | | |
| Cymbella sagittarius
| Mann |
| A cymbellaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=6|Eunotiaceae
| | | Grunow |
| A eunotiaceous diatom | | |
| Desmogonium
| | Grunow |
| A eunotiaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=4|Eunotia
| | Grunow |
| A eunotiaceous diatom | | |
| Eunotia parallela
| Ehrenberg |
| A eunotiaceous diatom | | |
| Eunotia pectinalis
| (Kuetzing) Rabenhorst |
| A eunotiaceous diatom | | |
| Eunotia robusta
| Ralfs |
| A eunotiaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=2 |Fragilariaceae
|rowspan=2 |Fragilaria | | (A.Cleve) Hustedt |
| A fragilariaceous diatom | | |
| Fragilaria binalis
| Ehrenberg |
| A fragilariaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=3 |Gomphonemataceae
|rowspan=3 |Gomphonema | | Ehrenberg |
| A gomphonemataceous diatom | | |
| Gomphonema gracile
| Ehrenberg |
| A gomphonemataceous diatom | | |
| Gomphonema parvulum
| (Kützing) Kützing |
| A gomphonemataceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=4 |Melosiraceae
|rowspan=4 |Melosira | | (Ehrenberg) Schmidt |
| A melosiraceous diatom | | |
| Melosira lyrata
| Ehrenberg |
| A melosiraceous diatom | | |
| Melosira teres
| Brun |
| A melosiraceous diatom | | |
| Melosira undulata
| (Ehrenberg) Kützing |
| A melosiraceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=23 |Naviculaceae
| | | (W.Smith) Hendey |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=22 |Navicula
| | F.W. Mills |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula angusta
| Grunow |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula bacillum
| Ehrenberg |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula commutata
| Grunow ex A.Schmidt |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula contendens
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula elegans
| Grunow |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula instabilis
| A.Schmidt |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula pauper
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula placentula
| Pantocsek |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula pontifica
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula protrudens
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula pseudoaffinis
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula pseudobacillum
| Grunow |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula pusilla
| Donkin |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula radiosa
| Kützing |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula reversa
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula stauroptera
| Schumann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula subacuta
| (Ehrenberg) Ralfs |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| †Navicula substauroneis
| Mann |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula tabellaria
| (Ehrenberg) Kützing |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula transversa
| A.Schmidt |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| Navicula viridis
| (Nitzsch) Kutzing |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=3 |Neidiaceae
|rowspan=3 |Neidium | | (Ehrenberg) Cleve |
| A neidiaceous diatom | | |
| Neidium iridescens
| (Mann) VanLandingham |
| A naviculaceous diatom | | File:Neidium iridescens as Navicula iridescens syntype Plate30 fig 5.jpg]] |
| Neidium iridis
| (Ehrenberg) Cleve |
| A neidiaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=7 |Pinnulariaceae
|rowspan=7 |Pinnularia | | Ehrenberg |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | |
| Pinnularia gracillima
| W.Gregory |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | file:Pinnularia gracillima as Navicula gracillima figured Plate30 fig 4.jpg]] |
| Pinnularia major
| (Kützing) Rabenhorst |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | |
| Pinnularia mesotyla
| Ehrenberg |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | |
| Pinnularia nodosa
| (Ehrenberg) W.Smith |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | |
| Pinnularia rupestris
| Hantzsch |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | |
| Pinnularia subcapitata
| W.Gregory |
| A pinnulariaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=3 |Stauroneidaceae
|rowspan=3 |Stauroneis | | Mann |
| A stauroneidaceous diatom | | |
| Stauroneis anceps
| Ehrenberg |
| A stauroneidaceous diatom | | |
| Stauroneis phoenicenteron
| (Nitzsch) Ehrenberg |
| A stauroneidaceous diatom | | file:Stauroneis phoenicenteron twin figured Plate31 fig 12.jpg]] |
| rowspan=3 |Surirellaceae
|rowspan=3 |Surirella | | Ehrenberg |
| A surirellaceous diatom | | |
| Surirella inducta
| A.W.F.Schmidt |
| A surirellaceous diatom | | |
| Surirella striatula
| Turpin |
| A surirellaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=3 |Tabellariaceae
|rowspan=2 |Tabellaria | | (Lyngbye) Kützing |
| A tabellariaceous diatom | | |
| Tabellaria flocculosa
| (Roth) Kützing |
| A tabellariaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=2|Tetracyclus
| | (Ehrenberg) Grunow |
| A tabellariaceous diatom | | |
| Tetracyclus lacustris
| Ralfs |
| A tabellariaceous diatom | | |
| rowspan=7|incertae sedis
|rowspan=3|Diatoma | | W. Smith |
| A diatom of uncertain familial affiliation | | |
| Diatoma tenue var. hybrida
| Grunow |
| A diatom of uncertain familial affiliation | | |
| Diatoma vulgaris
| Bory de Saint-Vincent |
| A diatom of uncertain familial affiliation | | |
| Gomphogramma
| | (Kützing) Braun in Rabenhorst |
| A bacillariophyceopus diatom of uncertain affiliation | | |
| rowspan=3|Himantidium
| | Ehrenberg |
| A diatom of uncertain familial affiliation | | |
| Himantidium gracile
| Ehrenberg |
| A diatom of uncertain familial affiliation | | File:Himantidium gracile as Eunotia gracilis figured Plate30 fig 3.jpg]] |
| Himantidium minus
| Kützing |
| A diatom of uncertain familial affiliation | | |
