Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation Stratigraphic range: Ypresian (Wasatchian) ~55–50Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Formation
Unit of	Wilcox Group
Sub-units	Bashi Member
Lithology
Primary	Marl, sandstone
Other	Shale, siltstone
Location
Coordinates	31°18′N 86°06′W / 31.3°N 86.1°W / 31.3; -86.1
Approximate paleocoordinates	33°06′N 71°42′W / 33.1°N 71.7°W / 33.1; -71.7
Region	Alabama  Georgia (U.S. state)  Louisiana Mississippi
Country	United States
Extent	Gulf of Mexico Basin
Type section
Named for	Hatchetigbee Bluff, Tombigbee River, Washington County, Alabama
Named by	Smith & Johnson
Year defined	1887

The Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation is a special type of rock layer found in parts of the United States. You can find it in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This rock layer is the youngest part of something called the Wilcox Group.

Scientists study the Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation because it holds amazing fossils. These fossils are like clues from the past! They tell us about life from the Ypresian stage of the Eocene period. This was about 55 to 50 million years ago! In North America, this time is also known as the Wasatchian age. The formation gets its name from a place called Hatchetigbee Bluff, which is along the Tombigbee River in Washington County, Alabama.

What is the Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation Made Of?

This rock formation is mostly made of marl and sandstone. Marl is a type of soft rock that's a mix of clay and lime. Sandstone is made from grains of sand cemented together. You can also find shale and siltstone here. Shale is a fine-grained rock that splits easily into thin layers, and siltstone is similar but made of slightly larger particles than clay.

Fossils Found in the Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation

The Hatchetigbee Bluff Formation is a great place to find fossils! It helps scientists understand what animals lived millions of years ago. Here are some of the types of fossils found in this formation:

• Mammals:
  • Copelemur: This was an early primate, a group that includes monkeys and humans.
  • Coryphodon: A large, pig-like mammal that lived in swamps and forests.
  • Diacodexis: One of the earliest hoofed mammals, about the size of a small dog.
  • Homogalax: An early relative of rhinos and tapirs.
  • Oxyaena: A meat-eating mammal that looked a bit like a large weasel or badger.
  • Paramys: An early type of rodent, similar to a squirrel.
• Other Animals:
  • Birds: Fossils of ancient birds have been found.
  • Reptiles: Evidence of reptiles, like ancient crocodiles or turtles, is present.
  • Fish: Fossils of fish tell us about the ancient waters.
  • Insects: Even tiny insects left their marks in these rocks.
• Plants (Flora):
  • Flora: Plant fossils are also found, showing us what the ancient forests and plants were like.

These fossils help scientists piece together what the environment was like millions of years ago. The presence of these animals and plants suggests that the area was likely a shallow marine environment, meaning it was covered by a shallow sea or ocean.

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