AN EARLY EOCENE FISH FAUNA FROM THE BITTER CREEK AREA OF THE WASATCH FORMATION OF SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING, U.S.A

• Published in: Journal of vertebrate paleontology Vol. 36; no. 5; pp. 1 - 19
• Main Authors: DIVAY, JULIEN D., MURRAY, ALISON M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Fluvial deposition; Fossils; Freshwater fishes; Lakes; Natural history; Quaternary ammonium compounds; River basins; Specimens; Taxa; Vomer
• ISSN: 0272-4634; 1937-2809

Early Eocene fluvial ichthyofaunas of Wyoming are relatively poorly known compared with the better-preserved lake deposits of the Green River Formation. We describe the teleost fishes from a single floodplain locality in the main body of the Wasatch Formation that immediately predates the formation of Lake Gosiute, in the Washakie Basin of Wyoming. This assemblage was deposited during the Graybullian substage of the Wasatchian Stage, corresponding to the onset of the rapid climatic warming leading to the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum. In addition to a lepisosteiform and an amiid, the locality has a teleost ichthyofauna comprising Diplomystus (Ellimmichthyiformes), a gonorynchiform probably representing Notogoneus, amblyopsid-like percopsiforms that may represent up to three taxa, and perciforms among which are probably an indeterminate centrarchid and 'Priscacara' The fauna demonstrates that many of the Green River Formation fish taxa were already present in fluvial environments prior to the formation of the Green River lakes, indicating that the subsequent climate warming had little effect on these fishes. Some of the elements recognized here as probably representing Notogoneus were previously recovered from Late Cretaceous deposits from Utah to Alberta, suggesting that this gonorynchid was wide-ranging in North American fluvial environments since Mesozoic times, as were several other taxa identified here. Furthermore, the ichthyofauna indicates that the depositional environment was well vegetated and well oxygenated. These waters were shallow, with gentle flow strengths, which, together with the high oxygen content, suggests that the sediments of the locality were deposited in small ponds connected to an active river system.