PREHISTORIC LIFE OF NORTH DAKOTAlibrary.nd.gov/statedocs/GeologicalSurvey2/MM-3720140212.pdf ·...

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PREHISTORIC LIFE OF NORTH DAKOTA North Dakota Geological Survey Miscellaneous Map 37 Edward C. Murphy, Acting Slate Geologist 2004 by N W4)E S QlJhTfnNA}olY TfRTlAI{Y ,RI"TACI OtiS John W. Hoganson and Brett Woodward '1*, .... I I Arncrican 11111::ilodon (MommuJ) fAU:OCENf:. MIOCf.NI Colchnrhor (jouvp (glacll\l Jnl\) CJ Hdl Cn.:ck fHrlll<J1l0n c=J (1()hJcn VaHey Fonn311ol1 r:::J Ar.I..an.:c Fl,lrm.'1tll"l11 lukc:telilnll.:111 ghlclal c:::::J Fox fllltlj: FOnl1i1hun c::J llullC Fonmilion O (.all "nd clay) (tIll) I 50 MUM I r::::J "ern: Shale [=::J 111l11l(1n Fonnallon Eo<.'P.N(: - ()(,IGOU:NF nvu "l'Jd beach D ilallO Dh'lI roiling 1 I CJ C3 nt1onball. LuJlo'A- "oJ [:::::l Chadron 3nft IJrulc O I::md hill (s.nruJ ;\n(l gT<"IVcl) Slope Foml:JIII.)nS l'urtTltlllom, E:::J I ;Jnd

Transcript of PREHISTORIC LIFE OF NORTH DAKOTAlibrary.nd.gov/statedocs/GeologicalSurvey2/MM-3720140212.pdf ·...

Page 1: PREHISTORIC LIFE OF NORTH DAKOTAlibrary.nd.gov/statedocs/GeologicalSurvey2/MM-3720140212.pdf · 2014-03-10 · In the Earth. FOSSIls indicate the kinds of plants and animals thai

PREHISTORIC LIFE OF NORTH DAKOTA North Dakota Geological Survey Miscellaneous Map 37 Edward C. Murphy, Acting Slate Geologist 2004 by

N

W4)E S

QlJhTfnNA}olYTfRTlAI{Y,RI"TACI OtiS

John W. Hoganson and Brett Woodward

'1*, .... I I ~,--""

Arncrican 11111::ilodon (MommuJ)

fAU:OCENf:. MIOCf.NI Colchnrhor (jouvp (glacll\l Jnl\)CJ Hdl Cn.:ck fHrlll<J1l0n c=J (1()hJcn VaHey Fonn311ol1 r:::J Ar.I..an.:c Fl,lrm.'1tll"l11

lukc:telilnll.:111 ghlclal ~axhml:111

c:::::J Fox fllltlj: FOnl1i1hun c::J ~:k.nllnd llullC Fonmilion O(.all "nd clay) (tIll) I 50 MUM I

r::::J "ern: Shale [=::J 111l11l(1n Cr~k Fonnallon Eo<.'P.N(: - ()(,IGOU:NF nvu "l'Jd beach DilallO Dh'lIroiling 1 I

CJ C3 nt1onball. LuJlo'A- "oJ [:::::l Chadron 3nft IJrulc O I::md hill ~cdllrw;lll (s.nruJ

;\n(l gT<"IVcl)Slope Foml:JIII.)nS l'urtTltlllom,

E:::J I ~lk(~ ;Jnd K,,,,c~

Page 2: PREHISTORIC LIFE OF NORTH DAKOTAlibrary.nd.gov/statedocs/GeologicalSurvey2/MM-3720140212.pdf · 2014-03-10 · In the Earth. FOSSIls indicate the kinds of plants and animals thai

Introduction to North Dakota Prehistoric Life North Dakota Stratigraphy Prehistoric Life Images

The history of life in North Dakota is a fascinating slory. That history is being deciphered through the study of fossils, the remains of plants and anima.ls buned In the Earth. FOSSIls indicate the kinds of plants and animals thai in.habitcd North Dakoul at different times in the geologic pas I and document the progression of life through lime They also provide infonnallon about North Dakota's past climates and environments. Fossils of all the animals illustrated on the other side of thi, page havc been lound m Norlh Dakota approximately where shown on the geologic map The followlllg are highlights of Norlh Dakota's prehistoric life slory.

The oldest roeh exposed io North Dakota ,lre abl)ul 90 million years l)ld. From about 90 million years ago ontil ahout 70 millIon years ago North Dakota wa,s covered by shallow, wann oceans thai connected lhe Gulf (I[ MeXICO 10 the ArClle Ocean. The fossili7.cd remains of the animals thai lived in Ihese oceans include manne repliles (mosasaurs, pleSiosaurs, turtlcs); sharks, rays, ratfish, and olhel fish; and invertebrates Including squids, crabs, snails, clams, and cephalopods. These fossil~ are enlonlbed in sediments, now turned into rock, that accumulated at Ihe hOllom of the oceans. By ahout 65 million years ngo these oceans receded and a huge delta developed in weslern North Dakota Th.s delta provided habik\ts for dino,aurs, inelud10g Tricem/op.v and 7j'1'l1ll110.WlUrtl~· rC'x. rodent-size mammals, freshwater snails and clams, and exotic plant,. Their remains arc f(lUnd in the Hell Creek Fonnation. The last ocean, namcd the Cannonball Sea, to cover pariS of Nl)rth Dakola disappeared by ahoul 60 million years ngo. Sharks. stingrayS, rattish, other fish and inveltebrates, Including lohslers, cr<1bs, snails, and clams livcd in tbat ocean. Fossils of these animHls have been recovered from lhe CannonbHll Fonnalion. North Dakota's stale Ii>ssil, Teredo-bored pctrified wood, which was driflwood bored into by shipworms float1Og along the ,hore of the Cannonball Sea, is also found 10 these rocks.

Huge swamps occupied western North Dakota from about 60 million 10 50 mIllion years ago when North Dakota's c1imale was suhlropieal, similar Iu Florida's chmate loday Dawn redwood, haloJ cypress, C;nk};lJ, Ml/};nolw, palm and many other exotic planl's grew in Ihese swampy lowlands and f(mned extensive forests nle swamps were inhabIted by <:rocodi1es, alligators, turtles. mammals, clams, and snails. The Bullion Creek and Sentinel Bulle Formations conlain fossil> of these plants and animals. By about 35 mIllion years ago these swamplands gave way to savanna habitats as a result of climate cooling and drying These savannas were inhabited by ancestral h(mes, camels, rhinoceroses, sheep-like mammals, rodents, rabbits, giant pigs, ancestral dogs, and saber-toolh <:ats. Their remain, are found in Ihe Chadron and Brule Formalions. CI,male covlll1g continued and culmillutcd in lhe Grc,l( Icc Age that began aboul 1.6 million years ago. Woolly mammoths. mastodons, glilnl bison, ground Slulh,. and horses Inhabited the ,leppes and spruce-aspen forcsts lhal existed In North Dakola in frolll of the continenlal gillcier,. Cold-adapted insects ami mollusk> lived 10 the ponds The grassland habitats Ihat exiS1 today in NOlth Dakota became eSlablished by about 4.000 year~ ago as a result of c1.mate dryIng and warming, and the kinds of ~nirnals and plams that eXIst today m North Dakola became cslabli,hcd al about Ihat time.

--l Shark (OJonl<.l·'I"')

-------------------11 Ou<.:kbdlcd dmosaur (F:(fmOnfo.wmru.... ) Dm()~i111r (7'roodurJ)

Theropod fhnosillIl (Tyr(mmJ,munI,\)

Marsup\al mammal (AlfJhodmJ)

-----------------! rhrcc-IOI.--<l horse (Mew/llppu.,)

------------------1,

l Ch<jmp~o~aur«( IttlflJl,:.o:WI/I'U\')

Dcar-like m:llnmal (7itanOldl'l')

Lemw-Ilkc mammal (f'le\u.{(J(/I'I~')

CrOl:odlk (BOf't;'ll!tuuchu,\')

~(lt\-shdk:d tunic (Plmlonu:ml\) Mlllllluocrcliiaic maolmal (ffifudw)

-­fW.y'" -i Rhlnol,;e.fl)!1o-hke mammaIIH,w7ftlp,,')

"""' ... S-f.b ---f Iltprorotamu:-.-hkc mammal tCorxphl1doni

,Till

[3 -s.oo .l GI.",I

Hell Cltdt

Piom:

ArikMl':

Slooc

ConnonboII

tl1m>o

GoIdco V.lley

lIN\:

L'olc.Mibor

Bullioo Cred<

Sentinel Illao

ROCK UNIT

om:

:::U""""'" ~ Ch::l)h<:Jnt-l1kc nli:lrnOlnl ttlmt:hdO(klll) - 'Heavel (/la/(Jl:OClLtJVr)

----- ­

.. ".-~---.--:-." ....

""'...OJl..lIMS

~ ­ C.I_ Shole 0 -Cb)'sloneISlU

8·Usnilt

o -Sond$Ione

.., ",: ., ' :

~ Ralli"h (I\dr)'odu.\)

- ­ • - ­ • "'0.' Ililb R::lY (MX1ed(Jphus) r . .4 Salmon-like Ihh U;u('hodll,'i:l

I

MU~?l~ullr ({'flop/alec orpu,,') Oog(jc;.h c;hark (Sq((o{U\)

_________________ (ilant l.;ctl lunlt (An he/on)

I t. rlcsl\ls<.lur (F.ltJ.~m(J,\'({uru,\')

I I I I I I I Niobnn Tal'ptm-lik:c li~h (Xi(Jhm{,rt/'.\1

~ Flightless >C'..a hlrd (11("\J'enmll~) C.-ilk' Giant squid (1i',\'M~Ulhl.\)

2 ~ II!POOI

til

§ ~

~

I I [ 2]"{~UodloW -:: ..

o

I

", I~_J

l!~.8 "".' .....,.-." .~ -. ­0],...... ~.-:-:

II,,-j r - =-._

~ -:-- ­1= _._ =: -. ­~ '.,.:I :.: .,...,.....:

-. ­.. '"

f'i;J . S;Il'1C,neGJ

@ .Cw!>onoIe

E3 ­ Moo,.one

Ame:nc<Jo m'blntlon (Mummul)

Woolly 111(Il'Omolh (,\tlmllmu,hw)

Granl Icc ~gc h"on (81.<00)

Icc Age horse (£quus) kc Ag...: ground s.lolh lM('~ahJr()'J:1

PI~lco-ln(hans b\llcht:rtn~ bison elk (Ce'v",) MOO~nI blmn Illl,l'on)

FruJ; (Ranul Pcr(:h lP~rt:u)

nt:~vcr rCII.\·(or)

IJlg-llke maOlln:t1 (An:hl1t'f,IJIL·/'ltlm)

Monguo...:c-Itk:c m310mal (J ""~J)j'n~J'O/l)

~qulrrel-Ilkc In:lmmal (/!;ch.vmmy.,') Hyen:J-llkc lflaml11i11 (/fvQCIIOdlln)

Rahhit (PtJloeulo,t:.Ii.\')

Shccp-hkc m~rTlmjJl (Mt!jJfCOfdnd{nt)

( ;)mel (I~(}chm(herllJm)

Horned dlnm'(Iur l'J l'{('eru(tJp")

Acknowledgments' We Ih~nk Ihe folio'"In!,; ,,,I.s,, and organ,/.ation, for allowlllg u, to usc 'he prehlstone animal linage,. Jllinois State Museum "nd artist Robert G. Larson, Amellean mastoJlln (Mummul), Artist Vern Erickson. Il,wn (Rison), r.lk (ee,.vus); Amerielln Mu~eum of Natural Histor)' and arti,t eh.rles R. Knight. Saher-t(lOlh cal (DInIC'II'), Artist Dorothy S. Norton. Icc Age horse (EI./I1I1.\), Giani Icc Age b'Sllll (1I1"un). Woolly manllnolh (Mllmmlltlws), Artist Dan Voruer. Flighlles; sea bIrd (Ih'speromi.I·), Tarpon-like r"h (Xil'!to('/lIlu.<), Rlllnoceros-hke mammal (Bronlu!'s), Arlist Gene Carl Feldman, Giant squ.d (TUSf)/t'II/Ir,,), Science Museum of Minnesota and artist Jerome Connoll!" Ch"mpsosaur (ChUlnp.I'IJ,Wllrr"s). State IIistorieal Societ)' uf North Dakota, P,lco-lndians butchering bison, Artist Murk Hallell, G,nnt sea turtle (An:helol/), DlllOsallr (Tyranll"s'llInts). Marshall £ditions, a member of the Quarto Group. PleSIosaur (!:Ja.lmIlW,m'J), Crocodile (lloreo/woel"'s), Lemur-like mammal (I'leJwdapl.I). Pig-I,ke mammal (Archaelllhcl'llulI). Mungoosc-Ilk~ mamlllal (lfe.'l'emCFon), Multitubereulale mammal IPlilodu.,), Sofi-sh"I\cd turtle (I'I".\,,,,,,en,,.,).

Sqlllrrel-ioke Illammal (lsci/YroJlly.,), Hyena-like mammal (Ny"e",,,/on). R"bbit (P,,{acol[Jf[lI,). Sheep-like mammal (MCryCllld",/on), Duekhliletl Jino,aur (lidmon/I)."'u",.r.,). Hlppopolamus-lIkc mammal (CoryPhod"n), Marsupwl mammal (A/phadon), Salmon-like tish ([n('/",Jlls), Elephanl-Iike mammal (Amr:hdodon), \.leaver (Cox!"r). Artist Richard Ellis, Grey nnrse shark (Odf)1II0SP'S). Dogfish shark (Squalux), Canadian National Museum of NaturAl Sdenees and arflst Eleanor Kisl>, Dmosau. (Tnceru/ops); The Natural Histor~' Museum, London, and artist Michael R I.ong. Bear-Ioke mammal (Tt/anlllde,), Threc-LOed horsc (Me.l'Ohil'l'uJ); KingJisher Publications, Beaver (Pa/aeVUtI/(lr), Camci IP,,,,brolhenom), Artist .lohu Sibbiek, Dmosaur piVOl/OII); The Manitoha Museum, Tire Na/ural /feri/OliC "f!'doni/aha.: LeKae)' of/he lu Age, and artist 6.tsy Thorsteinson, lee Age ground sloth (Megalony.r); North Dakota Geological SUr\'cy and artist David W. Miller. Mo,a~aur (PI/lI/lIIJ!('cl/ll'll.I), North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Frog (Raila), Salamander (Oplslho!rilwn), Perch (PI<Il·{/). Geologic m~p modifIed from North Dakota Geol(,gieal Survey Miscellaneau, Map 2H.