Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

Temblor Formation

The Temblor Formation is a geologic formation in California. It preserves fossils dating back from the Late Oligocene to the Middle Miocene of the Neogene period. It is notable for the famous Sharktooth Hill deposit.

Last revised
Jul 1, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
396 w
Citations
48
Source
Temblor Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Oligocene-Mid Miocene
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TypeGeologic formation
Sub-unitsAgua Sandstone Member, Buttonbed Sandstone Member, Carneros Sandstone Member, Cymric Shale Member, Devilwater Siltstone, Gould Shale, Media Shale Member, Round Mountain Silt, Santos Shale Member, Wygal Sandstone Member
UnderliesMonterey Formation
Lithology
PrimaryShale, sandstone
Location
RegionWestern San Joaquin Valley,
Kern County, California
CountryUnited States
Type section
Named forTemblor Ranch, McKittrick district, Kern County
Named byAnderson
Year defined1905

The Temblor Formation is a geologic formation in California. It preserves fossils dating back from the Late Oligocene to the Middle Miocene of the Neogene period. It is notable for the famous Sharktooth Hill deposit (otherwise known as Ernst Quarry).123

Fossils

Vertebrates

Cartilagenous fishes

Sharks
Isurus planus upper teeth from the Sharktooth Hill bonebed source ↗
Rays and skates

Reptiles

Birds

  • Diomedea californica5
    • D. milleri5
  • Fulmarus miocaenus5
  • Hadrogyps aigialerus5
  • Megalodytes morejohni5
  • Morus vagabundus5
  • Osteodontornis orri5
  • Pandion homalopteron5
  • Presbychen abavus5
  • Puffinus inceptor5
    • P. milleri5
    • P. priscus5
Artist's rendering of Hypohippus in its natural habitat source ↗
Restoration of Paleoparodoxia source ↗

Mammals

Plants

  • Keteleeria heterophylloides6
  • Glyptostrobus oregonensis6
  • Pinus temblorensis6
  • Zelkova oregoniana6
  • Platanus dissecta6
  • Persea pseudocarolinensis6
  • Cornus ovaliss6
See also

See also

References

References

  1. "Vast Bed of Ancient Bones and Shark Teeth Explained". LiveScience. By Charles Q. Choi. 9 June 2009.
  2. L. G. Barnes. 1988. A new fossil pinniped (Mammalia: Otariidae) from the middle Miocene Sharktooth Hill Bonebed, California. Contributions in Science 396:1-11
  3. Malchow, A. 2009. MIOCENE SHARK TOOTH HILL LOCALITY, KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. Geological Society of America North-Central Section - 43rd Annual Meeting (2-3 April 2009)
  4. Boessenecker, Ehret, D, Long, D, Churchill, M, Martin, E, Boessenecker, S. The Early Pliocene extinction of the mega-toothed shark Otodus megalodon: a view from the eastern north Pacific. PeerJ. 2019 Feb 13;7:e6088. doi: 10.7717/peerj.6088. eCollection 2019.
  5. Stegall, J. 2016. Fossil Birds of the Mojave Desert & Environs. Murturango Press, Ridgecrest, California.
  6. K.M. Renney (1972). "The Miocene Temblor Flora of West Central California". University of California, Davis.
External links