Fossil Vertebrates from the Middle Graneros Shale (Upper Cretaceous: Middle Cenomanian) in Southeastern Nebraska

Abstract

The Graneros Shale was deposited in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America during the mid-Cenomanian (ca. 95 Ma). In this study, we report an assemblage of fossil vertebrates from the middle portion of the Graneros Shale in southeastern Nebraska. The fauna consists of at least 11 taxa, including eight chondnchthyan and one osteichthyan fishes as well as two reptilians (turtle and plesiosaur). Although the exact taxonomie identity of the turtle material is uncertain, all other taxa are fully marine forms and represent vertebrates that lived in the Seaway during the initial stage of its major transgression.