Abstract:
Oligocene echinoids are rare, which makes important this material from three quarries in North Carolina. Three species occur in the state quarry at Pollocksville: Psammechinus carolinensis, new species, Maretia carolinensis, new species, and Agassizia sp. At the New Bern quarry occur Rhyncholampas gouldii (Bouvé) newbernensis, new subspecies, Agassizia mossomi Cooke, Psammechinus carolinensis, new species, Dixieus dixie (Cooke), Clypeaster rogersi (Morton), and Maretia sp. Periarchus lyelli (Conrad) is found in underlying Eocene beds. The Belgrade quarry fauna consists of Arbia aldrichi (Clark), Gagaria mossomi (Cooke), Echinocyamus wilsoni, new species, and Agassizia mossomi Cooke. These echinoids indicate a middle to late Oligocene age for the Trent Formation (= River Bend) and Belgrade Formation (= River Bend).