Aquia Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Paleocene ~59.0–55.5  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Boulder of Aquia Formation along Chester River. Contains casts of large mollusks. (c. 1917)
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Pamunkey Group
Sub-units	Paspotansa & Piscataway Members
Underlies	Nanjemoy Formation
Overlies	Brightseat Formation
Thickness	up to 100 feet (30 m)
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Location
Location	Hopewell, Virginia
Coordinates	38°18′N 77°18′W / 38.3°N 77.3°W / 38.3; -77.3
Approximate paleocoordinates	39°00′N 58°54′W / 39.0°N 58.9°W / 39.0; -58.9
Region	Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia
Country	United States
Extent	Upper Chesapeake Bay- James River
Type section
Named for	Aquia Creek

The Aquia Formation is a geologic sandstone formation that extends from the upper Chesapeake Bay to the James River near Hopewell, Virginia. ^[1] It consists of clayey, silty, very shelly, glauconitic sand. ^[1] Fossil records indicate that this stratigraphic unit was created during the Paleocene. ^[1]

The Aquia formation was named for Aquia Creek where it is exposed in cliff faces along the banks. ^[2]

When uncovered, it appears dark green to gray-green, argillaceous, with well sorted fine- to medium-grained sand and locally indurated shell beds. ^[3] It is between 0 and 100 feet thick in Maryland. ^[3] Quartz and phosphatic pebbles and/or very coarse glauconitic quartz sand mark the base of the unit. ^[4] A few hard streaks of shells or thin "rock" layers are often reported but appear to be more abundant in the sections south of the James River. ^[4]

The Aquia formation is overlain by the Nanjemoy Formation and overlies the Brightseat Formation. ^[5]

The Aquia formation is broken down into two members: the lower Piscataway member and upper Paspotansa member. ^[2]

The Aquia Formation is thought to be 59.0-55.5 million years old. ^[2] The Piscataway member is 59–56.25 million years old, and the Paspotansa member is 56–55.5 million years old. ^[2] This is the Paleocene period.

Older publications describe the Aquia as being of Eocene age. ^[6]

• Lepisosteus ^[2]
• Ostracion ^[2]
• Phyllodus ^[2]
• Scomberomorus ^[2]
• Labridae ( Wrasse) ^[2]

• Abdounia beaugei ^{[2] [7]}
• Anomotodon novus ^{[2] [8]}
• Carcharias hopei ^{[2] [8]}
• Cretolamna appendiculata ^{[2] [8]}
• Delpitoscyllium africanum ^[2]
• Foumtizia abdouni ^[2]
• Galeorhinus ^[2]
• Ginglymostoma subafricanum ^[2]
• Heterodontus lerichei ^[2]
• Hypotodus verticalis ^[2]
• Isurolamna inflata ^[2]
• Megasqualus orpiensis ^[2]
• Notidanodon loozi ^[2]
• Odontaspisx loozi ^[2]
• Orectolobiform ^[2]
• Otodus obliquus ^{[2] [9] [8]}
• Pachygaleus lefevrei ^[2]
• Palaeogaleus ^[2]
• Paleocarcharodon orientalis ^{[2] [9] [8]}
• Paleohypotodus rutoti ^{[2] [10]}
• Paraorthacodus clarkii ^[2]
• Physogaleus secundus ^[11]
• Premontreia subulidens ^[2]
• Scyliorhinus ^[2]
• Squalus
• Squatina prima ^[2]
• Striatolamia macrota ^{[2] [8]}
• Striatolamia striata ^[2]
• Triakis ^[2]

• Myliobatis ^[12]
• Burnhamia ^[2]
• Coupatezia soutersi ^[2]
• Dasyatis ^[2]
• Hypolophodon sylvestris ^[2]
• Ischyodusx sylvestris ^[2]

• Eosuchus ^[8]
• Hyposaurus ^[8]
• Thecachampsa ^[13]
• Thoracosaurus ^[8]

• Trionyx ^{[8] [14]}

Mammal fossils are extremely rare. ^[2]

Bird fossils are extremely rare. ^[2]

• Turritella is very common. ^{[2] [8] [15]}
• Pleurotoma potomacensis ^[16]

• Crassatelites alaeformis ^[16]
• Cucullaea gigantea ^{[17] [16] [18]}
• Dosiniopsis lenticularis ^[16]
• Meretrix ovata ^[16]
• Modiolus alabamensis ^[16]
• Ostrea compressirostra ^{[19] [16]}
• Panopea elongata ^[16]
• Venericardia planicosta ^[16]
• Vulsella alabamensis ^[19]

• Cimomia marylandensis is present but uncommon. ^[20]

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Virginia
• Paleontology in Virginia
• Aquia Creek sandstone
• Public Quarry at Government Island