# Modelo Formation

The Modelo Formation is a Miocene geologic formation in the Simi Hills and western Santa Susana Mountains of southern California, including under parts of Los Angeles.
It preserves fossils dating back to the Late Miocene of the Neogene period, among them a high number of fossil representatives of modern pelagic and deep-sea fish taxa (as well as some with benthic affinities), in addition to some seabirds and cetaceans. As suggested from this fauna, the sediments of the formation were likely deposited in a deepwater marine habitat at middle to upper bathyal depths within an abyssal fan, with geological changes along the San Andreas fault causing a rapid uplift during the latest Miocene, bringing these former deepwater sediments to the surface. It is likely partially contemporaneous with the Monterey Formation in some areas, such as the Ventura Basin.
Volcanic ash beds are known from the formation; these, along with fossil microorganisms, indicate that the formation was deposited between 13 and 5.5 million years ago.

## Paleobiota

Based on the Paleobiology Database and Fierstine et al (2012). Much of the fauna is shared with the Monterey Formation, though some distinct taxa are also known:

### Bony fish

Based on Fierstine et al (2012). Many of these taxa were described by David Starr Jordan from specimens excavated during the construction of the Sepulveda Boulevard Tunnel through the Santa Monica Mountains.
| Genus | Species | Location | Member | Material | Notes |
| Absalomichthys | A. velifer | | | Articulated skeletons | A manefish. |
| Araeosteus | A. rothi | | | Articulated skeletons | A relative of the prowfish. |
| Argyropelecus | A. bullockii | | | Articulated skeletons | A marine hatchetfish. |
| Bathylagus | B. angelensis | | | Articulated skeletons | A deep-sea smelt. |
| Bolinichthys | B. sp. | | | Articulated skeletons | A lanternfish. |
| Chalcidichthys | C. malacopterygius | | | Articulated skeletons | A manefish. |
| Chauliodus | C. eximius | | | Articulated skeletons | A viperfish. |
| ?Clupea | ?C. tiejei | | | Articulated skeleton | A herring, classification in Clupea uncertain. |
| Cyclothone | C. solitudinis | | Lower | Articulated skeleton | A bristlemouth. |
| Decapterus | D. hopkinsi | | | Articulated skeleton | A mackerel scad. |
| Decapterus | D. sp. | | | Articulated skeleton | A mackerel scad. |
| Diaphus | D. bolini | | | Articulated skeletons | A lanternfish. |
| Eclipes | E. santamonicae | | | Articulated skeletons | A cod. |
| Eclipes | E. veternus | | | Articulated skeletons | A cod. |
| Etringus | E. scintillans | | | Articulated skeletons, isolated scales | A herring, possibly a round herring. |
| Ganolytes | G. aratus | | | Articulated skeletons, isolated scales | A herring. |
| Ganolytes | G. cameo | | | Articulated skeletons, isolated scales | A herring. |
| Hipposyngnathus | H. imporcitor | | Upper | Articulated skeletons | A pipefish. |
| Plectrites | P. classeni | | | Articulated skeletons | A seabream. |
| Quaesita | Q. quisquilia | | | Articulated skeletons | A deep-sea smelt. |
| Lampanyctus | L. petrolifer | | | Articulated skeletons | A lanternfish, L. petrolifer potentially in an undescribed genus. |
| Lampanyctus | L. sp. | | | Articulated skeletons | A lanternfish, L. petrolifer potentially in an undescribed genus. |
| Laytonia | L. californica | | | Articulated skeleton | A halosaur. |
| Lompoquia | L. culveri | | | Articulated skeleton | A drumfish. |
| Lompoquia | L. retropes | | | Articulated skeleton | A drumfish. |
| Lompoquia | L. sp. | | | Articulated skeleton | A drumfish. |
| Molidae indet. | | | | | An ocean sunfish. |
| Myctophum | M. sp. | | | Articulated skeletons | A lanternfish. |
| Pseudoseriola | P. gilliandi | | | Articulated skeletons | A relative of the bluefish. |
| Pseudoseriola | P. sp. | | | Articulated skeletons | A relative of the bluefish. |
| Rhomurus | R. fulcratus | | | Partial skeleton | A halfbeak, either in the Hemiramphidae or the extinct Forficidae. |
| Sarda | S. stockii | | | Partial skeletons | A bonito. |
| Scomber | S. sanctaemonicae | | | Partial skeleton | A true mackerel. |
| Scomber | S. cf. japonicus (=Pneumatophorus cf. grex) | | | Scale | A true mackerel. |
| Scomber | S. sp. | Mulholland Drive | | Partial skeletons | A true mackerel. |
| Scomberesox | S. edwardsi | | Lower | Skull, partial segment with scales | A saury. |
| Scorpaena | S. ensiger | | | Articulated skeletons | A scorpionfish. |
| Sebastes | S. davidi | | | Articulated skeletons | A rockfish. |
| Sebastes | S. sp. | | | Articulated skeletons | A rockfish. |
| Syngnathus | S. avus | | | Articulated skeletons | A pipefish. |
| Thyrsocles | T. kriegeri | | | Articulated skeletons | A euzaphlegid. |
| Xyne | X. grex | | | Articulated skeletons, isolated scales | A herring. |
| Zanteclites | Z. sp. | | | Isolated scales | A Neotropical silverside. |
| Zaphlegulus | Z. venturaensis | | | | A euzaphlegid. |

### Birds

Based on the Paleobiology Database:
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes |
| Osteodontornis | O. orri | Sherman Oaks | | A pseudotooth bird. |
| Phalacrocorax | P. femoralis | | | A cormorant. |
| Puffinus | P. diatomicus | Sherman Oaks | Incomplete skeleton. | A shearwater. |
| Sula | S. willetti | Sherman Oaks | Leg bones. | A booby. |

### Mammals

Based on the Paleobiology Database:
| Genus | Species | Location | Member | Material | Notes | Images |
| Atocetus | A. nasalis | | Upper | | A kentriodontid toothed whale. | |
| Mixocetus | M. elysius | Lincoln Heights | Elysian Park Sandstone | Skull | A tranatocetid baleen whale, for which the formation is the type locality. | |