BULLETINS of AMERICAN PALEONTOLOGY and PALAEONTOGRAPHICA AMERICANA
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8'oL HARVARD UNIVERSITY |v 1 ^J^y^ MUS. COMP. BULLETINSZOoL ^ LIBRARY OF MAR 4 *97^ HAi UNJVERi^-AMERICAN PALEONTOLOGY VOL. LXIV 1973-74 Paleontological Research Institution Ithaca, New York 14850 U. S. A. In Memoriam Orville L. Bandy 1916-1973 CONTENTS OF VOLUME LXIV Bulletin No. Pages Plates 278. Palynology of the ASmond Formation (Upper Cretaceous) Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming. By J. Fred Stone 1-136 1-20 279. Tabulate Corals and Echinoderms from the Pennsylvanian Winterset Limestone, Hog- shooter Formation, Northeastern Oklahoma. By H. L. Strimple and J. M. Cooke 137-168 21 280. Stratigraphy and Genera of Calcareous Foraminifera cf the Fraileys Fades (Missis- sippian) of Central Kentucky. By R. G. Browne and E. R. Pohl 169-244 22-31 281. Crinoid Studies. Part I. Some Pennsylvanian Crinoids from Nebraska. Part. II. Some Permian Crinoids from Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. By R. K. Pabian and H. L. Strimple 245-338 32-41 INDEX volume. Each number is No separate index is included in the listed in the begin- indexed separately. Contents of the volume are ning of the volume. BULLETINS MUS. COMP. 200U LIBRARY OF OCT 16 19^ AMERICAN t^S«?fALEONTOLOGY (Founded 1895) Vol. 64 No. 278 PALYNOLOGY OF THE ALMOND FORMATION (UPPER CRETACEOUS), ROCK SPRINGS UPLIFT, WYOMING By J. Fred Stone 1973 Paleontological Research Institution Ithaca, New York 14850, U.S.A. PALEONTOLOGIGAL RESEARCH INSTITUTION 1972 - 73 President Daniel B. Sass Vice-President Merrill W. Haas Secretary Philip C. Wakeley Assistant Secretary Rebecca S. Harris Director, Treasurer Katherine V. W. Palmer Counsel Armand L. Adams Representative AAAS Council John Pojeta, Jr. Trustees Rebecca S. Harris (Life) Cecil H. Kindle (1971-1974) Axel A. Olsson (Life) Harry S. Ladd (1971-1974) Katherine V. W. Palmer (Life) Daniel B. Sass (1971-1974) Donald W. Fisher (1967-1973) Virgil D. Winkler (1969-1975) Merrill 'W. Haas (1970-1973) Kenneth E. Caster (1972-1975) Philip C. Wakeley (1970-1973) Harold E. Vokes (1973-1975) BULLETINS OF AMERICAN PALEONTOLOGY and PALAEONTOGRAPHICA AMERICANA Katherine V. W. Palmer, Editor Mrs. Fay Briggs, Secretary Advisory Board Kenneth E. Caster Hans Kugler A. Myra Keen Jay Glenn Marks Axel A. Olsson Complete titles and price list of separate available numbers may be had on application. For reprint, Vols. 1-23, Bulletins of American Paleontology see Kraus Reprint Corp., 16 East 46th St., New York, N.Y. 10017 U.S.A. For reprint, vol. I, Palacontographica Americana see Johnson Reprint Cor- poration, 111 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10003 U.S.A. Subscription may be entered at any time by volume or year, with average price of $18.00 per volume for Bulletins. Numbers of Palacontographica Ameri- cana invoiced per issue. Purchases in U.S.A. for professional purposes are de- ductible from income tax. For sale by Paleontological Research Institution 1259 Trumansburg Road Ithaca, New York 14850 U.S.A. BULLETINS OF AMERICAN PALEONTOLOGY (Founded 1895) Vol. 64 No. 278 PALYNOLOGY OF THE ALMOND FORMATION (UPPER CRETACEOUS), ROCK SPRINGS UPLIFT, WYOMING By J. Fred Stone September 28, 1973 Paleontological Research Institution Ithaca, New York 14850, U.S.A. Library of Congress Card Number: 73-81675 Printed in the United States of America Arnold Printing Corporation 1 CONTENTS Page Abstract 5 Acknowledgments 5 Introduction ^ Purpose and scope 6 Previous investigations 6 Stratigraphy 7 General statement 7 Almond Formation 8 Measured sections and sample localities 9 Techniques - 11 Sample collection .^ 1 Sample processing „ 1 Slide making 12 Assemblage attributes 12 Distribution and range of species 12 Relative abundance of species and groups of species IS Absolute abundance of groups of species and tissue 20 Diversity 30 Cluster analysis _ 31 Discussion and conclusions 35 Age of the Almond Formation 35 Depositional environments 37 Palynological correlations 40 Plant associations 40 Palynomorph descriptions 41 Taxonomic listing 42 Descriptive listing _ _ 46 Descriptions 48 References 99 Plates „ „ Ill Index 132 TABLES Tal)!e Page I. Measured Section 4, absolute abundance of palynomorph groups — - 22 II. Measured Section 14, absolute abundance of palynomorph groups 23 III. Measured Section 23, absolute abundance of palynomorph groups 24 IV. Measured Section 9, absolute abundance of palynomorph groups 25 V. Measured Section 12, absolute abundance of palynomorph groups 26 VI Diversity and equitability, all species 33 VII. Diversity and equitability, marine species 34 VIII. Diversity and equitability, nonmarine species 36 IX. Taxonomic placement of form genera and species 42 X. Arrangement of species in the descriptions and plates 46 XI. Count Data Fold-in 48, 49 TEXT-FIGURES page 1. Late Campanian lithofacies map 8 2. Outcrop pattern of Almond Formation showing location of measured geologic sections 10 3. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 8 14 4. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 4 16 5. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 14 Fold-in 16, 17 6. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 23 17 7. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 9 18 8. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 12 19 9. Distribution and range of palynomorphs. Measured section 8, 14 Fold-in 19, 20 10. Ratio marine to nonmarine species range of restricted species. Species diversity. Measured section 8 Fold-in 20, 21 11. Absolute abundance of selected palynomorph groups. Measured section 4 21 12. Absolute abundance of selected palynomorph groups. Measured section 14 Fold-in 21, 22 13. Absolute abundance of selected palynomorph groups. Measured section 23 27 14. Absolute abundance of selected palynomorph groups. Measured section 9 28 15. Absolute abundance of selected palynomorph groups. Measured section 12 29 16. R-mode cluster analysis, all samples, all species Fold-in 35, 36 17. Correlations upper Almond Formation. Measured section 23 Fold-in 38, 39 PALYNOLOGY OF THE ALMOND FORMATION (UPPER CRETACEOUS), ROCK SPRINGS UPLIFT, WYOMING J, Fred Stone* ABSTRACT The palynomorph content of the Almond Formation (Upper Campanian) was investigated using 80 samples from six measured sections on the east flank of the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming. A composite standard reference section of the total Almond and four additional sections of the marine interval of the upper Almond were used. One hundred thirteen species of palynomorphs were identified. Five new species are described. The affinities or possible relationships of the form species with living plants are noted. Paleoenvironmental and paleoecological investigations were made using the distribution and stratigraphic range of the species; the absolute abundance of species, groups of species, and dispersed plant tissues; the ratio of marine species to nonmarine species; the diversity of the palynomorphs and the cluster analysis grouping of species. The marine upper Almond Formation is easily distinguished by the presence of 25 species, mainly dinoflagellates and acri- tarchs, which are restricted to it in the sections studied. The dinoflagellate species, Trif/iyrodinium druggii Stone, n. sp., is abundant and restricted to the marine upper Almond and may be used to characterize it. The dino- flagellate species, Dcflandrea cooksoni Alberti, has a restricted range within the upper Almond and is used to subdivide the marine interval. The criteria which are most useful in subdividing the upper Almond are the ratio of marine to nonmarine species and the absolute abundance of marine species and nonmarine species. Three subunits. A, B, and C, are defined using the ratio and absolute abundance as observed from plots of this information for each section. An R-mode cluster analysis was performed using the Jaccard Coefficient of similarity and resulted in some distinct groupings of species at high simi- larity levels. The marine species were clustered as one large group, and a subgroup at a higher similarity level contained the more relatively abundant marine species which, it is suggested, represent the most marine association of species. One high level cluster group contains species restricted to the lower Almond and has possible significance as a nonmarine species association. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author is indebted to A. T. Cross of the Departments of Geology and Botany-Plant Pathology of Michigan State University under whose direction this study was accomplished. R. L. Tabbert and others of the Atlantic Richfield Company supported the study and contributed helpful suggestions. J. N, Minick and his associates measured and described the geologic sec- tions and collected most of the samples. J. E. Bennett advised as to the chemical processing of the samples and J. W. Dial assisted in the processing. The facilities of the Field Research Laboratory of the Mobil Research and Development Corporation were utilized by the author. Of particular value was the use of the computer center. The program for the distribution-range charts was written by T. Nash. The pro- grams for relative abundance, absolute abundance, and diversity *Mobil Oil Corporation, Exploration Services Center, P.O. Box 900, Dallas, Texas 75221. Bulletin 278 were written by R. J, Pauken. The cluster analysis program was written by Ed Hagmeier of the Department of Biology of the Uni- versity of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and implemented for Mobil's computer by R. J. Pauken and D. Duncan. This study was supported in part by National Science Founda- tion Grant GA429, "Palynological Analysis and the Determination of Environments of Deposition in the Rocky Mountain Cretaceous," A. T. Cross, principal investigator. Mobil Research and Development Corporation, Dallas, Texas, provided the funds for the cost of illustrations for the published paper. The author's wife, Judith C. Stone, assisted in compiling the manuscript and in typing the manuscript. INTRODUCTION PURPOSE AND SCOPE Tht objective of this study was to investigate the palynomorph content of the Upper Cretaceous Almond Formation from measured sections in the area of outcrop on the east flank of the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming. The palynomorphs are documented, identified, and classified into form taxa.