Quaternary Micromolluscan Fuana of the Mudlump Province, Mississippi River Delta
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1967 Quaternary Micromolluscan Fuana of the Mudlump Province, Mississippi River Delta. James Xavier Corgan Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Corgan, James Xavier, "Quaternary Micromolluscan Fuana of the Mudlump Province, Mississippi River Delta." (1967). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 1286. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/1286 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I This dissertation has been microfilmed exactly aa received CORGAN, James Xavier, 1930- QUATERNARY MICROMOLLUSCAN FAUNA OF THE MUDLUMP PROVINCE, MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1967 Geology University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan JAMES XAVIER CQRGAN 1Q£7 All Rights Reserved QUATERNARY MICROMOLLUSC AN FAUNA OF THE MUDLUMP PROVINCE, MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Geology James X^Corgan B.A., New York University, 1955 M.A., Columbia University, 1957 June, 1967 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Continuing aid and encouragement from Dr. Alan H. Cheetham and Dr. James P. Morgan made th is dissertation possible. Research was directed by Dr. Cheetham and essentially completed during his tenure as Associate Professor of Geology, Louisiana State University. Dr. Cheetham is now Associate Curator, Smithsonian Institution, and Consulting Professor, Louisiana State University. His assistance continued until completion of this study. I am indebted to him for aid in organization, for advice on many problems, for basic instruc tion in paleontology, for strong moral support, and for assistance with photography. Dr. Morgan, Louisiana State University, suggested study of the mudlump fauna and placed his knowledge of the Mudlump Province at my disposal. He provided material from SP 1-B, introduced me to field geology in the Mudlump Province, and maintained a high level of Interest in this project from beginning to end. Dr. H. V. Andersen, Louisiana State University, also played a key role in development of this study. He discussed the paleoecology of foraminiferal faunules from the Mudlump Province, was the source of most collections studied, acted as a guide in the field , and pro vided continual encouragement. Lewis G. Nichols, A ssistant Curator, Louisiana State University Department of Geology Museum, aided with photography and provided curatorial materials. Dr. Martin Mumma, then a student at Louisiana State Univer sity, aided in making collections, and Rodney Adams, Coastal Studies l i Institute, Louisiana State University, assisted in preparing speci mens for study. I am very much indebted to my typist, Joan M. Heath, who rendered services far beyond my ability to compensate. Great assis tance with clerical matters was also rendered by my mother, Nora M. Corgan, and by Dorothy £. Van Buskirk. The generosity of fellow employees at Sinclair Oil & Gas Company's Tulsa Research Center Insured a productive after-hours' research environment. I am especially indebted to Dr. B. N. Rolfe, Director of Geological Research, Drs. C. W. Ellis and F. A. Chenoweth, my principal project directors, and J. J. O'Neill, librarian. W. C. Meyers and D. E. Potter, palynologists, assisted with photography. On two occasions, Dr. R. Tucker Abbott, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, granted 24-hour access to the Academy's collection of modern mollusks. He arranged the loan of books, pro vided a workroom, and made a major contribution to this study. Dr. Joseph Rosewater, Department of Mollusks, Smithsonian Institution, granted 24-hour access to his collections and provided use of a microscope. Dr. Horace G. Richards, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, granted access to the Academy's paleontologic collec tions. Dr. Thomas R. Waller, Department of Paleontology, Smith sonian Institution, granted access to collections in his charge and aided in locating difficult specimens. iii Dr. Kenneth J. Boss, Museum of Comparative Zoology, loaned material by mall, provided bibliographic assistance, and Identified a d iffic u lt Macoma. Dr. Leo G. Hertlein, California Academy of Sciences, loaned specimens, discussed nomenclatorial matters, and read part of the Systematic Descriptions. Dr. Robert Robertson, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, discussed the literature on pyramldellid biology and provided an English-language translation of Kuroda and Habe (1949). Dr. Tetsuro Hanai, University of Tokyo, translated an a rtic le on m eristic variation in a scaphopod (Normura, 1938). Dr. Donald R. Moore, University of Miami, Florida, read portions of the Systematic Descriptions, and Dr. Philip A. Chenoweth, Sinclair Oil & Gas Company, read introductory portions of the text. Dr. G. D. Hanna, California Academy of Sciences, and Dr. K. V. W. Palmer, Paleontological Research Institution, Dr. A. M. Keen, Stanford University, Dr. A, A. Olsson, retired, and T. L. McGinty, private collector, exchanged correspondence on nomencla torial matters. Finally, I am indebted to my long-time employer, the Sinclair Oil & Gas Company, for twice placing me on extended leave without pay, and for granting after-hours' access to all facilities of Sinclair'8 Tulsa Research Center. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................11 Table of C o n ten ts.................................................................................................. v List of Tables ...............................................................................................................vl List of Figures .........................................................................................................v ll A bstract....................................................................... v iil Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Mudlump Province. .............. 6 Material Studied .............................................. 10 Mudlump Mlcromollusks. .............. 13 Faunal Homogeneity ................................................................................................. 24 Categorical Ratios .................................................................................................. 51 Summary................................................................... 62 References Cited ...........................................................................................................68 Systematic Descriptions ..................................................................................... 97 P la te s.............................................................................................................................. 256 Appendix 1. Master Faunal L ist, Mudlump M ollusca .................................. 271 Appendix 2. LSUDGMTC Numbers ......................................................................... 288 Appendix 3. Redescription of Some Western Atlantic Cadulus . 292 Appendix 4. Reference Specimens Examined ........... ........................................ 296 LIST OF TABLES 1. Number of Species and Number of Genera in Some Micromolluscan Faunas. ......................................... 4 2. Bathymetric Range of Key Mollusks from PAL 7 ......................... 25 3. Bathymetric Range of Key Mollusks from SP 1-B, -8.25 to 8.38’ .....................................................................................................30 4. Bathymetric Range of Key Mollusks from SP 1-B, -348.8 to 352.0' ................................................................................................ 32 5. Bathymetric Range of Key Mollusks from SP 1-B, -453.3 to 456.75* ....................................................................................... 34 6. Bathymetric Range of Key Mollusks from SP 5 and SP 6 ..........................38 7. Bathymetric Range of Key Mollusks from SP 94 ..................................... 39 8. Comparison of Rissold-Like MicrogastropodFaunas .................................45 9. Comparison of Siphonodentaliid Faunas ................................................. 46 10. Comparison of Parasitic Microgastropod Faunas ........ 47 11. Categorical Ratios, Mudlump Micromolluscan Community .......................52 12. Key to Subgenera of C adulus ...................................................................... 100 13. Nominal Content of Parviturboides ....................................................... 138 14. Nominal Content of Aorotrema .......................................................................150 15. Nominal Content of Eplscynia ...................................................................... 178 16. Pyramldelllds and Their Hosts ............................................................... 184 v i LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Species/Genus