Multinodose Scaphitid Cephalopods from the Lower Part of the Pierre Shale and Equivalent Rocks in The
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Multinodose Scaphitid Cephalopods from the Lower Part of the Pierre Shale and Equivalent Rocks in the GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 483-E Multinodose Scaphitid Cephalopods from the Lower Part of the Pierre Shale and Equivalent Rocks in the Conterminous United States By WILLIAM A. COBBAN and GLENN R. SCOTT CONTRIBUTIONS T O PALEONTOLOGY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 483-E Three species ofammonites, assigned to the new genus Trachyscaphites,^>r0^/dk a means for the correla tion of Upper Cretaceous strata between the West ern Interior, the Gulf Coastal Plain, and Europe UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1964 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director The U.S. Geological Survey Library has cataloged this publication as follows: Cobban, William Aubrey, 1916- Multinodose scaphiticl cephalopods from the lower part of the Pierre Shale and equivalent rocks in the conterminous United States, by William A. Cobban and Glenn K. Scott, Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1964. iii, 13 p. 4 plates, map, diagrs., tables. 29 cm. (U.S. Geological Survey. Professional paper 483-E) Contributions to paleontology. Bibliography: p. 12-13. 1. Ammonoidea. 2. Scaphites. 3. Paleontology Cretaceous. I. Scott, Glenn Robert, 1918 joint author. II. Title. (Series) For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, B.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Abstract..___________________________ El Introduction. ________________________ 1 Geographic distribution._______________ 2 Stratigraphic summary._______________ 2 Important associated fossils ____________ 3 Comparisons with other scaphitid faunas. 4 Gulf Coastal Plain________________ 4 Europe._________________________ 5 6 Systematic descriptions. 6 Ref erences cited _______ 12 ILLUSTRATIONS PLATE 1. Trachyscaphites redbirdensis Cobban and Scott. 2, 3. Trachyscaphites spiniger (Schliiter) subsp. porchi Adkins. 4. Trachyscaphites praespiniger Cobban and Scott. Page FIGURE 1. Index map___-_-_-___-_-___-_-_-___-___-___-----_-- E3 2. Correlation chart- __________________________________ 4 3. Sutures of Trachyscaphites redbirdensis- _______________ 8 4. Sutures of Trachyscaphites spiniger subsp. porchi-------- 11 5. Sutures of Trachyscaphites praespiniger- _____-_-_-_-_-- 12 III CONTRIBUTIONS TO PALEONTOLOGY MULTINODOSE SCAPHITID CEPHALOPODS FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE PIERRE SHALE AND EQUIVALENT ROCKS IN THE CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES By WILLIAM A. COBBAN and GLENN R. SCOTT ABSTRACT and T. redbirdensis, n. sp. The European species as Scaphitid ammonites that have three to five rows of nodes signed to this genus are /Scaphites spiniger Schluter, on each flank of the living chamber are known from the Pierre 8. pulcherrimus Roemer, and possibly 8. gibbus Shale at 13 localities in Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, and Kansas, and from the equivalent rocks at seven localities in Schluter. Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. Elsewhere in the The occurrence of multinodose scaphites in the United States this group of scaphites is known only in Texas Western Interior is important in dating the rocks in where it is represented by one species. which they occur inasmuch as closely related species are Three species are known from the United States, and all are found in the Upper Cretaceous of Europe. Schluter's assigned to a new genus Trachyscapliites. These species are, /Scaphites spiniger is an accepted guide fossil to rocks from oldest to youngest, T. praespiniger (n. sp.), T. spiniger (Schluter) subsp. porclii Adkins, and T. redbirdensis (n. sp. and of early late Campanian age in Germany, France, the genotype). European species assigned to this genus are Sweden, Poland, and Russia. Trachyscaphites spiniger Scaphites spiniger Schluter, 8. pulcherrimus Roemer, and, (Schluter) subsp. porchi Adkins is interpreted as a questionably, S. gibbus Schluter. geographic subspecies of the European species. Tracliyseaphites is of Campanian age. Schluter's Scapliites spiniger and his Ammonites [Hoplitoplacenticeras] coesfeldi- Trachyscaphites praespiniger, n. sp., the earliest of the emis, which is found with the scaphite, are well-accepted index multinodose species in the Western Interior, seems to fossils for the lower part of the upper Campanian in Europe. be near the age of Schluter's Scaphites gibbus, which The American equivalent of Schluter's scaphite is interpreted lies in the lower part of the range zone of his 8. spiniger. as a geographic subspecies (porchi Adkins) ; it occurs with Trachyscaphites redbirdensis, n. sp., has five rows of Hoplitoplacentieeras in the Wolfe City Sand Member and Pecan Gap Chalk Member of the Taylor Marl in Texas. Trachysca nodes on each flank, and may be of an age comparable phites spiniger (Schluter) subsp. porclii Adkins is assigned an to that of Roemer's Scaphites pulcherrimus, which also early late Campanian age, and the slightly older T. praespiniger has five rows of nodes and occurs in rocks above those of the Western Interior is assigned a very late early Campanian containing Schluter's 8. spiniger. age. Trachyscaphites is rare in the Western Interior ex INTRODUCTION cept in the vicinity of Pueblo, Colo., where specimens of T. praespiniger are common but unfortunately are Scaphites that have more than two rows of nodes on badly crushed. A few uncrushed septate coils of this each flank have been collected from rocks of late early species have been collected in Wyoming and Utah, but Campanian and early late Campanian age at 20 locali only bits of living chambers have been found. Tra ties in the Western Interior. Their presence in this area, chyscaphites spiniger subsp. porchi is known from only however, has been noted only once in the literature (Fisher and others, 1960, /Scaphites cf. S. pulcherrimus six localities, and all specimens are either crushed or Roemer on p. 30, table 9). The Western Interior speci very fragmentary. Trachyscaphites redbirdensis. on mens are represented by two new species and a sub the other hand, is represented by few, but very well species which, together with other multinodose species preserved, specimens from limestone concretions. of similar age, can be grouped conveniently in a new The figured specimens are in the U.S. National genus Trachyscaphites. The American species are, Museum iii Washington, D.C. Mr. James H. Smith, of from oldest to youngest, Trachyscaphites praespini the Mountain Fuel Supply Co. (Salt Lake City), kindly ger, n. sp., T. spiniger (Schluter) subsp. porchi Adkins, donated three collections of Trachyscaphites praespini- El E2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO PALEONTOLOGY ger from the area south of Eawlins, Wyo., and obtained TABLE 1. Localities at which fossils were collected Continued permission from his company for the authors' publica Locality U.S. Geol. tion of these specimens and accompanying stratigraphic on figs. Survey Collector and year of collection, description of locality, 1,2 Mesozoic and stratigraphic assignment data. Mr. James P. Conlin, Fort Worth, Tex., loaned locality the authors several fine examples of Trachyscaphites spiniger subsp. porchi, one of which is figured (pi. 3, 13. D267. G. R. Scott, 1954. About 7.5 miles southwest of Littleton. in NW^SE^SWK sec. 15, T. 6 S., R. 69 W., Jefferson fig. 8). All photographs were made by Kobert E. Burk- County, Colo. Pierre Shale, about 610 ft above base. holder, of the U.S. Geological Survey. 14- D67- G. R. Scott, 1954. About 8 miles southwest of Littleton, in SE^SW^NEM sec. 22, T. 6 S., R. 69 W., Jefferson County, Colo. Pierre Shale, from a limestone concretion GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 150 ft below base of Hygiene Sandstone Member and 1,065 ft above base of formation. Trachyscaphites is known from 20 localities in the 15. D1229.--. G. R. Scott and W. A. Cobban, 1957. Steele Hollow, 1.6 Western Interior of the conterminous United States. miles south of Pinon, in NE^NW^SE^ sec. 12, T. 19 S., R. 65 W., Pueblo County, Colo. Pierre Shale, from The general position of each locality is shown by map limestone concretions at base of Sharon Springs Member numbers on figure 1, and the stratigraphic position is and 428 ft above base of formation. D3454. - G. R. Scott, 1961. North of Gnat Hollow and about 7 miles indicated by the numbers enclosed by circles on figure north of Pueblo, in WJ^NWJi sec. 25, T. 19 S., R. 65 W., 2. Details regarding the localities, stratigraphic as Pueblo County, Colo. Pierre Shale, from limestone concretions at base of Sharon Springs Member and 428 ft signment, and collectors are given in the table below. above base of formation. 17- D2812...- G. R. Scott and W. A. Cobban, 1958. Gnat Hollow, 6 miles north of Pueblo, in NE^NW^SE^ sec. 26, T. 19 TABLE 1. Localities at which fossils were collected S., R. 65 W., Pueblo County, Colo. Pierre Shale, from limestone concretions at base of Sharon Springs Member and 428 ft above base of formation. Locality U.S. Geol. on figs. Survey Collector and year of collection, description of locality, 1367- G. K. Gilbert and G. W. Stose, 1894. About 3.7 miles 1,2 Mesozoic and stratigraphic assignment northeast of Pueblo, in SW^NE^SW^ sec. 8, T. 20 S., locality R. 64 W., Pueblo County, Colo. Pierre Shale [base o Sharon Springs Member]. G. R. Scott, 1961. About 2 miles southwest of Pinon, in D3866-_.__ J. B. Gill, 1962. Reed Hill, 1 mile east of Judith River, 19. D3456 .. NHSEKSEM sec. 11, T. 19 S., R. 65 W., Pueblo County, in SW^SE^NW^ sec. 14, T. 22 N., R. 16 E., Fergus Colo. Pierre Shale, 10 ft above base of Sharon Springs County, Mont. Claggett Shale, 40 ft above S.S^ft benton- Member and 438 ft above base of formation. ite bed and 121 ft above base of formation. G. R. Scott and W. A. Cobban, 1956. One mile northeast D3436- J. R. Gill and W. A. Cobban, 1960. About 7.5 miles east 20. D2591 - of McAllaster, in NE^[ sec.