Biostratigraphic Data from Upper Cretaceous Formations— Eastern Wyoming, Central Colorado, and Northeastern New Mexico
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Biostratigraphic Data from Upper Cretaceous Formations— Eastern Wyoming, Central Colorado, and Northeastern New Mexico By E.A. Merewether, W.A. Cobban, and J.D. Obradovich CONIACIAN EPEIRIC SEA Pamphlet to accompany Scientific Investigations Map 3175 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2011 About USGS Products For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS About this Product Publishing support provided by Denver Science Publishing Network For more information concerning this publication, contact: Center Director, USGS Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center Box 25046, Mail stop 973 Denver, CO 80225 (303) 236-1562 or visit the Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center Web site at: http://minerals.cr.usgs.gov Suggested citation: Merewether, E.A., Cobban, W.A., and Obradovich, J.D., 2011, Biostratigraphic data from Upper Cretaceous formations—eastern Wyoming, central Colorado, and northeastern New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3175, 2 sheets, pamphlet, 10 p. 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Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Chronostratigraphy ........................................................................................................................................2 Cenomanian and Turonian Strata .......................................................................................................4 Turonian Strata ......................................................................................................................................4 Turonian and Coniacian Strata ...........................................................................................................6 Coniacian, Santonian, and Campanian Strata .................................................................................6 Coniacian, Santonian, Campanian, and Maastrichtian Strata ......................................................6 Interpretations ................................................................................................................................................7 Acknowledgments .........................................................................................................................................8 Selected References .....................................................................................................................................8 Figures 1. Location of cross sections in counties of Eastern Wyoming, Central Colorado, and Northeastern New Mexico....................................................................................................................2 2. Molluscan fossil zones, informal zone numbers, fossil ranges, and radiometric ages for marine strata of Cenomanian, Turonian, Coniacian, Santonian, Campanian, and Maastrichtian Stages (Upper Cretaceous) in the Western Interior of the United States ...........................................................................................................................................3 3. Lacunae (lined pattern) in Upper Cretaceous formations in Eastern Wyoming, Central Colorado, and Northeastern New Mexico with informal fossil numbers and radiometric ages .............................................................................................................................3 Table 1. Thicknesses and approximate rates of deposition for three information stratigraphic units of Late Cretaceous age at localities in Eastern Wyoming, Central Colorado, and Northeastern New Mexico ............................................................................................................5 Sheets 1. Biostratigraphic outcrop sections of Upper Cretaceous formations along a south- trending transect from Northeastern Wyoming to North-Central Colorado .......................link 2. Biostratigraphic outcrop sections of Upper Cretaceous formations along a south- trending transect from North-Central Colorado to Northeastern Wyoming .......................link Biostratigraphic Data from Upper Cretaceous Formations— Eastern Wyoming, Central Colorado, and Northeastern New Mexico By E.A. Merewether, W.A. Cobban, and J.D. Obradovich Abstract Introduction Lithological and paleontological studies of outcrops of Biostratigraphic descriptions of outcropping Upper Upper Cretaceous formations were conducted at 12 localities Cretaceous strata are presented herein for 12 localities in a in eastern Wyoming, central Colorado, and northeastern New south-trending transect from northeastern Wyoming to north- Mexico. The sequence extends upward from the top of the eastern New Mexico (fig. 1), a distance of some 550 miles. Mowry Shale, or age-equivalent rocks, through the Graneros The descriptions were obtained mainly from the publications Shale, Greenhorn Limestone, Carlile Shale, Niobrara Forma- listed at the end of this report. In regional cross sections tion, Pierre Shale, and Fox Hills Sandstone, or age-equivalent (sheets 1 and 2), occurrences of the latest Campanian fossil formations, to the top of the Laramie Formation, or laterally Baculites eliasi are used as a reference plane. This study is equivalent formations. The strata are mainly siliciclastic and related to the Western Interior Cretaceous (WIK) program, a calcareous, with thicknesses ranging from about 3,300 ft in cooperative investigation by geologists representing academia, northeastern New Mexico to as much as 13,500 ft in eastern commercial organizations, and State and Federal governments. Wyoming. Deposition was mainly in marine environments It supplements east-trending stratigraphic cross sections in (1) and molluscan fossils of Cenomanian through Maastrichtian Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota by Dyman and others ages are common. Radiometric ages were determined from (1995); (2) Utah, Wyoming, and South Dakota by Merewether beds of bentonite that are associated with fossil zones. and others (1997); (3) Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and The Upper Cretaceous formations at the 12 study locali- Oklahoma by Molenaar and others (2002); and (4) Utah, Colo- ties are herein divided into three informal time- rado, and Kansas by Anna (in preparation). stratigraphic units based on fossil content and contact relations The sedimentary rocks considered in this investigation with adjacent strata. The basal unit in most places extends consist of siliciclastic, calcareous, carbonaceous, and benton- from the base of the Graneros to the top of the Niobrara, itic strata of Cenomanian through Maastrichtian ages. They generally to the horizon of the fossil Scaphites hippocrepis, and spans a period of about 14 million years. The middle unit include rocks between the top of the Mowry Shale or age- generally extends from the top of the Niobrara to the approxi- equivalent beds and the top of the youngest Cretaceous forma- mate middle of the Pierre, the horizon of the fossil Baculites tions. In eastern Wyoming, these strata have been assigned, gregoryensis, and represents a period of about 5 million years. in ascending order, to the Belle Fourche Shale, Greenhorn The upper unit includes strata between the middle of the Pierre Formation, Carlile Shale, Niobrara Formation, Pierre Shale, and the top of the Upper Cretaceous Series, which is the top of Fox Hills Sandstone, and Lance Formation (see NW Black the Laramie Formation or of laterally equivalent formations; Hills section, sheet 1); or alternatively, to the Frontier Forma- it represents a period of deposition of as much as 11 million tion, Sage Breaks Shale, Niobrara Formation, Steele Shale, years. Rock River Formation, Pine Ridge Sandstone, Lewis Shale, Comparisons of the collections of fossils from each Fox Hills Sandstone, and Medicine Bow Formation (see Rock outcrop with the complete sequence of Upper Cretaceous River section, sheet 1). Laterally equivalent formations in cen- index fossils can indicate disconformable contacts and tral Colorado and northeastern New Mexico are, from oldest to lacunae. Widespread disconformities have been found youngest, the Graneros Shale, Greenhorn Limestone, Carlile within the Carlile Shale and between the Carlile Shale and Shale, Niobrara Formation, Pierre Shale, Fox Hills Sandstone the Niobrara Formation. Less extensive disconformities are (or Trinidad Sandstone), and Laramie Formation (or Vermejo within the Greenhorn Formation, the Niobrara Formation, and Formation and Raton Formation) (see Pueblo and Trinidad- the Pierre Shale. Aguilar sections, sheet 2). 2 Biostratigraphic Data from Upper Cretaceous Formations A WYOMING