Geology and Paleontology of Canal Zone and Adjoining Parts of Panama
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Geology and Paleontology of Canal Zone and Adjoining Parts of Panama DESCRIPTION OF TERTIARY MOLLUSKS (GASTROPODS: COLUMBELLIDAE TO VOLUTIDAE) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 306-C Geology and Paleontology of Canal Zone and Adjoining Parts of Panama DESCRIPTION OF TERTIARY MOLLUSKS (GASTROPODS: COLUMBELLIDAE TO VOLUTIDAE) By W. P. WOODRING GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 306-C A contribution to the history of the Panama land bridge UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1964 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Page Abstract__.___._.________________________ 241 Description of Tertiary mollusks continued from chap Introduction _______________________________________ 241 ter B_____.________.--- __________ ... 246 Additions to localities at which fossils were collected _ _ _ _ 242 Gastropods continued from chapter B___________. 246 Faunal summaries of species _________________________ 242 Family Columbellidae.______________________ 246 Eocene series____________________________________ 242 Family Buccinidae__________________________ 256 Gatuncillo formation ________________________ 242 Family Nassariidae_ ________________________ 269 Eocene or Oligocene series_______________________ 243 Family Melongenidae_ ______________________ 273 Marine member of Bohio(?) formation_______ 243 Family Fasciolariidae_______________________ 274 Oligocene series_______________________________ 243 Family Fusinidae___________________________ 275 Bohio formation.___________________________ 243 Family Olividae____________________________ 276 Caimito formation, Gatun Lake area__________ 243 Family Mitridae____________________________ 282 Lower part of Caimito formation, Madden basin. 243 Family Xancidae___________________________ . 285 Miocene series________________________________ 243 Family Volutidae___________________________ 287 Culebra formation._________________________ 243 References cited__________-_-________-__-__---___-_. 290 La Boca formation_________________________ 244 Index ____________________-_--______-__---------__. 293 Gatun formation.__________________________ 245 Pliocene series________________._________________ 246 Chagres sandstone__________________________ 246 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates follow index] PLATE 39. Middle Eocene mollusks from Gatuncillo formation, late Eocene or early Oligocene mollusks from marine member of Bohio(?) formation, late Oligocene mollusks from Bohio formation, early Miocene mollusk from Culebra formation, and middle Miocene mollusks from Gatun formation. 40-43, 45. Middle and late Miocene mollusks from Gatun formation. 44, 46. Middle Miocene mollusks from Gatun formation. 47. Middle Miocene mollusks from Gatun formation and early Pliocene mollusks from Chagres sandstone. TABLE TABLE 1. Mollusks from Gatun formation (Columbellidae to Volutidae) In pocket ill GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF CANAL ZONE AND ADJOINING PARTS OF PANAMA DESCRIPTION OF TERTIARY MOLLUSKS (GASTROPODS: GOLUMBELLIDAE TO VOLUTIDAE) By W. P. WOODRTNTG ABSTRACT the present chapter occur in the middle to late Miocene Gatun The description of the mollusks in the Tertiary formations formation. The Gatun fossils are notable for the diversity of the Canal Zone and adjoining parts of Panama ranging in of columbellid and buccinid genera. The columbellids include age from middle and late Eocene to early Pliocene is con an Antillophos-like genus (Strombinophos) and a Striotere- tinued from chapter B. Ninety-four species and subspecies 6«<m-like genus (Strombinella). The buccinids include four in 10 families of gastropods are covered in the present chapter. P7(os-like groups: Cymatophos, Calophos, Antillophos, and its Eighty-four are formally described and the remaining 10 are subgenus Rhipophos, With the exception of Cymatophos and briefly described or only mentioned. Antillophos proper, the genera and subgenus mentioned are not The fossils from the Gatuncillo formation all from strata known to be living. The buccinid Nicema and the nassarid considered of middle Eocene age include an early species of Nanarius (subgenus of Nassarius) and Leptarius are also the genus Xancus, X. cf. X. peruvianus, and Ctenilyria ctenista, not known to be living. Sincola (subgenus of Strombina), the type of a new volutid genus known also in deposits of CymatopJws, and StrepJwneUa (subgenus of Oliva), like many middle and late Eocene age in northwestern Europe. other genera and subgenera in the Gatun formation, survive in eastern Pacific waters but not in the Caribbean Sea. On The late Eocene or early Oligocene marine member of the Bohio(?) formation yielded Glyptostyla panamensis, the type the contrary, Xancits survives in the Caribbean Sea, but has of a volutid genus that occurs in late Eocene deposits in Peru become extinct in the eastern Pacific Ocean since Miocene time. and Colombia, and in late Eocene or early Oligocene in Peru Two Phos-like genera are found in the Chagres sandstone, of and the Canal Zone. All the specimens of G. panamensis were early Pliocene age: Cymatophos? acolus and Amarophos collected at Vamos Vamos, which is now under the waters of bothrns. If Cymatophos? acolus is a species of Cymatophos, Gatun Lake. it is the last known species of the genus in the present Carib bean region. The genus Amarophos occurs also in strata of Mitrella epacta. a columbellid related to early Miocene early Miocene age in Columbia and Costa Rica and late Miocene forms of southeastern United States, was found in marine in Costa Rica. It is not known to be living. strata of late Oligocene age in the upper part of the Bohio formation of Barro Colorado Island. The earliest species of Antillopfios and the earliest species of Oliva and Olivella now INTRODUCTION known in the Caribbean region occur in the Caimito formation of the Gatun Lake area, also of late Oligocene age. These This is the third chapter dealing with the mollusks fossils are so poorly preserved that they are named only found in the Tertiary formations of the Canal Zone generically. and adjoining parts of Panama. Ninety-four species Recent core drilling in the northwestern part of the Gaillard Cut area shows that the strata of that region formerly assigned and subspecies in 10 families of gastropods are covered to the Culebra formation are to be transferred to the La Boca in the present chapter. Eighty-four of these forms are formation. These strata include the Emperador limestone formally described and the remaining 10 are briefly member. The La Boca and also the Pedro Miguel agglomerate described or merely mentioned. The 296 forms covered are given formation rank instead of member rank in the in the three chapters so far issued are estimated to be Panama formation. In Chapter A, both the Culebra and the a little less than half of the total number in the col La Boca were assigned to the early half of the lower Miocene. StromMna cf. S. quirosana, which occurs in the Culebra lections at hand. formation, is of interest as the earliest species of Strombina The following new genera and subgenera are pro now known in the Caribbean region. Two Culebra buccinids, posed : Cymatophos? cf. C. veatchi and Antillophos? cf. A. candei Amarophos^ Buccinidae. gatunensis, suggest close alliance with larger Gatun forms. Type: Amarophos ~bothrus Woodring, n.sp., Cha Northia? cf. N. northiae. from the Culebra, may be the earliest gres sandstone, Pliocene, p. 267. Gender mas representative of a genus that now is monotypic and endemic in eastern Pacific waters. The type material of Nassarius culine. praeamMauus was found in the La Boca formation. The Calophos, Buccinidae. La Boca specimens, like many of the other La Boca mollusks, Type: Calophos ectypJms Woodring, n.sp., Ga are poorly preserved. tun formation, Miocene, p. 262. Gender mas Three-fourths of the 84 species and subspecies described in culine. 241 242 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF CANAL ZONE Ctenilyria, Volutidae, Lyrinae. Additions to localities at which fossils were collected Continued Type: Ctenilyria, ctenista Woodring, n.sp., No. USGS used in Cenozoic Description of locality Gatuncillo formation, Eocene, p. 288. Gender this No. feminine. report Leptarius, Nassariidae. Middle part of Gatun formation, eastern area Type: Leptarius leptus Woodring, n.sp., Gatun 139a 21844 East side of road leading from Transisthmian formation, Miocene, p. 272. Gender masculine. Highway to refinery site on Payardi Island, Panamd; 730 meters northeast of locality Nanarius, subgenus of Nassarius, Nassariidae. 138. David R. Stewart, 1959. Type: Uzita paraprista Gardner, Miocene, 139b 22017 East side of road leading from Transisthmian Highway to refinery site on Payardi Island, Florida and Canal Zone, p. 271. Gender mas Panama; about 100 meters southwest of refinery gate. R. H. Stewart and Anselmo culine. Mena, 1959. 139c 22018 Same locality as 139b. W. P. Woodring, 1960. Nicema, Buccinidae. 139d 22390 Same locality as 139b. R. H. Stewart, 1960. Type: Nicema amara Woodring, n. sp., Gatun 139e 22019 Refinery site on Payardi Island, Panama; top of hill at edge of hills northeast of refinery formation, Miocene, p. 268. Gender neuter. gate. R. H. Stewart and Anselmo Mena, 1959. Pdlla-cera, Nassariidae. 139f 22020 Same locality as 193e. W. P. Woodring, 1960. Type: Nassa myristicata Hinds, Recent, eastern 139g 22417 Road leading from Transisthmian Highway to Cemento Atlantico