Geology* Paleontology, and Correlation of Eocene Volcaniclastic Rocks, Southeast Absaroka Range, Hot Springs County, Wyoming
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Geology* Paleontology, and Correlation of Eocene Volcaniclastic Rocks, Southeast Absaroka Range, Hot Springs County, Wyoming GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1201-A Geology, Paleontology, and Correlation of Eocene Volcaniclastic Rocks, Southeast Absaroka Range, Hot Springs County, Wyoming By T. M. BOWN GEOLOGY OF THE ABSAROKA RANGE, NORTHWEST WYOMING GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1201-A Relations of Eocene volcaniclastic rocks and Eocene fossils date the sedimentary and structural evolution of the southeast Absaroka Range, clarify correlations with adjacent areas, and aid in timing large-scale events of gravity faulting UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1982 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR JAMES G. WATT, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Bown, Thomas M. Geology, paleontology, and correlation of Eocene volcaniclastic rocks, southeast Absaroka Range, Hot Springs County, Wyoming. (Geological Survey Professional Paper 1201-A) Bibliography: p.71 Supt.ofDocs.no.: II9.I6:1201-A 1. Geology, Stratigraphic Eocene. 2. Volcanic ash, tuff, etc. Wyoming Hot Springs Co. 3. Mammals, Fossil. 4. Stratigraphic correlation Wyoming Hot Springs Co. 5. Geology Wyoming Hot Springs Co. 1. Title. II. Series: United States. Geological Survey. Professional Paper 1201-A. QE692.2.B68 55I.7'84'0978743 80-607125 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Abstract ------------------------------------------------- Al Structural Geology Continued Introduction --------------------------------------------- 2 Detachment faulting and associated displaced masses Location and extent of area --------------------------- 2 Continued Purpose and scope of this report ----------------------- 2 Age of detachment faulting ---------------------- A33 Fieldwork-------------------------------------------- 2 Summary of Cenozoic events ----------------------------- 35 Geologic setting and previous investigations ------------ 2 Abbreviations ---------------------------------------- 4 Vertebrate paleontology ---------------------------------- 39 Acknowledgments ------------------------------------ 4 Fossil vertebrate localities ---------------------------- 39 Stratigraphy --------------------------------------------- 4 Systematic paleontology ----------------------------- 41 Stratigraphic terminology for volcaniclastic rocks ------- 5 Order ?Multituberculata ------------------------- 41 Recommended nomenclature ---------------------- 6 Order Marsupialia ------------------------------- 43 Willwood Formation ---------------------------------- 8 Order Proteutheria ------------------------------ 43 Distribution ------------------------------------- 8 Order Insectivora-------------------------------- 44 Lithology ---------------------------------------- 8 Order Chiroptera -------------------------------- 47 Correlation -------------------------------------- 9 Order Primates --------------------------------- 47 Depositional environment ------------------------- 10 Order Creodonta -------------------------------- 50 Possible equivalents of the Tatman Formation ---------- 10 Order Carnivora --------------------------------- 51 Distribution ------------------------------------- 10 Order Mesonychia ------------------------------- 53 Lithology ---------------------------------------- 11 Order Condylarthra ----------------------------- 53 Correlation -------------------------------------- 11 Order Tillodontia ------------------------------- 53 Depositional environment ------------------------- 13 Order Dinocerata-------------------------------- 53 Aycross Formation ----------------------------------- 14 Order Perissodactyla- - --------------------------- 54 Distribution ------------------------------------- 15 Order Artiodactyla ------------------------------ 56 Lithology ---------------------------------------- 15 Order Rodentia --------------------------------- 56 Correlation -------------------------------------- 18 Correlation of the Aycross mammals ------------------ 60 Depositional environment ------------------------- 19 Orders Multituberculata (?), Marsupialia --------- 60 Tepee Trail Formation -------------------------------- 20 Order Proteutheria ------------------------------ 61 Distribution ------------------------------------- 20 Order Insectivora -------------------------------- 61 Lithology ---------------------------------------- 20 Order Primates --------------------------------- 61 Correlation -------------------------------------- 20 Orders Creodonta, Carnivora, and Mesonychia 61 Wiggins Formation ----------------------------------- 24 Orders Condylarthra, Tillodontia, and Dinocerata - - 61 Structural geology ---------------------------------------- 25 Orders Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla ----------- 61 Folds and thrust faults ------------------------------- 25 Order Rodentia --------------------------------- 62 Normal faults ---------------------------------------- 30 Correlation with the type Aycross Formation ---------- 62 Detachment faulting and associated displaced masses - - - 30 Post-Willwood mammals from west of Cody, Wyoming 62 Definition --------------------------------------- 31 Mammals from the Tatman Formation --------------- 63 Distribution ------------------------------------- 31 Composition ------------------------------------- 31 Faunal summary 64 Detachment fault contact ------------------------- 32 References cited - 65 Source area -------------------------------------- 33 Index ---------- 71 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates 2-7 follow index] PLATE 1. Geologic map of a portion of the southeast Absaroka Range, Hot Springs County, Wyoming In pocket 2-7. Photographs of Aycross Formation mammals: 2. Insectivora, Primates, Chiroptera, and Creodonta. 3. Creodonta and Carnivora. 4. Carnivora and Mesonychia. 5. Condylarthra and Perissodactyla. 6. Perissodactyla and Rodentia. m 7. Rodentia. IV CONTENTS Page FIGURE 1. Index map of southeast Absaroka Range showing location of report area -------------------------------------------- A3 2. Photograph of Cretaceous Cody Shale truncated by lower and middle Eocene rocks ------------------------------ 8 3. Diagram of restored stratigraphic relations of Eocene rocks in Bighorn Basin area at end of Wiggins deposition - - - - 13 4-7. Photographs showing: 4. Upper badland sequence of Aycross Formation --------------------------------------------------------- 16 5. Andesitic conglomerates in upper badland sequence of Aycross Formation -------------------------------- 1' 6. Upper lacustrine and upper badland units of Aycross Formation at Twentyone Creek ---------------------- 17 7. Tepee Trail strata in the upper drainage of Gooseberry Creek ------------------------------------------- 21 8. Diagram of relations of Eocene rocks in a part of the western Greybull River Valley ----------------------------- 23 9. Schematic cross section showing geographic and stratigraphic relations of Eocene rocks in the southeast Absaroka Range 26 10. Photograph of thrust fault in middle Aycross strata on east side of Dugout Draw -------------------------------- 28 11. Photograph of drag fold in Aycross volcanic sandstone --------------------------------------------------------- 29 12. Schematic cross section geometries of a small-scale thrust fault ------------------------------------------------ 30 13-22. Photographs showing: 13. Detached Tepee Trail rocks constituting variety 1 klippe ----------------------------------------------- 32 14. The Rhodes klippe, a variety 2 allochthon ------------------------------------------------------------ 33 15. Vertical variety 2 allochthonous material filling a deep valley in the Aycross Formation at Wagonhound Creek 34 16. Detail of detachment fault contact at southeast margin of Rhodes klippe -------------------------------- 35 17. Dugout klippe in detachment fault contact with middle part of Aycross Formation ----------------------- 36 18. Detailed view of thrust contact of Dugout klippe with middle part of Aycross Formation ------------------ 37 19. Detached Aycross rocks comprising variety 3 allochthon ------------------------------------------------ 38 20. Variety 4 allochthon on Aycross rocks in drainage of North Fork of Owl Creek --------------------------- 39 21. Vass quarry ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 22. Flattop quarry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Historical summary of geological investigations in the southern Absaroka Range ---------------------------------------- A5 2. List of pollen taxa from the Tatman and Aycross Formations ------------------------------------------------------ 14 3. Locality occurrences of Aycross fossil vertebrates ------------------------------------------------------------------ 42 4. Measurements of teeth of Aycross didelphids ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 44 5. Measurements of teeth of Aycross Scenopagus -------------------------------------------------------------------- 46 6. Measurements of teeth of Aycross Microsyops --------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 7. Measurements of teeth of Aycross Hyopsodus --------------------------------------------------------------------- 54 8. Measurements of teeth of Aycross Taxymys cuspidatus, sp. nov. ----------------------------------------------------