I. M. STEVENSON D. c. MCGREGOR

CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS IN CENTRAL , CANADA

Abstract: Pollen and spore analyses on specimens clays. Twenty-one microfossils have been identified of lignite from a bed of clay in central Nova Scotia and photographed. have confirmed an Early Cretaceous age for the

The presence of Cretaceous sediments has Studies by McGregor on additional specimens long been suspected in the valley of Musquo- from this pit confirm the Early Cretaceous age doboit River and the vicinity of the village of for the clays. In addition to the pollen and Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia (Ries and Keele, spores previously described (Stevenson, 1959, 1911; Allen and Johns, 1960). In 1956, while p. 35), McGregor has identified the following mapping Shubenacadie map area for the Geo- (PI. 1):

NEW BRUNSWICK

MUS.QUO IDOBOIT r^- HALIFAX

X CRETACEOUS CLAY ,32 MILES,

Figure 1. Sketch map of central Nova Scotia, showing approximate location of the Cre- taceous sediments

logical Survey of Canada, Stevenson obtained Abietineaepollenites spp. several specimens of lignite from a pit opened Apiculalasporites sp. in a clay bed about 500 feet east of the Truro- Appendicisporites sp. Halifax highway in Shubenacadie (Fig. 1). Caytonipolleniles pallidus (Reissinger) Couper Cicatricosisporites dorogensis R. Potonie & Gelletich Dr. J. Terasmae of the Geological Survey of C. spp. Canada and Dr. R. A. Scott of the U.S. Cyalhidites (Leiotriletes) australis Couper Geological Survey completed pollen and spore Cycadopiles sp. (cf. Ginl(go) analyses on the samples and suggested an Dehoidospora (Leiotriletes} sp. Early Cretaceous age (Stevenson, 1959, p. 35). Eucommiidites troedssonii Erdtman

Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 74, p. 355-356, 1 fig., 1 pi., March 1963 355

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Gleicheniidites senonicus Ross ably pre-Albian. This conclusion is based on Lycopodiumspontes sp. the apparent absence of angiosperms, the Lygodioisporites sp. cf. Trilobosporites bernissartensis presence of Appendicisporites, and the abund- Pil^s orTel\ & SprUm°nt) R' Pot0nu5 ance of schizaeaceous spores (Cicatricosisporites, i span es sp. Appendicisporites, and possibly others). Ap- rterospermopsis sp. ... • r < < r t Sphagnumspontes psilatus (Ross) Couper pendiaspontes first appears near the base of the Cretaceous in Europe, North America, and The assemblage is Early Cretaceous, prob- the U.S.S.R.

References Cited Allen, T. V., and Johns, W. D., 1960, Clays and clay minerals of New England and Eastern Canada: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 71, p. 75-86 Ries, H., and Keele, J., 1911, The clay and shale deposits of Nova Scotia and portions of New Brunswick: Geol. Survey Canada Mem. 16-E, 164 p. Stevenson, I. M., 1959, Shubenacadie and Kennetcook map-areas, Colchester, Hants, and Halifax counties, Nova Scotia: Geol. Survey Canada Mem. 302, 88 p.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, 601 BOOTH STREET, OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED BY THE SOCIETY, NOVEMBER 19, 1962 PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA

PLATE 1. EARLY CRETACEOUS MICROFOSSILS FROM NOVA SCOTIA Figures 1- 3. Abielineaepollenites spp. X 500. GSC No. 13214 4. Eucommiidiles Iroedssonii Erdtman. X 500. GSC No. 13215 5. Same specimen. X 1000 6. E. Iroedssonii Erdtman from the type locality of the species, the Liassic of Palsjo, Sweden; for comparison. Supplied by Dr. J. Terasmae. X 1000. GSC No. 13216 7. Caylonipollenites pallidus (Reissinger) Couper. X 500. No. 13217. 8. Gleicheniidiles senonicus Ross. X 500. GSC No. 13218 9. Ddtoidospora (Leiotriletes) sp. X 500. GSC No. 13219 10. Cicatricosisporites sp. X 500. GSC No. 13220 11. Cyathidiles (Leiolriletes) australis Couper. X 500. GSC No. 13221 12-13. Cicatricosisporites dorogensis R. Potonie & Gelletich. X 500. GSC No. 13222 14. Cicatricosisporiles sp. X 500. GSC No. 13223 15. Appendicisporites sp. X 500. GSC No. 13224 16. Schizaeaceous spore. X 500. GSC No. 13225 17. Sphagnumsporiles psilatus (Ross) Couper. X 500. GSC No. 13226. 18-19. Lygodioisporites sp. cf. Trilobosporites bernissariensis (Delcourt & Sprumont) R. Potonie. X 500. GSC No. 13227 20. Pterospermopsis sp. X 500. GSC No. 13228 21. Lycopodiumsporiles sp. X 500. GSC No. 13229

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EARLY CRETACEOUS MICROFOSSILS FROM NOVA SCOTIA

STEVENSON AND McGREGOR, PLATE 1 Geological Society of America Bulletin, volume 74

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