Late Cenozoic Molluscan Faunas From the High Plains GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 337 Late Cenozoic Molluscan Faunas From the His:h Plains By DWIGHT W. TAYLOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 337 Description of mo Husks from nine Pliocene and Pleistocene faunas of the High Plains region and interpretation of their stratigraphic and ecologic significance UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1960 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. SEATON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director The U.S. Geological Survey Library has cataloged this publication as follows : Taylor, Dwight Willard, 1932- Late Ceiiozoic molluscan faunas from the High Plains. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1959. iv, 94 p. illus., 4 plates, tables. 30 cm. (U.S. Geological Survey. Professional paper 337) "Description of mollusks from nine Pliocene and Pleistocene faunas of the High Plains region and interpretation of their stratigraphic and ecologic significance." Bibliography: p. 83-86. 1. Mollusks, Fossil. 2. Paleontology Cenozoic. 3. Paleontology U.S. High Plains region. I. Title. (Series) For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D.C. - Price 31 (paper cover) CONTENTS Page Page Abstract- __________________________________________ 1 Sanders local fauna____________--_--_-_--_______ 40 Introduction _______________________________________ 1 Deer Park local fauna-__________________________ 41 Acknowledgments. _ __________________________________ 2 Recent mollusks from northern Nebraska,_____________ 42 Methods. __________________________________________ 2 Localities- _ ____________________________________ 42 Collecting methods. _____________________________ 2 Habitats_____-___------------------------------ 43 Environmental interpretations of sediments ________ 3 Species found at the northern Nebraska localities- _ _ 44 Environmental interpretations of fossil mollusks _ _ _ _ 3 Systematic descriptions._____________________________ 44 Previous work__________________________________ 4 Class Pelecypoda.__-____--_____--_------_-----_ 45 Principles of paleoecologic interpretation-__________ 4 Family Unionidae___________________________ 45 Difficulties of paleoecologic interpretation._________ 5 Family Quadrulidae_---_-_--------__-------- 45 Specific identification of shells ____________________ 5 Family Sphaeriidae_________________________ 45 Recognition of limiting factors____________________ 5 Class Gastropoda.______________________________ 48 Inadequacy of habitat and distributional data__-__- 7 Family Valvatidae______________-_---_---___ 48 Unsatisfactory taxonomy._______________________ 8 Family Viviparidae_____________-__--__--___ 49 Methods of faunal interpretation _________________ 8 Family Hydrobiidae-_____-_----_-------_--_- 49 Age determination ______________________________ 9 Family Carychiidae.________________________ 51 Faunal dating__________________________________ 9 Family Lymnaeidae_________________________ 52 Local faunas.______ ____________________________ 10 Family Planorbidae._____--_-___-_----___-__ 56 Comparison of faunas. _______________________________ 11 Family Ancylidae____________------___---___ 61 Summary of faunal sequence _________________________ 14 Family Physidae__________________________ 62 Correlation of North American ages with Lyellian epochs. 18 Family Strobilopsidae-_-__----------------_- 65 Summary of depositional and biological sequence. __ 18 Family Pupillidae_ ________________________ 67 Correlation ____________________________________ 19 Family Valloniidae________________________ 76 Description of local faunas___________________________ 22 Family Cionellidae_____________-------______ 77 Buis Ranch local fauna__________________________ 22 Family Succineid.ae_________-_-__----_--____ 77 Saw Rock Canyon local fauna____________________ 22 Family Endodontidae___________-__----_-___ 79 Red Corral local fauna._________________________ 25 Family Limacidae_ _________-_-____----_-___ 80 Rexroad local fauna..____________________________ 27 Family Zonitidae___________________________ 80 Bender local fauna-_ ____________________________ 31 Family Polygyridae_________________________ 82 Sand Draw local fauna__________________________ 32 Literature cited---__________-____-_------_------_--_ 83 Dixon local fauna_____________________________ 36 Index.__________________________-___--_-----_-____ 87 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates follow index] Page PLATES 1-4. Late Pliocene and Pleistocene mollusks from the High Plains. FIGURE 1. Summary of late Cenozoie faunal, climatic, and lithologic sequences in southwestern Kansas, and correlation of other local faunas from the High Plains-__________--___________--___-----_----_----_---.------------ 15 2. Frequency distributions of Pliocene Gastrocopta cristata group________--_____-_-___------_------------- 68 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Abundance or occurrence of gastropods in collections of Saw Rock Canyon local fauna._-_---_---_--------- 3 2. Stratigraphic occurrence of mollusks of some late Cenozoie faunas in the High Plains__________-----_-_--- 12 3. Summary of data from table 2_ _______________________________________---__-___----_---------------- 13 4. Faunal similarities-___________________________________________________________--_----_--_---------- 13 5. Distribution of thermally significant species in late Pliocene and early Pleistocene faunas of the High Plains-_ 13 6. Correlation of middle Pliocene to lower Pleistocene deposits in Italy and the High Plains. ______------------ 21 ni IV CONTENTS Page TABLE 7. Comparison of Blancan and Recent molluscan faunas of southwestern Kansas, by habitats__ ___-_-_-_____-_-__ 24 8. Habitat indications of mollusks of Saw Rock Canyon local fauna.-_____.________________-__-.--___-_--___-_ 25 9. Habitat indications of mollusks of Red Corral local fauna________________________________________________ 26 10. Comparison of mollusks of Red Corral local fauna with Recent mollusks from Palo Duro Canyon, Tex., by habitats__ _____-________________________________________________-_-_______...-_-_--_---_-_.---.-___.--- 26 11. Locality occurrence of mollusks of Rexroad local fauna____________________________--_-----_-----_ _______ 29 12. Habitat indications of mollusks of Rexroad local fauna__-__________________________-------------------__- 30 13. Habitat indications of Bender local fauna______ ______________________ _______ __________-____-_-___-__--_ _ 32 14. Habitat indications of mollusks of Sand Draw local fauna________________________________________________ 35 15. Comparison of Sand Draw local fauna and Recent mollusks from northern Nebraska.,_^_______-___-_________ 36 16. Occurrence of supposed Nebraskan index fossils.________________________________________________________ 38 17. Habitat indications of mollusks of Dixon local fauna_____________________________________________________ 39 18. Comparison of mollusks of Dixon local fauna with those living in Kingman County, Kans., by habitats._______ 39 19. Habitat indications of mollusks of Sanders local fauna_________________.__________ ---------_-__---_----_ 41 LATE CENOZOIC MOLLUSCAN FAUNAS FROM THE HIGH PLAINS By D. W. TAYLOR ABSTRACT about in the middle of the Kansan age, and the Irvingtonian- Rancholabrean boundary about in the middle of the Illinoian Mollusks are described from nine late Cenozoic assemblages age. in the High Plains region: the late middle Pliocene Buis INTRODUCTION Ranch local fauna of northwestern Oklahoma; the late Pliocene Saw Rock Canyon, Rexroad, and Bender local faunas In the spring of 1936 M. K. Elias visited a Civilian of southwestern Kansas; the late Pliocene Red Corral local Conservation Corps quarry in Meade County, south­ fauna of the Panhandle of Texas; the early Pleistocene Dixon, western Kansas. Questioning the workmen about the Deer Park, and Sanders local faunas of southern Kansas; and the early Pleistocene Sand Draw local fauna of north-central possible occurrence of fossil bones;,-he was given speci­ Nebraska. In nearly all assemblages associated mammals mens which he brought to the University of Kansas. provide an independent age determination. The control pro­ Claude W. Hibbard and a University of Kansas Mu­ vided by fossil mammals and stratigraphie succession permits seum of Vertebrate Paleontology field party, acting evaluation of the mollusks for age determination and correla­ on this information, returned to the area in 1936 tion. Vertebrates and mollusks are complementary, and never antagonistic, in giving age and ecologic information. (Hibbard, 1941, p. 81). Fossils collected at this The late Pliocene and Pleistocene faunal sequence of south­ original locality and exploration of the Meade County western Kansas and northwestern Oklahoma is especially region in general subsequently have produced almost significant for regional and intercontinental correlation because an overabundance of paleontological riches. Intensive it is the most nearly complete sequence known from such a study by Hibbard and parties from the University small area. Collecting the great number of specimens and of Kansas (1936-46) and University of Michigan species which represent these faunas has been possible by washing large quantities of fossiliferous matrix through (1947 to date) has resulted in the discovery of the screens. Eeologic interpretation of the mollusks is combined most nearly complete sequence of late Pliocene and with other information from the vertebrates and inferences Pleistocene