Upper Cretaceous (Campanian and Maestrichtian) Ammonites From Southern Alaska GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PI SSIONAL PAPER 432 Upper Cretaceous (Campanian and Maestrichtian) Ammonites From Southern Alaska By DAVID L. JONES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 432 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1963 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director The U.S. Geological Survey Library has cataloged this publication as follows: Jones, David Lawrence, 1930- Upper Cretaceous (Campanian and Maestrichtian) am­ monites from southern Alaska. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1963. iv, 53 p. illus., maps, diagrs., tables. 29 cm. (U.S. Geological Survey. Professional paper 432) Part of illustrative matter folded in pocket. 1. Amnionoidea. 2. Paleontology-Cretaceous. 3. Paleontology- Alaska. I. Title. (Series) Bibliography: p. 47-^9. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Abstract-__________________________ 1 Comparison with other areas Continued Introduction. ______________________ 1 Vancouver Island, British Columbia.. 13 Stratigraphic summary ______________ 2 California. ______________--_____--- 14 Matanuska Valley-Nelchina area. 2 Western interior of North America. __ 14 Chignik Bay area._____._-._____ 6 Gulf coast area___________-_-_--_-- 15 Herendeen Bay area____________ 8 Madagascar. ______________________ 15 Cape Douglas area______________ 9 Antarctica ________________________ 15 Deposition and ecologic conditions___. 11 Geographic distribution ________________ 16 Age and correlation ________________ 12 Systematic descriptions.________________ 22 Comparison with other areas _ _______ 13 Selected references._________--_---__-__ 47 Japan _________________________ 13 Index._____-______-_----_-------_---- 51 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates 1-5 in pocket; 6-41 follow index] PLATES 1-3. Generalized geologic maps showing location of Upper Cretaceous fossil localities. 1. Matanuska Valley-Nelchina area. 2. Chignik Bay area. 3. Cape Douglas area. 4. Zonal classifications of Campanian and Maestrichtian stages. 5. Correlation of Campanian and Maestrichtian rocks. 6. Neophylloceras ramosum (Meek) and N. hetonaiense Matsumoto. 7. Neophylloceras hetonaiense Matsumoto and Pseudophyllites indra (Forbes). 8. Pseudophyllites indra (Forbes). 9. Gaudryceras tenuiliratum Yabe. 10. Gaudryceras tenuiliratum Yabe and Desmophyllites phyllimorphum. 11. Baculites occidentalis Meek. 12-14. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) hazzardi Jones, n. sp. 15. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) hazzardil. 16. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) hazzardi Jones, n. sp., P. (P.) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp., Pseudoxybeloceras"? sp. indet., and Baculites aff. B. teres Forbes. 17-20. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp. 21. Diplomoceras notabile Whiteaves and Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp. 22. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp. 23. Didymoceras aff. D. hornbyense (Whiteaves), Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp. and Ammonites cooperi Gabb. 24, 25. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp. 26. Pachydiscus (N eodesmoceras) obsoletiformis Jones, 11. sp., and P. (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp. 27, 28. Pachydiscus (Neodesmoceras) obsoletiformis Jones, n. sp. 29. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus ootacodensis (Stoliczka), Damesites hetonaiensis Matsumoto, and Pseudophyllites indra (Forbes). 30, 31. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) ootacodensis (Stoliczka). 32. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) ootacodensis (Stoliczka), P. (P.) hornbyense?, and P. (P.) Hornbyense Jones, n. sp. 33. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) hornbyense Jones, n. sp. 34. Anapachydiscus nelchinensis Jones, n. sp. 35. Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) kamishakensis Jones, n. sp., and Anapachydiscus nelchintnsis Jones, n. sp. 36. Canadoceras newberryanum (Meek) and C. yokoyamai (Jimbo). 37. Canadoceras yokoyamai (Jimbo). 38-40. Patagiosites alaskensis Jones, n. sp. 41. Patagiosites alaskensis Jones, n. sp., and Phyllopachyceras forbesianum (d'Orbigny). HI UPPER CRETACEOUS (CAMPANIAN, MAESTRICHTIAN) AMMONITES FROM SOUTHERN ALASKA EXPLANATION 1 Matanuska Valley-Nelchina area 2 Cape Douglas area 3 Chignik Bay area 4 Herendeen Bay area 0 100 200 MILES i ' i i i FIGURE l. Index map of Alaska showing principal areas of fossiliferous Upper Cretaceous rocks discussed in this report. Co. Charles E. Kirschner of Standard Oil Co. of Cali­ is in the gorge of Granite Creek (pi. 1), where they fornia, and M. C. Lachenbruch of the Western Gulf measured a section of about 4,000 feet of rock. The Oil Co. for supplying both specimens and locality lower half of the section consists mainly of shale and data. the upper half of alternating beds of sandstone and STRATIGRAPHIC SUMMARY shale, the sandstone predominating. Neither the lower MATANUSKA VALLEY-NELCHINA AREA nor the upper contact was observed in the Granite Creek section, nor were these contacts seen elsewhere Upper Creteceous rocks of the Matanuska Valley in the Matanuska Valley (Martin, 1926, p. 318). Thus, were originally included by Mendenhall (1900, p. 307) the full extent and the lithologic character of the in the Matanuska Series and were considered of Early Matanuska formation could not be determined within Cretaceous age on the basis of Buchia crassicollis its type area. (Keyserling). Subsequent work by Martin and Katz Martin (1926, p. 321) extended use of the term (1912) established the presence within this series of "Matanuska formation" into the upper Matanuska Lower Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous, Upper Cretaceous, Valley-Nelchina area where Upper Cretaceous rocks and Tertiary rocks. In 1926 Martin restricted and were said to be "of the same general lithologic character redefined the term "Matanuska Series" and desig­ as those in the lower part of the valley." Martin also nated as Matanuska formation the Upper Cretaceous pointed out that rocks of the upper Matanuska Valley- rocks of the Matanuska Valley. According to Martin Nelchina area are much less deformed structurally and Katz (1912, p. 34), the most complete section of than are those to the west in the vicinity of Granite the Matanuska formation in the Matanuska Valley- Creek. STRATIGRAPHIC SUMMARY Detailed mapping by Arthur Grantz (1953; 1960 a, (in Grantz and Jones, 1960) has resulted in a revision b, c; 1961) of the U.S. Geological Survey has shown of the above described stratigraphic classification and that in the Nelchina area the Matanuska formation is geologic age assignment. more completely exposed and lithologically more com­ In particular, the presence of strata of Coniacian and plex than in the vicinity of Granite Creek. In 1953 Santonian age has not been substantiated. The identi­ Grantz subdivided the formation into four members as fication of Prohauericeras was changed by Imlay follows, in descending stratigraphic sequence: (written communication to A. Grantz, 1954) to Sonni- Thickness (feet) nia of Bajocian age; this specimen was obtained from Upper shale and siltstone member: Dark-gray shale the Tuxedni formation, not the Matanuska formation. and silty shale with thin fine-grained arkosic sand­ The determination of Inoceramus undulatoplicatus has stone layers._________________________________ 1, 000+ been changed to 7. schmidti, a change with which Upper sandstone and siltstone member: Olive-gray Imlay concurs (written communication to A. Grantz, arkosic sandstone with thick pebble conglomerate, siltstone, and locally, shale beds. Local large-scale 1955). The reported Inoceramus uwajimensis belongs penecontemporaneous slump. Plant fragments to a new species of Cenomanian age. The only fossils and limestone concretions occur locally__________ 1, 500 of Coniacian age now known from the Matanuska for­ Lower shale and siltstone member: Medium- and dark- mation were found in reworked concretions in a channel gray shale and silty shale with numerous limestone conglomerate of Campanian age. Santonian fossils concretions and a few thin sandstone and siltstone layers_________________________________ 6, 000-7, 000 are, as yet, unknown. Basal sandstone member: Thick-bedded greenish-gray The presence of Lower Cretaceous fossils in the Mat­ and locally olive-black sandstone. Thick shale and anuska formation was first established by Imlay (1959, siltstone beds occur within the unit in places.----50-650 p. 179; 1960) who described Albian fossils from a locality Fossils collected from these units were studied by at the head of Billy Creek. The stratigraphic position R. W. Imlay (in Imlay and Reeside, 1954, p. 231-233) of these fossils was not clear, and they were thought to who recognized several faunal subdivisions said to have been reworked into beds of probable Campanian range in age from Coniacian to late Campanian or or Maestrichtian age (A. Grantz, oral communication, Maestrichtian. The lowest fauna, of Coniacian age, 1959). Subsequent restudy of this and other nearby was obtained from the basal sandstone member and localities indicated that the Albian fossils were indeed the immediately overlying several hundred feet of shale. in place and that the Matanuska formation includes Fossils from this interval of rock cited by Imlay include beds much older than had previously been realized. Parapuzosia and Prohauericeras as well as Inoceramus, Further fossil collecting and restudy of older collections probably identical with 7. uwajimensis Yehara and also showed that rocks of Cenomanian and Turonian 7. naumanni Yokoyama. No part of the