The Conodont Biostratigraphy of the Black Prince Limestone (Pennsylvanian) of Southeastern Arizona Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Barrie, Kathleen Ann Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Antevs Library, Department of Geosciences, and the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author or the department. Download date 06/10/2021 04:56:02 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/240113 THE CON ODONT BIOSTRATIGRAPHYOF THE BLACK PRINCE LIMESTONE(PENNSYLVANIAN) OF SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA by Kathleen Ann Barrie A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GE OS CIEN CE S In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1975 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of re- quirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judg- ment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholar- ship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: 27(?7s- DIETMAR SCHULZACHER ' Date Assistant Professor of Geosciences ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the many people who helped me in the completion of my thesis. Special thanks are due to Dr. Dietmar Schumacher, thesis director, who gave me guidance and help in every phase of this study. Thanks are also due to the other members of my thesis committee, Drs. Donald L. Bryant and Joseph F. Schreiber, Jr. Fellow graduate students helped in many ways and I would like to thank them, especially William C. Sulkoske. Dr. Richard Lane, Amoco Research Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, helped in the identification of some of the conodonts and in the interpretation of the biostratigraphy. Dr. David LeMone of the Department of Geology, University of Texas at El Paso helped in the identification of the carbonates.Thanks are due to Dr. Walter Roser, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso,and Drs.Thomas Teska and Michael Drake,Department of Planetary Sciences,The University of Arizona, who provided free instrument time and assistance in obtaining the scan- ning electron microscope photomicrographs. Some financial aid for this research was provided by the Max- well Short Scholarship. Encouragement and financial support were given by my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand J. Barrie. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vi ABSTRACT vii INTRODUCTION 1 Methods 1 Location 2 Geology and Stratigraphy 4 Previous Work 7 Arizona Conodont Studies 7 Morrowan Conodont Biostratigraphy 7 BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE BLACK PRINCE LIMESTONE 11 Neognathodus bassleri Zone 11 Idiognathodus sinuosis- Streptognathodus antee c ce ntricu s Zone 13 Idiognathoides convexus Zone 13 Spathognathodus coloradoensis -Neognathodus columbiensis Fauna 14 TEMPORAL RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE LOWER PENNSYLVANIAN OF SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA 15 DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRON MENT 18 CONCLUSIONS 20 SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY 21 Genus Adetognathus Lane,1967 22 Adetognathus lautus (Gunnell),1933 22 Adetognathus spathus (Dunn),1966 24 Genus Idiognathodus Gunnell, 1931 25 Idiognathodus sinuosis Ellison & Graves, 1941 25 Genus Idiognathoide s Harris & Hollingsworth, 1933 26 Idiognathoides convexus (Ellison & Graves),1941 2 6 Idiognathoides noduliferus (Willson & Graves),1941... 27 Idiognathoides s inuatu s Harris & Hollingsworth, 1933 .. 28 Genus Neognathodus Dunn, 1970a 29 Neognathodus bassleri (Harris & Hollingsworth), 1933.. 29 Neognathodus columbiensis (Stibane),1967 30 iv V TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Continued Page Genus Rachistognathus Dunn, 1966 32 Rachistognathus muricatus (Dunn),1965 32 Genus Spathognathodus Branson & Mehl, 1941 33 Spathognathodus coloradoensis Murray & Chronic, 1965. 33 Spathognathodus minutus (Ellison),1941 34 Genus Streptognathodus Stauffer & Plummer, 1932 35 Streptognathodus anteeccentricus Dunn, 1966... 35 Streptognathodu s expansus Igo & Koike, 1964 36 Strepto nathodus suberectus Dunn, 1966 37 Genus A, sp. A 38 REFERENCES 40 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Location map of measured sections of the Black Prince Limestone 3 2. Some late Paleozoic formations of southeastern Arizona. ... 5 3. Comparison of some Morrowan conodont zonations 9 4. Conodont zones and ranges of important conodonts in the Black Prince Limestone 12 5. Temporal relationships within the Lower Pennsylvanian of southeastern Arizona 16 6. Stratigraphic sections and distribution of conodonts in the Black Prince Limestone in pocket 7. Adetognathus,Idiognathodus,Idiognathoide s, Neognathodus 23 8. Neognathodus,Rachistognathus,Spathognathodus, Streptognathodus, Genus A 31 vi ABSTRACT The Black Prince Limestone of southeastern Arizona has been assigned to the Morrowan on the basis of several long -ranging fossils. Since these were not especially diagnostic, the exact time represented by the Black Prince within the Morrowan was uncertain. To date the Black Prince more precisely, six sections were systematically sampled for conodonts. The condonts found, especially Neognathodus bassleri, Rachistognathus muricatus,Idiognathoides convexus,and Spatho- qnathodus coloradoensis,indicate a middle Morrowan to early Derryan age for the Black Prince in the study area. Four conodont zones can be recognized: the Neognathodus bassleri Zone,the Idiognathodus sinuosis.- Streptognathodus anteeccen- tricus Zone,the Idiognathoide s convexes Zone,and the Spathognathodus coloradoensis -Neognathodus columbiensis Zone.These zones compare favorably with the zonation previously established in the type Morrowan. This biostratigraphic evidence suggests that the hiatus between the Black Prince and Horquilla Limestones increases in magnitude from southeastern to south -central Arizona. The Black Prince represents a sequence of tidal flat and shallow subtidal carbonate deposits. Mudstones and sparsely fossiliferous wackestones with low fossil diversity and abundance characterizethe tidal -flat facies. Grainstone s,packstones, and fossiliferous wacke- stones with high fossil diversity and abundance characterizethe shal- low subtidal facies. vii INTRODUCTION This study was undertaken to determine more preciselythe age of the Black Prince Limestone. Conodonts were chosen for this study because they are relatively abundant throughout the formation.Another advantage in using conodonts is that there exists a highly refined cono- dont zonation for the Morrowan in the central and western United States. The conodont zones established in this study can then be compared to the standard zones in the rest of the country. Fusulinids,which are used to date most of the Pennsylvanian and Permian formations in Arizona, cannot be used to date the Black Prince because their occurrence is rare in the formation. Those fu su linid s present are primitive and long ranging. There are also few diagnostic macrofossils in the Black Prince. In this study an attempt was also made to determine the length of the hiatus between the Black Prince and the overlying Horquilla and Naco formations.This will help to clarify the stratigraphic relationships between the formations. Finally, an effort was made to determine what environmental controls, if any, there were on conodont distribution within the Black Prince. Methods Six sections were measured using a Brunton compass and Jacob staff. Samples were collected from every bed. The sample size varied 1 2 from approximately 2 to 4 kg.At least 1 kg of each sample was dis- solved (at least partially) in 10 percent acetic acid. The dried residue was then separated in heavy liquid, tetrabromoethane , as described by Collinson (1963).The heavy residue was then picked for conodonts. Rock descriptions were based on thin sections and polished hand specimens. Dunham`s (1962) classification was used for rock type. All photomicrographs were taken with Polaroid Type 55 P/N film using a scanning electron microscope. Location For this study six sections of the Black Prince Limestone in southeastern and south -central Arizona were measured and sampled for conodonts.These sections are indicated by number on the locationmap (Fig. 1). 1.Superior: NE1/4SW1/4 sec. 36 and SE 1 /4NW1 /4 to SW1 /4 SE 1/4 sec. 36, T.1 S.,R. 12 E.,Superior quadrangle, Pinal County. 2.Ekiminzin Wash: NE 1 /4NE 1/4 sec. 36 to SW1/4SE1/4sec. 25, T. 5 S., R. 16 E., Saddle Mountain quadrangle, PinalCounty. 3.Johnny Lyon Hills: SE 1 /4SE 1/4 sec. 16 to SW1 /4sec. 15, T. 14 S.,R. 21 E.,Dragoon quadrangle, Cochise County. 4.Dry Canyon,VIihetsone Mountains: NW1 /4sec. 23 to NW1 /4 sec. 22, T.19 S., R. 19 E., Benson quadrangle,Cochise County. 3 N .-/ i z \ PHOENIX I Drn o E J I ( h_ ` i _...11 i \ N I \ - o 2. I \z I i D SO 100 KM `o ___r I. L_. _ _ - I I \ i i ó ucsoN I o 1 3. L L IIMMIMM, A 5. i BISBEE 1 0 6.o Figure 1.Location map of measured sections of the Black Prince Limestone 4 5.Swisshelm Mountains: SE1/4SW1 /4 sec. 35, T. 19 S., R. 27 E.,Swisshelm Mountain quadrangle , Cochise County. 6.Naco Hills: SE1/4SW1/4 sec. 35 to SW1/4SW1 /4SE 1 /4SE 1/4 sec. 26, T. 23 S .,R. 23 E.,Bisbee quadrangle, Cochise County. Geology and Stratigraj y Gilluly, Cooper, and Williams (19 54) named the Black Prince Limestone for exposures near the Black Prince mine in the Little Dragoon Mountains.Because of metamorphism, the type section was measured at Gunnison Peak 4.5 miles to the southeast. Additional sections were mea- sured in the Johnny Lyon Hills and the Little Dragoon Mountains.