Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Basin and Range Province, Western United States: Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, July 1-7, 1989

102 Pages·5.845 MB·English

Cambrian and Early Ordovician
Stratigraphy and Paleontology
of the Basin and Range Province,
Western United States
Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah
July 1-7, 1989
Field Trip Guidebook T125
Leader: Michael E. Taylor, Editor
Associate Leaders:
Harry E. Cook James F. Miller A. R. Palmer
Margaret N. Rees Richard A. Robison
Contributions By:
David ]. Bottjer Mary L. Droser Stephen M. Rowland
American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1989 American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009
ISBN: 0-87590-662-1
Printed in the United States of America
COVER Shoal-water carbonate rocks of the Whipple Cave Formation
(Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician), Christmas Tree Canyon, central
Egan Range, Nevada. Photograph by M. E. Taylor.
CONTENTS
Page
Chapter 1. Introduction and Background for Field Trip T125. Michael E. Taylor 1
Chapter 2. Geology of the Basin and Range Province, Western United States:
An Overview. Harry E. Cook 6
Chapter 3. Day 0: Early and Middle Cambrian Stratigraphy of Frenchman
Mountain, Nevada (Stop 0.1). A. R. Palmer 14
Chapter 4. Day 1: Early Cambrian Stratigraphy and Paleontology, Southern
Great Basin, California-Nevada. A. R. Palmer and Stephen M. Rowland 17
Stop 1.1: Carrara Formation, Titanothere Canyon, Death Valley National
Park, California 17
Stop 1.2: Stewart's Mill Archaeocyath Reef, Esmeralda County, Nevada 24
Chapter 5. Day 2: Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy,
Biostratigraphy and Depositional Environments, Hot Creek Range, Nevada.
Harry E. Cook, Michael E. Taylor, and James F. Miller 28
Stop 2.1: Upper Cambrian Swarbrick Formation and Tybo Shale 32
Stop 2.2: Upper Tybo Shale and Hales Limestone 33
Stop 2.3 (optional): Currant Canyon, Horse Mountains-White Pine Range:
Overview of Lower Paleozoic Stratigraphic Section 36
Chapter 6. Day 3: Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician Biostratigraphy and
Depositional Environments of the Whipple Cave Formation and House
Limestone, Central Egan Range, Nevada. Michael E. Taylor, Harry E. Cook,
and James F. Miller 37
Stop 3.1: Christmas Tree Canyon 37
Stop 3.2: Sawmill Canyon 39
Chapter 7. Day 4: Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy and
Biostratigraphy, Southern House Range ("Ibex Area"), Utah. James F. Miller and
Michael E. Taylor 45
Stop 4.1: Hellnmaria Member of Notch Peak Formation 45
Stop 4.2: Steamboat Pass and General Orientation to the Southern House
Range-Ibex Area 46
Stop 4.3: Lava Dam Five Section 47
Stop 4.4 (Optional): Lower Ordovician Fillmore Formation, Skull Rock Pass 58
v
CONTENTS (continued)
Chapter 8. Days 5 and 6: Cambrian Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the
Central House Range and Drum Mountains, Utah. Margaret N. Rees and
Richard A. Robison 59
Day 5. Cambrian Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Central House Range 65
Stop 5.1: Upper Cambrian Paleontology and Depositional Environments
along Orr Ridge 65
Stop 5.2: Junction of Tule Valley Road and Old Highway U.S. 50/6 68
Stop 5.3: Howell Limestone and Chisholm Formation 68
Stop 5.4: Marjum and Weeks Formations 68
Stop 5.5: Sedimentary Features in Marjum Formation 68
Stop 5.6: Wheeler Amphitheater 68
Day 6. Middle Cambrian Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Drum Mountains ... 69
Stop 6.1: Whirlwind, Swasey, and Wheeler Formations 69
Stop 6.2: Depositional Facies of the Wheeler and Pierson Cove Formations 71
Chapter 9. A Practical Field Guide for Evaluating Early Paleozoic Ichnofabric.
Mary L. Droser and David J. Bottjer 73
References Cited 77
vii
MAILING ADDRESSES OF AUTHORS
David J. Bottjer
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0740
Harry E. Cook
Branch of Sedimentary Processes
U.S. Geological Survey - MS 999
Menlo Park, CA 94025-3591
Mary L. Droser
Department of Geology
Severance Hall
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio 44074-1087
James F. Miller
Geosciences Department
Southwest Missouri State University
Springfield, MO 65804-0089
A. R. Palmer
The Geological Society of America
P.O. Box 9140
Boulder, CO 80301-9140
Margaret N. Rees
Department of Geosciences
University of Nevada
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4010
Richard A. Robison
Department of Geology
University of Kansas
120 LindleyHall
Lawrence, KS 66045-2124
Stephen M. Rowland
Department of Geosciences
University of Nevada
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4010
Michael E. Taylor
Branch of Paleontology & Stratigraphy
U.S. Geological Survey
Box 25046, MS 919
Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225-0046
ix
Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Basin and Range Province,
Field Trip Guidebooks Western United States: Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, July 1–7, 1989 Vol. T125
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND FOR FIELD TRIP T125
Michael E. Taylor
U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
THE FIELD TRIP (Palmer and Taylor, 1984). The present guidebook
incorporates earlier research and work completed since
Field Trip T125 of the 28th International Geological 1981 on depositional models, paleotectonics, integrated
Congress will give participants a regional overview of conodont-trilobite biostratigraphy, and recent studies of
the geology of the Basin and Range province and an soft-bodied Middle Cambrian fossils.
introduction to Cambrian and Early Ordovician The guidebook is organized as follows: Chapter 2
stratigraphy and paleontology. Emphasis will be placed gives a general overview of the geologic history of the
on regional stratigraphy, depositional environments, Basin and Range province. Chapters 3 through 8 cover
biofacies and lithofacies relations, biostratigraphy, specific field trip stops, which are designated by day and
trilobite mass extinctions ("biomere boundaries"), stop number. For example, Stop 2.1 is the first stop on
evidence for eustatic sea-level changes, paleotectonic Day 2 and Stop 4.3 is the third stop on Day 4, etc..
history, and paleogeographic reconstructions. A Chapter 9 outlines a new technique for analyzing
transect will be made across a Late Cambrian and Early ichnofabric; a technique that shows potential for
Ordovician passive continental margin from deep-water- improving biofacies studies and for gaining
carbonate submarine-fan and slope facies in central understanding of the colonization of infaunal habitats by
Nevada to temporally equivalent shallow-water early Paleozoic metazoans. Lastly, the guidebook
microbial bioherms, and carbonate sand and mud facies authors have provided a comprehensive bibliography of
in eastern Nevada. The Middle Cambrian House Range reports on the Cambrian and Early Ordovician
embayment will be examined in west-central Utah, and paleontology and stratigraphy of the Basin and Range
paleotectonic controls on depositional facies province as an aid to readers who wish to further pursue
development and occurrences of soft-bodied fossils study of the scientific literature on the region.
similar to the Burgess Shale biota will be discussed. Measurements are given in metric units, except road
Participants will examine stratigraphic horizons distances which are in miles to aid coordination with
proposed as international boundary stratotypes for the odometers in American vehicles. In some instances
Middle/Upper Cambrian boundary and the stratigraphic thicknesses are given in feet (with meters
Cambrian/Ordovician boundary. Ample opportunity in parentheses) because the paint marks on rocks in
will be provided for collecting fossils and rock samples specific stratigraphic sections correspond to
representative of western North American faunal zones measurements in feet.
and various depositional environments.
Figure 1-1 shows the general route of Field Trip
T125. The trip begins in Las Vegas, Nevada, and travels BIOSTRATIGRAPHY
by a circuitous route through Death Valley, Nevada-
The biostratigraphic classification generally used for
California, to Tonopah and Ely, Nevada, then to Delta,
Cambrian and Lower Ordovician strata in the Basin and
Utah, and finally to Salt Lake City, where excursion
Range province is given in figure 1-2. Reference will be
participants will make airline connections for
made throughout the guidebook to this biostratigraphic
Washington, D.C., to attend technical sessions and
chart.
organizational meetings of the 28th International
North American stage and series nomenclature is in
Geological Congress.
a state of flux. Ludvigsen and Westrop (1985) proposed
some new stage names for the Upper Cambrian of the
THE GUIDEBOOK Basin and Range province based mainly on their studies
in Canada, but their divisions generally have not been
The field trip follows part of the route of a field accepted (Robison and others, 1985). Hintze (1982)
excursion made during the Second International proposed the "Ibexian Series" for Lower Ordovician
Symposium on the Cambrian System (Taylor and rocks in the western U.S., with the type area in the
Palmer, 1981) and an excursion on Cambrian extinctions southern House Range-Ibex area of west-central Utah.
T125: 1
Copyright American Geophysical Union
Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Basin and Range Province,
Field Trip Guidebooks Western United States: Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, July 1–7, 1989 Vol. T125
114°
FIGURE 1-1 Map of the Great Basin showing the route and general location of field stops of Field Trip T125 of
the 28th International Geological Congress. July 1989.
The need to establish a Lower Ordovician series The Cambrian of North America has strong biofacies
stratotype in the accessible, well-mapped and studied, changes, especially in trilobite faunas, from inner-shelf
and well-exposed sections of west-central Utah is widely siliciclastic paleoenvironments to middle- and outer-
understood, but formalization of a Lower Ordovician shelf shoal-water carbonate paleoenvironments, and to
Series has been deferred pending resolution of the deep-shelf, slope, and basin-plain paleoenvironments
Cambrian-Ordovician international boundary horizon (for example, Palmer, 1971; Taylor, 1977; Briggs and
and stratotype by the International Stratigraphic Robison, 1984). As a result of both ecological and
Commission (Henningsmoen, 1973). For this reason, preservational factors, only broadly defined trilobite
the term "Ibexian Series" is used provisionally in this zones can be readily traced from one biofacies belt to
report. another. Some of these relations are reflected in the
T125: 2
Copyright American Geophysical Union
Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Basin and Range Province,
Field Trip Guidebooks Western United States: Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, July 1–7, 1989 Vol. T125
biostratigraphic classification for the Basin and Range are scarce, he is thought to have passed through the
province given in figure 1-2. region via Hot Creek Canyon in the Hot Creek Range,
Because of regional biofacies relations and the widely about 10 miles (16 km) north of Tybo Canyon, which
held goal of developing uniformity in intercontinental will be visited on Day 2. Accounts of Smith's exploits
stage nomenclature, existing western North American can be found in Dale L. Morgan's thorough study
Cambrian and Lower Ordovician stage/series names entitled Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West
are used provisionally until working groups of the (1953).
Cambrian and Ordovician International By the mid-19th century, large numbers of emigrant
Subcommissions on Stratigraphy, International wagon trains crossed the Great Basin region lured by
Stratigraphic Commission, International Union of the discovery of gold in California in 1849, or for
Geological Sciences, complete current studies of religious freedom sought in the nearly empty and
worldwide correlations and recommend suitable isolated valleys of what is now Utah and Nevada.
nomenclature and stratotypes. Colorful firsthand accounts of the trials and tribulations
of 19th century travelers in the region can be found in a
published diary by emigrant Edwin Bryant (1849,
CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE GREAT BASIN
reprinted 1967) and in Death Valley in '49 by W. L.
Manly (1894, reprint 1966). Historic accounts of life in
The social and cultural history of the Great Basin has
the Great Basin by contemporary observers are found in
centered primarily around mining of precious and
a compendium edited by William Mulder and A. R.
industrial metals, oil exploration and production, and
Mortensen (1958).
agriculture—especially sheep and cattle raising and
irrigation farming. Tourism became a major industry
Acknowledgements
following the growth of legal gambling in Nevada after
World War II. Military training and weapons testing are
The editor thanks T. W. Henry, A. R. Palmer, and
conducted in a large part of the Great Basin land area.
C. H. Thorman for critically reviewing the entire
In 1986, Great Basin National Park was established in
guidebook manuscript and for offering suggestions for
the Snake Range of east-central Nevada. Trip
its improvement.
participants will pass near the national park on Day 4
The typescript was prepared with the Microsoft
when we drive from Ely, Nevada, to Delta, Utah.
Word word processing system on an IBM Personal
The traveler interested in Great Basin history will
Computer and printed by a Hewlett-Packard Laser Jet
find entry into the extensive literature on the subject in
printer. J. E. H. Taylor is thanked for composing the
Thompson and West's History of Nevada (1881,
Microsoft Word style sheets for automatic formatting of
reprinted 1958), R. R. Elliott's History of Nevada (1973),
text and for printing the camera-ready copy. M. W.
and John McPhee's award-winning book Basin and
Jones provided capable assistance in drafting many of
Range (1980).
the text figures.
The first modern explorer to traverse the Great Basin
was Jedediah Strong Smith in 1827. Although records
T125: 3
Copyright American Geophysical Union
Cambrian and Early Ordovician Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Basin and Range Province,
Field Trip Guidebooks Western United States: Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, July 1–7, 1989 Vol. T125
I
8 8>
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Trilobite zone Trilobite subzone Conodont subzone Conodont zone
</)(/) CO
Jumudontus gananda
Presbynileus ibexensis (I)
interval
?Reutterodus andinus
Trigonocera typica (H) Interval
Oepikodus communis
interval
"Microzarkodina"
Protopliomerella
marathonensis interval
contracta (G)
2
Acodus deltatus interval
Hintzeia celsaora (G)
A Macerodus dianae
interval
Rossaspis supercillousa (F)
c Tesselacauda (E) y Glyptoconus ~-vi
Co O quadraplicatus interval
•>
o aff. Scolopodus rex
interval
Leiostegium-Kainella (C)
—\Paraplethopeltis (C) /*
Bellefontia-Xenostegium
Loxodus bransoni interval
Symphysurina woosteri
Symphysurina bulbosa Cordylodus angulatus
Symphysurina
Cordylodus lindstromi
Symphysurina
Clavohamulus hintzei
brevispicata Cordylodus intermedius
Hirsutodontus simplex
Clavohamulus elongatus
Missisquoia typicalis
Missisquoia Fryxellodontus inornatus
Cordylodus proavus
Missisquoia depressa
Hirsutodontus hirsutus
Eurekia apopsis
Saukiella serotina Cambrooistodus minutus
Eoconodontus
Eoconodontus
Saukia notchpeakensis
Saukiel/a junia
c
Proconodontus muelleri
CO
-Q
E Proconodontus
Saukiella pyrene
CO posterocostatus
O
Proconodontus
tenuiserratus
Ellipsocephaloides
Idahoia
Drumaspis No conodont zonation established
Idahoia lirae
T125: 4
Copyright American Geophysical Union