Upper Coniacian-Lower Campanian biostratigraphy based on the study of calcareous nannofossils from the Austin Group, Texas, USA

Main Article Content

Patricia Hernández-Bernal

Abstract




Fourteen samples from a composite section of the Austin Group in Texas were examined for their calcareous nanofossil content. Fifty-seven upper Cretaceous nannofossil species were recovered and identi ed at least up to generic level. The occurrence of these species was recorded to de ne the position of biozones. Sissingh ́s biozonation scheme for calcareous nannofossils (1977) was used and the samples were dated as upper middle Coniacian to lower Campanian, based on the marker species: Micula decussata (CC 14), Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii (CC 16), Calculites obscurus (CC 17) and Broinsonia cf. B. parca (CC 18).


The results were compared with previous biozonations for calcareous nannofossils, planctonic foraminifera and ammonites, and appear to be consistent for cosmopolitan zonations and regional zonations within Texas, but are not consistent with a regional zonation for Mississippii and Alabama.


These studies will be compared in the next future with studies of samples from Pemex Región Norte, to verify if the Mexican samples are consistent with the formations of the Austin Group in Texas.




Article Details

How to Cite
Hernández-Bernal P. (2012). Upper Coniacian-Lower Campanian biostratigraphy based on the study of calcareous nannofossils from the Austin Group, Texas, USA. Paleontología Mexicana, 1(1), 106–120. https://doi.org/10.22201/igl.05437652e.2012.1.1.135
Section
Palaeozoology

References

Bukry, D. 1969. Upper Cretaceous Coccoliths from Texas and Europe. Univ. Kansas Paleont. Contr. 51 (Protista) p. 79.

Caron, M., 1985. Cretaceous planktic foraminifera. En Bolli, H. M, et al. (Eds.). Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, p. 17-86.

Crux, J.A. 1982. Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Campanian) calcareous nannofossils, En Lord A.R. (Ed.). A British Micropaleontological Society Series, Ellis Horwood, Chichester, p. 81-85.

Dowsett, H.J. 1989. Documentation of the Santonian – Campanian and Austinian – Taylorian Stage Boundaries in Mississippi and Alabama using calcareous Microfossils. U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1884, 20 p.

Gartner, S. 1968. Coccoliths and related calcareous nannofossils from Upper Cretaceous deposits of Texas and Arkansas. Univ. Kansas Paleont. Conr. 48 (Protista), Article 1, p. 56.

Grammil, L.M., J.A. Adams, and R.E. Casey, 1984. Potassium – 40/⁄Argon – 40 age determinations on low potassium glauconites near missing Cretaceous – Tertiery transition at Littig Pit., Travis County, Texas (abst.). American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin 68 (4): p. 478-479.

Hattner, J.G., Wind, F.H. and Wise, S.W. 1980. The Santonia Campanian Boundary: Comparison of Nearshore – Offshore Calcareous Nannofossil Assemblages. Cahiers de Micropale-ontologie., 3: p. 9-26.

Hattner, J.G. and Wise S.W. 1980. Upper Cretaceous Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy of South Carolina. South Carolina Geology, 24 (2): p. 41-117.

Heine, C.J. 1991. Late Santonian to Early Maastrichtian Dinoflagelate cysts in NE Texas. En: Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology of the Campanian shelf in NE Publication, p. 117-147.

Lauer, G. 1971. Evolutionary trends in the Arkhangelskiellacea (Calcareous Nannoplankton) of the Upper Cretaceous of Central Oman, SE Arabia. Report on the Consultant Group on Calcareous Nannoplankton, Kiel, Sept. 5-7, p. 239-261.

Leshner, O., 1983. Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Austin Chalk (Upper Cretaceous) in the type area, Abstracts with Programs 15 (2): p. 48.

Moshkovitz, S. and Osmond, K. 1989. The optical properties and microcrystallography of Arkhangelskiellaceae and some other calcareous nannofossils in the Late Cretaceous En: Crux, J. A. and Van Heck, S. (Eds) Nannofossils and Their Applications, proceedings of the International Nannofossil Association Conference, London, 1987, p. 76-97.

Noël, D. 1969. Arkhangelskiella (coccolithes crétacés) et forms affines du Bassin de Paris. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 11 (4): p. 191-194.

Perch – Nielsen, K. 1985. Mesozoic calcareous nannofossils. In Bolli, H.M. et al. (Eds.), Plankton Stratigraphy, Cambridge University Press.

Percival, S.F. Jr. 1991. Late Santonian to early Maastrichtian calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and zonation in NE Texas. Micropaleontology Press, Special Publ., 5: 148 p.

Pessagno, E.A. Jr. 1967. Upper Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera from the Western Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain. Paleontographica Americana 5: p. 242-545.

Risatti, J.B. 1973. Nannoplankton biostratigraphy of the Upper Bluffport Marl – Lower Prairie Bluff Chalk interval (Upper Cretaceous) in Mississipi. Proc. Symp. Calc. Nannofossils. Gulf Coast Sect. Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral, p. 8-57.

Roth, P.H. 1978. Cretaceous nannoplankton biostratigraphy and Oceanography of the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, 44: p. 731-759.

Sissingh, W. 1977. Biostratigraphy of Cretaceous calcareous nannoplancton. Geologie en Mijnbouw, 56: 37-65.

Sheu, N.W., 1982. Calcareous nannofossils of the Brownstwn Marl and Gober Chalk (Upper Cretaceous) of the Upper Austin Group, Fannin Country, Northeast Texas. University of Texas at Arlington, Masters Thesis.

Smith, C.C., 1875. Calcareous nanoplankton and stratigraphy of the upper Eagle Ford and lower Austin Formations, Texas. University of Texas at Dallas, Ph.D. Dissertation.

Smith, C.C. 1981. Calcareous Nannoplankton and Stratigraphy of Late Turonian, Coniacian and Early Santonian Age of the Eagle Ford and Austin Groups of Texas. Geol. Survey Professional Paper 1075, 95 p.

Stradner, H. 1961. Vorkommen von Nannofossilien im Mesozoikum und Alttertiär. Erdöl-Z., 77, p. 77-88.

Thierstein, H.R. 1976. Mesozoic Calcareous Nannoplankton Biostratigraphy of Marine Sediments. Marine Micropaleontol-ogy 1: p. 325-362.

Thompson, L., Heine, C., Percival, S., Selznik, M. 1992. Stratigraphy and Stradner, H. 1964. Micropaleontology of the Campanian shelf in Northeast Texas. Micropaleont. Press Special Publ., 5: 148 p.

Varol, O. 1989. Quantitative analysis of the Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis Group and Biostratigraphic usefulness in the North Sea Area. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 8 (2): p. 131-134.

Verbeek, J.W. 1977. Calcareous nannoplankton Biostratigraphy of the Middle and Upper Cretaceous Deposits in Tunisia, Southern Spain and France. Ultrecht Micropaleontological Bulletins 16: p. 5-157.

Young, K. and Woodruff, C.M. 1985. Austin Chalk in its type – area stratigraphy and structure, Austin Geological Society, Guidebook 7, 88 p.