LATE MAASTRICHTIAN PALYNOMORPHS FROM THE LINTON MEMBER OF THE FOX HILLS FORMATION IN SOUTH-CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA

ERICKSON, J. Mark, Geology Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY 13617, KROEGER, Tim J., Center for Environmental, Earth & Space Studies, Bemidji State University, 1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Bemidji, MN 56601, HOGANSON, John W., North Dakota Geological Survey, 1016 East Calgary Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505-0840 and HOLLAND Jr, F.D., Dept. of Geology and Geological Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, meri@stlawu.edu

Eight samples collected at 10-cm intervals from the Linton Member of the Fox Hills Fm. in Emmons County, North Dakota (Klett and Erickson, 1976) bear an angiosperm-dominated palynomorph assemblage that indicates deposition during the early to middle portion of the Late Maastrichtian. The Linton Member is an estuarine sandstone at the top of the Fox Hills Fm. transitional into the delta platform margin of the Hell Creek Fm. representing the shore of the Dakota Isthmus (Erickson, 1999).

Additional palynomorph types present include dinoflagellate cysts (rare, mostly paleoperidinioids), fresh water algal spores/cysts/coenobia (common), fern, lycopod, and bryophyte spores (abundant), conifers (uncommon) and gnetales (uncommon). A Late Maastrichtian age is indicated by the presence of Wodehouseia spinata Stanley 1961 and Tschudypollis spp. Additional biostratigraphically significant taxa include: Aquilapollenites bertillonites Funkhouser 1961, A. reductus Norton 1965, and Porosipollenites porosus (Mchedlishvili) Krutzsch 1969, all of which are suggestive of an early to middle Late Maastrichtian age (Nichols, 1994; Braman and Sweet, 1999). With the exception of the dinoflagellate cysts, this palynomorph assemblage is similar to that described from the lower Hell Creek Formation (Subzone B) in SW North Dakota by Nichols (2002).

The upper unit of the Fox Hills Fm. in central ND is shown to be equivalent to the lower Hell Creek (pollen Subzone B) of SW ND whereas the megaflora of the same unit suggests the younger zone HC III (Peppe & Erickson, 2002). In either case, when resolved, there will be better understanding of the heterochrony of the Fox Hills—Hell Creek contact from west to east as the Dakota Isthmus closed.

Braman, D. R. & Sweet, A. R. 1999. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 36(5), p. 725-741.

Erickson, J. M. 1999. North Dakota Academy of Science Proceedings, 53:124-129.

Klett, M.C. & J.M. Erickson. 1976. North Dakota Acad. Science Proc., 28(2):3 - 21.

Nichols, D. J. 1994. in Mesozoic Systems of the Rocky Mountain Region, U.S.A.: SEPM, p. 503-521.

Nichols, D. J. 2002. in The Hell Creek Formation and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the northern Great Plains: G.S.A Special Paper 361, p. 393-456.

Peppe, D. J. & J. M. Erickson. 2002. Geological Society of America Programs with Abstracts, 34(6):429-30.

Session No. 101--Booth# 60

Paleontology (Posters) II - Biostratigraphy, Taphonomy, Ichnology

Monday, 1 November 2010: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM

Hall D (Colorado Convention Center)

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 42, No. 5, p.250

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