STUDY OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS MARINE FOSSILS OF COON CREEK FORMATION, MCNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEE

During the Late Cretaceous period 85-65 Ma, Tennessee was almost completely submerged in water. This results in most of the fossils discovered in this state today being marine creatures, such as corals, sharks, ammonites, brachiopods, and crinoids.

This project describes characteristics of fossils found in the Coon Creek, McNairy County, Tennessee. During this project, seventeen fossils were found and categorized in the Coon Creek and the surrounding area. These include bivalve traces, fossilized coral, and shark teeth from the Cretaceous period.

The Coon Creek formation is a 70 million year old sedimentary sand marl deposit. It is rich in bivalves, bryozoans, and other invertebrates. Mosasaurs and plesiosaurs have even been found in Coon Creek.