Earth:Virgin Hills Formation

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Short description: Rock formation in Western Australia
Virgin Hills Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Devonian (Frasnian to Famennian),[1] 382.3–358.8 Ma
TypeGeological formation
UnderliesPiker Hills Formation
OverliesGogo Formation
Thickness420 m (1,380 ft) (Casey Falls)
Lithology
PrimaryLimestone
OtherSandstone
Location
LocationKimberley, Western Australia
Coordinates [ ⚑ ] : 18°24′S 126°00′E / 18.4°S 126°E / -18.4; 126 (Casey Falls)
RegionWestern Australia
CountryAustralia
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The Virgin Hills Formation is a geologic formation dating to the Late Devonian, specifically the Frasnian and Famennian epochs. It is located in the Kimberley of Western Australia. The formation represents fore-reef facies deposited as part of an extensive reef system that fringed the south-west Kimberley Block in Western Australia. Its rocks record a staggering diversity of animals, particularly ammonoids, conodonts and trilobites, and it additionally records the Kellwasser extinction event at the Frasnian-Famennian border, showcasing the disappearance of indigenous life, before their replacement by newcomers from Europe.[1][2][3]

Biochronology & Stratigraphy

Conodont Zones

Each species is sorted into time-correlated conodont zones, which is a common method of establishing specific biostratigraphic zones in many formations.[4] The ones with number codes are Frasnian in age, and the ones with conodont species names are Famennian in age. Below is the list order of these zones, from youngest to oldest:

  • rhomboidea
  • Upper crepida
  • Lower-middle crepida
  • Upper triangularis
  • Lower-middle triangularis
  • linguiformis (13b)
  • upper rhenana (13a)
  • lower rhenana (12)
  • lower rhenana (11)

The Virgin Hills Formation is not stratigraphically uniform, as different sections record different periods of time. For instance, the eastern side of McWhae Ridge area only records zones 12 through to triangularis.[5]

Below is a list of localities. Note that in McWhae Ridge, except for Scutelluid Bed occuring right above Berigora Gully, these localities are not stratigraphically contiguous, and are often located in different locations around their area:

  • McWhae Ridge
    • Eastern
      • Calyx Corner (13b)[5][6]
      • Casey Falls (southeastern) (13b)[6]
      • Phacopid Gully (13a, 13b)[5]
      • Scutelluid Bed (12)[5]
      • Berigora Gully (12)[5][6]
      • Esko's Gully (12)[5]
    • Western
      • Cheiloceras Bed (rhomboidea)[7]
      • Frutexites Bed (Lower-Middle crepida)[7]
      • Upper Beloceras Bed (13a)[6][7]
      • Lower Beloceras Bed (12)[6][7]
  • Bugle Gap (11)[5]
    • Windy Knolls (11, 13a)[6]
  • Horse Spring (11, 12, 13b)[5][6]
  • Siphon Spring (12)[5][6]

It is important that one does not tie conodont zones to localities as indivisible units, and instead as two separate parts that are be used together. This is because, one, some localities, such as Windy Knolls in both zones 11 and 13a, can occur in non-contiguous conodont zones. Two, as mentioned before, conodont zones are time-based and are used globally, while the localities are stratigraphically based and specific to the Virgin Hills Formation. If in the Localities column and a cell for example says 'McWhae Ridge (Base, etc.,)', that means one of the localities is an unspecified part of the McWhae area. This also applies if it simply says 'McWhae Ridge' without any specific localities, and this also applies to Bugle Gap, which has the locality 'Windy Knolls', and can also be referred to without a specified locality.[5]

Ammonoid Zones & correlation

In regards to ammonoids, they have been designated to a more precise biochronological order in the form of zones and subzones, most of which are named after one of the ammonoids found there, although many of them are not endemic to that particular zone. This spans the entire Canning Basin, including the Napier and Gogo Formations, but in the Virgin Hills Formation the zones begin at UD I-E1 (UD standing for Upper Devonian, though it is optimal to omit this part) and conclude at III-C. These have been mapped to conodont zones, making it possible to convert ammonoid zones to conodont zones.. However, vice versa is not fully possible, as conodont zones are generally broader and can span multiple ammonoid zones. Note that [ur] means low diversity upper range zone, which is defined by the extinction of several species). A collapsed table below displays this biostratigraphical mapping.[8]

Correlation of Ammonoid & Conodont Zonation[8]
Stage Substage German Ages Key Ammonoid Zones Ammonoid Subzones Conodont Zones
Famennian Upper Hembergian III-C Protactoclymenia euryomphala N/A trachytera Zone
III-B3 Falcitornoceras sp. M [ur] Uppermost marginifera Zone
III-B2 Pseudoclymenia australis Pseudoclymenia australis Upper marginifera Zone
III-B1 Sporadoceras angustisellatum
III-A2 Sporadoceras equale Pernoceras delepinei
Middle III-A1 Sporadoceras equale
Nehdenian II-I2 Dimeroceras sp. Cycloclymenia sp.
II-I1 Dimeroceras sp.
II-H Sporadoceras teicherti N/A
II-G2 Maeneceras meridionale Maeneceras latilobatum Lower marginifera Zone
II-G1 Maeneceras meridionale
II-F2 Paratornoceras polonicum Acrimeroceras clarkei
Lower II-F1 Paratornoceras polonicum rhomboidea Zone
II-E2 Praemeroceras petterae Praemeroceras primaevum
II-E1 Praemeroceras petterae
II-D Oxytornoceras sp. N/A Uppermost crepida Zone
II-C "Falcitornoceras" sp. 1 Upper crepida Zone
II-B Middle crepida Zone
II-A [no ammonoids; extinction] Lower crepida Zone
triangularis Zones
Frasnian Upper Adorfian I-L2 Crickites lindneri Manticoceras cordatum [ur] Zone 13c
I-L1b “Manticoceras“ guppyi Zone 13b
I-L1a Crickites lindneri Zone 13a
I-K Manticoceras sp. 5 N/A Zone 12
I-J3 Maternoceras retorquatum Clauseniceras sp.
I-J2 Virginoceras erraticum
I-J1 Maternoceras retorquatum
I-I2 Playfordites tripartitus N/A Zone 11
I-I1 Costamanticoceras koeneni
Middle I-H Beloceras tenuistriatum Zones 9—10
I-G2b Mesobeloceras thomasi Zone 8
I-G2a Mesobeloceras housei Zone 7
I-G1 Naplesites naplense Gp. Zone 6
I-F3 Sphaeromanticoceras affine
I-F2 Gogoceras nicolli Zone 5
I-F1 Prochorites alveolatus
I-E3 Manticoceras sp. 1
I-E2 Ponticeras discoidale
I-E1 Probeloceras lutheri lutheri

Trilobita

Harpetida

Harpetidae

Genus Species Localities Conodont Zone Images
Eskoharpes[9] E. boltoni
  • McWhae Ridge (Berigora Gully)
 12
Harpides sp., a related species.
E. guthae
  • McWhae Ridge (Phacopid Gully)
 13a
E. palanasus
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner, Phacopid Gully)
 13a—13b
E. wandjina
  • McWhae Ridge (Berigora Gully, Esko's Gully)
 11—12
Globoharpes[9] G. teicherti
  • McWhae Ridge (Berigora Gully)
 11—12
G. friendi
  • McWhae Ridge (Berigora Gully, Esko's Gully)
 12
G. aff. teicherti
  • McWhae Ridge (Berigora Gully)

Odontopleurida

Odontopleuridae

Genus Species Locality Conodont Zone Images
Gondwanaspis[10] G. dracula
  • Bugle Gap
  • McWhae Ridge
 11—12
The related Isoprusia sp.
G. spinosa
  • Bugle Gap
  • McWhae Ridge
G. sp. A
  • Bugle Gap
 11
G. sp. B
  • McWhae Ridge
 13b
G. sp. C
  • McWhae Ridge

Phacopida

Phacopidae

Genus Species Localities Conodont Zone Images
Acuticryphops[7] A. acuticeps
  • McWhae Ridge (western side Base; Phacopid Gully)
 13a
Mould of A. acuticeps.
A. klapperi
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner, Phacopid Gully)
 13b
Babinops B. planiventer[3]
  • Ant Hill
 Upper crepida—rhomboidea
B. minor[7]
  • McWhae Ridge (Base, Casey Falls)
Cyrtosymbole (C.)[3] C. C. playfordi
  • Sprite Ridge
 rhomboidea
Houseops[7] H. beckeri
  • McWhae Ridge
 Upper triangularis
H. canningensis
  • McWhae Ridge
 Lower-middle crepida
H. sp. A
  • McWhae Ridge
 Upper triangularis
Trimerocephaloides[7] T. sinevisus
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
 13a
T. (?) linguiformis
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
  • McWhae Ridge (Harpetid Bed)
 11
Trimerocephalus T. tardispinosus[3]
  • Sprite Ridge
 rhomboidea
T. mimbi[7]
  • McWhae Ridge

Proetida

Aulacopleuridae

Genus Species Locality Conodont Zone Images
Otarion[1] O. fugitivum
  • McWhae Ridge (Phacopid Gully)
 13b
Fossil of the family namesake, Aulacopleura konicki
O. sp.
  • Siphon Spring
 12

Proetidae

Genus Species Localities Conodont Zone Images
Canningbole[6] C. henwoodorum
  • Siphon Spring
 12
Fossil of Liobole glabra, a fellow proetid.
C. latimargo
  • Horse Spring
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner, Casey Falls, Phacopid Gully)
 13b
C. macromma
  • Horse Spring
 11—12
C. sp. aff. macromma
  • Horse Spring
Palpebralia[6] P. initialis
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
 11
P. pustulata
  • McWhae Ridge (Lower Beloceras Bed)
 12
?P. sp. A
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner)
 13b
Palpebralina[6] P. pseudopalpebralis
pseudopalpebralis
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
  • McWhae Ridge (Phacopid Gully)
 12—13b
P. pseudopalbebralis
ultima
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner)
 13a—13b
P. minor
  • McWhae Ridge (Lower Beloceras Bed, Berigora Gully)
 12
P. ocellifer
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
Rudybole[6] R. adorfensis angusta
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
  • Horse Spring
 11—12
R. brecciae
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner, Phacopid Gully)
 13b
R. depressa
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner, Casey Falls, Phacopid Gully)

Tropidocoryphidae

Genus Species Localities Conodont Zone Images
Chlupaciparia[6] C. C. planiops
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
 13a
Fossil of the tropidocoryphid Diademaproetus sp.
C. (Australoparia) australis
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
 12
C. (A.) lata
  • Siphon Spring
Pteroparia[6] P. extrema
  • Bugle Gap (Windy Knolls)
  • McWhae Ridge (Lower Beloceras Bed, Berigora Gully)
 12

Corynexochida

Styginidae

Genus Species Localities Conodont Zone Images
Telopeltis T. intermedia[1]
  • McWhae Ridge (Base, Phacopid Gully)
 13a
Prepared fossil specimen of Scutellum sp.
T. microphthalmus[5]
  • McWhae Ridge (Calyx Corner & Phacopid Gully)
 13a—13b
T. woodwardi[5]
  • Bugle Gap
  • Horse Spring
  • McWhae Ridge (Base, Berigora Gully, Scutelluid Bed)
  • Siphon Spring
 11—12
T. aff. intermedia[1]
  • McWhae Ridge
 13a
T. aff. woodwardi[1]
  • McWhae Ridge
  • (Scutelluid Bed)
 12

Ammonoidea

Agoniatitida

Acanthoclymeniidae[8][11]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Acanthoclymenia A. neapolitana I-F1—I-F2 5
Probeloceras P. lutheri lutheri I-E1—I-E3 5
P. lutheri ssp. I-E3
P. aff. lutheri I-F1
gen. aff. P. sp. I-F2
Prochorites P. alveolatus I-F1—I-F2 5

Beloceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Beloceras B. tenuistriatum I-H—I-L1b 9—13b
Fossil specimen of Beloceras sagittarium.
B. tenuistriatum glenisteri I-I2 9
Mesobeloceras M. housei I-G2a 7
M. thomasi I-G2b—I-J3 8—12
Naplesites N. naplesense I-G1 6
N. sp.

Gephuroceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Archoceras A. varicosum I-L1b 13b
Carinoceras C. vagans I-G2b 8
Clauseniceras C. scheldense I-J2—I-J3 12
C. sp. I-J3
Costamanticoceras C. koeneni I-I1—I-J2 11—12
C. sp. I-G2b—I-J2 8—12
Crickites C. lindneri I-L1a—I-L1b 13a—13b
Manticoceras M. cordatum I-E1, I-L2 5, 13c
Fossil (USNM 617549) of M. evolutum.
"M". guppyi I-L1b—I-L2 13b—13c
M. lamed I-E1 5
M. sp. 1 I-E3—I-F3 5—6
M. sp. 2 I-F2—I-I1 5—11
M. sp. 3 I-F2 5
M. sp. 4 I-K—I-L1a 13a
M. sp. 5 I-K 13a
Maternoceras M. retorquatum I-I1—I-J2 11—12
'M'. sandbergi I-J3 12
M. sp. 1 I-F3 6
Playfordites P. tripartitus I-I2—I-J1 11—12
P. sp. I-G2b 8
Serramanticoceras S. obliquesulcatum I-J2 12
S. serratum I-I1—I-J3 11—12
S. sp. 1 I-I2, I-J3
Sphaeromanticoceras S. affine I-F3—I-J2 6—12
Trimanticoceras T. bullatum I-J1—I-J3 12
T. cinctum I-J2—I-L1a 12—13a
T. aff. cinctum I-I2—I-J3 11—12
T. sp. A I-L1a 13
T. sp. B I-J2 12
T. sp. C I-L1b 13b
Virginoceras V. erraticum I-J2 12

Ponticeratidae[8][11]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Gogoceras G. nicolli I-F2 5
G. sp. A I-E3
G. sp. B I-F1
Ponticeras P. discoidale I-E2—I-F2 5
P. sp. I-E1

Goniatitida

Cheiloceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Cheiloceras Cheiloceras (Staffites) curvispina II-D—II-E1 Uppermost crepida—Lower rhomboidea
Cheiloceras (Puncticeras) lagowiense II-D Uppermost crepida
Fossil specimen of Cheiloceras sp.
C. (Puncticeras) pompekji

(Formerly, in part, C. (Staffites) ovatum)[12]

II-B—II-E1 Middle crepida—Lowerrhomboidea
C. (Puncticeras) postinversum

(Formerly, in part, C. (C.) sacculus; compressed forms only)[12]

II-D—II-F2 Middle crepida—Lower marginifera
C. (Puncticeras) semiinversum II-D—II-F1 rhomboidea
C. (Puncticeras) schmidti

(Formerly C. (Staffites) schmidti)

II-D Uppermost crepida
Praemeroceras P. globosoides II-E1—II-F1 Lower—Upper rhomboidea
P. petterae

(Formerly Dimeroceras petterae)[12]

II-E1—II-F1 Lower—Upper rhomboidea
P. primaevum

(Formerly Dimeroceras padbergense)[12]

II-E2—II-F1 Upper rhomboidea
Torleyoceras T. oxyacantha II-D—II-H Uppermost crepida—Upper marginifera

Dimeroceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Dimeroceras D. sp. II-I1—III-A1 Upper marginifera
Paratornoceras P. lentiforme II-F1 Upper rhomboidea
P. polonicum
Acrimeroceras A. clarkei II-F2 Lower marginifera

Kirsoceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Pernoceras P. delepinei

(Formerly Polonoceras delepinei)[12]

III-A2—III-B1 Upper-Uppermost marginifera
P. sp. III-B2 Uppermost marginifera
Protornoceras P. cf. simplificatum III-A1 Upper marginifera

Phenacoceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Cycloclymenia C. sp. II-I2 Upper marginifera

Pseudoclymeniidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Pseudoclymenia P. australis III-B2 Uppermost marginifera
P. dlilense

Posttornoceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Posttornoceras P. glenisteri II-H—III-B1 Upper—Uppermost marginifera

Prolobitidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Prolobitid gen sp. Prolobitid sp. III-C trachytera

Sporadoceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Maeneceras M. latilobatum

(Formerly Sporadoceras. (S.) latilobatum)[12]

II-G2—II-H Lower marginifera—Upper marginifera
M. meridionale II-G1—III-B2 Lower marginifera—Uppermost marginifera
M. milleri II-H—II-I2 Upper marginifera
Sporadoceras S. angustisellatum III-B1—III-C Uppermost marginifera—trachytera
S. equale

(Formerly S. (S.) muensteri)

III-A1—III-A2 Upper marginifera
S. teicherti II-H—III-B1 Upper—Uppermost marginifera

Tornoceratidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Aulatornoceras A. auris I-J1 11
A. eifliense I-F3—I-J2 6—12
A. sp. I-K 13a
Armatites A. planidorsatus II-D—II-I2 Uppermost crepida—Upper marginifera
Paleoart reconstruction of Armatites kaufmanni.
Falcitornoceras F. sp. 1 II-B—II-C Middle—Upper crepida
F. sp. 2
F. sp. 3 II-D Uppermost crepida
F. sp. M III-B2—III-C Uppermost marginifera—trachytera
Linguatornoceras L. clausum I-I1—I-L1b 11—13b
L. aff. clausum I-F1—I-G1 5—6
L. sp. II-D Uppermost crepida
Oxytornoceras O. sp. II-D Uppermost crepida
Planitornoceras P. euryomphalum III-B2 Uppermost marginifera

Clymeniida

Cyrtoclymeniidae[8]

Genus Species Ammonoid Zone Conodont Zone Images
Protactoclymenia P. euryomphala III-C trachytera

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 McNamara, K. J. & Feist, R. 2015. The effect of environmental changes on the evolution and extinction of Late Devonian trilobites from the northern Canning Basin, Western Australia. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 423: 251–271, doi:10.1144/SP423.5
  2. ↑ Becker, Ralph & House, M.R.. (2009). Devonian ammonoid biostratigraphy of the Canning Basin. Geological Survey of Western Australia, Bulletin. 145. 415-439.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Feist, R. & Becker, T. 1997. Discovery of Famennian trilobites in Australia (Late Devonian, Canning Basin, NW Australia). Geobios (Mémoire spécial) 20: 231-242
  4. ↑ Saupe, F., Becker, R.T. Refined conodont stratigraphy at Martenberg (Rhenish Massif, Germany) as base for a formal middle/upper Frasnian substage boundary. Palaeobio Palaeoenv 102, 711–761 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-022-00537-z
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 Mcnamara, Kenneth & Feist, Raimund. (2006). NEW STYGINIDS FROM THE LATE DEVONIAN OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA— THE LAST CORYNEXOCHID TRILOBITES. Journal of Paleontology. 80. 981-992. 10.1666/0022-3360(2006)80[981:NSFTLD]2.0.CO;2.
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 Feist, R. & McNamara, K. J. 2013. Patterns of evolution and extinction in proetid trilobites during the late Devonian mass extinction event, Canning Basin, Western Australia. Palaeontology 56(2): 229-259. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01191.x
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Feist, R., McNamara, K. J., Crônier, C. & Lerosey-Aubril, R. 2009. Patterns of extinction and recovery of phacopid trilobites during the Frasnian–Famennian (Late Devonian) mass extinction event, Canning Basin, Western Australia. Geological Magazine 146(1): 12-33
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 Playford, Phillip & Hocking, Roger & Cockbain, Anthony & Becker, Ralph & House, Michael. (2009). DEVONIAN REEF COMPLEXES OF THE CANNING BASIN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Geological Survey of Western Australia. Bulletin 145 Devonian ammonoid biostratigraphy of the Canning Basin. 415-439
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 McNamara, K. J., Feist, R. & Ebach, M. C. 2009. Patterns of evolution and extinction in the last harpetid trilobites during the Late Devonian (Frasnian). Palaeontology 52(1): 11-33
  10. ↑ Feist, R. & McNamara, K. J. 2007. Biodiversity, distribution and patterns of extinction of the last odontopleuroid trilobites during the Devonian (Givetian, Frasnian). Geological Magazine 144(5): 777-796
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Korn D. & Bockwinkel J. 2022. The early gephuroceratid ammonoids from the Roteisenstein Formation of Dillenburg (Cephalopoda, Ammonoidea). European Journal of Taxonomy 823: 10–47. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.823.1811
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Petersen, Morris S. (1975). Upper Devonian (Famennian) Ammonoids from the Canning Basin, Western Australia. Journal of Paleontology, 49(S8), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1017/S002233600006176X



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