Candelaria Formation, Nevada

For other uses, see Candelaria Formation.

Candelaria Formation
Stratigraphic range: Induan
Type	Formation
Lithology
Primary	Shale
Other	Limestone
Location
Coordinates	38°06′N118°06′W / 38.1°N 118.1°W / 38.1; -118.1
Approximate paleocoordinates	12°06′N41°36′W / 12.1°N 41.6°W / 12.1; -41.6
Region	Nevada
Country	United States
Type section
Named for	Candelaria Hills
Candelaria Formation, Nevada (the United States) Show map of the United States Candelaria Formation, Nevada (Nevada) Show map of Nevada

The Candelaria Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada, United States. The formation comprises shales and limestones deposited in an open marine environment and preserves fossils dating back to the Induan (Griesbachian to Dienerian) age of the Early Triassic epoch. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Outcrops of the Candelaria Formation are present in the Candelaria Hills southeast of the now abandoned mining town of Candelaria (Mineral and Esmeralda counties), and near Willow Springs (Nye County). ^[2]

Fossil content

Invertebrates

Among the invertebrates, fossils of the following species of ammonoids, nautiloids, and bivalves have been recovered from the formation: ^{[2] [3]}

• Ambites lilangensis
• Ambites aff. radiatus
• Claraia aurita , C. clarai , C. stachei
• Clypites cf. evolvens
• Grypoceras cf. brahmanicum'
• Meekoceras cf. tenuistriatum
• Microconchus sp.
• Mullericeras fergusoni , M. spitiense
• Parahedenstroemia kiparisovae
• Proptychites haydeni , P. pagei
• Proptychites cf. ammonoides , P. cf. trilobatus
• Radioceras kraffti
• Ussuridiscus sp.
• Vavilovites sp.

Vertebrates

Among the vertebrates, fossils of the following species of ray-finned fishes ^{[2] [4]} have been collected from the formation:

• Ardoreosomus occidentalis
• Candelarialepis argentus
• ?Gyrolepis sp.
• Pteronisculus nevadanus

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nevada
• Paleontology in Nevada

References

1. Candelaria Formation at Fossilworks.org
2. Muller, Siemon Wm.; Ferguson, Henry G. (1939). "Mesozoic stratigraphy of the Hawthorne and Tonopah quadrangles, Nevada". GSA Bulletin. 50 (10): 1573–1624. Bibcode:1939GSAB...50.1573M. doi:10.1130/GSAB-50-1573.
3. Ware, David; Jenks, James F.; Hautmann, Michael; Bucher, Hugo (2011). "Dienerian (Early Triassic) ammonoids from the Candelaria Hills (Nevada, USA) and their significance for palaeobiogeography and palaeoceanography" (PDF). Swiss Journal of Geosciences . 104 (1): 161–181. Bibcode:2011SwJG..104..161W. doi:10.1007/s00015-011-0055-3. S2CID   129845606.
4. Romano, Carlo; López-Arbarello, Adriana; Ware, David; Jenks, James F.; Brinkmann, Winand (April 2019). "Marine Early Triassic Actinopterygii from the Candelaria Hills (Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA)". Journal of Paleontology. 93 (5): 971–1000. Bibcode:2019JPal...93..971R. doi:10.1017/jpa.2019.18. S2CID   155564297.