Melbourne Formation

Last updated
Melbourne Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ludlow epoch
~423–419  Ma
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Type Formation
Unit of Murrindindi Supergroup
Underlies Humevale Formation
Overlies Yan Yean & Anderson Creek Formations
Lithology
Primary Sandstone, siltstone
Other Shale, mudstone
Location
Coordinates 37°48′S145°00′E / 37.8°S 145.0°E / -37.8; 145.0 Coordinates: 37°48′S145°00′E / 37.8°S 145.0°E / -37.8; 145.0
Approximate paleocoordinates 2°06′S174°54′E / 2.1°S 174.9°E / -2.1; 174.9
Region Victoria
CountryFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Extent Lachlan Orogen
Type section
Named for Melbourne
Named bySchleiger
Year defined1974
Australia relief map.jpg
SpringGreen pog.svg
Melbourne Formation (Australia)
Australia Victoria relief location map.jpg
SpringGreen pog.svg
Melbourne Formation (Victoria)

The Melbourne Formation is a geologic formation in Victoria, Australia. It preserves fossils dating back to the Ludlow epoch of the Silurian period. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

Paleogeography of the Early Silurian, 435 Ma Silurian plate tectonics.png
Paleogeography of the Early Silurian, 435 Ma

The Melbourne Formation, part of the Murrindindi Supergroup, is conformably overlain by the Humevale Formation and overlies the Yan Yean and Anderson Creek Formations. The formation comprises mainly thin-bedded siltstone and sandstones. Most beds show undisturbed Bouma sequences. [1]

Fossil content

The following fossils were reported from the formation: [2]

Eurypterids

Trilobites

Brachiopods

Gastropods

Bivalves

Scyphozoa

Corals

Ophiuroidea

Crinoids

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorothy Hill</span> Australian geologist and palaeontologist (1907–1997)

Dorothy Hill, was an Australian geologist and palaeontologist, the first female professor at an Australian university, and the first female president of the Australian Academy of Science.

Plumulites is an extinct genus of machaeridians, extinct annelid group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malargüe Group</span>

The Malargüe Group is a group of geologic formations of the Neuquén Basin of the Mendoza, Neuquén, Río Negro and La Pampa Provinces in northern Patagonia, Argentina. The formations of the Malargüe Group range in age between the middle Campanian to Deseadan, an Oligocene age of the SALMA classification, straddling the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, about 79 million to 30 million years in age. The group overlies the older Neuquén Group, separated by an unconformity dated to 79 Ma. The rocks of the Malargüe Group comprise both marine and continental deposits which are over 400 m (1312 ft) thick in total.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nugget Sandstone</span>

The Nugget Sandstone is a Late Triassic to Early Jurassic geologic formation that outcrops in Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah, western United States.

The Alachua Formation is a Miocene geologic formation in Florida. The claystones, sandstones and phosphorites of the formation preserve many fossils of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, among others megalodon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wasatch Formation</span> Geologic formation in the western United States

The Wasatch Formation (Tw) is an extensive highly fossiliferous geologic formation stretching across several basins in Idaho, Montana Wyoming, Utah and western Colorado. It preserves fossils dating back to the Early Eocene period. The formation defines the Wasatchian or Lostcabinian, a period of time used within the NALMA classification, but the formation ranges in age from the Clarkforkian to Bridgerian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Formation</span> A geologic formation in New Mexico

The San Jose Formation is an Early Eocene geologic formation in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punchbowl Formation</span> Miocene sedimentary formation in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California

The Punchbowl Formation is a sedimentary sandstone geologic formation in the northern San Gabriel Mountains, above the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County, southern California.

The Indian Point Formation is a geologic formation in Quebec. It preserves fossils dating back to the Ludlow epoch of the Silurian period.

The Coldwater Beds are a geologic formation of the Okanagan Highlands in British Columbia, Canada. They preserve fossils dating back to the Ypresian stage of the Eocene period, or Wasatchian in the NALMA classification.

The Frænkelryggen Formation is a geologic formation in Svalbard, Norway. The fluvial sandstones and green shales preserve flora and early fish fossils dating back to the Lochkovian stage of the Early Devonian period.

The Sundvollen Formation is a geologic formation cropping out along the northern and eastern shores of Steinsfjorden, Oslo Region, Norway. It preserves fossils dating back to the Gorstian to Ludfordian stages of the Late Silurian period.

The Onzole Formation is an Early Pliocene geologic formation in the Borbón Basin of northwestern Ecuador. The formation consists of a shallow marine sandstone member containing many fish fossils, among which megalodon, and a deep water member comprising tuffaceous shales and mudstones containing gastropods, bivalves and scaphopods.

The Kirusillas Formation is a Homerian geologic formation of central Bolivia. The formation comprises black shales, overlies the Llallagua Formation and is overlain by the Pampa and Guayabillas Formations. The Kirusillas Formation is laterally equivalent to the Lipeón Formation. The formation is a potential source rock for shale oil and shale gas.

The Catavi Formation is a Pridoli to Emsian geologic formation of northern and central Bolivia. The formation comprises a 456 m (1,496 ft) thick succession of fine-grained, olive to brown sandstones and siltstones, shales and black limestones deposited in a shallow to deep marine environment.

The El Molino Formation is a Maastrichtian geologic formation pertaining to the Puca Group of central Bolivia. The formation comprises fine-grained sandstones and sandy limestones with stromatolites deposited in a shallow marine to lacustrine environment. The formation has provided fossils of Dolichochampsa minima, and ichnofossils of Ankylosauria indet., Ornithopoda indet., Theropoda indet. and Titanosauridae indet. The tracksite of Cal Orcko is the best known example of the ichnofossil locations of the formation. The ichnofossil of Ligabueichnum bolivianum may be attributed to an ankylosaur. The fossil fish species Dasyatis molinoensis is named after the formation.

The Lipeón Formation is a Telychian to Pridoli geologic formation of southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. The formation comprises sandstones and siltstones. Plant fossils comprising rhyniophytes are scattered throughout, with some abundant concentrations on micaceous bedding plains. The fossil flora is the oldest of South America. Also present were quite diverse small, irregularly branching fragments possibly the tips of algae such as Buthotrephis or Hungerfordia.

The Lashly Formation is a Late Triassic (Carnian) geologic formation in Victoria Land of Antarctica. The formation has provided fossil flora and indeterminate reptiles and dicynodonts.

The Fish Bed Formation is a geologic formation in Scotland, United Kingdom. The fluvial to lacustrine sandstones, shales, siltstones and conglomerates preserve flora, arthropods, among which eurypterids, invertebrates and early fish fossils dating back to the Wenlock epoch of the Silurian period.

The Acacus Sandstone is a geologic formation in the Ghat District, southwestern Libya. The unit preserves fossils dating back to the Llandovery epoch of the early Silurian period.

References

  1. 1 2 Melbourne Formation at the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database
  2. 1 2 Melbourne Formation at Fossilworks.org
  3. Plotnick, 1999
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Talent, 1965
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Jell & Holloway, 1983

Bibliography

Further reading