Saline Valley Formation

Saline Valley Formation
Stratigraphic range: Lower Cambrian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N [1]
The Saline Valley, the locality after which the formation is named.
Type	Formation
Sub-units	See: Members
Underlies	Mule Spring Limestone
Overlies	Harkless Formation
Thickness	0–800 feet (0–244 m) [1]
Lithology
Primary	Quartzite
Other	Limestone, Shale
Location
Region	Mojave Desert, Death Valley National Park, California
Country	United States
Type section
Named for	The Saline Valley

The Saline Valley Formation is a geologic formation in the Mojave Desert, in Inyo County, California, primarily within the White and Inyo Mountains. ^[1]

It is located in the Saline Valley of northwestern Death Valley National Park, from which it gets its name from.

It preserves fossils dating back to the Cambrian period. ^[1]

Geology

The Saline Valley Formation is mainly composed of fine to medium-grained quartzite, sandy limestone and shale. ^[1]

Members

The formation only has two members, which are as follows, in ascending age:

• Lower Member: This can be found in the type area of the formation, which lies within the southeastern sections of the White and Inyo Mountains, and is around 430 ft (130 m) thick. It is primarily composed of fine to medium grained quartzites, quartzitic sandstones, sandstones and limestones, which cap the top 30 ft (9.1 m) of the member, and contains fine to coarse quartz grains, which are rounded. ^[1] This limestone cap can get up to 190 ft (58 m) within the Andrews Mountain area, and becomes a sandy limestone. The quartzite layers found within this member are considered to be tongues from the Zabriskie Quartzite ^[1]

• Upper Member: This member can reach up to 400 ft (120 m) thick, and is dominated by gray limestones and greenish-gray shales. In the basal sections of the member, it is primarily composed of medium-gray sandstones and quartzitic sandstone. ^[1]

In other areas of the formation, predominately in the Andrews Mountain section, the members contain more platy siltstone and fine-grained quartzitic sandstone, which are more finely textured than other sections. ^[1]

Paleobiota

The Saline Valley Formation contains a small number of ichnogenera, like the movement traces Cruziana , as well as a range of trilobites. ^[2]

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Arthropoda

Genus	Species	Notes	Images
Olenellus [1] [2]	O. clarki	Olenellid trilobite, previously described as Paedeumias.
Wanneria [2]	Wanneria sp.	Olenellid trilobite.
Ogygopsis [1] [2]	Ogygopsis sp.	Dorypygid trilobite.
Bonnia [1] [2]	Bonnia sp.	Dorypygid trilobite.
Olenoides [2]	Olenoides sp.	Dorypygid trilobite.
Goldfieldia [2]	Goldfieldia sp.	Corynexochid trilobite.
Zacanthopsis [2]	Zacanthopsis sp.	Corynexochid trilobite.
Bristolia [2]	Bristolia sp.	Biceratopsid trilobite.
Syspacephalus [2]	Syspacephalus sp.	Ptychoparid trilobite.

Lophotrochozoa

Genus	Species	Notes	Images
Hyolithida [2]	???	Lophotrochozoan hyoliths.

Ichnogenera

Genus	Species	Notes	Images
Cruziana [2]	Cruziana sp.	Trails.
Teichichnus [2]	Teichichnus sp.	Feeding trace.

See also

• Earth sciences portal
• California portal
• Paleontology portal

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

References

• Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

1. Stewart, J. H. "Upper Precambrian and Lower Cambrian Strata, in the Southern Great Basin California and Nevada" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survery. Geological Survey Professional.
2. Alpert, Stephen P. (1976). "Trilobite and Star-like Trace Fossils from the White-Inyo Mountains, California". Journal of Paleontology. 50 (2): 226–239. ISSN   0022-3360.