Thunder Bay Limestone

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Thunder Bay Limestone
Stratigraphic range: Middle Devonian (Givetian)
Type Geological formation
Unit of Traverse Group
Sub-unitsPartidge Point Member, Potter Farm Member, and Norway Point Member
Underlies Kettle Point Formation and Squaw Bay Limestone
Overlies Potter Farm Formation
Thickness4.88 metres (16.0 ft)
Lithology
Primary limestone
Other shale
Location
Region Michigan
Country United States
Type section
Named for Thunder Bay (Michigan)

Thunder Bay Limestone is a geologic formation in Michigan that preserves fossils dating back to the Middle Devonian and is the uppermost formation of the Traverse Group. [1]

Contents

Description

Stratigraphy of the Devonian deposits of the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan An examination of the Devonian fishes of Michigan fig-1-full.png
Stratigraphy of the Devonian deposits of the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan

The name for the formation originates from the description of strata near the "south cape of Thunder Bay" by C. C. Douglas in 1841, this area also represents the type locality of the formation. Due to negligence by multiple later workers, the area was later referred to as the Partridge Point Formation by Warthin & Cooper in 1935. It wasn't until 1943 that Warthin & Cooper would rename the formation back to its original name. [2]

The type locality (Locality 30-8-11 SE) is the largest outcrop of the formation, exposing six units that have a total depth of about 4.8 meters. These units are largely made from light-colored limestones though the bottom-most unit has bluish limestone. The most unique unit would be unit 3 which mostly is made up of grey shales that grades into granular limestone at the surface.

The environment that the formation represents is a shallow carbonate platform with large amounts of coral and shelly fauna. Later formations show an increase in depth as water levels raised in the Eastern Interior seaway. Over time, the seaway would develop a stratified water column. Eventually, younger formations, like the Squaw Bay limestone, would show a deep basin environment. [3]

Paleobiota

Anthozoa

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Antholites [4] A. alpenensis
Aulacophyllum [5] A. hemicrassatum
Alveolites [6] A. sp
Bethanyphyllum [5] B. geniculatum
Cylindrophyllum [7] C. grabaui
Cystiphylloides [8] C. americanum elongatum
Cystiphylloides sp.jpg
Drymopora [6] D. sp.
Favosites [9] [6] F. mammillatus
FavositesOrdovicianIndiana.jpg
F. placentus
F. romingeri
Heterophrentis [6] H. sp.
Hexagonaria [10] H. potterensis
2011-07-09 gasometer 36.JPG
Platyaxum [6] P. sp.
Stereohma [11] S?. sp. A.
Syringopora [6] S. sp.
Syringopora coral KGS.jpg
Trachypora [12] T. alternans
T. dendroidea
T. perreticulata
T. proboscidialis
T?. reticulata

Brachiopoda

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Athyris [6] A. sp
Athyris concentrica brachial valve.jpg
Atrypa [6] A. sp
Atrypa reticularis00.gif
Camarotoechia [6] C. sp
Camarotoechia ANSP.jpg
Chonetes [6] C. sp
Chonetes gracilis internal mould inmatrix frontal.jpg
Cranaena [6] C. lincklaeni
Cranaena.jpg
C. romingeri
Cytina [6] [13] C. hamiltonensis
C. sp
Meristella [6] M. sp
Meristella two views.png
Mucrospirifer [6] M. sp
Mucrospirifer mucronatus Silica Shale.JPG
Pentamerella [6] P. sp
Orthospirifer [14] O. traversensis

Bryozoa

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Cyphotrypa [6] C?. unua
Euspilipora [6] E. serrata
Fenestrellina [6] F. compacta
F. longispinosa
F. nodicula
F. variifenestrula
Fistuliphragma [6] F. spinulifera
Fistulipora [6] F. acervulosa
Fistulipora neglecta fossil bryozoan (Silurian; near Waldron, Indiana, USA) (15209549272).jpg
F. corrugata
F. stellifera
F. sulcata
Hederella [6] H. cirrhosa
H. compacta
H. delicatula
H. persimilis
H. rugosa
Lioclema [6] L. incompositum
L. minutum
Polypora [6] P. modesta
Polypora incepta.jpg
Scalaripma [6] S. approximata
S. separata
Semicoscinium [6] S. approximatum
Semicoscinium tenuiceps (fossil bryozoan) (Lockport Dolomite, Middle Silurian; Rockford Stone Company Quarry, Rockford, Ohio, USA).jpg
Sulcoretepora [6] S. hadmiltonensis
Sulcoretepora deissi - National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo - DSC07728.JPG

Conodonta

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Icriodus [15] I. cymbiformis
I. expansus
I. latericrescens latericrescens
Polygnathus [15] P. varcus
Polygnathus Pa elements.png

Echinodermata

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Aorocrinus [6] A. cassedayi
Atractocrinus [16] A. campanulatus
Botryocrinus [17] B. thomasi
A guide to the fossil invertebrate animals in the Department of geology and palaeontology in the British museum (Natural history) (1907) (14756242876).jpg
Codaster [6] C. gracile
Corocrinus [18] C. pettyesi
Corocrinus nodosus (fossil crinoid) (Silica Formation, Middle Devonian; quarry northwest of Paulding, Ohio, USA) 1 (48318602701).jpg
Dactylocrinus D. alpena
Dolatocrinus [19] [6] D. asterias
D. barrisi
D. triangulatus
Euryocrinus [6] E. barrisi
Gennaeocrinus [18] G. romingeri
Lipsanocystis [20] L. traversensis
Megistocrinus [6] M. concavus
M. multidecoratus
M. nodosus
M. novus
M. tuberatus
Nucleocrinus [6] N. elegans ?
Nucleocrinus elegans (fossil blastoids) in fossiliferous calcareous shale (Silica Formation, Middle Devonian; quarry near Paulding, Ohio, USA) (16978081199).jpg
N. meloniformis
N. obovatus
Pentremitidea [6] P. americana
Pentremitidea pailleti.jpg
P. bassleri
P. bassleri hastula
P. milwaukeensis
Stereocrinus [6] S. barrisi
S. triangdatus
S. triangdatus lirata
Synbathocrinus [21] [6] S. matutinus
S. sp. cf. S. michiganensis
Synbathocrinus fossil crinoid (Burlington Limestone, Mississippian; Missouri, USA) 1 (17383990962).jpg

Mollusca

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Cimitaria [6] [22] C. recurva
C. sp
Modiomorpha [22] M. mytiloides
Mytilarca M. cf. M. oviformis
Mytilarca cingulosa.jpg
Plethomytilus [6] P. sp

Placodermi

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Ptyctodus [23] P. sp
Ptyctodus ferox.jpg

Stromatoporoidea

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Stromatopora [6] S. sp.
Stromatopora sp.jpg

Tentaculita

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Tentaculites T. sp
Tentaculites 2.jpg

Trilobita

GenusSpeciesNotesImage
Dechenella [24] D. reimanni
Dechenella fossil from the Devonian period, Iran.jpg
Dipleura [24] D. dekayi
Dipleura dekayi 2.jpg
Greenops [24] G. alpenensis
Greenops widderensis.jpg
Phacops [24] P. iowensis
Phacops rana.jpg
Proetus [24] P. alpenensis
Proetus cuvieri 45.jpg

See also

References

  1. Gutschick, Raymond C.; Sandberg, Charles A. (1991), Upper Devonian biostratigraphy of Michigan Basin , Geological Society of America Special Papers, vol. 256, Geological Society of America, pp. 155–180, doi:10.1130/spe256-p155, ISBN   0-8137-2256-X , retrieved 2024-12-15
  2. Devonian strata of Alpena and Presque Isle Counties, Michigan
  3. Gutschick, Raymond C.; Sandberg, Charles A. (1991-01-01), Catacosinos, Paul A.; Daniels, Paul A., Jr. (eds.), "Late Devonian history of Michigan Basin" , Early Sedimentary Evolution of the Michigan Basin, vol. 256, Geological Society of America, p. 0, Bibcode:1991GSASP.256..181G, doi:10.1130/spe256-p181, ISBN   978-0-8137-2256-6 , retrieved 2024-12-15{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  4. Stumm, Erwin C. (1950). "Corals of the Devonian Traverse Group of Michigan. Part III, Antholites, Pleurodictyum, and Procteria". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 8 (8).
  5. 1 2 Stumm, Erwin C. (1963). "Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan Part XI, Tortophyllum, Bethanyphyllum, Aulacophyllum, and Hallia". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology the University of Michigan. 18 (8).
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Stumm, Erwin C. (1951). "Check list of fossil invertebrates described from the middle Devonian Traverse group of Michigan". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology University of Michigan. 9 (1).
  7. Ehlers, GEORGE M.; Stumm, ERWIN C. (1949). "Corals of the Devonian Traverse Group of Michigan. Part II. Cylindrophyllum, Depasophyllum, Disphyllum, Eridophyllum, and Synaptophyllum". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology University of Michigan. 8 (3).
  8. Stumm, Erwin C. (1962). "Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan Part VII, The Digonophyllidae". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology the University of Michigan. 17 (9).
  9. Stumm, Erwin Charles; Tyler, John H. (1964). "Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan Part XII, The Small-Celled Species of Favosites and Emmonsia". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology the University of Michigan. 19 (3).
  10. Stumm, Erwin C. (1970). "Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan Part 13, Hexagonaria". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 23 (5).
  11. Stumm, Erwin C. (1962). "Corals of the Traverse Group of Michigan Part VIII, Stereolasma and Heterophrentis". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology the University of Michigan. 17 (10).
  12. Stumm, Erwin C.; Hunt, Allen S. (1958). "Corals of the Devonian Traverse Group of Michigan. Part V. Trachypora". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology University of Michigan. 14 (11).
  13. Pitrat, Charles W.; Keyes, Scott W. (1978). "Spiriferid brachiopods from the Traverse Group of Michigan: Cyrtinacea". Journal of Paleontology. 52 (2).
  14. Pitrat, Charles W. (1977). "Spiriferid Brachiopods from the Traverse Group of Michigan: Orthospirifer". Journal of Paleontology. 51 (2).
  15. 1 2 Orr, R. William (1971). "Conodonts from Middle Devonian Strata from the Michigan Basin". Indiana Geological Survey Bulletin. 45.
  16. Kirk, Edwin (1948). "Two new inadunate crinoid genera from the Middle Devonian [Ont., Iowa, Michigan, New York]". American Journal of Science. 246 (11): 701. Bibcode:1948AmJS..246..701K. doi:10.2475/ajs.246.11.701.
  17. Kesling, Robert V. (1963). "Occurrence and variations of Botryocrinus thomasi Laudon in the Thunder Bay Limestone of Michigan". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 18 (15).
  18. 1 2 Kesling, Robert Vernon (1964). "Two new crinoids of the family Periechocrinitidae from the Middle Devonian Thunder Bay Limestone of Michigan". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 19 (11).
  19. Kesling, Robert Vernon; Mintz, Leigh W. (1963). "Dolatocrinus and Stereocrinus, its junior synonym". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 18 (14).
  20. Stumm, Erwin C. (1955). "Three new species of the cystid genus Lipsanocystis from the Middle Devonian Traverse Group of Michigan". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 12 (6).
  21. Kesling, Robert Vernon; Smith, Raymond N. (1963). "The crinoid Synbathocrinus in the Middle Devonian Traverse Group of Michigan". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 18 (11).
  22. 1 2 Stuckless, J. S.; Miesch, A. T.; Wenner, D. B.; Hedge, C. E.; Simmons, K. R.; Nkomo, Ignatius T.; Butt, K. A. (1986). Pojeta, John (ed.). "Devonian rocks and Lower and Middle Devonian pelecypods of Guangxi, China, and the Traverse Group of Michigan". USGS Report: 13. Bibcode:1986usgs.rept...13S. doi:10.3133/pp1394ag. ISSN   2330-7102.
  23. Stack, Jack; Sallan, Lauren (2018). "An examination of the Devonian fishes of Michigan". PeerJ. 6 e5636. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5636 . PMC   6151260 . PMID   30258725.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Strumm, Erwin. C (1953). "Trilobites of the Devonian Traverse group of Michigan". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology University of Michigan. 10 (6).