Trinity Group (geologic group)

Last updated
Trinity Group
Stratigraphic range: late Aptian-early Albian, 115–106  Ma
Type Group
Sub-units
Underlies Fredericksburg sands, Goodland Formation
Overlies Cotton Valley Formation
Location
Region Texas, Arkansas
CountryUnited States
Type section
Named forTrinity Rivers, Texas
Named by Robert Thomas Hill [1]
Trinity Group stratigraphic column in Texas Austin Chalk stratigraphic column in Texas.png
Trinity Group stratigraphic column in Texas

The Trinity Group is a group (sequence of rock strata) in the Lower Cretaceous lithostratigraphy of Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma. [2] [3] [4] It is named for the Trinity River of Texas.

Contents

A stratigraphic column at the Mount Bonnell Fault location starts with the Lower Cretaceous Trinity Group overlain by the Edwards Group. Upper Cretaceous formations follow, starting with the Del Rio Clay, Buda Limestone, and then the Eagle Ford Group. Formations within the Trinity Group include the Hammett Formation, Cow Creek Formation, Hensel Formation, and Lower and Upper Glen Rose Formation. The Hammett and the lower portion of the Upper Glen Rose act as confining units (or aquitard) for the Middle Trinity Aquifer. The Upper Glen Rose contains the Upper Trinity Aquifer, which appears to have intra-aquifer groundwater flow with the Edwards Aquifer as water levels are at the same elevation. [5]


Vertebrate fauna

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs reported from the Trinity Group
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotes

Pachycheilosuchus [6]

P. trinquei

Glen Rose Formation

A neosuchian related to Eusuchia. Had procoelous vertebrae.

Paluxysuchus [7]

P. newmani

Twin Mountains Formation

A neosuchian related to Eusuchia

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs reported from the Trinity Group
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotes

Acrocanthosaurus

A. atokensis [8]

Twin Mountains Formation

A carcharodontosaurid

Arkansaurus [9]

A. fridayi

An ornithomimosaur

Astrophocaudia [10]

A. slaughteri

Paluxy Formation

A member of Somphospondyli

Cedarosaurus [10]

C. weiskopfae

Paluxy Formation

A brachiosaurid

Paluxysaurus [11]

P. jonesi

Twin Mountains Formation

Junior synonym of Sauroposeidon proteles

Sauroposeidon [10] [11]

S. proteles

Twin Mountains Formation

A member of Somphospondyli

Tenontosaurus

T. dossi [12]

Twin Mountains Formation

An iguanodont

Convolosaurus [13]

C. marri [14]

Twin Mountains Formation

A basal ornithopod

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs reported from the Trinity Group
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotes

Radiodactylus [15]

R. langstoni

Glen Rose Formation

An azhdarchoid pterosaur

Related Research Articles

<i>Sauroposeidon</i> Sauropod dinosaur genus from the Early Cretaceous period

Sauroposeidon is a genus of sauropod dinosaur known from several incomplete specimens including a bone bed and fossilized trackways that have been found in the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Texas.

<i>Acrocanthosaurus</i> Genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous

Acrocanthosaurus is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaur that existed in what is now North America during the Aptian and early Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous, from 113 to 110 million years ago. Like most dinosaur genera, Acrocanthosaurus contains only a single species, A. atokensis. Its fossil remains are found mainly in the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming, although teeth, a tibia, and vertebrae attributed to Acrocanthosaurus have been found as far east as Maryland, suggesting a continent-wide range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Bonnell</span> Hilltop and park in Austin, Texas

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Rose Formation</span>

The Glen Rose Formation is a shallow marine to shoreline geological formation from the lower Cretaceous period exposed over a large area from South Central to North Central Texas. The formation is most widely known for the dinosaur footprints and trackways found in the Dinosaur Valley State Park near the town of Glen Rose, Texas, southwest of Fort Worth and at other localities in Central Texas.

The Twin Mountains Formation, also known as the Twin Mak Formation, is a sedimentary rock formation, within the Trinity Group, found in Texas of the United States of America. It is a terrestrial formation of Aptian age, and is notable for its dinosaur fossils. Dinosaurs from this formation include the large theropod Acrocanthosaurus, the sauropod Sauroposeidon, as well as the ornithopods Tenontosaurus and Convolosaurus. It is the lowermost unit of the lower Cretaceous, lying unconformably on Carboniferous strata. It is overlain by the Glen Rose Formation. It is the lateral equivalent of the lower part of the Antlers Formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodbine Group</span> Geological formation in Texas, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hensel Formation</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Del Rio Clay</span> Geologic formation in Texas, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hammett Shale</span> Geologic formation in Texas, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgetown Formation</span> Geologic formation in Mexico and also the United States

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References

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