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Geologic formation in Nevada, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Luning Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada. It preserves fossils dating back to the Triassic period. The lowermost strata dates to the late Carnian-early Norian boundary.
Luning Formation | |
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Stratigraphic range: Late Carnian-Early Norian ~ | |
Type | Formation |
Location | |
Region | ![]() |
Country | ![]() |
The Luning Formation contains significant fossils of invertebrate fauna such as ammonites, bivalves and brachiopods. The site is known for its ichthyosaur fossils.
Vertebrates reported from the Luning Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Actinopterygii | West Union Canyon.[2] | S. kerri ammonoid zone.[2] | Small fish bones.[2] | An indeterminate bony fish. | ||
Chondrichthyes | West Union Canyon[2] | K. macrolobatus ammonoid zone.[2] | An elasmobranch fin spine.[2] | An indeterminate cartilaginous fish. | ||
Metapolygnathus | M. primitius | Pilot & Cedar Mountains.[3] | Conodont elements.[3] | A conodont. | ||
Shonisaurus | S. popularis | West Union Canyon, Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.[2] | Remains of approximately 40 individuals.[4] | A large ichthyosaur. | ![]() | |
Vertebrata indet. | West Union Canyon.[2] | S. kerri ammonoid zone or above.[2] | Indeterminate bone fragments.[2] | |||
Arthropods reported from the Luning Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Platypleon | P. nevadensis | A fragmentary specimen containing two pleonal segments and the proximal portion of the left uropods.[5] | A decapod. | |||
Pseudoglyphea | P. mulleri | Carapace.[5] | A litogastrid decapod. | |||
Rosagammarus | R. minichiellus | Shoshone Mountains.[5][6] | Right half of a tail.[5] | A lobster-like decapod, originally misidentified as a giant amphipod.[6] | ||
Brachiopods reported from the Luning Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Balatonospira? | B.? cf. B. lipoldi | Dunlap Canyon & Cinnabar Canyon.[7] | Lower Member.[7] | Numerous specimens.[7] | A spiriferidan. | |
Plectoconcha | P. aequiplicata | Berlin-Ichthyosaur state park & Pilot Mountains.[7] | Limestone and secondary dolomite member, & Lower Member.[7] | Numerous specimens.[7] | A terebratulid. | |
P. newbyi | Dunlap Canyon & Cinnabar Canyon.[7] | Lower Member.[7] | Numerous specimens.[7] | A terebratulid. | ||
Rhaetina | R. gregaria | Cinnabar & Dunlap Canyons, & Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.[7] | Lower Member & limestone and secondary dolomite member.[7] | Around 10 specimens.[7] | A terebratulidan. | |
Spondylospira | S. lewesensis | Dunlap Canyon & Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.[7] | Lower Member.[7] | 3 complete specimens, 1 brachial & 2 pedicle valves.[7] | A spiniferidan. | |
Zeilleria | Z. cf. Z. elliptica | Dunlap & Cinnabar Canyons.[7] | Lower Member.[7] | Over 12 specimens.[7] | A zeilleriid. | |
Zugmayerella | Z. uncinata | Dunlap Canyon & Cinnabar Canyon.[7] | Lower Member. [7] | Numerous specimens.[7] | A spiniferidan. | |
?Z. sp. | 14.5 km east of Mina, Nevada.[7] | Probably Lower Member.[7] | A pedicle valve (UMIP 6952).[7] | A spiniferidan. | ||
Cephalopods reported from the Luning Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Guembelites | G. clavatus | Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.[3] | An ammonite. | |||
G. jandianus | Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.[3] | An ammonite. | ||||
G. philostrati | Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.[3] | An ammonite. | ||||
Pararcestes | P. sp. | Mustang Canyon locality & Dunlap Canyon.[3] | An ammonite. | |||
Stikinoceras | S. kerri | Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.[3] | An ammonite. | |||
Thisbites | T. sp. | Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.[3] | An ammonite. | |||
Cnidarians reported from the Luning Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Ampakabastrea | A. cowichanensis | Dunlap Canyon, Mina vicinity & Mineral County, Nevada.[3] | 6 specimens.[3] | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. | ||
Areaseris | A. nevadaensis | Dunlap Canyon.[3] | Multiple specimens.[3] | A stony coral also found in California. | ||
Astraeomorpha | A. confusa | Dunlap Canyon.[3] | 2 specimens.[3] | A stony coral. | ||
Ceriostella | C. martini | Pilot Mountains & east of Mina.[3] | 6 specimens.[3] | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. | ||
C. parva | Pilot Mountains.[3] | 3 specimens.[3] | A stony coral also found in Alaska. | |||
Curtoseris | C. dunlapcanyonae | Dunlap Canyon.[3] | UMIP 17010.[3] | A stony coral also found in Alaska & Peru. | ||
Distichomeandra | D. cf. minor | Cedar Mountains (Dicalite Summit).[3] | UMIP 26869.[3] | A stony coral. | ||
Flexastrea | F. serialis | Mineral County, Nevada.[3] | 4 specimens. | A stony coral. | ||
Khytrastrea | K. cuifiamorpha | Dunlap Canyon.[3] | UMIP 7465 & 7480.[3] | A stony coral. | ||
K. silberlingi | Dunlap Canyon.[3] | UMIP 17002-1.[3] | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. | |||
Margarogyra | M. silberlingi | Mineral County, Nevada.[3] | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. | |||
Margarophyllidae undetermined genus | East of Mina, Pilot Mountains.[3] | Fragmentary, recrystallized specimen (UMIP 6676).[3] | A stony coral. | |||
Meandrovolzeia | M. sp. | Pilot Mountains.[3] | A colony fragment UMIP 6720.[3] | A stony coral. | ||
Minasteria | M. shastensis | Pilot Mountains & Mina vicinity.[3] | 7 specimens.[3] | A stony coral also found in California. | ||
Nevadoseris | N. punctata | Dunlap & Cinnabar Canyons.[3] | Multiple specimens.[3] | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. | ||
Plectodiscus | P. berlinensis | West Union Canyon, Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.[8] | UCMP 38211.[8] | A chondrophore. | ||
Retiophyllia | R. nevadae | Mineral County, Nevada.[3] | UCMP 153092.[3] | A stony coral. | ||
R. sp. | Dunlap Canyon.[3] | Fragments of corallites.[3] | A stony coral. | |||
Thamnasteria | T. cf. smithi | Dunlap & Cinnabar canyons.[3] | 2 specimens.[3] | A thamnasteriid coral. |
Sponges reported from the Luning Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
Polycystocoelia | P. silberlingi | Garfield Hills.[9] | Lower Member.[9] | Oe specimen (UMIP 6653).[9] | A demosponge. | |
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