Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T19:48:12.779Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Uppermost Precambrian(?)–Lower Cambrian of mainland Nova Scotia: faunas, depositional environments, and stratigraphic revision

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Ed Landing  and
J. Brendan Murphy
Ed Landing
Affiliation:
New York State Geological Survey, The State Education Department, Albany 12230
J. Brendan Murphy
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia B0H 1C0
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The uppermost Precambrian(?)–Lower Cambrian of the Avalon Zone in the northern Antigonish Highlands is composed of two dissimilar sequences in thrust contact. These include the sandstones and slates of the Doctor's Brook allochthon and the volcanoclastic-rich Malignant Cove authochthon.

Lithostratigraphy of the “Black John Formation” (designation abandoned) in the Doctor's Brook allochthon is comparable to the uppermost Precambrian–Lower Cambrian in eastern Placentia Bay, southeastern Newfoundland, and Cape Breton Island. A unified stratigraphic nomenclature is appropriate in these Avalonian areas. The lower part of the “Black John” is an unconformity-bounded depositional sequence with subaerial rift facies (Rencontre Formation, 178+ m), overlying marine siliciclastic mudstones and fine sandstones (Chapel Island Formation, 59 m), and a quartzite cap (Random Formation, 2.05 m). The Chapel Island Formation has the oldest faunas from mainland Nova Scotia (Watsonella crosbyi Zone, lower Placentian Series). A post-Random unconformity known in Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island lies at the Random-Bonavista Group (Cuslett Formation) contact in the upper “Black John Formation.”

Fossiliferous Lower Cambrian limestones and siliciclastic mudstones previously reported from the Malignant Cove autochthon are actually clasts in basalt pebble-dominated slope deposits of the Arbuckle Brook Formation. These clasts were eroded from shallow-marine facies comparable to those in the Doctor's Brook allochthon during local uplift associated with Middle Cambrian(?) extension and mafic volcanism.

Eight species are illustrated from the Placentian and Branchian Series. Anabaritellus Missarzhevsky, 1974, emend. (=Selindeochrea Valkov, 1982) is a Lower Cambrian calcareous tube-dwelling metazoan(?) known from tri- through multisulcate conchs that are morphologically intermediate between Anabarites and Coleoloides.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 65 , Issue 3 , May 1991 , pp. 382 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Benson, D. G. 1974. Geology of the Antigonish Highlands, Nova Scotia. Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 376, 92 p.Google Scholar
Billings, E. 1866. Palaeozoic Fossils, Vol. 1. Geological Survey of Canada, 295 p.Google Scholar
Bluck, B. J. 1967. Deposition of some Upper Old Red Sandstone conglomerates in the Clyde area: a study in the significance of bedding. Scottish Journal of Geology, 3:139–167.Google Scholar
Brasier, M. D. 1984. Microfossils and small shelly fossils from the Lower Cambrian Hyolithes Limestone at Nuneaton, English Midlands. Geological Magazine, 121:229–253.Google Scholar
Bull, W. B. 1964. Geomorphology of segmented alluvial fans in western Fresno County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 352E:89–129.Google Scholar
Cook, H. E. 1979. Ancient continental slope sequences and their value in understanding modern slope development, p. 287–305. In Doyle, L. S. and Pilkey, O. H. (eds.), Geology of Continental Slopes. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publication No. 27.Google Scholar
de Raff, J. F. M., Boersma, J. R., and van Gelder, A. 1977. Wave-generated structures and sequences from a shallow marine succession, lower Carboniferous, County Cork, Ireland. Sedimentology, 24:451–483.Google Scholar
Fletcher, T. P. 1972. Geology and Lower to Middle Cambrian trilobite faunas of southwest Avalon, Newfoundland. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 472 p.Google Scholar
Grabau, A. W. 1900. Palaeontology of the Cambrian terranes of the Boston Basin. Occassional Papers of the Boston Society of Natural History, 4:601–694.Google Scholar
Greenough, J. D., McCutcheon, S. R., and Papezik, V. S. 1985. Petrology and geochemistry of Cambrian volcanic rocks from the Avalon Zone in New Brunswick. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 22:881–892.Google Scholar
Greenough, J. D., and Papezik, V. S. 1986. Acado-Baltic volcanism in eastern North America and western Europe: implications for Cambrian tectonism. Maritime Sediments and Atlantic Geology, 22:240–251.Google Scholar
Helmstaedt, H., and Tella, S. 1973. Precarboniferous structural history of S.E. Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Maritime Sediments, 9:88–99.Google Scholar
Hinz, I. 1987. The Lower Cambrian microfauna of Comley and Rushton, Shropshire/England. Palaeontographica Abteilung A, 198:41–100.Google Scholar
Hiscott, R. N. 1982. Tidal deposits of the Lower Cambrian Random Formation, eastern Newfoundland: facies and paleoenvironments. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 19:2028–2046.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoffman, H. J., and Patel, I. M. 1989. Trace fossils from the type ‘Etcheminian Series’ (Lower Cambrian Ratcliffe Brook Formation), Saint John area, New Brunswick, Canada. Geological Magazine, 126:139–157.Google Scholar
Holm, G. 1893. Sveriges Kambrisk–Silurska Hyolithidae och Conularidae. Sveriges Geologiska Undersokning, Afhandlingar och Uppsater 112, 172 p.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, R. D. 1952. The stratigraphy and trilobite faunas of the Cambrian sedimentary rocks of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 263, 124 p.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, R. D. 1962. Cambrian stratigraphy and trilobite faunas of southeastern Newfoundland. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 88, 156 p.Google Scholar
Keppie, J., and Murphy, J. B. 1985. Itinerary–Antigonish terrane, p. 77–108. In Pickerill, R. K., Mawer, C. K., and Fyffe, L. R. (eds.), Fredericton 85. Geological Association of Canada–Mineralogical Association of Canada, Field Excursion 1, Appalachian Geotraverse (Canadian Mainland), University of New Brunswick, Fredericton.Google Scholar
Landing, E. 1984. Skeleton of lapworthellids and the suprageneric classification of tommotiids (Early and Middle Cambrian phosphatic problematica). Journal of Paleontology, 58:1380–1398.Google Scholar
Landing, E. 1988. Lower Cambrian of eastern Massachusetts: stratigraphy and small shelly fossils. Journal of Paleontology, 62:661–695.Google Scholar
Landing, E.In press A. Lower Cambrian of southeastern Newfoundland: epeirogeny and Lazarus faunas, lithofacies–biofacies linkages, and the myth of a global chronostratigraphy. In Lipps, J. and Signor, P. W. (eds.), Origins and Early Evolution of Metazoa. Plenum Press, New York.Google Scholar
Landing, E.In press B. Upper Precambrian through Lower Cambrian of Cape Breton Island: stratigraphic revision and small shelly fossils. Journal of Paleontology.Google Scholar
Landing, E., and Benus, A. P. 1984. Lithofacies belts of the Smith Point Limestone (Lower Cambrian, eastern Newfoundland) and the lowest occurrence of trilobites. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 16:45.Google Scholar
Landing, E., and Benus, A. P. 1988a. Cambrian depositional history and stratigraphy, Avalon Bonavista region, southeastern Newfoundland, p. 1–50. In Davenport, P. H., Hiscott, R. N., O'Neil, P. P., and Nowlan, L. W. (eds.), Geological Association of Canada Annual Meeting, Field Trip Guidebook, Trip A3. Geological Association of Canada, Newfoundland Section, St. John's.Google Scholar
Landing, E., and Benus, A. P. 1988b. Stratigraphy of the Bonavista Group, southeastern Newfoundland: growth faults and distribution of the subtrilobitic Lower Cambrian, p. 59–71. In Landing, E., Myrow, P., and Narbonne, G. M. (eds.), Trace Fossils, Small Shelly Fossils, and the Precambrian–Cambrian Boundary. New York State Museum Bulletin 463.Google Scholar
Landing, E., Myrow, P., Benus, A. P., and Narbonne, G. M. 1989. The Placentian Series: appearance of the oldest skeletalized faunas in southeastern Newfoundland. Journal of Paleontology, 63:739–769.Google Scholar
Landing, E., Narbonne, G. M., Myrow, P., Benus, A. P., and Anderson, M. M. 1988. Faunas and depositional environments of the upper Precambrian through Lower Cambrian, southeastern Newfoundland, p. 18–58. In Landing, E., Narbonne, G. M., and Myrow, P. (eds.), Trace Fossils, Small Shelly Fossils, and the Precambrian–Cambrian Boundary. New York State Museum Bulletin 463.Google Scholar
Landing, E., Nowlan, G. S., and Fletcher, T. P. 1980. A microfauna associated with Early Cambrian trilobites of the Callavia Zone, northern Antigonish Highlands, Nova Scotia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 17:400–418.Google Scholar
Landing, E., Von Bitter, P. H., Benus, A. P., and Albanese, J. R. 1984. Oldest “tube-worm”–algal mud mound associations (Lower Cambrian, eastern Newfoundland). Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 16:45.Google Scholar
Linnarsson, J. G. O. 1891. Om nagra forsteningar fran Sveriges och Norges ‘Primordialzon.’ Ofversigt af Konglische Vetenskaps-Akademiens Forhandlingar, 6:789–796.Google Scholar
McCartney, W. D. 1967. Whitbourne Map-Area, Newfoundland. Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 341, 135 p.Google Scholar
Missarzhevsky, V. V. 1974. Noviye danniye o dreyneeshikh okamenelostyakh rannego Kembriya Sibirskoy Platformi, p. 179–189. In Biostratigrafiya i Paleontologiya Nizhnego Kembriya Evropii i Sibironoe Asii. Izdatel'stvo “Nauka,” Moscow.Google Scholar
Murphy, J. B., and Keppie, J. 1987. The late Precambrian Antigonish terrane (a periarc basin) unconformably overlain by Paleozoic overstep rocks typical of the Avalon Composite Terrane, near Antigonish, Nova Scotia, p. 421–426. In Roy, D. C. (ed.), Centennial Field Guide Volume 5. Northeastern Section of the Geological Society of America.Google Scholar
Murphy, J. B., and Hynes, A. J. 1979. Geology of the northern Antigonish Highlands. Nova Scotia Department of Mines Report, 79-1:105–108.Google Scholar
Murphy, J. B., and Hynes, A. J. 1982. Geological map of the Antigonish Highlands. Nova Scotia Department of Mines and Energy, Map 82-5.Google Scholar
Myrow, P., Narbonne, G. M., and Hiscott, R. N. 1988. Storm-shelf and tidal deposits of the Chapel Island and Random Formations, Burin Peninsula: facies and trace fossils, p. 1–105. In Davenport, P. H., Hiscott, R. N., O'Neil, P. P., and Nolan, L. W. (eds.), Geological Association of Canada Annual Meeting, Field Trip Guidebook, Trip B6. Geological Association of Canada, Newfoundland Section, St. John's.Google Scholar
Narbonne, G. M., and Myrow, P. 1988. Trace fossil biostratigraphy in the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary interval, p. 72–76. In Landing, E., Narbonne, G. M., and Myrow, P. (eds.), Trace Fossils, Small Shelly Fossils, and the Precambrian–Cambrian Boundary. New York State Museum Bulletin 463, 81 p.Google Scholar
Narbonne, G. M., Landing, E., and Anderson, M. M. 1987. A candidate stratotype for the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary. Fortune Head, Burin Peninsula, southeastern Newfoundland. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 24:1277–1293.Google Scholar
O'Brien, S. J., and Taylor, S. W. 1983. Geology of Bain Harbour (1M/7) and Point Enragee (1M/6) map areas, southeastern Newfoundland. Minerals Development Division, Department of Mines and Energy, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Report 83-5, 70 p.Google Scholar
Qian, Y., and Bengtson, S. 1989. Palaeontology and biostratigraphy of the Early Cambrian Meishucunian Stage in Yunnan Province, south China. Fossils and Strata, 24, 156 p.Google Scholar
Rast, N., O'Brien, B. H., and Wardle, R. F. J. 1976. Relationships between Precambrian and Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the ‘Avalon Platform’ in New Brunswick, the northeast Appalachians and the British Isles. Tectonophysics, 30:315–338.Google Scholar
Roark, R. J. 1964. Formulas for Stress and Strain, 4th edition. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 731 p.Google Scholar
Rozanov, A. Yu., Missarzhevsky, V. V., Valkova, N. A., Krylov, I. N., Keller, B. M., Korolyuk, I. K., Lendzion, K., Michniak, R., Pykova, N. G., and Sidarov, A. D. 1969. Tommotskii yarus i problema nizhnej granitsky Kembriya. Akademia Nauk SSSR, Ordena Trudovogo Krasnogo Zhumeni Geologicheskii Institut, 206, “Nauka,” Moscow, 359 p.Google Scholar
Seilacher, A. 1955. Spuren und Fazies im Unterkambrium, p. 11–143. In Schindewolf, O. H. and Seilacher, A. (eds.), Beitrage zur Kenntnis des Kambriums in der Salt Range (Pakistan). Akademie der Wissenschaft und Literatur im Mainz, Matematik-Naturiste Abhandlungen 10.Google Scholar
Smith, S. A., and Hiscott, R. N. 1984. Latest Precambrian to Early Cambrian basin evolution, Fortune Bay, Newfoundland: fault-bounded basin to platform. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 21:1379–1392.Google Scholar
Sokolov, B. S., and Zhuravleva, I. T. 1983. Yarosnoe rasolenie Nizhnego Kembriya Sibiri–atlas okamenelostey. Izdatel'stvo “Nauka,” Moscow, 216 p.Google Scholar
Tanoli, S. A., and Pickerill, R. N. 1988. Lithostratigraphy of the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician Saint John Group, southern New Brunswick. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 25:669–690.Google Scholar
Vail, P. R., Mitchum, R. M., and Thompson, S. III. 1977. Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, Pt. 3, Relative changes of sea level from coastal onlap, p. 63–81. In Payton, E. (ed.), Seismic Stratigraphy–Applications to Hydrocarbon Exploration. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 26, 720 p.Google Scholar
Valkov, A. K. 1982. Biostratigrafiya nizhnego Kembriya Vostoka Sibirskoy Platformy (Ochorno–Maysky Rayon). Izdatel'stvo “Nauka,” Moscow, 91 p.Google Scholar
Voronova, L. G., and Missarzhevsky, V. V. 1969. Nakhodi vodorosley i trubok chervey v pogranichnikn sloyakh Kembriya i Dokembriya na severe Sibirskoy Platformy. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR, 184:207–210.Google Scholar
Walcott, C. D. 1889. Descriptive notes on new genera and species from the Lower Cambrian or Olenellus Zone of North America. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, 12:33–46.Google Scholar
Walcott, C. D. 1900. Lower Cambrian terrane in the Atlantic Province. Proceedings of the Washington Academy of Sciences, 1:301–399.Google Scholar
White, D. E. 1939. Geology and molybdenite deposits of the Rencontre East area, Fortune Bay, Newfoundland. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, Princeton University, New Jersey, 119 p.Google Scholar
Widmer, K. 1950. Geology of the Hermitage Bay area, Newfoundland. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 439 p.Google Scholar
Wignall, P. B., and Myers, K. J. 1988. Interpreting benthic oxygen levels in mudrocks: a new approach. Geology, 16:452–455.Google Scholar
Williams, H. 1979. Tectonic lithofacies map of the Appalachian orogen. Memorial University of Newfoundland Map No. 1.Google Scholar
Williams, H., and Hatcher, R. D. 1982. Suspect terranes and accretionary history of the Appalachian orogen. Geology, 10:530–536.Google Scholar
Williams, M. Y. 1914. Arisaig–Antigonish District, Nova Scotia. Geological Survey of Canada, Memoir 60, 173 p.Google Scholar
Xing, Y., Ding, Q., Luo, H., He, P., Wang, , et al. 1983. The Sinian Cambrian Boundary of China. Bulletin of the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, No. 10. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, 262p. [in Chinese with English summary].Google Scholar