USGS M4049, Pillar Point (Miocene of the United States)

Where: Clallam County, Washington (48.2° N, 124.1° W: paleocoordinates 48.0° N, 116.8° W)

• coordinate stated in text

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Clallam Formation, Aquitanian (23.0 - 20.4 Ma)

• From three 1-m thick beds in an interval between 191 and 207 m above the base of the formation. The Clallam Formation is the type for the Pacific Northwest Pillarian molluscan stage and is considered early Miocene, likely Aquitanian (Addicott, 1976a). In addition, benthic foraminifera of the Californian Saucesian stage (early Miocene, Aquitanian) are present in the Clallam Formation (Addicott, 1976b). Magnetostratigraphic studies place the Clallam Formation as latest Oligocene/earliest Miocene (Prothero et al., 2001).

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: transition zone or lower shoreface; lithified sandstone

• Fossils in this assemblage occur as layered concentrations whereas stratigraphically lower fossils occur as isolated individuals, apparently in place. The larger size of the assemblage from localities M4049 and M5878 may well be due to the mode of formation as current or storm wave concentrations; the assemblage may include specimens from more than one community. Stratigraphic position also puts it within the hummocky cross-stratified and burrowed sandstone facies of Anderson (1985).
• Sandstone with minor conglomerate and siltstone.

Size class: macrofossils

Preservation: mold/impression

Reposited in the USGS

Collection methods: quarrying,

Primary reference: W.O. Addicott. 1976. Molluscan paleontology of the lower Miocene Clallam Formation, northwestern Washington. United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 976:1-44 [A. Miller/A. Hendy/A. Hendy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 37560: authorized by Austin Hendy, entered by Austin Hendy on 16.03.2004

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• Only molluscan taxa listed.
Gastropoda
 Neotaenioglossa - Calyptraeidae
Crepidula praerupta Conrad 1849 slipper shell
Crepidula princeps Conrad 1855 slipper shell
Trochita "n. sp" Schumacher 1817 slipper shell
 Cerithioidea - Turritellidae
Turritella oregonensis Conrad 1849 turret shell
x
 Sorbeoconcha - Naticidae
Sinum scopulosum Conrad 1849 moon snail
 Neogastropoda - Cancellariidae
"Cancellaria wynoocheensis" = Cancellaria wynootchensis Weaver 1916 snail
Cancellaria cf. siletzensis Hanna 1924 snail
Cancellaria cf. simplex Anderson 1905 snail
Cancellaria cf. oregonensis Conrad 1865 snail
 Neogastropoda - Turridae
Ophiodermella olympicensis Addicott 1976 turrid
 Neogastropoda - Siphonaliidae
Bruclarkia yaquinana Anderson and Martin 1914 snail
 Neogastropoda - Fasciolariidae
Priscofusus aff. geniculus Conrad 1849 snail
Priscofusus cf. stewarti Tegland 1933 snail
Priscofusus goweri Addicott 1976 snail
 Pseudomelanoidea - Pseudomelaniidae
"? Rectiplanes sp." = Antiplanes
"? Rectiplanes sp." = Antiplanes snail
Scaphopoda
 Dentaliida - Dentaliidae
Dentalium pseudonyma Pilsbry and Sharp 1898 tusk shell
Dentalium schencki Moore 1963 tusk shell
Bivalvia
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
Vertipecten fucanus Dall 1898 scallop
 Lucinida - Lucinidae
Lucinoma acutilineata Conrad 1849 clam
 Cardiida - Veneridae
"Securella ensifera" = Chione (Securella) ensifera Dall 1909 venus clam
 Cardiida - Mactridae
Spisula sp. Gray 1837 clam
Spisula cf. hannibali Clark and Arnold 1923 clam
Spisula sookensis Clark and Arnold 1923 clam
"Spisula albaria" = Mactromeris albaria Conrad 1848 clam
 Cardiida - Tellinidae
"Macoma cf. twinensis" = Macoma (Macoma) twinensis Clark 1925 tellin clam
Macoma cf. astori Dall 1909 tellin clam
"Macoma arctata" = Macoma (Psammacoma) arctata Conrad 1849 tellin clam
Macoma albaria Conrad 1849 tellin clam
 Cardiida - Cardiidae
"Clinocardium aff. nuttallii" = Clinocardium (Clinocardium) nuttallii
"Clinocardium aff. nuttallii" = Clinocardium (Clinocardium) nuttallii Conrad 1837 cockle
[entered as Clinocardium nuttalli]
 Hiatellida - Hiatellidae
Panopea abrupta Conrad 1849 clam
 Solenida - Solenidae
"Solen conradi" = Solena (Plectosolen) conradi
"Solen conradi" = Solena (Plectosolen) conradi Dall 1900 clam
 Thraciida - Thraciidae
"Thracia trapezoides" = Thracia (Homoeodesma) trapezoides
"Thracia trapezoides" = Thracia (Homoeodesma) trapezoides Conrad 1849 clam
 Carditida - Carditidae
Cyclocardia subtenta Conrad 1849 clam
 Nuculanida - Nuculanidae
Nuculana calkinsi pointed nut clam
 Nuculanida - Yoldiidae
"Yoldia cf. supramontereyensis" = Yoldia (Kalayoldia) supramontereyensis
"Yoldia cf. supramontereyensis" = Yoldia (Kalayoldia) supramontereyensis Arnold 1908 clam
 Nuculida - Nuculidae
"Acila conradi" = Acila (Truncacila) conradi
"Acila conradi" = Acila (Truncacila) conradi Meek 1864 divaricate nutclam