Candelaria Formation, Nevada Explained

Candelaria Formation
Type:	Formation
Age:	Induan
Period:	Induan
Prilithology:	Shale
Otherlithology:	Limestone
Namedfor:	Candelaria Hills
Region:	Nevada
Country:	United States
Coordinates:	38.1°N -118.1°W
Paleocoordinates:	12.1°N -41.6°W

The Candelaria Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada, United States. The formation comprises shales and limestones deposited in an open marine environment and preserves fossils dating back to the Induan (Griesbachian to Dienerian) age of the Early Triassic epoch.^[1] Outcrops of the Candelaria Formation are present in the Candelaria Hills southeast of the now abandoned mining town of Candelaria (Mineral and Esmeralda counties), and near Willow Springs (Nye County).

Fossil content

Invertebrates

Among the invertebrates, fossils of the following species of ammonoids, nautiloids, and bivalves have been recovered from the formation:^{[2] [3]}

• Ambites lilangensis
• Ambites aff. radiatus
• Claraia aurita, C. clarai, C. stachei
• Clypites cf. evolvens
• Grypoceras cf. brahmanicum
• Meekoceras cf. tenuistriatum
• Microconchus sp.
• Mullericeras fergusoni, M. spitiense
• Parahedenstroemia kiparisovae
• Proptychites haydeni, P. pagei
• Proptychites cf. ammonoides, P. cf. trilobatus
• Radioceras kraffti
• Ussuridiscus sp.
• Vavilovites sp.

Vertebrates

Among the vertebrates, fossils of the following species of ray-finned fishes^{[2] [4]} have been collected from the formation:

• Ardoreosomus occidentalis
• Candelarialepis argentus
• ?Gyrolepis sp.
• Pteronisculus nevadanus

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nevada
• Paleontology in Nevada

Notes and References

1. http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=displayStrata&geological_group=&formation=Candelaria&group_formation_member=Candelaria Candelaria Formation
2. Muller . Siemon Wm. . Siemon Muller . Ferguson . Henry G. . Henry G. Ferguson . Mesozoic stratigraphy of the Hawthorne and Tonopah quadrangles, Nevada . GSA Bulletin . 1939 . 50 . 10 . 1573–1624 . 10.1130/GSAB-50-1573. 1939GSAB...50.1573M .
3. Ware . David . Jenks . James F. . Hautmann . Michael . Bucher . Hugo . Dienerian (Early Triassic) ammonoids from the Candelaria Hills (Nevada, USA) and their significance for palaeobiogeography and palaeoceanography. . Swiss Journal of Geosciences . 2011 . 104 . 161–181 . 10.1007/s00015-011-0055-3. 129845606 .
4. Romano . Carlo . López-Arbarello . Adriana . Ware . David . Jenks . James F. . Brinkmann . Winand . Marine Early Triassic Actinopterygii from the Candelaria Hills (Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA). . Journal of Paleontology . April 2019 . 93 . 5 . 971–1000 . 10.1017/jpa.2019.18. 2019JPal...93..971R . 155564297 .