Wolfcampian brachiopods from the Bird Spring Group, Wamp Spring area, Las Vegas Range, Clark County, Nevada

Abstract

The Wamp Spring section of the Bird Spring Group consists of approximately 1,600 feet of carbonate rocks subdivided into a basal platy limestone member, lower cliff-forming member, and upper cliff-forming member. Triticites, Schwagerina , and Schubertella kingi in the platy limestone member indicate an early Wolfcampian age. Schwagerina, Schubertella kingi , and a distinctive assemblage of brachiopods, similar to the West Texas fauna, including Kozlowskia kingi, Elliottella aff. E. multicostata, Leurosina sinesulca, Gypospirifer cf. G. infraplicus , and Composita cf. C. apheles , indicate that the upper cliff-forming member is late Wolfcampian. The lower cliff-forming member is tentatively assigned to the middle Wolfcampian. The Wamp Spring sequence correlates temporally with the BSe “formation” of the Bird Spring Group. In addition to the previously mentioned taxa, the fossil-rich upper cliff-forming limestone member includes the new species Pontisia boodi, Crurithyris wampensis , and Calliprotonia (?) n. sp. A, as well as Hustedia culcitula, Crenispirifer (?) sp., Cenorhynchia (?) sp., Kutorginella (?) sp., marginiferids, lyssacine hexactinellid sponges, pleurotomarid and bellerophontid gastropods, cidaroid echinoids, rugose corals, cylindrical cryptostome bryozoans, and nuculids.