PL3003, SE of Princetown (Paleocene of Australia)

Where: Victoria, Australia (38.7° S, 143.2° E: paleocoordinates 61.5° S, 147.0° E)

• coordinate based on political unit

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Pebble Point Formation, Thanetian (59.2 - 56.0 Ma)

Environment/lithology: coastal; poorly lithified sandstone

• Some sedimentologists have characterized the Pebble Point Formation as having been deposited in marginal rather than open marine environments, based on the presence of the foram Cyclammina. Yet, the common presence of echinoderms as well as nautilid cephalopods, both intolerant of salinity much higher or lower than open ocean values argues against this. While numerous clasts are present, other evidence suggests quiet sedimentation rather than high energy. Pebble Point Formation thought to have been deposited during a series of channeling and channel abandonment episodes. Mud rip-up clasts and mud drapes indicate times of channel abandonment. Shelly fauna mostly come from the upper half, which may represent a change from estuarine conditions to more open marine conditions.
• sandstone

Size class: macrofossils

Primary reference: T. A. Darragh. 1997. Gastropoda, Scaphopoda, Cephalopoda, and new Bivalvia of the Paleocene Pebble Point Formation, Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 109(1):57-108 [A. Miller/K. Layou]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 6267: authorized by Arnold Miller, entered by Karen Layou on 15.02.2000

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Cephalopoda
 Nautilida - Hercoglossidae
Aturoidea distans Teichert 1943 nautiloid
 Nautilida - Nautilidae
Eutrephoceras victorianum Teichert 1943 nautiloid
2 specimens and 2 fragments
Gastropoda
 Trochoidea - Liotiidae
Pareuchelus ? sp. Boettger 1906 snail
 Trochoidea - Solariellidae
 Trochoidea - Colloniidae
 Trochoidea - Turbinidae
Turbinidae indet. Rafinesque 1815 snail
Guildfordia ? sp. Gray 1850 snail
 Trochoidea - Trochidae
Botelloides sp. Strand 1928 top snail
1 specimen and 4 fragments
 Seguenzioidea - Eucyclidae
 Lepetellida - Fissurellidae
Puncturella caminata n. sp. puncturella
6 complete specimens and 3 fragments
Emarginula sp. Lamarck 1801 snail
 Epitonioidea - Epitoniidae
Epitoniidae indet. Berry 1910 wentletrap
Opalia ? sp. Adams and Adams 1853 wentletrap
one whorl fragment
 Cerithioidea - Turritellidae
Colposigma uniangulata n. sp. turret shell
 Neogastropoda - Mitridae
? Mitra rhytidata n. sp. mitre shell
 Neogastropoda - Buccinidae
? Austrofusus crassiaulatus n. sp. true whelk
 Neogastropoda - Conidae
Marshallaria tumefacta n. sp. cone shell
Marshallaria sp. Finlay and Marwick 1937 cone shell
M. sp. b
 Neogastropoda - Turridae
 Neogastropoda - Volutomitridae
 Neogastropoda - Columbariidae
 Sorbeoconcha - Naticidae
Euspira saxosulensis n. sp. moon snail
 Cocculinoidea - Cocculinidae
Cocculina ? sp. Dall 1882 snail
 Heterostropha - Acteonidae
Acteon petricolus n. sp. snail
Acteon sp. Montfort 1810 snail
A. sp. b
 Heterostropha - Ringiculidae
 Pteropoda - Spiratellidae
 Heterostropha - Mathildidae
Tuba sp. Lea 1823 snail
 Heterostrophia -
 Opisthobranchia - Cylichnidae
Cylichnania sp. Marwick 1931 snail
 Opisthobranchia -
Bivalvia
 Pectinida - Limidae
Limea multicostulifera n. sp. file clam
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
Delectopecten sp. Stewart 1930 scallop
includes fragments
 Ostreida - Pteriidae
Electroma glessaria n. sp. pearl oyster
32 valves and one pair
 Lucinida - Lucinidae
? Jagolucina psephenata n. sp. clam
10 left valves and 3 right valves
 Poromyida - Cuspidariidae
Cuspidaria obbata n. sp. clam
 Cardiida - Kelliidae
Bornia flabellaris n. sp. clam
 Cardiida - Corbiculidae
Corbicula ? sp. Megerle 1811 clam
 Nuculida - Nuculidae
? Austronucula arenaria n. sp. nut clam
 Nuculanida - Nuculanidae
Comitileda brachyrynchoides n. sp. pointed nut clam
Scaphopoda
 Gadilida -
Compressidens laticornuata n. sp. tusk shell
 Gadilida - Gadilidae
Gadila laguncula n. sp. tusk shell
 Dentaliida - Dentaliidae