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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

GCAGS Transactions

Abstract


Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions
Vol. 45 (1995), Pages 327-331

Dinosaurian Stratigraphy and Modes of Occurrence in the Alabama-Georgia Gulf Coastal Plain

David T. King, Jr. (1)

ABSTRACT

Outcropping Mesozoic strata of the Alabama-Georgia Gulf Coastal Plain are geographically limited and consist of Cenomanian-Maastrichtian (96 to 66.5 Ma) fluvial, transitional, and marine facies adjacent to the Appalachian Mountains. Fluvial and associated alluvial-plain facies lack dinosaurian tracks, nests, and bones. Transitional and marine facies contain relatively rare dinosaurian bones and teeth in two allochthonous modes of occurrence: 1) shallow-marine concentrates and 2) open-marine cumulates. Concentrates are assemblages of multi-sourced detrital bone fragments. Concentrates occur in clastic-dominated facies on three kinds of surfaces: 1) parasequence boundaries, 2) transgressive-regressive surfaces, and 3) depositional-sequence boundaries. Open-marine cumulates consist of assemblages of relatively pristine bones. Cumulate assemblages are each derived from a single individual and are situated in fine-grained shelfal deposits.

The occurrence of dinosaurian fossils in the study area coincides with the global, post-Coniacian sea-level decline and resulting reconnection of western and eastern regions of North America across the Western Interior Seaway. This paleogeographic reconnection may have permitted migration of a new ceratopsian-hadrosaurian-tyrannosaurid fauna into the study area.


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