Saline Valley Formation
Geology
The Saline Valley Formation is mainly composed of fine to medium-grained quartzite, sandy limestone and shale. It is overlain by the Mule Spring Limestone, whilst it is underlain by the Harkless Formation.
Members
The formation only has two members, which are as follows, in ascending stratigraphic order (lowest to highest):
- Lower Member: This can be found in the type area of the formation, which lies within the southeastern sections of the White and Inyo Mountains, and is around 430 ft (130 m) thick. It is primarily composed of fine to medium grained quartzites, quartzitic sandstones, sandstones and limestones, which cap the top 30 ft (9.1 m) of the member, and contains fine to coarse quartz grains, which are rounded. This limestone cap can get up to 190 ft (58 m) within the Andrews Mountain area, and becomes a sandy limestone. The quartzite layers found within this member are considered to be tongues from the Zabriskie Quartzite
- Upper Member: This member can reach up to 400 ft (120 m) thick, and is dominated by gray limestones and greenish-gray shales. In the basal sections of the member, it is primarily composed of medium-gray sandstones and quartzitic sandstone.
In other areas of the formation, predominately in the Andrews Mountain section, the members contain more platy siltstone and fine-grained quartzitic sandstone, which are more finely textured than other sections.
Paleobiota
The Saline Valley Formation contains a small number of ichnogenera, like the movement traces Cruziana, as well as a range of trilobites.
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text
crossed out taxa are discredited.
Lophotrochozoa
| Genus |
Species |
Notes |
Images |
| Hyolithida |
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Lophotrochozoan hyoliths. |
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