Wallumbilla Formation

Wallumbilla Formation
Wallumbilla Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Cretaceous (Aptian) 121.4–113.2 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N B V H B Apt. Albian C T C S Cam. M
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Rolling Downs Group
Sub-units	Trimble Member, Ranmoor Member, Jones Valley Member, Doncaster Member, Coreena Member
Underlies	Toolebuc & Griman Creek Formations
Overlies	Cadna-Owie & Bungil Formations
Thickness	600 m (2,000 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Mudstone, siltstone
Other	Sandstone, limestone
Location
Coordinates	20°48′S 143°42′E / 20.8°S 143.7°E
Approximate paleocoordinates	60°12′S 124°24′E / 60.2°S 124.4°E
Region	New South Wales; Northern Territory; Queensland; South Australia
Country	Australia
Extent	Eromanga Basin
	Wallumbilla Formation (Australia) Wallumbilla Formation (Queensland)

The Wallumbilla Formation is an Aptian geologic formation found in Australia. Remains of marine reptiles, a theropod and various invertebrates are among the fossils that have been recovered from its strata.

Description

The formation is present in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales. It is a sedimentary unit, principally made up of sandstone, limestone, mudstone and siltstone, with calcareous concretions. Its maximum thickness is 600 metres. It dates back to the Aptian epochs, about 121.4 and 113.2 million years ago, based on dinoflagellete cyst dating, where Odontochitina operculata and Diconodinium davidii have been biocorrelated to the Aptian.

The Wallumbilla Formation is part of the Wilgunya Subgroup, which in turn is part of the Rolling Downs Group of the Eromanga and Surat Basins. The named beds comprise of the Coreena, Doncaster, Jones Valley, Ranmoor, and Trimble Members. The formation outlines the appearance of a shallow marine environment over the earlier terrestrial deposits in the Carpentaria, Laura, Eromanga and Surat basins. Economically, it provides the main seal to the Great Artesian Basin. It is of notable significance as a potential seal for the geological storage of CO₂.

Paleobiota

Color key

Taxon	Reclassified taxon	Taxon falsely reported as present	Dubious taxon or junior synonym	Ichnotaxon	Ootaxon	Morphotaxon

Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text
~~crossed out~~ taxa are discredited.

Reptiles

Reptiles of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Kronosaurus	sp. indet.	Plesiosauria, Pliosauridae	Size comparison of Kronosaurus.
Platypterygius	cf. P. sp.	Ichthyosauria, Ophthalmosauridae	Fossil skeleton of the related P. australis.
Elasmosauridae indet. (Formerly Woolungasaurus glendowerensis)	sp. indet.	Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae
Plesiosauria indet.	sp. indet.	Plesiosauria, incertae sedis
Polycotylidae indet.	sp. indet.	Plesiosauria, Polycotylidae
Theropoda indet.	sp. indet.	Theropoda, incertae sedis

Ammonites

Ammonites of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Aconeceras	A. sp.	Ammonitida, Oppeliidae	Fossil of the related A. nisus.
Australiceras	A. irregulare	Ammonitida, Ancyloceratidae	Life reconstruction of the related A. sp.
Australiceras	A. jacki	Ammonitida, Ancyloceratidae	Life reconstruction of the related A. sp.
Sanmartinoceras	S. olene	Ammonitida, Oppeliidae
Tonohamites	T. taylori	Ammonitida, Ancyloceratidae
Tropaeum	T. undatum	Ammonitida, Ancyloceratidae	Reconstruction of the related T. imperator.

Bivalves

Bivalves of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Eyrena	E. palmerensis	Mytilida, Mytilidae
Fissilunula	F. clarkei	Cardiida, Glossidae
Maccoyella	M. barkleyi	Pectinida, Oxytomidae
Pinna	P. sp.	Pteriida, Pinnidae	Pinna internal and external shell anatomy.
Pseudavicula	P. anomala	Pectinida, Oxytomidae

Gastropods

Gastropods of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Notopala	N. albascopularis	Architaenioglossa, Viviparidae

Microfossils

Foraminifera

Foraminifera of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Ammobaculites	A. australis	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Ammobaculites	A. humei	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Ammodiscus	A. sp.	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Bigenerina	B. pitmani	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Haplophragmoides	H. sp.	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Hippocrepina	H. barksdalei	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Hyperammina	H. gaultina	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Labrospira	L. nonioninoides	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Pseudobolivina	P. coonanaensis	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Pseudobolivina	P. manitobensis	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Trochammina	cf. T. gatesensis	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Trochammina	T. minuta	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Verneuilinoides	V. neocomiensis	Foraminifera, agglutinated
Bilingulogavelinella	B. australis	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Dentalina	D. hamiltonensis	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Gavelinella	G. sp.	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Globulina	G. lacrima	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Lenticulina	L. australiensis	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Lenticulina	L. gunderbookaensis	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Lingulogavelinella	L. albiensis subsp. cf. biconvexa	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Marginulinopsis	M. crespinae	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Miliolinella	M. australiana	Foraminifera, Miliolida
Pseudonodosaria	P. sp.	Foraminifera, Rotaliida
Sarasenaria	S. planiuscula	Foraminifera, Rotaliida

Radiolaria

Radiolarians of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Arachnosphaera	A. exilis	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Archaeospongoprunum	A. tehamaensis	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
	A. sp. A
	A. sp. B
Cenosphaera	C. sp. A	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Crucella	cf. C. messinae	Spumellaria, Hagiastridae
Crucella	C. sp. A	Spumellaria, Hagiastridae
Haliomma	H. sp. A	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Paronaella	P. sp. A	Spumellaria, Hagiastridae
Patulibracchium?	P.? sp. A	Spumellaria, Hagiastridae
Patulibracchium?	P.? sp. B	Spumellaria, Hagiastridae
Spongodiscus	S. sp. A	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Spongotripus	S. sp. A	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Spongotripus	S. sp. B	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Spongotrochus	cf. S. polygonatus	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Staurosphaera	S. sp. A	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Triactoma	T. sp. A	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Triactoma	T. sp. B	Spumellaria, incertae sedis
Xiphosphaera	cf. A. umbilicata	Spumellaria, Actinommidae
Xiphosphaera	X. sp. A	Spumellaria, Actinommidae
Dictyomitra	cf. D. brouweri	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
	cf. D. sp. A (Foreman (1975))
	D. sp. B
	D. sp. C
Dictyophimus	D. sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Gongylothorax	G. verbeeki	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Lithomelissa	L. sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Lithostrobus	L. sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
	L. sp. B
	L. sp. C
	L. sp. D
Lychnocanium?	L.? sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Lychnocanium?	L.? sp. B	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Psilomelissa	P. sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Solenotryma	S. sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Stichocapsa	S. sp. A	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Theocorys	T. antiqua	Nassellaria, incertae sedis
Hagiastridae indet.	sp. A	Spumellaria, Hagiastridae
Sponguridae indet.	sp. A	Spumellaria, Sponguridae
Theopiliidae indet.	sp. A	Nassellaria, Theopiliidae
Triacartidae indet.	sp. A	Nassellaria, Triacartidae

Other invertebrates

Diatoms and ostracods of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Cladogramma	C. simplex	Diatom, incertae sedis
Krithe	K.? sp.	Ostracoda, incertae sedis
Diatom indet.	morphotype A	Diatom, incertae sedis
	morphotype B
	morphotype C
	morphotype D
	morphotype E
	morphotype F

Dinoflagellates

Dinoflagellates of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Apteodinium	A. granulatum	Dinoflagellate
Ascodinium	A. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Astrocysta	A. cretacea	Dinoflagellate
Broomea	"B." jaegeri	Dinoflagellate
Broomea	"B." micropoda	Dinoflagellate
Callaiosphaeridium	C. asymmetricum	Dinoflagellate
Canningia	C. colliveri	Dinoflagellate
Canninginopsis	cf. C. denticulata	Dinoflagellate
Canninginopsis	C. sp. A	Dinoflagellate
Carpodinium	C. granulatum	Dinoflagellate
Chlamydophorella	C. nyei	Dinoflagellate
Chlamydophorella	C. sp. A	Dinoflagellate
Cleistosphaeridium	C. huguonioti	Dinoflagellate
Cleistosphaeridium	C. polypes	Dinoflagellate
Coronifera	C. oceanica	Dinoflagellate
Cribroperidinium	C. muderongensis	Dinoflagellate
Diconodinium	D. davidii	Dinoflagellate
Diconodinium	D. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Dingodinium	D. cerviculum	Dinoflagellate
Endoscrinium	E. campanulum	Dinoflagellate
Exochosphaeridium	E. phragmites	Dinoflagellate
Fromea	F. amphora	Dinoflagellate
Gardodinium	cf. G. deflandrei	Dinoflagellate
Gonyaulacysta	G. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Hystrichosphaeridium	H. recurvatum	Dinoflagellate
Hystrichosphaeridium	cf. H. arundum	Dinoflagellate
Leptodinium	L. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Microdinium	M. sp. A	Dinoflagellate
Microdinium	M. spp. (2 species)	Dinoflagellate
Muderongia	M. staurota	Dinoflagellate
Muderongia	M. tetracantha	Dinoflagellate
Odontochitina	O. operculata	Dinoflagellate
Oligosphaeridium	O. pulcherrimum	Dinoflagellate
Oligosphaeridium	O. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Ovoidinium	O. cinctum	Dinoflagellate
Pareodinia	P. aphelia	Dinoflagellate
Prolixosphaeridium	P. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Pterodinium	P. cornutum	Dinoflagellate
Pterodinium	P. magnoserratum	Dinoflagellate
Rhombodella	R. natans	Dinoflagellate
Scriniodinium	S. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Spiniferites	S. cingulatus	Dinoflagellate
	S. cingulatus reticulatus
	S. pterotus
	S. ramosus
Stephodinium	S. sp. A	Dinoflagellate
Tanyosphaeridium	T. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Tenua	T. hystricella	Dinoflagellate
Tenua	T. sp.	Dinoflagellate
Trichodinium	T. castanea	Dinoflagellate

Acritarchs

Acritarchs of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Baltisphaeridium	B. fimbriatum	Acritarch
Leiofusa	L. jurassica	Acritarch
Leiosphaeridia	L. sp. A	Acritarch
Micrhystridium	M. fragile	Acritarch
	M. inconspicuum
	M. piliferum
	M. stellatum
Pterospermella	P. australiensis	Acritarch
Schizosporis	S. reticulatus	Acritarch
Veryhachium	V. europaeum	Acritarch
	V. lairdi
	V. metum
	V. reductum
	V. spp. (2 species)

Spores and pollen

Spores and pollen of the Wallumbilla Formation
Genus	Species	Clade	Image
Appendicisporites	A. sp.	Spores
Baculatisporites	B. comaumensis	Spores
Ceratosporites	C. equalis	Spores
Cicatricosisporites	C. australiensis	Spores
Concavissimisporites	C. spp. (4 species)	Spores
Contignisporites	C. fornicatus	Spores
Crybelosporites	C. stylosus	Spores
Cyathidites	C. australis	Spores
Cyathidites	C. minor	Spores
Cyclosporites	C. hughesii	Spores
Deltoidospora	D. juncta	Spores
Dictyotosporites	D. speciosus	Spores
Foraminisporis	F. wonthaggiensis	Spores
Gleicheniidites	G. circinidites-senonicus complex	Spores
Gleicheniidites	G. simplex	Spores
Klukisporites	K. scaberis	Spores
Leptolepidites	L. major	Spores
Leptolepidites	L. verrucatus	Spores
Lycopodiacidites	L. canaliculatus	Spores
Lycopodiumsporites	L. austroclavatidites	Spores
	L. circolumenus
	L. facetus
	L. marginatus
	L. nodosus
	L. sp.
Neoraistrickia	N. truncata	Spores
Patellasporites	cf. P. distaverrucosus	Spores
Pilosisporites	P. notensis	Spores
Sestrosporites	S. pseudoalveolatus	Spores
Stereisporites	S. antiquasporites	Spores
Alisporites	A. grandis	Pollen
	A. similis
	A. spp. (2 species)
Classopollis	C. classoides	Pollen
Cycadopites	C. fragilis	Pollen
Cycadopites	C. sp.	Pollen
Microcachryidites	M. antarcticus	Pollen
Podocarpidites	P. biformis	Pollen
	P. dettmanni
	P. ellipticus
	cf. P. multesimus
	P. spp. (2 species)
Trisaccites	T. microsaccatus	Pollen
Tsugaepollenites	T. trilobatus	Pollen
Tsugaepollenites	T. dampieri	Pollen
Vitreisporites	V. pallidus	Pollen
Vitreisporites	V. sp.	Pollen

References

1 2 3 Kear, Benjamin P. (2005). "Marine reptiles from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) deposits of White Cliffs, southeastern Australia: implications of a high latitude, cold water assemblage". Cretaceous Research. 26 (5): 769–782. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2005.04.006.
↑ Haig, D. W.; Barnbaum, D. (1978). "Early Cretaceous microfossils from the type Wallumbilla Formation, Surat Basin, Queensland". Alcheringa. 2 (2): 159–178. doi:10.1080/03115517808619086.
↑ Oosting, A.M.; Leereveld, H.; Dickens, G.R.; Henderson, R.A.; Brinkhuis, H. (2006). "Correlation of Barremian-Aptian (mid-Cretaceous) dinoflagellate cyst assemblages between the Tethyan and Austral realms". Cretaceous Research. 27 (6): 792–813. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2006.03.012.
↑ Geoscience Australia: Stratigraphic Units Database
↑ Dixon, O.; Hodgkinson, J. (2011). The base of the Wallumbilla Formation in the Eromanga, Surat, Carpentaria and Laura Basin–regional correlation of a key stratigraphic surface, the C-Horizon. Queensland Geological Record.
↑ Kear, Benjamin P. (2007-03-12). "Taxonomic clarification of the Australian elasmosaurid genus Eromangasaurus , with reference to other austral elasmosaur taxa". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (1): 241–246. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[241:TCOTAE]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.
↑ Bell, Phil R.; Fanti, Federico; Hart, Lachlan J.; Milan, Luke A.; Craven, Stephen J.; Birch, Sienna A.; Smith, Elizabeth (2019). "Revised geology, age, and vertebrate diversity of the dinosaur-bearing Griman Creek Formation (Cenomanian), Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 514: 655–671. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.11.020.
1 2 Cook, Alex G. (2012-03-01). "Cretaceous faunas and events, northern Eromanga Basin, Queensland". Episodes Journal of International Geoscience. 35 (1). International Union of Geological Sciences: 153–159. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2012/v35i1/014.
↑ Kear, Benjamin P.; Hamilton-Bruce, Robert J.; Smith, Brian J.; Gowlett-Holmes, Karen L. (2003). "Reassessment of Australia's oldest freshwater snail, Viviparus (?) albascopularis Etheridge, 1902 (Mollusca : Gastropoda : Viviparidae), from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian, Wallumbilla Formation) of White Cliffs, New South Wales". Molluscan Research. 23 (2): 149. doi:10.1071/MR03003. ISSN 1323-5818.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Haig, D. W.; Barnbaum, D. (1978). "Early Cretaceous microfossils from the type Wallumbilla Formation, Surat Basin, Queensland". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 2 (2): 159–178. doi:10.1080/03115517808619086.