Trilobites of the Burgess Shale Formation
Burgess Shale Formation (="thick Stephen Formation")
(Middle
Cambrian, Yoho National Park, Canadian Rocky Mountains)
There have been many problems in the past with designating and correlating units within the Stephen, Burgess Shale, and the Cathedral Formation. Much of the controversy and problems arise from faulting in the area and especially from environmental (facies) differences between the stratigraphic units. There are shelf platform sequences that include shallow water inner detrital belt, middle carbonate belt, and carbonate shelf edge facies, as well as deeper water (basinal) outer detrital belt facies. These all have posed problems in correlation and descriptions of the formations in the area.
What used to be called the Stephen Formation as a whole is now restricted to what was known as the "thin" Stephen Formation. The Stephen Formation now includes the Narao and Wapituk Members. What was formerly the "thick" Stephen Formation (basinal Stephen) is now called the Burgess Shale Formation. This formation comprises units that include the classic Burgess Shale localities (Walcott Quarry (including the "phyllopod bed") and Raymond Quarry), the Mt. Stephen Trilobite Beds, as well as most of the soft-bodied faunas (Collins Quarry, S7, Ehmaniella Zone faunas, etc.). The Burgess Shale Formation includes 10 members which are (oldest at bottom):
10. Marpole Limestone Member
9. Paradox Limestone Member
8. Odaray Shale Member
7. Emerald Lake Oncolite Member
6. Raymond Quarry Shale Member
5. Walcott Quarry Shale Member (including the "Phyllopod Bed")
4. Wash Limestone Member
3. Campsite Cliff Shale Member (includes S7 and Stephen Trilobite Beds)
2. Yoho River Limestone Member (="Boundary Limestone")
1. Kicking Horse Shale Member (includes Collins Quarry)
The Burgess Shale Formation overlies the Takakkaw Tongue Formation and underlies the Eldon Formation. Lateral equivalents of the (basinal) Burgess Shale Formation include shallower water facies (platformal) of the Cathedral Limestone Formation and the Stephen Formation ("thin Stephen").
Except for the Kicking Horse Shale and Yoho River Limestone Members (upper part of the Polypleuraspis Subzone, Glossopleura Zone), most of the Burgess Shale Formation is within the Bathyuriscus-Elrathina Zone (Pagetia bootes and Pagetia walcotti Subzones). The P. bootes subzone incorporates Rasetti's Ogygopsis klotzi, Olenoides serratus, Alokistocarella fieldensis, Pagetia bootes, and part of the Ehmaniella burgessensis faunules and Fritz's (1971) Kootenia sp. 1, Ogygopsis klotzi, Pagetia bootes, and part of the Ehmaniella burgessensis faunules. The Bathyuriscus-Elrathina Zone is overlain by the Tonkinella stephenensis Subzone within the Eldon Formation.
An effort is made here to categorize the faunal lists according to the most recent rock unit names. For more information, please consult the references listed below. Our faunal lists and unit designations are as recent as we can find. If you have any updates or information regarding the faunal lists, please contact us.
The Burgess Shale and Stephen Formations outcrop mainly in Banff and Yoho National Parks in the Alberta-British Columbia border area. All known outcrops are in Canada's Rocky Mountain Parks, so collecting is strictly forbidden. The Burgess Shale is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Trilobites of the Burgess Shale Formation:
1. Kicking Horse Shale Member:
(oldest unit of the Burgess Shale, late Glossopleura Zone, Polypleuraspis insignus Subzone)
(=Member 1 of Fritz, 1990; =Amiskwi Member, Unit 1 of Aitken and McIlreath, 1990))
(includes the Collins Quarry, and part of Rasetti's (1951) P. insignus faunule)
Glossopleura sp.
Oryctocephalus cf. O. reynoldsi Reed, 1899
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Polypleuraspis insignus
+ a soft-bodied and lightly scleritzed fauna on Mt. Stephen, including: Alalcomenaeus, Branchiocaris, Canadaspis, Naroia, Plenocaris, Sanctacaris uncata, Leptomitus, Wiwaxia, and Xanioascus)
2. Yoho River Limestone Member:
(upper part of Glossopleura Zone and lower Bathyuriscus - Ptychoparella (Elrathina) Zone)
(="Boundary Limestone")
(=Member 2 of Fritz, 1990; =Amiskwi Member, Unit 2 of Aitken and McIlreath, 1990)
Fritz's (1971) "boundary Limestone" faunule (Kootenia sp. 1 faunule) with Kootenia and Olenoides (indicating Bathyuriscus-Elrathina Zone) may lie within the Campsite Cliff Member (and Wash Limestone Member), rather than within the Yoho River Limestone. It is still uncertain where this fauna occurs.
Yoho River Limestone Member:
Glossopleura sp.
Oryctocephalus cf. O. reynoldsi Reed, 1899
Pagetia sp.
Polypleuraspis sp.
Ptychoparella cordillerae (Rominger, 1887)
Fritz's (1971) Kootenia sp. 1 faunule:
Alokistocare sp.
Bathyuriscus sp.
Bathyuriscus sp. 1
cf. Elrathia permulta (Walcott, 1918b)
Kootenia sp. 1
Ogygopsis sp.
Olenoides sp.
cf. Pachyaspis sp.
Pagetia sp. 2
Peronopsis? sp.
Zacanthoides sp.
3. Campsite Cliff Shale Member:
(includes S7, Mt. Stephen Trilobite Beds, and Rasetti's (1951) Olenoides serratus faunule)
(= lower part of Member 3 of Fritz, 1990; =Amiskwi Member, lower part of Unit 3 of Aitken and McIlreath, 1990)
all trilobites:
Bathyuriscus rotundus (Rominger, 1887)
Bathyuriscus spp.
Brunswickia sp.
Burlingia hectori Walcott, 1908a
Chancia bigranulosa Rasetti, 1951
Klotziella ornata (Walcott, 1908b)
Kootenia dawsoni (Walcott, 1889)
Ogygopsis klotzi (Rominger, 1887)
Olenoides serratus (Rominger, 1887) [=Nathorstia transitans Walcott, 1912a]
Olenoides
Oryctocephalus reynoldsi Reed, 1899
Oryctocephalus
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Pagetia spp.
Peronopsis montis (Matthew, 1899)
Peronopsis
Ptychoparella [=Elrathina] sp.
Zacanthoides romingeri Walcott
corynexochine (n. sp. resembling Bonnaspis stephenensis (Walcott, 1889))
Mount Stephen Trilobite Beds (Walcott's "Ogygopsis Shale"):
(Upper and Lower Trilobite Beds)
Bathyuriscus
Burlingia hectori Walcott, 1908a
Klotziella ornata (Walcott, 1908b)
Ogygopsis klotzi (Rominger, 1887)
Olenoides
Oryctocephalus
Peronopsis
Ptychoparella [=Elrathina]
Zacanthoides romingeri Walcott
(+ a soft-bodied and lightly scleritzed fauna including: Anomalocaris canadensis Whiteaves, 1892, Mollisonia, Marrella, Canadaspis, Naraoia, Chancelloria, Pirania, Eiffelia, Hazelia, Selkirkia, Tubulella, Byronia, SphenothallusAcrothyra, Diraphora)
S7 assemblage:
Bathyuriscus rotundus (Rominger, 1887)
Brunswickia sp.
Chancia bigranulosa Rasetti, 1951
Kootenia dawsoni (Walcott, 1889)
Naraoia spinifer
Ogygopsis klotzi (Rominger, 1887)
Oryctocephalus reynoldsi Reed, 1899
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Peronopsis montis (Matthew, 1899)
Ptychoparella cordillerae (Rominger, 1887)
Ptychoparella [=Elrathina]sp.
corynexochine (n. sp. resembling Bonnaspis stephenensis (Walcott, 1889))
(+ a soft-bodied and lightly scleritzed fauna including: Tulip-shaped animal (similar to Dinomischus), Dinomischus, Leptomitus, Leptomitella, Wapkia, Marrella, Leanchoilia, Branchiocaris, Waptia, Anomalocaris, Laggania, an onychophoran, Odontogriphus, and Wiwaxia)
Rasetti's (1951) Olenoides serratus faunule:
Bathyuriscus rotundus (Rominger, 1887)
Ptychoparella [=Elrathina] sp.
Kootenia sp.
Olenoides serratus (Rominger, 1887) [=Nathorstia transitans Walcott, 1912a]
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
4. Wash Limestone Member:
(= Alokistocarella fieldensis faunule of Rasetti (1951); = upper part of Member 3 of Fritz, 1990; =Amiskwi Member, middle part of Unit 3 of Aitken and McIlreath, 1990)
Alokistocarella fieldensis
Bathyuriscus rotundus (Rominger, 1887)
Ehmaniella waptaensis Rasetti, 1951
Iphidella cf. I. fieldensis
Kootenia burgessensis Resser, 1942
Olenoides serratus (Rominger, 1887) [=Nathorstia transitans Walcott, 1912a]
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Ptychoparella [=Elrathina] cf. P. brevifrons (Rasetti, 1951)
Ptychoparella [=Elrathina] cordillerae (Rominger, 1887)
Solenopleurella sp. 2
5. Walcott Quarry Shale Member:
(including the "Phyllopod Bed")
Chancia palliseri (Walcott, 1908b)
Ehmaniella burgessensis Rasetti, 1951
Ehmaniella waptaensis Rasetti, 1951
Elrathia permulta (Walcott, 1918b)
Hanburia gloriosa Walcott, 1916b
Kootenia burgessensis Resser, 1942
Naraoia compacta Walcott, 1912a [=N. pammon Simonetta and Delle Cave, 1975 and N. halia Simonetta and Delle Cave, 1975]
Naraoia spinifer Walcott, 1931
Olenoides serratus (Rominger, 1887) [=Nathorstia transitans Walcott, 1912a]
Oryctocephalus burgessensis Resser, 1938
Oryctocephalus matthewi Rasetti, 1951
Oryctocephalus reynoldsi Reed, 1899
Oryctocephalus sp. indet.
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Parkaspis decamera Rasetti, 1951
Peronopsis montis (Matthew, 1899)
Ptychagnostus praecurrens (Westergaard, 1936) [=Triplagnostus burgessensis Rasetti, 1951]
Ptychoparella (=Elrathina) cf. P. brevifrons ( Rasetti, 1951)
Ptychoparella (=Elrathina) cordillerae (Rominger, 1887)
Spencella sp. indet. 1 (Rasetti, 1951)
Spencella sp. indet. 2 (Rasetti, 1951)
Tegopelte gigas Simonetta and Delle Cave, 1975
(+ the classic Burgess Shale soft-bodied biota)
6. Raymond Quarry Shale Member
"The trilobites constitute a relatively minor component of the Raymond Quarry fauna, totaling only ... about 2.7 %. About ten genera are represented (in descending rank-order) : Pagetia, Olenoides, agnostids (possibly more than one genus?), Naraoia, Oryctocephalus, Chancia, Parkaspis, Elrathina, Kootenia and Ehmaniella." (from Devereux unpubl. thesis). Thanks Matt for the faunal list!
agnostids
Chancia
Ehmaniella burgessensis Rasetti, 1951
Elrathina sp.
Kootenia sp.
Naraoia sp.
Olenoides serratus (Rominger, 1887) [=Nathorstia transitans Walcott, 1912a]
Oryctocephalus sp.
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Pagetia walcotti
Parkaspis sp.
7. Emerald Lake Oncolite Member
Alokistocarella sp.
Ehmaniella burgessensis Rasetti, 1951
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Pagetia walcotti
Spencella sp.
Layers in this member were previously informerly known as UE (Upper Ehmaniella Zone) and EZ (Ehmaniella Zone). The fauna is characterized by the arthropods Hurdia, Canadaspis, Yohoia, and a small undescribed arthropod with pincers and a spiky tail; the sponges Chancelloria and Vauxia, the problematic Banffia; and the trilobite Ehmaniella burgessensis.
8. Odaray Shale Member
We don't as yet have a complete faunal list for this Member. Please contact us if you have a more complete list.
Ehmaniella burgessensis Rasetti, 1951
Spencella sp.
9. Paradox Limestone Member
No fossils have (as yet) been found in this member.
10. Marpole Limestone Member
Ehmaniella burgessensis Rasetti, 1951
Pagetia walcotti
Spencella sp.
Burgess / Stephen Formation ALL TRILOBITES list:
Alokistocarella fieldensis
Alokistocarella sp.
Bathyuriscus rotundus (Rominger, 1887) (or rotundatus?)
Bathyuriscus sp.
Brunswickia sp.
Chancia bigranulosa (Rasetti, 1951)
Chancia palliseri (Walcott, 1908b)
Ehmaniella burgessensis (Rasetti, 1951)
Ehmaniella waptaensis (Rasetti, 1951)
Elrathia permulta (Walcott, 1918b)
Glossopleura sp.
Hanburia gloriosa Walcott, 1916b
Iphidella cf. I. fieldensis
Klotziella ornata (Walcott, 1908b)
Kootenia burgessensis Resser, 1942
Kootenia dawsoni (Walcott, 1889)
Naraoia compacta Walcott, 1912a (=N. pammon Simonetta and Delle Cave, 1975 and N. halia Simonetta and Delle Cave, 1975)
Naraoia spinifer Walcott, 1931
Ogygopsis klotzi (Rominger, 1887)
Olenoides serratus (Rominger, 1887) (=Nathorstia transitans Walcott, 1912a)
Oryctocephalus burgessensis Resser, 1938
Oryctocephalus matthewi Rasetti, 1951
Oryctocephalus reynoldsi Reed, 1899
Oryctocephalus sp. indet.
Pagetia bootes Walcott, 1916b
Pagetia walcotti
Parkaspis decamera (Rasetti, 1951)
Peronopsis montis (Matthew, 1899)
Ptychagnostus praecurrens (Westergaard, 1936) (=Triplagnostus burgessensis Rasetti, 1951)
Ptychoparella (=Elrathina) cf. P. brevifrons (Rasetti, 1951)
Ptychoparella (=Elrathina) cordillerae (Rominger, 1887)
Ptychoparella (=Elrathina)
Solenopleurella sp. indet. (see Spencer and Chatterton, 1997)
Solenopleurella sp. 2
Spencella sp. indet. 1 (Rasetti, 1951)
Spencella sp. indet. 1 (Rasetti, 1951)
Spencella sp.
Tegopelte gigas (Simonetta and Delle Cave, 1975)
Zacanthoides romingeri (Walcott)
Also see: Burgess shale fauna list
Selected References:
Aitken, J.D. and McIlreath, I.A., 1984 The Cathedral Reef Escarpment. A Cambrian great wall with humble origins. Geos, 13: 17-19
Aitken, J.D. and McIlreath, I.A., 1990. Comments and Reply on "The Burgess Shale: Not in the shadow of the Cathedral Escarpment". Comment: In defense of the escarpment near the Burgess Shale fossil locality. Geoscience Canada, v.17, no.2, p.111-116.
Devereux, M.G., 2001. Palaeoecology of the Middle Cambrian Raymond Quarry Fauna, Burgess Shale, British Columbia. M.Sc. thesis, Department of Earth Sciences (Geology), The University of Western Ontario.
Fletcher, T. P. & Collins, D. H. (1998) [PDF] The Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale and its relationship to the Stephen Formation in the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 35: 413-436.
Fletcher, T. P. & Collins, D. H. (2003) [PDF] The Burgess Shale and associated Cambrian formations west of the Fossil Gully Fault Zone on Mount Stephen, British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 40: 1823-1838.
Fritz, W. H., 1990. Comments and Reply on "The Burgess Shale: Not in the shadow of the Cathedral Escarpment". Comment: In defense of the escarpment near the Burgess Shale fossil locality. Geoscience Canada, v.17, no.2, p.106-110.
Fritz (1971) Geological setting of the Burgess Shale. Proc. North American Paleontological Convention: 1155-1170, 1969, Part 1.
Rasetti, F. (1951) Middle Cambrian stratigraphy and faunas of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Volume 116, No. 5, 277 pp.
Virtual Fossil Museum - Burgess Shale Fossils
Whittington, H. B. (1985) The Burgess Shale, 1985, Yale University Press.
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