Jump to content

Catskill Formation

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Catskill Group)
Catskill Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Devonian (Late Famennian)
Outcrop of the Irish Valley Member of the Catskill Formation along the Horseshoe Curve, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Typesedimentary
UnderliesRockwell Formation, Huntley Mountain Formation, Pocono Formation, Spechty Kopf Formation
OverliesForeknobs Formation, Lock Haven Formation, Trimmers Rock Formation
ThicknessUp to 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
OtherSiltstone, shale
Location
RegionAppalachian Mountains
CountryUnited States
ExtentPennsylvania, New York (state)
Type section
Named forCatskill Mountains, New York

The Devonian Catskill Formation or the Catskill Clastic Wedge is a unit of mostly terrestrial sedimentary rock found in Pennsylvania and New York. Minor marine layers exist in this thick rock unit (up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m)). It is equivalent to the Hampshire Formation of Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.

The Catskill is the largest bedrock unit of the Upper Devonian in northeast Pennsylvania and the Catskill region of New York, from which its name is derived. The Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania are largely underlain by this unit as well. The rocks of the Catskill are a clastic wedge of predominantly red sandstone, indicating a large-scale terrestrial deposition during the Acadian orogeny. Many beds are cyclical in nature, preserving the record of a dynamic environment during its approximately 20 million years of deposition.

The Catskill Formation preserves a highly diverse paleobiota, including many early sarcopterygians (especially tetrapodomorphs), providing important evidence about the evolution of terrestrial vertebrates. The formation also provides important fossils about the evolution of land plants.[1]

Geology

[edit]

Depositional environment

[edit]
Cut slab of the Catskill Formation from the Coleman Quarry of the Endless Mountain Stone Company, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, showing mud clasts within sandstone
Point bar deposits in the Catskill Formation (Devonian) near North Bend, PA.

During the Devonian period, the Catskill Delta was formed by a series of river deltas and otherwise marshy terrain. This terrain was sandwiched between the epicontinental Kaskaskia Sea in central North America and the now-vanished Acadian Mountains. Erosion brought sediment from the mountain westwards into the sea, forming the deltas.

Eventually, the Delta formation was buried and transformed into sandstone, which was then revealed in places when the Catskill and Appalachian Mountains were formed at a later date. This transformation and uncovering is the primary reason why the Catskill Delta is notable in the present. Western Pennsylvania's petroleum was formed as a consequence. This was the first major oil region to be developed.

The Catskill was once considered to be related to the Old Red Sandstone, but in actuality, the two are only coincidentally similar. Both formed at approximately the same time, and under similar conditions: to the north of the Acadian Mountains were the Caledonian Mountains, and a similar region of marsh and river delta formed there.

Glacial erosion

[edit]

Though both mountain ranges were formed during the Acadian orogeny, the Catskill Mountains, unlike the Appalachian Mountains underwent glacial erosion.[2] Much of what formed the Catskills as they stand today is a result of the Wisconsin glaciation which ended only about 12,000 years ago.[3]

There are many signs of the Glacial period event which carved the current day Catskill Mountains.

These markers include:

Members

[edit]

Eastern Pennsylvania

[edit]

Towamensing, Walcksville, Beaverdam Run, Long Run, Packerton, Poplar Gap, Sawmill Run, Berry Run, Clarks Ferry, and Duncannon.

Central Pennsylvania

[edit]

Irish Valley, Sherman Creek, Buddys Run, Clarks Ferry, and Duncannon.

Geologic cross section of upper to middle Devonian strata from Cherry Valley, New York, south-southwest across the Allegheny Plateau and then along the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to Tennessee. The Catskill Formation is at the top.[4]

Paleobiota

[edit]

Placoderms

[edit]
Placoderms of the Catskill Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Bothriolepis B. sp. Abundant material, including mass mortality of hatchlings.[5] A bothriolepidid. Species unknown, though sometimes referred to as B. nitida.[6]
Groenlandaspis G. pennsylvanica[6] A groenlandaspidid.
Phyllolepis P. rossimontina A phyllolepidid.
P. thomsoni[7] Articulated skeleton.
Turrisaspis T. elektor[6] A groenlandaspidid.

Acanthodians

[edit]
Acanthodians of the Catskill Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Gyracanthus G. cf. sherwoodi[6] A gyracanthid.

Chondrichthyans

[edit]
Chondrichthyans of the Catskill Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Ageleodus A. pectinatus Teeth A holocephalan of uncertain affinities.
Ctenacanthus C. sp. A ctenacanthiform elasmobranch.[6]

Actinopterygians

[edit]
Actinopterygians of the Catskill Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Limnomis L. delaneyi An early ray-finned fish.[8]

Sarcopterygians

[edit]
Sarcopterygians of the Catskill Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Apatorhynchus A. opistheretmus A lungfish of uncertain affinities.[9]
Densignathus D. rowei A stegocephalian tetrapodomorph.[10]
Eusthenodon E. bourdoni[11] A tristichopterid tetrapodomorph.
E. leganihanne[12]
Hyneria H. lindae A tristichopterid tetrapodomorph.
Hynerpeton H. bassetti A stegocephalian tetrapodomorph.[13]
Langlieria L. radiata A tristichopterid tetrapodomorph. Originally identified as Holoptychius.[14]
L. smalingi[15] Irish Valley Member
Megalichthys M. mullisoni A megalichthyid tetrapodomorph.[16]
Sauripterus S. taylori A rhizodontid tetrapodomorph.[17]
Soederberghia S. groenlandica A rhynchodipterid lungfish.[9]
Sterropterygion S. brandei An indeterminate osteolepiform tetrapodomorph.[16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Broussard, David R.; Trop, Jeffrey M.; Benowitz, Jeff A.; Daeschler, Edward B.; Chamberlain, John A.; Chamberlain, Rebecca B. (2018-12-15). "Depositional setting, taphonomy and geochronology of new fossil sites in the Catskill Formation (Upper Devonian) of north-central Pennsylvania, USA, including a new early tetrapod fossil". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 511: 168–187. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.07.033. ISSN 0031-0182.
  2. ^ Rich, John Lyon (1906). "Local Glaciation in the Catskill Mountains". The Journal of Geology. 14 (2): 113–121. Bibcode:1906JG.....14..113R. doi:10.1086/621285. JSTOR 30055593. S2CID 129029014.
  3. ^ a b c Titus, Robert (1996). The Catskills in the Ice Age. Flieschmanns, New York: Purple Mountain Press. pp. 14–29. ISBN 978-0-935796-77-3.
  4. ^ Boughton, Carol J.; McCoy, Kurt J. (2006). "Hydrogeology, Aquifer Geochemistry, and Ground-Water Quality in Morgan County, West Virginia". U.S. Geological Survey. Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5198. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Downs, Jason P.; Criswell, Katharine E.; Daeschler, Edward B. (2011). "Mass Mortality of Juvenile Antiarchs ( Bothriolepis sp.) from the Catskill Formation (Upper Devonian, Famennian Stage), Tioga County, Pennsylvania". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 161 (1): 191–203. doi:10.1635/053.161.0111. ISSN 0097-3157.
  6. ^ a b c d e Daeschler, Edward B.; Cressler, Walter L., III (2011-01-01), Ruffolo, Richard M.; Ciampaglio, Charles N. (eds.), "Late Devonian paleontology and paleoenvironments at Red Hill and other fossil sites in the Catskill Formation of north-central Pennsylvania", From the Shield to the Sea: Geological Field Trips from the 2011 Joint Meeting of the GSA Northeastern and North-Central Sections, vol. 20, Geological Society of America, p. 0, doi:10.1130/2011.0020(01), ISBN 978-0-8137-0020-5, retrieved 2025-04-15{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Long, John A.; Daeschler, Edward B. (2013). "First Articulated Phyllolepid Placoderm from North America, with Comments on Phyllolepid Systematics". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 162 (1): 33–46. doi:10.1635/053.162.0103. ISSN 0097-3157.
  8. ^ Daeschler, Edward B. (2000). "An Early Actinopterygian Fish from the Catskill Formation (Late Devonian, Famennian) in Pennsylvania, U.S.A." Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 150: 181–192. ISSN 0097-3157.
  9. ^ a b Friedman, Matt; Daeschler, Edward B. (2006). "Late Devonian (famennian) Lungfishes from the Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania, Usa". Palaeontology. 49 (6): 1167–1183. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00594.x. ISSN 1475-4983.
  10. ^ Daeschler, E.B. (2000). "Early tetrapod jaws from the Late Devonian of Pennsylvania, USA". Journal of Paleontology. 74 (2): 301–308. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2000)074<0301:etjftl>2.0.co;2. S2CID 131194763.
  11. ^ Downs, Jason P.; Barbosa, Jeremy; Daeschler, Edward B. (2021-05-04). "A new species of Eusthenodon (Sarcopterygii, Tristichopteridae) from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and a review of Eusthenodon taxonomy". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 41 (3): e1976197. doi:10.1080/02724634.2021.1976197. ISSN 0272-4634.
  12. ^ Downs, Jason P.; Osatchuck, Madison M.; Goodchild, Owen A.; Daeschler, Edward B. (2022-11-25). "Second species of Eusthenodon (Tristichopteridae, Sarcopterygii) from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and a review of global Eusthenodon occurrence". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 42 (5): e2201627. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2201627. ISSN 0272-4634.
  13. ^ Daeschler, Edward B.; Shubin, Neil H.; Thomson, Keith S.; Amaral, William W. (29 July 1994). "A Devonian Tetrapod from North America". Science. 265 (5172): 639–642. Bibcode:1994Sci...265..639D. doi:10.1126/science.265.5172.639. PMID 17752761. S2CID 2835592.
  14. ^ Daeschler, Edward B.; Downs, Jason P.; Matzko, Chelsea (2019-05-09). "New material supports a description and taxonomic revision of Holoptychius ? radiatus (Sarcopterygii, Tristichopteridae) from the Upper Devonian Catskill Formation in Pennsylvania, USA". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 167 (1): 11. doi:10.1635/053.167.0102. ISSN 0097-3157.
  15. ^ Downs, Jason P.; Daeschler, Edward B. (2022-04-22). "Second species of Langlieria (Tristichopteridae, Sarcopterygii) from the Upper Devonian Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and a new phylogenetic consideration of Tristichopteridae". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 167 (1). doi:10.1635/053.167.0115. ISSN 0097-3157.
  16. ^ a b Downs, Jason P.; and Daeschler, Edward B. (2020-03-03). "A New Species of Megalichthys (Sarcopterygii, Megalichthyidae) from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and a Report on the Cosmine-Covered Osteolepiform Fossils of the Catskill Formation". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 40 (2): e1774771. doi:10.1080/02724634.2020.1774771. ISSN 0272-4634.
  17. ^ T.A. Stewart,J.B. Lemberg,N.K. Taft,I. Yoo,E.B. Daeschler,& N.H. Shubin, Fin ray patterns at the fin-to-limb transition, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117 (3) 1612-1620,(2020). Marcus C. Davis, Shubin, N., & Daeschler, E. B. (2004). A New Specimen of Sauripterus taylori (Sarcopterygii, Osteichthyes) from the Famennian Catskill Formation of North America. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 24(1), 26–40.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catskill_Formation&oldid=1285805032"