Kansas Pennsylvanian Fusulinids Of Mysterious Geologic Derivation

[Virgilian]

Several years ago, while hiking over a dam in eastern Kansas--which revealed abundant aggregate obviously quarried from the local Late Pennsylvanian Shawnee Group limestone--I happened to spot abundant, quite showy fusulinids among  the chunks of riprap. I managed to secure two or three representative hand-sized samples.

 

Not so sure I should have been doing this, actually...state property (perhaps even federal, come to think of it) and all; but, what the heck I reckon in retrospect. It was a one-off collecting experience along that dam.

 

A photograph of one of those samples I've included herein. The fusulinds are Triticites, I'm fairly certain. In some respects, to my eye anyway, they certainly rival the justifiably world-famous Triticites fusulinids from the Kansas Upper Pennsylvanian Beil Limestone. True, these don't demonstrate the uniform cute "plumpness" of the Beil specimens, or the outrageous engorged profusion of fusulinid tests so evident in the Beil, but--wow--the examples I collected during that lone hike over that dam sure dazzle, to my eye anyhow.

 

And here's where a mystery begins. What geologic rock formation did they come from?

 

Some rather involved internet research disclosed that most of the aggregate/riprap used for that dam came from the Upper Pennsylvanian Clay Creek Limestone--but, the brownish coloration makes me think of the geologically older Upper Pennsylvanian Toronto Limestone of the Shawnee Group (which has also been quarried extensively for aggregate in eastern Kansas).

 

Anyhow, if anybody recognizes the specific eastern Kansas geologic rock unit that produces such distinctively preserved fusulinids, be sure to let me know. I never did run across any surface, or even quarry, exposures that resembled this kind of fusulinid occurrence in eastern Kansas.

 

 

 

[Archimedes]

Do not know much about fusulinids but they are supposed to be common in the Pennsylvanian and Permian of Kansas

[Missourian]

I've seen very similar material in the landscaping 'river rock' under our deck in Kansas City. Knowing it was Pennsylvanian (or Permian) but not locally derived, I'd assumed it was originally dredged from the Kansas River.

[Virgilian]

1 hour ago, Archimedes said:

Do not know much about fusulinids but they are supposed to be common in the Pennsylvanian and Permian of Kansas

 

Indeed they are. I've seen the proverbial boat loads of fusulinids in several geologic rock layers in later Pennsylvanian strata of Kansas (all of them really fascinating, and for the most part exceptionally preserved)--just none that demonstrate the distinctive preservational aspect like those in the image. Not in an actual surface outcrop, or in any quarry I visited. Very peculiar. Probably the Clay Creek Limestone, as surmised, but I'm up for suggestions. 

[Virgilian]

29 minutes ago, Missourian said:

I've seen very similar material in the landscaping 'river rock' under our deck in Kansas City. Knowing it was Pennsylvanian (or Permian) but not locally derived, I'd assumed it was originally dredged from the Kansas River.

 

The dam I referred to is pretty far removed from the Kansas River. Likely quite local material in this case, quarried not too far from they used it as riprap. But, many of those Kansas fusulinid limestone layers do indeed persist over great distances, so perhaps they're from the same layer. This is certainly a mystery that's got my geology/paleontology detective mode stuck on the on-switch, I reckon.

[Archimedes]

1 hour ago, Virgilian said:

 

Indeed they are. I've seen the proverbial boat loads of fusulinids in several geologic rock layers in later Pennsylvanian strata of Kansas (all of them really fascinating, and for the most part exceptionally preserved)--just none that demonstrate the distinctive preservational aspect like those in the image. Not in an actual surface outcrop, or in any quarry I visited. Very peculiar. Probably the Clay Creek Limestone, as surmised, but I'm up for suggestions. 

 

I have seen rocks that were on the surface for a few year change color and turn a red color, the freshly weathered out rocks were grayish yellow in color

[Missourian]

This Kansas Geological Survey publication mentions a 'Tarkio-type' assemblage:

 

http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/169/Moore/index.html

 

These units within Kansas megacyclothems are often massive brown limestones that sometimes have abundant fusulinids. They can be found below the main transgressive-regressive grouping (e.g. the Toronto below the Leavenworth-Plattsmouth).

[Missourian]

For what it's worth, description of the 'Tarkio-type' limestones throughout the Shawnee Group (from 'The Stratigraphic Succession in Kansas' -- http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/189/07_penn.html ):

OREAD LIMESTONE -- Toronto Limestone Member -

The Toronto Limestone Member is brownish-gray, massive limestone that weathers deep brown. The Toronto is typically developed from Woodson County northward, but it is thinner, sandy, or locally absent in southeastern Kansas. The member is absent also in parts of southern Douglas and western Franklin counties, where a limestone conglomerate occupies its approximate stratigraphic position. Fusulinids, corals, and small brachiopods are the most common fossils. The thickness of the Toronto in northern outcrops ranges from 5 to 12 feet. In southern outcrops it is generally less than 4 feet thick.

 

LECOMPTON LIMESTONE -- Spring Branch Limestone Member

The Spring Branch Limestone Member is a gray, somewhat sandy limestone that weathers deep brown and occurs in massive, slightly uneven beds. Fusulinids are abundant in most outcrops. In northeastern Kansas the thickness is commonly 5 feet, but locally as much as 14 feet, with shale and earthy limestone in the upper part. In southeastern Kansas this member locally is very sandy, impure limestone about 4 feet thick.

 

DEER CREEK LIMESTONE -- Ozawkie Limestone Member

The Ozawkie Limestone Member is a brownish-gray, brown-weathering, massive limestone. Fossils are somewhat sparse, but fusulinids and other marine fossils are abundant in some outcrops. Commonly the thickness is about 5 feet but ranges from 1 to 20 feet.

 

TOPEKA LIMESTONE -- Hartford Limestone Member

The Hartford is a massive, light bluish-gray limestone that weathers yellow-brown. This member commonly contains numerous fusulinids. In the upper part, Osagia is abundant. The lower beds are characterized by the sponge Amblysiphonella. The upper limestone ranges in thickness from 0 to 12 feet. The thickness of the member ranges from about 3 to 13 feet.

[Virgilian]

12 hours ago, Archimedes said:

 

I have seen rocks that were on the surface for a few year change color and turn a red color, the freshly weathered out rocks were grayish yellow in color

 

Yes. I'm well aware that original lithological coloration can be altered by degrees of weathering, exposure to air. Still, I never enountered such a distinctive combination of rock type and fusulinid content. I saw plenty of brownish-weathering limestones out there, but none that contained that unique fusulinid preservational aspect. Of course, I did not visit every abandoned quarry, outcrop, or roadcut in eastern Kansas, needless to say--so my fusulinid-bearing zone is very likely out there somewhere, very well exposed.

 

[Virgilian]

10 hours ago, Missourian said:

For what it's worth, description of the 'Tarkio-type' limestones throughout the Shawnee Group (from 'The Stratigraphic Succession in Kansas' -- http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/189/07_penn.html ):

OREAD LIMESTONE -- Toronto Limestone Member -

The Toronto Limestone Member is brownish-gray, massive limestone that weathers deep brown. The Toronto is typically developed from Woodson County northward, but it is thinner, sandy, or locally absent in southeastern Kansas. The member is absent also in parts of southern Douglas and western Franklin counties, where a limestone conglomerate occupies its approximate stratigraphic position. Fusulinids, corals, and small brachiopods are the most common fossils. The thickness of the Toronto in northern outcrops ranges from 5 to 12 feet. In southern outcrops it is generally less than 4 feet thick.

 

LECOMPTON LIMESTONE -- Spring Branch Limestone Member

The Spring Branch Limestone Member is a gray, somewhat sandy limestone that weathers deep brown and occurs in massive, slightly uneven beds. Fusulinids are abundant in most outcrops. In northeastern Kansas the thickness is commonly 5 feet, but locally as much as 14 feet, with shale and earthy limestone in the upper part. In southeastern Kansas this member locally is very sandy, impure limestone about 4 feet thick.

 

DEER CREEK LIMESTONE -- Ozawkie Limestone Member

The Ozawkie Limestone Member is a brownish-gray, brown-weathering, massive limestone. Fossils are somewhat sparse, but fusulinids and other marine fossils are abundant in some outcrops. Commonly the thickness is about 5 feet but ranges from 1 to 20 feet.

 

TOPEKA LIMESTONE -- Hartford Limestone Member

The Hartford is a massive, light bluish-gray limestone that weathers yellow-brown. This member commonly contains numerous fusulinids. In the upper part, Osagia is abundant. The lower beds are characterized by the sponge Amblysiphonella. The upper limestone ranges in thickness from 0 to 12 feet. The thickness of the member ranges from about 3 to 13 feet.

 

Good information, indeed.  All of the limestone members of the Oread Limestone (Toronto, Leavenworth, and Kereford) have been used as riprap, but of course only the Toronto Limestone resembles what I found along the dam. 

 

I just rechecked my eastern Kansas materials chart. All of the limestone members you've listed have at one time or another been used for aggregate and riprap purposes.

[Missourian]

These were found in the Kanwaka Shale:

 

 

 

Taken from:  http://inyo2.coffeecup.com/kansasfossils/kansasfossils.html  (I think this may be a page made by TFF member Inyo.)

 

It's possible some of the dam riprap could have come from limestone beds within some thick shale units.

 

[Missourian]

And just a bit of information for those interested in fusulinid biostratigraphy of the Midcontinent:

 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gregory_Wahlman/publication/285588152_Pennsylvanian_to_Lower_Permian_Desmoinesian-Wolfcampian_fusulinid_biostratigraphy_of_Midcontinent_North_America/links/56606a0308ae4931cd5976e4.pdf?origin=publication_list