Bulletins of American paleontology (Bull. Am. paleontol.) Vol 3712007

\ 3u(kt\ icmto Begun in 1895 NUMBER 371 MARCH 2007 J STRATIGRAPHY AND CORRELATION FOR THE ANCIENT GULF OF CALIFORNIA AND BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA, MEXICO — ^ - CO by Ana Luisa Carreno and Judith Terry Smith Paleontological Research Fristitution 1259 Trumansburg Road New York, 14850 U.S.A Ithaca, / BULLETINS OF AMERICAN PALEONTOLOGY Established 1895 Paula M Mikkelsen Editor Warren Director Bulletins of American Palcoiiiohi^iy D Allmon is published semiaiiiuiaily by Paleontological Research is available online at www.priweb.org institution A hst of titles oi' Bulletins ofAmerican Paleontology arc available from Periodicals Service Main St., and available issues Numbers Company, I - 5.^ I Gemiantown, New York 12526 USA, www.periodicals.com Subscriptions to Bulletins ol American Paleontology are available for (individual or institution) Domestic postage age to non-U S addresses is is included in the US SUi5 per year subscription price; post- an additional $10.00 for surface rate and S20.00 for airmail (recommended) For additional information, contact: Paleontological Research Institution l259Trumansburg Road Ithaca, New York 14850 (607) 273-6623, FAX ext, USA 20 (607) 273-6620 publications(a'museumoftheearth.org @ This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper) 'Bu(Qtins of Begun NUMBER in 1895 MARCH 371 2007 STRATIGRAPHY AND CORRELATION FOR THE ANCIENT GULF OF CALIFORNIA AND BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA, MEXICO C/O ^ CO by X3 Ana Luisa Carreno and Judith Terry Smith Paleontological Research Institution 1259 Trumansburg Road New Yorii 14850 U.S.A Ithaca, ISSN 0007-5779 ISBN 978-0-87710-467-4 of Congress Control Number: 2006932606 2007 The Paleontological Research Institution Librcin,' © Pniited 111 the United States of America Allen Press Inc Lawrence KS 66044 U.S.A CONTENTS Page Abstract Resunien Introduction Paleogeography Previous correlations background Historical 10 Explanation of formal and terminology 11 Stratigraphic terminology 11 Rock member, group stages and zones units: formation, Time-rock units: 11 12 Informal lithologic units 12 Taxonomic note Acknowledgments Part 1: The western Baja California peninsula: San Diego San Diego embayment 12 13 California, to Todos Santos, Baja California Sur 14 embayment La Mision basin, southern Rosarito embayment Rosario embayment Tijuana basin, northern Rosarito 19 22 22 23 24 Northern Rosario embayment Ensenada to Punta China Southern Rosario embayment San Quintin Mesa embayment Vi/.caino la Sepultura Mesa San Carlos, and Rosarito 25 25 Cedros, northern Vizcaino Isla 24 Baja California to El Rosario El Rosario to embayment 28 Northern Vizcaino peninsula, Punta Eugenia Southern Vizcaino embayment San Roque Western embayment, northern to Bahi'a Tortugas — Asuncion — San Hipolito— Punta Abreojos Purisima-lray basin, western slopes of the Sierra Magdalena embayment southern part of Arroyo Salada Santa Rita El Rifle — the la Giganta Western 39 39 44 embayment Western embayment — 46 49 El Cien el Part II: la Muela, southern Baja California Sur 55 Ancient and modern Gulf of California: Salton Trough, California, Salton Trough — San Gorgonio Pass area Fish Creek/Vallecito basin Southern Coyote Mountains Cerro Prieto to Sierra Cucupa Baja California San Felipe embayment Baja California Sierra de Santa Rosa Puertecitos embayment Bahia de Guadalupe to Bahi'a las Animas San Lorenzo Archipelago Southwestern Isla Tiburon Sonora Isla 53 55 Aguajito de Castro Whitewater River 31 38 Arroyo San Raymundo Rancho 29 36 36 part Arroyo San Ignacio Arroyo Patrocinio Todos Santos Arroyo Arroyo la Muela 14 San Esteban to Islas Tres Marias, southern Gulf of California 57 57 60 64 66 67 68 69 70 72 74 74 77 Boleo basin 77 San Marcos Concepcion Peninsula San Nicolas basin 81 Loreto embayment 86 86 87 87 Isla Isla del Isla Carmen Monserrate Loreto basin Eastern Magdalena San Carlos embayment — Punta San Telnio Tembabiche (Timbahichi) 81 83 89 89 Bulletin 371 San Juan de Isia Espiritu la 93 95 95 Costa Santo and Isia la Partida La Paz Peninsula 96 97 97 Cerralvo Isia San Jose del Caho Trough AiToyo la Trinidad Rancho HI Refugio Rancho Algodones Santa Anita Islas 101 103 Tres Man'as, Nayarit 104 Punta Mita, Nayarit 104 Conclusions 105 References cited Appendix Appendix I; II: Selected paleontological and radiometric references, by embayment 130 Cited topographic quadrangle maps, southern California Baja California, and Baja California Sur 135 139 Index Plate 1: The western Baja California peninsula, San Diego California to Todos Santos Baja Cahlornia Sur separate envelope Plate 2: Ancient and modem Gulf of California Salton Trough, California to Islas Tres Marias, southern Gulf of California separate envelope LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page Text-figure Ancient and modern Gull of California and the Baja California peninsula, index map showing the principal geographic locations cited in this paper Embayments, map showing southern California, U S A to Cabo San Lucas Baja California Sur Mexico Quadrangles of the San Diego embayment and northern Rosarito embayment (= northern Tijuana basin) Rosarito embayment, Tijuana basin in the north and La Mision basin in the south Rosario embayment, northern part, Ensenada to El Rosario, B.C Southern Rosario embayment, map showing El Rosario to 28° N, including Mesa la Sepultura, Mesa San Carlos, Punta Maria, and Lonias las Tetas de Cabra 19X4) Isia Cedros, B.C.S., map showing Neogene marine outcrops and general geology modified from Kilmer Arroyo Choyal, northeastern Isla Cedros area of California Academy of Sciences locality 446 collected by Hanna and Jordan in Arroyo Choyal, outcrop ( in map Cedros to Laguna San Ignacio B.C.S Martin Lagoe standing on the angular unconformity between brown turbidite sands of colored pelletal phosphorite and sand facies of the Miocene Tortugas Formation Vizcaino embayment 12 13 14 15 of the Cretaceous Valle Formation and 28 light- Miocene Almejas Formation sandstones km southeast of Bahia Tortugas Western embayment, San Ignacio to Arroyo Mezquital, with outcrops of the Eocene marine Bateque Formation Arroyo San Ignacio, view from Rancho el Estribo at type area of the Late Miocene San Ignacio Formation, 4-S km downstream from San Ignacio San Ignacio Formation, south wall of Arroyo San Ignacio showing fossiliferous marine sediments overlain by an unnamed volcaniclastic sandstone (possibly the Atajo Formation of Mina-L'hink, 1957) and capped by the Late Miocene basalt of Rancho Esperanza Monadnock of highly lossiliferous Late el 30 30 37 37 37 37 ^ Mesa 24 30 30 Isia ' 16 18 23 small canyon to the south with unsorted conglomerates containing disarticulated valves of the Late Miocene pectinid Lyropeclen gallegosi (Jordan and Hertlein) 15 30 1925 10 10 Yeso north side of Arroyo Patrocinio Arroyo Mezquital section of Eocene Bateque Formation siltstones overlain unconformably by the Miocene Isidro Formation to San Jose de Comondii, map showing southernmost outcrops of Eocene diatomite 37 18 Western embayment south of Arroyo Patrocinio 19 in western North America Bateque Formation, Eocene tbramimferal facies 40 40 17 20 Contact between the Miocene Isidro Arroyo Mezquital Formation and underlying Eocene Bateque Formation marked by bulbous burrows, Arroyo in 40 Mezquital I Phosphatic and diatomaceous beds of the Oligocene San Gregorio Formation exposed at in Arroyo la Purisinia near the [la prcsa\ 40 40 40 San Isidro Arroyo la Purisinia from San Isidro 23 San Jose de Comondii, type area of Middle Miocene Comondii Formation 24 Arroyo La Salada and the Magdalena Plain, view southwest at Heini's type section (A-B) and mezquite trees Rancho La Salada on the Pleistocene terrace 25 Salada Formation at B, southwestern end of type section 26 Tobias Schwennicke surveys scattered bricks that remain from Rancho La Salada 27 Fossiliferous clast of well-indurated gray sandstone in Arroyo La Salada, upstream from the site of an old fort 28 Salada Formation, map of type area south of Santa Rita and El Medano 22 dam El Pilon, view northwest across thai mark the site of 48 48 48 48 48 Baja California Stratigraphy: Carreno and Smith 29 Giant pectinid 52 36 molds from the contact between Heim\ beds and at the old fort section Magdalena Plain, map showing old ranchos and other landmarks Cerro Colorado (highest ridge) and Cerro Tierra Blanca (below and to the right), type sections of the El Cien Formation, Cerro Tierra Blanca and Cerro Colorado Members Arroyo San Hilario, type area of the San Hilario Member El Cien Formation El Cien Formation, map showing type sections and study areas from Applegate I9