An Early Cretaceous stratigraphic marker fossil in the High Arctic: the belemnite Arctoteuthis bluethgeni

Abstract The original description of the large and characteristic belemnite species Arctoteuthis bluethgeni Doyle was based on fragmentary material from a relatively uncertain stratigraphic interval in Kong Karls Land, Svalbard. Recent collection of a belemnite assemblage in the Lower Cretaceous Rur...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geological Magazine
Main Authors: Alsen, Peter, Jelby, Mads E., Śliwińska, Kasia K., Mutterlose, Jörg
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756819000803
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756819000803
Description
Summary:Abstract The original description of the large and characteristic belemnite species Arctoteuthis bluethgeni Doyle was based on fragmentary material from a relatively uncertain stratigraphic interval in Kong Karls Land, Svalbard. Recent collection of a belemnite assemblage in the Lower Cretaceous Rurikfjellet Formation on Spitsbergen include numerous complete specimens, allowing a detailed description of the species. With the exception of a specimen reported from Arctic Canada, its distribution is restricted to Svalbard. Its stratigraphic range appears to be restricted to the upper Valanginian – lower Hauterivian from ages obtained from palynostratigraphy. A. bluethgeni is therefore considered to be a useful Lower Cretaceous guide fossil in the Boreal High Arctic.