Mississippian Cephalopods 

of Northern and Eastern 

Alaska

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 283
Mississippian Cephalopods 

of Northern and Eastern 

Alaska

By MACKENZIE GORDON, JR.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 283

Descriptions and illustrations of 4.3 

nautiloids and ammonoids and 

correlation of the assemblages with 

European Carboniferous goniatite zones

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1957
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

FRED A. SEATON, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office 

Washington 25, D. C. - Price $1.50 (paper cover)
CONTENTS

Abstract..__________________________________________

Introduction. ________________________________________

Previous work____________________________________

Composition of the cephalopod fauna_______________

Stratigraphic and geographic distribution of the cephalopods_________________________________________

Brooks Range._________________________________

Cape Lisburne region________________________

Lower Noatak River basin_____-______..______

Western De Long Mountains-________________

Eastern De Long Mountains......____________

Ipnavik River basin___._ ____________________

Etivluk River basin.________________________

Page 

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4

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6

7

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Stratigraphic and^geographic distribution—Continued 

Brooks Range—Continued

Kiruktagiak River basin—Chandler Lake area, 

Siksikpuk River basin_____-----__--__-_____

Anaktuvuk River basin_________------__-_

Nanushuk River basm____--_-___-----------

Echooka River basin_--_---_-_-_-_---__-_-_ 

Eagle-Circle district.___________________________

Age and correlation of the cephalopod-bearing beds___.

Mississippian cephalopod-collecting localities in Alaska.

Systematic descriptions.____________-_-_-__-_-_.-_-.

Bibliography.____________„_______________,____--_.

Index ____________________________________________

ILLUSTRATIONS

[Plates follow page 62]

PLATE 1. Orthoconic nautiloids of the genera Rayonnoceras, 

Michelinoceras, and Bactrites?

2. Orthoconic nautiloids of the genera Kionocerasf, 

Cycloceras, Adnatoceras, Dolorthoceras, Euloxoceras, and Pseudorthoceras.

3. Coiled nautiloids: Stroboceras and Knightoceras; and 

ammonoids: Dimorphoceras and Eothalassoceras.

4. Ammonoids of the genera Ammonellipsites, Miinsteroceras, Bollandites, and Beyrichoceras.

5. Goniatites crenistria Phillips.

6. Ammonoids of the genera Goniatites, Neoglyphioceras, Sudeticeras, Girtyoceras, Pronoritesf, and 

Entogonites.

FIGURE 1. Index map of the northern part of Alaska. __

2. Preliminary correlation of Mississippian rocks 

in the western and central Brooks Range. _

3. Index map of the western part of the Brooks 

Range______________________________

4. Index map of the central part of the Brooks 

Range_______________________________

5. Geologic sketch map of the KiruktagiakChandler Lake area___________________

6. Generalized geologic map of part of the EagleCircle district _________________________

7. Rayonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp., diagrammatic vertical section.____________

8. Knightoceras pattoni Gordon, n. sp., cross section of mature whorl___________________

9. Stroboceras crispum Gordon, n. sp., cross section and suture___________-____________

10. Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) polaris 

Gordon, n. sp., cross section and suture; 

A. (F.) aff. A. polaris, part of suture_-__-

Page 

3

11

19

27

28

34

11. Munsteroceras saginatum Gordon, n. sp., front 

view in outline and suture; M. sp., suture. _

12. Bollandites bowsheri Gordon, n. sp., suture 

and front view in outline. ______________

13. Bollandites kiligwae Gordon, n. sp., cross section and suture _ _____________________

14. Bollandites cf. B. sulcatum Bisat, cross section and suture____________________-___

15. Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips), sutures 

of two specimens and front view in outline. _________________________________

16. Beyrichoceras sp., suture and front view in 

outline. ______________________________

17. Goniatites crenistria Phillips, sutures of three 

specimens and cross section. ____________

18. Goniatites cf. G. sphaericus (Sowerby), front 

view in outline of two specimens and

19. Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock, suture _

20. Goniatites? sp., suture _____--_____-_-____.

21. Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon, n. sp., front view 

in outline and suture_--_-_-----________

22. Girtyoceras arcticum Gordon, n. sp., cross section and sutures of two specimens. ______

23. Girtyoceras endicottense Gordon, n. sp., 

suture.. _ _____________________________

24. Entogonites borealis Gordon, n. sp., cross section and suture________________________

25. Eothalassoceras aurorale Gordon, n. sp., front 

view in outline and suture. _____________

26. Dimorphoceras algens Gordon, n. sp., front 

view in outline and suture ______________

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TABLES

TABLE 1. Distribution of cephalopod species in the 

Brooks Range and in the Eagle-Circle district __-_________-_______-_____-.--_---

Page

13

2. Tentative correlation of the goniatite-bearing 

beds of northern and eastern Alaska. ____

Page

14

HI

MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

By MACKENZIE GORDON, Jr.

ABSTRACT

Cephalopods of Mississippian age occur in the rocks of the 

Brooks Range of northern Alaska and along the Yukon River 

in the Eagle-Circle district in eastern Alaska. The cephalopod 

faunas include goniatites that can be correlated with zones in 

northwest Europe, especially the British Isles.

The earliest Mississippian goniatites are found in the western 

part of the Brooks Range, where an unnamed black shale 

unit on Iligluruk Creek and a calcareous sandstone unit on a 

branch of the Kiligwa River have yielded Munsteroceras probably of late Tournaisian age. Loose limestone blocks on the 

lower Noatak River and black shale on the Kiligwa River, both 

tentatively referred to the lower part of the Lisburne group, 

contain the genus Ammonellipsites at a stage of development 

that suggests very late Tournaisian or early Vise"an age.

In the central Brooks range most of the cephalopods found 

have come from the upper middle part of the Alapah limestone 

of the Lisburne group. These fossils can be correlated with 

three faunal units of the British Carboniferous section, the 

upper Beyrichoceras or Goniatites maximus (B2) zone, the G. 

crenistria (Pj a) subzone, and the G. elegans (Pi c) subzone, the 

first of Middle Visdan and the last two of Upper Vise'an age. 

They come, however, from within rather narrow stratigraphic 

limits in the Alaskan section.

The Goniatites granosus (Pz) zone, the uppermost of the 

Vis6an goniatite zones, is known only from the Eagle-Circle 

district where it occurs in the lower middle part of the Calico 

Bluff formation. Cravenoceras sp. possibly representing the 

Eumorphoceras pseudobilingue (Ei) zone of early Namurian age 

has been found in the Calico Bluff formation at one locality in 

the Eagle-Circle area.

The 19 nautiloid species described in this report have been 

referred to 12 genera, as follows: Rayonnoceras, Michelinoceras, 

Bactritesf, Cycloceras, Kionocerasf, Dolorthoceras, Adnatoceras, 

Euloxoceras, Pseudorthoceras, Endolobus, Knightoceras, and 

Stroboceras. Six new species of nautiloids are described. The 

24 goniatite species are referred to 14 genera: Ammonellipsites, 

Munsteroceras, Bollandites, Beyrichoceras, Goniatites, Sudeticeras, 

Neoglyphioceras, Cravenoceras, Girtyoceras, Entogonites, Eothalassoceras, Dimorphoceras, Protocanitesf, and Pronoritcsf. Ten 

of the 24 species are new.

INTRODUCTION

Geologic reconnaissance and field mapping in the 

Brooks Range has greatly increased our knowledge of 

the late Paleozoic faunas of northern Alaska. Most of 

this work was done from 1945 to 1953 by geologists of 

the Geological Survey, in connection with the exploration of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4. Among the 

less abundant groups of invertebrate fossils fcmnd during these Alaskan investigations, the cephalopods are 

one of the most important because their relatively 

short stratigraphic ranges make them excellent tools 

for stratigraphic correlation.

Twenty-four collections of fossil cephalopods described in this paper were made during^ the course of 

the Navy's oil exploration. A collection from near 

Cape Lisburne and one from the lower Noatak River 

valley near the west end of the Brooks Range are from 

earlier reconnaissance work of the U. S. Geological 

Survej7 , as are twelve additional collections from the 

Eagle-Circle district of eastern Alaska. The 38 collections studied shed considerable light on the distribution of the cephalopods in a region where previously 

very little was known about them. A rough correlation can now be made with the Carboniferous goniatite 

zones of northwest Europe, particularly those of the 

British Isles.

The writer is especially indebted to J. T. Dutro, Jr., 

for stratigraphic information assembled for use in this 

report. Other unpublished stratigraphic data have 

been supplied by A. L. Bowsher, W. P. Brosge, 

W. W. Patton, Jr., and I. L. Tailleur. J. B. Reeside, 

Jr., and W. A. Cobban have contributed many helpful 

suggestions. The writer also wishes to express his 

appreciation to members of the Geological Survey of 

Great Britain, particularly to T. Robertson, C. J. 

Stubblefield, F. M. Trotter, G. A. Kellaway, and 

D. McGraw, who greatly facilitated his visit in 1952 to 

Carboniferous sections in northern and western England. This made it possible for correlations of Alaskan 

with British goniatite zones in this paper to be based 

largely on first-hand information. Thanks also are 

due to L. F. Spath who made cephalopod types and 

specimens available for study at the British Museum 

(Natural History).

PREVIOUS WORK

Several records of Alaskan cephalopods of Mississippian age have appeared in faunal lists prepared by 

G. H. Girty from collections made by geologists of the 

U. S. Geological Survey. The earliest of these records 

was a single fragmentary goniatite collected near Cape

1
MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Lisburne by Collier (1906, p. 23). A small collection 

from unit 1 of their section at Calico Bluff on the Yukon 

River, was published by Brooks and Kindle (1908, 

p. 293). Other records have been published by Smith 

(1913, p. 78) and Mertie (1930, p. 105, 106; 1932, 

p. 421, 422). All of these cephalopods have been restudied and, except for those too poorly preserved, are 

described in this report.

Listed below are cephalopods from northern and 

eastern Alaska that have appeared in faunal lists 

in bulletins of the U. S. Geological Survey. The authors 

and references are given and below them, in three 

columns, the collection number, the name given to 

the fossil by Girty in the earlier faunal list, and the 

name given to it in the present report. Those cephalopods not described in the systematic part of the present 

report are marked with an asterisk (*). The single 

collection of Brooks and Kindle, mentioned above, 

appears in the list below as collection number 2644A 

in Mertie's 1930 paper.

Smith, P. S., U. S. Geol. Survey" BuU. 536, p. 78, 

1913.

11AS77 Orthoceras sp. Kionocerasf sp. B 

{12785) Dolorthoceras? sp.

Eumorphoceras? sp. Ammonellipsites aff. A. polar is n. sp.

CoUier, A. J., U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 278, p. 23, 

1906.

4AC17 

(3586)

Goniatites sp. 

Orthoceras sp.

Goniatites? sp. indet. 

Rayonnoceras Rangifer n. sp.

Mertie, J. B., Jr., U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 816, p. 

105, 106, 1930; U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 872, p. 137, 

138, 1937.

S43 

1797 A 

2644A

Nautilus? sp. *Nautiloid? indet. 

Orthoceras sp. Rayonnoceras rangifer, n.

sp.

Goniatites sp. Goniatites cf. G. granosusf 

5279 Orthocreas sp. * Dolorthoceras f sp. indet. 

Gastrioceras sp. Goniatites cf. G. granosus

5302 Orthocreas sp. Adnatoceras alaskense n. sp.

5303 Goniatites sp. Goniatites cf. G. granosusf 

5843 Goniatites? sp. Goniatites cf. G. granosus

Gastrioceras? sp. *Not identifiable

5843 C Orthoceras cf. 0. epi- * Dolorthoceras? sp. indet. 

grus

Mertie, J. B., Jr., U". S. Geol. Survey Bull. 836-E, 

p. 421, 422, 1932.

6841 Gastrioceras? sp. Goniatites cf. G. granosus

Girtyoceras? sp. indet. 

6846A Goniatites cf . G. choc- Goniatites cf. G. granosus

tawensis 

6846B Gastrioceras cf. G. Neoglyphioceras sp.

caneyanum

COMPOSITION OF THE CEPHALOPOD FAUNA

Twelve genera of nautiloids and fourteen of ammonoids have been recognized in the Mississippian 

rocks of northern and eastern Alaska. Most of the 

nautiloids belong in well known long-ranging genera. 

Two of the nautiloid genera, Euloxocems and Knightoceras, are recognized in rocks older than Pennsylvanian 

for the first time, as is one of the ammonoid genera, 

Eothalassoceras. The goniatites likewise belong to 

ubiquitous genera, but are much more restricted in 

stratigraphic range than the nautiloids. Genera 

typical of European goniatite zones ranging in age from 

late Tournaisiaii to early Namurian are present.

As might be expected in a region rather remote from 

other previously described cephalopod localities, many 

of the species are new. However, specimens identified 

as Goniatites crenistria Phillips, G. cf. G. granosus 

Portlock, G. cf. G. sphaericus (Sowerby), and Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips) appear to be identical with 

British shells.

One of the most striking features of the goniatite 

fauna, taken as a whole, is the relative abundance of 

Beyrichoceras and the closely related Bollandites. 

They are common in England, but rather uncommon on 

the continent of Europe and in North Africa. In the 

United States only one specimen of Beyrichoceras 

has thus far been described (Miller, 1947). The 

relative abundance of these genera in Alaskan rocks of 

Mississippian age emphasizes the boreal aspect of the 

fauna.

The complete list of the cephalopod fauna and its 

distribution among the various fossil localities is given in 

table 1.

STRATIGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 

OF THE CEPHALOPODS

BROOKS RANGE

The northernmost mountain mass in Alaska, the 

Brooks Range, forms a slightly crescentic barrier from 

west to east across almost the entire territory. It 

includes several lesser groups of mountains, such as the 

Baird and De Long Mountains in the western part of 

the range, and the Endicott Mountains in the central 

part (fig. 1). Exposed on its slopes are the northernmost outcrops of late Paleozoic rocks in United States 

territory. Most of the marine Mississippian rocks in 

this region have in the past been referred to the Lisburne limestone, named by Schrader (1902, p. 241) and 

referred to the Lower Carboniferous and correlated 

with the Mississippian by Girty (in Collier, 1906, 

p. 22-26). The formation extends from Cape Lisburne on the Arctic Ocean, eastward for nearly 600 

miles, and is composed largely of limestone and chert,
STEATIGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE CEPHALOPODS

U. S. Geological Survey locality 3586 green

U. S. Geological Survey locality. 12785 

U. S. Geological Survey locality 13110

FIGUEE 1.—Index map of the northern part of Alaska, showing locations of areas where fossil cephalopods were obtained.

but it also contains a considerable amount of shale, 

siltstone, and local beds of sandstone.

Recent mapping in connection with petroleum investigations has resulted in subdivision of these rocks. 

In the western part of the De Long Mountains three 

separate and as yet unnamed divisions of the Lisburne 

group have been mapped. The lower and middle 

units are each approximately 2,000 feet thick, and the 

upper unit is in excess of 500 feet. A probable preLisburne shale, the upper part of which may be of 

Lisburne age, has been recognized on Iligluruk Creek, 

in the northern foothills of the De Long Mountains. 

An unnamed sequence of clastic rocks and an unnamed 

unit of dark limestone and black shale, both apparently 

equivalent, at least for the most part, to the Lisburne 

group, have been mapped in the basin of the Kiligwa 

River in the eastern part of the De Long Mountains.

In the central part of the Brooks Range the rocks of 

Mississippian age are divided into three formations, in 

ascending order: the Kayak shale, Wachsmuth limestone, and Alapah limestone (Bowsher and Dutro, 

in press). The upper two formations comprise the 

Lisburne group in this region which, incidentally, is 

the type area of the Lisburne limestone (Schrader, 1902,

p. 241). At the type locality near Shainin Lake in 

Kanayut valley the Kayak shale is approximately 960 

feet thick, the Wachsmuth limestone 1,230 feet, and 

the Alapah limestone 970 feet. The Alapah limestone 

has been mapped westward about as far as the Ipnavik 

River.

Western 

DeLong Mts

Iligluruk 

Creek

Kiligwa Etivluk R- Siksikpuk Anaktuvuk RRiver Ipnavik R River Tiglukpuk Cr

Unnamed black 

chert-shale 

formation

Unnamed 

limestone

Unnamed sandy

limestone

_— 7 — —— — ?— -

— ? ———— ?—

Unnamed

black

shale

Unnamed

—————————

clastic 

sequence c Alapah 

7 ,J limestone

Unnamed dark 

limestoneblack shale

Alapah 

limestone

'

sequence

_ 7 _ _ _ _ 7 _

1

.

Alapah 

limestone

Wachsmuth

limestone

| _______

Kayak

shale

FIGUEE 2.—Preliminary correlation of Mississippian rocks in the western and central 

Brooks Range. After Dutro.

These stratigraphic units and their tentative correlation are shown in figure 2. Cephalopods have been 

found at scattered localities in most of these units. 

The cephalopods of the Alapah limestone occur in a
MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

dark limestone, black chert, and shale facies similar to 

the "Culm facies" of European stratigraphers. This 

facies does not occupy a constant position in the section, although a "black chert-shale member" can be 

mapped over a considerable area in the central Books 

Range, where its position changes little. It has been 

recognized in the Anaktuvuk, Tiglukpuk, Siksikpuk, 

and Kiruktagiak valleys. Two other tongues of this 

facies are present in the Alapah limestone but have 

not yielded goniatites. Westward, this facies thickens 

and occupies a position lower in the section. It attains 

its greatest development probably in the eastern part 

of the Kiligwa River basin, where the entire Mississippian sequence apparently is composed of rocks of this 

type.

The Brooks Range cephalopod localities are described below in a general order from west to east. 

The locations of the collections from the western part 

of the Brooks Range are shown on figure 3, and from 

the eastern part, on figure 4.

CAPE LJSBURNE REGHON

The Lisburne Hills, the westernmost highlands of the 

Brooks Range, reach the shore of the Arctic Ocean 

along a stretch several miles long just east of Cape 

Lisburne. About three miles southeast of Wevok, in 

a dark brown shale belonging in the Lisburne group 

(USGS 1 loc. 3586 green), Collier collected a silicified 

fragment of a goniatite here identified as Goniatites? 

sp. The geologic structure in this region is complex 

and nothing is known about the stratigraphic position 

of the fossil within the formation. The poorly preserved collection contains the following fossils:

Productella? sp. 

Avonia? sp. 

Laevidentalium? sp. 

Goniatites? sp.

LOWER NOATAK RIVER BASEST

A fossil collection containing cephalopods was made 

by P. S. Smith in 1911 from dark, nearly black limestone float in the northern part of the lower gorge of 

the Noatak River (Smith, 1913, p. 76, 78). This 

locality (USGS loc. 12785, given under its field number 11AS77 in Smith's report) is approximately 21 

miles N. 20° E. of Kotzebue. The following poorly 

preserved cephalopocls were associated with a rich

1 The abbreviations used in catalog, collection, and locality numbers are: BMNH, 

British Museum (Natural History); OSGB, Geological Survey Great Britain; 

LSJU, Leland Stanford Junior University; USGS, United States Geological Survey; 

and USNM, United States National Museum.

fauna of bryozoans, brachiopods, other mollusks, and 

ostracodes.

Kionoceras? sp. B 

Dolorthoceras? sp.

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericydus) aff. A. polaris Gordon 

n. sp.

A complete list of the fossils was given by Girty 

(in Smith, 1913, p. 78). The float blocks were presumed by Smith to have come from nearby outcrops 

assigned to the Lisburne formation. The surrounding 

bedrock has been mapped as early Paleozoic, possibly Silurian or older. Recent work in the Noatak 

region indicates that early Mississippian rocks crop out 

in the western part of the Baird Mountains and could 

have been the source of these boulders (Dutro, 1954, 

personal communication).

WESTERN DE LONG* MOUNTAINS

Three collections that include fossil cephalopods 

were made by E. G. Sable on the north slope of the 

De Long Mountains. A single specimen of Munsteroceras saginatum Gordon, n. sp. was found in a calcareous 

nodule collected from an unnamed dark gray shale on 

the south side of the easternmost tributary to the east 

fork of Iligluruk Creek (USGS loc. 11877). As near 

as could be determined the collecting locality is 125 

feet stratigraphically above the base of the Mississippian. The enclosing shale beds are believed to be 

pre-Lisburne in age.

From the lowest of the three unnamed lithologic 

units into which the Lisburne group in this area is 

divisible, two fragments of orthoconic nautiloids and 

several other poorly preserved invertebrates, listed 

below, were collected. The fossils were found near 

the headwaters of the Utukok River, in dark gray silty 

limestone interbedded with quartzite, at a stratigraphic 

level roughly 600 feet below the top of the unit (USGS 

loc. 11867).

"Productus" sp.

Composita aff. C. humilis Girty

Bellerophontid gastropod, genus and species indet.

Strobeid gastropod, genus and species indet.

Kionoceras? sp. A

Dolorthoceras? sp.

From the uppermost of the three units a new species 

of Rayonnoceras together with several other invertebrates, listed below, were collected near the head of 

Kogruk Creek, which is the west fork of the Utukok 

River, in thinly bedded black chert and limestone 

(USGS loc. 11865). The exact stratigraphic position 

of this collection within the unit is not known.
FIGURE 3.—Index map of the western part of the Brooks Range, showing cephalopod localities in the De Long Mountains and drainage basins of the Ipnavik and E
6 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NOETHEEN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Corals, not determined

Lingula sp.

Orbiculoidea sp.

"Productus" sp.

Leiorhynchus cf. L. carboniferum Girty

Spirifer aff. S. arkansanus Girty

Echinocoelia cf. E. pilosa (Girty)

Mourlonia sp.

Rayonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp.

Ostracodes, not determined

South of the crest of the De Long Mountains the 

lowest of the three unnamed stratigraphic divisions of 

the Lisburne group has furnished a single specimen of 

Kionoceras? sp. A at an exposure on the south slope of 

a westerly trending ridge between two forks of the 

Kugururok Kiver, about 2% miles N. 10° E. of their 

junction. This collection was made from the top and 

north end of a limestone cliff at the east end of the 

ridge. The exact stratigraphic position of this collection is not known. The fossils from this locality 

(USGS loc. 13100) are as follows:

Cup coral, indet. 

Crinoid columnals 

Chonetes n. sp. 

Schuchertella? sp. indet. 

Leptaena cf. L. analoga Phillips 

Naticopsis? sp. indet. 

Kionoceras? sp. A 

Griffithides sp.

On the north bank of the Nuka River, near its headwaters, an outcrop of interbedded shale and sandstone 

(USGS loc. 12787) has yielded a single goniatite referred 

here with slight question to Bollandites bowsheri 

Gordon, n. sp. The rocks are contained in a fault 

block between rocks of Cretaceous and Devonian age, 

and their stratigraphic relation to other Mississippian 

rocks of the region is not known.

EASTERN DE LONG MOUNTAINS

Five collections containing cephalopods were made 

by Tailleur in the eastern part of the De Long Mountains near the headwaters of several branches of the 

Kiligwa River. The collecting localities are scattered 

roughly along a west-northwesterly line a short distance 

north of the crest of the range.

The westernmost collection is from a sandstone unit 

of Mississippian age interbedded with dark fetid limestone and shale, on the west branch of the west fork of 

the Kiligwa River, near its head. This collection 

(USGS loc. 14153) contains several specimens of 

Goniatites cf. Q. sphaericus (Sowerby). The beds 

belong to a facies considerably different from the black 

shales of the Lisburne group farther east in the same 

river basin, but fossils indicate that they are in part of 

the same age. The beds of Mississippian age are overlain by a similar clastic sequence of Permian age,

from which they can not be readily distinguished 

lithologically.

On the east side of a northward-trending ridge of 

the De Long Mountains, between the two main 

branches of the Kiligwa River, the lower part of the 

Mississippian sequence is represented by gray-black 

chert and dark silicified limestone in beds 1-2 inches 

thick and dark shaly limestone and calcareous shale, 

in which are intercalated several thick sills of diabase. 

Each of two collections from a 1,500-foot composite 

section measured by Tailleur (at station T-106) contains a poorly preserved goniatite, Munsteroceras sp. 

in the lower collection and Protocanites? sp. in the upper. 

The lower collection (USGS loc. 13240) contains the 

following fossils (invertebrates other than the goniatites 

identified by Dutro):

Schellwienella? sp.

Chonetes sp.

"Productus" sp.

Linoproductus sp.

Spirifer sp.

Nuculana sp.

Cypricardinia sp.

Pectenoid pelecypod, genus and sp. indet.

Loxonema? sp.

Mourlonia? sp.

Straparollus? sp.

Munsteroceras sp.

Ostracodes, not identified

The upper collection lies 475 feet stratigraphically 

above the lower and this thickness does not include a 

105-foot diabase sill that intervenes between the two 

collections. The higher collection (USGS loc. 13241) 

contains the following fossils:

"Productus" sp. 

Eumetria sp. 

Pelecypods, indet. 

Gastropods, indet. 

Protocanites? sp.

Another fossil collection, in a stratigraphic position 

160 feet above the lower one and containing no goniatites, was tentatively correlated by Dutro (1954 personal communication), on the basis of the brachiopods, 

with the upper part of the Kayak shale of the central 

Brooks Range.

About seven miles farther to the southeast, an isolated 

125-foot section of black platy shale containing calcareous nodules, near a tributary creek on the west side 

of the east fork of the Kiligwa River (USGS loc. 11857) 

has yielded the following cephalopods:

Cycloceras sp.

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) polaris Gordon, n. sp.

A little more than 1 mile farther southeast, in cut 

banks on another tributary creek of the east fork of the 

Kiligwa River, roughly 3 miles from its headwaters, a
STRATIGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE CEPHALOPODS

section resembling that of the middle part of the Alapah 

limestone of the central Brooks Range is exposed. 

TaUleur (1954 personal communication) reports the 

following sequence at this locality:

thickness

(feet) 

Chert, black, thickly bedded- __________________ 150

Shale, black, platy above, more fissile below______ 200

Interbedded black chert and shale with limestone

concretions, fossiliferous at the middle. __ ______ 300

Calcareous concretions from the middle of the lower 

unit, about 500 feet below the top of the section (USGS 

loc. 13204) contain the following fossils:

Posidonia? sp. indet.

Bollandites kiligwae Gordon, n. sp.

Near the eastern end of the De Long Mountains, on a 

tributary of the Kuna river, about 2 miles from its headwaters, a section measured by Tailleur (at station 

T-99) has been the source of several fossil collections. 

A bed 185 feet above the base of the section (USGS 

loc. 13236) contained the following fossils (invertebrates other than cephalopods identified by Dutro):

Zaphrentid coral, genus and sp. indet.

Lingula sp.

"Productus" sp.

Buxtoniaf sp.

Dielasma? sp.

Spirifer aff. S. striatiformis Meek.

Pelecypod, genus and sp. indet.

Platy cer as sp.

Gastropod, indet.

Dolorthoceras? sp.

Nautiloid, fragment

Ostracodes, fragmentary

RIVER BASIN

In the high ground between the Ipnavik and Etivluk 

Rivers a west-northwesterly trending belt of outcrop 

exposes beds of the Alapah limestone. From an isolated 

outcrop of black cherty shale containing calcareous 

concretions, about 2 miles south of Lisburne Ridge, 4 

miles northeast of Ekakevik Mountain, and 8 miles 

due east of the Ipnavik River, the following fossils were 

collected (USGS loc. 11818):

Fossil plant

Orthoconic nautiloid imprint

Bollandites cf. B. sulcatum (Bisat)

ETTVLTJE: RIVER BASIN

A little over 8 miles east-southeast of the last locality, 

about 4 miles south of Lisburne Ridge, and 2% miles 

northwest of the junction of the Etivluk and Nigu 

Rivers, there is a small isolated outcrop of Alapah limestone. Ten feet of thin-bedded black chert is overlain 

by 8 feet of hard calcareous shale that contains the 

following cephalopods (USGS loc. 11828):

Bactritesf sp. indet. 

Endolobus sp.

Goniatites crenistria Phillips 

Pronoritesf sp.

This locality is along the same structural trend as 

USGS locality 11818.

KIRUKTAGIAK RIVER BASIN-CHANDIJER AREA

Reconnaissance in this area by G. Gryc and K. 

Stefansson, followed by field mapping by W. W. Pattonr 

Jr., I. L. Tailleur, and A. S. Keller, have yielded several 

collections of well preserve cephalopods (figs. 4 and 5). 

Most of these are referable to the Goniatites crenistria 

zone, which is widespread in western Europe and northwest Africa, and in the United States has been recognized in Arkansas. Nearly half of the cephalopods 

described in the present paper are found in this area. 

They occur, for the most part, in calcareous concretions 

scattered through beds of black shale associated with 

black chert in the middle part of the Alapah limestone.

About 230 feet of the Alapah limestone is exposed 

on Monotis Creek and on the Kiruktagiak River near 

their confluence. A section was measured here by 

Patton, and is described below in descending stratigraphic order.

Thickness

(feet) 

Post-Lisburne rocks of late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic

age. 

Black chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone:

g. Shale, clay, black, fossiliferous, pyritiferous______ 6

f. Limestone, thin to medium-bedded, dense, gray,

siliceous. Minor black silty shale interbedded- _ 11 

e. Limestone, medium-bedded, dense, dark gray, 

siliceous. Minor interbedded dark shaly limestone. Black nodular chert abundant toward 

base_ ___-_-_-_____---__---_-____------____ 52

d. Limestone, massively bedded, dense, gray, siliceous. Minor interbedded dark shaly limestone. 

Black chert nodules and lenses abundant 

throughout- _________-__---_______---__-_-_ 42

c. Limestone and shale. Interbedded gray, massively bedded, finely crystalline limestone and 

black calcareous shale. Black nodular chert 

abundant- __ ______________________________ 71

b. Shale and limestone. Dark-gray, calcareous shale 

and black oolitic, phosphatic limestone. Black 

dense siliceous, highly fossiliferous .limestone - , concretions and lenses. _____________________ 40

a. Chert, massively bedded, dark____________---_ 8

Lower part of the Alapah limestone.

Fossils were obtained at this locality from limestone 

concretions in a cut bank on the west side of the Kiruktagiak River. Two collections (USGS Iocs. 10864 and 

14149), both from bed b of the section above, contain 

the following species:

Moorefieldella cf. M. eurekensis (Walcott)

Caneyella cf. C. percostata Girty

Aviculopecten sp.

Bactrites? carbonarius Smith?
8 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

30' 152° 30' 151° 30' 150°

9188 

/ /'I10866 12870 f,oe64

\14149

151° 30' 150° 

Base from U. S. Air Force Aeronautical Chart, 

base No. 1, December 1949, U. S. Coast 

and Geodetic Survey

FIGURE 4.—Index map of the central part of the Brooks Range, includlng'the drainage basins of the Kiruktagiak, Siksikpuk, and Anaktuvuk Rivers, showing localities at

which fossil cephalopods were obtained.

Knightoceras pattoni Gordon, n. sp. 

Beyrichoceras' micronotum (Phillips) 

Goniatites crenistria Phillips (wide form) 

Girtyoceras arcticum Gordon, n. sp. 

Entogonites borealis Gordon, n. sp. 

Dimorphoceras algens Gordon, n. sp.

The same bed, on Monotis Creek, contains the 

following species (USGS coll. 12780):

Platycrinites sp. (columnal) 

Entogonites borealis Gordon, n. sp.

At another locality about 3% miles north-northeast 

of Patton's measured section, the same part of the 

Alapah limestone is exposed along the Kiruktagiak 

River (fig. 5) but the beds are associated with a mafic 

intrusive igneous rock and are structurally complex so 

that no section could be measured. Two collections 

from this locality represent the same faunal zone as 

that of the collections 3% miles to the south-southwest. 

The following fossils have been identified:

Collection 9188

Posidonia cf. P. wapanuckensis (Girty) 

Dolorthoceras medium Gordon, n. sp. 

Adnatoceras alaskense Gordon, n. sp.

Mooreoceras aff. M. crebriliratum (Girty)

Bactritesf carbonarius Smith

Goniatites crenistria Phillips (wide form)

Collection 10866

Spirifer sp. 

Aviculopecten sp. 

Gastropod, indet. 

Rayonnoceras? sp. 

Bactritesf carbonarius Smith? 

Kionoceras? sp. C

sp. D

Dolorthoceras medium Gordon, n. sp. 

Stroboceras crispum Gordon, n. sp. 

Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips)

sp. 

Goniatites crenistria Phillips (wide form)

One other collection from this area includes a coiled 

nautiloid belonging to the same genus, but possibly 

not the same species, as one from Patton's section 

of the member Alapah limestone measured near the 

confluence of Monotis Creek and the Kiruktagiak 

River. This collection was made by Stefannson 

during early reconnaissance of the region, from a 

limestone exposure on the north shore of Chandler
STRATIGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE CEPHALOPODS 9

153°00' 50' 152° 30'

68°30' 68° 30'

68° 15'

EXPLANATION 

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Surficial deposits, 

including glacial

Sandstone and shale.with 

some conglomerate

Predominantly shale, 

with some limestone 

and chert

Lisburne group

IGNEOUS ROCKS

Mafic intrusive rocks

Approximate contact 

Indefinite contact

^ 0864

U. S. Geological Survey locality

153°00' 50' 152° 30'

0

i

Approximate scale 1:96,000

6 Miles

FIGURE 5.—Geologic sketch map of the Kiruktagiak-Chandler Lake area, showing localities at which fossil cephalopods were collected.

Lake, about 10 miles southeast of Pat ton's measured 

section. The limestone exposure is part of the Lisburne group, but its exact stratigraphic position in 

the group is not known. The following fossils have 

been identified. (USGS coll. 10883): 

Productid aff, Setigerites setiger (Hall)

Spirifer aff. S. haydenianus Girty 

Spiriferoid, genus and species indet. 

Naticopsis? sp. 

Knightoceras sp.

The brachiopods, though few and poorly preserved, 

are reminiscent of forms from the lower Brazer limestone of Utah and Idaho.
10 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NOETHEEN AND EASTEEN ALASKA

SIKSIKPTJK RIVER BASIN

On Tiglukpuk Creek, in the southern part of the 

Siksikpuk River basin, a collection was made by 

Reiser from the black chert and shale member of the 

Alapah limestone, 525 feet below the top of the formation in measured section B-19. The following 

cephalopods are identified (USGS loc. 11804):

Euloxoceras sp.

Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon, n. sp.

Eothalassoceras aurorale Gordon, n. sp.

This collection is of special interest because it combines 

the first records of the genera Euloxoceras and Eothalassoceras in rocks earlier than Pennsylvanian age with 

the first record of Sudeticeras in the western hemisphere. Euloxoceras occurs in rocks of Mississippian 

age elsewhere but this has not yet been recorded in the 

literature. Sudeticeras is not known above the Goniatites granosus (P2) zone. At this locality the total 

thickness of the Alapah limestone is approximately 

1,870 feet, according to Brosg6 and Reiser (1951, 

written communication), the black chert and shale 

member is 185 feet thick, and the fossil collection 

came from a horizon 60 feet above the base of the 

member and a few feet above a phosphatic shale zone.

ANAKTUVUK RIVER BASIN

Crushed goniatites and other fossils were collected 

by Bowsher and Gryc from calcareous shale in the 

upper part of the black chert and shale member of the 

Alapah limestone, from a dip slope on a hill on the 

west side of the upper Anaktuvuk River, a little 

more than 8 miles northeast of Anaktuvuk pass. Unfortunately, the goniatites are too badly crushed and 

silicified for positive identification, even as to genus. 

The following fossils occur in this collection (USGS 

loc. 11764):

Cup coral, genus and sp. indet.

Leiorhynchus cf. L. carboniferum Girty

Nuculana sp.

Posidonia sp.

Michelinoceras dutroi Gordon, n. sp.

Dolorthoceras medium Gordon, n. sp.?

Goniatites?, sp. indet.

Girtyoceras? sp. indet.

Goniatite, indet.

A section measured by Brosge and his associates 

along the west side of the Anaktuvuk River shows the 

Alapah limestone to be 2,280 feet thick here (Brosg6 

and Reiser, 1951, written communication). The black 

chert and shale member is about 325 feet thick and the 

base of it is 1,690 feet above the base of the formation.

On the east side of the Anaktuvuk River, goniatites 

were collected by Bowsher from fine-grained limestone 

nodules in grayish black shale interbedded with black 

chert, on a ridge 1,500 feet east of Kanaktuk Lake.

The fossils came from a zone 43 feet above the base of 

the black chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone. The following species are represented (USGS 

loc. 12084):

Cypricardella sp.

Adnatoceras alaskense Gordon, n. sp.

Endolobus sp.

Nautiloid fragment

Bollandites bowsheri Gordon, n. sp.

Girtyoceras endicottense Gordon, n. sp.

NANUSHTJK RIVER BASIN

From a section measured by Bowsher on the west 

slope of a ridge on the east side of the Nanushuk River 

valley, 6,200 feet south of the southeast corner of 

Nanushuk Lake, a large collection of fossils, including 

corals, bryozoans, brachiopods, mollusks, and ostracodes, was obtained from the lower part of the Alapah 

limestone, 312 feet above the base. A single orthoconic 

nautiloid from this locality (USNM loc. 3167) has been 

identified as Dolorthoceras? sp.

ECHOOKA RIVER BASEST

The northeasternmost cephalopod locality in the 

Brooks Range is on the west bank of the Echooka River, 

5 miles upstream from the large icefield at the front of 

the range. A single fragment of Cycloceras, associated 

with brachiopods and mollusks, was found in black 

shale and argillaceous limestone, 30 feet below the top 

of the Kayak shale. The following fossils have been 

identified (USGS loc. 13110), the brachiopods by Dutro:

Crinoid columnals 

"Produclus", gen. and sp. indet. 

Dictyoclostus? , sp. indet. 

Echinoconchus sp. 

Spirifer aff. S. gregeri Weller

aff. S. osagensis Swallow

aff. S. sttiatifotmis Meek 

Nuculana sp. 

Myalina sp.

Bellerophontid gastropod, indet. 

Platyceias sp. 

Cycloceras sp.

EAGLE-CIRCLE DISTRICT

Ever since stratigraphic work was begun by Collier 

in 1902 along the Yukon River, geologists have stopped 

at the famous Calico Bluff, 8 miles due north of Eagle, 

to familiarize themselves with the Mississippian strata 

exposed there (fig. 6). Both the limestones and interbedded shales of the Calico Bluff formation have yielded 

a few poorly preserved cephalopods associated, particularly in the limestone beds, with a rather large number of other invertebrates, mainly brachiopods and 

mollusks. The fauna of the Calico Bluff formation in 

its entirety has been summarized in a table prepared 

by Girty and published by Mertie (1930, p. 101-106),
STEATIGEAPHIC AND GEOGEAPHIC DISTEIBUTION OF THE CEPHALOPODS

20' 10' 141°

11

EXPLANATION

Cretaceous and Tertiary 

rocks, undifferentiated

Tahkandit limestone

Nation River formation

Carboniferous rocks, 

undifferentiated

Calico Bluff formation

Chert, slate, and shale

r^D-CuJ

Pre-Carboniferpus rocks, 

undifferentiated

4PAL

» 4 n 

Greenstone and tuff

Approximate contact

Fault, dashed where 

approximately located

x 6841

U. S. Geological Survey locality

Geology after J. B. Mertie, Jr., U. S. 

Geological Survey B-jll. 836-E

6 Miles 

I

FIGURE 6.—Index map of part of the Eagle-Circle district, showing localities at which fossi cephalopods were collected
12 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

listing all of the collections made in that area prior to 

1930. Fossil determinations by Girty for several additional collections from the nearby Tatonduk River were 

also listed by Mertie (1932, p. 421, 422). The cephalopods from all of these collections have been restudied by 

the present writer. A list comparing the present names 

with those appearing in earlier faunal lists will be found 

in the section on Previous Work.

The Calico Bluff formation at its type locality is 

approximately 1,270 feet thick, according to Mertie 

(1930, p. 98). Some beds are missing at this locality, 

having been eroded from the top of the formation. The 

following is a slightly abbreviated description of the 

section measured by Mertie (1930, p. 97):

and Kindle's section which they described as constituting 50 feet of black shale, the base of which is 6 feet 

above the top of the lowest limestone bed containing 

abundant Carboniferous fossils, has received the USGS 

locality number 2644A (Mertie, 1930, p. 107). The 

collection includes a moderately well preserved orthoconic nautiloid and impressions of a spirally lirate 

goniatite, which have been identified as follows:

Rayonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp. 

Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock?

Section of Calico Bluff formation in south side of Calico Bluff, 

on Yukon River below Eagle

(feet)

Also, from an unrecorded stratigraphic zone at Calico 

Bluff, Kindle (USGS no. 843, E. Kirk locality register) 

collected Fayonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp. The 

same species was collected by J. S. Williams from 

talus at the north end of the bluff (USGS loc. 10248) .

Mertie (1930, p. 99) has correlated Brooks and 

Kindle' s unit 1 with zone b of his own section measured 

at Calico Bluff. From just below zone b, about 300 feet 

Covered, drab shale and limestone in lower part. _______ 60 above the base of the formation, Mertie collected (USGS

Slope of shale gray with a little limestone, 3- to 4-ft ^ 5g43) ft j preserved Goniatites cf. 0. granosus 

sandstone beds in upper part_______________________ ^5 -p ,- ,

Calcareous shale, light to dark gray, weathering light xOrtlOCK.

gray; upper calcareous shale, light to dark gray, At the south end of Calico Bluff, from beds 440 feet 

weathering light gray; upper 20 ft covered.. ___ ___ 194 above river level, Girty (USGS loc. 5302) collected a

Limestone, black, carbonaceous, massive, weathers light small orthoconic nautiloid referred here to Adnatoceras 

gray. Zone e. _____ 8 a;ag£mse Gordon, n. sp. From talus at the north end

Thinly interbedded limestone and black shale, both . ^ , - _, /TTO ,~, 0 ^ r^oN rr ± n ± ^ • i 

weathering light and dark gray, fossiliferous.— .... _. 215 of the bluff .(USGS loc' 5303) Girty collected a Single

Cliff-forming unit: at top, thin-bedded limy shale, juvenile goniatite doubtfully referred here to Goniatites 

weathering chocolate; in midcle, a 2 ft white-weather- cf. G. granosus Portlock. 

ing limestone bed; at basre, black shale..... __________ 14 Finally, from a collection made by Collier on his early

^^^^^^^Tr0^ 6XCept In no visit to Calico Bluff (USGS loc- 5867)> Dolorthocerasf middle 10 to 15 ft, which is chocolate weathering. ____ 119 „ -,-. 7 .,. ,A- si i -i j.-^ i

Upper 56 ft, thin-bedded limestone with some shale, aff- D- crebnhratum (Girty) has been identified.

weathering to light chocolate color; lower 27 ft, black In summary, the cephalopods from the type locality

fissile shale weathering blackish brown. Zone cL_____ 83 of the Calico Bluff formation are as follows:

Shale, fissile, black, weathering brown at base and red „ .,/-,, i ii * J.T. • • i_ liij , r. i Rayonnoceras rangijer \jrordon. n. sp. and yellow farther up, giving bronze color to beds __ 48 ^ f „ a « 1 * -7- , //-.• ^ v AIJ. \- J.1,- -U j * i,-*. J.-U • T j. j Dolorthoceras? aff. D. crebnhratum (Girty) Alternating thin beds of white- weathering limestone and . , 7 , ~ J

» •! i i i T. i -n -i • J.-L. • i j j. j. m Adnatoceras alaskense Gordon, n. sp. fissile black shale. Fossils in thin band at top. ______ 10 ~ . . , -, _ ' ,

T . , , ,., , , ,, . ,. , , - ., (jromatites ct. Or. granosus Jrortlock Limestone, fetid, dark gray weathering light gray, fossil- "

iferous at base — _____ — __ — _ — ._ —— _________ 4 The same formation has also yielded cephalopods at

Shale, fissile, dark gray weathering yellow brown. ______ 15 several localities a few miles west and north of Calico

Limestone in beds up to 3 ft thick, alternating with -DI «? A ± «TM ^^^^ ,TM ^ 4-v^ v,TM.+k v^v>l^ nf ^a V,il^rt^

, , „..,.. .,., ,. , u j . ? -,-, „„ J31un. At an exposure on tne norm bank: 01 tne luKon shale; a 2-ft fossiliferous limestone bed near middle. __ 26 _. . ~ /->••, i

Limestone, dark gray weathering light gray, fetid, fossil- RiTM, nearly opposite Seventymile River, Girty coliferous. Zone c _ ____________ _ __ __ ____ _ ____ 14 lected, from loose blocks mostly from the middle part

Alternating dark gray limestone and fissile black slate of the exposure (USGS loc. 5279), the following

in beds 2 to 8 in thick_______._____________________ 24 goniatites*

Slate, black, somewhat siliceous; a 6-in bed of fetid black

fossiliferous white- weathering limestone. Zone &_____ 39 Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock

Alternating beds of limestone and shale with some chert. Girtyoceras? sp. indet.

Includes one thick zone of black siliceous slate, which Tta same two species were collected by Mertie from

is zone a. Thickness estimated.. __________________ 300 ft shale Wuff Qn ^ Tatonduk River> about 2% miles

The section at Calico Bluff was first described and from its confluence with the Yukon River (USGS

the formation named by Brooks and Kindle (1908, loc. 6841).

p. 288, 289, 292-294). Cephalopods occur in one of Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock also was collected

three collections of fossils they submitted to Girty for from an argillaceous limestone bed on a topographic

identification. This collection, from unit 1 of Brooks bench, 2 miles northeast of the mouth of the Tatonduk
AGE AND COEEELATION OF THE CEPHALOPOD-BEAEING BEDS 13

River (USGS loc. 6846A). The overlying black shale 

(USGS loc. 6846B) contained Neoglyphioceras sp.

The youngest known Mississippian cephalopods in 

Alaska were collected by James Steele Williams at the 

exposure on the north side of the Yukon River, 1 to 

iy% miles upstream from the mouth of the Seventymile 

River. In loose blocks, mostly from a single bed near 

the middle of the exposure, crushed specimens of 

Pseudorthoceras sp. and Cravenoceras sp. were found. 

As Girty's specimens of Goniatites cf. G. granosus came 

from also the middle part of the same exposure it would 

appear that here the spirally lirate goniatites of the 

Goniatites granosus (P2) zone are followed, as they are 

in the British Carboniferous section, by cravenoceratids 

representing the Eumorphoceras pseudobUingue (E^ 

zone. Williams' specimens are not well enough preserved for specific determination.

The distribution of the cephalopods listed in the 

preceding pages is summarized in the table below. 

These constitute the presently known Mississippian 

cephalopods of Alaska.

AGE AND CORRELATION OP THE 

CEPHALOPOD-BEARING BEDS

Because the localities at which the Alaskan cephalopods were collected are so scattered, it is very difficult 

to evaluate the stratigraphic relations between one 

collection and another. In a general way, however, an 

evaluation can be reached by comparing the stratigraphic positions of the few collections that have come 

from measured sections and by correlating all the collections containing goniatites with the Carboniferous 

goniatite zonal sequence that has been set up in the 

northwest Europe and particularly in the British Isles.

TABLE 1.—Distribution of cephalopod species in the Brooks Range and in the Eagle-Circle District 

[Localities listed by USGS upper Paleozoic collection number]

Species

Nautiloids:

sp. B

sp. C-- _ — — — — ._ ______ --.-_-.-„__ __________

sp. D------_-_ _ _„.-----__ ___ . _ . _ . _ . __ ..............

?Sp— ----- —— —— - —— — —— ___ ----- ___ --- __ ------ __ .- ....

Ammonoids:

Eagle-Circle district

CO ••<*< 

oo

X

03 ••<*<

?

U3

PJ 1

f

CO ••<*<

2§

l>

f

i

03 CO <G 00 ••* §

X

»n PJ

o

X

Brooks Range

8

X

00a

X

X

X

X

X

$

?

X

X

X

X

X

X

i

X

?

X

X

X

X

X

i

X

1

f

X

1— 1

X

X

X

%oo 1

f

X

§

X

i

X

£ a

X

Soo

X

••*

X

X

X

X

»n

K«

X

X

X

PJ

f

o

X

o

Q 

CO

X

0 

CO

X

CO

X

CO

X

CO

X

••<*<

X

38

•*< TK

X

x

X -

x

X

*U. S. National Museum locality number.
14 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN \LASKA 

TABLE 2.— Tentative correlation of the goniatite-bearing beds of northern and eastern Alaska

Upper Carboniferous

Lower Carboniferous

Northwest Europe

Stages

Namurian

>

1

£

tn

I

A

*S

a

ft 

P

Middle

(H 

03

1 

A

Goniatite zones

British

H 

E2

E,

P2

Plc-d 

Pla

B2

Bi

Si

C2 

Ci

Z2

Zi

German

HIS

III7

111(3

Ilia

IB

Ily

11(3

Ha

V

la

Characteristic 

species

Homoceras beyrichianum

Eumorphoceras bisulcatum

Eumorphoceras 

pseudobilingue

Goniatites granosus

Ganiatit.es sphaericostriatu*

Goniatites crenistria

Beyrichoceras delicatum

Beyrichoceras hodderense

A mmonellipsites 

carinatus

Ammonellipsites kochi

Ammonellipsites 

plicatilis

Ammonellipsites 

princeps

Protocanites geigenensis

Protocanites lyoni

Brooks Range

Lower 

Noatak 

River basin

Boulder 

with Ammonellipsites aff. 

A. polaris

___ . ___ ___ 0 ___

Western 

De Long 

Mountains

— ?— ?— — 

Shale with 

Munsteroceras 

saginatum

— ?— ?— —

Eastern 

De Long 

Mountains

— ?— ?— — 

Sandstone 

with Goniatites cf. G. 

sphaericus

Beds with 

Bollandites 

kiligwae

Shale with 

Ammonellipsites 

polaris

— ?— ?— — 

Beds with 

Munsteroceras sp.

— ?— ?— —

Ipnavik 

River basin

Shale with 

Bollandites 

cf. B. 

sulcatum

Etivluk 

River basin

Beds with 

Goniatites 

crenistria

Kiruktagiak 

River basin

Beds with 

Goniatites 

crenistria 

and Beyrichoceras 

micronotum

Siksikpuk 

River basin

Beds with 

Sudeticeras 

and Eothalassoceras

Anaktuvuk 

River basin

Beds with 

Bollandites 

bowsheri

Eagle-Circle district

Beds with 

Cravanoceras

sp.

Beds with Goniatites cf. 

G. granosus 

and Neoglyphioceras sp.

In table 2 the goniatite-bearing beds of Alaska are 

correlated with the British and German goniatite zones 

on the basis of their nearest counterparts in the European section and without reference to their position in 

the Alaskan section. The results do not conflict materially with their actual stratigraphic position. The 

chart shows that the Brooks Range goniatites fall into 

two general age groups: those of early Mississippian 

age (late Tournaisian and early Visean) in the western 

part of the range, and those of middle Mississippian 

age (middle and late Visean) in the eastern De Long 

Mountains and the central part of the range.

Probably the oldest of the collections is that from 

Iligluruk Creek (USGS loc. 11877) in the western part

of the De Long Mountains containing Munsteroceras 

saginatum Gordon, n. sp. The stratigraphic position 

of this fossil, 125 feet above the top of the Upper 

Devonian in a black shale regarded as pre-Lisburne in 

age by the field geologists, together with its similarity 

to an Irish species of late Tournaisian age, suggest that 

the enclosing beds are Tournaisian [Kinderhook] in age. 

A collection from the Kiligwa River valley (USGS 

loc. 13240) in the eastern part of the De Long Mountains with Munsteroceras sp. is roughly equivalent to 

the last. It occurs stratigraphically below a collection of other invertebrates correlated by Dutro (1954, 

personal communication) with beds of late Tournaisian 

[Kinderhook] age. A collection from a higher part of
AGE AND CORRELATION OF THE CEPHALOPOD-BEAEING BEDS 15

the same section (USGS loc. 13241) containing Protocanites? sp. may also be Tournaisian in age but the 

shell is too small and poorly preserved to permit 

positive generic assignment.

The black shales with Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) polaris Gordon, n. sp. in the Kiligwa River basin 

(USGS loc. 11857) and the loose blocks containing 

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) aff. A. polaris in the 

lower gorge of the Noatak "River (USGS loc. 12785) 

are roughly equivalent in age. The shape of the 

sutures in these shells indicate that they are more 

advanced than related forms in late Tournaisian beds 

of Europe. An early Visean age is therefore indicated, 

although very late Tournaisian is also a possibility. 

A fragment of Cycloceras in the upper part of the Kayak 

shale on the Echooka "River (USGS loc. 13110) seems 

to be conspecific with the Cycloceras sp. associated with 

A. polaris at USGS locality 11857. Other fossils show 

that the upper part of the Kayak shale is probably late 

Tournaisian or early VisSan in age (Dutro, 1954, 

personal communication).

The sandstone beds with Goniatites cf. 6. sphaericus 

(Sowerby) in the Kiligwa "River basin (USGS loc. 

14153) and the shale beds with Bollandites kUigwae 

Gordon, n. sp. (USGS loc. 13204) are roughly equivalent to the black chert and shale member in the upper 

middle part of the Alapab limestone in the central 

Brooks Range, but the shale with Bollandites is 

probably the older of the two.

In the black chert, shale, and limestone of the 

structural belt between the Ipnavik and Etivluk Rivers, 

the cephalopods collected are equivalent to those of 

the black chert and shale member farther east. Bollandites cf. B. sulcatum Bisat from USGS locality 11818 

is very close to the species originally described from 

Cowdale Clough, near Barnoldswick, Yorkshire, England, which Bisat (1952, p. 161) has referred to the 

upper part of the Goniatites maximus (B2) zone, and the 

Goniatites crenistria Phillips from USGS locality 11828 

appears identical with the typical form from the overlying Q. crenistria (Pla) subzone.

In the central part of the Brooks Range all of the 

cephalopods collected have come from the black chert 

and shale member. The composite fauna now known 

from this member is as follows:

Rayonnoceras? sp.

Michelinoceras dutroi Gordon, n. sp. '

Bactritesf carbonarius Smith

Kionocerasf sp. C

sp. D

Dolorthoceras med^um Gordon, n. sp. 

Dolorthoceras? aff. D. crebriliratum (Girty) 

Adnatoceras alaskense Gordon, n. sp. 

Euloxoceras sp. 

Endolobus sp.

Knightoceras pattoni Gordon, n. sp. 

Stroboceras crispum Gordon, n. sp. 

Bollandites bowsheri Gordon, n. sp. 

Beyrichocet as micronotum (Phillips)

sp.

Goniatites crenistria Phillips 

Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon, n. sp. 

Girtyoceras arcticum Gordon, n. sp.

endicottense Gordon, n. sp. 

Girtyoceras? sp. indet. 

Eothalassoceras aurorale Gordon, n. sp. 

Dimorphoceras algens Gordon, n. sp.

The beyrichoceratids have their closest counterparts 

in the upper part of the Goniatites maximus (B2) zone 

of the British Isles. The rocks with Goniatites crenistria Phillips and associated cephalopods seem to be 

equivalent to the G. crenistria (Pla) subzone. Of interest is the occurrence of Beyrichoceras micronotum 

(Phillips) with G. crenistria at two Alaskan localities. 

Most of the British records place B. micronotum in the 

Goniatites maximus (B2) zone several tens of feet below 

the earliest occurrence of G* crenistria. In the borehole 

at Alport, north Derbyshire, England, abundant 

crushed goniatites including members of the G. crenistria and B. micronotum groups were found associated 

in dark shaly limestones at depths from 1,500 to 1,542 

feet and these were referred to the uppermost part of 

the Goniatites maximus zone (Hudson and Cotton, 1945, 

p. 284, 285).

Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon, n. sp. appears to be 

nearest to S. regina Bisat from the Goniatites elegans 

(Ple) subzone. Sudeticeras is not found in lower beds 

in England, but is rather common in the higher Goniatites granosus (P2) zone.

In the British section, forms identical with and 

closely related to the Alaskan species of the black 

chert and shale member are distributed through 

stratigraphic thicknesses of from 150 to nearly 400 feet. 

In the northern Alaska section the fossils are, for the 

most part limited to the lower 60 feet of the black 

chert and shale member. Goniatites suggesting three 

different subzones (B2 , Pla, and Pic) have been found 

at roughly the same stratigraphic level, but each in a 

different river valley. Whether this means that the 

ranges of certain goniatite genera are somewhat 

telescoped in the Alaskan section, or whether the black 

chert and shale member transgresses the section rather 

irregularly, is not determinable on the basis of the 

present evidence.

Goniatites correlating with the G. crenistria (Pia) 

subzone (zone Ilia of Schmidt) are widespread in 

Europe and North Africa. In the United States they 

occur in the Moorefield formation of Arkansas and 

the lower part of the Chainman shale in western Utah 

and eastern Nevada.
16 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

The Goniatites granosus (P2) zone is represented 

only in the Eagle-Circle district in eastern Alaska. 

This is the uppermost zone of the Visean stage of 

northwest Europe. Most typical of the Alaskan shells 

of this zone are Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock and 

Neoglyphioceras sp. As pointed out earlier, these 

fossils have been found in place in the lower middle 

part of the Calico Bluff formation.

Goniatites correlating with the G. granosus (P2) 

zone (Illy of Schmidt) are widely distributed in 

Europe and in the United States occur in rocks of late 

Meramec and early Chester age; the Floyd shale of 

Georgia and Mississippi, in unidentified beds in Kentucky, in the Ruddell shale, Batesville sandstone, 

and lower part of the Fayetteville shale in Arkansas, 

in the lower part of the Caney shale in Oklahoma, 

in the Barnett and Helms formation in Texas, in the 

lower part of the Chainman shale in western Utah, 

and in the Brazer limestone of northern Utah and 

southern Idaho. ,

Goniatites of the G. granosus (P2) zone have not 

yet been found in the Brooks Range. It is believed 

that this zone may be roughly equivalent to beds containing the brachiopod Gigantoproductus that lie above 

the black chert and shale member in the central part 

of the Brooks Range. Gigantoproductus has not been 

found in the upper of three divisions of the Lisburne 

group in the De Long Mountains, western Brooks 

Range. Both the Gigantoproductus-be&riug beds and 

the upper of the three unnamed divisions lie above 

the highest occurrence of lithostrotionoid corals. 

In addition, both are at the top of the Lisburne group

in their respective areas, indicating at least partial 

equivalence. Payonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp. 

from the upper division of the Lisburne group in the 

De Long Mountains occurs also associated with 

goniatites of the G. granosus (P2) zone in the EagleCircle district. This is a further indication of the 

possible equivalence of the two stratigraphic units.

The only known goniatites of lower Namurian age 

in Alaska occur at an exposure on the north bank of 

the Yukon River in the Eagle-Circle district. The 

bed containing Cravenoceras sp. occurs near the middle 

of the exposure, but its exact stratigraphic relation 

to beds with Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock from 

the same exposure is not known.

In most sections over the northern hemisphere 

Cravenoceras follows Goniatites without overlap, but 

in the Barnett formation of Texas the two genera 

have been reported to occur together (Miller and 

Youngquist, 1948, p. 652, 656). Until proof to the 

contrary is available, the Alaskan occurrence is considered to be a typical one, without overlap of the 

stratigraphic ranges of the two genera. The bed with 

Cravenoceras sp. is believed to be equivalent to the 

earliest Namurian goniatite zone of England, the 

Eumorphoceras pseudobilingue (Ei) zone. Thus the 

Calico Bluff formation probably includes beds both 

of upper Visean and lower Namurian age, as do various 

black shale and limestone units in the continental 

United States, such as the Fayetteville shale of Arkansas, Floyd shale of Georgia, Caney shale of Oklahoma, Barnett formation of Texas, and Chainman 

shale of Utah and Nevada.

MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPOD COLLECTING LOCALITIES IN ALASKA

[Coordinates given below are based on the latest topographic mapping and do not necessarily agree with those at locations shown on index maps]

U. S. Geol. 

Survey 

upper 

Paleozoic 

locality

843 »______

1797A 2 ____

2644A_____

3586 3 ____-

5279.. ____

5302______

5303_-_-_-

5843_. __ _

Collector's field No.

1504D_ _ _ __ _

9K. _____________

4AC17___________

75--_-_-________-

73--_-_---_______

74_______________

25AMtl34________

Collector, year of collection, description of locality and stratigraphic information

E. M. Kindle and V. H. Barnett, 1906. Eagle-Circle district, Calico Bluff formation, horizon

not known. 

Elliott Blackwelder, 1915. North bank of the Yukon River at big bend north of Calico Bluff,

2 miles upstream from Star. Calico Bluff formation, horizon not known. 

V. H. Barnett, 1906. Eagle-Circle district, Calico Bluff, Yukon River. Calico Bluff formation,

bed 1 of A. H. Brooks' section (G. S. A. Bull., vol. 19, p. 288, 1908).

burne group, from dark gray shale.

Mile River. Calico Bluff formatidn, loose blocks along river probably all from middle twofifths of exposure.

G. H. Girty, 1918. Eagle-Circle district, south end of Calico Bluff, Yukon River. Calico Bluff

formation, in place 440 feet above river level. 

G. H. Girty, 1914. Eagle-Circle district, north end of Calico Bluff, Yukon River. Calico Bluff

formation, fossils from talus. 

J. B. Mertie, Jr., 1925. Eagle-Circle district, Calico Bluff, Yukon River. Calico Bluff formation, just below base of zone b, about 300 feet above base of formation.

See footnotes at end of table.
MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPOD COLLECTING LOCALITIES IN ALASKA 17

MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPOD COLLECTING LOCALITIES IN ALASKA—Continued

[Coordinates given below are based on the latest topographic mapping and do not necessarily agree with those at locations shown on index maps]

U. S. Geol. 

Survey 

upper

Paleozoic 

locality

Collector's field No. Collector, year of collection, description of locality and stratigraphic information

5843C 

5867._ 

6841._

25AMU37. 

2AC53__-_ 

30AMt4___

6846a_

6846b. 

9188..

30AW80-

30AW81. 

45AGrl6.

10348.

10251.

10864.

10866.

10883.

11764.

11804.

11818.

11828.

11857.

11865.

11867.

1 of 7/22/40..

2 of 7/23/40. „

49APa390.

49APa399.

48AStl23a_____ 

F-7 of 11 June50 ARrF59___ 

50 AKt89 __--._

50ATr45.

50ATr300.

50ASal50f.

50ASa236f.

J. B. Mertie, Jr., 1925. Eagle-Circle district, Calico Bluff, Yukon River. Calico Bluff formation, 41 feet above top of zone c, 418 feet above base of formation.

A. J. Collier, 1902. Eagle-Circle district, cliff on west bank of Yukon River at bend 6 miles 

above mouth of Seventy-Mile River. Calico Bluff formation, horizon not known.

J. B. Mertie, 1930. Tatonduk-Nation district, shale bluff a quarter of a mile west of limestone 

point on north side of Tatonduk River, about 2% miles from mouth. Calico Bluff formation, 

stratigraphic position not known.

A. E. Waters, Jr., 1930. Tatonduk-Nation district, bench 2 miles northeast of Miller's cabin 

at mouth of Tatonduk River. Calico Bluff formation, argillaceous limestone overlying calcareous shale.

A. E. Waters, Jr., 1930. Tatonduk-Nation district, same locality as 6846a. Calico Bluff 

formation, shale overlying argillaceous limestone of 6846a.

G. Gryc, 1945. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68°25'25" N., long. 152°49'09" 

W., west bank of Kiruktagiak River at the narrows 9$ miles southwest of its confluence with 

Castle Creek. Alapah limestone, middle part, from lenses and nodules of petroliferous limestones in a 50-foot section of bituminous shale.

J. S. Williams, 1940. Eagle-Circle district, Yukon River at Calico Bluff, approximate lat. 

64°55' N., long. 141° 12' W., float from steep talus slope below lowest trees at north end 

of bluff, from Calico Bluff formation.

J. S. Williams and H. Biederman, 1940. Eagle-Circle district, Yukon River, northeast bank 

about 16 miles below Eagle, at bend about 1 to \}{ miles upstream from mouth of Seventymile River, approximately at lat. 64°57' N., long. 141°12' W. Calico Bluff formation, float 

from bed near middle of exposure.

W. W. Patton, Jr., 1949. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68°22'45" N., long. 

152°53'05" W., on the Kiruktagiak River, 13 miles southwest of its junction with Castle 

Creek. Alapah limestone, black chert and shale member, fossiliferous limestone concretions 

and lensss in dark gray calcareous shale, a 40-foot unit 8 feet above base of member.

W. W. Patton, Jr., 1949. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68°25'25" N., long. 

152°49'09" W. west bank of Kiruktagiak River at the narrows 9>| miles southwest of its confluence with Castle Creek. Alapah limestone, middle part, from calcareous concretions in 

black phosphatic shale. Approximately same locality as 9188.

K. Stefansson, 1948. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68°17' N., long. 152°40' 

W., mountains at north end of Chandler Lake. Alapah(?) limestone, lower middle part of a 

576-foot section.

A. L. Bowsher and G. Gryc, 1950. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68° 17' N., 

long. 151°33' W., dip slope of hill on west side of Anaktuvuk River valley. Alapah limestone, 

black chert and shale member, near top.

H. N. Reiser, 1950, Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68°15' N., long. 151°50' W., 

Siksikpuk River valley southern part, Alapah limestone, middle part, 525 feet below top of 

measured section B-19, and 60 feet above base of black chert-shale member.

B. N. Kent, 1950. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, lat. 68°37' N., long. 156°52' W, 

roughly 2 miles south of Lisburne Ridge, 4 miles northeast of Ekakevik Mountain, and 8 miles 

east of the Ipnavik River. Alapah limestone, calcareous concretions in an outcrop of black 

cherty shale, exact stratigraphic position not known, but roughly along strike from locality 

11828.

I. L. Tailleur, 1950. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, lat. 68°35' N., long. 156°38' W., 

about 4 miles south of Lisburne Ridge and 2}£ miles northwest of junction of Etivluk and 

Nigu Rivers. Alapah limestone, isolated outcrop of hard calcareous shale (8 feet thick) overlying thin-bedded black chert (10 feet thick).

I. L. Tailleur, 1950. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, eastern part of the DeLong 

Mountains, near a tributary creek on the west side of the east fork of the Kiligwa River. 

Lisburne group undifferentiated, calcareous nodules in platy shale, in an 125-foot isolated 

section.

E. G. Sable, 1950. Brooks Range, Misheguk Mountain quadrangle, lat. 68°33'32" N., long. 

161°17'45" W., near head of Kogruk Creek (west fork of Utukok River). Lisburne group 

undifferentiated, from interbedded, finely laminated, black chert and limestone in the upper 

part.

E. G. Sable, 1950. Brooks Range, Misheguk Mountain quadrangle, lat. 68°33'22" N., long. 

161°10'15" W., near headwaters of Utukok River. Lisburne group undifferentiated, lower 

part, interbedded dark gray silty limestone and quartzite, approximately 600 feet below top of 

lowest of three unnamed stratigraphic units.
18 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPOD COLLECTING LOCALITIES IN ALASKA—Continued

[Coordinates given below are based on the latest topographic mapping and do not necessarily agree with those at locations shown on index maps]

U. S. Geol.

Survey

upper

Paleozoic

locality

11877.

12084.

12785.

12787.

12870.

13100.

13110.

13204.

13236.

13240.

13241.

14149.

14153.

-USNM 

3167.

Collector's field No.

50ASa202L

F-3 of 12 June____

51ASal064f_ 

51ABe7____ 

50ALal80f._

52ABel7f_ 

51ATr319.

51ATr352. 

51ATr392.

51ATr393.

53APal03. 

53ASa52f_

F-6 of 24 July___-

Collector, year of collection, description of locality and stratigraphic information

E. G. Sable, 1950. Brooks Range, Misheguk Mountain quadrangle, lat. 68°34'57" N., long. 

161°14'50" W., south side of easternmost tributary of east fork -of Iligluruk Creek. Mississippian undifferentiated, dark gray shale, probably 125 feet above base of Mississippian.

A. L. Bowsher, 1950. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68° 18' N., long. 151°21' 

W., Anaktuvuk River valley, on ridge 1,500 feet east of Kanaktuk Lake. Alapah limestone, 

middle part, interbedded grayish black shale, fine-grained limestone nodules and black chert, 

43 feet above base of black chert-shale member.

P. S. Smith, 1911. Noatak quadrangle, lat. 67°11'30" N., long. 162°30' W., near north end of 

lower gorge of Noatak River. Lisburne (?), group, loose limestone block.

N. Drewes, 1951. Brooks Range, Misheguk Mountain quadrangle, lat. 68°37'35" N., long. 

160°14'20" W., on north bank of Nuka River, Mississippian undifferentiated, sandstone and 

shale in fault block, stratigraphic position not known.

W. P. Brosge, 1951. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 68°22'52" N., long 

152°53'40" W., Monotis Creek about }i mile from its confluence with the Kiruktagiak River. 

Alapah limestone, black chert and shale member, from approximately same horizon as 10864.

A. H. Lachenbruch, 1950. Brooks Range, Misheguk Mountain quadrangle, lat. 68°24'45" N., 

long. 161° 16' W., south slope of westerly trending ridge between two forks of the Kugururok 

River, about 2% miles N. 10° E. of their junction. Lisburne group, lowest of three unnamed 

subdivisions, exact stratigraphic position not known.

W. P. Brosge, 1952. Brooks Range, Sagavanirktak quadrangle, lat. 69° 15' N., long. 147° 15' W., 

west bank of the Echooka River, Kayak shale, 30 feet below top, black shale and argillaceous 

limestone.

I. L. Tailleur, 1951. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, lat. 68°31' N., long. 158°29' W., 

in cut banks on east fork of Kiligwa River, roughly 3 miles from headwaters. Alapah limestone, concretions in interbedded black chert and shale member about 500 feet below top of 

exposed section.

I. L. Tailleur, 1951. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, lat. 68°20' N., long. 157°42' W., 

on tributary of Kuna River, about two miles from headwaters. Wachsmuth (?), limestone, 

185 feet above base of measured section.

I. L. Tailleur, 1951. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, lat. 68°32' N., long. 158°51' W., 

northward-trending ridge of DeLong Mountains between tributaries of the two major forks 

of Kiligwa River. Lisburne group undifferentiated, about 440 feet stratigraphically below 

base of 105-foot thick sill.

I. L. Tailleur, 1951. Brooks Range, Howard Pass quadrangle, same general locality as 13240. 

Lisburne group undifferentiated, limestone about 30 feet above top of 105-foot sill of igneous 

rock.

W. W. Patton, Jr. and A. L. Bowsher, 1953. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle. Same 

locality and horizon as 10864.

E. G. Sable, 1953. Brooks Range, Misheguk Mountain quadrangle, lat. 68°37' N., long. 159° 12' 

W., east side of west branch of west fork of Kiligwa River, near its headwaters in De Long 

Mountains. Mississippian undifferentiated, unnamed sandstone, exact stratigraphic position 

not known.

A. L. Bowsher and J. T. Dutro, Jr., 1949. Brooks Range, Chandler Lake quadrangle, lat. 

68°22'30" N., long. 150°28'25" W., on west slope of ridge east of Nanushuk River valley, 

6,200 feet south of southeast corner of Nanushuk Lake. Alapah limestone, lower part, basal 

15 feet of brownish-gray bioclastic limestone, just above brown-weathering zone, 312 feet 

above base of formation.

1 U. S. Geological Survey collection number from E. Kirk register of Paleozoic localities (white paper labels).

* Cephalopoda from this locality too poorly preserved for description.. Not included la systematic part of text.

• U. S. Geological Survey collection number from Walcott register (green paper labels).
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 19

SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS

Genus RAYONNOCERAS Groneis, 1926

Rayonnoceras rangifer Gordon n. sp.

Plate 1, figs. 1, 2, 9; text fig. 7

Diagnosis: Rayonnoceras with the conch expanding 

1 in 6 or 7, approximately circular in cross section, with 

2.7 camerae per shell diameter; siphuncle excentric; 

connecting rings longer than wide; cameral deposits 

thick, partly filling the chambers and meeting dorsad 

to form pseudosepta.

Four incomplete phragmacones from two localities 

roughly 600 miles apart are referred to this species. 

They have unusually long chambers and differ from 

typical Rayonnoceras in their longer than wide connecting rings. The shells appear to be conspecific, 

despite considerable difference in size and in medium 

of preservation.

The holotype, a silicified fragment from a locality in 

the western part of the Brooks Range, is 86 mm long 

and includes a little more than four chambers. The 

three orad chambers are partly collapsed on the ventral 

side, as is shown somewhat diagrammatically in text 

figure 7. The shell is approximately circular in cross 

section, the diameter at the narrow end about 53 mm. 

Owing to the partly collapsed shell, it is difficult to determine the increase in diameter during growth, but 

the rate is gradual, probably between 1 in 6 and 1 in 

7. The siphuncle is located about a third of the way 

across the shell. The shell surface, judging from small 

silicified fragments remaining, is smooth.

FIGURE 7.—Rayonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp. Diagrammatic vertical section 

of the holotype (USNM 118931) showing siphuncular connecting rings (cr), remains 

of the endosiphuncle (e), silicifled episeptal (es) and hyposeptal (hs) camera! deposits, and pseudosepta (p). Chamber walls at the left or dorsal side are nearly 

intact, but at the right, are crushed. Natural size.

The septa are saucer shaped, their concavity approximately equal to the length of one chamber. At 

a diameter of 55 mm, they are 20.2 mm apart and about 

20 mm deep. The camerae are spaced approximately 

2.7 to one lateral diameter of the conch. In the 

farthest apicad chamber the siphuncle has a maximum 

diameter of 17 mm narrowing to 8.6 mm at the septum; 

the connecting ring is 19.5 mm long and the septal neck 

2.0 mm long. The siphuncle is badly macerated in the 

two orad camerae and in the orad part of the third. 

The calcite-filled endosiphuncle appears distorted, possibly partly due to the silicification of its wall after 

burial, and also partly as the result of collapse of a 

portion of the ventral side of the shell due to postdepositional compaction of the enclosing sediments. 

Its diameter in the farthest apicad chamber, where it 

is best preserved, ranges from 2.8 to 3.7 mm. Several 

short thornlike rayonnettes extend from it into siphuncular segments. Very thick hyposeptal and 

episeptal cameral deposits, filling most of the camerae 

and rounding toward the siphuncle, have been largely 

replaced by chalcedony in the specimen. Between 

these deposits in the dorsad part of the chambers irregular pseudosepta are present. The remaining spaces 

between these deposits and the silicified siphuncular 

segments are filled with crystalline calcite.

The paratypes are smaller shells than the holotype. 

The larger one (USNM 118992), about 150 mm long 

and with a maximum diameter of approximately 30 

mm, has been preserved in part in limonite. The 

conch expands at a rate of 1 in 7.3. Approximately 

2.4 camerae occur in the space of one diameter of the 

conch. The siphuncle is one-third of the way from 

the ventral to the dorsal side of the shell and, at the 

widest part of each connecting ring, is approximately 

one third the diameter of the shell. The figured section of the apicad part of the phragmacone (pi. 1, fig. 

9) shows the saucer-shaped septa, the longer-than-wide 

connecting rings, the endosiphuncle, and the cameral 

deposits typical of Rayonnoceras.

The second para type has not been sectioned. It is 

a fragment of a phragmacone, approximately 40 mm 

long and 16 mm across the greater width at the wider 

end, slightly depressed dorso-ventrally, probably due 

to compaction after burial. There is little doubt that 

it is conspecific with the other para type.

A third specimen from Calico Bluff (USGS loc. 10248) 

that superficially resembles the paratypes is included 

here with some question. It differs in having 3.8 

camerae in the space of one shell diameter and a surface 

sculpture of faint, slightly sinuous transverse lirae. 

The siphuncle has been damaged before or during burial 

so that its original outline cannot be ascertained and
20 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OP NOKTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

hyposetal and episeptal cameral deposits, although, 

present, are rather thin.

Rayonnoceras rangifer can be distinguished from all 

other known species of the genus by its connecting 

rings that are longer than wide.

Holotype, USNM 118931; paratypes, UfeNM 118992, 118993, 

one specimen from each of two additional localities.

Type locality: USGS locality 11865, upper part of the Lisburne group, at head of west fork of Utukok River, Brooks 

Range. Paratypes are from USGS locality 2644A and locality 

843 (E. Kirk USGS register), both from the Calico Bluff formation, Calico Bluff, Yukon River, Eagle-Circle district.

Occurrence: Known from the type locality and from Calico 

Bluff, Yukon River, Eagle-Circle district.

Rayonnoceras? sp. 

Plate 1, figs. 7, 8

A single fragment, approximately 74 mm long, of 

the living chamber and the final septum of the phragmacone is tentatively assigned to the genus Rayonnoceras. The shell, nearly circular in outline, increases 

from a width of about 65 mm near the narrow end to a 

width of about 71 mm at the wide end in a distance of 

51 mm, or 1 in 8.5. The septum is saucer shaped, 

17 mm deep, and meets the edge of the shell at an angle 

of 145 degrees.

The specimen has been sectioned but shows no trace 

of the siphuncle or of other septa. An indistinct 

roughly circular gap in the final septum, about 12 mm 

across and a little over two fifths of the distance across 

the shell, is believed to mark the position of the siphuncle. Parts of the outer shell remaining are somewhat abraded but indicate that the shell surface was 

smooth.

Not enough of the shell remains to identify the 

species, or even the genus, with complete assurance, 

the generic assignment being made principally on the 

basis of size. Nor can it be said with certainty that 

this fragment does not represent the same species described in this paper as Rayonnoceras rangifer, n. sp., 

although there are minor differences in the position of 

the siphuncle and the rate of increase of the diameter 

of the shell.

Figured specimen: USNM 118932.

Occurrence: USGS locality 10866, associated with Goniatites 

crenistria Phillips in the black chert and shale member of the 

Alapah limestone, west side of Kiruktagiak River, 9% miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, Brooks Range.

Genus Michelinoceras Foerste, 1932 

Michelinoceras dutroi Gordon, n. sp.

Plate 1, figs. 3-6

Diagnosis: A very slender orthoconic nautiloid 

with roughly 2 to 3 camerae per shell diameter, a 

narrow subcentral orthochoanitic siphuncle, and prominent episeptal and hyposeptal deposits lining and 

almost completely filling the camerae.

The holotype is part of a phragmacone approximately 45 mm in length, the orad third preserved only 

as an external mold, but the rest containing the calcareous cast. The specimen has been sectioned. The 

conch with a diameter near the apicad end of about 

% mm, expands very gradually about 1 mm in 15 or 16. 

The septa are saucershaped, their depth equal to about 

one-third of the shell diameter. The eamerae are 

irregularly spaced, individual camerae ranging from 

1.2 to 3.0 per shell diameter, with the average in most 

sections of the conch upwards of 2.3. Siphuncle 

narrow, orthochoanitic, pinching and swelling slightly, 

somewhat excentric in the early chambers but shifting 

to an almost central position in the later ones. At a 

shell diameter of 2.4 mm the siphuncle is 0.3 mm 

wide. Septal necks are short, indistinct, and not 

recurved. Narrow brownish siphuncular deposits 

are rather irregularly discontinuous along both sides 

of the sectioned siphuncle. Camerae are nearly 

filled with thin-layered episeptal and hyposeptal 

deposits.

A paratype shows the sutures to be faintly sinuous 

and very slightly inclined. Details of shell surface 

are not preserved, but apparently the shell was smooth, 

or nearly so. In cross section the shell is slightly 

compressed laterally, but this may be due to distortion 

after burial.

Few species referable to Michelinoceras are known 

from Mississippian rocks but much work remains to be 

done on the Mississippian orthoceracones and their 

proper generic assignments. The Caney shale species, 

Orthoceras wapanuckense Girty, apparently belongs 

in this genus, as indicated by sections of specimens 

from Girty's type material. It is a larger species than 

Michelinoceras dutroi, with consistently higher camerae, 

from about 1.2 to 1.8 per shell diameter, a more regularly cylindrical siphuncle, and it lacks the episeptal 

and hyposeptal cameral deposits of M. dutroi.

M. dutroi is named for J. T. Dutro, in recognition 

of his contribution to the stratigraphy and paleontology of the central Brooks Range.

Holotype, USNM 118990; paratype, USNM 118991.

Type locality: USGS locality 11764,.dip slope of hill on west 

side of Anaktuvuk Valley, near top of measured section, from 

black chert and shale member of Alapah limestone.

Occurrence: Known only from the type locality where it 

occurs associated with Dolorthoceras medium Gordon? and 

unidentifiable goniatites.

Genus BACTRITES Sandberger, 1843

Bactrites? carbonarius Smith

Plate 1, figs. 10-13

1903. Bactriies carbonarius Smith, U. S. Geol. Survey, Mon. 

42, p. 31, 32, pi. 6, figs. 9-11.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 21

1911. Bactritesf carbonarius Smith. Girty, U. S. Geol. Survey,

Bull. 439, p. 96, pi. 13, figs. 3-5. 

71928. Orthoceras carbonarium (Smith). Thomas, Geol. Mag.,

v. 65, p. 290, pi. 10, figs. 3, 3a.

Diagnosis: Orthoceracone with circular cross section 

and marginal siphuncle; angle of divergence 4 or 5°; 

approximately \% camerae per diameter. Shell surface sculptured by slightly oblique growth lines crossed 

by very faint longitudinal grooves.

Two incomplete specimens from the Ooniatites 

crenistria beds on the Kiruktagiak River are believed 

to be conspecific with Smith's Arkansas species. Both 

specimens are slightly elliptical in cross section, probably due to distortion after deposition, as the narrower 

one is nearly circular on one end and partly crushed 

on the other. The better preserved specimen, the one 

figured, is 55 mm long. Near the narrow end its 

maximum and minimum diameters are 18.2 mm and 

17.0 mm, respectively, and near the wide end, 21.5 

and 20.6 mm. The average diameter increases 3.5 

mm in a distance of 42 mm., or 1 in 12, the angle of 

divergence being approximately 4°. The septa are 

spaced 15 mm apart and are 6 mm deep. On the 

narrower specimen the septa are 8.5 mm apart at a 

diameter of 11.5 mm. Thus there are approximately 

\% camerae per diameter on both specimens.

The siphuncle is at the margin of the septa tangent to 

the inner surface of the conch. It has an outside 

diameter of 2.0 mm. The suture is nearly straight, 

with a shallow apicad deflection at the siphuncle.

Much of the shell surface is preserved on the wider 

specimen. It is marked by faintly sinuous, slightly 

oblique lines of growth that are farthest apicad on the 

siphonal side and farthest orad on the antisiphonal 

side of the conch. These are crossed by faint longitudinal grooves that in places give the shell surface a 

minutely reticulate appearance. On the narrower 

specimen longitudinal striae can be seen only locally.

A reexamination of Smith's types of Bactrites? 

carbonarius in the paleontological type collection of 

Stanford University discloses that the holotype (LSJU 

5610), like the Alaska specimens, has very faint longitudinal grooves, not mentioned by Smith in his original 

description. The para type (LSJU 5611), a decoricated 

fragment of a phragmacone, has the septa spaced 

about 8 mm. apart at a diameter of 12.5 mm, thus 

there are 1.6 camerae per diameter. Smith (1903, 

p. 31) described the angle of divergence of .5.? carbonarius as 5°30'. Although this is true for the apicad 

end of the holotype, the orad part has subparallel 

sides and the small paratype has an angle of divergence 

of about 4° or, stated in another way, the rate of increase of the diameter is about 1 in 12. The Alaskan 

shells fit easily within this range of variation.

Several fragments of the crushed body chambers 

have a distinct pattern on both the internal and external 

surfaces of the shell. The figured fragment shows 

both patterns clearly-, the inner one impressed on the 

surface of the internal cast. The exterior of the shell 

is ornamented by faint closely spaced growth lines, 

crossed by very shallow longitudinal grooves, of which 

there are 13 to 15 in the space of 5 mm. The interior 

of the shell is decorated by closely spaced minutely 

wavy transverse striae that give the effect of an 

"inner lining" to the shell. The shell material as 

preserved is about 0.3 mm thick.

The external markings coincide with those of 

Bactrites? carbonarius Smith as described above and the 

figured specimen comes from the same locality, but was 

collected in a different year by a different collector. 

Similar internal markings, but oriented diagonally, 

have been observed by the writer in another species of 

Bactrites? associated with Ooniatites choctawensis Shumard from the lower part of the Caney shale in northeast Oklahoma. These markings apparently are developed on the body chamber and the orad part of the 

phragmacone.

It seems likely that the fragments of Alaskan shells 

marked in this manner are parts of the body chamber of 

Bactrites? carbonarius Smith and they are referred here 

with question.

There has been considerable question among students 

of the cephalopods as to whether Carboniferous and 

Permian species assigned to the genus Bactrites are 

ammonoids or nautiloids. Thomas (1928, p. 290) 

placed B. carbonarius in the genus Orthoceras because 

characters other than the marginal position of the 

siphuncle, "particularly the siphuncle itself, indicate 

the relations of the present species with the Nautiloidea 

and not with the Ammonoidea." Girty (1909, p. 52) 

assigned B. carbonarius Smith and a couple of other 

species with considerable question to Bactrites, stating, 

"I should judge that what is regarded as a lobe in 

Bactrites is not homologous with the deflection of the 

suture which J. P. Smith regards as a lobe in the 

Carboniferous species."

The writer is among those who consider B.? carbonarius and related species to be nautiloids with marginal 

siphuncles and follows Miller and Youngquist (1949, 

p. 32, 33) in tentatively assigning the genus Bactrites 

to the Nautiloidea and questionably assigning the North 

American Carboniferous and Permian species to the 

genus Bactrites.

Figured specimen: USNM 118945, 118946.

Occurrence: In association with the wide form of Goniatites 

crenistria Phillips at USGS locality 9188, black chert and shale 

member of the Alapah limestone, west side of Kiruktagiak River, 

9)£ miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, Brooks
22 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Internally striated fragments referred with question to this 

species occur at three localities, associated with Goniatites 

crenistria Phillips in the Alapah limestone: USGS locality 

10864, Kiruktagiak River, 13 miles southwest of its junction 

with Castle Creek; USGS locality 10866, same as 9188; USGS 

locality 11828, Etivluk River valley; Brooks Range.

Genus GYGLOGERAS Me Coy, 1844 

Cycloceras sp.

Plate 2, fig. 11

Orthoconic cephalopods with annulations and fine 

transverse lirae are rare in the Alaskan collections under 

study. There are only two such specimens, from 

localities about 280 miles apart; these may belong to a 

single species.

The better preserved fragment, the one figured, is 

about 30 mm long and consists of the last five camerae 

of the phragmacone and part of the body chamber, 

and is ornamented by seven annulations. The conch 

is slightly depressed in cross section and at the narrow 

end of the fragment has a diameter of 11.5 mm from 

venter to dorsum and 12.1 mm from side to side. 

The septum farthest apicad is about 3 mm deep. 

There are four camerae in the space of 9.8 mm at the 

narrow end, or about five camerae in the space of one 

diameter. The suture appears faintly sinuous, but is 

approximately horizontal.

Annulations are spaced on an average of 4.2 mm 

apart and are slightly sinuous. They slope shallowly 

orad toward the antisiphonal side, a plane roughly 

parallel to the annulation crossing the plane of the 

suture at an angle of a little less than 5°. The annulations are sharply convex in cross section and the spaces 

between are broadly concave. The surface of the 

shell is marked also by fine transverse lirae, of which 

there are 15 or 16 between the crests of two adjacent 

annulations, more closely spaced on the annulations 

than in the depressions between.

The subcylindrical siphuncle is 1.5 mm in diameter 

where it passes through the septum farthest apicad and 

its center is 4.7 mm in from the venter. Preservation 

does not permit determining whether the siphuncle is 

crytochoanitic or orthochoanitic.

The second specimen is a crushed fragment about 

70 mm long and reaching a width (distorted) of 33 mm. 

Fourteen narrow elevated annulations are present, 

most of them spaced 4.2 mm apart. At least two more 

at one end apparently did not develop. At one end 

can be seen faint transverse lirae.

As Flower (1943, p. 103, 124, 126) has pointed out, 

the siphuncle of the type species of Cycloceras, Orthoceras annulare Fleming, is not known, so the genus 

remains in rather doubtful standing. Most of the

Mississippian species that have been referred to Cycloceras have cyrtochoanitic siphuncles. The assignment 

of this species to Cycloceras, therefore, is tentative. 

Apparently the Alaskan shell does not belong to the 

genus Neocycloceras Flower and Caster, 1935, which 

was erected for similar shells that have numnmloidal 

siphuncles.

Figured specimen: USNM 118933.

Occurrence: USGS locality 11857, associated with Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) polaris, n. sp., in platy shale, near a 

tributary creek on the west side of the east fork of the Kiligwa 

River, eastern part of the De Long Mountains; USGS locality 

13110, in black shale and argillaceous limestone, 30 feet below 

top of the Kayak shale, west bank of the Eehooka River, Brooks 

Range.

Genus EIONOGERAS Hyatt, 1884 

Eionoceras? sp. A

Plate 2, figs. 1-4

Two small longitudinally ribbed orthoconic cephalopods from the lower part of the Lisburne group at 

localities about ten miles apart are referred to Kionoceras. Although similar in size and number of ribs, 

there appear to be differences in outline and sculpture, 

and it is not dear if the two represent the same species.

One specimen (pi. 2, figs. 3, 4) is a fragment about 

27 mm long, slightly depressed in cross section, increasing from diameters of 8.7 X 9.3 mm to 10.2 X 

10.6 mrn in a distance of 18 mm, or about 1 in 11. The 

fragment apparently is the orad part of the body 

chamber, as no septa can be seen and the larger end 

terminates in what appears to be the orad edge of the 

shell. Surface sculpture is well preserved on one side, 

almost obliterated on the other. There are nine longitudinal ridges on this side, very narrow, angular, and 

only slightly raised, separated by much wider flattish 

interspaces, each with a faintly convex longitudinal 

area in the middle on which can be seen faint longitudinal striae. These are crossed by very slightly 

oblique transverse striae, rather straight across the 

interspaces and directed very slightly apicad where 

they cross the ribs. There are 11 transverse striae in 

the space of 1 mm.

The other specimen (pi. 2, figs. 1, 2) is 32 mm long, 

circular in cross section, with a diameter of 7.7 mm at 

the apicad end, increasing in diameter 1 mm in 15, 

with a broad shallow constriction near the orad end. 

This apparently consists of the final septum and apicad 

part of the body chamber. The one septum is 1.8 mm 

deep and shows the location of the siphuncle, 1 mm in 

diameter, the center of which is 3 mm from the ventral 

side. The conch is marked by 20 nearly straight, 

narrow longitudinal ridges, with wide flattish interspaces. No fine surface sculpture can be seen.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 23

Figured specimens: USNM 118934, 118935.

Occurrence: USGS locality 11867, dark gray silty limestone 

interbedded with quartzite, near headwaters of the Utukok 

River; USGS locality 13100, south slope of westerly-trending 

ridge between two forks of Kugururok River, about 2%. miles 

N. 10° E. of major fork, Brooks Range.

Kionoceras? sp. B

Plate 2, fig. 12 V

Another longitudinally lirate orthoconic cephalopod 

differs in its greater rate of expansion of the conch and 

finer longitudinal sculpture from the last described. 

It is a small fragment of the apicad end of a phragmacone, about 12 mm long, increasing in diameter from 

0.7 mm to 2.3 mm in a distance of 10 mm, or about 1 

in 6. The whorl section appears slightly depressed, 

but the specimen may be partly crushed. There are 

7 camerae in the space of 5.7 mm at an average diameter of 1.2 mm, or approximately 1% camerae per 

diameter. The surface of the conch is ornamented by 

fine straight longitudinal lirae of which, near the orad 

end, there are about nine in the sector constituting one 

quarter of the whorl. These are crossed by very fine 

transverse striae. The siphuncle is not known.

Figured specimen: USNM 118936.

Occurrence: USGS locality 12785, Lisburne (?) group from a 

loose limestone block in the lower Noatak River valley, Brooks 

Range.

Kionoceras? sp. C 

Plate 2, figs. 15, 16

Several fragments of the body chambers of orthoconic 

cephalopods have a finely reticulate sculpture pattern 

similar to that of Protokionoceras Grabau and Shinier. 

Flower (personal communication, April 1954) has suggested to the writer that, in the absence of specimens 

showing the nature and structure of the siphuncle, such 

fragments should be referred with question to the genus 

Kionoceras.

The best preserved specimen is a partly crushed section of a body chamber, about 50 mm long, with a circumference of about 80 mm at the narrow end. The 

rate of expansion of the shell is about 1 in 4%. There 

are a number of closely spaced transverse lines and 

coarser lirae of growth, nearly horizontal and forming a 

shallow sinus on one side, probably the ventral. These 

are crossed by stronger, almost imperceptibly wavy 

longitudinal lirae with wider interspaces, of which there 

are approximately 35 in the space of 5 mm.

Whether this fragment belongs to Kionoceras, Protokionoceras, Palmeroceras, or any of another half dozen 

similarly ornamented genera cannot now be determined, 

owing to the absence of any part of the phragmacone. 

But the pattern of the surface sculpture is distinctive

and does not appear on any of the Alaskan orthoceracones of which the phragmacone is known.

Figured specimen: USNM 118942.

Occurrence: With Goniatites crenistria Phillips in the black 

chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone at USGS 

locality 10866, on the west bank of the Kiruktagiak River, 

9% miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, Brooks 

Range.

Kionoceras? sp. D 

Plate 2, figs. 17, 18

Associated with Kionoceras sp. C is another fragment 

of the body chamber of an orthoconic cephalopod, 

showing a slightly different pattern of surface sculpture. 

On this shell the sculpture consists of closely spaced 

transverse lamellae that are crenulated in discontinuous 

longitudinal rows resembling lirae. Both the transverse 

lamellae and the longitudinal rows of crenulations are 

spaced approximately 18 in 5 mm, but the lamellae are 

stronger.

It seems unlikely that the fragment with this sculpture pattern belongs in the same species as the one 

described as Kionoceras? sp. C, which has longitudinal 

lirae much stronger than the transverse sculpture and 

about twice as closely spaced as those of Kionoceras? 

sp. D. It is even possible that the two shells do not 

belong in the same genus, but in the absence of any part 

of the phragmacone, there is no way of telling.

Figured specimen: USNM 118943.

Occurrence: USGS locality 10866, black chert and shale 

member of Alapah limestone, Kiruktagiak River, 9}i miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, Brooks Range.

Genus D010RTHOCERAS Miller 1931

Dolorthoceras medium Gordon n. sp.

Plate 2, figs. 14, 21

Diagnosis: Dolorthoceras with shell expanding roughly 

1 in 7 or 8, a little over 2% chambers per diameter. 

Siphuncle about one-sixth of shell diameter and subcentral.

The holotype is a part of a phragmacone about 40 

mm in length. The conch, straight, and approximately 

circular ia cross section, expands gradually from a 

diameter of 9.0 mm to 13.0 mm ii a distance of 32 mm, 

or 1 in 8. The saucer-shaped septa are moderately 

shallow, their depth about two-sevenths of their diameter. There are 2.6 camerae per diameter near the 

middle of the specimen. The sutures are nearly horizontal. Surface sculpture consists of very fine sinuous 

growth striae.

The cyrtochoanitic siphuncle is subcentral, at a shell 

diametor of 10.4 mm having its center 4.7 mm from the 

ventral edge of the conch. Its greatest diameter is 

approximately one-sixth of the shell diameter. The
24 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NOETHEEN AND EASTEEN ALASKA

segments of the siphuncle are subcylindrical; at a shell 

diameter of 9.8 mm the connecting ring has a maximum 

diameter of 1.6 mm and a length of 3.5 mm and the 

opening between the short, strongly recurved septal 

necks is 0.7 mm across. The area of adnation is a little 

narrower than the septal brim. In the holotype the 

siphuncle is filled with impure calcite grains and the 

chambers outside of the siphuncle are filled mostly with 

chert; siphuncular and cameral deposits cannot be 

distinguished.

In the paratype, part of a phragmacone nearly 80 mm 

in length, connecting rings are visible only in the younger 

whorls. Silicificatitm has affected the outer parts of the 

camerae adjacent to the septa. In the apicad part of 

the specimen camerae are spaced 3.4 in one diameter of 

the shell.

Another specimen is referred with some question to 

this species. It is the apical end of a phragmacone, a 

fragment 40 mm long, and has the camerae spaced 

about 3.4 in one shell diameter. Bluntly rounded at 

the tip, it is IK mm wide near the end and expands 

gradually at a rate of 1 mm in 8.5. The siphuncle 

appears cyrtochoanitic, with subcylindrical segments, but 

the septa have been disturbed and recrystallization has 

obscured and obliterated the septal necks. This specimen is associated with Michelinoceras dutroi, n. sp. at 

USGS locality 11764.

The smaller subcentral siphuncle, with its area of 

adnation narrower than the septal brim, and the shallower septa distinguish this species from Adnatoceras 

alaskense, n. sp. The two species, superficially similar, 

are associated at USGS locality 9188. Dolorthoceras 

tersum (Hall) from the Middle Devonian of New York 

State, as well as D. elegans Flower, D. palmerae (Flower 

and Caster), and D. solitarium Flower from the Upper 

Devonian of New York and Pennsylvania, are similar to 

D. medium in possessing small subcentral siphuncles, 

but all have four or five camerae in the space of one 

diameter, as compared to roughly 2^ to 3^ for D. 

medium.

Holotype, USNM 118937; paratype, USNM 118938.

Type locality: U. S. G. S. locality 9188, from Goniatites crenistria beds on the Kiruktagiak River, 9% miles southwest of its 

junction with Castle Creek, Brooks Range. The paratype is 

from USGS locality 10866, the same as locality 9188.

Occurrence: Known from the type locality and questionably 

from USGS locality 11764, Alapah limestone, black chert and 

shale member, dip slope of hill west side of Anaktuvuk Valley.

Dolorthoceras? aff. D. crebriliratum (Girty) 

Plate 2, figs. 8-10

Under this name is included a single incomplete 

orthoconic nautiloid with surface sculpture of fine 

transverse lirae that comes from the same beds that

contain Goniatites crenistria. It is circular in cross 

section, 55.6 mm long, expanding gradually from a 

diameter of 7.6 mm at the narrow end to a diameter of 

12.2 mm at the wide end, or about 1 in 11, and the sides 

diverge at an angle of 5°. The specimen apparently 

represents the apicad part of the body chamber of the 

shell. A well rounded septum is present at the narrow 

end and its depth equal to about one third the shell 

diameter shows the slightly offcenter position of the 

siphuncle (diameter, 1.3 mm). The shell and its filling 

are composed of recrystallized calcite and, as other 

septa may have been destroyed by recrystallization, the 

specimen might represent part of the phragmacone. 

This seems unlikely, however, because the surface 

sculpture has been fairly well preserved.

Transverse lirae are best preserved near the wide end, 

where there are 25 in the space of 5 mm. They are 

very slightly sinuous and the interspaces are about the 

same width as the lirae.

Although closely related to Orthoceras crebriliratum 

Girty (1909, p. 46, pi. 6, figs. 9, 9a, 10) from the Caney 

shale of Oklahoma, the Alaskan form has slightly coarser 

sculpture. Girty's holotype, with which the Alaskan 

shell has been compared, has about 9 lirae in the space 

of 1 mm at a diameter of 5 mm. The same spacing of 

the lirae can be observed on a small patch of shell surface preserved on the large, partly crushed fragment 

mentioned by Girty (1909, p. 46) as having a diameter 

of 15 mm. The Alaskan shell, with about 5 lirae in 

the space of 1 mm, resembles specimens in Geological 

Survey and National Museum collections from the Barnett formation of Texas that have a similar spacing of 

the transverse lirae. The Barnett form was referred 

by Miller and Youngquist (1948, p. 653, pi. 94, figs. 4, 

5) to 0. crebriliratum Girty, which they placed in the 

genus Mooreoceras. Part of the type lot of 0. crebriliratum and other material from the Caney shale of Oklahoma have been sectioned by the writer and this species 

was found to have a cyrtochoanitic siphuncle similar 

that in Dolorthoceras. Hence the Alaskan form is tentatively referred to this genus.

A small fragment of a similar shell, from the EagleCircle district, is related to the specimen above. The 

transverse lirae, however, are more irregular, some of 

them being finer and more closely spaced and others 

coarser than those on the shell described above. This 

particular group of orthoconic nautiloids and its range 

of variation is in need of considerable study.

Figured specimen: USNM 118944.

Occurrence: USGS locality 9188 in the black chert and shale 

member of the Alapah limestone on the west side of the Kiruktagiak River, 9% miles southwest of its junction with Castle 

Creek, Colville Valley region, Brooks Range; USGS locality 

5867, Calico Bluff Formation, Calico Bluff, Yukon River, EagleCircle district.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 25

Dolorthoceras? sp.

Among the orthoconic nautiloids of the Brooks Range 

are several that have approximately 4.7 camerae per 

diameter, with slightly depressed to nearly circular cross 

sections, and the siphuncle a little ventrad of the center. 

One of these, from USGS locality 13236, increases from 

a diameter of 9.5 mm to 13.0 mm in the space of 28 

mm, or 1 in 8. In the larger specimens that have been 

sectioned the siphuncle was not preserved.

A small specimen, from USGS locality 12785, about 

20 mm long and 2.3 mm in diameter at the narrow end, 

with an increase in diameter of roughly 1 in 7 and approximately five camerae in the space of one diameter, 

shows the siphuncle at the narrow end. It is cyrtochoanitic with subcylindrical segments. The septa have 

been destroyed in this part of the shell, so a comparison 

of the area of adnation to the septal brim cannot be 

made, but the general shape of the segments indicates 

that the area of adnation is narrow. A septum at a 

diameter of 3.8 mm shows the position of the siphuncle, 

0.7 mm in diameter, with its center 1.4 mm from the 

nearest edge of the conch. The surface of the conch 

is ornamented only by transverse growth lines.

These shells have shallower camerae than Dolorthoceras medium, n. sp. and Adnatoceras alaskense, n. sp. 

and all are from lower horizons in the Mississippian 

strata than the shells referred to the new species. It 

is possible that more than one species, or even more 

than one genus, is represented.

Occurrence: USGS locality 12785, one specimen, Lisburne (?), 

group from float block near north end of lower gorge of the Noatak River; USGS locality 13236, three specimens, Wachsmuth 

limestone, 185 feet above the base, on a tributary of the Kuna 

River; USNM locality 3167, one specimen, Alapah limestone, 

312 feet above the base, Nanushuk Lake section, Brooks Range.

Genus ADNATOCERAS Flower 1939 

Adnatoceras alaskense Gordon n. sp.

• Plate 2, figs. 5-7, 13

Diagnosis: Adnatoceras with shell expanding roughly 

1 in 8 or 9, a little over 2% chambers per diameter; 

sutures gently sinuous. Siphuncle reaching one-quarter 

of shell diameter and located about two-fifths of the 

way ventrad of the center. Cameral deposits are 

mural and ventral.

The holotype is part of a phragmacone about 112 mm 

in length. The orthoconic conch is approximately 

circular in cross section and expands gradually from a 

diameter of 9.3 mm to 21.5 mm in a distance of 95 mm, 

or 1 in 7.8. The septa are saucer shaped, of moderate 

depth, the depth equal to about three-eighths of the 

diameter. There are about 2.4 camerae per diameter 

near the narrow end and 2.7 per diameter near the wide 

end. The sutures are about horizontal and slightly

sinuous, extending a little further apicad at the venter 

and dorsum than on the sides.

Surface sculpture consists mainly of very gently 

sinuous lines of growth. They form a shallow orad bow 

on the dorsal side and a broad, shallow sinus on the 

ventral, and a shallow lateral sinus can be seen on the 

side preserving most of the outer shell. Several fragments of shell on the orad part of the phragmacone 

show faint closely spaced longitudinal striae and grooves 

where the outermost shell layer is peeled away.

The siphuncle is cyrtochoanitic and situated twofifths of the distance from the center to the venter. At 

the narrow end it is a little more centrally located. 

Its greatest diameter is equal to approximately one 

quarter of the shell diameter. The segments of the 

siphuncle are subcylindrical to barrel shaped, very 

slightly tapered apicad, and strongly contracted at the 

passage of the siphuncle through the septa. At an 

outside shell diameter of 10.3 mm the connecting ring 

has a maximum diameter of 2.9 mm and a length of 

3.9 mm, and the opening between the short, strongly 

recurved septal necks is 0.7 mm across. The area of 

adnation is wider than the septal brim and the width 

of the septal brim is greater than the length of the 

septal neck. The shell is filled with grains of crystalline 

calcite, but well-developed mural deposits are visible 

on the ventral side of the camerae.

Another specimen from the same locality is recrystallized and partly distorted and cannot be identified 

positively, even as to genus. It preserves the last 

septum and part of the body chamber and shows the 

position of the siphuncle, which at a shell diameter of 

34 mm is represented by an opening 4 mm across, its 

center located 12 mm in from the ventral edge of the 

conch. This specimen may be conspecific with the 

holotype of A. alaskense, with which it is associated.

A para type from USGS locality 9188, broken into 

several pieces, the largest of which is figured on plate 2, 

figs. 5, 6, probably belongs to the same species. It 

expands a little less rapidly than the holotype, 1 in 9.6 

near the narrow end and 1 in 8.9 near the wide end. In 

the narrow part there are 2.8 camerae per diameter. 

The siphuncle has the same width as compared to the 

diameter of the shell and the same position as in the 

holotype. Much of the shell surface is covered with a 

black limy deposit, but in several places small patches 

of the original polished shell surface ornamented by fine 

growth striae can be seen.

A small specimen from the Eagle-Circle district 

apparently belongs also in this species. It consists of 

the first 20 camerae of the phragmacone and is very 

slightly curved at the tip. It is 37 mm long, 6.4 mm 

across the orad end, and increases in diameter at a rate 

of 1 in 9.2. The camerae are rather variable in length,
26 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

there being about 1.7 camerae in one diameter near 

the narrow end, and 2.5 in one diameter near the wide 

end. The connecting rings of the siphuncle have a 

wide area of adnation and at their widest part are about 

one-fourth the width of the shell. Mural cameral 

deposits are well developed, particularly on the ventral 

side.

Adnatoceras alaskense is distinguished from Dolorthoceras medium, with which it is associated at USGS 

locality 9188, by its more robust and excentrically 

situated siphuncle, wider area of adnation, and deeper 

septa. Flower (1939, p. 127, pi. 8, fig. 1) illustrated a 

specimen of Adnatoceras from the Tournaisian at 

Tournai, Belgium, which he compared with Orthoceras 

neglectum de Koninck. Flower's shell has much shallower camerae (five to six in the space of one diameter) 

than A. alaskense. Adnatoceras ciscoense (Miller, Dunbar, and Condra) from the Pennsylvanian of Texas also 

has shallower camerae (three and one-half to five in the 

space of one diameter) and differs also from A. alaskense 

in having a depressed whorl section and in the presence 

of episeptal and hyposeptal deposits in the camerae.

Holotype, USNM 118940; paratype, USNM 118941.

Type locality: USGS locality 12084, limestone nodules from 

black chert and shale unit of the Alapah limestone, on ridge 1,500 

feet east of Kanaktuk Lake, Anaktuvuk Valley, Brooks Range. 

The paratype is from USGS locality 9188.

Occurrence: At the type locality (see above) and at USGS 

locality 9188, from Goniatites crenistria beds on the west bank of 

the Kiruktagiak River, 9}£ miles southwest of its junction with 

Castle Creek, Brooks Range; USGS locality 5302, Calico Bluff 

formation, 440 feet above river level, south end of Calico Bluff, 

Eagle-Circle district.

Genus EULOXOCERAS Miller, Dunbar, and Condra, 1933

Euloxoceras sp. 

Plate 2, figs. 19, 20

Associated with the holotypes of Sudeticeras alaskae, 

n. sp. and Eothalassoceras aurorale, n. sp. is a single 

orthoconic nautiloid that can be assigned to the genus 

Euloxoceras. It is a fragment of a phragmacone, about 

44 mm long, partly compressed and slightly distorted 

approximately laterally. The conch increases from a 

diameter (distorted) of 3.8 mm at the narrow end at an 

approximate ratio of increase of 1 in 9 or 10. The 

septa are saucer shaped and inclined at a slight angle 

orad-dorsal to the horizontal. There are approximately 

three camerae in the space of one diameter of the conch. 

The surface of the conch is smooth.

The siphuncle is crytochoanitic and located about 

one-fourth of the way from the center to the edge of the 

conch. The connecting rings are subcylindrical, concave exteriorly at the center, and abruptly contracted 

at the ends. At a diameter of the conch of 4.2 mm the 

connecting ring is 1.3 mm long and has a maximum

diameter of 0.7 mm. In the specimen the siphuncle is 

filled with brown calcite, in contrast with the white 

calcite that fills the camerae adjacent to the siphuncle. 

There are laminar espiseptal and hyposeptal deposits 

within the camerae, thickly developed on the side 

where the siphuncle is nearest to the wall of the conch. 

The inclined septa, the excentric position of the 

siphuncle, its narrow-waisted connecting rings, and the 

episeptal and hyposeptal cameral deposits all are characteristic of the genus Euloxoceras. The relative depth of 

the camerae is similar to that of E. milleri Flower, from 

the Jacksboro limestone member of the Graham formation of north central Texas, of Pennsylvanian age, but 

that species has a quadrangular outline apparently not 

possessed by the Alaskan shell. The other Pennsylvanian species, E. greenei Miller, Dunbar and Condra 

has slightly deeper camerae, spaced approximately 2% 

to one shell diameter. Probably the Alaskan shell 

represents an undescribed species, but the present single 

poorly preserved specimen is not considered sufficient 

material upon which to base a new name.

Figured Specimen: USNM 118989.

Occurrence: USGS locality 11804, Alapah limestone, black 

chert and shale member, approximately 525 feet below the top of 

measured section B19, southern part of the Siksikpuk River 

Valley, Brooks Range.

Genus PSEUDORTHOCERAS Girty 1911

Pseudorthoceras sp.

Plate 2, fig. 22

Two fragments of a phragmacone, partly distorted 

by compression subsequent to burial, are referred to 

this genus. One is about 50 mm long and includes 

nearly 27 chambers, and the other, 20 mm long and 

includes 3 chambers. Although distortion precludes 

accurate measurement of the shell, general proportions 

can be ascertained.

The shell expands rather rapidly with growth, about 

1 in 4%. The septa are shallowly saucer shaped and 

there are approximately five camerae in the space of 

one diameter of the shell. The sutures appear to be 

nearly straight but slightly sinuous, perhaps due to 

crushing of the shell.

The siphuncle is cyrtochoanitic and, as near as can 

be determined, subcentral. Connecting rings are subpyriform in longitudinal section, the septal necks 

trongly recurved, the brims a little wider than the areas 

of adnation. Siphuncular deposits are strongly developed on the side that is a little further away from 

the edge of the shell in the random section cut. The 

center of the deposit in each segment has been removed 

by solution on this side. On the opposite side of the 

siphuncle a thinner discontinuous deposit is present. 

Within the camerae mural deposits are developed.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 27

The surface, apical part of the phragmacone, living 

chamber, and aperture are not known.

Figured specimen: USNM 118994.

Occurrence: With Cravenoceras sp. at USGS locality 10251, 

Yukon River, northeast bank, about 1 to \}i miles upstream 

from mouth of Seventymile River, Calico Bluff formation, from 

float at about middle of exposure, Eagle-Circle district.

Genus ENDOLOBUS Meek and Worthen, 1865 

Endolobus sp.

Referred to this genus are fragments from two different localities. One specimen is 11 mm long, and 

consists of not quite four camerae of a slightly crushed 

phragmacone. The whorl section is 15 mm wide and 

7% mm high, and the camerae are 3.5 mm deep along 

the venter. The venter is broadly and shallowly 

rounded, the sides rather abruptly rounded, the dorsolateral slopes more gently rounded, and the dorsum 

indented to a depth of not quite 2 mm by the preceding 

whorl. Along the sides the subangular lateral zone 

of the whorl is ornamented by broad shallow nodes 

spaced about \% camerae apart. Sutures are nearly 

straight across the whorl, but form a broad, very shallow 

ventral lobe. The siphuncle and dorsal lobe have not 

been observed. A patch of shell surface on the dorsolateral slope shows a half-dozen narrow longitudinal 

lirae with rather wide interspaces, crossed by closer 

spaced lines of growth.

The second fragment, about 34 mm long, is of the 

side of the conch and bears four shallow nodes along the 

subangular lateral zone of the whorl.

Occurrence: USGS locality 12084, limestone nodules 

from black chert and shale member of the Alapah 

limestone, on ridge 1,500 feet east of Kanaktuk Lake, 

Anaktuvuk Eiver valley. USGS locality 11828, black 

chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone, 4 

miles south of Lisburne Ridge, near the Etivluk River; 

Brooks Range.

Genus KNIGHTOCERAS Miller and Owen 1934

Enightoceras pattoni Gordon n. sp.

Plate 3, figs. 5-8, text fig. 8

Diagnosis: Knightoceras with subangular lateral zone 

located approximately at the middle of the side of the 

whorl. Suture with a narrowly rounded dorsal lobe.

The holotype is a septate specimen retaining parts of 

1% whorls, with a diameter (estimated) of 45 mm. The 

conch is subglobose, nautiliconic, and expanded rapidly 

orad. Whorls depressed dorso-ventrally, lenticular in 

cross section, with broadly rounded venter, ventrolateral and dorso-lateral slopes, and a subangular 

lateral zone about midway on the sides; the dorsal 

impressed zone is rather shallow and a little less than

one third the width of the whorl. Septa are shallowly 

concave; the width of one exposed septum is 20 mm, the 

height 12 mm, and the siphuncle, 1.7 mm in diameter, 

has its center 3.8 mm from the venter. The camerae 

are shallow and the distance between adjacent sutures 

is about one fifth the width of the whorl.

The shell is widely umbilicate, the umbilicus perforate 

and the perforation about 7 mm in diameter. The 

apicad end of the conch expands very rapidly and is 

more rounded in cross section than the adult part, but 

takes on the subangular lateral zones of the adult shell 

by the end of the first half turn. The tip is ornamented 

by longitudinal lirae crossed and beaded by weaker 

growth lines, forming a finely cancellate pattern. 

Surface sculpture in the adult part of the conch consists 

only of growth lines, which form a broad and moderately 

deep sinus over the venter. The adult suture forms a 

broad and very shallow ventral lobe and a narrow 

prominent sharply rounded dorsal lobe, with shallow 

subacute saddles at the periphery at each side of the 

whorl.

FIGURE 8. — Knightoceras pattoni Gordon, n. sp. Cross section through the mature 

whorl of the holotype (USNM 118947) showing the position of the siphunele,

Knightoceras pattoni is the first example of this genus to 

be described from rocks of Mississippian age. Its stratigraphic position near the middle of the Mississippian is 

a considerable extension of range, the earliest previously 

known specimens being from rocks of early Pennsylvanian (Atoka) age.

The median position of the subangular lateral zone 

distinguishes this species from the type species Knightoceras missouriense Miller and Owen and from K. 

abundum Miller, Lane, and Unklesbay and the lower 

Permian form K. kempae Miller and Youngquist in all 

of which the angulation is ventrad of the middle of the 

side. From K. oxylobatum Miller and Downs the 

Alaskan species differs in having a slightly more 

elevated whorl and the siphuncle located well ventrad 

of the center, rather than almost central. K. tiltoni 

(Miller, Dunbar, and Condra) is a much larger shell 

with straighter sutures and relatively shallower camerae. 

K. subcariniferum (Tzwetaev) from the Upper Carboniferous of the U. S. S. R. differs in having broad shallow 

umbilical lobes.

This species is named for W. W. Patton, Jr., who 

mapped the Kiruktagiak River area geologically and 

collected the holotype.
28 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Holotype, USNM 118947.

Type locality: TJSGS locality 10864, associated with Goniatites 

crenistria Phillips in the black chert and shale member of the 

Alapah limestone, Kiruktagiak River, 13 miles southwest of its 

confluence with Castle Creek, Brooks Range.

Enightoceras sp. 

Plate 3, fig. 9.

Another specimen from a locality less than 10 miles 

from the place where the holotype of Knightoceras 

pattoni n. sp. was collected appears to be referable to 

the same genus. The shell is silicified and much of 

the left half of it is missing. It consists of not quite 

two whorls, the last third of a whorl occupied by the 

body chamber, and it has a diameter of approximately 

60 mm. It differs in several particulars from the holotype of K, pattoni but is similar in others and as the 

range of variation in K. pattoni is not known, it is not 

possible to say at this time whether or not the two 

shells are conspecific.

The conch is thick-discoidal, rapidly expanded, and 

more loosely coiled orad. The venter and ventrolateral shoulders are evenly rounded and more elevated 

than in typical K. pattoni, and the dorsolateral slopes 

are very gently rounded. The lateral zone is subangular and is situated about three-eighths of the way 

from the dorsum to the venter at the end of the phragmacone. There is a shallow sulcus occupying about 

one-third of the slope just dorsad of the periphery. 

The maximum diameter of the umbilicus is about 35 

mm and of the umbilical perforation, about 6 mm. 

The suture forms shallow ventral and dorsal lobes and 

shallow subacute lateral saddles, as in typical Knightoceras. The camerae appear to be a little shallower than 

in K. pattoni.

Figured specimen: USNM 118948.

Occurrence: USGS locality 10883, Alapah(?) limestone at the 

north end of Chandler Lake, Brooks Range.

Genus STROBOCERAS Hyatt 1884 

Stroboceras crispum Gordon n. sp. 

Plate 3, figs. 1-4, text fig. 9 A, B.

Two specimens belong to a new species of Stroboceras. 

Both are partly crushed but show the adult characters. 

The larger specimen, with an estimated diameter of 

60 mm before crushing, has 2}£ whorls, the last halfwhorl occupied by the living chamber. The smaller 

specimen of approximately \% whorls, with an estimated 

diameter of 42 mm before partial crushing of the final 

quarter-whorl, is taken as the holotype.

The conch of the holotype is discoidal, nautilicone; a 

large slightly elliptical perforate umbilicus has long and 

short dimensions of 13.3 mm and 11.5 mm, respectively.

The young stage is gently cyrtocone. There are 

approximately 11 camerae in the first 11 mm, the 

fourth, fifth, and sixth a little longer than the others. 

The cross section of the whorl at this stage is nearly 

circular, the ventral part slightly impressed in the 

succeeding whorl. The surface sculpture is not preserved in this part, but faint longitudinal lirae show on 

the surface of the internal mold. The exposed part of 

the suture is nearly straight across the dorsum, with an 

almost imperceptible narrow dorsal lobe and a gently 

bowed lateral lobe on each side; the ventral part is 

concealed.

X 1V4

FIGUBE 9.—Stroboceras crispum Gordon, n. sp. A, Cross section of the 

holotype (USNM 118949) at early maturity near the end of the first whorl, 

Xl}4. B, Suture of the holotype at four-fifths of the first coil, shell diameter 

21 mm, X3.

At the twelfth camera the curvature becomes greater, 

but by the end of the first half-whorl lessens slightly 

and becomes constant. The adult characters are already 

fairly well developed at this point. The dorsum and 

sides are well rounded, the venter nearly flat, with a 

marked carina at the ventro-lateral shoulder, a wellchanneled groove dorsad of this carina, and a shallower 

groove separating the carina from a slightly raised flat 

platform in the middle of the venter.

The whorl becomes proportionally higher and the 

dorsum flatter with growth. At the end of the first 

whorl the dimensions are as follows: diameter, 28.5 mm; 

height of whorl, 9.0 mm; width, 9.7 mm. The shieldshaped cross section near the end of the first whorl is 

shown in text figure 9,A. A pair of weak subsidiary 

carinae bound the raised platform of the venter on the 

later whorls, but do not approach the strength of the 

carina at each ventro-lateral shoulder.

The surface ornament on the mature shell consists 

of closely spaced sinuous transverse lirae; these are 

fairly straight across the dorsum, curve apicad and 

form a prominent rounded lateral sinus, a strong orad 

salient at the ventro-lateral shoulder and a moderately 

deep hyponomic sinus over the ventral platform. The 

transverse lirae on the later whorls are crossed by fine 

longitudinal lirae, strongest on the venter and ventrolateral shoulders and progressively weaker dorsad on 

the sides. They are interrupted by the stronger transverse lirae, but in places give the surface a subreticulate 

appearance. There are 10 to 12 of these longitudinal 

threads in the space of 1 mm on the venter at a diameter 

of 40 mm. Part of the inner surface of the living chamber adheres to the specimen and is smooth except in a
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 29

couple of small areas where it appears finely and regularly papillose.

The suture in the adult shell (text fig. 9,5') has three 

small shallow lobes, one in the middle of the venter 

and the others in the grooves at either side separated 

by small shallow saddles, a subacute deeper saddle at 

each ventro-lateral carina, a well-rounded moderately 

deep lateral lobe somewhat ventrad on each side, a 

gently bowed umbilical saddle on the dorso-lateral 

shoulder, and a narrower well-rounded dorsal lobe.

The paratype has a slightly smaller perforated 

umbilicus than the holotype, its long and short dimensions measuring 12.0 and 10.4 mm, respectively. This 

specimen also bears a pair of weak subsidiary carinae 

on each side, crossing the transverse lirae at the lateral 

sinus.

The flattened venter, with its central platform that 

is not markedly elevated as in typical Stroboceras 

Hyatt 1884, allies this species with Nautilus stygialis 

de Koninck 1844, the Namurian (Chokier) species 

that Foord (1891, p. 105) selected as the type of his 

new genus Coelonautilus. Miller and Garner (1953, 

p. 136) regard Coelonautilus as a subjective synonym 

of Stroboceras, which has priority. Stroboceras crispum 

bears a close superficial resemblance to S. trifer Schmidt 

(1951, p. 34, 35, pi. 4, figs. 8, 9, text fig. 3d) from the 

Goniatites crenistria (Ilia) zone of Silesia, which also 

has keeled ventro-lateral shoulders, rounded dorsolateral shoulders and fine longitudinal lirae crossed by 

closely spaced sinuous transverse lirae. Schmidt's cross 

section (1951, text fig. 3d) shows S. trifer with a pair 

of strong carinae bounding a moderately raised concave platform. This is contrast to the nearly flat 

platform of $. crispum. S. trifer also has a smaller 

perforate umbilicus (diameter about 7 mm), a shallower 

lateral sinus than S. crispum, and strong longitudinal 

ridges on the first half-whorl that do not appear to be 

present in S. crispum.

The trivial name of S. crispum calls attention to the 

sinuous transverse lirae that resemble locks of wavy 

hair appressed to the shell surface.

Holotype, TJSNM 118949; paratype, TJSNM 118950.

Type locality: USGS locality 10866, Alapah limestone, 

Goniatites crenistria bed at "The Notch" on the Kiruktagiak 

River, 9)4 miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, 

Brooks Range.

Genus AMMONELLIPSITES Parkinson, 1822

1822. Ammonellipsites Parkinson [part], An Introduction to the

Study of Fossil Organic Remains, p. 164. 

1882. Pericyclus Mojsisovics, K. K. Geol. Reichsanstalt, Abb.,

Band 10, p. 141. 

1884. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Hyatt, Boston Soc. Nat. History

Proc., v. 22, p. 330. 

1889. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Holzapfel, Palaeont. Abh. Dames

und Kayser, neue Folge, Band 1, Heft 1, p. 33, 34. 

398828—57———3

1897. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Foord and Crick, Catalogue of 

the Fossil Cephalopoda in the British Museum (Natural 

History), pt. 3, p. 143, 144.

1898. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Haug. Soc. Ge"ol. France, Pale"ont.

Mem., v. 18, p. 28, 29. 

1903. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Smith, TJ. S. Geol. Survey, Mon.

42, p. 60.

1903. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Foord, Carboniferous Cephalopoda of Ireland, pt. 5, p. 218. 

1922. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Schindewolf, Senckenbergiana,

Band 4, p. 16, 17. 

1922. Caenocyclus Schindewolf, Senckenbergiana, Band 4, p.

16, 17. 

1925. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Schmidt, Preuss. geol. Landesanstalt, Jahrbucn, Band 45, p. 529, 552, 553. 

1929. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Schmidt, Tierische Leitfossilien

des Karbon, p. 65. 

1940. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Dele"pine, Mus. royale histoire

nat. Belgique, Me"m. no. 91, p. 38.

1940. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Librovitch, Akad. Nauk S. S. S. R., 

Paleont. S. S. S. R., torn 4, chast 9, vyp. 1, p. 115-122, 

267.

1941. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Delepine, Maroc, Serv. G6ol.,

Notes et Me"m. no. 56, p. 48. 

1948. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Turner, Leeds Geol. Assoc.,

Trans., v. 6, pt. 2, p. 50, 51. 

1948. Rotopericyclus, Fascipericyclus, Trapezopericyclus, and

Kaypericyclus Turner, Leeds Geol. Assoc., Trans.,

v. 6, pt. 2, p. 50, 51. 

1951. Ammonellipsites Parkinson. Smyth, Royal Irish Acad.,

Proc., v. 53, sec. B, p. 296. 

1951. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Schindewolf, Neues Jahrbuch

Geol. Palaont., Abh., Band 93, Heft 1, p. 73-77. 

1951. Helicocyclus, Hammatocyclus, Eurycyclus, Schizocyclus,

and Stenocyclus Schindewolf, Neues Jahrbuch Geol.

Palaont., Abh., Band 93, Heft 1, p. 76, 78, 79, 81, 86. 

1951. Pericyclus Mojsisovics. Miller and Collinson, Jour.

Paleontology, v. 25, no. 4, p. 474, 475.

1951. Ammonellipsites Parkinson. Schindewolf, Neues Jahrbuch Geol. Palaont., Monatsheft 1951, p. 306, 309.

Diagnosis: Discoidal to globular shells, generally ornamented by nearly straight, arcuate, or sinuous ribs, 

growth lines, and constrictions, but in some species 

limited mainly to nodes along the umbilical shoulder. 

Umbilicus usually large, but small in some species; 

whorls generally stepped within. Suture goniatitid, 

with eight pointed lobes and the same number of 

broadly to narrowly rounded saddles; first lateral saddles pointed in some species, including type of genus.

Type of genus: Ellipsolithesfunatus Sowerby, 1814, by 

subsequent designation of Schindewolf (1951b, p. 309).

The writer is following the suggestion of Schindewolf 

(1951b, p. 307, 308) in keeping all of the Lower Carboniferous ribbed and noded goniatites together in a 

single broad genus. As is shown below, they do not 

easily fall into well-defined separate groups and in our 

present incomplete state of knowledge as to their 

phylogeny they should not be divided into separate 

genera.
30 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

The earlier name Ammonellipsites Parkinson, though 

all but forgotten until recently, now has clear priority 

over Pericyclus, through the designation by Schindewolf 

(1951b, p. 309) of Ammonellipsites funatus (Sowerby) 

as the type species.

As Turner (1948, p. 51) pointed out, Parkinson (1822, 

p. 164, 233) based his genus Ammonellipsites on two 

species, Ellipsolithes funatus Sowerby (1813, p. 81, pi. 

32) and E. compressus Sowerby (1813, p. 84, pi. 38). 

Sowerby's generic name was preoccupied by Ellipsolithes Montfort, 1808, erected for a different group of 

mollusks. E. funatus is a pericyclid, and E. compressus 

belongs in the genus Merocanites Schindewolf, 1922. 

Turner suggested that E. funatus, being somewhat similar in ornament to Pericyclus fasciculatus (McCoy) and 

with its suture as yet unknown, might eventually prove 

to belong in his new genus Fascipericyclus Turner (1948, 

p. 50). He concluded, "then Fascipericyclus may lapse 

in favor of Parkinson's Ammonellipsites."

Smyth (1951, p. 296) was able to uncover enough of 

the suture of a topotype of E. funatus figured by Foord 

(1903, pi. 39, fig. 1) to demonstrate that it belongs in 

the Pericyclus kayseri-P. kochi group for which Turner 

(1948, p. 51) proposed the genus Kaypericyclus (—Eurycyclus Schindewolf, 1951). Apparently both Smyth 

(1951, p. 296) and Schindewolf (1951b, p. 307) mistook 

Turner's statement for a designation of E. funatus as 

the type of Ammonellipsites, but such a designation 

was not actually made until Schindewolf (1951b, p. 309) 

listed E. funatus as the type species.

Several attempts to subdivide the pericyclids (ammonellipsitids) have been made and a number of genera 

or subgenera have been proposed. The earliest of these, 

the subgenus Caenocyclus Schindewolf (1922, p. 16, 17), 

was erected for pericyclids with intercalary (polyschizotomous) ribbing as typified by Pericyclus (Caenocyclus) 

perisphinctoides SchindewoJf (1926, p. 84-86, text fig. 

9). Although cited in the original description of the 

subgenus as the only known species of Caenocyclus, P. 

perisphinctoides was a nomen nudiim until adequately 

described in the later publication. Its suture is still 

unknown, and Schindewolf (1951a, p. 79) has since 

expressed doubt as to the justifiability of basing a 

subgenus on the presence of intercalary ribbing, a 

rather variable characteristic in this group.

Turner (1948, p. 49-52) in a paper on the MidDinantian reef limestones of Dublin and Cork, subdivided the pericyclids into several genera, based principally on the configuration of the first lateral saddle of 

the suture which, he had noticed, is well rounded in the 

earlier species and is increasingly narrower and sharper 

orad in the later species. His classification is expressed 

in the following key, after Turner (1948, p. 51):

First lateral saddles well rounded: (zone Ci)

Flanks parallel ____________________ Rotopericyclus Turner

Type: Pericyclus rotuliformis Crick, 1899 

Flanks not parallel:

Shell without spiral ornament__________Pm'c?/cZws s. s.

Type: Goniatites princeps de Koninck, 1844 

Shell with spiral ornament. .-Trapezopericyclus Turner

Type: Pericyclus trapezoidalis Crick, 1899

First lateral saddles somewhat narrowed anteriorly: (zones C2 and 

CrSi)

Median saddle low_ _____________ --Fascipericyclus Turner

Type: Goniatites fasciculatus McCoy, 1844 

First lateral saddles pointed: (zone C2-Si)

Median saddle high ________________ Kaypericyclus Turner

Type: Pericyclus kayseri Schmidt, 1925

To Pericyclus s. s. Turner referred P. bailyi Crick, 

P. clanensis Crick, P. doohylensis Foord and Crick, P. 

foordi Crick, Prolecanites leesoni Crick, Goniatites princeps de Koninck, P. subplicatilis Crick, and, tentatively, 

Goniatites ryckholti de Koninck of which the suture is 

unknown. To Rotopericyclus he assigned, besides the 

type species, Goniatites plicatilis de Koninck and G. 

divisus de Koninck; and because they possess umbilical 

nodes, as does Pericyclus rotuliformis Crick, he provisionally included Goniatites crenulatus de Koninck and 

"G." (Pericyclus?) tuberculatus Delepine. To Trapezopericyclus he referred only the type species.

Besides the type, Turner referred Pericyclus multicostatus Foord to Fascipericyclus and also suggested 

that Ellipsolithes funatus Sowerby might belong here, 

as discussed earlier. Finally, to Kaypericyclus he assigned, besides the type species, P. kochi Holzapfel and 

P. subglaber Holzapfel, species with less sharply terminated first lateral saddles than P. kayseri Schmidt, and 

he tentatively included Goniatites virgatus de Koninck, 

of which the suture is not known.

Unaware that Turner in a paper on Irish stratigraphy 

had proposed a classification for the pericyclids, 

Schindewolf (1951a, p. 73-94) presented his own 

arrangement and erected a number of new subgenera, 

some of which are synonyms of Turner's "genera." In 

Schindewolf's classification the pericyclids are divided 

into two groups, depending upon whether the sides of 

the ventral lobe of the suture are parallel or divergent. 

The two groups are further subdivided on the basis of 

differences in shape and sculpture of the conch. The 

following key is after Schindewolf (1951a, p. 75, 76):

Ventral lobe with parallel sides, not widened orad:

In youth without umbilical nodes, regularly ribbed:

Shell thick-discoidal, moderately to widely umbilicate; 

ribs strong, mainly unsplit, convex, strongly retractive, with ventral sinus; constrictions with the same 

configuration._____________________ Pericyclus s. s.

Type: Goniatites princeps de Koninck, 1844. 

Shell thin-discoidal, very widely umbilicate; ribs weak, 

mainly unsplit, straight, more or less radial, without
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 31

ventral sinus; constrictions with weak ventral bow.

Helicocyclus Schindewolf

Type: Pericyclus (Helicocyclus) gracillimus Schindewolf, 1951.

In youth with umbilical nodes and ribs, otherwise smooth:

Shell thick-discoidal to globular, widely umbilicate;

umbilical ribs weak in old age, straight to slightly

bent; constrictions with ventral bow in youth, nearly

straight in adult„„-.----.Hammatocyclus Schindewolf

Type: Pericyclus (Hammatocyclus) homoceratoides

Schindewolf, 1951. 

Ventral lobe with divergent sides strongly widened orad:

Shell thick-discoidal to subglobular, moderately- widely 

umbilicate; ribs unsplit, straight or convex on the 

flanks___________________Eurycyclus Schindewolf

Type: Pericyclus kochi Holzapfel, 1889. 

Shell moderately to widely umbilicate; ribs split, with 

flattish sinus on the flanks - Schizocyclus Schindewolf

Type: Goniatites fasciculatus McCoy, 1844. 

Shell very narrowly umbilicate; ribs split, straight or 

convex on the flanks________<Ste»0cycZws Schindewolf

Type: Pericyclus carinatus Schindewolf in Schmidt 

1925.

To Pericyclus s. s. Schindewolf assigned P. blairi 

(Miller and Gurley), P. bailyi Crick, P. clanensis Crick, 

Goniatites plicatilis Koninck, P. trapezoidalis Crick, 

and tentatively, P. dilitatus Schindewolf, of which the 

suture is not known. To Helicocyclus he referred, 

besides the type, P. tianshanicus Librovitch and, with 

some question, P. evolutus Librovitch, of which the 

suture is not known, and he also added the thick-discoidal forms P. djaprakensis Librovitch and P. sonkulensis Librovitch as they, too, are widely umbilicate. 

To Hammatocyclus Schindewolf assigned, besides P. 

homoceratoides, Goniatites crenulatus de Koninck and 

"G." (Pericyclus?} tuberculatus Delepine of which 

the sutures are so far not known.

In Schizocyclus Schindewolf included P. funatus 

(Sowerby) and, tentatively, P. nasutus Schmidt, in 

both of which the sutures were not known. In Stenocyclus, although the type species P. carinatus has a 

ventral keel, he gathered together involute species 

without a keel, such as P. niger Dele"pine, Goniatites 

ryckholti de Koninck and Q. impressus de Koninck, 

which have ribs that are slightly convex orad and form 

a ventral sinus, and in none of which is the suture 

known. Lastly, in Eurycyclus he grouped, along with 

the type species, P. kayseri Schmidt, P. hauchecornei 

Holzapfel, and P. nikitini Librovitch.

On learning of Turner's earlier classification and 

Smy th's illustration of the external suture of P. funatus 

(Sowerby), Schindewolf (195Ib, p. 305-310) wrote 

another paper comparing the two classifications. He 

accepted Ammonellipsites Parkinson as replacing 

Pericyclus, s. 1., with A. funatus (Sowerby) as the type 

of Ammonellipsites, he retained Pericyclus as a subgenus of Ammonellipsites, s. 1., and relegated both

Kaypericyclus Turner and Eurycyclus Schindewolf to 

the synonomy of Ammonellipsites, s s. He also pointed 

out that Schizocyclus Schindewolf should be suppressed 

as a direct synonym of Fascipericyclus Turner. Helicocyclus, Hammatocyclus, and Stenocyclus, having no 

counterparts in Turner's classification, Schindewolf 

retained as valid subgenera. He questioned the 

validity of Trapezopericyclus Turner, differentiated 

from Pericyclus by the presence of spiral sculpture, 

because, he said, similar sculpture can be seen in wellpreserved specimens of P. hauchecornei Holzapfel, 

P. kochi Holzapfel, P. homoceratoides Schindewolf, and 

possibly P. plicatilis (de Koninck), most of which 

differ in other important characters from P. trapezoidalis Crick.

Schindewolf expressed doubt that the character of a 

parallel-sided first lateral saddle, upon which Turner 

based Rotopericyclus, was sufficient to distinguish it 

from Pericyclus s. s., but suggested that the umbilical 

nodes in the young stages of the type species P. rotfolijormis Crick might indicate some relationship to 

Hammatocyclus Schindewolf. He retained Caenocyclus 

with question as a still uncertain subgenus.

An eloquent plea was made by Schindewolf (1951b, 

p. 307, 308) for the retention of paleontologists of the 

old broader genera. He advocated the use of subgenera for the finer divisions, pointing out that Turner's 

genera had been split even a little finer than his (Schindewolf's) subgenera. The ease with which certain species 

may be transferred from one subdivision of ammonellipsitids to another, depending upon which characters 

are more strongly stressed in defining the subdivisions, 

emphasizes the difficulty involved, at the present time, 

in regarding each of these subdivisions as a genus.

An example in point is Ellipsolithes funatus Sowerby, 

which both Turner and Schindewolf grouped together 

with Goniatites fasciculatus McCoy because both species 

have bifurcating ribs ornamenting the conch. Smyth 

later showed that the suture of E. junatus is like that 

of the Ammonellipsites kayseri-A. kochi group, which 

have nonbifurcating ribs. Obviously a decision has to 

be made as to whether the configuration of the suture 

or the behaviour of the ribs is the more important 

character to be stressed in assigning this species to its 

proper taxonomic group.

Another case in point is the problem of correctly 

assigning the Alaskan species described herein as 

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus} polaris Gordon, n. sp. 

Its rather broadly rounded first lateral saddle suggests 

a possible relationship with the subgenus Pericyclus 

s. s., but the divergent sides of the ventral lobe as well 

as the rather straight ribs and shallow ventral sinus of 

the conch would not permit assigning this species to 

that subgenus. On the basis of its shallow median
32 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

sinus A. polaris might be referred to Fascipericyclus, 

but the nonbifurcating ribs suggest a relationship 

rather with Kaypericyclus, and a single variant of 

A. polaris with coarser ribs, some of them intercalary, 

suggests Caenocyclus.

Because Schindewolf in his later paper did not attempt to reassess the major criteria upon which his 

own and Turner's classifications of the pericyclids were 

based, the writer has found it necessary to do so, in 

order that the species already described and particularly 

the species about to be described can be fitted into a 

single classification. The writer agrees with both 

Turner and Schindewolf that the configuration of the 

suture is the most fundamental character upon which a 

subdivision of the pericyclids should be based. Like 

Schindewolf, he makes the first division on parallelism 

versus divergence of the sides of the ventral lobe, but 

lays less stress on differences in sculpture than Schindewolf (1951a). The following key, based on those of 

Turner and Schindewolf, will permit assigning to one 

or the other subgenus the presently known species of 

Ammonellipsites s. 1. Trapezopericyclus Turner is not 

included in this key as the writer feels that it should be 

suppressed as a synonym of the subgenus Pericyclus 

because the differences that set P. trapezoidalis Crick 

apart from its associated and stratigraphically equivalent species of Pericyclus are only of specific rank. 

Caenocyclus Schindewolf is held in abeyance until the 

suture of its type species is known. As this species 

is thought to be a rather late form stratigraphically, 

it is likely that Caenocyclus will eventually prove to be 

the same as either Fascipericyclus or Ammonellipsites

s. s.

Key to the subgenera of Ammonellipsites

Ventral lobe with parallel sides, not widened orad:

Shell without umbilical nodes in young stages, regularly 

ribbed:

Ribs convex, strongly retractive, forming prominent 

ventral sinus___________________ _______jPencycZws

Ribs nearly straight, approximately radial, shallow 

ventral bow or sinus __________________ Helicocyclus

Shell with umbilical nodes and ribs in young stages:

Shell smooth in adult ________________ Hammatocyclus

Shell ribbed in adult _________________ -Rotopericyclus

Ventral lobe with divergent sides, strongly widened orad:

First lateral saddle moderately to narrowly rounded, median 

saddle shallow. ________________________ Fascipericyclus

First lateral saddle sharply rounded to pointed, median 

saddle deep:

Shell moderately to widely umbilicate

Ammonellipsites s. s. 

Shell narrowly umbilicate ________________ Stenocyclus

The following is an arrangement of the species of 

Ammonellipsites under the subgenera in which they 

seem to belong. Asterisks (*) indicate species in which 

the suture is not yet known.

Subgenus Pericyclus Mojsisovics

Pericyclus asiaticus Librovitch, 1940

var. semi-involuta Librovitch, 1940 

var. simplex Librovitch, 1940 

bailyi Crick, 1899

*Goniatites blairi Miller and Gurley, 1896 

Pericyclus clanensis Crick, 1899 

dichotomus Librovitch, 1940

*dilitatus Schindewolf, 1926

*Goniatites divisus de Koninck, 1880 

Pericyclus doohylensis Foord and Crick, 1897

foordi Crick, 1899 

„ Prolecanites leesoni Crick, 1899

Goniatites plicatilis de Koninck, 1881 

Ammonites princeps de Koninck, 1844 

Pericyclus pulcher Lissitzyn, 1909

*Goniatites ryckholti de Koninck, 1880 

Pericyclus sokurensis Librovitch, 1940 

subplicatilus Crick, 1899 

trapezoidalis Crick, 1899 

Subgenus Helicocyclus Schindewolf

*Pericyclus evolutus Librovitch, 1927

(Helicocyclus) gracillimus Schindewolf, 1951 

tianshanicus Librovitch, 1927 

Subgenus Hammatocyclus Schindewolf

*Goniatites crenulatus de Koninck, 1880 

Pericyclus (Hammatocyclus) homoceratoides Schindewolf, 1951

*"Goniatites" (Pericyclusf) tuber culatus Dele'pine,

1940 

Subgenus Rotopericyclus Turner

*Pericyclus princeps var. multiplicatus Dele'pine, 1940

rotuliformis Crick, 1899 

Subgenus Fascipericyclus Turner

Goniatites fasciculatus McCoy, 1844 

Pericyclus multicostatus Foord, 1891

*nasutus Schmidt, 1941 

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) polaris Gordon,

n. sp. 

Pericyclus toisaiganensis Librovitch, 1940

var, cont=tricta Librovitch, 1940 

Subgenus Ammonellipsites s. s.

Pericyclus djaprakensis Librovitch, 1927 

Ellipsolithes funatus Sowerby, 1813 

Pericyclus grandicostatus Librovitch, 1927 

hauchecornei Holzapfel, 1889 

kayseri Schmidt, 1925 

kochi Holzapfel, 1889

nikitini Librovitch, 1927 

var. inflata Librovitch, 1927 

var. subcompressa Librovitch, 1927 

sonkulensis Librovitch, 1927 

subglaber Holzapfel, 1889 

Subgenus Stenocyclus Schindewolf

Pericyclus carinatus Schindewolf, 1925

*Goniatites impressus de Koninck, 1880

*Pericyclus niger Dele'pine, 1934

*Goniatites virgatus de Koninck, 1880 

*Subgenus Caenocyclus Schindewolf

*Pericyclus (Caenocyclus) perisphinctoides Schindewolf, 1926

This arrangement has been made with the intent of 

using the available taxonomic subdivisions as far as 

possible and avoiding the addition of new names to the
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 33

growing list. Exhaustive study should precede the 

erection of any new subdivision. Several involute 

shells from northern Kazakhstan, U. S. S. R., described 

by Librovitch (1940, p. 122-134, 138-145, 268-274, 

276-282) including Pericyclus asiaticus and its varieties, 

P. dichotomus, and P.? sokurensis, may eventually prove 

to belong in a subgenus separate from Pericyclus, into 

which they have been placed because of their parallelsided ventral lobes. This subgenus would correspond 

to Stenocyclus Schindewolf, under which the later involute species with more advanced sutures have been 

placed. Possible P. divisus (de Koninck) and P. ryckholti (de Koninck) from the Upper Tournaisian of 

Belgium belong with the Siberian species.

Ammonellipsites multiplicatus Delepine, originally 

described as a variety of A. princeps (de Koninck), has 

been assigned in the list above to Rotopericyclus because 

of the umbilical nodes on one of Delepine's original 

figured specimens (1940, p. 40, pi. 1, figs. 18, 19). The 

thick-discoidal species A. djaprakensis Librovitch and 

A. sonkuiensis (Librovitch) which Schindewolf referred 

to Helicocyclus have been transferred to Ammonellipsites, 

s. s. A. sonkuiensis has a ventral lobe which, as shown 

in Librovitch's figure (1927, text fig. 11), has the sides 

diverging at an angle of about 11°. The ventral lobe 

of A. djaprakensis likewise has slightly divergent sides. 

This leaves in Helicocyclus only narrowly discoidal, 

highly evolute species.

Stratigraphic and geographic distribution.—The ammonellipsitids apparently are confined to beds of Late 

Tournaisian and Early Vise"an age. The subgenus 

Pericyclus as interpreted above is restricted to beds of 

late Tournaisian age in northwest Europe and their 

equivalents in other parts of the world. These include 

the GI zone of Ireland, the zone T3 c of Belgium, 

Schmidt's zone IIa(=T3 c), and beds believed by 

Librovitch to Be of Late Tournaisian age in northern 

Kazakhstan, southwest Siberia. In the United States 

Pericyclus is found in beds of late Kinderhook (Chouteau) age in Missouri and Arkansas and in equivalent 

beds (Caballero formation of Laudon and Bowsher 

(1941)) in New Mexico. The writer also has specimens 

from the lower part of the Madison group in Montana.

Rotopericyclus occurs in the late Tournaisian zone GI 

of Ireland and zone T3 c of Belgium, associated with 

Pericyclus. Species referred to Hammatocyclus come 

from the late Tournaisian of Belgium, as well as from 

beds of Lower Visean age in Germany. Helicocyclus is 

known from beds of Lower Visean age in Germany, and 

from beds of similar age in the Tien Shan Mountains 

of East Turkestan.

Species referable to Fascipericyclus are known in 

zones C2 and C2-Si of Ireland, in Lower Visean beds of 

the Waulsortian facies in Belgium, in Schmidt's zones

IIj8 and Ila of Germany, and their stratigraphic equivalents in Montenegro and East Turkestan, and possibly 

in southern Morocco. The Kazakhstan species P. 

toisaiganensis, placed here provisionally, is associated 

with other pericyclids that Librovitch believed are late 

Tournaisian in age. The new Alaskan species extends 

the geographic range of this subgenus to North America. 

Ammonellipsites s. s. is limited to beds of early Visean 

age, occurring in zone C2-Si in Ireland, in zone Ily in 

Germany, and in equivalent beds in Montenegro, 

Morocco, and East Turkestan. Stenocyclus and Caenocyclus are known from the Lower Visean of Germany 

and species referred to Stenocyclus occur in the Lower 

Visean of Belgium and Montenegro.

Subgenus Fascipericyclus Turner

Diagnosis: Shell thick-discoidal, narrowly to widely 

umbilicate; ribs fairly prominent, unsplit or strongly 

forked, forming a shallow ventral sinus. Ventral lobe 

of suture with divergent sides widening orad, notched 

by the median saddle to less than one-fourth of its 

height; first lateral saddle somewhat narrowed orad, 

rounded to sharply rounded.

Type of subgenus: Goniatites fasciculatus McCoy, 

1844, by original designation of Turner (1948, p. 50).

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) polaris Gordon n. sp.

Plate 4, figs. 1-13, text figs. 10 A, B

Diagnosis: Thick-discoidal, moderately evolute Ammonellipsites with fine to moderately coarse somewhat 

irregular radial ribs, forming a shallow sinus over 

venter. Ventral lobe of suture with sides diverging 

orad, median saddle short, first lateral saddle asymmetrically rounded.

The holotype is a thick-discoidal shell with a broadly 

rounded venter, very gently rounded sides, and broadly 

rounded umbilical shoulders; whorl section reniform to 

semilunar; umbilicus about one-quarter to a little over 

one-third of the diameter; umbilical wall convex.

Surface sculpture consists of transverse ribs, growth 

lirae, and constrictions; these form a very shallow sinus 

over the umbilical shoulder, are nearly straight and 

radial over the sides and ventrolateral shoulder, and 

form a moderately shallow hyponomic sinus over the 

venter. The ribs are fine and poorly developed over the 

umbilical shoulder and are gradually stronger ventrad; 

over the venter they are of moderate strength, with considerably wider interspaces. At a shell diameter of 23 

mm the ribs are spaced about 1 mm apart on the venter 

and the hyponomic sinus is 1.7 mm deep. There is a 

tendency toward irregularity in the strength of the 

ribs, particularly on the flanks, near the umbilicus. 

There are seven or eight shallow constrictions on the 

last whorl of the holotype.
34 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHEEN AND EASTERN ALASKA

FIGUBE 10.—Ammonellipsites from two localities: A, A. (Fo^dpericyclut,) 

polaris Gordon, n. sp., cross section of a paratype (USNM 118953) X2. 

B, External suture of another paratype (USNM 118953) at shell diameter of 9 mm, X3. C, A. (F.) afl. A. polaris Gordon, fragment of the 

external suture of a specimen (USNM 118955) showing the ventral 

lobe and part of the first lateral saddle, X3.

The external suture (text fig. 10, B} consists of the 

following elements: (1) a ventral lobe with sides diverging orad at an angle of approximately 20°, divided 

into two symmetrical points by a somewhat trapezoidal 

median saddle that extends orad to approximately a 

fifth of the length of the ventral lobe, (2) a first lateral 

saddle with gently converging sides, broadly and asymmetrically rounded orad, (3) a bluntly pointed V-shaped 

first lateral lobe with gently bulging sides, (4) an asymmetrically rounded second lateral saddle, and (5) a 

small pointed lobe near the umbilical seam. The 

internal suture is not exposed.

Dimensions and proportions

Height of last whorl (H)__mm__ 

Width of last whorl (W)_.mm._ 

Width of umbilicus (U)_ _mm__ 

U/D________-_-_._._____-_____-

W/D...

W/H

Holotype

25.7 

12.5 

14.2 

7.0 

.27 

.55 

1.14

Paratypes

A

26.0 

12.0 

14.0 

8.5 

.33 

.54 

1.17

B

17.1 

8.3 

10.0 

5.5 

.32 

.58 

1.20

C

13.9 

7.3 

8.3 

3.8 

.27 

.60 

1.14

D

10.5 

5.8 

6.5 

2.7 

.26 

.62 

1.12

Hypo 

type

24.6 

12.0 

13.6 

7.0 

.28 

.55 

1.13

One specimen (USNM 118954) differs in several particulars from typical A. polaris with which it is associated, but because the suture and the general proportions of the conch are about the same as in typical A. 

polaris, it is believed to be only a variant. In this 

specimen the ribs are coarser, being spaced 1.6 to 1.8 

mm apart at a diameter of 20 mm. From the umbilical shoulder where most of them terminate abruptly, 

the ribs cross the sides of the conch approximately 

radially and are nearly straight across the venter. 

Some show a very shallow ventral sinus. Several of 

the ribs are intercalary and die out on the sides a short 

distance dorsad of the ventro-lateral shoulder. The

shell is rather thick and the two small patches of shell 

on the venter, representing the inside of the succeeding 

whorl, completely mask the underlying ribs. The suture has a ventral lobe with its sides gently diverging 

orad and a well-rounded first lateral saddle, as in 

typical A. polaris.

The dimensions above indicate a slight narrowing of 

the conch during growth of Ammonellipsites polaris. 

The Alaskan species somewhat resembles A. hauchecornei Holzapfel and A. subglaber Holzapfel of the 

Erdbach beds of Germany (Schmidt's zone Ily). Both 

of the German species have radial ribs that are fairly 

straight across the sides of the conch and in A. hauchecornei there is a shallow ventral sinus. Both also have 

ventral lobes with divergent sides and rounded first 

lateral saddles, but the German species have narrower 

first lateral saddles, deeper median saddles notching 

the ventral lobe, and hence are closer to typical Ammonellipsiles s. s. In general shape A. polaris is a 

little thicker and a little less evolute than A. hauchecornei and a little narrower and more evolute than 

A. subglaber.

Another species with a suture somewhat similar to 

that of A. polaris is the Siberian shell A. toisaiganensis 

Librovitch, the ventral lobe of which has slightly 

divergent sides and the first lateral saddle is broadly 

and asymmetrically rounded orad. The ribs of A. 

toisaiganensis are more sinuous and more subdued and 

the shell more involute than in A. polaris.

As A. polaris comes from an isolated outcrop and 

there is no associated fauna, its age cannot be determined 

with certainty. One may surmise from what is 

known about the stratigraphic distribution of the 

ammonellipsitids that we are dealing with the sort of 

species that should occur very near the Tournaisian and 

Visean boundary. The suture of A.. toisaiganensis, 

which occurs with a fauna probably equivalent to 

Schmidt's zone Ha, appears to be a little more primitive than that of A. polaris, while the sutures of A. 

hauchecornei and A. subglaber, from Schmidt's zone Tiy, 

are a little more advanced. The relatively straight 

ribs and shallow sinus of A. polaris suggests a closer 

relationship to the Early Vise'an shells than to the 

majority of the Late Tournaisian species, with their 

sinuous ribs and deeper ventral sinus.

Holotype, USNM 118952; paratypes, USNM 118953, seven 

specimens and fragments collected with the holotype; hypotype, 

USNM 118954.

Type locality: USGS locality 11857, calcareous nodules in 

platy shale, part of a 125-foot section in an isolated exposure 

of the Lisburne group near a tributary creek on the west side of 

the east fork of the Kiligwa River, eastern part of the De Long 

Mountains, Brooks Range.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 35

Ammonellipsites (Fascipericyclus) aff. A. polaris Gordon, n. sp. 

Text fig. 10, c

From an early collection made in the western part 

of the Brooks Range, a broken specimen partly embedded in limestone matrix appears close to Ammonellipsites 

polaris, n. sp. This shell was referred by Girty, in a 

faunal list published by P. S. Smith (1913, p. 78), to 

Eumorphoceras? sp., a ribbed goniatite genus that, 

partly due to its state of preservation, it also resembles.

The shell at a diameter of 14.5 mm is about 8 mm 

wide and the width of the umbilicus is equal to about 

one third of the diameter of the conch. In cross section 

the shell is like A. polaris, but has a slightly narrower 

venter. At a diameter of 10 mm transverse ribs, 

about seven in the space of 3 mm and forming a very 

shallow orad bow over the flanks, are preserved on 

both sides of the conch, but the shell is peeled away 

over the venter, where part of the suture is exposed. 

The ventral lobe of the suture (text fig. 10,C), has 

divergent sides and is shallowly notched by the median 

saddle, but the base is wider than in typical A. polaris, 

the tips being slightly divergent. The first lateral 

saddle is broadly and asymmetrically rounded, as in 

typical A. polaris.

The dimensions, obtained with some difficulty and a 

slight uncertainty from the broken specimen, are close 

to those of A. polaris, as is also what can be seen of the 

surface sculpture and the suture, but the venter appears 

to be little narrower and the transverse ribs a trifle 

more bowed than in typical A. polaris. Whether the 

shell represents only a variant or actually a different 

species closely allied to A. polaris cannot be determined 

from the material at hand.

Figured specimen: USNM 118955.

Occurrence: USGS locality 12785, Lisburne(?) group, from 

float block near north end of lower gorge of the Noatak River, 

Brooks Range.

Genus MUNSTEROCERAS Hyatt 1884

Miinsteroceras saginatum Gordon n. sp.

Plate 4, figs. 14-16, text fig. 11, A, B

A very rotund and rather widely umbilicate Munsteroceras comes from a locality in the Iligluruk Creek 

drainage, in the western part of the Brooks Range. 

The shell, a phragmacone with part of the body 

chamber attached and part of one side broken away 

before final entombment, is subglobose, with a broad 

rounded venter, strongly rounded ventro-lateral shoulders, and flattened sides that on the last whorl of the 

phragmacone occupy a band 4 to 5 mm wide flanking 

the umbilicus. The umbilicus is not quite a third of 

the diameter of the shell, stepped within; the umbilical 

shoulder is subangular; the umbilical wall is gently 

convex and nearly vertical.

Surface sculpture is lacking on most of the specimen, 

but where preserved within the umbilicus consists 

only of closely spaced growth lines. The internal 

mold has a polished surface crossed by four rather narrow growth constrictions on the last whorl of the phragmacone and with indistinct subparallel "fluting" along 

the flattened zone that borders the umbilicus. The 

growth constrictions and indistinct "fluting" are 

retractive across the flattened sides and the constrictions cross the venter in a very broad, nearly straight, 

shallow sinus.

x 2

X 5

FIGURE 11.—Miinsteroceras from two localities: A, M. saginatum Gordon 

n. sp., reconstructed front view in outline of the only specimen (USNM 

118956), XIJ^. B, External suture and umbilical lobe of the same specimen, 

at a shell diameter of 18 mm, X2. C, M. sp., external suture of the only specimen (USNM 118957) at a shell dimaeter of 5mm , X5.

The external suture (text fig. 11, B) has a narrow 

ventral lobe, of which the apicad half has nearly 

parallel sides and the orad half curves gradually outward. The first lateral saddle is asymmetrically 

rounded and has a median width a little more than 

twice that of the ventral lobe. The first lateral lobe 

is V-shaped and the second lateral saddle rounds 

rather evenly across the umbilical shoulder to the 

umbilical wall, where there is a conspicuous abruptly 

rounded umbilical lobe. Part of the internal suture is 

preserved on the penultimate whorl of the phragmacone, where there is a narrow dorsal lobe flanked 

by a wider, broadly rounded saddle. The surface on 

which the dorsal lobe is preserved also shows a "wrinkle 

layer" of minute, longitudinally elongate, warty 

wrinkles.

Dimensions: diameter (D), 24.5 mm; height of last 

whorl (H), 9.5 mm; width of the last whorl (W), 22.0 

mm; width of umbilicus (U), 7.4 mm. The shell 

ratios are as follows: U/D=-0.30, W/D=0.90, and 

W/H=2.32.

This form is related to Miinsteroceras sphaeroidale 

(McCoy) from which it differs in having a larger 

umbilicus and in greater width. The suture of Irish 

specimens of M. sphaeroidale is not completely known, 

but de Koninck (1880, p. 99) has illustrated the external 

suture of a Belgian specimen, from which the Alaskan 

shell differs in having a longer and narrower ventral
36 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

lobe and a simple V-shaped first lateral lobe with 

nearly straight sides. M. browni (McCoy) is another 

similar species, but is narrower and has a larger umbilicus than the Alaskan form.

The exact stratigraphic position and age of the 

Alaskan shell is not known, as the specimen was collected from an isolated exposure in a structurally deformed area and no associated megafossils were found. 

Its age can be indicated in only a broad manner by 

correlation, as there are similar rotund species of 

Munsteroceras in the Upper Tournaisian as well as in 

the Lower Visean of northwest Europe. These forms 

are generally restricted to the zone of Pericyclus 

[Ammonellipsites].

Holotype, USNM 118956.

Type locality: USGS locality 11877, from a sequence of undifferentiated Mississippian dark gray shale, probably 125 feet 

above the base, south side of the easternmost tributary of the 

east fork of Iligluruk Creek, Brooks Range.

Munsteroceras sp. 

Text fig. 11,C

A subspherical species of Munsteroceras is represented 

by a single small septate specimen, partly crushed on 

one side, about 5.4 mm in diameter and 5.2 mm wide. 

The umbilicus is small but its actual size cannot be 

determined because the shell is crushed; the umbilical 

shoulder is subrounded. One patch of shell material 

adhering to the crushed side shows no sign of surface 

sculpture, and the shell is presumed to have been smooth 

or nearly so.

The suture has a narrow ventral lobe with subparallel sides in the apicad half, curving wider apart 

orad, the median saddle very short; first lateral saddle 

moderately wide and asymmetrically well rounded orad ; 

first lateral lobe narrowly rounded at the tip, rather 

narrow; second lateral saddle rounded asymmetrically 

to the umbilical shoulder.

The configuration of the suture is generally similar 

to that of Munsteroceras saginatum Gordon, n. sp., 

but the two cannot be compared satisfactorily because 

the small involute Munsteroceras under consideration 

is much less mature than the holotype of M. saginatum.

Figured specimen: USNAM 118957.

Occurrence: USGS locality 13240, Lisburne group 

undifferentiated, about 440 feet stratigraphically below 

the base of a sill 105 feet thick, north spur of De Long 

Mountains between branches of the Kiligwa River, 

Brooks Range.

Genus BOLLANDITES Bisat, 1952

1924. Beyrichoceratoides [part] Bisat, Yorkshire Geol. Soc., v. 20,

pt. 1, p. 88. 

1934. Beyrichoceras Foord [part]. Bisat, Yorkshire Geol. Soc.,

v. 22, pt. 4, p. 284, 285.

1952. Bollandites Bisat, Leeds Geol. Assoc., Trans., v. 6, pt. 4 

p. 163, 164.

Diagnosis: Miinsteroceratid with discoidal to thickdiscoidal conch, narrowly to rather widely umbilicate; 

periphery of whorl Well rounded, sides compressed, 

umbilical shoulder subangular. Surface ornament of 

noncrenulate transverse striae, rather strong in some 

species. Suture with small narrow ventral lobe, its 

sides subparallel in apicad half but increasing in width 

orad more than 10 percent of the depth of the lobe in 

the distance from half to three-quarters the height of 

the lobe; median saddle low; first lateral saddle rounded, 

its median width at least 1% times that of the ventral 

lobe; first lateral lobe generally with rather sinuous 

sides and a small terminal spike.

Type of genus: Beyrichoceratoides castletonense Bisat, 

1924, by original designation.

Bisat erected this genus for the B. castletonense 

group. Originally describing B. castletonense as a 

Beyrichoceratoides (1924, p. 88) he transferred it later 

to Beyrichoceras (Bisat, 1934, p. 285) and included 

with it in the same group Beyrichoceras phillipsi Bisat, 

B. cf. B. excavatum (Phillips), B. mutabUe (Phillips), 

and B, hodderense Bisat.

Bollandites appears to be tnjdway between Beyrichoceras and Beyrichoceratoides. In some ways it is close 

to Munsteroceras, in which Beyrichoceratoides probably 

should be included as a subgenus. In Bollandites the 

sides of the ventral lobe of the suture diverge gradually 

orad, although at the apicad end the sides may be 

subparallel for a short distance. In this respect the 

genus differs from Munsteroceras in which the ventral 

lobe has approximately parallel sides for most of its 

length in the adult conch. Bollandites differs from 

Beyrichoceras in that the tips of the ventral lobe do not 

diverge apicad, but are subparallel or slightly convergent 

in that direction.

Although the most commonly collected specimens, 

those in early maturity, are thick discoidal in shape, 

Neaverson (1943, p. 137, pi. 5, figs, la, b) has shown 

that the complete mature conch of B. castletonense is 

discoidal in shape, with a narrowly rounded venter. 

The shell becomes increasingly involute with growth.

Included here in Bollandites are a number of shells 

that are decidedly involute, as well as those that have 

a relatively wide umbilicus in early maturity. Two 

species, B. greencastlense (Miller and Gurley) and 

B. mempeli (Schmidt), have fine longitudinal lirae 

ornamenting the shell surface.

The following species are included in the genus 

Bollandites:

Bollandites bowsheri Gordon, n. sp. 

Beyrichoceratoides castletonensis Bisat, 1924 

Munsteroceras euryomphalus Schindewolf, 1926
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 37

Beyrichoceras furyense Padget, 1952 

Goniatites greencastlensis Miller and Gurley, 1896 

Bollandites kiligwae Gordon, n. sp. 

Goniatites malladae Barrois, 1882 

Beyrichoceras mempeli Schrnidt, 1941 

? Miinsteroceras mitchelli Miller, 1935 

IGoniatites mutabilis Phillips, 1836 

Beyrichoceras phillipsi Bisat, 1934 

Bollandites sulcatus Bisat, 1952

The^genus Bollandites is distributed widely in the 

northern hemisphere, particularly in the northern part, 

in rocks of Early and Middle Visean age.

Bollandites bowsheri Gordon n. sp.

Plate 4, figs. 27-29, text fig. 12, A, B

Diagnosis: Conch subglobose, moderately involute, 

witht/ine transverse striae and sparse constrictions 

forming an orad bow over venter, crossed by faint 

longitudinal lirae on venter and near umbilicus. 

Beyrichoceratid suture with narrow ventral lobe, wide 

first lateral saddle and lobe.

Six specimens, most of them partly crushed, constitute the type lot. The holotype, a phragtnacone 

preserving much of the shell surface, is subglobose with 

a broadly rounded venter, well-rounded ventro-lateral 

and umbilical shoulders, and rather flattened sides; 

umbilicus open, its width equal to one-fifth of the 

diameter. Shell surface semipolished and shining, 

sculptured by very fine transverse striae that form, a 

small shallow sinus on the umbilical shoulder, are 

rather straight across the sides and ventro-lateral 

shoulder, and cross the venter in a gentle orad bow. 

Very faint longitudinal lirae on the venter and in the 

vicinity of the umbilical shoulder are less prominent 

than the transverse striae; two very faint constrictions 

of growth are strongest on the sides and ventro-lateral 

shoulders and die out over the venter.

FIGURE 12.—Bollandites bowsheri Gordon, n. sp. A, External suture of a 

paratype (USNM 118959) at a shell diameter of 15 ram, X3. B, Front view 

In outline of the holotype (USNM 118958), Y.\Yz.

Plate 4, figs. 27-29, text fig. 12, A, B

Parts of the last few sutures of the phragmacone are 

visible on the holotype but are broken and incomplete. 

The outermost external suture of a paratype (text fig. 

12, A), at a diameter of approximately 15 mm, shows 

a narrow ventral lobe slightly bulged in the middle,

398828—57———4

with a height of 3.2 mm and a median width of 1.7 

mm, notched to a depth of 0.6 mm by a squarish median 

saddle; the first lateral saddle is asymmetrically 

rounded, about 3 mm in median width; the first 

lateral lobe is V-shaped, acuminate, with a median 

width of 2.5 mm; and the second lateral saddle is 

broadly and asymmetrically rounded to the umbilical 

shoulder.

Dimensions and proportions 

Diameter (D)__ _ _ ___ __ __mm__

Height of last whorl (H) __________ _ _mm_ _ 

Width of last whorl (W). _ _ _ ____mm__

Width of umbilicus (U) _________ _ mm_

U/D

W/D

W/H___________________.____--_______-_

Holotype Paratype 

17. 3 13. 0 

7. 4 • 6. 3 

i 12. 2 6. 3 

3. 5 2. 3 

.20 .18 

.71 .78 

1. 65 1. 62

i Twice the half-width.

Two paratypes show patches of sculpture with 

slightly stronger longitudinal lirae on the venter than 

in the holotype. There appear to be about three 

lirae in the space of 1 mm at a diameter of roughly 

15 mm. The smaller specimen, the dimensions of 

which are given above, shows a well-developed growth 

constriction on the internal mold, crossing the venter 

in a shallow orad bow.

A large specimen with a similarly shaped conch, but 

with the left side crushed, comes from a locality about 

230 miles west of the type locality. The suture is 

not exposed, but important similarities in shape and 

surface sculpture suggest that it be referred with slight 

question to B. bowsheri. The diameter of this specimen 

is 30.0 mm and the width of the umbilicus, 6.3 mm. 

The umbilical wall is nearly flat and almost vertical. 

Fine longitudinal lirae surround the umbilicus and a 

single strong growth constriction forms a broad shallow 

orad bow over the venter.

The narrow ventral lobe of the suture of Bollandites bowsheri indicates the relationship of this species 

with the B. castletonense group for which Bisat (1952, 

p. 163, 164) proposed the generic name Bollandites. 

On the other hand, the presence of weak longitudinal 

sculpture on the venter and near the umbilicus suggests the genus Beyrichoceras, s. s., which has, however, 

a wider ventral lobe in proportion to the first lateral 

saddle.

The presence of a ventral orad bow of the growth 

lines and constrictions, instead of the ventral sinus so 

typical of the beyrichoceratids distinguishes B. bowsheri 

from any other presently known species. Indeed, 

this feature is an uncommon one in Mississippian 

goniatites. However, the writer does not regard it 

as necessarily indicating a fundamental generic separation from the beyrichoceratids, similar in other respects. Typical representatives of Bollandites, such
38 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN. AND EASTERN ALASKA

as B. castletonense Bisat and B. phillipsi Bisat, have a 

very shallow hyponomic sinus, the transverse striae 

being rectilinear in most young specimens and hence 

fairly close to B. bowsheri.

This species is named in honor of A. L. Bowsher, 

who collected the type specimens and who made many 

of the preliminary studies of the Brooks Range Paleozoic invertebrate fauna.

Holotype, USMN 118958; paratypes, five additional specimens, USNM 118959. Figured specimen, USNM 118960.

Type locality: USGS locality 12084, limestone nodules from 

black chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone, on ridge 

1,500 feet east of Kanaktuk Lake, Anaktuvuk Valley, Brooks 

Range.

Occurrence: At the type locality (see above) and at USGS 

locality 12787, north bank of the Nuka River, Brooks Range.

Bollandites kiligwae Gordon n. sp.

Plate 4, figs. 20-26, text fig. 13,A, B

Diagnosis: A small involute beyrichoceratid sculptured by sinuous growth lines and transverse constrictions that form a moderately shallow hyponomic sinus. 

Suture with a narrow ventral lobe as in B. castletonense 

but shorter and with faintly sinuous sides, first lateral 

lobe V-shaped and narrow.

The holotype, is a partly broken phragmacone, thickdiscoidal with well-rounded venter and ventro-lateral 

shoulder, rather flattened side, and subangular umbilical 

shoulder; the whorl wider than high, its greatest width 

at the umbilical shoulder; umbilicus open, its width 

equal to about one-tenth of the diameter.

Surface sculpture, showing in small patches retained 

by the specimen, consists of fine closely spaced gently 

sinuous lines and parallel constrictions of growth. 

There are four constrictions on the outermost whorl. 

These form an exceedingly gentle bow orad over the 

sides and ventro-lateral shoulders and a moderately 

prominent hyponomic sinus.

External suture with a rather narrow ventral lobe 

with slightly divergent sides, subparallel near the base 

and faintly bulged at the middle, indented to about 

one-fifth of its height by the median saddle; first lateral 

saddle with a median width about 1.4 times that of the

x 3

B

X 5

FIGUKE 13.—Bollandites kiligwae Gordon, n. sp. A, Cross section of an 

immature paratype (USNM 118962), X5. B, External suture of the 

holotype (USNM 118961) at a shell diameter of 10 mm, X3.

ventral lobe, rounded and slightly flattened orad; first 

lateral lobe narrow, V-shaped, and bluntly pointed; 

second lateral saddle broadly and asymmetrically 

rounded to the umbilicus.

Dimensions and proportions Holotype Paratype Paratype

Diameter (D)_-___-_______mm._ 12.5 9.1 7.0

Height of last whorl (H) ______ _mm_ . 6. 6 5. 0 3. 9

Width of last whorl (W)_.._____mm_. 8. 2 * 7. 7 5. 5

Width of umbilicus (U)..._--_-mm__ 1.6 .7 .7

_____________-__-_---_---_-_ .13 .08 .10

__________-_-_____-_---_-__- .66 .85 .79

______________________ 1.24 1.54 1.41

1 Twice the half-width.

This small species is represented by several specimens, most of them with remains of partly crushed 

body chambers. Some of the paratypes have subglobose shells.

The narrow ventral lobe allies B. kiligwae with the 

B. castletonense group for which Bisat (1952, p. 163, 

164) erected Bollandites, most of whose members have 

widely umbilicate shells. In general proportions, involution, and configuration of the aperture B. kiligwae 

resembles the Irish species B. furyense Padget (1952), 

but it lacks the umbilical ring of that species and has 

a narrow V-shaped first lateral lobe in contrast to that 

of B. furyense which is wider, more rounded, and mammilate. It is distinguished from Bollandites bowsheri 

n. sp. by its smaller size, more rounded venter, presence 

of a hyponomic sinus, and the narrower first lateral 

lobe of the suture.

Holotype, USNM 118961; paratypes, USNM 118962, 16 specimens collected with the holotype.

Type locality: USGS locality 13204, Alapah limestone, concretions in interbedded black chert and shale member about 

500 feet below top of section in cut banks on east fork of the 

Kiligwa River, Brooks Range.

Bollandites cf. B. sulcatum (Bisat) 

Plate 4, figs. 17-19, text fig. 14, A, B

1952. Bollandites sulcatum Bisat, Leeds Geol. Assoc., Trans., 

v. 6, pt. 4, p. 175-177, pi. 3, figs. 4, 5, 8, text fig. 2 (e).

A small beyrichoceratid of the B. castletonense group 

is represented by four partly silicified specimens from 

a locality in the valley of the Ipnavik River. The 

conch is thick-discoidal, moderately evolute, with wellrounded venter and sides and a sharply rounded umbilical shoulder; umbilical wall gently convex; umbilicus 

tapered within, its sides diverging at an angle of about 

50°. The largest specimen (text fig. 14, A) is a natural 

cross section of approximately six whorls. All the 

whorl sections but the last one are well rounded and 

crescentic; the last is rounded-sub triangular, with 

flattened sides (the flattening is believed to be due at 

least in part to crushing). In the small specimen of 

slightly over four whorls figured on plate 4, three rather
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS

weak growth constrictions can be seen on the last 

whorl. They are slightly protractive across the sides 

and form a very shallow hyponomic sinus over the 

venter. Silicification has obliterated the details of 

surface sculpture in all the specimens.

x 5

FIGUBE 14.—Bollandites cf. B. sulcatum Bisat. A Cross section of a specimen 

(USNM 118963) with a distorted outer whorl, X3. B External suture and umbilical 

lobe, from another specimen (USNM 118963) at a shell diameter of 5.7 mm, X5.

The suture (text fig. 14, J9) is taken from the small 

specimen. At a diameter of 5.7 mm the ventral lobe is 

short, of moderate width, and very shallowly notched 

by the median saddle; first lateral saddle well rounded 

orad, its median width 1.4 tunes that of the ventral 

lobe; first lateral lobe moderately wide, indistinctly 

mamillate; second lateral saddle rather narrow, asymmetrically rounded; umbilical lobe very shallow and 

broadly rounded.

Dimensions and proportions A B

Diameter (D)._________.__.___.____mm__ 12.1 7.0

Height of last whorl (H)_____.__-___mm._ 5.6 3.0

Width of last whorl (W)__._____mm__ 6. 9 4. 6

Width of umbilicus (U)___--_--_---_mm__ 3.5 2.5

U/D..._____._...________________ .29 .36

W/D.____________._____________________ .57 .66

W/H___________________________________ 1.23 1.53

Several widely umbilicate beyrichoceratids bear a 

superficial resemblance to the Alaskan form under discussion. They are: Beyrichoceras (Beyrichoceras} umbilicatum (Phillips), B. (Bollandoceras} globosum Bisat., 

B. (Bollandites) castletonense (Bisat), B. (B.) phillipsi 

Bisat, and B. (B.) sulcatum (Bisat). The first two may 

be distinguished from the Alaskan form by the rather 

broad ventral lobe and correspondingly narrow first 

lateral saddle of their sutures. B. umbilicatum also 

has a more compressed shell.

Comparison with a specimen of B. castletonense in the 

USGS collection, from Treak Cliff, Derbyshire, England, shows that the British species at a diameter of 

roughly 15 mm is more widely umbilicate (U/D=0.45) 

than the Alaskan shell. Moreover, Bisat (1924, p. 92, 

93) pointed out that up to a diameter of at least 21 mm, 

the umbilicus of B. castletonense expands with growth.

The rather meager information given in the table of 

dimensions suggests that the umbilicus of the Alaskan 

form becomes smaller with growth.

Typical B. phillipsi Bisat has a* narrower umbilicus 

(U/D=0.21-0.23) than B. castletonense, and narrower 

also than the Alaskan form.

B. sulcatum, like the Alaskan shell, has an umbilicus 

whose width (U/D=0.28) is between those of B. 

castletonense and B. phillipsi. Whether the Alaskan 

shells in maturity would develop a ventral longitudinal 

sulcus, as do some specimens of B. sulcatum, is not 

known. The dimensions given by Bisat (1952, p. 176) 

for B. sulcatum show that it has a slightly narrower shell 

(W/D=0.52) than the Alaskan form. The proportions 

of the Alaska shells, however, are similar to those of 

two specimens of an unidentified species of Beyrichoceras (USNM coll. 636) from Poolvash, Isle of Man, 

England. In these at diameters of 13 and 20 mm U/D= 

0.39 and 0.36, respectively, and W/D=0.62 in both.

As the range of variation of the beyrichoceratids has 

not yet been determined and as the Alaskan material 

at hand is not regarded as adequate for establishing a 

new species, it appears most reasonable for the present 

to point out the general similarity of the Alaskan shell 

to the British species, B. sulcatum Bisat. Left to future 

collecting of better material and future studies of the 

group is the decision as to whether a new name is 

needed for this form.

The stratigraphic position and correlation of the 

Alaskan form does not appear to present as much of a 

problem, as all of the similar widely umbilicate species in 

England occur in the upper Beyrichoceras (B2 ) zone.

Figured specimens: USNM 118963.

Occurrence: USGS locality 11818, from concretions in an outcrop of black cherty shale, roughly 2 miles south of Lisburne 

Ridge and 8 miles east of the Ipnavik River, Brooks Range.

Genus BEYRICHOCERAS Foord 1903, emend. Bisat, 1924

1903. Beyrichoceras Foord [part], Carboniferous Cephalopoda of

Ireland, pt. 5, p. 219. 

1924. Beyrichoceras Foord [part]. Bisat, Yorkshire Geol. Soc.,

v. 20, pt. 1, p. 83, 84. 

1934. Beyrichoceras Foord [part]. Bisat, Yorkshire Geol. Soc.,

22, pt. 4, p. 284, 285.

1940. Beyrichoceras Foord [part]. Delepine, Mus. royale histoire nat. Belgique, Mem no. 91, p. 60-63.

1941. Beyrichoceras Foord. Delepine, Maroc, Serv. G6oL, notes

et mem, no. 56, p. 62. 

1947. Beyrichoceras Foord. Miller, Jour. Paleontology, v. 21,

no. 1, p. 19, 20. 

1952. Beyrichoceras Foord. Del^pine in Piveteau, Trait6 de

Paleontologie, tome 2, p. 572. 

1952. Beyrichoceras Foord. Bisat, Leeds Geol. Assoc., Trans..

v. 6, pt. 4, p. 164, 167-171. 

1952. Bollandoceras Bisat, Leeds Geol. Assoc., Trans., v. 6, pt.

4, p. 164, 167.
40 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Diagnosis: Shell generally subdiscoidal, moderately 

involute, with well rounded venter and ventro-lateral 

shoulders and gently rounded sides. Surface sculpture 

consists of delicate tioncrenulate transverse striae and 

narrow growth constrictions that are gently sinuous 

and usually form a shallow hyponomic sinus over the 

venter; some species have faint longitudinal striae, 

strongest on the ventro-lateral shoulders, but most 

species lack longitudinal sculpture. Suture goniatitid, 

externally with a narrow ventral lobe commonly with 

slightly bulging sides and with the points diverging 

apicad; a pair of rounded or spatulate first lateral 

saddles, a pair of pointed V-shaped lateral lobes, and 

a pair of short rounded umbilical lobes. The median 

width of the first lateral saddle is less than iyz times 

that of the ventral lobe.

Type of genus: Goniatites obtusus Phillips 1836, by 

subsequent designation of Bisat (1924, p. 84).

Beyrichoceras can be distinguished from Munsteroceras 

Hyatt by the fine transverse striae on the shell and 

generally by the more advanced suture. From Beyrichoceratoides Bisat it differs in having a more compressed shell, a ventral lobe which diverges more 

rapidly in the orad half, and a deeper median sinus. 

From Sudeticeras Patteisky it differs in the lack of 

crenulate transverse striae and the slightly narrower 

and more deeply notched ventral lobe of the suture.

A variety of species were included originally by 

Foord (1903) in Beyrichoceras, which he proposed as a 

subgenus of Clyphioceras Hyatt. Bisat (1924) redefined 

the genus more or less as it is now understood and 

selected B. obtusum (Phillips), the first species mentioned 

by Foord, as its type. Of the eighteen species included 

by Foord in Beyrichoceras, Bisat recognized only two 

as still belonging in this genus. The others are now 

distributed among other genera, such as Beyrichoceratoides Bisat, Munsteroceras Hyatt, Homoceras Hyatt, 

Reticuloceras Bisat, and Neoglyphioceras Briining.

Bisat (1924, 1934) described several new species of 

Beyrichoceras and in his 1934 paper called attention to 

three principal stocks or subgeneric groups of species 

that he said comprise the genus, the groups of B. 

castletonense Bisat, B. micronotum (Phillips), and 

B. obtusum (Phillips). He did not propose formal 

names for these groups at that time. In a later paper, 

Bisat (1952) restricted the name Beyrichoceras to the 

B. obtusum group and proposed as new genera the 

names Bollandites and Bollandoceras for the other two 

groups.

The writer does not believe that the B. micronotum 

group differs markedly from the B. obtusum group in 

essential characters. He is therefore suppressing 

Bollandoceras as a synonym of Beyrichoceras. Bollandites, on the other hand, erected for the B. castletonense

group, appears to be intermediate between Beyrichoceras and Munsteroceras (including Beyrichoceratoides) 

and is here recognized as a separate genus.

The following species are included in the genus 

Beyrichoceras:

Beyrichoceras delicatum Bisat, 1924 

Bollandoceras globosum Bisat, 1952 

Beyrichoceras hodderense Bisat, 1924 

hornerae Miller, 1947 

micronotoides Bisat, 1934 

Goniatites micronotus Phillips, 1836

obtusus Phillips, 1836 

Beyrichoceras parkinsoni Bisat, 1934 

rectangularum Bisat, 1934 

submicronotum Bisat, 1934 

umbilicatum Bisat, 1934 

vallense Delepine, 1940 

Goniatites vesciculifer de Koninck, 1880

These species occur in rocks of middJe Visean age in 

the northern hemisphere, particularly in the boreal part 

of it.

Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips) 

Plate 4, figs. 33-41, text fig. 15, A-C

1836. Goniatites micronotus Phillips, Illustrations of the Geology

of Yorkshire, pt. 2, p. 234, pi. 19, figs. 22, 23. 

1880. Gomatites micronotus Phillips. Branco, Palaeontographica,

Band 27, p. 24, pi. 4, figs. a-1. 

1897. Glyphioceras micronotum (Phillips). Foord and Crick,

Catalogue of the Fossil Cephalopoda in the British

Museum (Natural History;, pt. 3, p. 173-175, text fig.

74. 

1903. Glyphioceras (Beyrichoceras) micronotum (Phillips). Foord,

Carboniferous Cephalopoda of Ireland, pt. 5, p. 177,

178, pi. 44, figs. 5a, b. 

1924. Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips). Bisat, Yorkshire

Geol. Soc., v. 20, pt. 1, p. 85, 86, pi. 9, figs. 4, 5. 

1934. Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips). Bisat, Yorkshire

Geol. Soc., v. 22, pt. 4, p. 291, 292, pi. 24, fig. 2, text

fig. 18.

1940. Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips). Delepine, Mus. 

royal histoire nat. Belgique, Mem. no. 91, p. 68, 69, pi. 

4, figs. 9-12.

1941. Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips). Delepine, Morocco, 

Service Ge"ol., Notes et Mem., no. 56, p. 62, 63, pi. 3, 

figs. 25-32.

Three specimens from beds containing Goniatites 

crenistria at two localities on the Kiruktagiak River 

are probably conspecific with Beyrichoceras micronotum 

(Phillips). All are close in general proportions to the 

lectoholotype of that species. The shell is subdiscoidal, 

the width not quite half the diameter, with a wellrounded venter, gently rounded sides and a sharply 

rounded umbilical shoulder, the greatest width of the 

whorl about one quarter of the way from the umbilicus 

to the venter, and the whorl a little higher than wide. 

The umbilicus is small, its width about one-fourteenth 

the diameter, probably open, but owing to the nature 

of the preservation of the shell it is difficult to tell
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 41

whether or not the umbilicus was closed by shell 

material.

Surface sculpture consists of fine closely spaced 

gently sinuous lines of growth, forming a gentle orad 

bow on the inner flank, a shallow lateral sinus on the 

outer flank, a gentle vento-lateral salient, and a shallow 

hyponomic sinus over the venter. The best preserved 

specimen also has three constrictions of growth with 

the same configuration as the growth lines, well developed on the internal mold, but on the outer shell 

limited to shallow grooves on the sides. Two of the 

specimens show a "wrinkle layer" superimposed on the 

shell surface.

x 3

FIGURE 15.—Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips). A, External suture of a specimen 

(USNM 118965) at a shell diameter of 14 mm, X3. B, External suture of another 

specimen (USNM 118966) from the same general locality as the last, at a shell 

diameter of 10.5 mm, X3. C, Front view in outline of the shell, from the same 

specimen as figure 144,

One specimen, a phragmacone with a small part of 

the body chamber attached, shows the external suture 

clearly. At a shell diameter of 14 mm (text fig. 15, _4) 

the relatively wide ventral lobe with slightly diverging 

gently bulging sides is 2.9 mm long, 2.0 mm in median 

width, and the dorsad curved pointed tips are 1.5 mm 

apart; the first lateral saddle is well rounded at the 

end, with a median width of about 1.7 mm; the first 

lateral lobe is short, mamilliform, acuminate, with a 

median width of about 2.2 mm; and the second lateral 

saddle is shallow, wide, and curved asymmetrically to 

the umbilical shoulder.

Dimensions and proportions 

Diameter (D)__ _ _mm _

Height of last whorl (H)_mm__ 

Width of last whorl (W)_mm__ 

Width of umbilicus (U)_mm__ 

U/D___. ___________________

W/D-_-____________________

W/H. ______________________

A 

17.8

9. 8 

8. 2 

1. 2 

.07

.46

.84

B

17.2

9.7 

8.5 

1. 2 

. 07

49

. 88

C 

14 6

8.3 

7. 1 

1. 0 

.07

4Q

. 86

D

11.7

6.3 

6.0 

1. 2 

. 10

C1

. 95

A and C are from TJSGS locality 10866, B and D from USGS localities 10864 and 

14149, respectively.

A specimen from USGS locality 14149 (same locality 

as 10864) is referred with some question to Beyrichoceras 

micronotum. Its dimensions have been included in the 

table above. Its proportions are nearly identical with 

those of the lectoholotype of B. micronotum (see below) 

and very close to those of the three Alaskan shells 

described above. The umbilicus is open. The suture 

(text fig. 15) differs from that of B. micronotum in having a narrower ventral lobe, but close inspection shows 

that the first lateral lobe and saddle are also proportionally narrower and the individual elements of the 

suture have the same general shapes as those of the 

suture of B. micronotum. It would seem that this shell 

is merely a variant of the beyrichoceratid with which it 

is associated, rather than a distinct species.

Foord and Crick (1897, p. 175) designated the larger 

of two specimens (no. C262a in the BMNH collection) 

in Phillips' original lot from Bolland, Yorkshire as the 

type of B. micronotum. The dimensions of the tectoholotype given by Bisat (1934, p. 291) agree very well 

with those of the Alaskan specimens under consideration. The ratios for the lectoholotype, computed from 

Bisat's measurements, are as follows: U/D=0.10, W/D 

= 0.50, and W/H=0.93. The suture line exposed in 

the septate Alaskan specimen is almost identical with 

that of the type specimen of B. micronotum as figured 

by Foord and Crick (1897, text fig. 81) and also closely 

resembles Bisat's figure of part of a suture from the same 

specimen (Bisat, 1934, text fig. 18), though the ventral 

lobe of the Alaskan specimen is a little more deeply 

notched by the median saddle than shown by Bisat for 

the lectoholotype. The greatest area of uncertainty in 

comparing the two lies in the umbilicus of the three 

Alaskan shells which is very small and may have been 

closed.

Distribution: Beyrichoceratids of the B. micronotum 

group occur high in the upper Beyrichoceras (B2 ) zone 

of northern England. Bisat (1952, p. 162) has suggested that B. micronotum may also occur above beds 

containing Goniatites crenistria, s. 1. B. micronotum is 

known from many localities in the British Isles. 

Delepine (1940, p. 68, 69, pi. 4, figs. 9-12) has described 

poorly preserved specimens from the Vise"an at Vise 

which appear to be a little more widely umbilicate than 

the British form. He also has recognized this species 

at several localities in French Morocco (Dele'pine, 1941, 

p. 62, 63, pi. 3, figs. 25-32).

Figured specimens: USNM 118964-66.

Occurrence: USGS locality 10864, Kiruktagiak River, 13 

miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, one specimen; 

USGS locality 10866, Kiruktagiak River, 9}_ miles southwest of 

its junction with Castle Creek, Brooks Range, two specimens; 

USGS locality 14949, same as 10864, one specimen. Fossils are 

from the black chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone.
42 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Beyrichoceras sp. 

Plate 4, figs. 30-32, text fig. 16 A, B

A single specimen, probably an immature individual, 

is a little plumper than Beyrichoceras micronotum 

(Phillips) with which it is associated and also differs 

slightly in particulars of the suture. It consists of the 

phragmacone and almost a complete volution of the 

body chamber and can be described as follows: Conch 

thick-discoidal, with well-rounded venter, gently 

rounded sides, and strongly rounded umbilical shoulder. 

Umbilicus small, equal to about one-tenth of the diameter. Body whorl a little wider than high, widest near 

the umbilical shoulder. Surface sculpture is not 

preserved in the specimen. There are about five 

rather faint gently sinuous constrictions of growth on 

the last whorl, forming shallow hyponomic and lateral 

sinuses.

Outermost suture at a diameter of approximately 

8 mm (text fig. 16, A) has a short broad ventral lobe

x 3

FIGURE 16. — Beyrichoceras sp. A, External suture of a specimen (USNM 118967) 

at a shell diameter of 8 mai, X3. B, Front view in outline of the same shell,

with rather straight sides diverging at an angle of 

approximately 40°, indented to about one-fifth of its 

length by a wide subangular median saddle; first 

lateral saddle broadly spatulate, its median width 

about 1.1 times that of the ventral lobe; first lateral 

lobe short and broad, a little wider than the first lateral 

saddle, rounded and mammilate; second lateral saddle 

broadly and asymmetrically rounded.

The dimensions of the shell are as follows: diameter 

(D), 13.3 mm; height of last whorl (H), 7.5 mm; width 

of last whorl (W), 8.8 mm; and width of umbilicus (U), 

1.3 mm. The shell ratios are: U/D=0.10, W/D = 0.66 

and W/H=1.17.

The first lateral lobe of the suture is very similar to 

that of Beyrichoceras micronotum with which this shell 

is associated, but the ventral lobe differs in having 

straighter, more divergent sides and sharp subtriangular 

points, and the shell is wider. Whether these differences are due to immaturity of the specimen is not 

resolvable at present because of the lack of sufficient 

specimens. Bisat's figure (1934, text fig. 18) of the 

suture of the lectoholotype of B. micronotum shows 

similarities to the suture of Beyrichoceras sp., but has a 

slightly narrower first lateral saddle and the sides of 

the ventral lobe a little less widely divergent.

Figured specimen: USNM 118967.

Occurrence: USGS locality 10866, black chert and shale 

member of the Alapah limestone, Kiruktagiak River, 9)£ miles 

southwest of its confluence with Castle Creek, Brooks Range.

Genus GONIATITES De Haan 1825

Goniatites crenistria Phillips 

Plate 5, figs. 1-16, text fig. 17 A-D

1836. Goniatites crenistria Phillips, Illustrations of the Geology 

of Yorkshire, pt. 2, p. 234, pi. 19, figs. 7-9.

1836. Goniatites vesica Phillips, Illustrations of the Geology of 

Yorkshire, pt. 2, p. 236, pi. 20, figs. 19-21.

1897. Glyphioceras incisum Hyatt [part]. Smith, California 

Acad. Sci., Proc., 3d ser., Geology, v. 1, no. 3, p. 111-121, 

pi. 13, figs. 1, 2, 6-12, pi. 14, figs. 1-9, pi. 15, figs. 1-11 

(not pi. 13, figs. 3-5).

1903. Goniatites crenistria Phillips [part]. Smith, U. S. Geol. 

Survey, Mon. 42, p. 68-76, pi. 14, figs. 1, 2, 7-12, pi. 15, 

figs. 1-9, pi. 16, figs, la-j, pi. 26, figs. 1-4 (not pi. 10, 

figs. 12-16, pi. 14, figs. 4-6, pi. 26, fig. 5).

1910. Goniatites crenistria Phillips. Grabau and Shimer, North 

American Index Fossils, v. 2, p. 141, fig. 1393, f-h.

1911. Goniatites choctawensis Shumard [part]. Girty, U. S.

Geol. Survey, Bull. 439, p. 97-99, pi. 15, figs. 7, 7a (not

figs. 1-6). 

1911. Goniatites crenistria Phillips. Girty, U. S. Geol. Survey,

Bull. 439, p. 99-101, pi. 15, figs. 8, 9.

1924. Goniatites crenistria Phillips. Bisat, Yorkshire Geol. 

Soc., Proc., v. 20, pt. 1, p. 78-82, pi. 3, figs. 4, 5, pi. 9, 

fig. 1.

1925. Glyphioceras crenistria (Phillips) [part]. Schmidt, Preuss.

geol. Landesanstalt, Jahrbuch, Band 45, p. 565, 566, pi.

21, figs. 1, 3, pi. 23, fig. 14 (not pi. 21, fig. 2, pi. 23, fig.

13). 

1952. Goniatites crenistria Phillips. Bisat, Leeds Geol. Assoc.,

Trans., v. 6, pt. 4, p. 173, 174, text fig. 3 (b).

Diagnosis: Shell globose in the young, becoming subglobose to thick-discoidal in the adult; involute, umbilicus roughly one-tenth the diameter of the shell. 

Shell surface crenistriate; transverse striae faintly sinuous. Suture of eight lobes and corresponding saddles, 

ventral and first lateral lobes with sigmoidal sides and 

first lateral saddle pointed in the adult.

Young shells of this species are globose, with a broadly 

rounded venter and well-rounded sides. In the first 

two or three whorls the width of ths shell is slightly less 

than the diameter, but at diameters of roughly 3 to 4 

mm in the typical form the width slightly exceeds the 

diameter. From this stage on, the gradual increase in 

the diameter of the shell is proportionally greater than 

the increase in width, so that immature and young mature shells are subglobose and fully mature shells, 

tbick-discoidal. The mature shell has very gently 

rounded sides, but the venter and ventro-lateral areas 

are well rounded. The shell is involute during growth, 

the width of the umbilicus about one-tenth of the diameter, normally ranging from 7 to 12 percent pi the
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 43

diameter. A cross section of an Alaskan shell (text 

fig. 17D) shows its extreme involution.

FIGURE n.—Goniatites crenistria Phillips. A, External suture of a specimen (USNM 

118970) at a shell diameter of 41 mm, Xl/4. B, External suture of another specimen 

(USNM 118968) at a shell diameter of 29 mm, XlA. l C, External suture of an immature specimen (USNM 118968) at a shell diameter of approximately 9 mm, 

X3. D, Cross section of the wide form (USNM 118969),

Surface ornamentation consists principally of transverse striae, not perceptibly crenulate in the young up 

to a diameter of about 9 mm, but gently sinuous, with a 

shallow hyponomic sinus already developed at a diameter of 2 mm and flanked by a pair of very gentle 

salients. At diameters greater than 9 mm, the transverse striae are crenulate, the crenulations becoming

gradually stronger with growth until, in the adult, they 

resemble the perforations along the edge of a postage 

stamp. On some adult specimens the salient points of 

the crenulations are crossed by faint flattish interrupted 

longitudinal lirae that are generally weaker than the 

transverse striae. Growth constrictions are present on 

some internal molds, two to three per whorl, but are 

not common.

The earliest stages of the suture of this species have 

been illustrated by Smith (1897, p. 114-120, pi. 15, figs. 

1-11; 1903, p. 70-75, pi. 16, figs, la-j) from Arkansas 

specimens. In young shells the first lateral saddle is 

evenly rounded and the ventral lobe is barely notched 

by the median saddle. With growth the first lateral 

saddle becomes more tapered and in late maturity is 

commonly pointed and the median saddle becomes 

progressively deeper, extending to about two-fifths of 

the height of the ventral lobe in a specimen at a diameter of 45 mm.

This widespread European species was first recognized 

in North America by Smith (1903). Most subsequent 

American authors, however, have included Smith's 

Arkansas specimens in the synonymy of Goniatites 

choctawensis Shumard. Recent studies of Arkansas 

and Oklahoma material by the writer show that G. 

crenistria and G. choctawensis can be separated and that 

Smith's specimens from the Moorefield formation 

belong in G. crenistria. Comparisons show that the 

Moorefield specimens are con specific with the Alaskan 

specimens here described and are close to the wide form. 

A more complete synonymy of G. crenistria than the 

one given above is included in a paper on the Carboniferous cephalopods of Arkansas (Gordon, in preparation).

The writer has had the privilege of examining the 

primary types of G. crenistria in the British Museum 

(Natural History). The lectotype is the middle-sized 

of five specimens in the original lot and preserves much 

of the shell surface, showing the delicate crenistriate 

pattern. The transverse striae curve gently across the 

venter and form a shallow sinus a little less than 2 mm 

deep. The dimensions of the lectoholotype are given 

in the table above. The largest paratype, an internal 

cast retaining about four-fifths of a whorl of the body

Dimensions and proportions

Diameter (D). _ .. _________ mm.. 

Height of last whorl (H) ... _ . . . . . mm 

Width of last whorl (W).~ -._---. .._mm.. 

Width of umbilicus (U).— . ... — ..mm.- 

VfD....... ................................

WfD................. .....................

WIH.. ........................ ............

Typical form

Holotype

38.3 

20.5 

25.0 

3.7 

.10 

.65 

1.22

A

47.3 

23.6 

30.1 

4.0 

.08 

.64 

1.28

B

45.3 

22.0 

29.2 

3.7 

.08 

.64 

1.33

C

34.2 

18.5 

24.2 

3.3 

.10 

.70 

1.31

D

21.4 

11.0 

15.1 

1.4 

.07 

.71 

1.37

E

12.2 

6.6 

10.2 

.9 

.07 

.84 

1.55

F

3.7

1.5 

4.0 

.6 

.16 

1.08 

2.66

Wide form

G

78.3 

42.5 

43.7 

9.2 

.12 

.56 

1.03

H

43.7 

21.3 

29.2 

5.0 

.11 

.67 

1.37

I

33.7

16.7 

25.2 

4.0 

.12 

.75 

1.51

3

25.1 

13.7 

20.5 

1.7 

.07 

.82 

1.49

K

24.7 

13.0

19.0 

1.8 

.07 

.77 

1.46

L

19.6 

9.4 

116.6 

1.6 

.08 

.85 

1.77

M

9.6 

5.6 

9.3 

1.0 

.11 

.97 

1.66

N

6.9 

3.7

6.9 

.7 

.10 

1.00

1.86

i Twice the half-width.

NOTE.—A to F from USGS locality 11828; G, K-M from USGS locality 9188; H-J, N from locality 10866.
44 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

chamber, has a diameter of 62.0 mm and a width of 

36.4 mm. Bisat (1924, p. 79, 81) has pointed out that 

Goniatites vesica Phillips (1836, p. 236) was based on 

young shells of G. crenistria.

The type lot represents a relatively narrow form of 

G. crenistria, similar to Alaskan specimens from the 

Etivluk River valley (USGS loc. 11828). As Phillips 

pointed out in his original description of this species, 

some varieties are more globular than the figured 

lectotype. The wider form from the Kiruktagiak 

River vaUey (USGS Iocs. 9188, 10864, 14149) is shown 

separately in the table of dimensions above. This form 

is similar to specimens from the Pia subzone at Dinckley 

and Little Mearley Clough, Lancashire, England sent 

by E. W. J. Moore to G. H. Girty and now in the USGS 

collection. The narrower typical form is similar to 

those in another lot from the Pla subzone in Cowdale 

Clough, 2y2 miles west of Barnoldswick, Yorkshire, 

also sent by Moore to Girty, except that the Cowdale 

Clough specimens have a slightly wider umbilicus.

Bisat (1952, p. 174) says that variants of G. crenistria 

are very numerous and that eventually a detailed succession of subspecies will be established. However, 

he informed the writer (July 1952, personal communication) that differences in suites of G. crenistria from 

different localities in the north of England do not seem 

to have stratigraphic significance over any considerable 

area.

The following varieties and a subspecies of G. crenistria 

have already been described.

Goniatites crenistria dinckleyensis Bisat (1928, p. 132, 

pi. 6A, figs. 1, la), the holotype of which has been 

examined by the writer, appears to be like the typical 

form but a little more widely umbilicate (U/D=0.15). 

The holotype (BMNH C33150) has the following dimensions: diameter, 44.4 mm; height of last whorl, 22.0 mm; 

width of last whorl, 27.5 mm; width of umbilicus, 6.7 

mm. Entirely septate, it has 16% chambers on the 

exposed whorl and its relative width (W/D=0.62) 

agrees closely with that of typical G. crenistria at the 

same size. Thus Bisat's description of the subspecies 

dinckleyensis as being broader than the typical form 

and having 15 septa per whorl rather than the normal 17 

is not borne out by the holotype.

Glyphioceras Jimbriatum Foord and Crick (1897, p. 

165, 166, text fig. 77a-c) is a broader (W/D=0.79-0.93 

in the adult) and more widely umbilicate form (U/D = 

0.14-0.22) than typical G. crenistria,with slightly coarser 

sculpture, believed by Bisat (1928, p. 80) to be a variety 

of G. crenistria.

Glyphioceras crenistria var. globoides Schmidt (1925, 

p. 566, pi. 21, fig. 1) is an extremely globose form 

resembling G. sphaericus (Sowerby) in shape but having 

a crenistriate shell surface. Schmidt's measurements

indicate that adult specimens (W/D = 0.70 at 30 and 

40 mm diam.) are somewhat narrower.

Goniatites crenistria var. pseudostriatus Bisat (1928, 

p. 81) is a narrow form (W/D = 0.53 at 62 mm diam.) 

with a very small umbilicus (U/D = 0.05) and typical 

crenate striae, according to Bisat's original description.

Goniatites crenistria var. reticulatus Bisat (1928, p. 

81) is a variety shaped like the typical species, but 

with a wider umbilicus (U/D=0.17) and with the longitudinal lirae very noticeable, though not equal in 

strength to the transverse striae. The name is a homonym of Goniatites reticulatus Phillips (1836, p. 235), 

the type of the genus Reticuloceras Bisat (1924, p. 114).

Only one of these five might be recognized in the 

Alaska material. Some of the wider specimens from 

the Kiruktagiak River valley (USGS Iocs. 9188, 10864 

and 14149) are globose in the younger stages and in 

this respect resemble Goniatites crenistria var. globoides 

(Schmidt), but they appear to be a little more involute 

than Schmidt's figured cross section.

Goniatites crenistria Phillips can be distinguished from 

all the other North American species by its crenistriate 

sculpture, which persists through the mature stages of 

the shell. The closest American species is Goniatites 

choctawensis Shumard, which is about as narrow as an 

extremely slender form of G. crenistria. G. choctawensis 

is crenistriate in the young stages, but becomes finely 

lirate longitudinally in the mature conch, there being 

over 200 slightly wavy longitudinal lirae on the sides 

and venter of a typical specimen. Young shells of G. 

choctawensis are slightly narrower than those of G. 

crenistria, their width approaching but at no place 

(except for the protoconch) exceeding the diameter. 

Other American species, G. cumminsi (Hyatt) and G. 

kentuckiensis Miller have rounded-quadrilateral cross 

sections and are more coarsely longitudinally lirate in 

the mature stages than G. choctawensis.

Distribution: In North America it occurs in the black 

chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone Lisburne group in the Brooks Range, Alaska; and in the 

Moorefield formation of Arkansas. In western Europe 

it is a common and characteristic zonal fossil in the 

lower part of the Upper Vise"an (zones V3a and V3b) 

of Belgium; in Germany and parts of Poland and 

Czechoslovakia in zone Ilia of German authors; in the 

British Isles in subzone Pia of British authors; and in 

equivalent beds in the Mediterranean region in the 

French and Spanish Pyrenees, Portugal, Jugoslavia and 

French Morocco.

Lectotype, no. C282a (602) in the collection of the British 

Museum (Natural History), designated as the type by Foord 

and Crick (1897, p. 163). This is the specimen figured by 

Phillips (1836, pi. 19, figs. 7-9). Paratypes, four specimens in 

the same lot as the lectotype.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 45

Type locality: The type lot is from Bolland, Yorkshire, but 

the exact locality is not known.

Figured specimens: USNM 118968-70.

Occurrence: USGS locality 9188, Kiruktagiak River, Brooks 

Range, 15 specimens; USGS locality 10866, same locality as 

9188, 101 specimens; USGS locality 11828, Etivluk River valley, 

32 specimens; USGS locality 10864, Kiruktagiak River, 13 miles 

southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, one fragment; 

USGS locality 14149, same as 10864, three specimens.

Goniatites cf. G. sphaericus (Sowerby) 

Plate 6, figs. 1-7, text figs. 18, A-C

1814. Ammonites sphaericus Sowerby, The mineral conchology 

of Great Britain, v. 1, p. 116, pi. 53, fig. 2.

1924. Goniatites ef. G. sphaericus (Sowerby). Bisat, Yorkshire 

Geol. Soc., Proc., v. 20, pt. 1, p. 74.

Three fairly complete specimens and one fragment 

are included under this title. They differ somewhat in 

proportions, but all have goniatitid sutures and show 

traces of the surface ornament. Apparently they represent a single species of Goniatites with a shell that is 

globose in youth and early maturity and subglobose to 

thick-discoidal in the adult, and with longitudinal lirae 

ornamenting the mature conch.

The smallest of the three specimens at a diameter of 

12 mm is barrel shaped, the width exceeding the diameter, venter broadly rounded and sides strongly rounded. 

The umbilicus is relatively large, its width equal to 

nearly a quarter of the diameter. A poorly preserved, 

partly recrystallized patch of surface ornament on the 

ventro-lateral shoulder at a diameter of approximately 

9 mm shows fine transverse lirae dominant. The external suture at a diameter of about 11 mm has a rather 

narrower ventral lobe notched by a median saddle to 

roughly a third of the height of the lobe; the first lateral

FIGUKE 18.—Goniatites cf. G. sphaericus (Sowerby). A, Front view in 

outline of an early mature specimen (USNM 118971), X% B, 

Front view in outline of a slightly more mature individual from the 

same locality, XIJ^. C, External suture of the specimen shown in 

figure 17 (B) at a shell diameter of 20.5 mm, X2.

saddle asymmetrical, subangular at the end; and the 

first lateral lobe pointed, with bulging sides; the broadly 

asymmetrical second lateral saddle crossing the ventrolateral shoulder of the conch.

The next largest specimen (text fig. 18, A) is globose, 

almost spherical, the diameter and width of the conch 

equal, the venter and sides broadly rounded, with 

stronger rounding at the ventro-lateral shoulders. 

The width of the umbilicus is equal roughly to onesixth of the diameter of the shell. A patch of shell 

surface on the venter at an estimated diameter of 14 

mm shows fine transverse and longitudinal lirae crossing to form a reticulate pattern. Another patch of 

surface ornament, on the venter at a diameter of 21 mm, 

shows the longitudinal lirae dominant and faintly 

beaded where crossed by the transverse threads, about 

four liraes in the space of 1 mm. At a diameter of 20 

mm, the first lateral saddle of the suture is more 

pointed than in the smaller specimen.

The third specimen (text fig. 18, B, C), at a diameter 

of nearly 25 mm, is subglobose and more involute than 

the other two, the width of the umbilicus equal to about 

one-eighth of the diameter. Parts of the surface ornamentation are preserved, particularly on the sides. 

The spacing of the longitudinal lirae is closer on the 

umbilicus, where there are about five in the space of 

1 mm, than it is over the venter or the ventro-lateral 

shoulder, where there are about 3^ in the space of 1 mm. 

Not enough of the surface is preserved for an accurate 

count of the longitudinal lirae, but there appear to be 

between 70 and 80 lirae from mid-venter to the umbilical shoulder. There are three constrictions of growth 

and 15 sutures on the last whorl of this specimen.

The remaining fragment, representing a little less 

than half of a shell slightly over 40 mm in diameter, 

indicates a further narrowing of the conch with growth, 

this specimen being thick-discoidal in section.

Dimensions and proportions ABC

Diameter (D)_____________mm__ 24.6 21. •<_ 12.5

Height of last whorl (H) _ _ . __mm_ _ 13. 2 10. 2 5. 0

Width of last whorl (W) _______mm_ _ 22. 0 21. 3 115. 3

Width of umbilicus (U)-_. _ __mm_- 3.0 3.5 3.0

U/D____ —— — — — __-----__ .12 .16 .24

W/D-____________ —— ___ —— — .89 1.00 1.24

W/H-______ —____.. —— — _._ — — 1.66 2.09 3.06

i Twice the half-width.

The lectotype of Goniatites sphaericus (Sowerby), 

the type species of the genus Goniatites De Haan, is in 

the British Museum (BMNH 43871) where it has been 

examined by the writer. This specimen was designated as the type of 6. sphaericus (Sowerby) by Stubblefield (1951, p. 121) as it appears to be the only specimen 

upon which Sowerby's brief description was based and 

may also be the specimen upon which Martin based
46 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTEBN ALASKA

his earlier description and figures (1793, pi. 7, figs. 3-5; 

1809, pi. 7, figs. 3-5). Martin's names have been 

rendered invalid by a ruling of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1950, p. 450) 

because they do not meet the requirements of correct 

binomial usage.

Sowerby's type is, unfortunately, devoid of surface 

ornamentation. One cannot, therefore, exclude the 

possibility of it being a globose and widely umbilicate 

form of Goniatites crenistria Phillips. Following Phillips (1836, p. 234, pi. 19, figs. 4-6), most authors have 

referred to G. sphaericus globose shells ornamented 

principally by fine longitudinal lirae. Bisat (1924, p. 

74), however, stated that as it is impossible to assign 

any specimen other than Sowerby's type to G. sphaericus, he would use the designation Goniatites cf. G. 

sphaericus for shells like those that Phillips (1836, p. 

234, pi. 19, figs. 4-6) referred to G. sphaericus. The 

Alaskan shells appear to be conspecific with a shell 

from Yorkshire identified as G. sphaericus in the national collection (USNM 34065). The name Goniatites 

cf. G. sphaericus is used here in the sense suggested by 

Bisat.

Other North American species that are ornamented 

principally by longitudinal lirae in the adult, such as 

G. choctawensis Shumard, G. cumminsi (Hyatt), and 

G. kentuckiensis Miller differ from Goniatites cf. G. 

sphaericus (Sowerby) in having the conch considerably 

narrower in the early mature stage. G. cumminsi and 

G. kentuckiensis differ further in having roundedquadrilateral cross sections and have the median saddle 

of the ventral lobe in the suture commonly extending 

to more than half the height of the ventral lobe.

The stratigraphic range of Goniatites cf. G. sphaericus 

(Sowerby) in the British Carboniferous section is not 

fully known. Bisat (1924, p. 74) reported this species 

from the top of the Pendleside limestone at Chipping, 

England. This presumably would be approximately 

at the top of Bisat's Beyrichoceras (B) zone. He added 

subsequently (Bisat, 1934, p. 300) that Goniatites 

sphaericus may be a late form of the globose variant of 

G. maximus Bisat. More recently, Bisat (1952, p. 161, 

162) pointed out that there is still considerable doubt 

as to the exact stratigraphic relationship of beds containing Goniatites maximus Bisat and Beyrichoceras 

micronotum (Phillips) to those containing Goniatites 

crenistria Phillips. Schmidt (1925, p. 568, 569, pi. 21, 

fig. 6) identified as G. sphaericus specimens from zone 

III j8, overlying the G. crenistria (zone Ilia) in Germany.

Although the exact stratigraphic equivalence is not 

clear, it may be said with some assurance that, in 

Alaska, the sandstone which contains G. cf. G. sphaericus (Sowerby) is close in age to the goniatite beds on 

the Kiruktagiak River containing G. crenistria and B.

micronotum. This sandstone is either late Middle 

Vise"an or early Late Vise"an in age.

Figured specimens: USNM 118971.

Occurrence: USGS locality 14153, unnamed sandstone of 

Mississippian age, west fork of Kiligwa River, near headwaters, 

De Long Mountains, Brooks Range.

Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock 

Plate 6, figs. 8, 9, text fig. 19

1843. Goniatites granosus Portlock, Report on the geology of 

Londonderry, and Parts of Tyrone and Fermanagh, 

p. 407, pi. 29A, fig. 9.

This record is based on four partly distorted to 

flattened specimens, each from a different locality in 

the Calico Bluff formation, at or near its type section 

on the Yukon River. The best preserved of these 

specimens consists of a little more than half of a 

phragmacone, and is the one figured on plate 6. ,

The conch is thick-discoidal, rounded quadrilateral 

in cross section, with a broadly and shallowly rounded 

venter, well-rounded ventro-lateral shoulders, nearly 

flat sides, and subangular umbilical shoulders; the 

width of umbilicus is roughly one-seventh of the 

diameter.

Surface sculpture consists of strong longitudinal lirae 

with slightly wider interspaces and rather strong transverse growth constrictions. Owing to the imperfect 

preservation of the shell the exact number of longitudinal lirae cannot be determined but there are about 

70 of them on the sides and venter between the umbilical shoulders. There are three growth constrictions 

on the fragment, spaced a quarter of a whorl apart. 

They are radial across the sides and almost straight 

across the venter.

FIGURE 19.—Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portloek. External suture of a specimen 

(USNM 118972) at a shell diameter of 30 mm, X2.

The external suture at a shell diameter of about 

28 mm has a ventral lobe with divergent sigmoidal 

sides, indented to not quite half its height by a rather 

narrow median sinus with sigmoidal sides; first lateral 

saddle strongly rounded orad, but not pointed; first 

lateral lobe rather broad, bell shaped, with a terminal 

spike; second lateral saddle broad and asymmetrically 

rounded.

Dimensions: diameter (D), 30.5 mm; height of last 

whorl (H), 16.5 mm; width of last whorl (W), 20.5 mm; 

width of umbilicus (U), 4.5 mm. Shell ratios are as 

follows: U/D=0.15, W/D=0.67, W/H=1.24. Owing 

to the slight distortion of this shell, these measurements 

are only approximate.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 47

The rounded-quadrilateral cross section of this shell, 

together with the relatively low number of longitudinal 

lirae ornamenting the surface of the conch ally it with 

Goniatites granosus Portlock. The holotype of G. 

granosus comes from Carboniferous limestone near 

Clogher, County Tyrone, Ireland and is no. 31860 in 

the collection of the Geological Survey of Great Britain 

in London, England, where it has been examined by 

the writer. A slightly crushed specimen with a diameter 

of approximately 30 mm, it has about 80 longitudinal 

lirae on the sides and venter and three faint constrictions on the final whorl. Another specimen (GSGB 

Zi746) from near Bundoran, Donegal, Ireland, partly 

distorted and somewhat smaller than the holotype, 

has 69 lirae on the sides and venter.

The suture has not been seen on the Irish specimens 

but has been illustrated by Moore (1936, pi. 3, fig. 12) 

from an English specimen collected at Dinckley, 

Lancashire. It is similar to the suture of the Alaskan 

form, except that its first lateral saddle is pointed 

orad and its first lateral lobe does not have a conspicuous 

apicad spike. A specimen in the U. S. Geological 

Survey collections, from Eastby Beck, near Skipton, 

Yorkshire, sent by E. W. J. Moore to G. H. Girty, has 

a pointed first lateral saddle together with a conspicuous spike on the first lateral lobe. As the amount 

of variation in the suture of G. granosus is not known, 

and there appear to be no other described paucilirate 

species of Goniatites to which the rather poorly preserved Alaskan shell can be referred, we are comparing 

it with the Irish species without positive identification.

The Alaskan specimen described above was cited by 

Girty in a list of fossils published by Mertie (1932, 

p. 422) as Goniatites cf. G. choctawensis Shumard. 

Typical G. choctawensis, however, lacks the roundedquadrilateral cross section of G. granosus and has over 

200 longitudinal lirae on the sides and venter of the 

adult conch. Girty had a broad concept of G. choctawensis and in his report on the Caney shale fauna 

(1909, pp. 59-62), included in the Oklahoma species 

several specimens that probably are conspecific with 

the Alaskan shell under consideration. These Oklahoma 

specimens will be discussed further in a paper in 

preparation on the Carboniferous cephalopods of 

Arkansas, where a more complete synonymy of G. 

granosus will be given.

In western Europe and the British Isles, G. granosus 

is limited to the Goniatites granosus or upper Posidonia 

zone (P2 of Bisat and III 7 of Schmidt), the uppermost goniatite zone of the Visean stage. Goniatites 

of this zone have not been found in the Brooks Range.

Figured specimen: USNM 118972.

Occurrence: Calico Bluff formation at the following 

localities in the Eagle-Circle district of eastern Alaska:

USGS locality 5279, north bank of Yukon River. 

1 mile above Seventymile River; USGS locality 5843, 

just below base of zone 6, Calico Bluff, Yukon River; 

USGS locality 6841, shale bluff a quarter of a mile 

west of limestone point on north side of Tatonduk 

River, about 2% miles from mouth; and USGS locality 

6846A, argillaceous limestone in bench 2 miles northeast of Miller's cabin at mouth of Tatonduk River.

Goniatites? spp. 

Text fig. 20

Goniatites from two localities are included under this 

title. A silicified fragment of shell from the Cape 

Lisburne region preserves part of the interior of the 

phragmacone, from venter to umbilicus, and includes 

six septa. This fragment, embedded in brown shale, 

indicates that the shell had a broadly rounded venter 

and moderately large umbilicus with an angular 

shoulder. The only sculpture that can be seen is some 

very faint close-spaced transverse growth lines at the 

umbilical shoulder, nearly obliterated by silicification 

of the shell. Two of the septa have been broken back 

to show the suture pattern, reproduced in text figure 20. 

The suture suggests the genus Goniatites, particularly 

in the sigmoidal sides of the first lateral saddle, but this 

saddle lacks the pointed or sharply rounded orad 

termination normally seen in this genus. The ventral 

lobe is short and broad and does not extend as far 

apicad as the acuminate first lateral lobe. This suture 

is not identical with that of any of the other species 

described in this paper. The rounding of the first 

lateral saddle suggests a relation to Goniatites elegans 

Bisat of the PIC subzone of northern England, but 

because not enough of the shell is preserved and because 

the surface sculpture pattern cannot be seen, even the 

generic assignment is uncertain.

FIGURE 20.—Goniatites'? sp. External suture of a specimen from the Cape Lisburne 

region (USNM 118995), X2

JT Also considered here are several crushed and partly 

silicified goniatites from the Anaktuvuk River valley. 

About a dozen specimens are rather involute—an 

average one, crushed laterally, measures roughly 25 

mm across, the umbilicus about 5 mm across. Faint 

surface sculpture on several specimens shows a very 

broad shallow orad bow on the sides, probably rounding 

into a shallow sinus over the venter. No sutures are 

preserved.
.48 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

Associated with these are several larger less involute 

fragments of shell with umbilici stepped within and 

having subangular umbilical shoulders. Coarse silicification has destroyed the surface sculpture.

Figured specirren: USNM 118995.

Occurrence: USGS locality 3586 green, Lisburne group, 3 miles 

southeast of Wevok, Cape Lisburne region; USGS locality 11764, 

Alapah limestone, upper part of black shale and chert member, 

dip slope of hill on west side of Anaktuvuk River valley; Brooks 

Range.

Genus SUDETICERAS Patteisky 1930

Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon n. sp. 

Plate 6, figs. 12-18, text fig. 21, A, B

Diagnosis: Conch thick-discoidal, moderately involute; surface sculpture crenistriate, becoming longitudinally lirate on the ventrolateral shoulder in the 

adult; transverse striae increasing by intercalation. 

External suture with a broad, rather short, bifid ventral 

lobe with slightly divergent points.

The holotype is a completely septate shell, thickdiscoidal, the width of the whorl slightly greater than 

the height; the umbilicus open, about one-sixth of the 

diameter. The venter is broadly rounded, the ventrolateral shoulder strongly rounded, the side very gently 

rounded, and the umbilical shoulder sharply rounded; 

the umbilicus stepped within; the umbilical wall gently 

convex.

Surface sculpture consists of gently sinuous fine 

striae crossed by longitudinal lirae. The striae divide 

the shell surface into narrow flat lamellae that are 

almost imperceptibly raised orad and crenulated by 

the longitudinal lirae. Some of the transverse striae 

are introduced by intercalation at the mid-flanks 

between others that extend to the umbilicus and increase in strength over the ventro-lateral shoulder and 

venter. The striae are nearly straight across the inner 

flanks near the umbilicus, bend gently orad to form a 

well-rounded ventro-lateral salient, and swing apicad 

across the venter in a shallow hyponomic sinus. The 

orad projection of the salients at a diameter of 25 mm 

is about 1 mm and the depth of the hyponomic sinus 

about 2.5 mm. The longitudinal lirae are weaker in 

most places than the transverse sculpture, but by a 

diameter of 24 mm they equal or slightly surpass the 

strength of the lamellae on the ventro-lateral shoulder 

and outer flanks, where there are about 18 in the space 

of 5 mm. At this same place there are about 25 transverse striae in 5 mm. The longitudinal lirae are 

weaker over the venter and flanks, dying out near the 

middle of the flanks and absent near the umbilicus.

The external suture has a bifid ventral lobe with 

acuminate and slightly divergent tips. At a shell diameter of 29 mm the tips are 5 mm apart and the ventral

FIGURE 21.—Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon, n. sp. A, Front view in outline of the 

holotype (USNM 118973), X% B, External suture of the holotype at a shell 

diameter of 28 mm,

lobe has a median width of 5.5 mm and a depth, measured along the venter of 7.0 mm; the first lateral saddle 

is bluntly spatulate, with sigmoidal sides and a median 

width of about 3.5 mm; the first lateral lobe is Vshaped, acuminate, with gently convex sides and a 

median width of about 3.5 mm; and the second lateral 

saddle curves broadly and asymmetrically to the umbilical shoulder. The short lobe on each umbilical 

wall is not exposed in the specimen. The internal suture 

consists of three narrow bluntly pointed lobes, the 

center one the longest, separated by narrow saddles 

with, strongly rounded ends, and from the umbilical 

areas by gently curved asymmetrical saddles.

Dimensions and proportions Holotype Paratype

Diameter (D)____-___----_------_--__mm__ 29.5 8.3

Height of last whorl (H)____________mm__ 15.3 5.0

Width of last whorl (W)._____.___mm__ 16. 5 6. 5

Width of umbilicus (U)_______________mm__ 4. 6 1.1

U/D_____-___ — — — _._ — - — _ — — — .16 .13

W/D_______________-_____-__ .56 .78

W/H__..________________-_____-_____--___- 1.08 1.30

The two paratypes are a partly crushed fragment of 

a mature shell and a small specimen whose dimensions 

are given above. The small specimen is proportionally 

broader than the mature holotype, as is typical in 

young shells in this genus. It is a partly silicified cast 

of a phragmacone and shows four shallow slightly 

sinuous constrictions with gentle ventrolateral salients 

and a shallow hyponomic sinus. Visible parts of two 

adjacent sutures reveal that the first lateral saddle is 

more evenly rounded than in the adult.

Sudeticeras alaskae is the first representative of this 

genus to be described from the Western Hemisphere. 

Several species of the genus occur in beds of latest 

Visean age in Europe—in the upper Bollandian (P2 

zone) and upper part of the lower Bollandian (Pic subzone) of northern England, the upper part of the V3c 

substage in Belgium, and zone III 7 in East Germany 

and the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia. The genus
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 49

has been discussed at some length by Patteisky (1930), 

Ruprecht (1937), and Moore (1950).

The Alaskan species is perhaps most similar to 

Sudeticeras regina Bisat (1952, p. 178-180, pi. ], figs. 

1-3, text fig. 2i) from the Goniatites elegans (Pic) 

subzone of northern England, the shells of the two 

species having nearly identical proportions. Unfortunately, S. regina was described from almost completely exfoliated specimens so that the fine details of 

the surface sculpture cannot be compared. Bisat's 

drawing of the suture of S. regina indicates that this 

species has a more pointed first lateral saddle than 

S. alaskae and the two divisions of the ventral lobe do 

not appear to diverge as in S. alaskae.

The intercalation of the transverse striae in S. alaskae 

is like that in the Czechoslovakian species S. stolbergi 

(Patteisky) and the British species S. procerum Moore 

(1950, p. 42), but S. stolbergi has stronger longitudinal 

sculpture than S. alaskae and S. procerum has a slender 

ventral lobe with narrower divisions than the Alaskan 

species. S. crenistriatum (Bisat, 1928, p. 132) from the 

base of the Goniatites granosus (P2) zone in northern 

England is another species similar to S. alaskae in 

arrangement and strength of the transverse and 

longitudinal sculpture, except that S. crenistriatum 

has a smaller umbilicus encircled by spiral lirae and 

the tips of the ventral lobe of its suture do not diverge 

as in S. alaskae.

Holotype, TJSNM 118973. Paratypes, USNM 118974, two 

additional specimens collected with the holotype.

Type locality: USGS locality 11804, black chert and shale 

member of the Alapah limestone, 525 feet below top of measured 

section B19, southern part of the Siksikpuk River Valley, Brooks 

Range.

Occurrence: Associated with Eothalassoceras aurorale Gordon, 

n. sp. at the type locality.

Genus'NEOGLYPHIOCERAS Bruning 1923 

Neoglyphioceras sp. 

Plate 6, figs. 10, 11

Five crushed goniatites ornamented by strong longitudinal lirae, from a locality in the Eagle-Circle district, 

are referred to the genus Neoglyphioceras. These 

specimens were identified by Girty in a faunal list 

published by Mertie (1932, p. 422) as Gastrioceras cf. 

G. caneyanum Girty, a species now placed in Neoglyphioceras.

The largest is about 30 mm across. This and another 

specimen almost as large, both crushed laterally, have 

the umbilicus roughly a quarter as wide as the flattened 

shell and about 17 lirae on the exposed surface of the 

whorl. They are crossed by three or four conspicuous 

sickle-shaped growth constrictions. Another specimen 

(pi. 6, fig. 11), flattened ventrally so that parts of the

sides are visible, shows about 33 longitudinal lirae, 

rather closely spaced and crossed by a conspicuous 

growth constriction that forms a U-shaped sinus across 

the venter. In number of lirae and relative width of 

the umbilicus, these specimens resemble Neoglyphioceras 

caneyanum (Girty), but the imperfect preservation 

precludes certain identification.

Two smaller specimens, crushed laterally and somewhat excentrically, appear to have fewer and sparser 

longitudinal lirae on the flanks, roughly 13 to 15 on the 

side, the larger figure representing a count from approximately the middle of the venter; and the width of the 

umbilicus is roughly a third of the diameter (pi. 6, 

fig. 10). These specimens appear closer to Neoglyphioceras cloudi (Miller and Youngquist) but are 

also too poorly preserved for positive identification. 

Nor can it be determined whether one or two species 

are present. None of the specimens preserves the 

suture, but the character of the surface sculpture is 

sufficient to identify the genus.

In northwestern Europe the genus Neoglyphioceras 

is confined to the Goniatites granosus or Upper Posodonia 

zone (P2 of the British Isles, Ilia of central Europe). 

The presence of Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock at 

the same Alaskan locality in a limestone underlying 

the shale in which Neoglyphioceras was found partly 

confirms the generic and stratigraphic assignment.

Figured specimens: TJSNM 118975.

Occurrence: USGS locality 6846B, Calico Bluff formation, 

shale overlying limestone in bench 2 miles northeast of Miller's 

cabin at mouth of Tatonduk River, Eagle-Circle district.

Genus CRAVENOCERAS Bisat 1928 

Cravenoceras sp.

Referred to this genus are six laterally crushed specimens in black shale from a- locality in the Eagle-Circle 

district. They range in diameter from 20 to 50 mm. 

As the orginal shape of the shell has been obliterated in 

all the specimens it is impossible to tell what species 

is represented. The shell was moderately evolute (in 

flattened specimens the width of the umbilicus is twofifths to not quite one-half the diameter of the shell) 

with a subangular umbilical shoulder and thus resembles 

those of such species as Cravenoceras africanum Delepine, C. arcticum Librovitch, C. holmesi Bisat, C. kingi 

(Hall and Whitfield), C. malhamense (Bisat), and C. 

petrenkoi Librovitch. Two specimens preserve the 

transverse lamellae typical of Cravenoceras, very gently 

bowed orad on the flanks and with a very shallow hyponomic sinus in the region of the venter. The suture is 

not preserved on any specimen.

Occurrence: USGS locality 10251, Yukon River, northeast 

bank, about 1 to \% miles upstream from mouth of Seventymile
50 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

River, Calico Bluff formation, from float at about middle of 

exposure, Eagle-Circle district.

Genus GIRTYOCERAS Wedekind 1918

Girtyoceras arcticum Gordon n. sp.

Plate 6, figs. 19-26, text figs. 22,A-C

Diagnosis: Conch thick-discoidal, moderately involute, venter rounded during immaturity, subangular 

in the adult, umbilical shoulder ribbed in young. Surface sculpture of gently sinuous growth lirae forming 

ventral sinus and very fine crowded longitudinal striae. 

Suture with broad ventral lobe, wider than first lateral 

saddle, which is broadly spatulate, first lateral lobe 

narrow, acuminate.

The holotype is a phragmacone with less than a 

tenth of a volution of the body chamber attached. At 

At the beginning of the final volution the venter is 

narrowly rounded, the ventrol-lateral shoulders more 

broadly rounded, the sides gently rounded and sloping 

ventrad, and the umbilical shoulders subangular; by 

the end of the phragmacone the venter is roundedsubangular in cross section. The umbilicus is equal to 

two-ninths the shell diameter; the umbilical wall is 

almost flat and vertical and shallowly channeled just 

within the umbilical shoulder by a sulcus less than 2 

mm wide. The surface is ornamented by closely 

spaced sinuous growth lines that are preserved only in 

a few places on the holotype.

X 3

FIGURE 22.—Girtyoceras arcticum Gordon, n. sp. A, Cross section showing the inner 

whorls of a large paratype (USNM 118977), X2. B, External suture of the holetype (USNM 118976) at a shell diameter of 23 mm, XlM. C, External suture of a 

small paratype (USNM 118978) at a shell diameter of 6 mm, X3.

There are 17 sutures on the final volution of the 

phragmacone, the last four or five a little more crowded 

then the rest. The twelfth from the last suture (text 

fig. 22,5), at a diameter of approximately 23 mm, has 

a broad ventral lobe, 6.1 mm in height, with a base 3.8 

mm wide, with divergent and slightly bulging sides and 

a median width of 4.4 mm, and is indented to a depth of 

2.7 mm by a rather broad median saddle; the first lateral 

saddle is broadly spatulate, with a median width of 3.5 

mm; the first lateral lobe is V-shaped, acuminate,

slightly convex in the middle, and narrow and pointed 

apicad; the second lateral saddle is of moderate width, 

asymmetrically rounded to the umbilical shoulder; the 

umbilical lobe is small and pointed, and lies just inside 

the umbilical shoulder.

Details of surface sculpture and the early growth 

stages are seen on several of the paratypes. Surface 

sculpture consists of sinuous closely spaced growth 

lirae, forming shallow broad bows at the ventro-lateral 

and umbilical shoulders, with a shallow lateral sinus 

between them on each flank, and a broad shallow sinus 

over the venter. Where growth constrictions are 

present they are approximately parallel to the transverse lirae, shallow, inconspicuous, about two to the 

whorl, and not expressed on the outer shell. The best 

preserved shells show fine longitudinal striae, usually 

closely crowded, finely incised, and interrupted by the 

transverse lirae; in some specimens,however, several fine 

fairly continuous longitudinal lirae occupy the venter.

The early whorls are broad and widen abruptly, so 

that the shell is barrel shaped and widely umbilicate, 

the venter is broad and shallowly convex and the sides 

narrowly rounded. On the middle of the first whorl 

small riblets appear on the umbilical wall, strongest 

at the shoulder, but they are commonly so fine that 

they are not easily seen until the second whorl; 

there are from 41 to 53 of these on the third and fourth 

whorls; they are less distinct and die out on the fifth 

whorl. In the fifth whorl the width of the umbilicus 

is slightly more than one half the diameter of the 

conch. At the end of the fifth whorl, the whorl increases 

gradually in height, the venter becomes more convex, 

the shell narrower, and the umbilicus proportionally 

smaller, as shown in the table of dimensions below.

The suture of the immature shell (text fig. 22,(7) 

resembles that of the adult, except that the lobes are 

shorter and less sharply pointed, and the median sinus 

of the ventral lobe is shallow.

The robust thick-discoidal shell, the broadly spatulate 

first lateral saddle of the suture, and the gently sinuous 

transverse lirae are the distinguishing features of this 

species. 6. endicottense, n. sp. has a similar broad first 

lateral saddle, but the ventral lobe is much narrower 

than that of G. arcticum and it has a smaller subdiscoidal shell with a peripheral groove. The North American species G. meslerianum (Girty) and 6. limatum 

(Miller and Faber) have subdiscoidal shells on which 

the growth lirae form more pronounced ventro-lateral 

salients and the first lateral saddles of the suture are 

more narrowly spatulate.

All of the British species described by Moore (1946) 

in a review of this genus have more narrowly spatulate, 

or even subacute, first lateral saddles and with the possible exceptions of G. shorrocksi Moore and G. waitei
SYSTEMATIC DESCEIPTIONS 51

Dimensions and proportions

Diameter (D)___ __ _____ _ ____ mm__

Height of last whorl (H)___ _ _ _ _ ____ mm

Width of last whorl (W) ____ __ _ __ mm _ Width of umbilicus (U) _ _ _____ mm

U/D_____ _

W/D_ __________________________________________

W/H___________________________________________

Holotype

35. 6

18. 5

18. 1

7. 8

.22

.51

.98

A

30. 0

15.5

16. 2

6.8

.23

.54

1.04

B

24.2

11.3

13.4

6.8

. 28

. 55

1.09

c

19. 7

9.5

12. 6

5.5

.28

. 64

1. 33

Paratypes

D

17. 2

8. 1

11.5

5.2

.30

.67

1. 42

E

13.0

5.5

8. 9

5.2

.40

. 68

1. 62

F

12. 0

4. 6

8.9

5.7

.48

.74

1.93

Q

8. 7

3.8

6.7

5.0

.57

.77

1. 76

Holotype and paratypes A, C, D, and E from USGS locality 14149; paratypes B, P, and Q from USQS locality 10864.

Moore, wtiicti are nearly as robust, all have narrower 

shells than G. arcticum. Both Q. shorrocksi and G. 

waitei have umbilici slightly narrower than G. arcticum, 

and both are found at a higher stratigraphic level, in 

the upper part of the Goniatites granosus (P2) zone.

Bisat (1952, p. 164-166, 171) has suggested that 

species similar to Girtyoceras but with a wide ventral lobe and narrowly rounded or acute first lateral 

saddles should be referred to the genus Sagittoceras 

Hind, 1918, which in recent years has generally been 

placed in the synonymy of Girtyoceras. At present the 

writer feels that despite its rather wide ventral lobe, 

the broadly rounded first lateral saddle of G. arcticum 

is closer to that of typical Girtyoceras.

Holotype, USNM 118976. Figured paratypes, 4 specimens 

collected with the holotype, USNM 118977; USNM 118978, 

4 additional specimens from the same locality.

Type locality: USGS locality 14149, black chert and shale 

member of Alapah limestone, Kiruktagiak River, 13 miles 

southwest of its confluence with Castle Creek, Brooks Range, 

61 specimens. Additional paratypes are from USGS locality 

10864, same Reality as 14149, 36 specimens.

Girtyoceras endicottense Gordon n. sp.

Plate 6, figs. 28-33, text fig. 23

Diagnosis: Conch small, subdiscoidal; venter with a 

longitudinal groove; shell surface with closely spaced 

radial transverse lirae forming shallow ventro-lateral 

salients and ventral sinus. Suture with fairly narrow 

ventral lobe having divergent sides, broadly rounded 

first lateral saddle and narrow V-shaped lateral lobe.

The type lot consists of four partly crushed specimens. The holotype is a phragmacone and two-thirds 

of a volution of the body chamber, the phragmacone 

retaining its original shape, but the body chamber 

partly crushed, especially on the right side. The conch 

is subdiscoidal, the venter and ventro-lateral shoulders 

well rounded, the sides gently rounded, and the umbilical shoulder subangular. The umbilicus is about a 

fourth to a fifth the diameter of the shell in adult 

specimens; the umbilical wall is nearly flat and approximately vertical. A shallow longitudinal groove, about 

1 mm wide, occupies the center of the venter, at least

on the last part of the phragmacone and early part of 

the body whorl, and seems to die out about a quarter 

of a turn from the end of the holotype. Similar grooves 

are present on all specimens in the type lot.

Surface sculpture consists of fine closely spaced 

transverse growth lirae that form broad, very shallow 

salients on the ventro-lateral and umbilical shoulders, 

with a shallow lateral sinus between them on each side 

and a narrow sinus of moderate depth over the venter. 

On the middle of the body whorl the ventral sinus is 

about 2 mm deep. There also are subparallel growth 

constrictions, about four to the whorl and between 

these, on the internal mold, finer indistinct depressions 

that parallel the sinuous growth lirae are discontinuous over the venter and deepest near the umbilical 

shoulder. The gently sinuous lirae and constrictions 

are approximately radial across the sides of the conch.

x 3

FIGURE 23.—6irtyoceras endicottense Gordon, n. sp. External suture and umbilical 

lobe of the holotype (USNM 118979) at a shell diameter of 13 mm, X3.

The suture at a diameter of 13 mm (estimated) has a 

rather narrow ventral lobe about 3 mm high, with widely 

divergent sides that are subparallel for a short distance at the apicad end, notched to about one-fifth of 

its height by a broad sub triangular median sinus; the 

first lateral saddle is spatulate, broadly and asymmetrically rounded orad, its median width IJjj times that 

of the ventral lobe; the first lateral lobe narrower than 

the first lateral saddle, V-shaped, acuminate, with very 

slightly convex sides and an apicad nipple; second lateral 

saddle moderately broad and asymmetrically rounded to 

the umbilical shoulder; umbilical lobe short, subangular.

Dimensions and proportions Holotype

Diameter (D)__________-_-_mm__ 26.4

Height of last whorl (H)____________mm__ 10. 5

Width of last whorl (W)__ —— — __mm__ '10. 0

Width of umbilicus (U)_______________mm__ 5. 4

U/D_______________-___-_-___-------_-- . 20

W/D__ —-____ — _ — — — — — — — — - . 38

W/H____________-__---_____---_ . 95

i Twice the half-width.

14.4 

6.8 

6.3 

3.7 

.26 

.44 

.93
52 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NOKTHEKN AND EASTEKN ALASKA

Girtyoceras endicottense is easily distinguished from 

G. arcticum, n. sp., by its smaller, more compressed shell 

and narrower umbilicus, and by the presence of a groove 

along the middle of the venter, not seen in G. arcticum. 

It somewhat resembles G. limatum (Miller and Faber), 

which has a similar ventral groove and is also a compressed species ornamented by closely spaced fine transverse lirae. G. limatum, however, is smaller, has a 

slightly wider umbilicus than G. endicottense, and the 

ventro-lateral salients project orad to form a conspicuous narrow lingua, making the lirae and constrictions 

protractive across the sides of the whorl. In general 

shape, G. endicottense resembles G. meslerianum (Girty), 

the type species of the genus, but G. meslerianum differs 

in lacking the ventral groove and in having the lirae 

and constrictions produced into linguae at the ventro 

lateral shoulders, which makes them slightly protractive 

across the sides of the whorl.

Holotype, USNM 118979. Paratypes, USNM 118980, three 

specimens collected with the holotype.

Type locality: USGS locality 12084, limestone nodules from 

black chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone, on ridge 

1,500 feet east of Kanaktuk Lake, Anaktukuk Valley, Endicott 

Mountains, Brooks Range.

Occurrence: Known only from the type locality, where it is 

associated with Beyrichoceras (Bollandites) bowsheri, n. sp.

Girtyoceras? spp.

Five specimens from two localities in the Calico 

Bluff formation, all imprints in black shale, resemble 

Girtyoceras somewhat. They were found associated 

with Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock. The laterally 

crushed shells range in size from 4 to 13 mm across, 

the largest a specimen of about six postnuclear whorls 

The early whorls are coiled planorbital but after the 

end of the fourth whorl the whorl height increases 

rather abruptly. The early whorls appear smooth, as 

the fine details of sculpture are not preserved. On the 

later whorls closely spaced fine strongly protractive 

growth lines form a shallow lateral sinus and swing 

well orad at or near the position of the ventro-lateral 

shoulder. The largest specimen shows remnants of 

two or three growth constrictions with approximately 

the same configuration as the growth lines.

Although the general proportions of the whorls and 

the strongly protractive growth lines are reminiscent 

of such species as Girtyoceras limatum (Miller and Faber) 

the absence of umbilical riblets on the younger whorls, 

perhaps due to the imperfect preservation, makes even 

the generic assignment to Girtyoceras open to question.

Two specimens from the black chert and shale member of the Alapah limestone, silicified and nearly 

flattened laterally, are doubtfully referred to Girtyoceras. The larger is about 15 mm across with an 

umbilicus roughly 3 mm in diameter, and the smaller

about 9 mm across with an umbilicus roughly 2% mm 

in diameter. Both show remains of axial riblets on the 

early whorls. On the later whorls narrow raised transverse lirae with subequal interspaces, are slightly protractive and curve orad very gently across the flanks. 

The surface sculpture is rather similar to that of 

Girtyoceras endicottense, n. sp., described from the same 

member at another locality in the same valley, but the 

preservation of these shells is too poor for definite 

assignment.

Occurrence: USGS locality 5279, Calico Bluff formation, 

north bank of Yukon River nearly opposite Seventymile River: 

USGS locality 6841, Calico Bluff formation, shale bluff on north 

side of Tatonduk River, 2% miles upstream from mouth; EagleCircle district. USGS locality 11764, near top of black chert and 

shale member of Alapah limestone, dip slope of hill on west side 

of Anaktuvuk River valley, 8 miles northeast of Anaktuvuk 

Pass, Brooks Range.

Genus ENTOGONITES Eittl 1904

1904. Tetragonites Kittl (not Tetragonites Kossmat, 1895), K. K.

Geol. Reichsanstalt, Jahrbuch, Band 53, p. 67/. 

1904. Entogonites Kittl (n. nom. for Tetragonites Kittl), K. K.

Geol. Reichsanstalt, Verh. no. 14, p. 322. 

1925. Nomismoceras Hyatt (part). Schmidt, Preuss. geol.

Landesanstalt, Jahrbuch, Band 45, p. 555-556.

Diagnosis: Shell subdiscoidal to discoidal, with a 

moderately wide umbilicus; young whorls coiled tetragonally, later whorls coiled normally. Whorls laterally 

compressed, with well rounded venter, ventro-lateral 

and umbilical shoulders, and somewhat flattened sides, 

ornamented by radial ribs, strongest on the sides; 

the ribs bifurcated or intercalated at .the ventrolateral shoulders, with ventro-lateral salient on each, 

separated by conspicuous hyponomic sinus over the 

venter; roughly parallel growth constrictions also present. 

Suture goniatitid with rounded saddles and bluntly 

pointed lobes; ventral lobe with divergent or subparallel sides.

Type of genus: Tetragonites grimmeri Kittl, 1904, by 

monotypy.

Kittl described his genus Tetragonites, based on the 

single species T. grimmeri Kittl, unaware that Kossmat 

had already used the same name for a genus of Cretaceous ammonites. On learning of the homonymy, he 

proposed the name Entogonites for this genus from the 

Bosnian Culm facies. In Kittl's illustration of the 

supposed external suture of E. grimmeri, the "external 

lobe" apparently is the dorsal lobe. Schmidt's figure 

(1925, pi. 20, fig. 14) of the suture of this species resembles that of Nomismoceras, Hyatt, 1884, with the 

sides of the ventral lobe diverging nearly at a right 

angle. European Carboniferous caphalopod specialists have followed Schmidt in assigning E. grimmeri to 

Nomismoceras.
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 53

The Alaskan species here described has the tetragonal 

coiling of the early whorls and the bifurcating radial 

ribs typical of E. grimmeri. It differs, however, in 

proportions of the conch, number of ribs, and details of 

the suture. Its suture has a ventral lobe with subparallel sides, thus raising the question as to whether 

Schmidt's drawing of the suture of ''Nomismoceras" 

grimmeri (Kittl) accurately represents the actual suture 

of this species. The Alaskan species differs (in what 

are regarded as generic characteristics of coiling, ribbing, 

and suture line) from typical Nomismoceras. As he 

believes it is congeneric with E. grimmeri, the writer is 

resurrecting Kittl's generic name to include the two 

species.

Distribution: The genus Entogonites apparently has 

a stratigraphic distribution limited to the Goniatites 

crenistria zone (Schmidt's zone Ilia) in Germany and 

Yugoslavia, as well as at other widespread points in the 

northern hemisphere. Bisat (1952, p. 162) recently 

mentioned the occurrence of E. grimmeri at Black Wheel 

on the River Hodder, England. During the 19th 

International Geological Congress in 1952 the writer 

collected two young specimens of Entogonites cf. E. 

grimmeri associated with Goniatites crenistria Phillips 

12 kilometers south of Derkaoua in southern Morocco. 

The Alaskan specimens of Entogonites borealis, n. sp. 

are associated with a stout form of G. crenistria. 

Entogonites appears, therefore, to be widespread and 

useful in stratigraphic zonation.

Entogonites borealis Gordon n. sp. 

Plate 6, figs. 34-40, text figs. 24, A, B

Diagnosis: Conch subdiscoidal, evolute, the early 

whorls coiled tetragonally, the sides of the whorls 

ornamented by 35 to 40 nearly vertical ribs that bifurcate on the ventro-lateral shoulder and form a rounded 

ventrol-lateral salient and a hyponomic sinus. Ventral 

lobe of the suture with subparallel sides, the first lateral 

lobe rounded to bluntly pointed in the adult, and the 

saddles asymmetrically rounded.

The holotype, an entirely septate specimen of not 

quite seven whorls, is subdiscoidal, evolute; the umbilicus 

is stepped within, its width is equal to roughly twofifths of the diameter.

The protoconch, which is suboval in section and wider 

than high, is broadly enveloped by the first whorl, which 

is about as wide as the protoconch, tightly coiled around 

it and devoid of sculpture. A suture visible on the first 

whorl shows a tiny narrow ventral lobe with no visible 

median notch, flanked by a broad lateral saddle at each 

side, extending to the umbilical shoulder. The early 

whorls are broad, two to three times as wide as high, 

but with growth the height increases more rapidly than

the width so that on the last whorl the width and height 

are subequal. The venter is rounded in the adult, the 

sides gently rounded, and the ventro-lateral and umbilical shoulders strongly rounded. Tetragonal coiling 

begins with the second and extends through the fifth 

whorl.

X3

,'X 3

FIGURE 24.— Entogonites borealis Gordon, n. sp. A, Cross section of a paratype 

(USNM 118982), X3. B, External suture and umbilical lobes from another paratype (USNM 118984) at a shell diameter of 12 mm, X3.

Strong transverse ribs begin to appear on the third 

whorl extending across the umbilical shoulder and encroaching on the umbilical wall ; on later whorls they do 

not cross the umbilical shoulder. About 30 of these 

ribs can be counted on each of the early whorls, but the 

number increases on the later whorls and there are 

about 40 on the final turn. The ribs on the last whorl 

are almost rectilinear near the umbilicus with a very 

faint sinus on the outer flank. Each rib bifurcates into 

a pair of riblets and forms a rounded salient over the 

ventro-lateral shoulder and a marked hyponomic sinus 

over the venter. Several of the ribs divide on the 

flanks near the umbilical shoulder. In addition to 

the ribs there are two to three transverse constructions 

of growth visible on each of the later whorls.

The suture on the final whorl has a ventral lobe with 

slightly converging sides, divided by a short squarish 

median saddle into narrow lobelets, the first lateral 

saddle moderately wide and asymmetrically rounded; 

the first lateral lobe is narrower than the first lateral 

saddle and rounded to very bluntly pointed in the last 

several sutures; the second lateral saddle is asymmetrically rounded, shallower and narrower than the first ; 

the umbilical lobe is broad and gently rounded.

Dimensions and proportions 

Diameter (D) _____________________ _mmHeight of last whorl (H) ___________ _mm.-

Width of last whorl (W) ___ ________mm.

Width of umbilicus (U) ____________ _mm.

Holotype Paratype

W/H

11. 1 

4.4 

4. 3 

4. 5 

.41 

.39 

.98

13.0

4.0

4. 2

6.9

. 53

.32

1.05

The figured paratype indicates the range of variation 

in this species at its type locality. It is slightly narrower than the holotype and a little more evolute. 

The ribs are stronger and fewer (35 on the last whorl)
54 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

and none divide at the umbilical shoulder. The forward swing of the ventro-lateral salient is about 1 mm 

and the depth of the hyponomic sinus, 1.2 mm on 

this specimen. The sides of the ventral lobe of the 

suture are nearly parallel on the last whorl, on which 

there are 17 septa and three constrictions of growth. 

Entogonites grimmeri (Kittl), the type of the genus, 

is narrower and has more ribs (about 50 on the last 

whorl) than E. borealis. Also, if Schmidt's figure 

(1925, pi. 20, fig. 14) truly represents the suture of 

this species, the sides of the ventral lobe of E. grimmeri 

are considerably more divergent than those of E. borealis.

Holotype, USNM 118981, from USGS locality 10864. Paratypes, USNM 118982, another specimen from the same lot as 

the holotype; USNM 11893, two specimens from USGS locality 

12870; USNM 118984, six specimens from USGS locality 14149.

Type locality: USGS locality 10864, black chert and shale 

member of the Alapah limestone, Kiruktagiak River, 12% miles 

upstream from its junction with Castle River, Brooks Range, 

Alaska; USGS locality 12870, same bed but on Monotis Creek; 

USGS locality 14149 is the same as 10864.

Occurrence: Known only from the type locality, where it is 

associated with Goniatites crenistria Phillips, Girtyoceras arcticum 

n. sp., and several other species.

Genus EOTHALASSOCERAS Miller and Furnish, 1940 

Eothalassoceras aurorale Gordon n. sp.

Plate 3, figs. 16-19, text fig. 25, A, B

Diagnosis: Eothalassoceras with thick-discoidal shell 

and well rounded venter. Rounded apicad ends of 

the lobes of the external suture very weakly and 

irregularly digitate.

The holotype is a nearly complete specimen, approximately 30 mm in diameter, the body chamber of twothirds of a volution distorted and laterally compressed 

by crushing. The phragmacone is thick-discoidal 

with a well-rounded venter and gently rounded sides. 

At the end of the phragmacone the height and width 

of the whorl are subequal. Umbilicus depressed but 

apparently closed by a callus, its width equal to about 

one-fifth of the diameter; umbilical shoulder roundedsubangular.

Surface ornamented by sinuous lines of growth. 

These and the aperture form a rounded lateral sinus 

on each side of a moderately shallow hyponomic sinus, 

with a well-rounded ventro-lateral salient between, 

and a smaller salient at each umbilical shoulder. At 

the aperture, the projection orad of the ventro-lateral 

salients is not quite 2 mm and the depth of the hyponomic sinus, about 4 mm. On the last quarter of a 

volution of the body chamber, on the internal mold, 

faint longitudinal grooves are visible crossing the lines 

of growth.

x 3

FIGURE 25.—Eathalassoceras aurorale Gordon, n. sp. A, Front view in outline, 

near end of phragmacone, taken from the holotype (USNM 118988), XlK- B, 

External suture of the holotype, somewhat diagrammatic, at a shell diameter 

of 14 mm, X3.

Sutures are fairly crowded, about 15 occurring on the 

last half volution of the phragmacone. The external 

suture (text fig. 25B) has a broad ventral lobe divided 

by a rather wide U-shaped median saddle almost as deep 

as the first lateral saddle, rounded orad and shallowly 

notched by the siphuncle; the two divisions of the ventral lobe have slightly convex sides converging gradually toward the rounded faintly digitate ends; the first 

lateral saddle is well rounded; the first lateral lobe is a 

little narrower than the first lateral saddle, in shape 

and digitation similar to the divisions of the ventral 

lobe; the second lateral saddle is asymmetrically rounded, its apex approximately at the umbilical shoulder; 

the umbilical lobe is not visible on the specimen. The 

internal suture was not seen. Dimensions based on the 

uncrushed phragmacone.

18. 0

10. 0

1 10. 3

4.0

. 22

.57

1. 03

Diameter (D) ______________ _____----___---_ _mm.

Height of last whorl (H) _ — __________ —— __mm.

Width of last whorl (W)__ _ _________________mm_

Width of umbilicus (U) ___ __________________mm.

W/D---------- _

W/H—————

i Twice the hall-width.

The stratigraphic range of the thalassoceratids has 

been extended increasingly downward since the first 

Thalassoceras was described from the Permian Sosio 

beds of Sicily. The type of the genus Eothalassoceras 

Miller and Furnish (1940a, p. 105), ProthaLassoceras inexpectans Miller and Owen (1937, p. 418-420, pi. 52, 

figs. 12-15, text fig. 4A-E), comes from Oklahoma and 

owes its trivail name to its authors' surprise at finding 

a thalassoceratid at such a low horizon in the Pennsylvanian section as the Coffeyville formation of Des 

Moines age. The species here described from beds of 

Late Visean age in northern Alaska extends the range 

of thalassoceratids well below the horizon of the Oklahoma form.

Miller and Furnish (1940a, p. 105) proposed to suppress the genus Prothalassoceras Bose (1919, p. 102) as 

they regarded the type of that genus, P. welleri Bose
SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS 55

(1919, p. 102, pi. 5, figs. 14-18) to be congeneric with 

Thalassoceras Gemmellaro 1887 and assigned other thalassoceratids of Pennsylvanian age to Eothalassoceras. 

ftuzhencev (1950, p. 103-114) accepted both Eothalassoceras and Prothalassoceras as valid genera and, restricting Eothalassoceras to its type species, placed upper 

Pennsylvanian species of the United States and Upper 

Carboniferous species of the U.S.S.R. in Prothalassoceras. The new Alaskan species belongs in Eothalassoceras as restricted by Ruzhencev, rather than in Prothalassoceras.

Eothalassoceras aurorale is very close to E. inexpectans 

and differs from it principally in having a slightly broader venter and less tapering sides and in weaker digitation of the lobes of ths external suture than E. inexpectans. The degree of digitation of these lobes in the mature holotype of E. aurorale is similar to that illustrated 

by Miller and Owen (1937, text fig. 4B) tor E. inexpectans at a diameter of 4.2 mm. The median saddle of 

E. aurorale is a little wider and the sides of the lobes a 

little more slanting than in the suture of E. inexpectans.

Holotype, USNM 118988, from USGS locality 11804.

Type locality: Black chert and shale "member of the Alapah 

limestone, approximately 525 feet below the top of measured 

section B19, southern part of the Siksikpuk River valley, Brooks 

Range.

Occurrence: Known only from the type locality where it is 

associated with Sudeticeras alaskae,n. sp.

Genus DIMORPHOCERAS Hyatt, 1884 

Dimorphoceras algens Gordon n. sp. 

Plate 3, figs. 10-15, text figs. 26, A, B

Diagnosis: Conch narrowly lenticular, involute, umbilicus closed or nearly so. Outer surface with sinuous 

growth lines, in places closely longitudinally lirate. 

Suture with each half of the ventral lobe divided into 

two lobelets by a small subsidiary saddle, the first 

lobelet smaller and shorter than the second, the first 

lateral lobe undivided.

The holotype, an entirely septate individual, is lenticular, the width equal to approximately two-fifths of the 

diameter. The sides are gently rounded but almost 

flat and converge gradually toward the venter, which is 

narrowly rounded; umbilical shoulder sharply rounded, 

the umbilicus dimpled and apparently filled with shell 

material. At a calculated diameter of 5% mm, nearly 

one whorl from the end, the sides and venter are ornamented by fine longitudinal lirae, about 12 in the space 

of 1 mm. These become obsolete with growth and are 

absent on the flanks near the umbilicus at diameters 

greater than 10 mm and weak and interrupted near the 

ventro-lateral shoulder.

X5

FIGURE 26.—Dimorphoceras algens Gordon, n. sp, A, Front view in outline of the 

holotype (USNM 118985), X2. B, External suture of the holotype at a shell diameter of 9 mm, X5.

The external suture has the same number of elements 

as that of Dimorphoceras gilbertsoni (Phillips). Each 

half of the ventral lobe is divided into two small subsidiary lobes by a subsidiary saddle about twice as deep 

as the siphonal saddle. The subsidiary lobe nearest the 

siphuncle is narrow, short, and bent slightly toward the 

umbilicus; the one farther away from the siphuncle is 

not quite twice the height and width of the inner one, 

bluntly pointed, and very slightly bent toward the 

siphuncle. The first lateral saddle is deeper than the 

subsidiary saddle of the ventral lobe and asymmetrically 

rounded above. The first lateral lobe, at its middle, is 

about as wide as the first lateral saddle, has sigmoidal 

sides, and is parallel tothe venter. The second lateral 

saddle is asymmetrically arched and extends across 

the umbilical shoulder on to the umbilical slope. The 

umbilical lobe is covered by matrix on the specimen.

Dimensions and proportions Holotype Paratype

Diameter (D)_____________i.____mm__ 12. 9 10. 4

Height of last whorl (H)__________mm__ 7. 6 6. 4

Width of last whorl (W)_________mm__ 5. 3 4. 2

W/D________________________ .41 .40

W/H___________________________________ .70 .66

The paratype figured on plate 3, figures 13-15 has a 

different pattern of surface sculpture from that observed on the holotype. It resembles that of Dimorphoceras gilbertsoni (Phillips). No longitudinal lirae can 

be seen on this paratype, but.sinuous lines of growth 

make a distinctive pattern. The growth lines are nearly 

straight at the umbilicus, then curve sharply back in a 

rounded lateral sinus on the mid-flanks. There is a 

prominent lingua near the ventro-lateral shoulder and 

a narrow hyponomic sinus on the venter. At a diameter of about 10 mm, the backward swing of the growth 

lines to the bottom of the lateral sinus is about 1 mm; 

the forward swing from the bottom of the sinus to the 

end of the lingua is 2.2 mm; and the depth of the hyponomic sinus, nearly 4 mm. This specimen shows no 

suture line, but another, from USGS locality 10864, 

combines a similar though faint growth-line pattern 

with a suture like that of the holotype. The spiral 

sculpture seen on the holotype becomes obsolete with
56 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

growth and probably ranges considerably in strength 

among individuals.

Dimorphoceras algens is one of the earlier and simpler 

forms of the group and is closely related to the type of 

the genus D. gilbertsoni from which it differs particularly 

in the ventral lobe of its suture, which has a very short 

siphonal saddle and the first subsidiary lobe of the ventral lobe much shorter than the second. In D. gilbertsoni the two subsidiary lobes are subequal in length.

The species closest to D. algens is D. brancoi Holzapfel, from the Pericyclus kochi zone (Ily) of Germany, 

in that the first subsidiary lobe of the ventral lobe is 

likewise shorter than the second. In D. brancoi, however, the subsidiary divisions of the ventral lobe are 

shorter and more pointed than in D. algens, judging 

from the figures of Schmidt (1925, pi. 22, fig. 18), and 

the venter is acute in the adult.

Holotype, USNM 118985, from USGS locality 14149. Paratypes: USNM 118986, three specimens collected with the holotype; USNM 118987, two additional specimens from the same 

locality (USGS loc. 10864).

Type locality: Black chert and shale member of the Alapah 

limestone, west side of the Kiruktagiak River, 13 miles southwest of its junction with Castle Creek, Brooks Range.

Genus PROTOCANITES Schmidt 1924 

Protocanites? sp.

A small crushed prolecanitid in a matrix of gray siliceous limestone has a diameter of approximately 8 mm. 

Nearly four whorls can be distinguished, the protoconch, and at least part of the first whorl covered by 

matrix that could not be removed without injuring the 

specimen; whorls planorbital, each one slightly impressed in the succeeding whorl. Of the last half whorl 

only the impression remains; on the sides of the two 

preceding whorls can be distinguished part of the external suture. Crushing has destroyed the ventral 

part. There are two lateral lobes, the first a little 

longer than the second, the sides of both parallel and 

their ends bluntly rounded and flattened on slight and 

opposite angles so that the deepest point lies ventrad 

on the first lateral and dorsad on the second lateral lobe. 

The second and third lateral saddles are asymmetrically rounded.

The suture, at a maximum diameter of 5 mm, resembles that of Protocanites, having the same number 

of lateral lobes as that Tournaisian genus. But as the 

shell is relatively immature, it may possibly be a young 

Merocanites, a genus found in rocks of early and middle 

Visean age.

Occurrence: USGS locality 13241, Lisburne group undifferentiated, from about 30 feet above the top of a 105-foot sill of 

igneous rock on east slope of northward-trending ridge of De 

Long Mountains between two main branches of the Kiligwa 

River, Brooks Range.

Genus PRONORITES Mojsisovics, 1882 

Pronorites? sp. 

Plate 6, fig. 27

A single external mold in impure black calcareous 

shale is referred to the genus Pronorites on the basis of 

its general proportions and sculptural details of the 

conch. In the absence of any indication as to the configuration of the suture line, the generic assignment can 

only be regarded as tentative. A latex cast of this mold 

is figured.

The specimen is approximately 32 mm in diameter 

and shows almost four whorls, the protoconch and 

first whorl or whorl and a half not exposed. The shell 

is compressed, probably discoidal; the final whorl at 

the aperture is 14 mm high, with flattened sides and 

gently rounded ventro-lateral and umbilical shoulders; 

the umbilicus is bowl shaped, gently stepped within, 

its boundaries indistinct, roughly 12 mm in diameter; 

the umbilical wall is sloping and convex.

No trace of surface sculpture can be seen. Where 

the shell has been peeled away there is a very fine 

pattern of closely spaced nearly continuous subparallel 

minutely wrinkled striae, forming a very gentle or ad 

bow on the side of the whorl near the umbilicus, not 

exposed near the venter.

Similar finely striate patterns on the surface of the 

internal cast have been observed by the writer in other 

specimens of the genus Pronorites. In one fairly complete specimen, from the Fayetteville shale of Arkansas, 

the fine striae are confined to the umbilical wall and 

dorsad half of the side of the shell, dying out about 

half way between the umbilical and dorso-lateral 

shoulders. These fine striae have not been observed 

in the several specimens of Prolecanites and Epicanites 

examined by the writer. However, the possibility 

exists that they were once present but not preserved 

in the specimens examined.

The whorl height, greater than the width of the 

umbilicus in this specimen, also suggests the genus 

Pronorites, rather than Prolecanites, Merocanites, or 

Protocanites, which are usually more evolute, and the 

stratigraphic position of the Alaskan specimen, in 

association with Goniatites crenistria Phillips, likewise 

weighs against its assignment to Merocanites or Protocanites. The genera Pronorites, Prolecanites, and 

Epicanites, are all known from the lower Posidonia 

(Pi) zone of the upper Visean in northwest Europe, 

which includes the Goniatites crenistria (Pia) subzone.

Figured specimen: USNM 118951.

Occurrence: USGS locality 11828, black chert and shale 

member of the Alapah limestone, four miles south of Lisburne 

Ridge, near the Etivluk River, Brooks Range.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 57

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bisat, W. S., The Carboniferous goniatites of the north of 

England and their zones: Yorkshire Geol. Soc. Proc., n. 

ser., v. 20, pt. 1, p. 40-124, pis. 1-10.

———— 1928 The Carboniferous goniatite zones of England and 

their continental equivalents: Congr. Strat. Garb. Heerlen, 

1927, Compte rendu, p. 117-133, pi. vi, via, Liege.

———— 1934 The goniatites of the Beyrichoceras zone in the 

north of England: Yorkshire Geol. Soc. Proc., v. 22, pt. 4, 

p. 280-309, pis. 17-24, text figs. 1-27.

1952, The goniatite succession at Cowdale Clough,

Barnoldswick, Yorkshire: Leeds Geol. Assoc. Trans., v. 6,

pt. 4, p. 155-181, 3 pls. ; 3 text figs. 

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———— 1938, Carboniferous ammonoids of the southern island 

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1940, Carboniferous ammonoids of north Kazakhastan:

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———— 1940b, Studies of Carboniferous ammonoids: Jour. 

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62-65, 7 text figs.
58 MISSISSIPPIAN CEPHALOPODS OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ALASKA

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———— 1937, A new Pennsylvanian cephalopod fauna from Oklahoma: Jour. Paleontology, v. 11, no. 5, p. 403-422, pis. 

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94-100, 3 text figs.

———— 1949, American Permian nautiloids: Geol. Soc. America

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387-445, pis. 22-27, 31 text figs.

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INDEX

Page

27

1

26

>; pi. 2

26

49

abundum, Knightoceras... ....._______.

Acknowledgments______________.

Adnatoceras______________.____.

alaskense_______ 2,8,10,12,13,15,24,

tiscoense......................... _____.

africanum, Cravenoceras.____________. 

Alapah limestone. __ __________ 3,7,8,10,15,27 

alaskae, Sutteticeras.-........ 10,13,15, 26, 48, 55; pi. 6

alaskense, Adnatoceras.... 2, 8,10,12,13,15,24,25; pi. 2

algens, Dimorphoceras—-....... ..... 8, 13,15, 55; pi. 3

Ammonellipsites............................. 29,30.33

carinatus......... .______________ 14

djaprakensis--......___._________ 33

funatus..................................... 30,31

ha'tichecornei. 34

31

14,31

33

14

kochi..................................

multiplicatus—_____________ 

plicatttis..............................

polaris-.....__.....__.. 2,13,14,15,32, 34, 35

princeps-.........——.._—___.__ 14,33

sonkulensis.........—....-.............--.. 33

subglaber--—.........................___ 34

toisaig( nensis. _____________... 34

(Ftisdpencydus) polaris—-................. 4,

6,13,15,22,31,32, 33; pi. 4 

Ammonites princeps......___________. 32

sphcericus...... __________..___. 45

Anaktuvuk River....--..__—___.____ 10

analoga, Leptaena._________._______ 6 

annulare, Orthoceras........ _—...______ 22

arcticum, Cratenoceras-......................... 49

Girtyoceras——.... 8, 13, 15, SO, 52, 54; pi. 6

arkansanus, Spirifer............................ 6

asiaticus, Pericydus—————————— —— 32,33

semi-involuta, Pericydus...............__ 32

simplex, Pericydus.... — __________ 32

aurorale, Eothalassoceras-. 10, 13, 15, 26, 49, 54; pi. 3 

Aviculopecten sp....................____--.-.. 7,8

Avonia.-..-. _.___------____----____---._..- 4

B

Bactrites •21 .................--.-----.----._---.

carbonarius. .______ 7, 8, 13, 15, SO; pi. 1

sp______._.____.„-._______ 7

bailyi, Perieydus................... — ...... 30,31,32

Baird Mountains..___.....__.______ 2,4

Barnett formation of Texas......._-._..._.. 24

beyrichianum, Homoceras... ...........__-..-.. 14

Beyrichoceras--------------------- 2,36,37,39,40,41,46

castletonense—--.......__........__... 39,40

delicatum. _--.-.__...--.---........_ 14,40

excavatum.....---___--_-----_-_-_--___-----_ 36

furyense.--------------... ......._........ 37

hodaerense. _______...______.. 14,36,40 

hornerae.. - - -... ...__...__......___ 40

memfeli. __..._...______-_-_-_____ 37

micronotoides - - -.... ______________.___ 40

micronotum-..... 2, 8, 13, 14, 15, 40, 42, 46; pi. 4

mutabile _________....________ 36

obtusum. --.--.....„.-... ...-_______ 40

parkinsoni- ....--.-----_. _...-..._..-.——.. 40

phillipsL-.............................. 36,37,39

rectangularum.--........-_----—.__..... 40

submicronotum________-...._... 40

sulcatum--.._...——————. ——_-—.— 39 

umbilicatum...............——...-----.-.. 39, 40

[Italic numbers indicate descriptions]

Beyrichoceras— Continued Page 

vattense...... .............._..........._ 40

(Beyrichoceras') umbilicatum....._...._.. 39

(Bollandites) bowsheri_.___.__..... 52

castletonense--- _____.................. 39

phittipsi. .........._.__...--......-. 39

sulcatum_____.__...._............ 39

(Bollandoceras) globosum......... _ __..... 39

sp..._.....................__.. 8,13,15, 42; pi. 4

(Beyrichoceras) micronotum, Glyphioceras.... .... 40

umbilicatum, Beyrichoceras..... ............. 39

Beyrichoceratoides.......... ..__............... 36, 40

castletonense....___.._.._........... 36

Bibliography...—————_—————_————__ 57-58 

bisulcatum, Eumorphoceras........... .....___ 14

blairi, Goniatites-............... .___....__ 32

Pericyclus.- __....___....._..__.. 31

Bollandites——..--. — - ________________ 2,36,37,40

towsheri——.......... 6,10, 13, 14,15, 36, 37; pi. 4

castletonense..-... ....._.................. 37, 38

furyeme,.__............_......._... 38

greencastlense-------_... __.,........_.. 36

kiligwae.. ................ 7,13, 14,15, 37, 38; pi. 4

mempeli... ...___........__.„....-. 36

phittipsi-....................----------- _.. 38

sulcatum-..-.-----............ 7, 13,14, 15,38; pi. 4

sulcatus-—..-------------.------..-.__....-. 37

(Bollandites) bowsheri, Beyrichoceras—.- --------- 52

castletonense, Beyrichoceras___,__..__. 39 

phillipsi, Beyrichoceras---------------------- 39

sulcatum, Beyrichoceras.- — ............... ._ 40

Bollandoceras... ._...______..--...__ 39,40

globosum..... .....__.______....__ 40

(Bollandoceras) globosum, Beyrichoceras--....... 39

borealis, Entogonites_. _____... _ _ 8,13, S3, 54; pi. 6 

bowsheri, Bottandites. ....... 6,10,13,14,15,36, 37; pi. 4

Beyrichoceras (Bollandites)........_____.. 52

brancoi, Dimorphoceras___..____________.. 56

Brazerlimestone..___.-.-__-._._.___ 9,16 

Brooks Range.--..——-— — _ — ---_-- 2-10,16,25 

browni, Munsferoceras. -...____....__.-.__ 36

Buxtonia sp __...__________________ 7

Caenocyclus—-.- ________________ 29,30,31,32

(Caenocydus) perisphinctoides, Pericyclus...... __ 30,32

Calico Bluff. —— .————................. 10,12,19

Calico Bluff formation......---______...__._ 10,11,12

caneyanum, Gastrioceras- ......_______ 2,49

Neoglyphioceras............................. 49

CaneyeUa percostata ____________.. 7

Cape Lisburne region___...___.___._ 4 

carbonarium, Orthoceras-........................ 21

carbonarius, Bactrites.... ______ 7,8,13,15, SO; pi. 1

cartoniferum, Leiorhynchus.........____... 6,10

carinatus, Ammonellipsites...____........ 14

Pericydus---.-........................._ 31,32

castletonense, Beyrichocercs............ _____ 39,40

Beyrichoceri toides........................... 36

Beyrichoceras (Bollandttes) __________ 39 

Bollandites-—.............................. 37,38

Cephalopods, age and correlation. _ ___ _.. 13-16 

collecting localities______________ 16-18 

Cephalopod fauna, composition____...___ 2 

Chandler Lake area.._____________. 7-9 

choctawensis, Goniatites... _____ 21,42,43,44,46,47 

Chonetes-—————————_____________ 6

Fage

ciscoense, Adnatoceras...-.__..—___._._ 26 

danensis, Pericydus_——__————.—_ 30,31 

cloudi, Neoglyphioceras-_____-____-__ 49 

Coelonautilus.....-----—————————_._--_ 29 

Composita humilis. ____-__—--_-.__. 4 

compressus, Ettipsolithes. _____ _ _ ___ 30 

constricta, Pericydus totsaiganensis. ————— -— 32 

Cravenoceras—.--.__——.-...-—....-—_. 16,49

.- —————————— 49

..-_—————————.— 49 

.. — ——— — — ——— ——— 49

. ——— . — .— ——— .———. 49 

.. ——— ————— ————.. 49

..- — —— ————— _——— 49 

sp—_—— — ———— —— —— ——— 13,14,16,27,49

crebriliratum, Dolorthoceras.......... 12,13, 15,24; Pi- 2

ajricanum.-. 

articum .....

holmesi------

kingi .._... 

malhamenseMooreoceras.

sp_

crenistria globoides, Goniatites ______ __ .--

Glyphioceras-. ______ _ _ —— __ — .

globoides-—---- — ———— —— ___ ——

Goniatites-——— 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,

28, 40, 41, 4S, 43, 44, 46 53, 54, 56; pi. 5

———— — — —— — —— 44

—— ——— — ——— — — 44

reticulatus- ........... _ . __ __ --.. 44

crenistriatum, Sudeticeras.-. .... .. __ ___. _ _. 49

crenulatus, Goniatites.--.— ------------ 30,31,32

crispum, Stroboceras ____ ... ___ 8,13,15,28; pi. 3 

"Culm facies"-. _ ____ --------- ___ — _ 4

cumminsi, Goniatites __ .---.--. — -- ____ _ 44,46 

Cydoceras--..--.--- — -------.-———-. 10,15,22

sp— -—..—... .———. — - 6, 10, 13, 15, *# pi. 2

Cypricardella sp._.. __..-----------------------_ 10

Cypricardinia sp_-_- __ __ .... _ .. _ _ _ _.. 6

D 

delicatum, Beyrichoceras ... ----------- __ --_-.. 14,40

De Long Mountains— ...—— _ — 2,3,4-7,14,16,36 

dichotomus, Pericydus..-.- __ __-_ ___ _ _.. 32,33

Dictyoclostus _ _-__ __ — -_.-.. — _ — ... — .- 10 

Dielasma sp__. -------..-- _ _ .—- _ ... —— . 7

dilitatus, Pericydus-.—- — -—— — ----——- 31,32

Dimorphoceras algens __ _ _ _ _.— 8, 13, 15,55; pi. 3

trancoi- ........ _ _.----.- —— ...... —— — 56

gilbertsoni _ ........-.......---.-.....-. — 55,56

Dinckley, England--..-. _______ _____ 44,47 

dinckkyensis, Goniatites crenislria. ......... ... .. 44

divisus, Goniatites.... ... ...... _ .-----.--.- — - 32

Pericydus-- _ ................ ——— — ... 33

djaprakensis, Ammonellipsites _____ _____ 33 

Pericydus---- — ----—— --------- - --- 31,32

Dolorthoceras--...-- _ _-__ —— __---.- — _--— 24 

crebriliratum------ - ------ 12, 13, 15,24; pi- 2

elegans--.--- _ _-- __ __ — _ _ - — -- 24 

medium------ 8, 10, 13, 15, 20, tS, 25, 26; pi. 2

palmerae. ------ _ ....... __ . _ ...-.--..- 24

toUtarium.- — --- — -- — — — — — ---.-.— 24

tersum __ .--.------..-.--.. — --- — _. — .- 24

Sp. — ........ . — ...-. ——— ..-———— 2,4,7,10,13

doohylensis, Pericydus---. -------- _ _ ... __ 30,32

dutroi, Michelinoceras __ . __ 10, 13, 15, SO, 24; pi. 1

E

Eagle-Circle district———————— 10-13,16,24,25 

Echinocoelia pilosa _ __ _ ___ __ __ .. __ 6

Echinoconchus sp...- ... — — -...-. — .--.---.- 10

59
60 INDEX

Page 

Echooka River----.-.--..------.-..--.----.-.- 10

Ekakevik Mountain..------------------------- 7

elegans, Dolorthoceras--------- -----------_--.- 24

Goniatites—-------------------------- 15,47,49

Ettipsolithes------ _----------_-—__----- 30

compressus-------------------------------- 30

funatus---.-------------------------- 29,30,31,32

endicottense, Girtyoceras--------- 10,13,15, 50, 61; pi. 6

Endolobussv------.-—---- ——~— 7,10,13,15, #7

Entogonites------------------ _-------------— 62

borealu.-.- —— -— — - — -- 8,13, 63, 54; pi. 6 

grimmeri------------------------- ——-- 52,53,54

Eothalassoceras------------------------------ 2,10,14

aurorale——------------ 10,13,15,26,49,54; pi. 3

inexpectans.---------------------- — ------- 55

Epicanites_— _ — ___ ——.— — — — -— — — — 56

epigrus, Orthoceras ----------- ____.-___-._------ 2

Etivluk River Basin---- — ..-.-----_.._._ 7

Euloxoceras—------------------------------ 2,10,26

greenet...--------------------------------—- 26

mitten——— — — —— ————- 26

sp..- —— — ———— ——— ——— 10,13,15, SB; pi. 2

Eumetria sp._.---.__----__---.-_----_- ——.. 6

Eumorphocerasbisulcatum.---------------... _-- 14

psuedobilinque--------------- _-.-._-- 13,14,16

sp—--------------------------------------- 2,35

eurekensis, MoorefieldeUa..—------------------ 7

Eurycyclus-------------------- __.._--.- —._. 29,31

euryomphalus, Munsteroceras--.-...------------ 36

evolutus, Pericyclus---- — __....-.„._....— 31

excavatum, Beyrichoceras.----------------------- 36

F 

fasdculatus, Goniatites.-- _-_------------- 30,31,33

Pericyclus-- _....----.----..------_----..- 30

Fascipericyclui—-.—— —————-- 29,30,31,32,33

(Fascipericyclus) polaris, Ammonellipsites-___... 4,

6,13,15,22,31,32, 33; pi. 4

fimlriatum, Glyphioceras------- - - --- __----- 44

foordi, Pericyclus----—-------------------------- 30,32

funatus, Ammonellipsites---------------------- 30,31

EUipsolithea—..———— ————- 29,30,31

Pericyclus--- _..____-_-._____-—_-__--_-_- 31

furyense, Beyrichoceras-------------------------- 37

Bollandites-—------------------------------ 38

G 

Gastriocerascaneyanum.------------------------ 2,49

sp—— — ---- — -- — — -- — — — -- —~ 2

geigenensis, Protocanites.---------------- ____-_. 14

Gigantoproductus--.--------------------- -.-.. 16

gilbertsoni, Dimorphoceras_---_.-___--_-. . _ 55,56 

Girtyoceras—--------------------------- 2,12,51,52

articum ---------- 8, 13, 15, 60, 52, 54; pi. 6

endicottense------------ 10, 13, 15, 50, 61; pi. 6

limatum-------------------------- __---- 50,52

meslerianum—-------------------- _-__-_ 50,52

shorrocksi.-. _____ — —- — — _- —— -.— — - 50,51

waitei__------_-----.----_-_--_--_._--_--. 50,51

sp. -..----------------------------.------. 10,12

globoides, Glyphiocerascrenistria.---- _.__-_.- 44

(to Goniatites crenistria.-.- ___-_.-__._-_-- 44 

globosum, Bollandoceras_-._-____--._-._--. 40

Beyrichoceras (Bollandoceras}—~--------- 39

Glyphioceras-.________--.._--__-._-_---.-_ 40

crenistria---------------.------------------- 42

globoides--.----------------------------. 44

fimbriatum__------------___.--_-..--- 44

incisum_— — — . ———-_--------__-._ 42

micronotum—----------------------------- 40

sphaericus.------- __-._----_---._.__. 44

(Beyrichoceras) micronotum.. — --........... 40

Goniatitei————— —— ——————— 4,16,47

Warn.- — .__-____.____.-____------ 32

choctawensis.--.-------------- 2,21,42,43,44,46,47

crenistria------- -------- 2, 7,8,13,14,15,20,21,

22, 23, 24, 28, 40, 41, 4$, 43, 44, 46, 53, 54, 56; pi. 5 

dinckleyensis—------ _________———. 44

globoides.--------.-- ___——_——__. 44

pseudostriatus------... _______——- 44

reticulatus.. - __.____.__.. — __ 44

Goniatites—Continued Page 

crenulalus-. ____________ _____ 30,31,32 

cummiusi-------...—__—— ___——_———— 44,46

divisus—-....---------------------------__ 32

elegans. ------- _______________ 15,47,49

Jasciculatus.-———-- — -----———- 30,31,32,33

granosus—- ....„__„_________-.._ 2,10,12

13,14,15,16, 48, 49, 51,52; pi. 6 

greencastlensis- - __-_-.________.—.-.- 37 

impressus___________.-.____ 31,32

kentuckiensis.....——..——...___.__ 44,46

mattadae- ........................._____ 37

maximus-. _________________ 15,46

micronotus-_________..___.___ 40 

mutabilis- ————————————————— 37

oblusus.-------------------.--------.--.-.-. 40

plicotilis----—--------.--——-------.... 30,31,32

princeps_____________.__.___ 30 

reticulatus.._____.__——..---——__ 44 

nckhoUi- ——— -.-- —— - — —— — — 30,31,32

sphaericoslriatus - - - - _____------__.--. 14

sphaericus—— ............. 2,6,13,14,15,45; pi. 6

vesciculifer. -. __.. __. __.__——__ 40 

vesica__.-__________--.__——. 42,43,44

virgatus.------- ________________ 30,5>2

(Pericyclus) tuber culatus....—.. __ ... 30,31,32

sp--. —.................................. 2,4,10

gracillimus, Pericyclus (Helicocyclus)........__ 31,32

grandicostatus, Pericyclus.---------------------- 32

granosus, Goniatites--..--.__- — _-_--_ 2,10,12,13,14,

15,16, 46, 49, 51,52; pi. 6

greencastlense, Bollandites —...... .-..__.___. 36

greencastlensis, Goniatites-.... ..-.-.......-_..... 37

greenei, Euloxoceras—. — ....--.._._.-_..__ 26

gregeri, Spirifer.. -__-.._.___._-_------__------ 10

GriffUhides sp——— —— ————— —— —— — 6

grimmeri, Entogonites------------------------ 52,53,54

Tetragonites___..--......---.-.--.-....... 52

Hammatocyclus___ —————_____--. 29,31,32,33 

(Hammatocyclus) homoceratoides, Pericyclus_.. 31,32 

hauchecornei, Ammonellipsites__.-_.-_------ 34

Pericyclus---------------------------------- 31,32

haydenianus, Spirifer__._--_-------_--_----_-_ 9

Helicocyclus-.-------------------------- 29,31,32,33

(Helicocyclus) gracillimus, Pericyclus ------------ 31,32

Hodder river, England......--------_--._._ 53

hodderense, Beyrichoceras_ --__._--- _ _ - - 14,36,40 

holmesi, Cravenoceras-----.--.------. _.____.__.- 49

Homoceras beyrichianum-----.--------------.-.- 14

homoceratoides, Pericyclus— -.-_-. _.-- — ..- __ 31

Pericyclus (Hammatocyclus)---------------- 31,32

hornerae, Beyrichoceras__-_.-_--.-_.-_..-_--- 40 

humilis, Composita __..._._......-.-._._ 4

Iligluruk Creek....-.--_.__._--_----_--.---- 3,4,14,35

impressus, Goniatites------ ___--._.___---.__-- 31,32

incisum, Glyphioceras--- ____--.-.___--_-__ 42

inexpectans, Eothalassoceras.-----------------_ 55

Prothalassoceras____--_.- —.____.. 54

inflata, Pericyclus kochi...______.__._. 32

Introduction.-.___-----------------——__ 1

Ipnavik River__.._--....-----__-____ 7

K

Kayak shale..__-...-______.____ 3,6,10,15

Kaypericyclus—-__. ___________ 29,30,31,32

kayseri, Ammonellipsites..__---___.__ 31

Pericyclus-............................. 30,31,32

kempae, Knightoceras- ------------__.- — -_ 27

kentuckiensis, Goniatites___----_____--.. 44,46

Kiligwa River..—————————. 4,6,15,36

kiligwae, Bottandites-..-..--— 7, 13,14,15,37, 58; pi. 4 

kingi, Cravenoceras....—__——__—__ 49

Kionoceras_______.__---------- ——.__ 23

sp. A——.—————————— 4,6,13.**,- pi. 2

sp. B-.------_----—-.----__--- 2,4,13,23; pi. 2

sp. C—.. — ..—- ————— 8,13,15,03; pi. 2

sp. D.----___._-_-——--—_-. 8,13,15,23; pi. 2

Page 

Kiruktagiak River—————.—————. 7-9,40

Knightoceras—.... _.--__—_.-——--__ 2

abundum- _____-____________ 27 

kempae———————————————————-— 27 

missouriense.....- _.——-----——------- 27

oxylobatum_______..„-_---_____ 27 

paltoni-——._---.__-___ 8,13,15,07; pi. 3 

subcariniferum____________------ 27

tiltoni-—————— ———_.__.____ 27

sp.-____-------__.—------.--_ 9,13, 28; pi. 3

kochi, Ammonellipsites... ____________ 14,31 

inflata, Pericyclus—- _-------_.___.-. 32

Pericyclus---------------------- - - 30,31,32,56

subcompressa, Pericyclus-- ___.----.---.-_- 32

Kogruk Creek..___.....---....-.-.-..-..... 4

Laevidentalium sp.-- — ._------------------_ 4

leesoni, Prolecanites.---.-----------------... __— 30,32

Leiorhynchus carboniferum..-------------------- 6,10

Leptaena analoga.---------...-_.-.__...__._ 6

limatum, Girtyoceras-- _------------__— __ 50,52

LingvAasp— — —______-.__-_____- 6,7 

Linoproductussp-.---- _-------__----------- 6

Loxonema sp___---------------_„___ 6

lyoni, Protocanites--..---- __.—___-_.--- 14

M • 

malhamense, Cravenoceras—------.... ._ — _ 49

mattadae, Goniatites— _-__-____---------_ 37

maximus, Goniatites.---....---------__-.-....- 15,16

medium, Dolorthoceras--. .-_--__-_.--....-.--- 8,

10,13,15,20, StS, 25,26; pi. 2 

mempeli, Beyrichoceras....-_-..._„__.._ 37

Bollandites____.____________-.. 36 

Merocanites.....— — — „—-_------_-...._ 30,56

meslerianum, Girtyoceras—-.-... _....--.-.-... 50,52

Michelinoceras--.----- __ — ---__ — ___-._- _., 20

dutroi—------------------- 10,13,15, SO, 24; pi. 1

micronotoides, Beyrichoceras- ...._-____._. 40

micronotum, Beyrichoceras.--------------------- 2,

8,13,14,15, 40, 42,46; pi. 4 

Glyphioceras-——-_------ — ----— — ______- 40

Glyphioceras (Beyrichoceras) .... — — — — — — 40

micronotus, Goniatites.---------------..-..-.--.- 40

milleri, Euloxoceras-..—-------------- __._____ 26

Miller's cabin-.---- —— — — —— ——— —— 47

missouriense, Knightoceras---....--------------- 27

mitchetti, Munsteroceras-—------------ _....... 37

Monotis Creek.------.. ___- — — __———- — — __ 7,8

Moorefi eldella eurekensis -.....-.-—.-......-.-.- 7

Mooreoceras crebriliratum.--.-.-.--------------- 8

Mourloniasp.-----------------------... ........ 6

multicostatus, Pericyclus---.-------------- ___... 30,32

multiplicatus, Ammonellipsites ------------------ 33

Pericyclus princeps.--------------------... 32

MUnsteroceras.-- _.....__---.-.-.-.-........ 36,40

browni.... _-----..--------.-.-.-.-_....... 36

euryomphalus—-------... — — „__ — — _— 36

mitchetti- —---..-..- _--------------- __._ 37

saginatum.- __-----_----- 4,13,14, 35, 36; pi. 4

sphaeroidale_ _-..___- _ ----------........ 35

sp------------ -------------- 6,13.14,36

mutabile, Beyrichoceras__ — -—. — —-—__ — _ 36 

mutabilis, Goniatites__-.__----_-_-_..._.. 37

Myalina sp__.----....------.........-------- 10

N

Nanushuk River -..-_.._...._...._... 10

nasutus, Pericyclus--.. — _.__-_ — -. — ____ 3]

Naticopsissp-. ___._.„..___._____. 6,9 

Nautiloid———— — — — ——— — — —— 2

Nautilus stygialis.. __-------..........-.-_.. 29

sp-_---_ ————— — —— ——— ——— — — —___ 2

neglectum, Orthoceras__.-..-.-. — -__....... 26

Neocycloceras.- __..................._....... 22

Neoglyphioceras.------------------------------- 40,49

caneyanum.--------------- _._.-___-.. 49

cloudi.-...----------------.--,-------__----- 49

sp———— —— —— —— ——. 2,13,14,16,49; pi. 6
INDEX 61

Page 

niger, Pericyclus................................ 31,32

nikitini, Pericyclus............. ................ 31,32

Noatak River, lower basin..—.___—___ — ._ 4 

Nomismoceras..... ...._..................L... 52,53

Nuka River...........__...._......_..... 6

Nuculana sp_—-.-----.-........------.-...... 6,10

O

obtusum, Beyrichoceras...

obtusus, Goniatites--..—.

Orbiculoidea sp_.-.....

Orthoceras. ..............

annulare...—-.-.-....

carbonarium ---------

crebriliratum. — -.....

epigrus--.-------....

.neglectum.... --------

wapanuckense. ------

sp—................

osagensis, Spirifer. .......

oxylobatum, Knightoceras.

40

40

6

21

22

21

24

2

26

20

2

10

27

palmerae, Dolorthoceras............ ............. 24

Palmeroceras-.......... ..._-_-------__.. 23

parkinsoni, Beyrichoceras.....-----------______ 40

pattoni, Knightoceras-....----------- 8, 13,15, 87; pi. 3

Pectenoid pelecypod__„_-_____ — — _-__._.___ 6

percostata, Caneyella............................ 7

Pericydus................................ 29,32,33,36

asiaticus-... .__.__...._----- ——...... S2,33

semi involuta............................ 32

simplex.................. . —— ---------- 32

bailyi.................................... 30,31,32

blairi....................................... 31

carinatus............................ ....... 31,32

danensis—................________ 30,31,32

dichotomus.-................................ 32,33

dilitaius.................................... 31,32

divisus...................................... 33

djarrakensis............. __-————-..._ 31,32

doohylensis—.................——-———.. 30,32

emlutut—-.-—----——. — -.—.............. 31,32

fasciculatus................................. 30

foordi.-..................................... 30,32

funatus..................................... 31

grandicostatus............... ...— _-_..—— 32

bauchecornei. -.............................. 31,32

homoceratoides.............................. 31

kayseri.................................. . 30,31,32

kochi——............................ 30,31,32,56

inflata.................................. 32

subcompressa...... ...__..-_---.._.. 32

multicostatus—............ — ............... 30,32

nasutus......_____.__..-.-- ———. 31,32

niger.............................___.__ 31,32

nikitini..................................... 31,32

perisphindoides..—..............—......... 30

plicatilis.................................... 31

princeps multiplicatus...... ——--. — -....... 32

pidcher..................................... 32

rotuliformis...---. — ..- —. — . —.--..— 30,31,32 

ryckhotti.................................... 33

sokurensis__ _ ..--------------------------32,33

sonkulensis.................................. 31,32

subglaber......... ......_________ — ___- — 30,32

subplicatilis..-..-........................... 32

tianshanicus ................................ 31,32

toisaiganensis............................... 32,33

constricta............................... 32

trapezoidalis.--.......................... 30,31,32

(Caenocydus) perisphinctoides.... ._-_--_.- 30,32

(Hammatocydus) homoceratoides-........... 31,32

(Helicocydus) gracillimus................... 31,32

(Pericyclus) tuberculatus, Ooniatites..--.--... 30,31,32 

perisphinctoides, Pericyclus..... ____._----- 30

Pericyclus (Caenocydui)................. ... 30,32

Page 

petrenkoi, Cravenoceras.......................... 49

phillipsi, Beyrichoceras....................... 36,37,39

Bollandites...... ............................ 38

Beyrichoceras (Bollandites).................. 39

pilosa, Echinocoditt............................. 6

Platycerassp................................... 7,10

Platycrinitessp... —............................ 8

plicatilis, Ammonettipsites....._-....---..---.-.. 14

Ooniatites....................... ._______. 30,31,32

Pericyclus--. —............................. 31

polaris, Ammonettipsites. -.......- 2,13,14,15,32,34, 35

Ammonellipsttes (Fascipericyclus)........... 4,

6,13.15, 22, 31,32, S3; pi. 4 

Posidonia wapanuckensis....................... 8

sp.-_--_--._..-.______.________.__........_. 7,10

Previous work—_....._______-... — -........ 1-2

princeps, Ammondlipsites..... __-_._------,_-_._ 14,33

Ammonites.--..----...........,...-........ 32

Ooniatites................................... 30

multiplicatus, Pericyclus.................... 32

procerum, Sudeticeras-.......... ............... 49

Productella sp____________________......... 4

"Productus"..........--........................ 10

sp-.-....-.-.- —......................... 4,6,7

Prolecanites..........................'.......... 56

leesoni.............................. ..___.__ 30,32

subplicatilis................................. 30

Pronorites *p_____...____.____.____._.___ 7,13, 56; pi. 6

Prothalassoceras ................................ 54,55

inexpectans. ................................ 54

wetteri ........ — .. — - — --..-.. — .-.. — .... 64

Protocanites. ................................... 56

geigenensis.................................. 14

lyoni.......-.-.---........ ..._...-___.._-___ 14

sp—-- — ---- — — -—-- — _ — -— 6,13,15.56

Protokionoceras.---....................... ______ 23

pseudobilinque, Eumorphoceras............... 13,14,16

Pseudorthoceras sp---______-.......--. 13, 86; pi. 2

pseudostriatus, Goniatitescrenistria.............. 44

pulcher, Pericylcut.............................. 32

R

rangifer, Rayonnoceras. ......... 2, 6,12,13,16, /P;pl. 1

Rayonnoceras..-.-----.......................... 4,19

rangifer..................... 2,6,12,13,16, 19; pi. 1

sp-__.——.- — — ._...... — . 2,7,13,15, SO; pi. 1

rectangularum, Beyrichoceras.................... 40

regina, Sudeticeras.-.................:.......... 15,49

reticulatus, Goniatites........................... 44

Ooniatites crenistria......................... 44

Reticuloceras.................................... 40,44

Rotopericyclus......................... 29,30,31,32,33

rotuliformis, Pericyclus ...................... 30,31,32

ryckholti, Goniatites..-....................... 30,31,32

Pericyclus....--....---..--.....--.....-.... 33

saginatum, Munsteroceras _ -------- 4,13,14, 35, 36; pi. 4

Sagittoceras.......................... — .. — ..- 51

Schdlurienettasp—----------------------------- 6

Schizocyclus.... —.............................. 29,31

Schuchertettasp.........-..— ..... — ...-—--.— 6

semi-involuta, Pericyclus asiaticus............... 32

Setigeritessetiger-............................... 9

Seventymile River.---_-.--________--_____-- 12,13,47

Shainin Lake_------_- — .......--..--.-..„ 3

shorrocksi, Oirtyoceras........................... 50,51

Siksikpuk River.............. — „ — „— — „ 10

simplex, Pericyclus asiaticus..................... 32

sokurensis, Pericydus........................... 32

solitarium, Dolorthoceras-....................... 24

sonkulensis, Ammonettipsites.................... 33

Pericyclus.................................. 31,32

sphaericoslriatus, Ooniatites--.-...... ...--------- 14

Page 

sphaericus, Ammonites.......... __---------_ 45

Olyphioceras................................ 44

Ooniatites................... 2, 6,13,14,15, 45; pi. 6

sph.aeroidale, Munsteroceras ----------- __... _ 35

Spinjer arkansanus.....................- — ....- 6

gregeri......._______..___......_ 10

haydenianus................................ 9

osagensis.............................___ 10

stratiformis................................. 7,10

sp.......................................... 6,8

Slenocydus............................... 29,31,32,33

stolbergi, Sudeticeras............................ 49

Straparollus sp---_----_.__...__..._.... 6

stratijormis, Spirijer.................— .......... 7,10

Stroboceras......... ......__..._..__------- 29

crispum......................... 8,13,15, 88; pi. 3

trijer-........................................ 29

stygialis, Nautilus....____-...._.__._.- 29

subcarinifemm, Knightoceras.--................. 27

subcompressa, Pencyclus kochi................... 32

subglaber, AmmoneUipsites........ — -..-. — _ 34

Pericydus...........'....................... 30,32

submicronotum, Beyrichoceras................... 40

subplicatilis, Pericydus.-........................ 32

Prolecanites................................. 30

Sudeticeras............................... 10,14,15,40

alaskae................... 10,13,15,26,48,55; pi. 6

crenistriatum.—............................ 49

procerum.................................... 49

regina...................................... 15,49

stoUbergi..................................... 49

sulcatum, Beyrichoceras.-.-..................... 39

Bottandites-.................. 7,13, 14, 15, 38, pi. 4

Beyrichoceras (Bollandites).................. 39

sulcatus, Bollanditest............------.--.- 37

Tatonduk River—...——...-. ———.———. 12 

tersum, Dolorthoceras.—......................... 24

Tetragonites..... ————————————— ——— -— 52

grimmeri .......................————-.. 52

Thalassoceras................................... 54

tianshanicus, Pericydus____.'__———__ 31,32 

Tiglukpuk Creek—.--.___.__........... 10

tittoni, Knightoceras..........—................. 27

toisaiganensis, Ammonettipsites.................. 34

constricta, Pericyclus_____________ 32 

Pericydus.................................. 32,33

trapezoidalis, Pericyclus...................... 30,31,32

Trapezopericyclut-....................... 29,30,31,32

infer, Stroboceras.. __________ ——..__ 29 

tuberculatus, Ooniatites (Pericydus).......... 30,31,32

U

unMlicalum, Berfichoceras...................... 39,40

Beyrichoceras (Beryichoceras)................ 39

vallense, Beyrichoceras.-. ______.._ ————. 40 

vesciculifer, Ooniatttes........................... 40

vesica, Ooniatites- ____-----------———— 42,43,44

virgatus, Ooniatites.-.-.......................... 30,32

W

Wachsmuth limestone__ ———— ----- ——— — 3

waitei, Oirtyoceras............................... 50,51

wapanuckense, Orthoceras....................... 20

Posidonia................................... 8

wetteri, Prothalassoceras——................—. 54

Yukon River....-...-—.———- 10,12,16,46,47

Z

Zaphrentid..-.-----..--...--.-----.------.----- 7

398828—57-

PLATES 1-6
PLATE 1

[All figures natural size except as indicated otherwise on plate]

FIGURES 1, 2, 9. Rayonnoceras rangifer Gordon, n. sp.

I, 2. Side and apicad end views of part of the internal mold of a phragmacone, the holotype, USNM 118931,

from USGS locality 11865.

9. Cross section (dorso-ventral) through part of a paratype, showing 3J4 chambers, USNM 118992, from USGS 

locality 2644A. Endosiphunclc, siphuncular connecting rings, septa, and episeptal and hyposeptal cameral 

deposits are shown. 

3-6. Michelinoceras dutroi Gordon, n. sp.

3. 5. Enlarged and natural size views of the holotype, USNM 118990, from USGS locality 11764, sectioned to 

show the orthochoanitic siphuncle.

4. 6. Enlarged and natural size views of the paratype, USNM 118991, from the same locality. 

7, 8. Rayonnocerast sp.

Side and apicad end views of a partly decorticate fragment of body chamber, USNM 118932, from USGS locality

10866. 

10. Bactritesl carbonarius Smith?

A crushed fragment of the shell of a body chamber showing internal and external sculpture patterns, USNM

118946, from USGS locality 10866. 

11-13. Bactrites't carbonarius Smith

II, 12. Side and apicad end views of part of a phragmacone, USNM 118945, from USGS locality 9188. 

13. Enlargement showing part of the surface of the same specimen.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 283 PLATE 1

RAYONNOCERAS, MICHELINOCERAS, AND BACTRITES?
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPEK «» PLATE 2

X 3

KIONOCERAS?, ADNATOCERAS, DOLORTKOCERAS, CYCLOCERAS, EULOXOCERAS, AND PSEUDORTHOCERAS
PLATE 2

[A 11 figures natural size except as indicated otherwise on plate]

FIGURES 1-4. Kionoceras? sp. A

1, 2. Side and apicad end views of an internal mold of part of the body chamber, USNM 118935, from USGS

locality 13100. 

3, 4. Side view and enlargement showing surface details of another specimen, USNM 118934, from USGS locality

11867. 

5-7, 13. Adnatoceras alaskense Gordon, n. sp.

5, 6. Dorsal and apicad end views of part of the phragmacone of a paratype, USNM 118941, from USGS locality

9188. 

7. Ventral view of a phragmacone, the holotype, USNM 118940, from USGS locality 12084.

13. Enlarged cross section of part of the phragmacone of the holotype, showing the large excentric siphuncle. 

8-10. Dolorthoceras? aff. D. crebriliratum (Girty)

Side and enlarged apicad views, and view showing surface details of part of the body chamber of a specimen, 

USNM 118944, from USGS locality 9188.

11. Cycloceras sp.

Side view of the best preserved fragment, part of the internal mold of a phragmacone, USNM 118933, from USGS 

locality 11857.

12. Kionoceras? sp. B

A small poorly preserved fragment in matrix, enlarged, showing faint longitudinal lirae in the upper left part, 

USNM 118936, from USGS locality 12785.

14. 21. Dolorthoceras medium Gordon, n. sp.

14. Enlarged cross section of part of the phragmacone, showing the comparatively small subcentral cyrtochoanitic

siphuncle of the holotype, USNM 118937, from USGS locality 10866. 

21. Side view of another part of the holotype.

15. 16. Kionoceras? sp. C

View and enlargement showing surface details of part of a body chamber, USNM 118942, from USGS locality

10866. 

17, 18. Kionoceras? sp. D

Enlargement showing surface details and natural size view of part of a crushed body chamber, USNM 118943,

from USGS locality 10866. 

19, 20. Euloxoceras sp.

View and enlarged portion of a vertical section, showing white calcareous cameral deposits against the dark

siphuncle, USNM 118989, from USGS locality 11804. 

22. Pseudorthoceras sp.

Enlarged vertical section, USNM 118994, from USGS locality 10251.

398828—57-
PLATE 3

[All figures natural size except as indicated otherwise on plate]

FIGURES 1-4. Stroboceras crispum Gordon, n. sp.

1, 2. Side view and enlargement showing details of the surface sculpture of the paratype, USNM 118950, from

USGS locality 10866.

3, 4. Front and side views of the holotype, USNM 118949, from the same locality. 

5-8. Knightoceras pattoni Gordon, n. sp.

5. Enlarged side view showing the apicad part of the holotype, USNM 118947, from USGS locality 10864. 

6-8. Dorsal, side, and ventral aspects of the holotype. 

9. Knightoceras sp.

Side view of a partly reconstructed silicified internal mold, USNM 118948, from USGS locality 10883. 

10-15. Dimorphoceras algens Gordon, n. sp.

10-12. Enlarged front, side, and rear views of an internal mold, the holotype, USNM 118985, from USGS

locality 14149.

13-15. Enlarged rear, side, and front views of a paratype, USNM 118986, from the same locality. 

16-19. Eothalassoceras aurorale Gordon, n. sp.

16. Side view of the complete holotype, USNM 118988, from USGS locality 11804, showing the sigmoidal

aperture.

17-19. Enlarged rear, side, and front views of the same specimen with most of the partly crushed body chamber 

removed.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYPROFESSIONAL PAPER 283 PLATE 3

STROBOCERAS, KNIGHTOCERAS, DIMORPHOCERAS, AND EOTHALASSOCERAS
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 283 PLATE 4

X 2

X2 8 TM X2 9X2

10

15

x 2 21 X 2

l^V 23 

22^^

t

26

X 2

X 2 X 2

36 ^^ x 2 37

11 12 13

X4 18 X 4 X 4

X 2 X 2

x 2 33 x 2

X 2

X 2

X 2 38^^ X 2 40 ^^P X 2 41 X 2

AMMONELLIPSITES, MUNSTEROCERAS, BOLLANDITES, AND BEYRICHOCERAS
PLATE 4

[All figures natural size except as indicated otherwise on plate]

FIGURES 1-13. Ammonellipsites (Fascipericydus) polaris Gordon, n. sp.

I-4. Front, left side, rear, and right side views of the holotype, USNM 118952, from USGS locality 11857.

5, 6. Enlarged front and side views of a partly broken paratype, USNM 118953, from the same locality, showing

the sculpture of a young whorl.

7-10. Enlarged rear, side, and front views and natural size side view of a small internal mold of the phragmacone. 

a paratype, USNM 118953, from the same locality.

II-13. Front, side, and rear views of a hypotype with coarser and straighter transverse sculpture exhibiting

intercalation, USNM 118954, from the same locality. 

14—16. Munsteroceras saqinatum Gordon, n. sp.

Rear, side, and front views of a partly broken phragmacone, the holotype; USNM 118956, from USGS locality 11877. 

17-19. Bollandites cf. B. sulcatum Bisat

Enlarged rear, side, and front views of a small silicified phragmacone, USNM 118963, from USGS locality 11818. 

20-26. Bollandites kiligwae Gordon, n. sp.

20-23. Enlarged front, side, and rear views and natural size side view of a paratype, USNM 118962, from USGS

locality 13204. 

24-26. Enlarged rear and side views and natural size side view of the holotype, USNM 118961, from the same

locality. 

27—29. Bollandites bowsheri Gordon, n. sp.

27. Side view of a specimen referred to this species with some question, USNM 118960, from USGS locality 12787.

28. 29. Enlarged front and side views of the holotype, USNM 118958, from USGS locality 12084. 

30-32. Beyrichoceras sp.

Enlarged front, side, and rear views of the only specimen, USNM 118967, from USGS locality 10866. 

33-41. Beyrichoceras micronotum (Phillips)

33-35. Enlarged front, side, and rear views of a well preserved specimen, USNM 118965, from USGS locality 10866.

36-38. Enlarged front, side, and rear views of another specimen, USNM 118964, from USGS locality 10864.

39-41. Enlarged front, side, and rear views of a partly broken septate specimen showing the shape of the young 

whorl, USNM 118965, from USGS locality 10866.
PLATE 5

[All figures natural size except as indicated otherwise cm plate]

Figures 1-16. Goniatites crenistria Phillips

1-3. Front, side, and rear views of the largest specimen of the wide form, USNM 118968, from USGS locality 9188.

4-6. Front, side, and rear views of a smaller specimen from the same locality.

8. Polished cross section of another specimen from approximately the same locality, showing the extremely narrow

umbilicus, USNM 118969, from USGS locality 10866.

9-11. Front, side, and rear views of the typical form, USNM 118970, from USGS locality 11828. 

12-15. Side and enlarged front, side, and rear views of a young specimen of the wide form, USNM 118968, from

USGS locality 9188. 

16. Enlarged view showing details of the surface sculpture of a specimen from the same locality.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 283 PLATE 5

13

GONIATITES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 283 PLATE

GONIATITES, NEOGLYPHIOCERAS, SUDETICERAS, GIRTYOCERAS, PRONORITES?, AND ENTOGONJTES
PLATE 6

[All figures natural size except as indicated otherwise on plate]

Figures 1-7. Goniatites cf. G. sphaericus (Sowerby)

1-3. Rear, side, and front views of a small globose specimen in early maturity, USNM 118971, from USGS locality

14153. 

4-7. Rear, side, and front views and an enlargement showing surface details of a more mature specimen from the

same locality. 

8, 9. Goniatites cf. G. granosus Portlock

Rear and side views of the best preserved specimen, USNM 118972, from USGS locality 6846A. 

10, 11. Neoglyphioceras sp.

Side and enlarged rear views of two crushed specimens in shale, USNM 118975, from USGS locality 6846B. 

12-18. Sudeticeras alaskae Gordon, n. sp.

12-14. Front, side, and rear views of the holotype, USNM 118973, from USGS locality 11804. 

15-18. Side and enlarged front, side, and rear views of a small paratype, USNM 118974, from the same locality. 

19-26. Girtyoceras arcticum Gordon, n. sp.

19, 23. Side and enlarged side view of a small paratype, USNM 118978, from USGS locality 10864, showing umbilical ribs on the early whorls.

20-22. Rear, side, and front views of the holotype, USNM 118976, from USGS locality 14149. 

24-26. Rear,' side, and front views of a paratype, USNM 118978, from USGS locality 10864. 

27. Pronorites? sp.

Side view of a latex cast, USNM 118951, from USGS locality 11828. 

28-33. Girtyoceras endicottense Gordon, n. sp.

28-30. Rear, side, and front views of the holotype, USNM 118979, from USGS locality 12084. 

31-33. Enlarged front, side, and rear views of a paratype, USNM 118980, from the same locality. 

34-40. Entogonites borealis Gordon, n. sp.

34-36. Enlarged rear, side, and front views of a paratype, USNM 118984, from USGS locality 14149.

37. Enlarged view of a latex cast made from the external mold of the holotype, USNM 118981, from USGS locality

10864. 

38-40. Enlarged front, side, and rear views of the holotype, an internal mold of the phragmacone.

o

398828—57-