Palynology of Part of the

Paradox and Honaker Trail Formations,

Paradox Basin, Utah

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2000-L
Cover. View south toward the La Sal Mountains along the Colorado River between 

Cisco and Moab, Utah. Fisher Towers in center is composed of Permian Cutler Formation 

and capped by Triassic Moenkopi Formation. The prominent mesa at left center is capped 

by Jurassic Kayenta Formation and Wingate Sandstone and underlain by slope-forming 

Triassic Chinle and Moenkopi Formations. The Chinle-Moenkopi contact is marked by a 

thin white ledge-forming gritstone. The valley between Fisher Towers and Fisher Mesa in 

the background is part of Richardson Mesa, part of Professor Valley. Photograph by Omer 

B. Raup, U.S. Geological Survey.
Palynology of Part of the

Paradox and Honaker Trail Formations,

Paradox Basin, Utah

By Robert M. Kosanke

EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS PARADOX BASIN 

A.C. Huffman, Jr., Project Coordinator

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2000-L

A multidisciplinary approach to research studies of 

sedimentary rocks and their constituents and the 

evolution of sedimentary basins, both ancient and modern

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1995
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Gordon P. Eaton, Director

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and 

does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kosanke, Robert M. (Robert Max)

Palynology of part of the Paradox and Honaker Trail Formations, Paradox Basin, Utah 

/ by Robert M. Kosanke.

p. cm. (Evolution of sedimentary basins Paradox Basin ; L) 

(U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 2000) 

Includes bibliographical references.

Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.3:2000-L

1. Palynology Utah. 2. Paleobotany Pennsylvanian. 3. Paradox Formation. 

4. Honaker Trail Formation. I. Title. II. Series. III. Series: Evolution of sedimentary basins Paradox Basin ; ch. L. 

QE75.B9 no.2000-L 

[QE993]

557.3 s dc20 95-20559 

[551.7'52'09792] CIP
CONTENTS

Abstract........................................................................................................................... LI

Introduction.................................................................................................................... 1

Preparation of Samples.................................................................................................... 4

Palynomorphs from Cycles 1 and 2, Cane Creek No. 1 Corehole................................. 4

Palynomorphs fom Cycles 3 and 5, Shafer No. 1 Corehole........................................... 4

Palynomorphs from Samples of the Honaker Trail Formation...................................... 5

Discussion....................................................................................................................... 5

Summary......................................................................................................................... 6

References Cited............................................................................................................. 6

PLATE

1. Palynomorphs from the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation, Paradox Basin, Utah................................................... L10

FIGURES

1. Map of the Paradox Basin showing the location of coreholes used in this study...................................................... L2

2. Diagrams showing location of samples collected for this study................................................................................ 3

3. Schematic drawing showing Lower Pennsylvanian environment in central Colorado.............................................. 5

III

PALYNOLOGY OF PART OF THE 

PARADOX AND HONAKER TRAIL FORMATIONS,

PARADOX BASIN, UTAH

By Robert M. Kosanke

ABSTRACT

Palynomorphs from the upper part of the Paradox Formation, cycles 1-5, contain representatives of both arborescent and herbaceous plants. Elsewhere in the United States a 

major floral change is present in close proximity to the Middle-Upper Pennsylvanian boundary based on palynomorph 

occurrence. This floral change is marked by the extinction of 

several taxa including Lycospora spp., Densosporites spp., 

and Thymospora pseudothiessenii. In the Paradox Formation, Lycospora is present in cycles 3 and 5. Densosporites is 

present in cycle 1, but Thymospora was not identified from 

any of the samples studied. Although only a single specimen 

of Laevigatosporites was identified, this taxon is abundant 

and a major element of Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian 

strata throughout the United States and the world. Such bilateral, monolete spores are also present in younger geologic 

strata and in some modern plants.

Initially, it was thought that Lycospora was not present 

above the Paradox Formation in the Honaker Trail Formation. A concerted effort to examine additional preparations 

resulted in the finding of two extremely poor specimens that 

might be related to this genus. If this relation is true, it is 

likely that these specimens, occurring more than 500 ft 

above the Paradox Formation, are reworked.

INTRODUCTION

The Pennsylvanian System of the Paradox Basin of 

Utah and Colorado includes the Molas Formation in contact 

with the Mississippian Leadville Limestone below and the 

Hermosa Group above. The Hermosa Group contains three 

formations, in ascending order, the Pinkerton Trail, Paradox, 

and Honaker Trail, and it is overlain by Permian strata.

The Paradox Formation contains 33 halite cycles (Williams-Stroud, 1994). These cycles, numbered from the top 

down (Hite, 1960), are composed of transgressive and 

regressive phases. Halite is the endmember of the regressive

phase, and black shale commonly marks the end of the transgressive phase and the onset of regression. Anhydrite and 

dolomite are present in both phases. Baars and others (1967), 

utilizing fusulinids and black shale marker beds, placed the 

Paradox Formation in the Desmoinesian Series. The overlying Honaker Trail Formation is generally thought to be 

mostly within the Missourian Series.

In general terms the most abundant palynomorphs in 

the upper part of the Paradox Formation are those conventionally associated with gymnosperms and pteridosperms, 

which produce saccate pollen grains. Such taxa as Potonieisporites, Striatites, Pityosporites, Florinites, and others 

commonly are present, whereas other palynomorphs are in 

the minority. The abundance of saccate taxa in these samples 

is similar to that commonly in younger Pennsylvanian and 

Permian strata. Plants producing saccate pollen grains can 

generally be associated with a drier climate.

Kosanke (1947, 1950) reported major palynomorph 

extinctions occurring in the Illinois Basin between the Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian. The Upper Pennsylvanian 

assemblage of palynomorphs is significantly different from 

that in the Paradox Basin in that tree ferns and sphenopsids 

(Laevigatosporites) are very abundant.

For this investigation, samples were obtained from 

three coreholes (fig. 1): (1) U.S. Department of Energy Gibson Dome No. 1 (GD-1), sec. 21, T. 30 S., R. 21 E., San 

Juan County, Utah, Honaker Trail Formation; (2) Delhi 

Taylor Oil, Cane Creek No, 1 (CC-1), sec. 25, T. 26 S., R. 

20 E., Grand County, Utah, Paradox Formation; and (3) 

Delhi-Taylor Oil, Shafer No. 1 (S-l), sec. 5, T. 27 S., R. 20 

E., San Juan County, Utah, Paradox Formation. Raup and 

Hite (199la, b, 1992) described the lithology, mineralogy, 

and evaporite cycles of the Cane Creek and Shafer coreholes.

Samples of the Honaker Trail Formation from the Gibson Dome No. 1 corehole were assigned to macerations 

1001-A-E as shown in figure 2. Samples from cycles 1 and 

2 of the Paradox Formation were obtained from the Cane 

Creek No. 1 corehole and assigned to macerations 984 A-D

Li
L2 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS PARADOX BASIN

37

Figure 1. Map of the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado, showing the location of coreholes used in this study. CC-1, Cane Creek No. 

1 corehole; S-l, Shafer No. 1 corehole; GD-1, Gibson Dome No. 1 corehole. Heavy line shows the approximate extent of halite faceies 

in the Paradox Formation, the common delineator of the boundary of the Paradox Basin. Modified from Raup and Hite (1991).
PALYNOLOGY OF PARADOX AND HONAKER TRAIL FORMATIONS L3

\

\

DEPTH 

(feet)

1,400 

^1,001-A

1,600 

^-1,001-B

1,800

2,000 

-1,001-C

X 1,001-D 

2,200

CYCLE 1

CYCLE 2

CYCLE 3

CYCLE 4

CYCLE 5

 ^

^

- 

DEPTH 

(feet)

1,800

984-A 

984-B

984-C 

2,000

984-D 

2,200

2,400

2,600

CYCLE 1

CYCLE 2

CYCLE 3

CYCLE 4

CYCLE 5

 

^

- 2

- 2

 .

- 2

- 2

DEPTH 

(feet)

2,100

2,300

2,500 

985-A

2,700

985-B 

2,900

985-C 

985-D

2,800

B

2,400

 1,001-E

2,600

Figure 2. Diagrams showing location of samples collected for this study. A, Honaker Trail Formation, Gibson Dome No. 1 corehole, 

paleobotanical locality D8153. Position of samples assigned to macerations 1001-A through and including 1001-E is shown. B, Upper part 

of the Paradox Formation, cycles 1-5, Cane Creek No. 1 corehole, paleobotanical locality D8154. Lined area indicates position of black 

shale; position of samples assigned to macerations 984-A-D is also shown; maceration 984-C is a halite sample. C, Upper part of the Paradox Formation, cycles 1-5, Shafer No. 1 corehole, paleobotanical locality D8155. Samples from black shale are indicated by maceration 

numbers 985-A-D.
L4 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS PARADOX BASIN

as shown in figure 2. Samples from cycles 3 and 5 of the 

Paradox Formation were obtained from the Shafer No. 1 

corehole and assigned to macerations 985-A-D as shown in 

figure 2.

PREPARATION OF SAMPLES

The black shale samples basically were treated as 

described by Doher (1980). Bodine and Fernalld (1973) outlined the use of EDTA in the dissolution of gypsum, anhydrite, and calcium-magnesium carbonates. The use of 

EDTA, as described by Rueger (1984), was helpful in the 

preparation of halite samples. All maceration residues were 

mounted in balsam.

PALYNOMORPHS FROM CYCLES 1 

AND 2, CANE CREEK NO. 1 COREHOLE

In general, preservation of palynomorphs is poor in 

cycles 1 and 2 of the Paradox Formation and somewhat better in cycles 3 and 5. The position of samples in the Cane 

Creek No. 1 corehole is shown in figure 2. Samples from 

cycle 1, 1,912 ft, 3-3/4-4 in., maceration 984 A, contained 

abundant opaque matter, and the palynomorphs were dark 

yellow. The following palynomorphs were identified.

Calamospora straminea Wilson and Kosanke

Cirratriradites sp.

Cyclogranisporites microgranus Bharadwaj

Densosporites cf. D. triangularis Kosanke

Florinites sp.

Knoxisporites cf. K. stephanephorus Love

Leiotriletes sphaerotriangularis (Loose) Potonie and 

Kremp

Pityosporites westphalensis Williams

Potonieisporites sp.

Punctatisporites cf. glaber (Naumova) Playford

Striatites sp.

Vesicaspora sp.

The sample from cycle 1, 1,937 ft, S l/2-9l/2 in., maceration 984-B, was barren of palynomorphs.

The sample from cycle 2, 1,939 ft, 0-1 !/2 in., a halite 

sample, maceration 984-C, contained a few variously folded 

and poorly preserved palynomorphs.

Pityosporites sp.

Potonieisporites (?)

Calamospora (?)

Other monosaccate and bisaccate forms

The sample from cycle 2, 2,164 ft, maceration 984-D, 

a black shale, yielded only the following palynomorphs:

Cirratriradites sp.

Potonieisporites (?)

Punctatisporites (?)

PALYNOMORPHS FROM CYCLES 3 

AND 5, SHAFER NO. 1 COREHOLE

The position of samples in the Shafer No. 1 corehole is 

shown in figure 2. The sample from cycle 3, 2,548 ft, 

10-10!/2 in., maceration 985-A, contained very dark brown 

organic matter and a limited number of palynomorphs 

including:

Calamospora (?)

Florinites sp.

Lycospora pellucida (Wicher) Schopf, Wilson, and 

Bentall

Pityosporites westphalensis Williams

Potonieisporites sp.

Reticulatisporites sp.

Vesicaspora wilsonii (Schemel) Wilson and 

Venkatachala

The sample from cycle 5, 2,881 ft, 41/4-61/4 in., maceration 985-B, contained abundant fine opaque matter and 

much better preserved palynomorphs.

Calamospora breviradiata Kosanke

Cirratriradites cf. C. annuliformis Kosanke

Convolutispora sp.

Florinites antiquus Schopf in Schopf, Wilson, and 

Bentall

Laevigatosporites cf. L. globosus Schemel

Lycospora granulata Kosanke (pi. 1, fig. 3)

L. pellucida (Wicher) Schopf, Wilson, and Bentall

L. sp.

Parasaccites (?)

Pityosporites westphalensis Williams

Platysaccus saarensis (Bharadwaj) Jizba

Punctatisporites cf. P. glaber (Naumova) Playford (pi. 

l,fig.4)

P.sp.(pl. l,fig.6)

Triquitrites additus Wilson and Hoffmeister (pi. 1,

fig. D 

Vesicaspora wilsonii (Schemel) Wilson and

Venkatachala

The sample from cycle 5, 2,940 ft, 6-7 in., maceration 

985-C, contained medium- to dark-brown organic matter. 

Palynomorphs were not as abundant as in maceration and 

985-B, and the following were identified. 

Cirratriradites annulatus Kosanke 

Complexisporites (?) (pi. 1, fig. 8) 

Florinites sp.

Illinites unicus (Kosanke) Helby (pi. 1, fig. 9) 

/. sp. 

Lycospora micropapillata (Wilson and Coe) Schopf,

Wilson, and Bentall 

L. pellucida (Wicher) Schopf, Wilson, and Bentall

(pl.l,fig.2) 

Pityosporites cf. P. westphalensis Williams (see pi. 1,

fig. 5)
PALYNOLOGY OF PARADOX AND HONAKER TRAIL FORMATIONS L5

Potonieisporites cf. P. elegans (Wilson and Kosanke)

Wilson and Venkatachala (pi. 1, fig. 7) 

Stenozonotriletes cf. S. occulus Ravn 

Striatites (sp.) (see pi. 1, fig. 10) 

The sample from cycle 5, 2,960 ft, 4-5 in., maceration 

984-D, was barren of palynomorphs.

PALYNOMORPHS FROM SAMPLES OF 

THE HONAKER TRAIL FORMATION

Samples from the Honaker Trail Formation, above the 

Paradox Formation, were collected from the Gibson Dome 

No. 1 corehole. Five shale or siltstone samples were collected and assigned to macerations 1001-A-E (fig. 2).

Maceration 1001-A, 1,428 ft, black shale with vitrinite 

lenses

Maceration 1001-B, 1,647 ft, dark gray shale

Maceration 1001-C, 2,035 ft, siltstone

Maceration 1001-D, 2,047 ft, dark-gray to black shale

Maceration 1001-E, 2,509 ft, siltstone

Preservation of palynomorphs is very poor, and, as a 

matter of fact, macerations 1001-B and 1001-C were barren 

of palynomorphs.

Maceration 1001-A contained abundant small pieces of 

light-yellow organic matter. Only one palynomorph was 

identified, Calamospora cf. C. flexilis Kosanke.

Maceration 1001-D contained abundant fine opaque 

matter, and the few palynomorphs were brownish in color. 

One was Leiotriletes cf. L. parvus Guennel. Two pieces of

palynomorphs suggestive of Lycospora (?) were observed. 

This probably is reworked material.

Maceration 1001-E contained black and gray lenses. 

Only the black lenses were prepared, and dark-brown 

organic matter and a few palynomorphs were found.

Endosporites (?)

Potonieisporites sp.

Punctatisporites cf. P. glaber (Naumova) Playford

Striatites sp.

Wilsonites vesicatus (Kosanke) Kosanke

Some other very poorly preserved monosaccate and 

bisaccate palynomorphs

DISCUSSION

Evidence for in situ growth of plants was not found in 

the black shales examined, cycles 1-5, nor were stigmarian 

rootlets and other plant megafossils found in place. Arnold 

(1940) described Lepidodendron johnsonii from the "Weber 

(?) shale" of eastern Chaffee County in central Colorado. 

Arnold's reconstruction (fig. 3) shows an Early Pennsylvanian landscape with a Lepidodendron forest in a swampy 

environment.

Arnold (1941) described Paleozoic plants from several 

Colorado formations that were "Permian" in appearance and 

affinities. These plants grew, however, under conditions of 

aridity, and the presence of desiccation features in the rocks 

is obvious. Arnold stated, "The plants are therefore not 

proof of Permian or even late Pennsylvanian age, but may be 

an early appearance due to conditions of the environment."

s&H^Ik1-fA";"-^K- */ ' j ^.. i'^-_ ^^-^^^-^-S^ ||,^i^||gp^ viITS^f]

I^SffS >--l:^ v' aM^ - ^.

 ^r^C^/ "'

Figure 3. Schematic drawing showing environment during the Lower Pennsylvanian in central Colorado. Numerous Lepidodendron trees are in situ in a swampy 

lowland comprising mud and sluggish streams. From Arnold (1940).
L6 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS PARADOX BASIN

Arnold (1956) reported on the occurrence of a new species of large calamite stem from the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo range, Huerfano County, Colorado. Burbank 

and Goddard (1937) assigned a Pennsylvanian age to the 

strata from which Arnold's Catamites huerfanoensis was 

collected. During the Pennsylvanian, plants were present in 

Colorado east of the Paradox Basin, and they were present 

along the eastern margin of the basin, according to G.L. 

Geanniny (personal commun., 1994).

SUMMARY

Palynomorphs have been extracted from cycles 1-3 and 

5 of the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation and from the 

overlying Pennsylvanian Honaker Trail Formation. Preservation of palynomorphs from the Honaker Trail Formation is 

very poor, and, to some extent, the same is true of palynomorphs from cycles 1 and 2 of the Paradox Formation. The 

samples examined were primarily from black shale.

The most abundant palynomorphs observed in the 

upper part of the Paradox Formation are those traditionally 

associated with gymnosperms and pteridosperms that produced saccate pollen grains. These plants are found in 

younger Pennsylvanian and Permian strata and are indicative 

of arid to semiarid conditions. The climate in the area under 

consideration was arid during much of the Desmoinesian.

Palynomorphs that indicate selected growth forms such 

as herbaceous and arborescent plants were also recognized. 

Cirratriradites, Densosporites, and Endosporites are associated with herbaceous lycopsid plants. Convolutispora, 

Cyclogranisporites, Leiotriletes, and others are related to 

ferns. Palynomorphs associated with arborescent plants are 

Lycospora, Calamites, Florinites, Pityosporites, Potonieisporites, and others.

On the basis of the cores examined it was not possible 

to determine whether plants grew in situ within the basin in 

the black shale environment. If the plants did not grow in the 

basin, the palynomorphs were either blown or washed into 

the basin from the margins of the basin.

Within the Paradox Basin, Lycospora, the palynomorph 

of arborescent lycopsids, apparently became extinct between 

cycles 3 and 2, below the Middle-Upper Pennsylvanian 

boundary. This extinction would be somewhat similar to the 

known extinction of this taxon in the Illinois and Appalachian Basins; however, because recovery and preservation of 

palynomorphs were very poor, especially for samples of 

cycle 2, additional samples should be collected, prepared, 

and examined to further evaluate the extinction of 

Lycospora.

The palynoflora of the upper part of the Paradox Formation should be compared with that from other areas of 

United States. The Paradox Formation is considered to be 

Desmoinesian, based on the work of Baars and others 

(1967). Selected taxa are present in the Paradox Formation

such as Lycospora pellucida (pi. 1, fig. 2), L. granulata (pi. 

1, fig. 3), Densosporites cf. D. triangularis, Calamospora 

breviradiata, and others that are present in Desmoinesian 

strata elsewhere. Thus, these selected taxa agree with a Middle Pennsylvanian Desmoinesian age assignment for the Paradox Formation. Some important palynomorphs in the 

Illinois and Appalachian Basins are absent, however, from 

the upper Paradox Formation samples examined. Some of 

these taxa include Thymospora pseudothiessenii, Torispora 

securis, Radiizonates sp., and Zosterosporites triangularis. 

Also, only a single specimen of Laevigatosporites was identified from these samples, and this genus is an abundant element of Middle Pennsylvanian palynoflora elsewhere in the 

United States.

The differences in the palynoflora between the Paradox 

Basin and the typical coal swamp coal are the result of prevailing environmental conditions. The typical upper Middle 

Pennsylvanian palynomorphs that are present in the Paradox 

Basin were capable of surviving under these drier conditions. Further evidence that plants respond to their environmental conditions is provided by the abundance of saccate 

pollen grains. Many of the plants that produce saccate pollen 

grains are present in environmental conditions drier than 

those of coal swamps.

One of the purposes of this investigation was to determine if selected taxa became extinct within the upper part of 

the Paradox Formation. Although evidence suggests that 

Lycospora spp. became extinct above cycle 3, in either 

cycle 2 or 1, it was decided to explore the Honaker Trail 

Formation above the Paradox Formation for any possible 

reoccurrence of species of Lycospora. Unfortunately, the 

occurrence of palynomorphs in the Honaker Trail Formation was limited and the palynomorphs very poorly preserved. Two poorly preserved specimens somewhat 

resembling Lycospora were found some 500 ft above the 

Middle-Upper Pennsylvanian boundary. The corroded condition of these specimens suggests that they were reworked 

and that the extinction of this genus occurred within the 

upper part of the Paradox Formation.

REFERENCES CITED

Arnold, C.A., 1940, Lepidodendron johnsonii, sp. nov., from the 

Lower Pennsylvanian of central Colorado: Contributions 

Museum Paleontology, University of Michigan, v. 6, no. 2, p. 

21-52.

 1941, Some Paleozoic plants from central Colorado and 

their significance: Contributions Museum Paleontology, University of Michigan, v. 6, no. 4, p. 59-70.

 1956, A new calamite from Colorado: Contributions Museum Paleontology, University of Michigan, v. 8, no. 6, p. 

161-173.

Baars, D.L., Parker, J.M., and Chronic, J., 1967, Revised stratigraphic nomenclature of Pennsylvanian System, Paradox
PALYNOLOGY OF PARADOX AND HONAKER TRAIL FORMATIONS L7

Basin: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 51, no. 3, p. 393-403.

Bodine, M.W., Jr., and Fernalld, T.H., 1973, EDTA dissolution of 

gypsum, anhydrite, and Ca-Mg carbonates: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 43, p. 1152-1156.

Burbank, W.S., and Goddard, E.N., 1937, Thrusting in Huerfano 

Park, Colorado, and related problems of orogeny in the Sangre 

de Cristo Mountains: Geological Society of America Bulletin, 

v.48, no. 48, p. 931-976.

Doher, L.I., 1980, Palynomorph presentation procedures currently 

used in the paleontology and stratigraphy laboratories: U.S. 

Geological Survey Circular 830, 29 p.

Hite, R.J., 1960, Stratigraphy of the saline facies of the Paradox 

Member of the Hermosa Formation of southeastern Utah and 

southwestern Colorado, in Geology of the Paradox basin fold 

and belt: Four Corners Geological Society Field Conference, 

3rd, p. 86-89.

Kosanke, R.M., 1947, Plant microfossils in correlation of coal beds: 

Journal of Geology, v. 55, no. 3, p. 280-284.

 1950, Pennsylvanian spores of Illinois and their use in correlation: Illinois Geological Survey Bulletin 74, 128 p.

Raup, O.B., and Hite, R.J., 1991a, Preliminary lithologic and mineralogical data from the Delhi-Taylor Oil Company Cane 

Creek No. 1 corehole, Grand County, Utah: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 91-324, 24 p.

 1991b, Preliminary stratigraphic and lithological data from 

the Delhi-Taylor Oil Company, Shafer No. 1 corehole, San 

Juan County, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

91-373, 34 p.

-1992 Lithology of evaporite cycles and cycle boundaries in

the upper part of the Paradox Formation of the Hermosa Group 

of Pennsylvanian age in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2000-B, 37 p.

Rueger, B.F., 1984, Use of EDTA for palynomorph extraction from 

evaporites: Journal of Paleontology, v. 60, no. 1, p. 189-190.

Williams-Stroud, S.C., 1994, Solution to the Paradox? Results of 

some chemical equilibrium and mass balance calculations 

applied to the Paradox Basin evaporite deposit: American Journal of Science, v. 294, p. 1189-1228.

Published in the Central Region, Denver, Colorado 

Manuscript approved for publication July 27, 1995 

Edited by Judith Stoeser

Graphics by Dennis L. Welp 

Photocomposition by Joan G. Nadeau

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICEL 1995 - 673-046 / 20009 REGION NO. 8

PLATE

Contact photographs of the plate in this report are available, at cost, from 

U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library, Federal Center, Denver, 

Colorado 80225
PLATE 1

Palynomorphs extracted from transgressive strata, the black shale of the Paradox Formation, are commonly very poorly preserved. 

It is possible, however, to obtain some significant information on range zones of selected taxa for comparison with other areas of 

the United States.

Figure 1. Triquitrites additus Wilson and Hoffmeister, D8155-B, maceration 985-B, slide 7, 

111.3x9.0, maximum diameter 39.6 microns, negative numbers 7253-7256.

2. Lycospora pellucida (Wicher) Schopf, Wilson, and Bentall, D8155-C, maceration 

985-C, slide 7, 119.0x14.2, maximum diameter 27 microns, negative numbers 

7289-7294.

3. Lycospora granulata Kosanke, D8155-B, maceration 985-B, 118.8x4.0, maximum 

diameter 37 microns, negative numbers 7240-7242.

4. Punctatisporites cf. P. glaber (Naumova) Playford, D8255-B, maceration 985-B, slide 

6, 106.5x8.2, maximum diameter 38.4 microns, negative numbers 7298-7299.

5. Oblique lateral view of a bisaccate pollen grain similar to Pityosporites westphalensis 

Williams, D8155-C, maceration 985-C, slide 2, 107.8x13.4, maximum diameter 84.56 

microns, negative numbers 7276-7279.

6. Punctatisporites sp. D8155-B, maceration 985-B, slide 6, 106.5x8.2, maximum diameter 38.4 microns, negative numbers 7237-7238.

7. Potonieisporites cf. P. elegans, (Wilson and Kosanke), Wilson and Venkatachala, 

D8155, maceration 985-C, slide 1, 108.7x3.2, maximum diameter 130.5 microns, negative numbers 7224-7227.

8. Complexisporites (?), D8155-C, maceration 985-C, slide 5, 116.8x20.0, maximum 

diameter 71 microns, negative numbers 7204-7207.

9. Oblique view of Illinites unicus (Kosanke) Helby, D8155-C, slide 2, 110.3x17.3, maximum diameter 64 microns, negative numbers 7276-7279.

10. Striatites sp., similar to S. richteri (Potonie) Jizba but lacks pronounced striations and 

slit of the cap, D8155-C, maceration 985-C, slide 4, 110.9x8.6, maximum diameter 87 

microns, negative numbers 7261-7263.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2000-L PLATE 1

PALYNOMORPHS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIAN PARADOX FORMATION, 

PARADOX BASIN, UTAH
Kosanke PALYNOLOGY, PARADOX AND HONAKER TRAIL FORMATIONS, PARADOX BASIN, UTAH U.S. Geologic