U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Geology and Paleontology of Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, 

Eastern Georgia

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

science 

USGS

for a changing world
Availability of Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey

Order U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications by calling 

the toll-free telephone number 1-888-ASK-USGS or contacting the offices listed below. Detailed ordering instructions, 

along with prices of the last offerings, are given in the current-year issues of the catalog "New Publications of the U.S. 

Geological Survey."

Books, Maps, and Other Publications 

By Mail

Books, maps, and other publications are available by mail 

from—

USGS Information Services 

Box 25286, Federal Center 

Denver, CO 80225

Publications include Professional Papers, Bulletins, WaterSupply Papers, Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 

Circulars, Fact Sheets, publications of general interest, single 

copies of permanent USGS catalogs, and topographic and 

thematic maps.

Over the Counter

Books, maps, and other publications of the U.S. Geological 

Survey are available over the counter at the following USGS 

Earth Science Information Centers (ESIC's), all of which are 

authorized agents of the Superintendent of Documents:

• Anchorage, Alaska-Rm. 101, 4230 University Dr.

• Denver, Colorado-Bldg. 810, Federal Center

• Menlo Park, California-Rm. 3128, Bldg. 3, 

345 Middlefield Rd.

• Reston, Virginia-Rm. 1C402, USGS National Center, 

12201 Sunrise Valley Dr.

• Spokane, Washington-Rm. 135, U.S. Post Office 

Building, 904 West Riverside Ave.

• Washington, D.C.-Rm. 2650, Main Interior Bldg., 

18th and CSts., NW.

Maps only may be purchased over the counter at the following 

USGS office:

• Rolla, Missouri-1400 Independence Rd.

Electronically

Some USGS publications, including the catalog "New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey," are also available electronically on the USGS's World Wide Web home page at 

http ://w ww.usgs.gov

Preliminary Determination of Epicenters

Subscriptions to the periodical "Preliminary Determination of 

Epicenters" can be obtained only from the Superintendent of

Documents. Check or money order must be payable to the 

Superintendent of Documents. Order by mail from—

Superintendent of Documents 

Government Printing Office 

Washington, DC 20402

Information Periodicals

Many Information Periodicals products are available through 

the systems or formats listed below:

Printed Products

Printed copies of the Minerals Yearbook and the Mineral Commodity Summaries can be ordered from the Superintendent of 

Documents, Government Printing Office (address above). 

Printed copies of Metal Industry Indicators and Mineral Industry Surveys can be ordered from the Center for Disease Control 

and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health. Pittsburgh Research Center, P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh. PA 15236-0070.

Mines FaxBack: Return fax service

1. Use the touch-tone handset attached to your fax machine's 

telephone jack. (ISDN [digital] telephones cannot be used with 

fax machines.)

2. Dial (703) 648^999.

3. Listen to the menu options and punch in the number of your 

selection, using the touch-tone telephone.

4. After completing your selection, press the start button on 

your fax machine.

CD-ROM

A disc containing chapters of the Minerals Yearbook (1993- 

95), the Mineral Commodity Summaries (1995-97), a statistical compendium (1970-90), and other publications is updated 

three times a year and sold by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (address above).

World Wide Web

Minerals information is available electronically at 

http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/

Subscription to the catalog "New Publications of the U.S. 

Geological Survey"

Those wishing to be placed on a free subscription list for the 

catalog "New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey" 

should write to—

U.S. Geological Survey 

903 National Center 

Reston, VA 20192
U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Geology and Paleontology of Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, 

Eastern Georgia

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

A description of the Cretaceous and Tertiary 

geology and paleontology of five cores of 

sediments below the coastal plain in 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia. 

Chapters A-l are issued as a single volume 

and are not available separately.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES G. GROAT, Director

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 2001

Published in the Eastern Region, Reston, Va. 

Manuscript approved for publication September 13,1999.

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.

For sale by

U.S. Geological Survey 

Information Services 

Box 25286, Federal Center 

Denver, CO 80225

or call the toll-free telephone number 

1-888-ASK-USGS

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Edwards, Lucy E.

Geology and paleontology of five cores from Screven and Burke Counties, eastern Georgia / edited by Lucy E. Edwards

p. cm.—(U.S. Geological Survey professional paper; 1603)

"Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Georgia Geologic Survey." 

Includes bibliographical references. 

1. Geology, Stratigraphic—Cretaceous. 2. Geology, Stratigraphic—Tertiary. 3. Paleontology—Cretaceous.

4. Paleontology—Tertiary. 5. Geology—Georgia—Screven County. 6. Geology—Georgia—Burke County. 7.

Paleontology—Georgia—Screven County. 8. Paleontology—Georgia—Burke County. I. Edwards, Lucy E. II. United

States, Dept. of Energy. III. Georgia Geologic Survey. IV. Series. 

QE688.G46 2000 

57.58'695—dc21 99-052940
VOLUME CONTENTS

[Letters designate the chapters]

A. Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments of Sediments from Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By W. Fred Falls and David C. Prowell

B. Overview of the Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of Sediments from Five Cores 

from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Lucy E. Edwards, Norman O. Frederiksen, Laurel M. Bybell, Thomas G. Gibson, 

Gregory S. Gohn, David Bukry, Jean M. Self-Trail, and Ronald J. Litwin

C. Palynomorph Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of Upper Cretaceous Sediments 

from Four Cores from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Norman O. Frederiksen, Lucy E. Edwards, and Ronald J. Litwin

D. Late Campanian (Zone CC 22) Coccoliths from the Millhaven Core, Screven 

County, Georgia

By David Bukry

E. Ostracode Biostratigraphy of Upper Campanian (Cretaceous) Marine Sediments 

from the Millhaven Core, Screven County, Georgia

By Gregory S. Gohn

F. Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy of Cenozoic Sediments from the Millhaven 

Core, Screven County, Georgia

By Laurel M. Bybell

G. Dinocyst Biostratigraphy of Tertiary Sediments from Five Cores from Screven and 

Burke Counties, Georgia

By Lucy E. Edwards

H. Pollen Biostratigraphy of Lower Tertiary Sediments from Five Cores from Screven 

and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Norman O. Frederiksen

I. Foraminifera from Paleogene Sediments from the Millhaven and Millers Pond 

Cores, Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Thomas G. Gibson

in
CONVERSION FACTORS

Various units used in chapters A-I are listed in the first column below.

Multiply By To obtain

Length

micrometer (urn) 0.00003937 inch

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer

Mass 

________gram (g)_____________0.03527_____________ounce avoirdupois

Sea level.—In this report, "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum 

of 1929 (NGVD of 1929)—a geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the 

first-order level nets of both the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea-Level 

Datum of 1929.

IV
U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments of 

Sediments from Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By W. Fred Falls and David C. Prowell

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-A

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... Al

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

Test Hole and Core Information ............................................................................. 2

Previous Work ........................................................................................................ 4

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 4

Stratigraphic Framework................................................................................................. 4

Cretaceous Stratigraphy ......................................................................................... 7

Cape Fear Formation ...................................................................................... 9

Middendorf Formation ................................................................................... 10

Black Creek Group ........................................................................................ 10

Steel Creek Formation ................................................................................... 11

Tertiary Stratigraphy .............................................................................................. 12

Ellenton Formation ........................................................................................ 12

Snapp Formation ............................................................................................ 13

Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill Unit ................................................ 13

Santee Limestone ........................................................................................... 14

BarnwellUnit ................................................................................................. 16

Summary ........................................................................................................................ 17

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 17

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the location of Stratigraphic test holes in the study area ............... A2

2. Correlation diagram showing a generalized comparison of Cretaceous and Tertiary geologic units in the

Southeastern United States.......................................................................................................................................... 3

3-5. Gamma-ray, single-point resistance, and lithologic logs and geologic units of the•—

3. Millhaven test hole in Screven County, Ga............................................................................................................. 5

4. Girard test hole in Burke County, Ga...................................................................................................................... 6

5. Millers Pond test well 1 and test hole in Burke County, Ga................................................................................... 7

6. Gamma-ray, single-point resistance, and lithologic logs (from figs. 3-5) showing dip-oriented correlation

of geologic units from the Millers Pond test hole to the Millhaven test hole ............................................................. 8

TABLE

Iilevations and depths of Stratigraphic tops for geologic units and subunits in the Millhaven, Girard,

Thompson Oak, Millers Pond, and McBean cores......................................................................................................... A9

III

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments of

Sediments from Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By W. Fred Falls and David C. Prowell

ABSTRACT

Five deep stratigraphic test holes were drilled from 

1991 to 1993 in support of multidisciplinary investigations 

to determine the stratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments of the coastal plain in east-central Georgia. 

Cored sediment and geophysical logs from the Millhaven 

test hole in Screven County and the Girard and Millers Pond 

test holes in Burke County are the primary sources of lithologic and paleontologic information for this report. Lithologic and paleontologic information from the Thompson 

Oak and McBean test holes in Burke County supplements 

the discussion of stratigraphy and sedimentation in the 

updip part of the study area near the Millers Pond test hole.

The Cretaceous sections in the studied cores are 

divided into the Cape Fear Formation, the Middendorf Formation, the Black Creek Group, and the Steel Creek Formation. These four geologic units consist of siliciclastic 

sediments. Evidence of possible unconformities allows us to 

recognize two subunits in the Middendorf Formation and 

three subunits in the Black Creek Group. Sediments in the 

Cretaceous section generally are coarser grained and more 

oxidized in updip areas. Each contact between units is a 

regional unconformity and denotes a considerable hiatus in 

sedimentation. The sediments in all four geologic units have 

been interpreted as being part of large deltaic systems that 

prograded across the paleo-continental shelf in east-central 

Georgia and western South Carolina. The lithofacies 

observed in the Upper Cretaceous units tend to be coarser 

grained in proximal-deltaic environments and finer grained 

in distal-deltaic environments.

The Tertiary sections are divided into the Ellenton and 

Snapp Formations of Paleocene age; the Fourmile Branch/ 

Congaree/Warley Hill unit and Santee Limestone of Eocene 

age; and the Barn well unit, which contains strata of Eocene 

to Miocene age. The Tertiary section, with the exception of

the Snapp Formation, generally is more calcareous and has 

a more diverse and abundant marine microflora and fauna in 

the downdip Millhaven core, relative to the updip McBean 

and Millers Pond cores. For these units, sedimentary and 

paleontologic evidence suggests open-marine shelf environments at the Millhaven site and marginal-marine environments at the Millers Pond site.

The Snapp Formation is nearly barren of fossils and is 

a noncalcareous sequence of oxidized sand and clay. Sedimentary characteristics of the Snapp Formation suggest a 

fluvially dominated depositional environment such as an 

upper delta plain or an incised alluvial valley. The presence 

of a sparse marine microflora suggests some marine influence on deposition in the downdip area near Millhaven. Differences in the thickness of this formation in the study area 

suggest that channels containing the basal sand of the Snapp 

Formation are incised into laminated black clay of the 

Ellenton Formation.

INTRODUCTION

Five deep stratigraphic test holes were drilled in 

east-central Georgia from 1991 to 1993 in support of multidisciplinary investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) and the Georgia Geologic Survey (GGS) of the 

Georgia Department of Natural Resources. These investigations were conducted to determine the geology and hydrology of the Georgia Coastal Plain sediments in the vicinity of 

the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site (SRS) 

in South Carolina (fig. 1). In this region, poorly consolidated Cretaceous and Cenozoic strata form a southeastward-thickening wedge of fluvial and marine deposits 

underlain by Paleozoic crystalline rocks and Triassic-Jurassic sedimentary rocks. This wedge of sediment is more than

Al
33° 30

33°

32°30'-

A2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

8230 82 8130 TEST HOLE AND CORE INFORMATION

The five test holes informally are named for local landmarks and formally are assigned either a GGS or a USGS 

identification number. The informal names used in this 

report are Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers Pond, 

and McBean. The five test holes were continuously cored 

with a wireline, mud-rotary coring system. The cores from 

the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond test holes were 

examined for texture, mineralogy, sedimentary structures, 

diagenetic features, and the presence of macrofossils. 

Selected samples were examined microscopically for 

dinoflagellates, pollen, foraminifers, ostracodes, and calcareous nannofossils. The descriptions of the cores and the 

geophysical logs of the associated test holes at Millhaven, 

Girard, and Millers Pond are the primary sources of information for the following discussion of stratigraphic units 

(Clarke and others, 1994, 1996; Leeth and others, 1996).

The authors interpreted the stratigraphy of the Thompson Oak and McBean cores from descriptions published by 

the GGS (Huddlestun and Summerour, 1996) and have not 

personally examined these cores in detail. Samples for paleontologic examination were collected by PF. Huddlestun of 

the GGS from the Thompson Oak and McBean cores. We 

used the paleontologic results (Frederiksen and others, this 

volume, chap. C; Edwards, this volume, chap. G; Frederiksen, this volume, chap. H) to interpret the stratigraphy and 

sedimentation of geologic units in the updip area near Millers Pond in Burke County, Ga. The stratigraphies of these 

two cores supplement the following discussion of stratigraphy in the updip part of Burke County near the Millers Pond 

test hole but are not illustrated as stratigraphic columns in 

this report.

Geophysical-logging surveys of the test holes, with the 

exception of the McBean test hole, include single-point and 

triple-point electric resistance, spontaneous potential, natural gamma ray, and hole diameter (caliper log). Formation 

instability and hole diameter of the Millhaven test hole prevented electric-logging surveys of the section from 571 to 

530 ft and triple-point resistance logging below 900 ft. The 

McBean test hole is the only one studied that was not geophysically logged.

Test hole site and informal name of site

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the 

location of stratigraphic test holes in the study area.

1,450 ft thick in the downdip Millhaven core in Screven 

County.

Previously, the Upper Cretaceous section in the subsurface of the study area was penetrated partially by four 

cored test holes along the Savannah River in Burke County 

(Bechtel Corporation, 1972) and by a cored test hole near 

the town of Midville in the southwestern corner of Burke 

County (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985). The Cretaceous section also was studied by using geophysical logs 

and cuttings from local water wells (Clarke and others, 

1985). The sedimentary history and stratigraphy of the Tertiary section in the study area already were known from outcrops (Huddlestun and Hetrick, 1978, 1979, 1986; Hetrick, 

1992) and from several fully or partially cored test holes in 

northern Burke County (McClelland, 1987) and along the 

Savannah River in Burke and Screven Counties (Bechtel 

Corporation, 1972).

This chapter briefly describes the lithologic and stratigraphic character of the geologic units (fig. 2) recognized in 

the five cored sections to provide a framework for detailed 

discussions of the fauna and flora identified from paleontologic efforts. The paleontologic data presented in the other 

chapters of this volume are used with the core descriptions 

to infer correlation of these geologic units with stratigraphically equivalent units in the vicinity of the study area and to 

infer depositional environments.

Figure 2. Generalized comparison of Cretaceous and >- 

Tertiary geologic units in the Southeastern United States 

(modified from Clarke and others, 1994). Shaded areas indicate 

missing stratigraphic sections. Dashed lines indicate formation 

boundary of uncertain stratigraphic position. Abbreviation 

used: Fm, formation. Source for the lithologic units of eastern 

Georgia: Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985). Sources for 

the Georgia Geologic Survey nomenclature in eastern Georgia: 

Huddlestun and Hetrick (1991), Summerour and others (1994), 

and Huddlestun and Summerour (1996). Sources for units of 

South Carolina: Colquhoun and others (1983), Gohn (1992), 

and Fallaw and Price (1995).
SERIES

subseries

Miocene

CD 

c 

CD 

O 

O 

CT

O

CD

§ 

O 

LLJ

Paleocene

05 

Q. 

Q.

=)

05 

"O 

T3

1 

O

05 

Q. 

Q.

=3

1

CO

O 

CD 

O 

CO

CD 

O

CD 

Q. 

Q.

ID

EUROPEAN 

STAGE

Undifferentiated

Chattian

Rupelian

Priabonian

Bartonian

Lutetian

Ypresian

Thanetian

Selandian

Danian

Maastrichtian

Campanian

Santonian

Coniacian

Turanian

Cenomanian

PROVINCIAL 

STAGE

Undifferentiated

Chickasawhayan

Vicksburgian

Jacksonian

Claibornian

Sabinian

Midwayan

Navarroan

Tayloran

Austinian

Eaglefordian

/Woodbinian x

Washitan (part)

ALABAMA

Paynes Hammock Sand

Chickasawhay Formation

Byram Formation

Marianna Formation

Red Bluff Clav/Bumpnose Fm.

/ Ocala 

Clay ^_^

Moodys Branch Fm.

Gosport Sand

Lisbon Formation

Tallahatta 

Formation

Hatchetigbee/Bashi Fms.

Tuscahoma Formation

Nanafalia/Baker Hill Fms.

'Jaheola Fm.>-

Porters Creek

Clayton Formation

Prairie Bluff Chalk

Ripley Formation

Demopolis Chalk

Mooreville Chalk

Eutaw Formation

McShan Formation

Tuscaloosa Formation

WESTERN 

GEORGIA

""---:-...

Ocala 

Limestone

Moodys Branch Fm.

Lisbon Formation

Tallahatta 

Formation

Hatchetigbee/Bashi Fms.

Tuscahoma Formation

Nanafalia/Baker Hill Fms.

Porters Creek Formation

Clayton Formation

Providence Sand

Ripley Formation

Cusseta Sand

Blufftown Formation

Eutaw Formation

Tuscaloosa Formation

Tuscaloosa Formation

EASTE

Lithologic 

unit

Mi

01

E8 

E7

E6

E5

E4

E3

E2

E1

P1

UK6

UK4

UK3

UK2

UK1

RN GEORGIA

Georgia Geologic 

Survey Nomenclature

Hawthorn Formation

Suwannee Limestone

Barnwell 

Group

Lisbon Formation

Still Branch Sand

Congaree 

Formation

Snapp Formation

Black Mingo 

Formation 

(Undifferentiated)

Steel Creek Fm.

Gaillard / Black 

Fm. ( Creek 

\ Fm.

Pio Nono> Unnamed 

Fm. > Sand

Cape Fear 

Formation

THIS STUDY 

EASTERN GEOR

Barnwell 

unit

Santee 

Limestone

Fourmile Bran

Congaree/ 

Warley Hill u

Ellenton 

Formation

Steel Creek 

Formation

Black Creek 

Group

Middendorf Form

Cape Fear Form

__ „ TM. „..„ . „ __ „. _ „, m 

---... . ..
A4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

The Millhaven test hole was drilled by the USGS in 

late 1991 and early 1992 and formally designated as 

33X048 (Clarke and others, 1996). The Millhaven site is 

located in Screven County, Ga., at lat 32°53'25" N., long 

81°35'43" W. (fig. 1) and has a land surface elevation of 110 

ft. The test hole was drilled from land surface to a total 

depth of 1,452 ft (fig. 3). This test hole was terminated in 

Upper Cretaceous sediments of the Cape Fear Formation 

and did not reach pre-Cretaceous rocks.

The USGS drilled the Girard test hole in the spring of

1992 and formally designated it as 32Y020 (Leeth and others, 1996). The Girard site is in Burke County, Ga., at lat 

33°03'54" N., long 81°43'13" W. (fig. 1) and has a land surface elevation of 250 ft. The test hole was drilled from land 

surface to a total depth of 1,385 ft and penetrated 1,375 ft of 

coastal plain sediments (fig. 4) and 10 ft of continental red 

beds of probable Triassic or Jurassic age (Siple, 1967; 

Marine, 1979; Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985).

The GGS drilled the Thompson Oak test hole in early

1993 and formally designated it as GGS-3794 (Summerour 

and others, 1994; Huddlestun and Summerour, 1996); it is 

also known as TR92-6 and Burke 12. The drill site is 

located in Burke County, Ga., at lat 33°10'42" N., long 

81°47'10" W. (fig. 1) and has a land surface elevation of 240 

ft. The test hole was drilled from land surface to a total 

depth of 1,010.5 ft and penetrated 996 ft of coastal plain 

sediments and 14.5 ft of biotite gneiss of probable Paleozoic 

age.

The GGS drilled the Millers Pond test hole, also 

known as Burke 2, in the summer of 1991 and formally designated it as GGS-3758 (Clarke and others, 1994). The site 

is located in Burke County, Ga., at lat 33°13'48" N., long 

81°52'44" W. (fig. 1) and has a land surface elevation of 245 

ft. The test hole was drilled from land surface to a total 

depth of 859 ft and penetrated 852 ft of coastal plain sediment (fig. 5) and 7 ft of biotite-hornblende gneiss of probable Paleozoic age. A nearby hole, Millers Pond test well 1, 

was logged for geophysical properties.

The GGS drilled the McBean test hole, also known as 

Burke 5, in 1991 and formally designated it as GGS-3757 

(Summerour and others, 1994; Huddlestun and Summerour, 

1996). The drill site is near the community of McBean in 

Burke County, Ga., at lat 33°13'38" N., long 81°55'50" W. 

(fig. 1) and has a land surface elevation of 297 ft. The test 

hole was drilled from land surface to a total depth of 327 ft 

and terminated in the upper part of the Upper Cretaceous 

section.

Stratigraphic tops, stratigraphic details, and samples 

for paleontologic analysis in this volume are reported as 

core depth below land surface. Geophysical logs for the 

Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond test holes were 

adjusted slightly to match core depth.

PREVIOUS WORK

Previous reports on the geology of Burke and Screven 

Counties and adjacent areas of Georgia include those by 

Veatch and Stephenson (1911), Brantley (1916), Cooke and 

Shearer (1918), Cooke (1943), LaMoreaux (1946a,b), 

LeGrand and Furcon (1956), Herrick (1960, 1961, 1964, 

1972), Herrick and Vorhis (1963), Herrick and Counts 

(1968), Bechtel Corporation (1972, 1973), Carver (1972), 

Buie (1978), Huddlestun and Hetrick (1978, 1979, 1986, 

1991), Prowell and O'Connors (1978), Schroder (1982), 

McClelland (1987), Huddlestun (1988, 1992), Hetrick 

(1992), Clarke and others (1994, 1996), Huddlestun and 

Summerour (1996), Leeth and Nagle (1996), Leeth and 

others (1996), and Falls and others (1997). Geologic reports 

on Burke and Screven Counties and adjacent parts of South 

Carolina include those by Snipes (1965); Hurst and others 

(1966); Scrudato and Bond (1972); Daniels (1974); Marine 

and Siple (1974); Bechtel Corporation (1982); Faye and 

Prowell (1982); Huddlestun (1982); Prowell, Christopher, 

and others (1985); Colquhoun (1991, 1992); Edwards 

(1992); Fallaw and Price (1992, 1995); Harris and Zullo 

(1992); and Prowell (1994). Geologic reports on adjacent 

parts of South Carolina include those by Sloan (1908); 

Cooke (1936); Cooke and MacNeil (1952); Christl (1964); 

Siple (1967); Marine (1979); Smith (1979); Nystrom and 

Willoughby (1982); Zullo and others (1982); Colquhoun 

and others (1983); Bledsoe (1984, 1987, 1988); Colquhoun 

and Steele (1985); Steele (1985); Prowell, Edwards, and 

Frederiksen (1985); Nystrom and others (1986, 1991); 

Dennehy and others (1989); Logan and Euler (1989); 

Robertson (1990); Colquhoun and Muthig (1991); Price and 

others (1991); Fallaw and others (1992a,b); Snipes and 

others (1993); and Gellici and others (1995).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the U.S. Department of Energy for 

its support of this investigation. They also thank the Georgia 

Geologic Survey for allowing access to the Millers Pond 

core, and Paul F. Huddlestun for sampling and providing 

lithologic descriptions of the Thompson Oak and McBean 

cores. The authors also acknowledge the efforts of Donald 

G. Queen, Eugene F. Cobbs, and Gerald E. Idler during the 

coring and logging of the Millhaven and Girard sites.

STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK

Lithologic data from the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores and geophysical logs from the three associated test holes were used to define the four Cretaceous and 

five Tertiary units in this study (fig. 2). Correlation of these 

geologic units in the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond 

cores is presented in a dip-oriented cross section (fig. 6).
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A5

Gamma ray Single-point Geologic

(API units) Lithology resistance (ohms) unit

0 150 100 200

100 -

200 -

300 -

400 -

500 -

600 -

700 -

800 -

900 -

1000 -

1100 -

1200 -

1300 -

1400 - 

1452

Barnwell 

unit

Santee 

Limestone

Fourmile

Branch/

Congaree/

Warley Hill

unit

Snapp 

Formation

Ellenton 

Formation

Steel Creek 

Formation

Black Creek 

Group

Middendorf 

Formation

Cape

Fear

Formation

- 100

- 200

- 300

- 400

- 500

- 600

- 700

- 800

- 900

_ 1000

- 1100

- 1200

- 1300

EXPLANATION 

FOR FIGURES 3-5

Limestone

Sandy 

limestone

_^_^J Massive clay 

Laminated clay 

Sand

lE-IJEH Clayey sand

- 1400

1452

Land Surface Elevation = 110 feet above sea level.

Figure 3. Gamma-ray, single-point resistance, 

and lithologic logs and geologic units of the 

Millhaven test hole in Screven County, Ga. 

Abbreviation used: API, American Petroleum 

Institute.
A6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Gamma ray Single-point Geologic

(API units) Lithology resistance (ohms) unit

0 150 100 200

100 -

200 -

300 -

Barnwell 

unit

400 -

500 -

600 -

700 -

800 -

900 -

1000 -

1100 -

Figure 4. Gamma-ray, single-point resistance, and lithologic logs and geologic units of 

the Girard test hole in Burke County, Ga. 

Abbreviation used: API, American Petroleum 

Institute. Lithologic patterns are explained in 

figure 3.

1200 -

1300 -

1375

Fourmile

Branch/

Congaree/

Warley Hill

unit

- 100

- 200

- 300

- 400

Snapp 

Formation

Ellenton 

Formation

- 500

Steel Creek 

Formation - 600

Black Creek 

Group

- 700

- 800

- 900

- 1000

Middendorf 

Formation

- 1100

Cape

Fear

Formation

- 1200

- 1300

1375

Land Surface Elevation = 250 feet above sea level.
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A7

Gamma ray 

(API units) 

0 150

Lithology

Single-point 

resistance (ohms) 

175 200

Geologic 

unit

100 -

200 -

300 -

400 -

500 -

600 -

700 -

800 -

852

Barnwell 

unit

Santee 

Limestone

Fourmile Branch/

Congaree/ 

Warley Hill unit

Snapp 

Formation

Ellenton 

Formation

Steel Creek 

Formation

Black Creek 

Group

Middendorf 

Formation

Cape Fear 

Formation

- 100

- 200

- 300

- 400

- 500

- 600

- 700

- 800 

852

Land Surface Elevation = 245 feet above sea level.

Figure 5. Gamma-ray, single-point resistance, 

and lithologic logs and geologic units of the 

Millers Pond test well 1 and test hole in Burke 

County, Ga. Abbreviation used: API, American 

Petroleum Institute. Lithologic patterns are 

explained in figure 3.

The section roughly parallels the Savannah River and 

reflects the thicknesses and stratigraphy of the geologic 

units from the updip Millers Pond site to the downdip Millhaven site. Datum for the section is sea level. The elevation 

and depth of the stratigraphic top of each geologic unit in 

these three cores and the Thompson Oak and McBean cores 

are listed in table 1.

Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) correlated 

Cretaceous and Tertiary geologic units in the updip coastal 

plain from central Georgia to western South Carolina. They 

identified five of the six Upper Cretaceous units, two Paleocene units, six of the eight Eocene units, and one Oligocene unit in a South Carolina drill hole at the SRS (fig. 2). 

Their units were essentially chronostratigraphic units that 

were assigned alpha-numeric designations because of a lack 

of existing nomenclature. Subsequently, Fallaw and Price 

(1995) established a working nomenclature and described 

the stratigraphic units beneath the SRS. The stratigraphy

and nomenclature used in this report result from combining 

information from these reports.

Huddlestun and Hetrick (1991), Summerour and others 

(1994), and Huddlestun and Summerour (1996) proposed a 

stratigraphic nomenclature for the updip part of the study 

area in east-central Georgia. A comparison of the stratigraphic units for previous studies with the stratigraphy in 

this study is shown in figure 2. The stratigraphy of the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores is shown in figures 3, 

4, and 5.

CRETACEOUS STRATIGRAPHY

The Cretaceous sediments in the study area are divided 

into the Cape Fear Formation, the Middendorf Formation, 

the Black Creek Group, and the Steel Creek Formation (fig. 

2). These four geologic units consist of siliciclastic sediments, are coarser grained and more oxidized in updip
300

200

100

SEA 

LEVEL

100

200

300

01 400 

co

O

01

> 500

600 -

- 700 

O

> 800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

MILLERS POND

GIRARD

Gamma ray Lithology Resistance

Gamma ray Lithology Resistance

Ga

3

?

Y

1

X

£

-?

C

^

"^—

%

t

-

•*

^

Figure 6. Gamma-ray, single-point resistance, and lithologic logs (from figs. 3-5) showing dip-oriented correlation of 

test hole to the Millhaven test hole. Datum is sea level.
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A9

Table 1. Elevations and depths of stratigraphic tops for geologic units and subunits in the Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers 

Pond, and McBean cores.

[The stratigraphic contacts in the Thompson Oak and the McBean cores are interpreted from lithologic descriptions provided by Paul F. Huddlestun, Georgia 

Geologic Survey, Atlanta, Georgia. The stratigraphic contacts and names for the Thompson Oak and McBean cores in this table represent the stratigraphic 

interpretations of the authors and do not agree with Huddlestun's interpretations in all cases. Elevations are in feet above or below sea level. Depths are in feet 

below land surface. Top of Barnwell unit equals land surface in each core. N.D., not determined; N.P., not penetrated]

Elevation/depth of stratigraphic contact

Name of geologic unit

Fourmile Branch/Congaree/ Warley Hill unit -

Warley Hill Formation ————————

Snapp Formation ———————————— 

Ellenton Formation ————————————

Steel Creek Formation ————————————

Subunit 2 —————————————

Subunit 2 —————————————

Subunit 1 —————————————

Cape Fear Formation ——————————

Millhaven 

core

110/0

1 1 8/998

-291/401 

291/401

35^/462

absent 

394/504

-460/570 

^79/649

790/R30

799/839

817/927

1,009/1,119

-1,062/1,172 

1,062/1,172

1

1 ^O /1 OT")

1,269/1,379

N.P.

Girard 

core

250/0 

0/250 

-75/325 

absent 

75/325

140/390

173/493

931/481

992/54'?

309/649

392/64^

-482/733 

-659/909 

-708/958 

708/958

o i o /1 r\£i^t

913/1,163

1,125/1,375

Thompson Oak 

core

240/0 

110/130 

58/182 

absent 

58/182 

11/251

absent

34/974

54/394

-166/406 

166/406

N.D. 

N.D. 

-445/685 

-445/685 

-485/725 

-602/842 

-756/996

Millers Pond 

core

245/0 

163/82 

89/156 

absent 

89/156 

absent 

80/165 

13/232 

39/284

87/799

R7/399

N.D. 

N.D.

-347/592 

347/509

-418/663 

507/752

-603/852

McBean 

core

297/0 

185/112 

111/186 

absent 

111/186 

absent 

75/222 

25/272 

-8/305 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P. 

N.P.

areas, and become finer grained in a coastward direction. 

Unit contacts are typically overlain by lags of very poorly 

sorted sand containing granules, pebbles, and lithoclasts. 

Each contact is considered to be a regional unconformity 

and probably denotes a considerable hiatus in sedimentation. In the updip area, lithologic similarities among the 

units and the presence of only a few fossil-bearing beds 

make it difficult to identify unit contacts at Millers Pond. 

Evidence of possible unconformities is used to divide the 

Middendorf Formation into two subunits in the Millhaven, 

Girard, and Millers Pond cores, and the Black Creek Group 

into three subunits in the Millhaven and Girard cores. Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) identified units UK1 

through UK6 in their study but did not correlate their unit 

UK3 with units in the test holes at the SRS.

Biostratigraphic studies by Christopher (1978) and 

Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) suggested that Cretaceous strata in east-central Georgia ranged in age from 

Coniacian to Maastrichtian. The sediments in the four units 

have been interpreted as parts of large deltaic systems that 

prograded across the paleo-continental shelf in east-central 

Georgia and western South Carolina (Prowell and others, 

1985a; Fallaw and Price, 1995). Lithofacies observed in the 

Upper Cretaceous units accumulated in coarser grained 

proximal and finer grained distal deltaic settings.

CAPE FEAR FORMATION

The Cape Fear Formation consists of partially lithified 

to unlithified, poorly to very poorly sorted clayey sand and 

sandy clay with a few beds of silty clay. The sand is fine to 

very coarse with granules and pebbles and is predominantly 

angular to subangular quartz with some feldspar. Cristobalite in the clay matrix results in lithologies that are harder 

and denser than sediments in the other Cretaceous units. 

The cristobalitic clay matrix imparts a yellowish-green to 

greenish-gray color to most of the lithologies and occludes 

most of the intergranular porosity in the sand beds. Electric 

logs display low resistance in the sands and the clays in 

most of this unit. Sands in the upper 10 to 20 ft of this unit 

in the Millhaven and Girard cores are unlithified and have 

atypically high resistance values on the electric logs.

The Cape Fear Formation contains multiple finingupward cycles that range in thickness from 3 to 15 ft. Each 

cycle grades upward from a basal coarse pebbly sand to 

clayey sand or clay. The clays are oxidized and are generally 

stained with reddish-brown and yellowish-brown patches of 

iron oxide. A root-trace pattern is present at the top of a few 

of the fining-upward cycles and at the top of this unit in the 

Millhaven core. Sediments directly beneath the upper contact of the Cape Fear Formation in the other cores are
A10 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

stained with iron oxides. Lag deposits at the base of the 

Cape Fear Formation contain clasts of saprolitic gneiss in 

the Millers Pond core and clasts of Trias sic siltstone in the 

Girard core.

Most of the strata in this unit are barren of fossils, but a 

few samples of gray and olive-gray, silty clay from the Millers Pond core yielded low-abundance and low-diversity pollen assemblages. Palynologic analysis of these samples 

from the Millers Pond core (Frederiksen and others, this 

volume, chap. C) indicates a Coniacian microflora that is 

consistent with the microflora of the Cape Fear Formation 

of South Carolina and North Carolina (Christopher and others, 1979; Christopher, 1982; Sohl and Owens, 1991). Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) and Fallaw and Price 

(1995) suggested a Santonian age for unit UK1 and the 

Cape Fear Formation at the SRS. Huddle stun and Summerour (1996) suggested that the Cape Fear Formation is equivalent to the Cenomanian-Turonian Tuscaloosa Formation of 

western Georgia. Samples from this formation were not processed for the other cores.

The presence of a terrestrial microflora and the 

absence of dinoflagellates and other marine fossils in the 

Cape Fear Formation suggest deposition in a nonmarine 

environment at Millers Pond. The Cape Fear Formation in 

the Millhaven and Girard cores is lithologically similar to 

the section in the Millers Pond core and also is interpreted 

as having been deposited in a nonmarine environment. The 

multiple fining-upward cycles, the coarse texture of the 

sands, the iron-oxide staining, and root-trace patterns in the 

clays suggest that most of this unit was deposited in channel 

and overbank environments during aggradation of a fluvially dominated, subaerially exposed part of a delta-plain 

environment.

MIDDENDORF FORMATION

The Middendorf Formation consists predominantly of 

unlithified sand, which is locally fine to very coarse or fine 

to medium quartz (figs. 3, 4, 5). The sand includes 

smoky-quartz granules and pebbles, mica, lignite, and generally very little clay matrix. The Middendorf sands are 

moderately to poorly sorted and are very porous and permeable in comparison with the sands in the underlying Cape 

Fear Formation. Black clay is present in laminae and thin 

beds that are less than 2 ft thick in the Millhaven core. Clay 

beds in the Millers Pond core and most of the Girard core 

generally are light gray to white and range in thickness from 

1 to 10 ft.

The Middendorf Formation contains two distinct subunits in the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores. 

Additional work in the study area may show these subunits 

to be separate, mappable formations. At present, they are 

informally referred to in ascending order as subunits 1 and 2 

of the Middendorf Formation. Each subunit includes a basal

lag deposit of poorly sorted sand that grades up to interbedded and interlaminated clay and sand. Micaceous and lignitic sand laminae are common in the Middendorf sections, 

particularly near the top of each subunit. Clay beds are generally thicker and display more abundant iron-oxide staining 

near the top of each subunit in the Millers Pond and Girard 

cores. A root-trace pattern is observed in the clay at the top 

of subunit 2 in the Girard core. Clays at the top of each subunit in the Millhaven core are not stained with iron oxides.

Lithologic data and geophysical log patterns seem to 

indicate that the upper contact of the Middendorf Formation 

in the Georgia cores correlates with the unit UK2/UK4 

boundary of Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) and the 

top of the Middendorf Formation as recognized by Fallaw 

and Price (1995) at the SRS. A Santonian age was reported 

for unit UK2 by Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) and 

for the Middendorf Formation at the SRS by Fallaw and 

Price (1995). Samples collected at 1,138 and 1,012 ft in the 

Girard core and 1,212 ft in the Millhaven core contain 

pollen that suggests at least part of the Middendorf 

Formation may be correlative with the Shepherd Grove 

Formation, which overlies the Middendorf in South 

Carolina (Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C).

All or part of what has been described as Middendorf 

Formation in this part of Georgia may actually be correlative with part of the Black Creek Group or an updip lithofacies of either the Caddin or Shepherd Grove Formations, 

which Gohn (1992) identified as late Santonian to early 

Campanian in age. Evidence of subaerial exposure and erosional lags at the contacts between the upper and lower subunits support the possibility that unit UK2 (Prowell, 

Christopher, and others, 1985), as defined beneath the 

southeastern corner of the SRS, contains more than one depositional sequence and is equivalent in part to unit UK3.

Huddlestun and Hetrick (1991) applied the name Pio 

Nono Formation in updip areas of east-central Georgia to 

the Middendorf Formation as used here. Dinoflagellates and 

other marine indicators are sparse and suggest a marginal-marine environment at Millhaven and a nonmarine 

environment for this unit in the other cores.

BLACK CREEK GROUP

The Black Creek Group consists of three distinct subunits in the Millhaven and Girard cores: a basal lignitic sand 

in subunit 1, a laminated black clay and sand in subunit 2, 

and a coarsening-upward sand sequence in subunit 3 (figs. 

3, 4, table 1). The lag deposits at the bases of the subunits 

suggest the possibility of unconformities in the Black Creek 

Group at Millhaven and Girard. The Black Creek Group at 

Millers Pond is coarser and sandier and is not divided into 

subunits (fig. 5).

Black Creek subunit 1 consists of moderately to poorly 

sorted, fine to coarse quartz sand that grades into overlying
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A11

very fine to fine sand with a few thin beds of clay. The sand 

contains abundant interlaminated fine lignite and mica and 

very little clay matrix. This subunit is lithologically very 

similar to the underlying Middendorf Formation.

Black Creek subunit 2 in the Millhaven core has a 

sharp basal contact at 1,119 ft and a second sharp contact at 

1,099 ft. Each contact is overlain by a basal lag deposit of 

very poorly sorted sand. The sand above the contact at 1,099 

ft grades and fines into an overlying 161-ft section of predominantly silty laminated black clay. The 161-ft clay section also includes very fine to fine sand from 1,063 to 

1,051 ft. Most of subunit 2 is calcareous and contains laminae and lenses of very fine sand and sand-filled burrows. 

Very fine to fine sand is interlaminated at the top of the clay 

from 934 to 927 ft. Subunit 2 in the Girard core is sandier 

and consists of very fine to fine sand with interbedded black 

clay. The sand at Millhaven and Girard includes mica, lignite, and minor amounts of glauconite.

Bioturbation features in subunit 2 at Millhaven and 

Girard include clay-lined burrows, mottled textures, and discontinuous laminae of clay in the sands. Subunit 2 at Millhaven and Girard yielded the most abundant and diverse 

marine macrofaunas and microfaunas and microfloras in the 

Cretaceous section in the study area, including shark teeth, 

pelecypods, ostracodes, benthic and planktonic foraminifers, spicules, dinoflagellates, pollen, and calcareous nannofossils (Bukry, this volume, chap. D; Frederiksen and 

others, this volume, chap. C; Gohn, this volume, chap. E).

Black Creek subunit 3 in the Millhaven core is a coarsening-upward sequence and consists of a very poorly sorted 

lag deposit from 927 to 926 ft; moderately to well-sorted, 

very fine to medium sand from 926 to 880 ft; and moderately sorted, fine to coarse sand from 880 to 826 ft. This 

subunit at Millhaven includes laminae and thin beds of 

dark-gray clay, large and small pieces of lignite, and mica; 

the subunit is crossbedded from 907 to 900 ft.

Black Creek subunit 3 in the Girard core has a sharp 

basal contact at 733 ft and a lag deposit of very poorly 

sorted sand and granules from 733 to 730 ft. The section 

includes beds of moderately to poorly sorted, medium to 

very coarse sand; and moderately sorted, fine to medium 

sand with 5 to 10 percent clay matrix. This section is crossbedded from 714 to 710 ft and 679 to 660 ft and includes 

one light-gray, iron-stained clay from 685 to 679 ft. The top 

of the clay at 679 ft is overlain by a lag deposit of very 

poorly sorted sand and granules.

The Black Creek Group at Millers Pond contains 

poorly sorted, fine to very coarse sand and beds of clay (fig. 

5). Granules and pebbles are more abundant and form several very poorly sorted lags at the base of sand beds, which 

generally include clay clasts. The sand is unlithified and has 

minor amounts of clay matrix. The tops of clay beds generally are stained with yellow and red iron oxides.

Paleontologic data from the studied cores suggest a 

Campanian age for the Black Creek Group (Frederiksen and

others, this volume, chap. C; Bukry, this volume, chap. D; 

Gohn, this volume, chap. E). Units UK4 and UK5 (Prowell, 

Christopher, and others, 1985) and the Black Creek Group 

at the SRS (Fallaw and Price, 1995) are assigned an age of 

Campanian to Maastrichtian. Huddlestun and Hetrick 

(1991) applied the name Gaillard Formation to the fluvial 

lithofacies in the updip Georgia Coastal Plain. Paleontologic 

data (Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C; Bukry, 

this volume, chap. D; Gohn, this volume, chap. E) suggest 

that the calcareous lithologies of subunit 2 at Millhaven are 

equivalent to the Donoho Creek Formation of the Black 

Creek Group (Owens, 1989; Sohl and Owens, 1991).

The diversity and abundance of dinoflagellates, the 

abundance of marine faunas, and the presence of glauconite 

at Millhaven and Girard suggest a strong marine influence 

during the deposition of subunit 2, probably in the distal 

part of a deltaic complex. Dinoflagellates in subunit 3 suggest a marginal-marine depositional environment. The composition of the microflora and the absence of other marine 

indicators suggest that subunit 1 at Millhaven and Girard 

and the entire section of the Black Creek Group at Millers 

Pond reflect sedimentation in a nonmarine part of the delta 

(Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C).

STEEL CREEK FORMATION

Most of the Steel Creek Formation in the Georgia test 

holes consists of poorly to very poorly sorted, fine to very 

coarse sand with granules and pebbles of smoky quartz and 

5 to 15 percent clay matrix (figs. 3, 4, 5). The basal lags are 

overlain by thick intervals of oxidized clay in the Millhaven 

and Girard cores. Steel Creek sections include multiple fining-upward sequences with beds of coarser grained sand 

that become finer and grade into overlying clay beds. Many 

of the clay beds are stained with iron oxide and contain as 

much as 40 percent sand by volume. Root traces typically 

are present at the top of the thick oxidized clay near the base 

of the section and in some of the clay beds near the top of 

this unit. Crossbedding is common at Millhaven. Lignite 

and mica are common accessory constituents.

Kidd (1996) used a subtle difference in grain size and 

clay content and geophysical-log correlations with test holes 

on the SRS to identify the contact between the Black Creek 

Group and the Steel Creek Formation at 397 ft in the Millers 

Pond core. Huddlestun and Summerour (1996) identified 

the basal contact at 367 ft in the Millers Pond core and 414 

ft in the Thompson Oak core; they described the contact 

between the Black Creek (Gaillard) and Steel Creek Formations as either conformable or paraconformable in updip 

parts of Burke County and as gradational in the Girard core. 

The contact between the Black Creek Group and the Steel 

Creek Formation is recognized as an unconformity at the 

Millhaven and Girard sites. This boundary is placed at the 

sharp contact at 322 ft in the Millers Pond core in this report
A12 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

on the basis of projecting the contact from the downdip 

Girard core.

Most of the sediments in the Steel Creek Formation are 

barren of fossils. Thin beds of brownish-gray clay in the 

Steel Creek section of the Millhaven core yielded Cretaceous and Paleocene palynomorphs, but more diagnostic 

taxa were not recovered (Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C). The presence of dinoflagellates and Paleocene palynomorphs in samples collected from the Steel 

Creek section in the Millhaven core is discounted as contamination of the samples with drilling mud (Edwards and 

others, this volume, chap. B). Paleontologic data from the 

underlying Black Creek Group and the overlying Ellenton 

Formation restrict the age of the Steel Creek Formation to 

the Maastrichtian.

Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) identified a 

correlative section in wells at the SRS as middle 

Maastrichtian in age and designated it as unit UK6. They 

considered unit UK6 to be a biostratigraphic equivalent of 

the Providence Sand and part of the Ripley Formation in 

Georgia and the Peedee Formation in eastern South 

Carolina (fig. 2). Fallaw and Price (1995) described and 

named the Steel Creek Formation at the SRS. Huddlestun 

and Summerour (1996) also applied the name Steel Creek 

Formation to cored sections in east-central Georgia and 

considered the Steel Creek Formation to be early 

Maastrichtian.

Marine fossils, carbonate minerals, and glauconite are 

absent from the Steel Creek sections of the studied cores. 

The coarse sediments, fining-upward sequences, indications 

of rooting, and iron-oxide staining suggest channel and 

overbank deposits in a delta-plain environment.

TERTIARY STRATIGRAPHY

The Tertiary section in this report includes the Ellenton 

and Snapp Formations in the Paleocene strata and the Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit, the Santee Limestone, and the Barnwell unit in the Eocene and younger 

strata (fig. 2). Each of the Eocene units in the Georgia cores 

can be lithologically, geophysically, or biostratigraphically 

correlated with more than one formal formation in the study 

area and is informally named in the report.

The stratigraphy proposed by Prowell, Christopher, 

and others (1985) at the southeastern corner of the SRS 

included two Paleocene units designated as units PI and P2, 

six Eocene units designated as units El, E3, E4, E5, E7, and 

E8, and an Oligocene unit designated as unit Ol. Units E2, 

E6, and Ml were recognized and correlated in Georgia but 

were not correlated with units in the southeastern corner of 

the SRS (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985).

ELLENTON FORMATION

The Ellenton Formation in the Georgia cores is finer 

grained, calcareous, and very glauconitic in the downdip 

Millhaven and Girard cores. It is coarser grained and noncalcareous in the updip Millers Pond core (fig. 6). Lag 

deposits and sharp bedding contacts identify basal unconformities and possible unconformities within the Georgia 

sections.

The Ellenton Formation in the Millhaven core consists 

of glauconitic, calcareous, fine to coarse sand and laminated 

clay from 642 to 622 ft; well-laminated, slightly calcareous, 

silty black clay from 622 to 595 ft; and calcareous to noncalcareous clay from 595 to 570 ft (fig. 3). The Ellenton 

Formation in the Girard core consists of noncalcareous sand 

and black clay from 542 to 518 ft; sandy carbonate and 

limestone and calcareous sand with abundant glauconite 

from 518 to 491 ft; and well-laminated, noncalcareous silty 

clay from 491 to 481 ft (fig. 4). The section generally contains well-sorted, fine to medium quartz sand. The lag 

deposits at 638, 625, and 595 ft in the Millhaven core and 

518 ft in the Girard core contain 10 to 20 percent glauconite, 

several rounded phosphatic clasts, and shark teeth. A 

high-angle shear defines a sharp contact at 491 ft in the 

Girard core.

The Ellenton Formation in the updip Millers Pond core 

consists of fine to very coarse sand with interbedded sandy 

clay from 284 to 263 ft; interlaminated black lignitic clay 

and very fine to medium sand from 263 to 247 ft; and fine to 

medium clayey sand from 247 to 232 ft (fig. 5). The laminated black clay is very dense and may contain as much as 5 

percent mica. Recovery of sediment in the Millers Pond 

core was not as good as recovery in the Millhaven and 

Girard cores; however, poorly sorted pebble lag deposits at 

284 and 271 ft and clay clasts at 263 and 244 ft suggest possible unconformities and reworking of the Ellenton Formation in the Millers Pond core.

Paleontologic results suggest that the Ellenton Formation in this report is equivalent to unit PI (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985) and the Ellenton Formation in South 

Carolina (Prowell, Edwards, and Frederiksen, 1985). Huddlestun and Summerour (1996) described a unit that they 

identified as the Black Mingo Formation undifferentiated in 

Georgia. They recognized a lower and an upper unit that 

resemble lithologies of the Rhems, Williamsburg, and Lang 

Syne Formations of the Black Mingo Group (Van Nieuwenhuise and Colquhoun, 1982). Fallaw and Price (1995) 

divided the Ellenton section into the Sawdust Landing and 

Lang Syne Formations in wells near the southeastern border 

of the SRS. The noncalcareous, nonglauconitic sand and 

clay from 542 to 518 ft at Girard and from 284 to 263 ft at 

Millers Pond are lithologically similar to the Sawdust Landing Formation. However, a similar lithologic unit was not 

recognized at Millhaven. The rest of the Ellenton Formation 

at Millhaven and Girard is similar to the very glauconitic
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA Al3

and silty lithologies of the Lang Syne Formation. The carbonate component at Millhaven and Girard is not described 

in the Lang Syne Formation at the SRS but is described as 

part of this unit beneath Allendale County in South Carolina 

(Fallaw and Price, 1995; Gellici and others, 1995).

Paleontologic studies identified a diverse microflora of 

dinoflagellates, pollen, and calcareous nannofossils and a 

faunal component of ostacodes, planktonic foraminifers, 

pelecypods, and gastropods in the downdip sections 

(Edwards and others, this volume, chap. B). The updip section at Millers Pond contains a low-diversity microflora of 

dinoflagellates and pollen (Clarke and others, 1994). The 

marine fossils, glauconite, and carbonate in downdip sediments indicate an open-marine environment, possibly distal 

prodelta. The low diversity and the low abundance of 

dinoflagellates and the absence of other marine indicators at 

Millers Pond suggest a change to a more restricted marginal-marine environment.

SNAPP FORMATION

The Snapp Formation at Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond consists of moderately to poorly sorted, fine to 

very coarse sand overlain by iron-stained, oxidized kaolin 

(figs. 3, 4, 5). The sand is unlithified and generally has granules, pebbles, and less than 10 percent clay matrix. Individual sand beds typically are coarse to very coarse in the lower 

part of each section. In the middle of each section, the sand 

beds are fine to medium. At the top of each section, the sand 

beds grade into white to very light gray kaolin. The clay is 

stained with red and yellow iron oxides. Pedogenic structures in the otherwise massive clay include root traces and 

desiccation cracks. Pyrite is disseminated in the clay and 

along desiccation cracks near the top of the Snapp Formation in the Millers Pond and Girard cores.

The Snapp Formation in Georgia is equivalent to unit 

P2 (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985) and the Snapp 

Formation at the SRS (Fallaw and Price, 1995). McClelland 

(1987) applied the name Rhems Formation (lower Paleocene part of the Black Mingo Group) to a combined section of the Snapp and Ellenton Formations in upper Burke 

County. The Snapp Formation holds the same upper Paleocene stratigraphic position as the Chicora Member of the 

Williamsburg Formation of the Black Mingo Group (Van 

Nieuwenhuise and Colquhoun, 1982). The Snapp Formation 

in the Georgia cores and in cores on the SRS (Fallaw and 

Price, 1995) is lithologically different from the marine sediment of the Chicora Member.

The Snapp Formation is absent from the Thompson 

Oak core (fig. 1, table 1). Fallaw and Price (1995) described 

an updip limit for the Snapp Formation near the Upper 

Three Runs Creek in Aiken County, S.C. Extension of this 

boundary into Georgia would place the Thompson Oak core 

near the updip limit of the Snapp Formation. The presence

of Snapp sediments in the McBean core indicates that the 

updip limit is irregular in that it trends to the northwest from 

the Thompson Oak test hole across the northern part of 

Burke County, Ga. (fig. 1).

Paleontologic samples were not collected from the 

Snapp Formation in the Girard and Millers Pond cores 

because of the extensive oxidation of the sediments. A sample from the base of this formation in the Millhaven core 

yielded sparse dinoflagellates that are not age diagnostic 

(Edwards and others, this volume, chap. B). The stratigraphic position of this unit between the Ellenton Formation 

and the overlying early Eocene part of the Fourmile 

Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit suggests that the age of 

the strata is either late Paleocene (Prowell, Christopher, and 

others, 1985; Fallaw and Price, 1995) or early Eocene (Harris and Zullo, 1992). Paleontologic data from a sample at 

264 ft in the McBean core indicated a Paleocene age; however, the authors have not independently verified that the 

sample at 264 ft is from the Snapp Formation. This sample 

of the McBean core is above the base of the Snapp Formation as selected by Huddlestun and Summerour (1996).

Sedimentary characteristics suggest a fluvially dominated depositional environment in either an upper delta 

plain or an incised alluvial valley. The presence of 

dinoflagellates in the Millhaven core suggests a marginal-marine environment in the downdip part of the study 

area. The Snapp Formation at Girard is 58 ft thick, which is 

roughly 20 ft thicker than the Snapp Formation in cores 

from the southeastern part of the SRS. The thicker section 

of the Snapp Formation in the Girard core overlies a section 

of the Ellenton Formation that is thinner by 20 ft relative to 

the Ellenton section in the southeastern part of the SRS. 

Structural-contour and isopach maps of the Black Mingo 

(Ellenton) and Snapp Formations also indicate thicker sections of the Snapp Formation over thinner sections of the 

Black Mingo (Ellenton) Formation in eastern Burke County 

and southern Barnwell County (Huddlestun and Summerour, 1996). This thickness change is interpreted here as evidence of channel incision of the Snapp Formation into the 

laminated black clay of the Ellenton Formation.

FOURMILE BRANCH/CONGAREE/WARLEY HILL UNIT

The lithologies of the Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit range from mixed-siliciclastic-carbonate sections in the central and downdip Georgia cores to 

siliciclastic sections in the updip cores (figs. 3, 4, 5, 6). 

Paleontologic data suggest that the strata in this unit are correlative with three formally named formations at the SRS 

(fig. 2). However, all three formations are not consistently 

present in each of the Georgia cores (table 1).

In the downdip Millhaven core, the Fourmile Branch/ 

Congaree/Warley Hill unit consists of interbedded quartz 

sand, marl, and limestone. The sand is very fine to fine
A14 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

below a depth of 415 ft and fine to medium above a depth of 

415 ft and is moderately to well sorted throughout. Glauconite is a common accessory mineral and is abundant at 462 

ft. The carbonate beds range from lithified to unlithified and 

include glauconite, clay matrix and fossils. Extensive burrowing is recognized in the sandy carbonate matrix.

In the Girard core, this unit consists of medium to 

coarse sand from 423 to 390 ft; fine to medium sand from 

366 to 350 ft; and medium to coarse sand, sandy carbonate, 

and limestone from 342 to 325 ft. A large part of the unit 

from 390 to 366 ft and several other parts of the section 

were not recovered during coring. The section below 390 ft 

is predominantly noncalcareous with only trace amounts of 

glauconite, generally less than 5 percent clay matrix, clay 

laminae, and clay-lined burrows. Unlithified sandy carbonate and partially lithified calcareous sand are abundant 

above 366 ft.

This unit in the Millers Pond core consists of a 9-ft 

section of well-sorted, very fine to fine sand. The sand contains less than 5 percent clay matrix, but clay-lined burrows 

are present.

Surface mapping and drill hole evidence from this 

updip region in Georgia and adjacent areas of South Carolina indicate a thicker section of sand and clay (Nystrom and 

Willoughby, 1982; Nystrom and others, 1986; McClelland, 

1987; Prowell, 1994). On the basis of data from augered 

holes that are 1 mile west of the Millers Pond core site, 

McClelland (1987) described a 40-ft section of the Huber 

Formation, a time-equivalent lithofacies of the Congaree 

Formation. In the Huber Formation described by McClelland (1987), the burrowed, fine sand observed at Millers 

Pond is overlain by a crossbedded, fine to coarse quartz 

sand and lenticular beds of massive, lignitic kaolinitic clay.

Dinoflagellates, pollen, and calcareous nannofossils 

were recovered from the core samples of the Fourmile 

Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit at Millhaven and Girard. 

Dinoflagellates and pollen were recovered from the Thompson Oak and Millers Pond cores. Paleontologic examination 

of these core samples indicates that this unit is early Eocene 

to early middle Eocene in age and that it includes more than 

one biostratigraphic unit (Bybell, this volume, chap. F; Frederiksen, this volume, chap. H; Edwards, this volume, chap. 

G). Other fossils observed in the Millhaven core included 

bryozoans, pelecypods, and foraminifers below 462 ft and 

pelecypods and foraminifers above 462 ft. In the Girard 

core, pelecypods, bryozoans, and shark teeth were observed 

above 342 ft. Biomoldic pores indicate that gastropods also 

were present.

The Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit from 

423 to 390 ft in the Girard core is lithologically and geophysically correlative with the Fourmile Branch Formation 

at the SRS (Fallaw and Price, 1995). The age of this part of 

the Girard core could not be determined from fossil evidence. An early Eocene age was determined with 

dinoflagellates from samples of the Thompson Oak core

from 274 to 251 ft (Edwards, this volume, chap. G). These 

sections in the Girard and Thompson Oak cores appear to be 

equivalent to unit E2 of Prowell, Christopher, and others 

(1985) and the Fourmile Branch Formation at the SRS (Fallaw and Price, 1995). A biostratigraphically correlative section was not identified at Millhaven, Millers Pond, or 

McBean.

The section from 390 to 325 ft in the Girard core is 

biostratigraphically correlative with the sections from 504 

to 462 ft in the Millhaven core and from 165 to 156 ft in the 

Millers Pond core, and with samples collected from depths 

of 210, 194, 192, and 183 ft in the Thompson Oak core. 

This part of the Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit 

is equivalent to unit E3 (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 

1985) and the Congaree Formation in South Carolina (Fallaw and Price, 1995) and Georgia (Huddlestun and Summerour, 1996).

The Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill section 

from 462 to 401 ft in the Millhaven core is lithologically 

equivalent and geophysically correlative with at least part of 

the Congaree Formation as identified in the subsurface of 

Allendale County in South Carolina (Gellici and others, 

1995). This section is biostratigraphically equivalent to the 

lower part of unit E4 (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 

1985) and the Warley Hill Formation at the SRS (Fallaw and 

Price, 1995). A biostratigraphic equivalent to this part of the 

Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill section is not identified in the other studied cores in Georgia.

Sedimentary characteristics of the Fourmile Branch 

sections in the Girard and Thompson Oak cores suggest a 

nearshore-marine environment. Sedimentary characteristics 

of the overlying Congaree beds suggest an open-marine 

shelf environment for deposits in the downdip core and a 

fluvially dominated to marginal-marine environment for 

deposits in the updip cores in the vicinity of Millers Pond. 

The Warley Hill Formation at Millhaven also was deposited 

in an open-marine shelf environment.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

The Santee Limestone consists predominantly of limestone and unlithified carbonate with a few beds of calcareous sand and clay. The Santee Limestone, as correlated in 

this report, includes lithologies assigned by others to the 

Warley Hill Formation (Steele, 1985; McClelland, 1987; 

Fallaw and Price, 1992, 1995), the Blue Bluff Marl of the 

Lisbon Formation (Huddlestun and Hetrick, 1986), the Santee Limestone (Sloan, 1908), and the McBean Formation 

(Veatch and Stephenson, 1911). These lithofacies are time 

equivalents of the Lisbon Formation of western Georgia 

(Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985) and collectively are 

correlated as one package of sediment in this report (fig. 6), 

although we do recognize significant stratigraphic contacts 

within the unit.
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A15

The lower part of the Santee Limestone in the Millhaven core from a depth of 401 to 365 ft consists of calcareous sand with glauconite and pelecypods that grades into 

overlying sandy carbonate with large oyster shells and other 

pelecypods (fig. 3). The quartz sand is medium to coarse 

near the base of the section and fines upward to fine to 

medium. The carbonate in this part of the section ranges 

from unlithified to partially lithified. The contact between 

the lower and middle part of the section at 365 ft is phosphatized and pyritized. Pelecypod-moldic pores immediately beneath the contact are filled with the very fine 

sediments of the overlying marl.

The middle part of the Santee Limestone in the Millhaven core from 365 to 245 ft varies from marl to carbonate 

with very little quartz sand in both lithologies. Carbonate 

from 365 to 268 ft is well lithified and has biomoldic porosity. The marl is burrow mottled to wavy laminated with 

minor amounts of lignite and pyrite. Fossils in the marl 

include foraminifers, spicules, shark teeth, pelecypods, and 

gastropods. The marl grades into overlying well-lithified to 

partially lithified limestone. Fossils in the limestone are 

more abundant and more diverse than in the marl and 

include pelecypods, gastropods, bryozoans, echinoids, foraminifers, brachiopods, and shark teeth. A sharp bedding 

contact at 332 ft is underlain by biomoldic limestone with 

phosphatized fossil molds and shark teeth from 336 to 332 

ft. Porosity in the middle part of the section is interparticle 

and biomoldic with irregular dissolution cavities from 258 

to 252 ft.

The sandy carbonate in the upper part of the Santee 

Limestone in the Millhaven core from 245 to 228 ft includes 

fine to medium quartz sand and glauconite. Marine fossils 

include pelecypods, bryozoans, and gastropods.

The Santee Limestone in the Girard core includes a 

very sandy limestone from 325 to 322 ft and a marl and 

clayey sand from 322 to 250 ft (fig. 4). The limestone from 

325 to 322 ft is glauconitic with abundant pelecypod-moldic 

porosity and is pyritic along the contact with the overlying 

marl. The marl is a very fine grained limestone unit with as 

much as 30 percent clay matrix. Very fine to fine quartz 

sand ranges from 2 percent near the base of the section to 25 

percent near the top of the section. The marl and calcareous 

sand are burrow mottled and contain minor amounts of lignite and glauconite. Macrofossils are sparse and include 

pelecypods.

The Santee Limestone in the Millers Pond core consists of sandy limestone and calcareous sand (fig. 5). A thin 

basal lag of very poorly sorted sand from 156 to 154 ft 

includes quartz pebbles and granules, glauconite, and pelecypods. The quartz sand above 154 ft is fine to very coarse 

in calcareous sand beds and fine to medium in sandy limestone beds. The limestone below a depth of 121 ft is finely 

crystalline and contains glauconite and marine fossils, 

including pelecypods, spicules, foraminifers, and shark 

teeth. Marine fossils in the limestone above a depth of 100 ft

include oysters and other pelecypods, foraminifers, and 

echinoid fragments. Biomoldic porosity also is present 

above a depth of 100 ft and reflects dissolution of aragonitic 

pelecypods and gastropods.

The Santee Limestone at Millers Pond is thicker than 

comparable sections in this updip area (Nystrom and Willoughby, 1982; Nystrom and others, 1986; McClelland, 

1987; Prowell, 1994). McClelland (1987) described this unit 

as 40 ft thick in a drill hole located west of the Millers Pond 

site. This information, in conjunction with the evidence for 

the section missing from the underlying Fourmile 

Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill Formation, suggests that the 

basal contact of the Santee Limestone represents scour into 

the underlying unit and is possibly the result of localized 

channeling. Observations of similar channeling have been 

reported in nearby strip mines (Nystrom and others, 1986).

The Santee Limestone section from 156 to 139 ft in the 

Millers Pond core is biostratigraphically correlative with 

sections in the Millhaven core from 401 to 365 ft and in the 

Girard core from 325 to 322 ft and with samples collected at 

depths of 181.5, 174, 172, 164 and 154 ft in the Thompson 

Oak core and 181 ft in the McBean core (Edwards, this volume, chap. G; Bybell, this volume, chap. F; Frederiksen, 

this volume, chap. H). This part of the Santee Limestone in 

the studied cores is biostratigraphically equivalent to the 

upper part of the unit E4 (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 

1985). Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) identified 

their unit as correlative with part of the Warley Hill Formation underlying the southeastern part of the SRS. Gellici and 

others (1995) described a similar lithologic unit in the same 

stratigraphic position in the subsurface of Allendale County 

and designated the unit as the Warley Hill Formation. Steele 

(1985) and McClelland (1987) described a calcareous lithofacies of the Warley Hill Formation. Fallaw and Price 

(1995) described a sporadic sand lithofacies of the Warley 

Hill Formation at the base of the Tinker Formation in the 

updip part of the SRS.

The remainder of the Santee Limestone in the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores is biostratigraphically 

equivalent to unit E5 (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 

1985) and the Tinker Formation (Fallaw and Price, 1995). 

This part of the Santee Limestone is lithologically similar to 

the Blue Bluff Marl of the Lisbon Formation (Huddlestun 

and Hetrick, 1986), the Santee Limestone (Sloan, 1908), 

and the McBean Formation (Veatch and Stephenson, 1911). 

The siliciclastic lithologies of the Tinker Formation in South 

Carolina (Fallaw and Price, 1995) are correlative with the 

predominantly carbonate lithologies of the Santee Limestone but are not recognized in the Georgia cores.

Calcareous nannofossils, planktonic foraminifers, 

dinoflagellates, and pollen from the core localities indicate a 

late middle Eocene (late Claibornian) age for the Santee 

sections (Edwards and others, this volume, chap. B). Marine 

fossils and carbonate suggest that this unit was deposited in 

an open-marine, shallow-shelf environment. The distribu-
A16 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

tion of siliciclastic sediments and the diversity of marine 

fossils in the carbonate facies suggest that the updip Millers 

Pond core is more proximal to a source of siliciclastic sediments than the downdip Millhaven core.

BARNWELL UNIT

The Barnwell unit derives its name from the Barn well 

Group (Huddlestun and Hetrick, 1979, 1986). The Barnwell 

Group consists of the Clinchfield Formation, Dry Branch 

Formation, and Tobacco Road Sand that have been 

described and mapped on both sides of the Savannah River 

in the vicinity of the SRS (Huddlestun and Hetrick, 1978, 

1979, 1986; Huddlestun, 1982; Prowell, 1994; Fallaw and 

Price, 1995). The informally named Barnwell unit in this 

report includes strata of the Barnwell Group and the 

post-Eocene strata in the study area.

The Barnwell unit in the Millhaven core includes calcareous clay from a depth of 228 to 223 ft, and moderately 

well to well-sorted calcareous quartz sand and partially lithified sandy limestone from 223 to 123 ft (fig. 3). The fine to 

medium sand includes 1 percent glauconite. Thin beds of 

silica-replaced limestone are common from a depth of 200 

to 170 ft. The section from 123 to 54 ft consists of unlithified carbonate and partially lithified limestone with generally less than 10 percent quartz sand and 1 percent 

glauconite. Irregularly shaped phosphatized limestone clasts 

at the base of this part of the section produce a sharp spike 

on the gamma-ray log at 123 ft. The unit from 54 ft to land 

surface consists of a coarsening-upward sequence of clayey 

sand and sandy clay. Fossils observed in the core include 

pelecypods, bryozoans, echinoids, and foraminifers from 

223 to 54 ft. Biomoldic pores are present from 67 to 

34 ft and reflect dissolution of aragonitic pelecypods and 

gastropods.

The Barnwell unit in the Girard core consists of clay, 

sand, and carbonate lithologies in the lower part of the section from 250 to 104 ft and sand and clay in the upper part 

of the section from 104 ft to land surface (fig. 4). A basal 

calcareous clay from 250 to 244 ft is overlain by partially 

silicified, phosphatized, and glauconitic limestone from a 

depth of 244 to 234 ft; calcareous quartz sand from 234 to 

193 ft; sandy limestone from 193 to 183 ft; marl from 183 to 

136 ft; and a sandy limestone that grades into an overlying 

quartz sand from 136 to 104 ft. Fossils include pelecypods 

and bryozoans. Biomoldic porosity ranges from 5 to 20 percent in the limestone and reflects dissolution of aragonitic 

pelecypods. Sand is fine to coarse near the base and very 

fine to fine in the rest of the section from 250 to 104 ft. Clay 

matrix ranges from 20 to 40 percent in the sand. Clay laminae are abundant below 172 ft. The Barnwell unit from 104 

ft to land surface is noncalcareous and contains clayey sand 

and clay. The sand ranges from fine to coarse and contains 

several flattened, ovoid pebbles at 88 ft.

The Barnwell unit at Millers Pond consists of siliciclastic sediments from a depth of 82 ft to land surface. The 

contact with the Santee Limestone was not recovered in coring. A thin, irregularly shaped bed of limestone at 75 ft is 

lithologically similar to the underlying Santee Limestone 

and is presumed to be a large reworked clast. The Barnwell 

unit from 78 to 67 ft includes thin beds of fine to medium 

and fine to very coarse sand, and thin beds of well-laminated clay. The sand has fine lignite, clay clasts, and 10 to 

20 percent clay matrix. The section from 67 ft to land surface is a coarsening-upward sequence of sand and ranges 

from fine to medium sand up to fine to very coarse sand. 

The amount of clay matrix ranges from 5 to 25 percent. Sedimentary structures include clay laminae and clay wisps 

from 66 to 62 ft, 48 to 47 ft, and 38 to 27 ft. The sand from 

49 to 42 ft contains granules and pebbles. The Barnwell unit 

is mapped as the uppermost stratigraphic unit at the Millers 

Pond site (Prowell, 1994), where it includes the Tobacco 

Road Sand and Irwinton Sand Member of the Dry Branch 

Formation. Partial recovery of sediments during coring 

makes selection of a formation contact within the Barnwell 

unit difficult.

The contact between the Barnwell Group and a 

post-Eocene unit, as mapped in the area of the Girard site 

(Prowell, 1994), was not identified in the Girard core. The 

post-Eocene unit was described and designated as map unit 

Tu (Prowell, 1994). The mapped contact was projected to a 

depth of 50 ft in the Girard section. A lag deposit and other 

evidence of an unconformity, if present in the Girard section, were not recovered during coring at this depth. The 

presence of post-Eocene sediments is acknowledged at the 

Girard site on the basis of previous studies, but a separate 

unit is not defined at this time.

Paleontologic data for the Millhaven and Girard cores 

suggest a late Eocene to questionably early Oligocene age 

for the Barnwell sections (Edwards and others, this volume, 

chap. B). The Barnwell unit is equivalent to units E6, E7, 

E8, and Ml (Prowell, Christopher, and others, 1985) and the 

Clinchfield Formation, Dry Branch Formation, and Tobacco 

Road Sand of the Barnwell Group at the SRS (Fallaw and 

Price, 1995). Throughout the study area, the abundance of 

carbonate, the presence of glauconite and phosphate, and 

the abundance of marine macrofossils and microfossils in 

the calcareous part of the section indicate that the Barnwell 

strata were deposited in open-marine environments. The 

calcareous sand probably was deposited in a shallow-shelf 

environment, and the fossil bed at the base is a lag deposit 

produced by a late Eocene marine transgression. The noncalcareous sand and clay, the ovoid flattened pebbles, and 

the clay wisps in the upper part of the Barnwell unit suggest that these strata were deposited in nearshore-marine 

environments.
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A17

SUMMARY

Five deep stratigraphic test holes were drilled from 

1991 to 1993 in support of multidisciplinary investigations 

to determine the stratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments of the coastal plain in east-central Georgia. 

Cored sediment and geophysical logs from the Millhaven 

test hole in Screven County and the Girard and Millers Pond 

test holes in Burke County are the primary sources of lithologic and paleontologic information for this report. Lithologic and paleontologic information from the Thompson 

Oak and McBean test holes in Burke County supplement the 

discussion of stratigraphy and sedimentation in the updip 

part of the study area near the Millers Pond test hole.

The Cretaceous sections in the studied cores are 

divided into the Cape Fear Formation, the Middendorf Formation, the Black Creek Group, and the Steel Creek Formation. These four geologic units consist of siliciclastic 

sediments. Evidence of possible unconformities is used to 

recognize two subunits in the Middendorf Formation and 

three subunits in the Black Creek Group. Sediments in the 

Cretaceous section generally are coarser grained and more 

oxidized in updip areas. Each contact between units is considered to be a regional unconformity and denotes a considerable hiatus in sedimentation. The sediments in all four 

units have been interpreted as being part of large deltaic systems that prograded across the paleo-continental shelf in 

east-central Georgia and western South Carolina. The lithofacies observed in the Upper Cretaceous units tend to be 

coarser grained in proximal-deltaic environments and finer 

grained in distal-deltaic environments.

The Tertiary sections are divided into the Ellenton and 

Snapp Formations of Paleocene age; the Fourmile 

Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit and Santee Limestone of 

Eocene age; and the Barnwell unit, which contains strata of 

Eocene to Miocene age. The Tertiary section, with the 

exception of the Snapp Formation, generally is more calcareous and has a more diverse and abundant marine microflora and fauna in the downdip Millhaven core, relative to 

the updip McBean and Millers Pond cores. For these units, 

sedimentary and paleontologic evidence suggests openmarine shelf environments at the Millhaven site and marginal-marine environments at the Millers Pond site.

The Ellenton Formation in the Georgia cores is finer 

grained, calcareous, and very glauconitic in the downdip 

Millhaven and Girard cores. It is coarser grained and noncalcareous in the updip Millers Pond core. Lag deposits and 

sharp bedding contacts identify basal unconformities and 

possible unconformities within the Georgia sections.

The Snapp Formation is nearly barren of fossils and is 

a noncalcareous sequence of oxidized sand and clay. Sedimentary characteristics of the Snapp Formation suggest a 

fluvially dominated depositional environment such as an 

upper delta plain or an incised alluvial valley. The presence 

of a sparse marine microflora suggests some marine influence on deposition in the downdip area near Millhaven. Differences in the thickness of this formation in the study area 

suggest that channels containing the basal sand of the Snapp 

Formation are incised into laminated black clay of the 

Ellenton Formation.

The lithologies of the Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit range from mixed-siliciclastic-carbonate sections in the central and downdip Georgia cores to 

siliciclastic sections in the updip cores. Paleontologic data 

suggest that the strata in this unit are correlative with three 

formally named formations at the SRS. However, all three 

formations are not consistently present in each of the Georgia cores.

The Santee Limestone consists predominantly of limestone and unlithified carbonate with a few beds of calcareous sand and clay. The Santee Limestone, as correlated in 

this report, includes lithologies assigned by others to the 

Warley Hill Formation, the Blue Bluff Marl of the Lisbon 

Formation, the Santee Limestone, and the McBean Formation. These lithofacies are time equivalents of the Lisbon 

Formation of western Georgia and collectively are correlated as one package of sediment in this report.

The informally named Barnwell unit in this report 

includes strata of the Barnwell Group and the post-Eocene 

strata in the study area. The presence of post-Eocene sediments is acknowledged at the Girard site on the basis of previous studies, but a separate unit is not defined at this time.

REFERENCES CITED

Bechtel Corporation, 1972, Applicants environmental report, volumes I and II—Alvin W. Vogtle Nuclear Plant: unpublished 

report for Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, Georgia; report 

on file at U.S. Geological Survey, Doraville, GA 30360.

————1973, Preliminary safety analysis report, volumes II and 

III—Alvin W. Vogtle Nuclear Plant: unpublished report for 

Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, Georgia; report on file at 

U.S. Geological Survey, Doraville, GA 30360.

-1982, Studies of postulated Millett fault, Georgia Power

Company Vogtle Nuclear Plant: San Francisco, Bechtel Corporation, unpublished report, volumes 1 and 2, variously 

paged.

Bledsoe, H.W., 1984, SRP baseline hydrogeologic investigation— 

Phase I: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Savannah 

River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., DPST-84-833, 102 p.

————1987, SRP baseline hydrogeologic investigation—Phase II: 

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., DPST-86-674, 296 p.

————1988, SRP baseline hydrogeologic investigation—Phase

III: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Savannah River 

Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., DPST-88-627, 294 p.

Brantley, I.E., 1916, A report on the limestones and marls of the 

coastal plain of Georgia: Georgia Geological Survey Bulletin 

21, 300 p.
A18 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Buie, B.F., 1978, The Huber Formation of eastern-central Georgia, 

in Short contributions to the geology of Georgia: Georgia 

Geologic Survey Bulletin 93, p. 1-7.

Carver, R.E., 1972, Stratigraphy of the Jackson Group in eastern 

Georgia: Southeastern Geology, v. 14, p. 153-181.

Christl, R.J., 1964, Storage of radioactive wastes in basement rock 

beneath the Savannah River Plant: E. I. du Pont de Nemours 

and Company, Report DP-844, 105 p.

Christopher, R.A., 1978, Quantitative palynologic correlation of 

three Campanian and Maastrichtian sections (Upper Cretaceous) from the Atlantic Coastal Plain: Palynology, v. 2, p. 1- 

27.

————1982, Palynostratigraphy of the basal Cretaceous units of 

the eastern Gulf and southern Atlantic Coastal Plains, in 

Arden, D.D., Beck, B.F., and Morrow, Eleanore, eds., Proceedings; Second symposium on the geology of the southeastern coastal plain: Georgia Geologic Survey Information 

Circular 53, p. 10-23, pis. 1-3.

Christopher, R.A., Owens, J.P., and Sohl, N.F., 1979, Late Cretaceous palynomorphs from the Cape Fear Formation of North 

Carolina: Southeastern Geology, v. 20, no. 3, p. 145-159.

Clarke, J.S., Brooks, Rebekah, and Faye, R.E., 1985, Hydrogeology of the Dublin and Midville aquifer systems of east-central 

Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 74, 

62 p.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F, Edwards, L.E., [Bukry, David,] Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gibson, T.G., Gohn, G.S., and Fleming, Parley, 1996, Hydrogeologic data and aquifer 

interconnection in a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments near Millhaven, Screven County, Georgia, 1991-95: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 99, 43 p., 1 pi. 

in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992-93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Colquhoun, D.J., coordinator, 1991, Southeastern Atlantic regional 

cross section, eastern and offshore, South Carolina and Georgia sector: Tulsa, Okla., American Association of Petroleum 

Geologists.

————1992, Observations on general allostratigraphy and tectonic 

framework of the southeastern Atlantic coast regional cross 

section (DNAG E-5 corridor) Georgia and South Carolina as 

they relate to the Savannah River Site, in Fallaw, W.C., and 

Price, Van, eds., Geological investigations of the central 

Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia (Carolina 

Geological Society field trip guidebook, November 13-15, 

1992): U.S. Department of Energy and South Carolina Geological Survey, p. CGS-92-B.I.1-B.I.8.

Colquhoun, D.J., and Muthig, M.G., 1991, Stratigraphy and structure of the Paleocene and lower Eocene Black Mingo Group, 

in Horton, J.W., Jr., and Zullo, V.A., eds., Geology of the Carolinas: Knoxville, Tenn., University of Tennessee Press, p. 

241-250.

Colquhoun, D.J., and Steele, K.B., 1985, Chronostratigraphy and 

hydrostratigraphy of the northwestern South Carolina Coastal 

Plain: Project No. G868-05, Annual Cooperative Grant 

Agreement No. 13040 R-83-591, Interim Technical Report

to Water Resources Research Institute, Clemson University, 

Clemson, S.C., 15 p.

Colquhoun, D.J., Woollen, ID., Van Nieuwenhuise, D.S., Padgett, 

G.G., Oldham, R.W, Boylan, D.C., Bishop, J.W., and Howell, 

P.O., 1983, Surface and subsurface stratigraphy, structure and 

aquifers of the South Carolina Coastal Plain: Columbia, S.C., 

University of South Carolina, Department of Geology, Report 

to the Department of Health and Environmental Control, 

Ground-water Protection Division, published through the 

Office of the Governor, State of South Carolina, 79 p.

Cooke, C.W, 1936, Geology of the coastal plain of South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 867, 196 p.

————1943, Geology of the coastal plain of Georgia: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 941, 121 p.

Cooke, C.W, and MacNeil, F.S., 1952, Tertiary stratigraphy of 

South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

243-B, p. 19-29.

Cooke, C.W, and Shearer, H.K., 1918, Deposits of Claiborne and 

Jackson age in Georgia: U.S. Geological Survey Professional 

Paper 120-C, p. 41-81.

Daniels, D.L., 1974, Geologic interpretation of geophysical maps, 

central Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia: 

U.S. Geological Survey Geophysical Investigations Map GP893, 10-p. text, 3 sheets, scales 1:250,000 and 1:500,000.

Dennehy, K.F, Prowell, D.C., and McMahon, P.B., 1989, Reconnaisance hydrogeologic investigation of the Defense Waste 

Processing Facility and vicinity, Savannah River Plant, South 

Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, WRI 88-4221, 74 p.

Edwards, L.E., 1992, Dinocysts from the lower Tertiary units in the 

Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia, in Zullo, 

V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River 

region; transition between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal 

Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 97-99.

Fallaw, W.C., and Price, Van, eds., 1992, Geological investigations 

of the central Savannah River area. South Carolina and Georgia (Carolina Geological Society field trip guidebook, 

November 13-15, 1992): U.S. Department of Energy and 

South Carolina Geological Survey, variously paged [112 p.].

————1995, Stratigraphy of the Savannah River Site and vicinity: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 35, no. 1, p. 21-58.

Fallaw, W.C., Price, Van, and Thayer, PA., 1992a, Cretaceous 

lithofacies of the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, in 

Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds.. Savannah 

River region; transition between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal 

Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 50-51.

————1992b, Stratigraphy of the Savannah River Site, South 

Carolina, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., 

Savannah River region; transition between the Gulf and 

Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head 

Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head 

Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 29-32.

Falls, W.F, Baum, J.S., and Prowell, D.C., 1997, Physical stratigraphy and hydrostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene sediments, Burke and Screven Counties, Georgia: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 36, no. 4, p. 153-176.
STRATIGRAPHY AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA A19

Faye, R.E., and Prowell, D.C., 1982, Effects of Late Cretaceous 

and Cenozoic faulting on the geology and hydrology of the 

Coastal Plain near the Savannah River, Georgia and South 

Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 82-156, 

75 p., 8 sheets.

Gellici, J.A., Reed, R.H., Logon, W.R., Aadland, R.K., and Simones, G.C., 1995, Hydrogeologic investigation and establishment of a permanent multi-observation well network in 

Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell Counties, South Carolina— 

Eight-year interim report (1986-1994): South Carolina 

Department of Natural Resources, Water Resources Division, 

Open-File Report 1, volumes 1 and 2, 417 p., 9 pis.

Gohn, G.S., 1992, Revised nomenclature, definitions, and correlations for the Cretaceous Formations in USGS-Clubhouse 

Crossroads #1, Dorchester County, South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1518, 39 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Harris, W.B., and Zullo, V.A., 1992, Sequence stratigraphy of Paleocene and Eocene deposits in the Savannah River region, in 

Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah 

River region; transition between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal 

Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 134-142.

Herrick, S.M., 1960, Some small Foraminifera from Shell Bluff, 

Georgia: Bulletins of American Paleontology, v. 41, p. 1 IT127.

————1961, Well logs of the coastal plain of Georgia: Georgia 

Geologic Survey Bulletin 70, 462 p.

————1964, Upper Eocene small Foraminifera from Shell Bluff 

and Griffins Landing, Burke County, Georgia: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 501-C, p. C64-C65. 

-1972, Age and correlation of the Clinchfield Sand of Georgia: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1354-E, 17 p.

Herrick, S.M., and Counts, H.B., 1968, Late Tertiary stratigraphy 

of eastern Georgia: Georgia Geological Society, 3d Field Trip 

Guidebook, 88 p.

Herrick, S.M., and Vorhis, R.C., 1963, Subsurface geology of the 

Georgia Coastal Plain: Georgia Geologic Survey Information 

Circular 25, 78 p.

Hetrick, J.H., 1992, A geologic atlas of the Wrens-Augusta area: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Geologic Atlas 8, 3 pis.

Huddlestun, P.P., 1982, The development of the stratigraphic terminology of the Claibornian and Jacksonian marine deposits 

of western South Carolina and eastern Georgia, in Nystrom, 

P.G., Jr., and Willoughby, R.H., eds.. Geological investigations related to the stratigraphy in the kaolin mining district, 

Aiken County, South Carolina (Carolina Geological Society 

Field Trip Guidebook for 1982): Columbia, S.C., South Carolina Geological Survey, p. 21-33.

————1988, A revision of the lithostratigraphic units of the 

coastal plain of Georgia, Miocene through Holocene: Georgia 

Geologic Survey Bulletin 104, 162 p.

————1992, Upper Claibornian coastal marine sands of eastern 

Georgia and the Savannah River area, in Fallaw, W.C., and 

Price, Van, eds., Geological investigations of the central 

Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia (Carolina 

Geological Society field trip guidebook, November 13-15, 

1992): U.S. Department of Energy and South Carolina Geological Survey, p. CGS-92-B.XII.1-B.XII.6.

Huddlestun, P.P., and Hetrick, J.H., 1978, Stratigraphy of the 

Tobacco Road Sand—A new formation: Georgia Geologic 

Survey Bulletin 93, p. 56-77.

————1979, The stratigraphy of the Barnwell Group of Georgia: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Open File Report 80-1, 89 p. 

[Published for the 14th Field Trip of the Georgia Geological 

Society.]

————1986, Upper Eocene stratigraphy of central and eastern 

Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Bulletin 95, 78 p.

————1991, The stratigraphic framework of the Fort Valley Plateau and the central Georgia kaolin district—Guidebook for 

the 26th annual field trip: Georgia Geological Society Guidebook, v. 11, no. 1, 119 p.

Huddlestun, P.P., and Summerour, J.H., 1996, The lithostratigraphic framework of the uppermost Cretaceous and lower 

Tertiary of eastern Burke County, Georgia: Georgia Geologic 

Survey Bulletin 127, 94 p.

Hurst, V.J., Crawford, T.J., and Sandy, John, 1966, Mineral 

resources of the central Savannah River area: Washington, 

D.C., U.S. Economic Development Administration, 2 v. (v. 1, 

467 p., v. 2, 231 p.).

Kidd, N.B., 1996, Determination of the hydraulic properties of 

coastal plain aquifers at Millers Pond and Millhaven, 

east-central Georgia: Clemson, S.C., Clemson University, 

M.S. thesis, 153 p.

LaMoreaux, P.E., 1946a, Geology and ground-water resources of 

the coastal plain of east-central Georgia: Georgia Geologic 

Survey Bulletin 52, 173 p.

————1946b, Geology of the coastal plain of east-central Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Bulletin 50, 26 p.

Leeth, D.C., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., and 

Fleming, R.F., 1996, Geologic, hydrologic, and water-chemistry data for a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments 

near Girard, Burke County, Georgia, 1992-95: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 100, 26 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Leeth, D.C., and Nagle, D.D., 1996, Shallow subsurface geology 

of part of the Savannah River alluvial valley in the upper 

coastal plain of Georgia and South Carolina: Southeastern 

Geology, v. 36, no. 1, p. 1-14.

LeGrand, H.E., and Furcon, A.S., 1956, Geology and 

ground-water resources of central-east Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Bulletin 64, 164 p.

Logan, W.R., and Euler, G.M., 1989, Geology and ground-water 

resources of Allendale, Bamberg, and Barnwell Counties and 

part of Aiken County, South Carolina: South Carolina Water 

Resources Commission Report 155, 113 p.

Marine, I.W, 1979, Hydrology of buried crystalline rocks at the 

Savannah River Plant near Aiken, South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 79-1544, 160 p.

Marine, I.W., and Siple, G.E., 1974, Buried Triassic basin in the 

central Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia: 

Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 85, p. 311-320.

McClelland, S.A., 1987, Surface and subsurface stratigraphy of 

Cretaceous and younger strata along the Savannah River from 

southern Richmond County through Burke County, Georgia: 

Columbia, S.C., University of South Carolina, M.S. thesis, 

123 p.

Nystrom, P.G., Jr., and Willoughby, R.H., eds., 1982, Geological 

investigations related to the stratigraphy in the kaolin mining 

district, Aiken County, South Carolina (Carolina Geological
A20 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Society Field Trip Guidebook for 1982): Columbia, S.C., 

South Carolina Geological Survey, 183 p.

Nystrom, P.G., Jr., Willoughby, R.H., and Kite, L.E., 1986, Cretaceous-Tertiary stratigraphy of the upper edge of the coastal 

plain between North Augusta and Lexington, South Carolina 

(Carolina Geological Society Field Trip Guidebook for 1986): 

Columbia, S.C., South Carolina Geological Survey, 82 p.

Nystrom, P.G., Jr., Willoughby, R.H., and Price, L.K., 1991, Cretaceous and Tertiary stratigraphy of the upper coastal plain, 

South Carolina, in Horton, J.W., Jr., and Zullo, V.A., eds., 

Geology of the Carolinas: Knoxville, Tenn., University of 

Tennessee Press, p. 221-240.

Owens, J.P., 1989, Geologic map of the Cape Fear region, Florence 

I°x2° quadrangle and northern half of the Georgetown I°x2° 

quadrangle, North Carolina and South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map 1-1948- 

A, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Price, Van, Fallaw, W.C., and McKinney, J.B., 1991, Geologic setting of the new production reactor reference site with the 

Savannah River Site (U): Westinghouse Savannah River Company-Savannah River Site, Report WSRC-RP-91-96, 80 p.

Prowell, D.C., 1994, Preliminary geologic map of the Barnwell 

30'x60' quadrangle, South Carolina and Georgia: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-673, 88 p.

Prowell, D.C., Christopher, R.A., Edwards, L.E., Bybell, L.M., and 

Gill, H.E., 1985 [1986], Geologic section of the updip coastal 

plain from central Georgia to western South Carolina: U.S. 

Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF1737, 10-p. text, 1 sheet.

Prowell, D.C., Edwards, L.E., and Frederiksen, N.O., 1985 [1986], 

The Ellenton Formation in South Carolina—A revised age 

designation from Cretaceous to Paleocene, in Stratigraphic 

notes, 1984: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1605-A, p. 

A63-A69.

Prowell, D.C., and O'Connors, B.J., 1978, Belair fault zone—Evidence of Tertiary fault displacement in eastern Georgia: Geology, v. 6, no. 10, p. 681-684.

Robertson, C.G., 1990, A textural, petrographic, and hydrogeological study of the Congaree Formation at the Savannah River 

Site, South Carolina: Wilmington, N.C., University of North 

Carolina, M.S. thesis, 65 p.

Schroder, C.H., 1982, Trace fossils of the Oconee Group and basal 

Barnwell Group of east-central Georgia: Georgia Geologic 

Survey Bulletin 88, 125 p.

Scrudato, R.J., and Bond, T.A., 1972, Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of east-central Georgia and west-central South Carolina: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 14, p. 233-239.

Siple, G.E., 1967, Geology and ground water of the Savannah 

River Plant and vicinity. South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1841, 113 p.

Sloan, Earle, 1908, Catalogue of mineral localities of South Carolina: South Carolina Geological Survey, ser. 4, Bulletin 2, p. 

449-^53.

Smith, G.E., III, 1979, Stratigraphy of the Aiken County Coastal 

Plain: South Carolina Geological Survey Open-File Report 

19, 34 p.

Snipes, D.S., 1965, Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the Middendorf Formation between Lynches River, South Carolina, and 

the Ocmulgee River, Georgia: Chapel Hill, N.C., University 

of North Carolina, Ph.D. dissertation, 140 p.

Snipes, D.S., Fallaw, W.C., Price, Van, and Cumbest, R.J., 1993, 

The Pen Branch fault; documentation of Late Cretaceous-Tertiary faulting in the coastal plain of South Carolina: Southeastern Geology, v. 33, no. 4, p. 195-218.

Sohl, N.F., and Owens, J.P., 1991, Cretaceous stratigraphy of the 

Carolina Coastal Plain, in Horton, J.W, Jr., and Zullo, V.A., 

eds., Geology of the Carolinas: Knoxville, Tenn., University 

of Tennessee Press, p. 191-220.

Steele, K.B., 1985, Lithostratigraphic correlation of Cretaceous 

and younger strata of the Atlantic Coastal Plain Province 

within Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell Counties, South Carolina: Columbia, S.C., University of South Carolina, M.S. thesis, 174 p.

Summerour, J.H., Shapiro, E.A., Lineback, J.A., Huddlestun, P.P., 

and Hughes, A.C., 1994, An investigation of tritium in the 

Gordon and other aquifers in Burke County, Georgia: Georgia 

Geologic Survey Information Circular 95, 93 p.

Van Nieuwenhuise, D.S., and Colquhoun D.J., 1982, The Paleocene-lower Eocene Black Mingo Group of the east-central 

coastal plain of South Carolina: South Carolina Geology, v. 

26, no. 2, p. 47-67.

Veatch, Otto, and Stephenson, L.W, 1911, Preliminary report on 

the coastal plain of Georgia: Georgia Geologic Survey Bulletin 26, 446 p.

Zullo, V.A., Willoughby, R.H., and Nystrom, P.G., Jr., 1982, A late 

Oligocene or early Miocene age for the Dry Branch Formation and Tobacco Road Sand in Aiken County, South Carolina, in Nystrom, P.G., Jr., and Willoughby, R.H., eds., 

Geological investigations related to the stratigraphy in the 

kaolin mining district, Aiken County, South Carolina (Carolina Geological Society Field Trip Guidebook for 1982): 

Columbia, S.C., South Carolina Geological Survey, p. 34-46.
U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Overview of the Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of 

Sediments from Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Lucy E. Edwards, Norman 0. Frederiksen, Laurel M. Bybell, Thomas G. Gibson, 

Gregory S. Gohn, David Bukry, Jean M. Self-Trail, and Ronald J. Litwin

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-B

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract........................................................................................................................... Bl

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

Pollen...................................................................................................................... 2

Dinoflagellates and Acritarchs................................................................................ 2

Calcareous Nannofossils......................................................................................... 3

Ostracodes............................................................................................................... 3

Foraminifers............................................................................................................ 3

Acknowledgments................................................................................................... 4

Material and Methods ..................................................................................................... 4

Stratigraphic Framework................................................................................................. 4

Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology .................................................................................. 4

Cape Fear Formation............................................................................................... 4

Middendorf Formation............................................................................................ 5

Black Creek Group ................................................................................................. 5

Steel Creek Formation ............................................................................................ 14

Ellenton Formation................................................................................................. 14

Snapp Formation..................................................................................................... 14

Fourmile Branch Formation.................................................................................... 15

Congaree Formation................................................................................................ 15

Warley Hill Formation ............................................................................................ 15

Santee Limestone.................................................................................................... 16

BarnwellUnit.......................................................................................................... 16

Summary and Implications ............................................................................................. 16

References Cited............................................................................................................. 17

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the location of test holes in the study area................................... B2

2. Chart showing terminology that has been used for lithostratigraphic units in the eastern United States and our

interpretations of their chronostratigraphic correlations ............................................................................................. 6

3-8. Diagrams summarizing Stratigraphic and paleontologic data for three cores—

3. Tertiary part of the Millhaven core ........................................................................................................................ 8

4. Cretaceous part of the Millhaven core................................................................................................................... 9

5. Tertiary part of the Girard core.............................................................................................................................. 10

6. Cretaceous part of the Girard core......................................................................................................................... 11

7. Tertiary part of the Millers Pond core.................................................................................................................... 12

8. Cretaceous part of the Millers Pond core............................................................................................................... 13

III

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Overview of the Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of

Sediments from Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Lucy E. Edwards, Norman O. Frederiksen, Laurel M. Bybell, Thomas G. Gibson, Gregory S. Gohn,

David Bukry, Jean M. Self-Trail, and Ronald J. Litwin

ABSTRACT

Five cores from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia, 

form the basis for a multifaceted paleontological study of 

Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain sediments. The biostratigraphy and paleoecology of these cores are summarized within the lithostratigraphic framework given in this 

volume. The basal Cretaceous unit, the Cape Fear Formation, is of probable Coniacian age and is nonmarine. The 

Middendorf Formation may represent similar lithofacies of 

different ages, one representing undifferentiated pollen 

Zone V (late Coniacian and Santonian) and one slightly 

younger (latest Santonian(?) or early Campanian). The 

Black Creek Group is Campanian. It is marginal marine to 

nonmarine in its lower part (subunit 1). In all but the most 

updip core, subunit 2 of the Black Creek contains Campanian marine sediments. Subunit 3 of the Black Creek shows 

a marine influence in the most basinward (downdip) Millhaven core. The Steel Creek Formation is Maastrichtian in 

the Millhaven core and is nonmarine except for its lowest 

part.

The basal Tertiary unit, the Ellenton Formation, is of 

early, early late, and middle late Paleocene age. It is marine 

throughout the study area. The overlying Snapp Formation 

yields pollen of late, but not latest, Paleocene age. It is 

mostly nonmarine but contains rare marginal marine 

palynomorphs. The Fourmile Branch Formation, present 

only in the Girard and Thompson Oak cores, is a marine 

unit of early Eocene age. The Congaree Formation is of 

early middle Eocene age and is present and contains marine 

fossils in all five cores. The middle Eocene Warley Hill Formation is present only in the Millhaven core. These sediments probably were deposited in less than 100 ft of water. 

The Santee Limestone is of late middle Eocene age. Foraminifers indicate inferred water depths of less than 200 ft. 

The Barnwell unit is difficult to date paleontologically but is 

late Eocene and questionably early Oligocene and is marine. 

This chapter contains highlights from the individual chapters in this volume.

INTRODUCTION

At the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, Barnwell, 

and Allendale Counties, S.C., various hazardous materials 

have been manufactured, disposed of, and stored since the 

early 1950's. Ground-water contamination has been 

detected on the site, and the potential exists for contamination in areas adjacent to the site. In 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded a multidisciplinary study by 

the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to determine whether 

ground water flows from the SRS through aquifers in South 

Carolina into aquifers in Georgia and to determine under 

what pumping scenarios such flow could occur in the future. 

Following the detection of tritium in a public water supply 

well in Burke County, Ga., additional DOE funding was 

provided to the Georgia Geologic Survey (GGS) of the 

Georgia Department of Natural Resources for subsurface 

investigations (Clarke and others, 1994; Summerour and 

others, 1994).

Accurate ground-water modeling in the Atlantic 

Coastal Plain depends on an understanding of the stratigraphy. Numerous investigations of subsurface stratigraphy 

have been conducted in western South Carolina, from Siple 

(1967) to Fallaw and Price (1995), but relatively little has 

been published about the subsurface of eastern Georgia 

(Prowell and others, 1985; Huddlestun and Summerour, 

1996). In order to understand the stratigraphy in eastern 

Georgia, detailed paleontological investigations were underBl
B2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

taken. In 1991, we began our investigation of the Millers 

Pond core, which had been drilled recently by the GGS in 

northern Burke County (fig. 1). The USGS drilled two additional test holes—one in northern Screven County (Millhaven test hole) and one in central Burke County (Girard 

test hole). The cores from these three test holes were 

designed to serve as the basis for stratigraphic correlation in 

the area of Georgia adjacent to the SRS. Two other cores, 

drilled by the GGS, provide additional biostratigraphic 

information. This report synthesizes the biostratigraphic and 

paleoecologic investigation of these five cores collected 

from Burke and Screven Counties, Ga.

The multidisciplinary paleontologic studies summarized here, and described in more detail in the individual 

chapters that follow, are based on the microfossils found in 

the cores. Palynomorphs and calcareous-walled microfossils 

were studied. Palynomorphs include pollen and spores from 

terrestrial plants, the cysts of marine dinoflagellates, and 

probable cysts of uncertain origin (acritarchs). Palynomorphs are described in chapters by Frederiksen and others 

(this volume, chap. C) for Cretaceous sediments and by 

Edwards (this volume, chap. G) and Frederiksen (this volume, chap. H) for Tertiary sediments. Calcareous microfossils studied here include calcareous nannofossils (Bukry, 

this volume, chap. D) and ostracodes (Gohn, this volume, 

chap. E) for Cretaceous material, and calcareous nannofossils (Bybell, this volume, chap. F) and foraminifers (Gibson, 

this volume, chap. I) for Tertiary material.

Because few readers are familiar with every fossil 

group, we include a brief introduction to each. For the purpose of formal names of species and genera, palynomorphs 

and calcareous nannofossils are classified by using the 

International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Greuter and 

others, 1994); ostracodes and foraminifers are classified by 

using the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature 

(Ride and others, 1985). Under the botanical code, names of 

original authors and transferring authors are part of the formal name of a species; under the zoological code, names of 

original authors are part of the formal name. Under both 

codes, the name of the original author is placed in parentheses if the species has been reassigned.

POLLEN

Pollen grains are the sperm-carrying reproductive bodies of higher plants; that is, gymnosperms (such as conifers 

and cycads) and angiosperms (the flowering plants). Pollen 

grains are very small, typically between 0.01 and 0.1 millimeter (mm) in size.

Pollen grains are produced mostly by plants living in 

land areas. The first gymnosperms evolved in the Devonian 

Period (about 385 million years ago), and the first 

angiosperms evolved from gymnosperms early in the Cretaceous Period (about 140 million years ago). Pollen grains 

are some of the most abundant fossils to be found in sedi82° 30' 81° 30'

33° 30' -

33°

32° 30'-

Test hole site and informal name of site

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the 

location of test holes in the study area.

ments that were deposited on land (terrestrial sediments); 

however, pollen grains are easily transported by wind and 

streams to the sea. Therefore, pollen grains are very useful 

for correlating terrestrial sediments and sedimentary rocks 

from one place to another, but they are also important for 

correlating sequences of terrestrial sediments with 

sequences of marine sediments.

The standard pollen zonation for the Upper Cretaceous 

of the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains was developed in a 

series of abstracts and papers by various authors and summarized by Christopher (1982a). This zonation was based 

on material mainly from the Middle Atlantic States. The 

only pollen zonation for the lower Tertiary of eastern North 

America was proposed by Frederiksen (1991, 1998) for the 

Paleocene. This zonation was based on material from the 

eastern Gulf Coast, but it has also been applied to sections 

on the Atlantic Coastal Plain (Frederiksen, 1991, 1998). No 

pollen zonation has been proposed for the Eocene and Oligocene of eastern North America, but chronostratigraphic 

ranges of the main pollen taxa in the Eocene and Oligocene 

of this region were displayed by Frederiksen (1979, 1980, 

1988).

DINOFLAGELLATES AND ACRITARCHS

Dinoflagellates are single-celled organisms that live in 

oceans, estuaries, lakes, and ponds. Here, they are consid-
OVERVIEW OF THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA B3

ered to be plants because many of them are photosynthetic. 

Some dinoflagellates are herbivores, carnivores, parasites, 

or symbionts.

Many dinoflagellates have a complex life cycle that 

includes a resting stage. During this stage, the organism 

may live in a very durable capsule called a dinocyst. Nearly 

all fossil dinoflagellates studied by paleontologists are 

cysts; however, the genera Alisogyrnnium and Dinogymnium 

in the Cretaceous may be the covering from the motile 

stage. Nearly all dinocysts that are preserved in the fossil 

record are from marine dinoflagellates.

Dinoflagellates form distinctive and rapidly evolving 

fossils that may be found in marine rocks wherever a 

silt-sized component is present. There is, as yet, no widely 

accepted standard zonation for them. Important lowest and 

highest occurrence datums are used to correlate locally and 

intercontinentally. The presence of fossil dinoflagellates can 

generally be used to infer marine deposition, and the abundance of dinoflagellates from major taxonomic categories, 

typically families such as the Peridiniaceae and Areoligeraceae, may be used to infer additional paleoenvironmental 

conditions.

Acritarchs are, by definition, palynomorphs of uncertain origin. Two distinctive acritarchs are included with the 

dinoflagellates in the Tertiary study (Edwards, this volume, 

chap. G).

CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSILS

Calcareous nannofossils are fossil remains of 

golden-brown, single-celled algae that live only in the 

oceans. They are one of the primary organisms at the base of 

the food chain. These algae make tiny calcite platelets 

inside their cells. These platelets are the calcareous nannofossils that fall to the ocean bottom and become part of the 

clay-sized fraction in the sediment. Most calcareous nannofossils are formed by coccolithophorid algae and can also be 

called coccoliths.

Calcareous nannofossils have been living in the 

world's oceans from the Triassic Period, and they have 

evolved and changed rapidly and constantly over time. They 

are extremely useful for dating marine sediments because 

existing zonations have a precision of 1 million to 4 million 

years or even less.

In the last three decades, relatively stable standard biostratigraphic zonations have been developed for calcareous 

nannofossils. A lowest or highest stratigraphic occurrence 

(FAD, first appearance datum; LAD, last appearance datum) 

is used to define the base and top of each zone. For the Cretaceous, we use the biostratigraphic zonation of 

Perch-Nielsen (1985), modified from Sissingh (1977), in 

which each zone has a formal name and an informal abbreviation ("CC" followed by a number). For the Cenozoic, we 

use the zonation of Martini (1971) in which each nannoplankton zone is designated by "NP" followed by a number. 

Calibration to the Cenozoic zonation of Bukry (1973, 1978) 

and Okada and Bukry (1980) also is provided.

OSTRACODES

Ostracodes are a group of fossil and modern, small, 

bivalved crustaceans; modern species inhabit a wide variety 

of aquatic environments. They are well represented in the 

fossil record primarily by their hinged, smooth or ornamented, calcified-chitinous valves and are common in 

marine deposits of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Typical Cretaceous and Cenozoic forms in the coastal plain range in size 

from 0.6 mm to 1.1 mm.

Ostracodes are mostly a benthic group. Accordingly, 

the compositions of ostracode assemblages, and the distributions and morphologies of individual taxa, are strongly 

influenced by environmental factors, including water depth, 

turbidity, salinity, oxygen content, and food supply. As a 

result, ostracode assemblages tend to be useful in the paleoenvironmental analysis of sedimentary sections. They also 

are useful biostratigraphic indicators in local and regional 

studies where the effects of paleoenvironmental conditions 

on species distributions are reasonably well known. The 

ostracode interval zones of Hazel and Brouwers (1982; 

modified by Pitakpaivan and Hazel, 1994) are frequently 

used in biostratigraphic studies of ostracodes from Upper 

Cretaceous sediments in the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

FORAMINIFERS

Foraminifers are similar to amoeboid organisms in cell 

structure but differ in having granular rhizopodia and elongate pseudopodia that emerge from the cell body. Foraminifers are covered with an organic test and typically have a 

wall composed of calcite or an agglomeration of mineral 

grains embedded in the organic test. Foraminifers are composed of two primary groups: planktonic foraminifers 

(marine floaters), and benthic foraminifers (sea-floor dwellers). Fossils of both groups are included here.

Benthic foraminiferal morphologies are very diverse, 

from simple single-chambered to multichambered, complex 

forms with tests composed of calcite or mineral grains. 

Benthic foraminifers occupy a wide range of marine environments, from brackish estuaries to the deep ocean basins, 

and occur at all latitudes. They can be used to infer the 

salinity and water depths for sedimentary deposits and to 

recognize oxygen and productivity levels of environments. 

Planktonic foraminifers, which typically provide more precise age control than benthic species, occur in low numbers 

in the cores examined in this study; however, they are valuable in the recognition of the upper lower Paleocene strata 

in the Millhaven core. As is typical in shallow-water depos-
B4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

its, the few planktonic specimens recovered from the 

remaining samples consist mainly of juvenile individuals.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank U.S. Geological Survey colleagues John S. 

Clarke, W. Fred Falls, R. Parley Fleming, and David C. 

Prowell, as well as Paul F. Huddlestun (Georgia Geologic 

Survey, Atlanta) and palynological consultant Joyce 

Lucas-Clark (Fremont, Calif.) for the sharing of data and 

ideas and the sometimes lively discussions that helped 

shape the ideas in this paper. Jonathan R. Bryan (OkaloosaWalton Community College, Niceville, Fla.) kindly looked 

at the larger foraminifers from the Millhaven core. We owe 

many thanks to Raymond A. Christopher (Clemson University) for his willingness to review the entire volume.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study is based on the paleontology in five cores in 

east-central Georgia (fig. 1). They are listed here in order 

from the most basinward to the most onshore (updip).

• The Millhaven test hole (33X048) was drilled by the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1991-92 in 

northern Screven County on the Millhaven Plantation, 

2 miles (mi) northeast of Brier Creek and about 7 mi 

west of the Savannah River at lat 32°53'25" N., long 

81°35'43" W. Surface elevation is 110 feet (ft) above 

sea level. This hole was cored to a depth of 1,452 ft 

and bottomed in the Upper Cretaceous Cape Fear 

Formation.

• The Girard test hole (32Y020) was drilled by the 

USGS in 1992 in southern Burke County at the lookout tower on Griffins Landing Road, 2 mi north of the 

town of Girard at lat 33°03'54" N., long 81°43'13" W. 

Surface elevation is 250 ft above sea level. This hole 

was cored to a depth of 1,385 ft and bottomed in 

pre-Cretaceous red beds.

• The Thompson Oak test hole (GGS-3794, TR92-6, 

Burke 12) was drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey 

(GGS) in 1993 in northeastern Burke County, 21 mi 

south of Augusta just above the flood plain of the 

Savannah River at lat 33°10'42" N., long 81°47'10" W. 

Surface elevation is 240 ft above sea level. The hole 

was cored to a depth of 1,010.5 ft and bottomed in 

gneissic basement rock.

• The Millers Pond test hole (GGS-3758, Burke 2) was 

drilled by the GGS in 1991 in northern Burke County, 

about 2 mi west of the Savannah River, 16 mi south of 

Augusta at lat 33°13'48" N., long 81°52'44" W. Surface elevation is 245 ft above sea level. The hole was 

cored to a depth of 859 ft and bottomed in gneissic

basement rock. A nearby hole, Millers Pond test well 

1, was logged for geophysical properties.

• The McBean test hole (GGS-3757, Burke 5) was 

drilled by the GGS in 1991 in northern Burke County 

on the north shoulder of Collins Road 1.1 mi east of 

the intersection of Georgia Route 56 and Collins Road 

at lat 33°13'38" N., long 81°55'50" W. Surface elevation is 297 ft above sea level. The hole was cored to a 

depth of 327 ft and bottomed in the Upper Cretaceous 

Steel Creek Formation.

STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK

The stratigraphic framework of the coastal plain section in Screven and Burke Counties is discussed in detail by 

Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). From oldest to 

youngest, the lithostratigraphic units that are considered are 

the Cretaceous Cape Fear Formation, Middendorf Formation, Black Creek Group, and Steel Creek Formation and the 

Tertiary Ellenton Formation, Snapp Formation, Fourmile 

Branch Formation, Congaree Formation, Warley Hill Formation, Santee Limestone, and Barnwell unit. In the Middendorf Formation and Black Creek Group, informal 

subunits can be recognized lithostratigraphically in some 

cores. We have used Falls and Prowell's lithostratigraphic 

framework as a starting point to discuss the biostratigraphy 

and paleoecology.

Figure 2 shows some of the terminology that has been 

used for lithostratigraphic units in the Atlantic and Gulf of 

Mexico Coastal Plains and their chronostratigraphic correlations. In the Upper Cretaceous, we use the European stage 

boundaries summarized by Burnett and others (1992) and 

Gradstein and others (1995). The Campanian-Maastrichtian 

boundary position these authors use is stratigraphically 

higher (younger) than some previous interpretations of this 

boundary.

Important biostratigraphic and paleoecologic information from the three primary cores (Millhaven, Girard, and 

Millers Pond) is given in graphic form in figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 

7, and 8.

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND 

PALEOECOLOGY

CAPE FEAR FORMATION

The Cape Fear Formation consists of gravels, sands, 

silts, and clays that typically are arranged in fining-upward 

sequences. It was sampled only in the Millers Pond core. 

Four clay layers were sampled, and two of these samples 

yielded palynomorphs. The pollen present in the lower sample (847-852 ft) represents undifferentiated pollen Zone V
OVERVIEW OF THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA B5

(Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C) of late Coniacian and Santonian age. The upper sample (827-832 ft) 

represents the combined Complexiopollis exigua-Santalacites minor and Pseudoplicapollis longiannulata-Plicapollis 

incisa Zones but most likely belongs to the Complexiopollis 

exigua-Santalacites minor Zone (= Subzone V-A) of Christopher (1977, 1979, 1982a,b) of Coniacian age (Sohl and 

Owens, 1991). The absence of marine palynomorphs 

(dinoflagellates, acritarchs) and microforaminiferal linings 

suggests a nonmarine environment of deposition.

MIDDENDORF FORMATION

The Middendorf Formation consists predominantly of 

moderately to poorly sorted, unlithified sand. It is subdivided into two subunits that each consist of a basal lag 

deposit, sand, and interbedded and interlaminated clay and 

sand (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). Palynomorphs from the Middendorf Formation were studied from 

the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores (Frederiksen 

and others, this volume, chap. C). In the Millhaven core 

(1,212 ft, subunit 2), pollen taxa represent undifferentiated 

Zone V, which is of late Coniacian and Santonian age. Each 

of two samples from the Girard core (1,138-1,139 ft, subunit 1, and 1,012.0-1,012.3 ft, subunit 2) contains a seemingly heterogeneous set of pollen taxa whose known 

occurrences are Coniacian to Santonian, Campanian, and 

Maastrichtian. The pollen flora of the Girard sample from 

subunit 2 suggests a latest Santonian(?) or earliest Campanian age.

The available data do not provide an unequivocal age 

for the Middendorf Formation. Two different ages may be 

present, one representing undifferentiated pollen Zone V 

and one slightly younger (perhaps correlative with the Shepherd Grove Formation in South Carolina).

Rare dinocysts in the Middendorf Formation from the 

Millhaven core (1,212 ft, subunit 2) suggest a marginal 

marine or very nearshore marine environment. The two 

samples from the Girard core and the sample from the Millers Pond core lack marine palynomorphs.

BLACK CREEK GROUP

The Black Creek Group consists of sands and clays. 

Although it is not differentiated into component formations 

in this study, Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A) recognize three distinct subunits in the two most downdip (basinward) cores. These subunits are recognized on the basis of 

lag deposits and possible unconformities, but they cannot be 

related directly to named formations of the Black Creek 

Group that are recognized in South Carolina (Gohn, 1992). 

The Black Creek Group was studied for palynomorphs in 

the Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, and Millers Pond 

cores. The calcareous part of subunit 2 of the Black Creek

Group in the Millhaven core was studied for calcareous nannofossils and ostracodes.

Subunit 1 of the Black Creek Group is probably 

mid-Campanian, pollen Zone CA-4 (Wolfe, 1976), in the 

Millhaven core (one sample, at 1,124.3-1,124.7 ft). Subunit 

1 was not examined for pollen in the other cores (Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C).

The calcareous part of subunit 2 of the Black Creek in 

the Millhaven core (1,077-968 ft) is dated by calcareous 

nannofossils as late Campanian, calcareous nannofossil 

Zone CC 22, based on the co-occurrence of Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen and Reinhardtites 

anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen (Bukry, this volume, chap. D). The total range of the ostracode Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown is limited to the upper part of 

Zone CC 22 in the Millhaven core and in South Carolina 

sections. Its highest occurrence can be used as a regional 

marker that approximates the Campanian-Maastrichtian 

boundary (Gohn, this volume, chap. E).

A distinctive dinoflagellate assemblage containing 

Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre, Xenascus 

ceratioides (Deflandre) Lentin & Williams, Cordosphaeridium fibrospinosum Davey & Williams, andAndalusiella spicata (May) Lentin & Williams is found in and slightly 

above subunit 2 in the Millhaven core (1,029.5-913.8 ft). 

This dinoflagellate assemblage is used to assign a late Campanian age to correlative sections containing this assemblage in the Girard (867.7-738.6 ft) and Thompson Oak 

(505 ft) cores (Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. 

C).

Subunit 3 of the Black Creek Group in the Millhaven 

core (one sample, at 849.3-849.6 ft) is dated as late Campanian by dinocysts based on the presence of Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre (Frederiksen and others, 

this volume, chap. C).

In the Millers Pond core, the Black Creek Group is not 

differentiated into subunits. One sample from 578 ft contains pollen indicating a possible latest Santonian or earliest 

Campanian age, or some poorly defined younger age. A second sample from 517 ft contains pollen indicating an apparent mid-Campanian age.

In the Millhaven and Girard cores, subunit 1 of the 

Black Creek Group yielded only nonmarine palynomorphs, 

whereas subunits 2 and 3 yielded both marine and nonmarine palynomorphs. In the Millhaven core, part of subunit 2 

contains marine calcareous nannofossils and inner-neritic 

ostracode assemblages. The two samples studied from the 

Thompson Oak core were not assigned to a subunit but contain marine palynomorphs. In the Millers Pond core, only 

nonmarine palynomorphs were recovered in the Black 

Creek Group (Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C).

Text continues on p. B14.
B6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

SERIES

subseries

CD

c:

CD 

O 

O 

LLJ

Paleocene

<D 

Q_ 

Q_

z>

<D •o 

•o

'^.

o>

|

o3

Q. 

Q.

Z>

1

CO

^ 

o

CD 

O 

CO

CD 

O

CD 

Q. 

CL

=>

EUROPEAN 

STAGE

Priabonian

Bartonian

Lutetian

Ypresian

Thanetian

Selandian

Danian

Maastrichtian

Campanian

Santonian

Coniacian

Turanian

Cenomanian

PROVINCIAL 

STAGE

Jacksonian

Claibornian

Sabinian

Midwayan

Navarroan

Tayloran

Austinian

Eaglefordian

/Woodbinian^^

Washitan (part)

ALABAMA1

/ Ocala

Yazooiymestone 

Clay ^^\_

Moodys Branch Fm.

Gosport Sand

Lisbon Formation

Tallahatta 

Formation

Hatchetigbee/Bashi Fms.

Tuscahoma Formation

Nanafalia/Baker Hill Fms.

^Jaheola Fm.>

Porters Creek

Formation /

Clayton Formation

Prairie Bluff Chalk

Ripley Formation

Demopolis Chalk

Mooreville Chalk

Eutaw Formation

McShan Formation

Tuscaloosa Formation

WESTERN 

GEORGIA 2

Ocala 

Limestone

Moodys Branch Fm.

Lisbon Formation

Tallahatta 

Formation

Hatchetigbee/Bashi Fms.

Tuscahoma Formation

Nanafalia/Baker Hill Fms.

':':'. : • Porters Creek Formation

Clayton Formation

Providence Sand

Ripley Formation

Cusseta Sand

Blufftown Formation

Eutaw Formation

Tuscaloosa Formation

Tuscaloosa Formation

'.''.• '. . ' '. : • • • : : '

Alabama column is based on Hazel (1990), Moshkovitz and Habib (1993), and Mancini and others (1996). 

"Western Georgia column is based on Prowell and others (1985) and Clarke and others (1994).

Figure 2. Chart showing terminology that has been used for lithostratigraphic units in the 

eastern United States and our interpretations of their chronostratigraphic correlations. 

Mesozoic series and stages are from Burnett and others (1992) and Gradstein and others 

(1995); the Tertiary series, subseries, and stages are from Berggren and others (1995).
OVERVIEW OF THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA B7

EASTEI

Lithologic 

Units

E8 

E7

E6

E5

E4

E3

E2

E1

^ P2 /

P1

UK6

UK5

UK4

UK3

UK2

UK1

FtN GEORGIA

Georgia Geologic 

Survey Nomenclature 4

Barnwell 

Group

Lisbon Formation

Still Branch Sand

Congaree 

Formation

Snapp Formation

Black Mingo 

Formation 

(undifferentiated)

Steel Creek Fm.

Gaillard / Black 

Fm. ( Creek 

\ Fm.

Pio Mono") Unnamed 

Fm. > Sand

Cape Fear 

Formation

THIS STUDY 

EASTERN GEORGIA 5

Barnwell 

unit

Santee 

Limestone

Warley Hill Formation

Congaree Formation

Fourmile Branch Formation

Snapp Formation

______ -Eilenion f grmajjpn ______

Ellenton Formation

Ellenton Formation

Steel Creek 

Formation

Black Creek 

Group

Middendorf Formation

Cape Fear Formation

SOUTH 

CAROLINA 6

§- \ Parkers Fe 

2 Tobacco \ HarleyvilleF 

= Road Sand / (Cooper Gro

1 Dry Branch V 

£ Clinchfield )

Tinker \ s t 

Formation / Formatjon

Warley Hill Fm\

Huber / Congaree \ 

Fm. \ Formation /

Fourmile Branch Fm.^shbume FmSnapp Formation /

LangSyne \ feltunrg Formation / \ Formation

—————— (Ellenton y ————— 

Sawdust \ Fm. ( Rhems 

Landing Fm. ) \ _ 

/ /

ry

ms. 

up)

Q. 

O 

O

ro

——— _Q

S

03 

TO

ro

6

Mingo Black Group

Steel Creek / Peedee 

Formation / Formation

n , , Donoho Creek Fm.

Black

Creek Bladen Formation 

C rni n Coachman Formation 

" Cane Acre Formation

Caddin Formation

Shepherd Grove Fm.

Middendorf Formation

Cape Fear Formation

Clubhouse 

Formation

Beech Hill 

Formation

NEW JERSEY 7

Absecon Inlet Fm.

Shark River 

Formation

Manasquan 

Formation

Vincentown 

Formation

Hornerstown 

Formation

Tinton Formation

Red Bank Formation

Navasink Formation

Mt. Laurel -Wenonah Fm.

Marshalltown Formation 

Englishtown Formation 

Woodbury Clay

Merchantville Fm.

unnamed marine beds

Magothy Formation

Raritan Formation

B'assRive^Raritan 

Fm. /Formation

'Lithologic unit column for eastern Georgia is based on Prowell and others (1985).

4Column of Georgia Geologic Survey nomenclature for eastern Georgia is based on Huddlestun and Summerour (1996).

5The column of names for this study of eastern Georgia shows separate entries for the Fourmile Branch Formation, the Congaree Formation, and the Warley Hill Formation. In 

chapter A, these three formations are combined into one unit as all three formations are not consistently present in the five cores studied.

6South Carolina column is based on Van Nieuwenhuise and Colquhoun (1982), Frederiksen (1991), Gohn (1992), Fallaw and Price (1995), Self-Trail and Gohn (1996), and 

Edwards and others (1997).

7New Jersey column is based on Owens and others (1970, 1988), Litwin and others (1993), Self-Trail and Bybell (1995), Kennedy and others (1995), and Browning and others 

(1997).

Figure 2. Continued.
Gamma ray 

(API units)

50 150

o 

g

o

Single-point 

resistance (ohms)

100 200

Geologic 

unit

Nannofossil

zone

Pollen zone

LLJ LLJ

LU

DC

ID 

CO 

Q

LU 

CO

Q_ 

LU 

Q

100 -

200 -

300 -

400 -

500 -

600 -

Barnwell 

unit

21?

19-21

19/20

> Santee 

Limestone

I 1

o

Fourmile

Branch/

Congaree/

Warley Hill

unit

17

15-17

15

J4i15_ 

14

Snapp 

Formation

Ellenton 

Formation

Caryapollenites prodromus Zone

_

~

-

_

Limestone

Sandy 

limestone

Marl ZE-I^-

EXPLANATION 

Massive 

clay

Laminated 

clay

Figure 3. The stratigraphic and paleontologic summary of the Tertiary part of the Millhaven core. The lithology is from Clarke and other

geophysical logs are from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). Paleontologic data are from chapters F (nannofossil column), G (dinoc

(foraminiferal indicators column). API, American Petroleum Institute.
642

700 -

800 -

tnLU

u.

- 900 - LU"

O

1000 - 

1100 - 

1200 - 

1300 -

1400

1452

Gamma ray 

(API units)

50 150

i i

"j^~

f

^T

(t

i

^~

F

f

LITHOLOGY

j _ . __ .

j— -^— -

• — —

7EI-EZ

—— — r- '

— _—

_ . _ -

i=.*^=--.

— —

^EL^EL

Single-point 

resistance (ohms)

100 200

i

?

r

SL,

\

(T^^

i

|

|

-f

^

Geologic 

unit

Steel Creek 

Formation

subunit 3

unifi | subunit 2

eg

c

.Q

subunit 1

Black Creek 

Group

Middendorf 

Formation

Cape 

Fear 

Formation

SERIES

UPPER CRETACEOUS

STAGE

Maastrichtian

Campanian

niacian-Santonian

o

O

Nannofossil 

zone and 

datums

<M R. anthophorus

CM

O 

O

<D

O

N Q. trifidum

Pollen zone

Most likely 

Maastrichtian

— Zone CA-4 (?) 

— Zone V

Dinocys

datums

S. delitiense — /

P. infusorio

assemblage i

P. infusorioide

A. spicata, 

Xenascus cer

C. fibrospinos

— — —_

EXPLANATIC 

Massive clay | | Laminated clay

)N

Sand

—— : —— Clayey san

Figure 4. The stratigraphic and paleontologic summary of the Cretaceous part of the Millhaven core. The lithology is from Clarke 

lithostratigraphy and geophysical logs are from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). Paleontologic data are from chapters C (pollen and dino

column), and E (ostracode column). API, American Petroleum Institute.
LU 

LLJ

LLJ 

O

DC

D

Q 

<

100 -

200 -

5 300 -

LU 

CO

Q_ 

LU 

Q 400 -

500 ~

Gamma ray 

(API units)

50 150

i i

Jr

^t^_^

f^^"^

/

1?_____^ ~~^^e~

__^^

^_,?•

J

-^

-s?

>

J

v_

£

^^=-

-^_

~i~-

^^^~

^j^^_

^rfi^

LITHOLOGY

— — ^

• i' i • *[ ' i • i •

—

I i I

- 1 — i — i - — i — i — - 1— i— i - — i— i— -i— i— i- — i— i— - 1— i— i -

• i • i

• i- i - i

— —

I I I

Single-point 

resistance (ohms)

1 00 200

i

/— ~2

<T

r___2r==»

s

(

/

I

3

\

4

i t^~

^^

j

^^

^^^ ^^*

Geologic 

unit

Barnwell

unit

Santee

Limestone

Fourmile

g5 Branch/ 

0 Congaree/

^ ^ Warley Hill 

"- TM unit

Snapp

Formation

Ellenton

Formation

SERIES

9

LU

Z 

LU

O

O

LU

9

LU

Z 

LU

O 

O

LU

DL

SUBSERIES

9

(D 

Q. 

Q.

0

~O

^

9

M/ ^ *

Nannofossil 

zone

NP17

NP15

NP 11-14

~ NP !>8 ~

NP1-4

Pollen 

=— mixed as

Figure 5. The stratigraphic and paleontologic summary of the Tertiary part of the Girard core. The lithology is from Leeth and others (1996), a

logs are from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). Nannofossil zones are inferred from palynological evidence. Other paleontologic data are 

H (pollen column). API, American Petroleum Institute.

1 1

-rV^

- i imQotrtr,o 'J ; i .• ' Sandy -i . i . i- ..

. Limestone ^L^ |jmfistyone : ——— : Ma

EXPLANATION 

— — Massive ———— L aminateri . 

rl nlfly ————— rlflu • • 

j y
542

600 -

700 -

- 800 -

900 -

1000 -

1100 -

1200 -

1300 -

1375

Single-point 

resistance (ohms)

Gamma ray 

(API units)

50 150

Steel Creek 

Formation

Zone CA-4 

or CA-5

assemblage

includes

P. infusorioides

A. spicata, X.

ceratioides, C.

fibmspinosum,

C. pannuceum

Black Creek 

Group

lowest marine 

palynomorphs

highest 

Santonian 

or lowest 

Campanian

Middendorf 

Formation

Cape

Fear

Formation

EXPLANATION 

Laminated clay i^ Clayey sand

Figure 6. The stratigraphic and paleontologic summary of the Cretaceous part of the Girard core. The lithology is from 

Leeth and others (1996), and the lithostratigraphy and geophysical logs are from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). 

Nannofossil Zone CC 22 is inferred from palynological evidence. Other paleontologic data are from chapter C. API, 

American Petroleum Institute.
LU 

LU

LU 

O

(fi

Q

LU 

CD

Q_ 

LU 

Q

100 -

200 -

284

Gamma ray 

(API units)

50 150

i

J2==^———

W

5- 

1

^^

<

f

O

3

0

1-

_l

•1 • 1- 1-

. • 1 •

i. r i-

• . i • ± -\ • \ •

• 1 •

• 1 • 1 •

IE-

_

Single-point 

resistance (ohms)

175 190

i \

J^ —— "

^

<_

^

>

3,

"s"

Geologic 

unit

Barnwell 

unit

Santee 

Limestone

/Fourmile Branch/ 

r Congaree/ 

\ Warley Hill unit

Snapp 

Formation

Ellenton 

Formation

SERIES

EOCENE

PALEOCENE

SUBSERIES

£

CD 

Q. 

Q.

3

CU 

T3 

T3

^

£

cu

CL 

CL

=>

To

Nannofossil 

zone

-NP 16-21

NP17*

NP14*

-NP4-5* 

-NP3-4*

Pollen zone

— upper part, Pseudoplicapollis serenus Zone

— 

_

_ 

•J | i |-i • bandy

i- i- i limfistone — —

EXPLANAT 

Massive clay

ON

I

c

aminated 

lay

Figure 7. The stratigraphic and paleontologic summary of the Tertiary part of the Millers Pond core. The lithology is from Clarke and other

geophysical logs are from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). Nannofossil zone in bold is based on observed calcareous nannofossils (c

asterisk are inferred from palynological evidence (chapters G and H). Other paleontologic data are from chapters G (dinocyst column), H (pollen c

column). API, American Petroleum Institute.
ILLJ 

LJJ 

LL

LJJ 

O 

< 

LJ_ 

DC

Q

Z 

<

LJJ 

00

X

LJJ 

Q

284

300 H

400 -

500 -

600 -

700 -

800 - 

852

Gamma ray 

(API units)

50 150

O

3 

o

Single-point 

resistance (ohms)

175 190

Geologic 

unit

Steel Creek 

Formation

Black Creek 

Group

Middendorf 

Formation

Cape Fear 

Formation

LJJ

DC LJJ

o

LJJ

o

f

LJJ 

DC 

O

DC 

LJJ 

Q_ 

Q_

=>

LJJ 

O

c 

CO 

'c 

CO

Q.

CO

o

c 

CO 

'o 

CO 'c 

o

o

Pollen zone

— Zone CA-4 or CA-5 

Probably Complexiopollis ex

Santalacites minor Zone

EXPLANATION 

Sand .—• —': Clayey sand

Figure 8. The stratigraphic and paleontologic summary of the Cretaceous part of the Millers Pond core. The lithology is from Clarke and 

(1994), and the lithostratigraphy and geophysical logs are from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). The pollen data are from chapter C

American Petroleum Institute.
B14 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

STEEL CREEK FORMATION

The Steel Creek Formation consists of multiple finingupward sequences of gravel, sand, and clay, in which many 

of the clay beds are stained with iron oxide (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). The formation was sampled 

unproductively in the Millers Pond core and was not sampled in the Girard and Thompson Oak cores. Ten samples 

from the Millhaven core were examined for palynomorphs 

(Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C).

The lowest Steel Creek samples contain pollen taxa 

that were not found to range below this formation in the 

Millhaven core. A new species, Momipites n. sp. 1, is known 

only from the Maastrichtian. These samples are correlative 

with middle or late Maastrichtian units in New Jersey, or 

perhaps the unconformity below them. The sample at 

830.3-830.5 ft contains a rather sparse dinoflagellate 

assemblage that includes Spongodinium delitiense (Ehrenberg) Deflandre (lowest occurrence is in the uppermost 

Campanian in New Jersey). Samples at 768.8-769.0 and 

733.2-733.3 ft contain long-ranging Cretaceous forms of 

pollen, and a sample at 680.8-681.0 ft is barren of palynomorphs and contains only plant debris. Samples from the 

correlative interval (based on geophysical logs) in the C-10 

core (Allendale County, S.C.) yielded nonmarine assemblages dated as Maastrichtian (Joyce Clark, 1989, written 

commun. to the South Carolina Water Resources Commission). Thus, a combination of pollen and dinoflagellate data 

suggests that the Black Creek Group-Steel Creek Formation 

boundary approximates the Campanian-Maastrichtian 

boundary in the Millhaven core.

The lowest Steel Creek sample in the Millhaven core 

contains a few marine dinoflagellates. No marine fossils 

were recovered higher in the unit.

ELLENTON FORMATION

The Ellenton Formation consists of sands and clays 

that are partly glauconitic and calcareous in the Millhaven 

core (most basinward) and lignitic in the Millers Pond core 

(Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). This unit was 

studied for calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, and 

marine and nonmarine palynomorphs in the Millhaven core. 

It was studied for palynomorphs in the Girard, Thompson 

Oak, and Millers Pond cores. A very thin lower Paleocene 

(Danian) section is present in at least three of the Georgia 

cores. Most of the Ellenton is early late Paleocene (Selandian). Two samples in the Millhaven core are middle late 

Paleocene (Thanetian).

In the Millhaven core, the Ellenton yields three distinct 

calcareous nannofossil zones: NP 4 (early Paleocene, 

639.6-635.4 ft), NP 5 (early part of the late Paleocene, 

631.3-579.2 ft), and NP 8 (middle part of the late Paleocene, 578.0-577.2 ft) (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

Although calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 4 includes both 

early and late Paleocene time, dinocysts and planktonic foraminifers indicate that only the early Paleocene part of the 

zone is present in this core. Two samples from the Girard 

core were examined for calcareous nannofossils; both 

proved barren.

A distinctive early Paleocene dinocyst assemblage that 

includes Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich, Spinidinium pulchrum (Benson) Lentin & Williams, Tectatodinium rugulatum (Hansen) McMinn, and Tenua sp. cf T. formosa of 

Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) is present in the lowest Ellenton 

in the Millhaven core (one sample at 639.5 ft), the Girard 

core (521.2-517.9 ft, questionably to 514 ft), and the Millers Pond core (one sample at 252-257 ft). In the Millhaven 

core, the late Paleocene dinoflagellate assemblage includes 

Palaeoperidinium pyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant and 

Fibradinium annetorpense Morgenroth in the highest sample (571ft).

Early Paleocene (Danian) pollen was identified in the 

Millers Pond core in the lowest Tertiary sample (252-257 

ft). In the Girard core, the pollen assemblage in one of the 

Ellenton samples (521.0-521.2 ft) consists of species that 

normally do not occur together. Although alternative interpretations are possible, contamination from above into 

lower Paleocene material is most likely. In the Thompson 

Oak core, pollen at 302 ft depth could be either late early or 

early late Paleocene. Late Paleocene pollen was found in six 

samples in the Millhaven core (620.8-571.0 ft) and in the 

Thompson Oak core (281 ft). In the McBean core, the 

Ellenton was barren of pollen (Frederiksen, this volume, 

chap. H).

In the Ellenton of the Millhaven core, five intervals 

with differing foraminiferal assemblages are present: (1) a 

highly altered, low-diversity assemblage of early, but not 

earliest, Paleocene age, planktonic foraminiferal Zone PI 

(636.8 ft); (2) an assemblage containing apparent mixing of 

specimens from lower Paleocene beds with early late Paleocene specimens (631.3 ft); (3) an assemblage suggesting 

normal productivity and oxygen levels with a probable 

water depth range of 100 to 200 ft (628.7 ft); (4) an assemblage suggestive of water depths of less than 100 ft but having high-productivity or low-oxygen conditions or both 

(621.2-599.1 ft); and (5) an assemblage suggestive of water 

depths of less than 100 ft with normal marine oxygen conditions (593.7-581 ft). Age-diagnostic planktonic foraminifers are present only in the lowest part of the Ellenton, but 

benthic species and immature planktonic species are present 

throughout (Gibson, this volume, chap. I).

SNAPP FORMATION

The Snapp Formation consists of a lower sand-dominated part and an upper clay-dominated part. The formation 

was studied for palynomorphs in the Millhaven and
OVERVIEW OF THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA B15

McBean cores. No samples from the Snapp Formation were 

taken from the Millers Pond and Girard cores, and the formation is absent from the Thompson Oak core. In the 

McBean core, where the Snapp Formation consists only of 

sand with no overlying kaolin, nonmarine palynomorphs are 

present (Frederiksen, this volume, chap. H). The overlapping ranges of pollen taxa in the one productive sample (254 

ft) indicate an age no older than earliest late Paleocene and 

no younger than middle late Paleocene age (Selandian or 

Thanetian).

A single Snapp sample in the Millhaven core (564-565 

ft) yielded rare dinocyst fragments that are not age diagnostic but indicate at least marginally marine conditions 

(Edwards, this volume, chap. G).

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION

The Fourmile Branch Formation, a medium to coarse 

sand, was recognized only in the Girard and Thompson Oak 

cores (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). It was 

examined for palynomorphs in these cores.

A distinctive dinocyst assemblage, containing both 

Hafniasphaera goodmanii Edwards and primitive forms of 

Pentadinium favatum Edwards, was found in the Fourmile 

Branch Formation in the Thompson Oak core. Homotryblium abbreviatum Eaton is also present. These species are 

also found in the lower part of the Tallahatta Formation in 

Alabama and thus suggest correlation with lower Eocene 

calcareous nannofossil Zones NP 12 or NP 13. Sediments in 

the Fourmile Branch Formation in the Girard core contain 

Dracodinium varielongitudum (Williams & Downie) Costa 

& Downie and Homotryblium tenuispinosum Davey & Williams and are probably of early Eocene age as well 

(Edwards, this volume, chap. G).

Pollen from the Fourmile Branch Formation indicates 

an early Eocene age, or possibly early middle Eocene, in the 

Girard core. The dinocysts present indicate that sediments 

from the Fourmile Branch Formation are marine.

CONGAREE FORMATION

The Congaree Formation consists of quartz sand, marl, 

and limestone. Samples from the Congaree Formation were 

studied for calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, and 

palynomorphs from the Millhaven core and for 

palynomorphs in the Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers Pond, 

and McBean cores.

In the Millhaven core, the Congaree Formation yields 

calcareous nannofossils that are placed in Zone NP 14 

(early and middle Eocene, 497.4-473.5 ft); the uppermost 

sample (465.5 ft) could be either NP 14 or NP 15 (middle 

Eocene) (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

Two distinctive dinocyst assemblages, both of early 

middle Eocene age, can be recognized in the Congaree

Formation in the studied cores (Edwards, this volume, chap. 

G). Both assemblages contain Pentadinium favatum 

Edwards. One assemblage, which contains Turbiosphaera 

cf. 7. galatea Eaton, is found in the lower part of the 

Congaree Formation in the Millhaven core (498.5-473.5 ft), 

the Thompson Oak core (231.5 ft), and the Millers Pond 

(165 ft) core. The dinocysts in this assemblage appear to be 

correlative with those in the upper part of the Tallahatta 

Formation in Alabama and unit E3 of Prowell and others 

(1985) in Georgia. A second assemblage, which contains 

Glaphyrocysta cf. G.? vicina (Eaton) Stover & Evitt, is 

found in the Millhaven core at 466 ft and also in the Girard 

(362.3-327.3 ft) and Thompson Oak (194-183.5 ft) cores. 

This assemblage is correlative with that from the lower part 

of the Lisbon Formation in Alabama.

Pollen studies of the Congaree yielded generally broad 

age possibilities: early or middle Eocene in the Millhaven 

core and correlative with calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 

12 to early NP 16 in the Thompson Oak core (Frederiksen, 

this volume, chap. H).

Foraminifers from the Congaree Formation in the Millhaven core indicate a middle Eocene age and generally indicate a water depth of approximately 100 ft. A single sample 

at 481 ft indicates much deeper water, approximately 300 ft 

(Gibson, this volume, chap. I).

WARLEY HILL FORMATION

The Warley Hill Formation, a sandy limestone, was 

recognized only in the Millhaven core (Falls and Prowell, 

this volume, chap. A). It was studied for calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, and palynomorphs.

Most samples from the Warley Hill Formation in the 

Millhaven core (458.1-413.0 ft) are assigned to the middle 

Eocene calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 15. The lowest 

sample (462 ft) could be either NP 14 or NP 15, and the 

highest sample (404 ft) could be either NP 15 or 16. Preservation in all samples is fair or poor.

The dinocyst assemblage from the Millhaven samples 

at 442 and 413 ft contains both Pentadinium goniferum 

Edwards and P. favatum Edwards. These two species are 

found together only in sediments from a narrow interval in 

the middle Eocene that is probably correlative with the middle part of the Lisbon Formation in Mississippi and with an 

unconformity or condensed interval within the Lisbon Formation in Alabama (Edwards, this volume, chap. G). These 

species were observed to overlap in part of unit E4 of Prowell and others (1985).

Foraminifers from samples at 455 and 426.5 ft in the 

Millhaven core were probably deposited in 100-ft water 

depth or slightly deeper, whereas those in samples at 413 

and 404 ft in the core were probably deposited in less than 

100 ft of water (Gibson, this volume, chap. I).
B16 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

SANTEE LIMESTONE

The Santee Limestone consists primarily of limestone 

and unlithified carbonate sediments with a few beds of calcareous sand and clay (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. 

A). Samples from the Santee were studied for calcareous 

nannofossils, foraminifers, and palynomorphs from the 

Millhaven and Millers Pond cores and for palynomorphs 

from the Girard, Thompson Oak, and McBean cores.

In the Millhaven core, the samples from 400.0-370.9 ft 

have poorly preserved calcareous nannofossil assemblages 

and could be in Zones NP 15, 16, or 17 (middle Eocene). 

Beginning at 368.0 ft and continuing to the top of the formation, calcareous nannofossils indicate late middle Eocene 

Zone NP 17. The Santee Limestone in the Millers Pond core 

contains Eocene calcareous nannofossils that are not very 

age diagnostic. The Santee Limestone was not studied for 

calcareous nannofossils in the other three cores because of 

the anticipated poor assemblages (Bybell, this volume, 

chap. F).

In the Millhaven core, dinocyst samples have poor 

recovery in the lower part of the Santee Limestone but have 

abundant and distinctive assemblages above 346 ft that are 

typical of the late middle Eocene, correlative with the upper 

part of the Lisbon Formation in Alabama and perhaps the 

Gosport Formation. In the Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers 

Pond and McBean cores, the Santee Limestone contains late 

middle Eocene dinocyst assemblages similar to those found 

in the Millhaven core (Edwards, this volume, chap. G).

Foraminifera from the Millhaven and Millers Pond 

cores indicate a middle Eocene age, and most samples contain the distinctive benthic species Cibicides westi Howe 

(Gibson, this volume, chap. I).

The Santee Limestone contains only poorly dated pollen (Frederiksen, this volume, chap. H).

Foraminifers indicate paleo-water depths of 100 to 200 

ft in the lower part of the Santee Limestone and less than 

100 ft in its upper part in the Millhaven core and water 

depths of less than 100 ft in the Millers Pond core (Gibson, 

this volume, chap. I).

BARNWELL UNIT

The Barn well unit is a mixed lithologic sequence of 

sandy limestone, marl, clay, and sand. It is treated as a unit, 

although unconformities can be recognized within it (Falls 

and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). Sediments of the unit 

are poorly fossiliferous. The unit was sampled in the Millhaven core for calcareous nannofossils and palynomorphs 

and in the Girard core for palynomorphs only. Sediments of 

the Barn well unit from the Thompson Oak, Millers Pond, 

and McBean cores either were not sampled in this study or 

did not contain palynomorphs.

In the Millhaven core, nannofossil samples from 225.9 

to 168.5 ft are late Eocene (Zone NP 19/20). Samples from 

118.0 to 95.0 ft are questionably dated as Zone NP 21 (latest 

Eocene or earliest Oligocene).

Dinocysts from Millhaven samples at 216.5, 210, and 

205 ft are most likely of late Eocene age, and the two upper 

samples suggest correlation with the upper Eocene Yazoo 

Clay in Alabama and the Harleyville and Parkers Ferry Formations in South Carolina. Samples at 195, 118, and 105 ft 

were barren of dinocysts. In the Girard core, the sample at 

211.1-211.3 ft contains dinocyst species that suggest a late 

Eocene age. The sample at 146.7 ft contains a very sparse 

and nondiagnostic dinocyst assemblage, and samples at 104 

and 64 ft were barren of dinocysts.

Most samples from the Barnwell unit yielded marine 

calcareous microfossils and marine palynomorphs. The foraminiferal assemblage suggests shallow-marine environments, probably in the deeper portion of the 0- to 100-ft 

depth interval.

SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS

The Cape Fear Formation, where studied, is of probable Coniacian age and is nonmarine.

The available data do not provide an unequivocal age 

for the Middendorf Formation. Two different ages may be 

present, one representing undifferentiated pollen Zone V 

(late Coniacian and Santonian) and one slightly younger 

(latest Santonian(?) and early Campanian, perhaps 

correlative with the Shepherd Grove Formation in South 

Carolina). The possibility of similar lithofacies representing 

different ages should be considered and investigated further. 

Most of the Middendorf Formation is nonmarine. Rare 

dinocysts in a single sample from the Millhaven core (1,212 

ft, subunit 2) suggest a marginal marine or very nearshore 

marine environment.

The Black Creek Group is dated as Campanian. It is 

nonmarine in its lower part (subunit 1). In all but the most 

updip core, the Black Creek Group includes marine fossils 

in its upper part (subunits 2 and 3). Subunit 2 contains ostracodes correlative with those in the Donoho Creek Formation, the highest formation in the Black Creek Group in 

central South Carolina (Gohn, 1992). Subunit 3 may represent deposition in Georgia that has no counterpart in central 

South Carolina.

The Steel Creek Formation is Maastrichtian in the 

Millhaven core. It contains a few marine dinoflagellate cysts 

near its base; no marine fossils were recovered higher in the 

unit.

The placement of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in 

all cores is, of necessity, based on the lithostratigraphy 

(Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). Thick undated 

intervals are found between the Maastrichtian of the Steel
OVERVIEW OF THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA B17

Creek Formation or Campanian of the Black Creek Group 

and the Danian of the Ellenton Formation.

A very thin lower Paleocene (Danian) section is 

present at the base of the Ellenton Formation in at least three 

cores. Most of the Ellenton Formation is early late Paleocene (Selandian). Two samples in the Millhaven core are 

middle late Paleocene (Thanetian). The oldest Paleocene 

material contains a significant component of planktonic foraminifers and, thus, represents deeper water deposition than 

the remainder of the Ellenton Formation.

The Snapp Formation is present in varying thicknesses 

in four of the five cores and is dated as late Paleocene 

(Selandian or Thanetian). It is mostly nonmarine. A single 

sample from the Millhaven core yielded dinocyst fragments 

that indicate marginally marine conditions.

The Snapp Formation is conspicuously absent from the 

Thompson Oak core, and the upper kaolinitic part is not 

present in the McBean core. Because the Snapp Formation 

is present in the most updip cores, it was probably also 

present in the Thompson Oak area originally but subsequently removed. Faulting is well documented in South 

Carolina (Snipes and others, 1993), but the Thompson Oak 

core is located on the downthrown side of the Pen Branch 

fault (Huddlestun and Summerour, 1996). We suggest that 

erosion by a predecessor to the Savannah River should be 

considered and investigated further.

The Fourmile Branch Formation is early Eocene and is 

only found in the Thompson Oak and Girard cores. Erosion 

of the underlying Snapp Formation in the Thompson Oak 

core may have facilitated preservation of these early Eocene 

sediments. The presence of dinocysts indicates that sediments from the Fourmile Branch Formation are marine.

The Congaree Formation is of middle Eocene age. It 

contains two recognizable dinocyst assemblages that are 

roughly equivalent to those from the upper part of the Tallahatta Formation and from the lower part of the Lisbon Formation of the Gulf Coast. Foraminifers from the Congaree 

Formation in the Millhaven core generally indicate a water 

depth of approximately 100 ft; a single sample at 481 ft 

indicates much deeper water, approximately 300 ft.

The Warley Hill Formation, a marine unit of middle 

Eocene age, is recognized only in the Millhaven core. Foraminifers from samples at 455 and 426.5 ft in the Millhaven 

core were probably deposited in 100-ft water depth or 

slightly deeper; whereas those from higher samples were 

probably deposited in less than 100 ft of water.

The Santee Limestone is of late middle Eocene age. It 

contains calcareous fossils even in the most updip cores. 

Not surprisingly, the paleo-water depth increases basinward. 

In the Millers Pond core, inferred depths are less than 100 ft 

throughout the unit; in the Millhaven core, inferred depths 

range from 100 to 200 ft in the lower part of the formation 

and are less than 100 ft near the top.

Sediments of the Barnwell unit are poorly fossiliferous. Where they can be dated, they are late Eocene to questionably early Oligocene. Most samples are shallow marine.

REFERENCES CITED

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V, Obradovich, J.D., and Swisher, C.C., 

HI, 1992, Towards a revised Paleogene geochronology, in 

Prothero, D.R., and Berggren, W.A., eds., Eocene-Oligocene 

climatic and biotic evolution: Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press, p. 29-45.

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V, Swisher, C.C., HI, and Aubry, M.-P, 

1995, A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy, in Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V, Aubry, M.-P, and Hardenbol, Jan, eds., Geochronology, time scales and global 

stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary 

Geology) Special Publication 54, p. 129-212.

Browning, J.V, Miller, K.G., and Bybell, L.M., 1997, Upper 

Eocene sequence stratigraphy and the Absecon Inlet Formation, New Jersey Coastal Plain, in Miller, K.G., and Snyder, 

S.W., eds., Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, v. 150X, p. 243-266.

Bukry, David, 1973, Low-latitude coccolith biostratigraphic zonation, in Edgar, N.T., Saunders, J.B., Bolli, H.M., Boyce, R.E., 

Broecker, W.S., Donnelly, T.W., Gieskes, J.M., Hay, W.W., 

Horowitz, R.M., Maurrasse, Florentin, Perez Nieto, Hernan, 

Prell, Warren, Premoli Silva, Isabella, Riedel, W.R., Schneidermann, Nahum, Waterman, L.S., Kaneps, A.G., Herring, 

J.R. (ed.), Initial reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, v. 

15: Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 

685-703.

————1978, Biostratigraphy of Cenozoic marine sediments by 

calcareous nannofossils: Micropaleontology, v. 24, p. 44-60.

Burnett, J.A., Hancock, J.M., Kennedy, W.J., and Lord, A.R., 

1992, Macrofossil, planktonic foraminiferal and nannofossil 

zonation at the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary: Newsletters on Stratigraphy, v. 27, no. 3, p. 157-172.

Christopher, R.A., 1977, The stratigraphic distribution of Normapolles and triporate pollen in Zones IV, V and VII of the 

Raritan and Magothy Formations (Upper Cretaceous) of New 

Jersey [abs.]: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists, 10th Annual Meeting, Abstracts with Program, p. 7-8. 

Reprinted 1979 in Palynology, v. 3, p. 281.

————1979, Normapolles and triporate pollen assemblages from 

the Raritan and Magothy Formations (Upper Cretaceous) of 

New Jersey: Palynology, v. 3, p. 73-121, pis. 1-9.

————1982a, Palynostratigraphy of the basal Cretaceous units of 

the eastern Gulf and southern Atlantic Coastal Plains, in 

Arden, D.D., Beck, B.F., and Morrow, Eleanore, eds., Proceedings; Second symposium on the geology of the southeastern coastal plain: Georgia Geologic Survey Information 

Circular 53, p. 10-23, pis. 1-3. 

-1982b. The occurrence of the Complexipollis-AtlantopoUis

Zone (palynomorphs) in the Eagle Ford Group (Upper Cretaceous) of Texas: Journal of Paleontology, v. 56, no. 2, p. 525- 

541, pi. 1.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., [Bukry, David,] Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gibson, T.G., Gohn, G.S., and Flem-
B18 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

ing, Parley, 1996, Hydrogeologic data and aquifer 

interconnection in a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments near Millhaven, Screven County, Georgia, 1991—95: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 99, 43 p., 1 pi. 

in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992-93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Edwards, L.E., Bybell, L.M., Gohn, G.S., and Frederiksen, N.O., 

1997, Paleontology and physical stratigraphy of the 

USGS-Pregnall No. 1 core (DOR-208), Dorchester County, 

South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

97-145, 35 p.

Fallaw, W.C., and Price, Van, 1995, Stratigraphy of the Savannah 

River Site and vicinity: Southeastern Geology, v. 35, no. 1, p. 

21-58.

Frederiksen, N.O., 1979, Paleogene sporomorph biostratigraphy, 

northeastern Virginia: Palynology, v. 3, p. 129-167.

————1980, Paleogene sporomorphs from South Carolina and 

quantitative correlations with the Gulf Coast: Palynology, v. 

4, p. 125-179.

————1988, Sporomorph biostratigraphy, floral changes, and 

paleoclimatology, Eocene and earliest Oligocene of the eastern Gulf Coast: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

1448, 68 p., 16 fossil pis., 2 pis. in pocket.

————1991, Midwayan (Paleocene) pollen correlations in the 

eastern United States: Micropaleontology, v. 37, p. 101-123. 

-1998, Upper Paleocene and lowermost Eocene angiosperm

pollen biostratigraphy of the eastern Gulf Coast and Virginia: 

Micropaleontology, v. 44, p. 45-68.

Gohn, G.S., 1992, Revised nomenclature, definitions, and correlations for the Cretaceous formations in USGS-Clubhouse 

Crossroads #1, Dorchester County, South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1518, 39 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Gradstein, P.M., Agterberg, PP., Ogg, J.G., Hardenbol, Jan, van 

Veen, Paul, Thierry, Jacques, and Huang, Zehui, 1995, A Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous time scale, in Berggren, W.A., 

Kent, Dennis, Aubry, Marie-Pierre, and Hardenbol, Jan, eds., 

Geochronology, time scales and global stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) Special Publication 54, p. 95-126.

Greuter, W., Barrie, PR., Burdet, H.M., Chaloner, W.G., Demoulin, V, Hawksworth, D.L., J0rgensen, P.M., Nicolson, D.H., 

Silva, PC., Trehane, P., and McNeill, J., 1994, International 

code of botanical nomenclature (Tokyo code): Regnum vegetabile, v. 131, 389+xviii p.

Hazel, J.E., 1990, Major changes in Eocene and Oligocene Gulf 

Coast ostracod assemblages; relationship to global events, in 

Whatley, Robin, and Maybury, Caroline, eds., Ostracoda and 

global events: London, Chapman and Hall, p. 113-121.

Hazel, J.E., and Brouwers, E.M., 1982, Biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic distribution of ostracodes in the Coniacian-Maastrichtian (Austinian-Navarroan) in the Atlantic and 

Gulf Coastal Province, in Maddocks, R.F., ed., Texas Ostracoda, Guidebook of excursions and related papers for the 

Eighth International Symposium on Ostracoda: Houston, 

University of Houston, p. 166-198.

Huddlestun, P.P., and Summerour, J.H., 1996, The lithostratigraphic framework of the uppermost Cretaceous and lower 

Tertiary of eastern Burke County, Georgia: Georgia Geologic 

Survey Bulletin 127, 94 p.

Kennedy, W.J., Johnson, R.O., and Cobban, W.A., 1995, Upper 

Cretaceous ammonite faunas of New Jersey, in Baker, J.E.B., 

ed., Contributions to the paleontology of New Jersey: Geological Association of New Jersey Contribution Proceedings, v. 

12, p. 24-55.

Kurita, Hiroshi, and Mclntyre, D.J., 1995, Paleocene dinoflagellates from the Turtle Mountain Formation, southwestern Manitoba, Canada: Palynology, v. 19, p. 119-136.

Leeth, D.C., Falls, W.P, Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., and 

Fleming, R.P, 1996, Geologic, hydrologic, and water-chemistry data for a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments 

near Girard, Burke County, Georgia, 1992-95: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 100, 26 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Litwin, R.J., Sohl, N.F., Owens, J.P., and Sugarman, P.J., 1993, 

Palynological analysis of a newly recognized Upper Cretaceous marine unit at Cheesequake, New Jersey: Palynology, v. 

17, p. 123-135, pis. 1-3.

Mancini, E.A., Puckett, T.M., and Tew, B.H., 1996, Integrated biostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic framework for Upper 

Cretaceous strata of the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain, USA: 

Cretaceous Research, v. 17, no. 6, p. 645-669, 4 pis.

Martini, Erlend, 1971, Standard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareous nannoplankton zonation: Planktonic Conference, 2d, 

Rome, 1969, Proceedings, p. 739-785.

Moshkovitz, Shimon, and Habib, Daniel, 1993, Calcareous nannofossil and dinoflagellate stratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, Alabama and Georgia: Micropaleontology, v. 

39, no. 2, p. 167-191, pis. 1-5.

Okada, Hisatake, and Bukry, David, 1980, Supplementary modification and introduction of code numbers to the low-latitude 

coccolith biostratigraphic zonation (Bukry, 1973; 1975): 

Marine Micropaleontology, v. 5, no. 3, p. 321-325.

Owens, J.P., Bybell, L.M., Paulachok, Gary, Ager, T.A., Gonzalez, 

V.M., and Sugarman, P.J., 1988, Stratigraphy of the Tertiary 

sediments in a 945-foot-deep corehole near Mays Landing in 

the southeastern New Jersey Coastal Plain: U.S. Geological 

Survey Professional Paper 1484, 39 p.

Owens, J.P, Minard, J.R, Sohl, N.F., and Mello, J.F., 1970, Stratigraphy of the outcropping post-Magothy Upper Cretaceous 

formations in southern New Jersey and northern Delmarva 

Peninsula, Delaware and Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey 

Professional Paper 674, 60 p.

Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, 1985, Mesozoic calcareous nannofossils, in Bolli, H.M., Saunders, J.B., and Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, eds.. Plankton stratigraphy: New York, Cambridge 

University Press, p. 329^26.

Pitakpaivan, Kasana, and Hazel, J.E., 1994, Ostracodes and chronostratigraphic position of the Upper Cretaceous Arkadelphia 

Formation of Arkansas: Journal of Paleontology, v. 68, no. 1, 

p. 111-122.

Prowell, D.C., Christopher, R.A., Edwards, L.E., Bybell, L.M., and 

Gill, H.E., 1985 [1986], Geologic section of the updip coastal 

plain from central Georgia to western South Carolina: U.S. 

Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF1737, 10-p. text, 1 sheet.
OVERVIEW OF THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA B19

Ride, W.D.L., Sabosky, C.W., Bernard!, G., Melville, R.V., Corliss, 

J.O., Forest, J., Key, K.H.L. and Wright, C.W, 1985, International code of zoological nomenclature, third edition: Berkeley, University of California Press, 321 p.

Self-Trail, J.M., and Bybell, L.M., 1995, Cretaceous and Paleogene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of New Jersey, in 

Baker, J.E.B., ed., Contributions to the paleontology of New 

Jersey: Geological Association of New Jersey Contribution 

Proceedings, v. 12, p. 102-139.

Self-Trail, J.M., and Gohn, G.S., 1996, Biostratigraphic data for 

the Cretaceous marine sediments in the USGS-St. George No. 

1 core (DOR-211), Dorchester County, South Carolina: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-684, 29 p.

Siple, G.E., 1967, Geology and ground water of the Savannah 

River Plant and vicinity, South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1841, 113 p.

Sissingh, W., 1977, Biostratigraphy of Cretaceous calcareous nannoplankton: Geologic en Mijnbouw, v. 56, p. 37-65.

Snipes, D.S., Fallaw, W.C., Price, Van, and Cumbest, R.J., 1993, 

The Pen Branch fault; documentation of Late Cretaceous-Tertiary faulting in the coastal plain of South Carolina: Southeastern Geology, v. 33, no. 4, p. 195-218.

Sohl, N.F., and Owens, J.P., 1991, Cretaceous stratigraphy of the 

Carolina Coastal Plain, in Horton, J.W., Jr., and Zullo, V.A., 

eds., Geology of the Carolinas: Knoxville, Tenn., University 

of Tennessee Press, p. 191-220.

Summerour, J.H., Shapiro, E.A., Lineback, J.A., Huddlestun, P.P., 

and Hughes, A.C., 1994, An investigation of tritium in the 

Gordon and other aquifers in Burke County, Georgia: Georgia 

Geologic Survey Information Circular 95, 93 p.

Van Nieuwenhuise, D.S., and Colquhoun, D.J., 1982, The Paleocene-lower Eocene Black Mingo Group of the east-central 

coastal plain of South Carolina: South Carolina Geology, v. 

26, no. 2, p. 47-67.

Wolfe, J.A., 1976, Stratigraphic distribution of some pollen types 

from the Campanian and lower Maestrichtian rocks (Upper 

Cretaceous) of the Middle Atlantic States: U.S. Geological 

Survey Professional Paper 977, 18 p., 4 pis.

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Palynomorph Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of 

Upper Cretaceous Sediments from Four Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Norman 0. Frederiksen, Lucy E. Edwards, and Ronald J. Litwin 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract........................................................................................................................... Cl

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

Acknowledgments................................................................................................... 2

Material and Methods ..................................................................................................... 2

Lithostratigraphy and Previous Biostratigraphy............................................................. 2

Millhaven Test Hole........................................................................................................ 10

Cape Fear Formation............................................................................................... 10

Middendorf Formation............................................................................................ 10

Subunit2......................................................................................................... 10

Black Creek Group ................................................................................................. 10

Subunitl......................................................................................................... 10

Subunit2......................................................................................................... 14

SubunitS......................................................................................................... 16

Steel Creek Formation ............................................................................................ 16

Girard Test Hole.............................................................................................................. 20

Cape Fear Formation............................................................................................... 20

Middendorf Formation............................................................................................ 20

Subunitl......................................................................................................... 20

Subunit2......................................................................................................... 20

Black Creek Group ................................................................................................. 23

Steel Creek Formation ............................................................................................ 23

Thompson Oak Test Hole ............................................................................................... 23

Black Creek Group ................................................................................................. 24

Millers Pond Test Hole ................................................................................................... 24

Cape Fear Formation............................................................................................... 24

Middendorf Formation............................................................................................ 26

Black Creek Group ................................................................................................. 26

Summary......................................................................................................................... 29

References Cited............................................................................................................. 30

PLATES

[Plates follow References Cited]

1-5. Pollen.

6. Dinoflagellates and acritarchs.

7. Dinoflagellates.

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the S avannah River Site and locations of stratigraphic test holes in the study area................. C2

2. Chart showing European stage assignments of Coniacian to Maastrichtian formations in New Jersey and

the main pollen zonations proposed for these formations ........................................................................................ 6

3. Chart showing pollen taxa occurrences in 11 samples between 1,212.0 and 733.2 ft in the Millhaven core,

Screven County, Ga................................................................................................................................................... 11

III
IV CONTENTS

4. Chart showing dinoflagellate taxa occurrences in 10 samples between 1,212.0 and 680.8 ft in the Millhaven

core, Screven County, Ga......................................................................................................................................... 12

5-10. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga.:

5. Sample R4664 CA, subunit 1 of the Black Creek Group, from 1,124.3-1,124.7 ft.......................................... 13

6. Sample R4664 BB, subunit 2 of the Black Creek Group, from 1,029.5 ft........................................................ 14

7. Sample R4664 FD, subunit 2 of the Black Creek Group, from 941.7-941.9 ft................................................. 15

8. Three samples (R4664 CD, DA, and FE) from the Steel Creek Formation between 830.5 and 824.1 ft.......... 17

9. Sample R4664 GA, Steel Creek Formation, from 769.0-769.3 ft..................................................................... 18

10. Sample R4664 CF, Steel Creek Formation, from 733.2-733.3 ft...................................................................... 19

11. Chart showing pollen taxa occurrences in three samples between 1,139.0 and 738.3 ft in the Girard core,

Burke County, Ga..................................................................................................................................................... 20

12. Chart showing dinoflagellate taxa occurrences in 15 samples between 1,139.0 and 720.3 ft in the Girard

core, Burke County, Ga............................................................................................................................................ 21

13-15. Charts showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in the Girard core, Burke County, Ga.:

13. Sample R4705 AA, subunit 1 of the Middendorf Formation, from 1,138.0-1,139.0 ft.................................... 22

14. Sample R4705 BA, subunit 2 of the Middendorf Formation, from 1,012.0-1,012.3 ft..................................... 22

15. Sample R4705 BG, subunit 2 of the Black Creek Group, from 738.3-738.6 ft................................................ 23

16. Chart showing dinoflagellate taxa occurrences in two samples from 561.0 and 505.0 ft, respectively

(Black Creek Group), in the Thompson Oak core, Burke County, Ga..................................................................... 24

17. Chart showing pollen taxa occurrences in four samples between 832.0 and 517.0 ft in the Millers Pond

core, Burke County, Ga............................................................................................................................................ 25

18-20. Charts showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in the Millers Pond core, Burke County, Ga.:

18. Sample R4581 B, Cape Fear Formation, from 827.0-832.0 ft.......................................................................... 26

19. Sample R4581 C, Cape Fear Formation, from 797.0-802.0 ft.......................................................................... 27

20. Sample R4581 I, Black Creek Group, from 517.0 ft......................................................................................... 28

TABLES

1. Pollen and dinoflagellate occurrences in samples from the Upper Cretaceous units of the Millhaven, Girard,

Thompson Oak, and Millers Pond cores, Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia........................................................... C3

2. Coordinates of photographed pollen specimens on Leitz microscope 871956 at the U.S. Geological Survey,

Reston, Virginia............................................................................................................................................................... 4

3. Coordinates of photographed dinoflagellate and acritarch specimens on Olympus Vanox microscope 201526

at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.............................................................................................................. 5

4. List of pollen taxa mentioned in this paper with some synonyms .................................................................................. 7

5. List of dinoflagellate and acritarch taxa mentioned in this paper ................................................................................... 9
GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Palynomorph Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of

Upper Cretaceous Sediments from Four Cores from

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Norman O. Frederiksen, Lucy E. Edwards, and Ronald J. Litwin

ABSTRACT

Fifty-two Upper Cretaceous samples were examined 

for palynomorphs (pollen grains and dinoflagellates) from 

four cores (Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, and Millers 

Pond) from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia. Two pollen-bearing samples from the Cape Fear Formation of the 

Millers Pond core are both of Coniacian or early Santonian 

age.

Three pollen-bearing samples were obtained from the 

overlying Middendorf Formation of the Millhaven and 

Girard cores; one of them is Coniacian or Santonian, one 

apparently is latest Santonian(?) or earliest Campanian, and 

one sample is of uncertain age. Dinoflagellate data indicate 

that the Middendorf Formation in the Millhaven core represents, at least in part, marginal or very near shore marine 

conditions, whereas the Middendorf of the updip Girard 

core appears to be entirely nonmarine.

Seven samples from the Black Creek Group (overlying 

the Middendorf Formation) of the Millhaven, Girard, and 

Millers Pond cores had usable pollen assemblages, and 

these are mid-Campanian to possibly Maastrichtian. Marine 

strata, particularly in the middle part of the Black Creek 

Group in the Millhaven, Girard, and Thompson Oak cores, 

contain late Campanian dinoflagellates. The Black Creek 

Group in the Millhaven core represents (in upward 

sequence) marginal or very near shore marine conditions 

(subunit 1) and normal marine to nearshore marine conditions (subunits 2 and 3). The Black Creek in the more updip 

Girard core represents nonmarine, then nearshore marine, 

then nonmarine deposition. Two samples from the Black 

Creek Group in the still more updip Thompson Oak core 

represent, in ascending order, apparent nonmarine and nearshore marine paleoenvironments, respectively.

Five pollen-bearing samples from the Steel Creek Formation (overlying the Black Creek Group) of the Millhaven

core appear to be Maastrichtian in age. One sample from the 

Steel Creek Formation may have at least marginal-marine 

dinoflagellates. All Cretaceous samples from the most 

updip Millers Pond core lack dinoflagellates.

INTRODUCTION

At the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, Barnwell, 

and Allendale Counties, S.C. (fig. 1), various hazardous 

materials have been manufactured, disposed of, and stored 

since the early 1950's. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Georgia 

Geologic Survey of the Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources, is conducting a study of the subsurface geology, 

hydrology, and water quality in the vicinity of the SRS with 

the goal of understanding the present and possible future 

ground-water flow in the aquifers of the area.

Many test holes have been drilled in Georgia and 

South Carolina to study the flow of ground water in the SRS 

region (Aadland, 1992; Harris and others, 1992; Strom and 

others, 1992; Clarke, 1993; Gellici andLogan, 1993; Clarke 

and others, 1994, 1996; Clarke and West, 1994; Leeth and 

others, 1996). The Cretaceous and Cenozoic aquifers are 

difficult to correlate from area to area because of structural 

movement and rapid facies changes. Some biostratigraphic 

research has been completed toward the goal of correlating 

aquifers between some of the test holes (for example, Prowell, Edwards, and Frederiksen, 1985; Edwards, 1992; 

Edwards and Clarke, 1992; Edwards and Frederiksen, 1992; 

Lucas-Clark, 1992; Falls and others, 1993,1997; Clarke and 

others, 1994, 1996; Leeth and others, 1996; Edwards and 

others, 1997), but much biostratigraphic study remains to be 

done in the region.

Palynomorphs are abundant and well-preserved fossils 

in some of the Cretaceous subsurface sediments in the SRS

Cl
C2

33° 30'

33°

32°30'-

•:":• y ':. ' yX

,' .'/' 'Barnwe

Savannah ' :.'••. River

•'X Site :'•

Millhaven

• Test hole site and informal name of site

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

8230 82 8130 MATERIAL AND METHODS

The core samples discussed in this paper were cleaned 

and scraped and then treated in hydrochloric acid and 

hydrofluoric acid to remove carbonate and silicate material, 

respectively. Samples were then oxidized in nitric acid and 

centrifuged in laboratory detergent to remove fine debris. 

Sample residues were stained in Bismark brown and 

screened on 8- or 10-micrometer ((am) sieves for pollen and 

on 20-|om sieves for dinoflagellates. The residues were 

swirled in a watch glass and mounted on slides in glycerin 

jelly for light-microscope observation.

In table 2, which shows the slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed pollen specimens, the 

slide designations show the sample number with the slide 

number in parentheses. Coordinates locate the specimens on 

Leitz microscope 871956 at the U.S. Geological Survey, 

Reston, Va. On this microscope, the coordinates for the center point of a standard 25.4x76.2-millimeter (mm) slide are 

38.8 and 102.5 for the horizontal and vertical axes. The horizontal coordinates increase toward the right edge of the 

stage, and the vertical coordinates increase toward the front 

of the stage.

The slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed dinoflagellates (table 3) locate the specimens on 

Olympus Vanox microscope 201526 at the U.S. Geological 

Survey, Reston, Va. On this microscope, the coordinates for 

the center point of a standard 25.4x76.2-mm slide are 27.5 

and 112.7 for the vertical and horizontal axes. The vertical 

coordinates increase as the stage is moved up, and the horizontal coordinates increase as the slide is moved from left to 

right.

All palynological slides are stored at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.

LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND 

PREVIOUS BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Details of the geologic framework are presented elsewhere (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). Falls and 

Prowell recognize three formations and one group within 

the Cretaceous, and their terminology and correlations are 

followed here. The Cape Fear Formation is the lowermost 

unit studied and consists of partially lithified to unlithified, 

poorly to very poorly sorted clayey sand and sandy clay. It is 

overlain by the Middendorf Formation, a poorly consolidated, poorly sorted sand that contains thin clay beds; Falls 

and Prowell (this volume, chap. A) divide the Middendorf 

into two informal subunits. Above the Middendorf Formation, Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A) recognize the 

Black Creek Group, which they divide into three informal 

subunits that do not coincide with named formations that 

have been studied elsewhere. The uppermost Cretaceous

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and 

locations of stratigraphic test holes in the study area.

region. Palynomorphs include pollen grains and spores from 

terrestrial plants as well as the cysts—or in a few cases, perhaps thecae—of mainly marine dinoflagellates. The purpose 

of this paper is to use Cretaceous palynomorphs in core 

samples to provide biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental 

data on both marine and nonmarine sediments in the area. 

The core samples were taken from four Georgia test holes 

(Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers Pond) in 

Screven and Burke Counties, Ga., directly across the Savannah River from the SRS. Table 1 summarizes the number of 

samples examined from each stratigraphic unit in each test 

hole.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank U.S. Geological Survey colleagues John S. 

Clarke, W. Fred Falls, R. Parley Fleming, Gregory S. Gohn, 

and David C. Prowell, as well as Paul F. Huddlestun (Georgia Geologic Survey, Atlanta) and palynological consultant 

Joyce Lucas-Clark (Fremont, Calif.) for the sharing of data 

and ideas and the sometimes lively discussions that helped 

shape the ideas in this paper. We are grateful to Raymond A. 

Christopher (Clemson University) and G.S. Gohn for very 

helpful reviews of the first draft of this paper.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C3

Table 1. Pollen and dinoflagellate occurrences in samples from the Upper Cretaceous units of the Millhaven, 

Girard, Thompson Oak, and Millers Pond cores, Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia.

[Sample depths are in feet below land surface. Symbols in the last four columns are defined next.

P (pollen) column: Y (yes), sample contains pollen that is biostratigraphically useful; N (no), sample contains pollen that is not 

biostratigraphically useful; C, sample contains contaminants only; o, pollen was observed in the sample but not studied. 

D (dinoflagellate) column: Y (yes), has dinoflagellates; C, has only contaminant dinoflagellates; o, dinoflagellates were 

observed in the sample but not studied. 

B (barren) column: X, sample is barren of all palynomorphs.

ND (no dinoflagellates) column: X, sample was examined for dinoflagellates, but none were found; however, at least some pollen was observed in the sample]

Sample 

R number

Depth 

(ft) Unit (subunit) P D B ND

Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga.

R4664CG— — — —

R4664 CF

R4664GB— ----- — -

R4664 CE

R4664 GA

R4664 FF

R4664 FE— — — — -

DA.&&A F>A

R4664 CD

R4664 CC

R4664 CB

R4664 BB

R4664CA— — — —

R4664BA— ----- — -

680.8-681

733.2-733.3 

755-755.3 

755.3 755.6

768.8-769 

769.0-769.3 

789.7-790 

824.1-824.4

QOQ <: Q9Q Q

OQA Q QQA. ^

849.3-849.6 

913.8-914.2 

941.7-941.9 

1029.5

1212

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Steel Creek 

Black Creek Group (3) 

Black Creek Group (3) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (1) 

Middendorf(2)

x

Y 

C Y?C 

C C 

X

Y

x

Y 

Y 

Y Y

N Y —

Y Y 

Y Y 

Y Y 

Y Y 

Y Y

X

—

X

—

Girard core, Burke County, Ga.

TJ/J TAC rjTJ

R4705BG— — — —

R4705 CE — — — —

R4705 CD— ------ —

R4.70.S CC

R4705 CB

R4705CA— — — —

R4705 BF — — — —

D /nnc rjn?

R4705 DD— — — —

R4705 BD— — — —

R4705BC— — — —

R4705 DC

R4705BA— — — —

R4705DB— — — —

R4705AC— ----- — -

R4705DA— — — —

R4705AB— — — — 

R4705 AA— — ------

720.3-720.5

784-784.3 

799.7-799.9 

822.8-823 

834.6-834.8 

859.5-859.8

883.5-883.8 

910-910.5 

924.8-925.2 

ca. 960? 

993.5-994 

1012 1012.3

1013

1046.6-1047 

1063 

1138-1139

Black Creek Group (3) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (2) 

Black Creek Group (1) 

Black Creek Group (1) 

Middendorf(2) 

Middendorf (2) 

Middendorf (2) 

Middendorf (2) 

Middendorf (2) 

Middendorf (2) 

Middendorf (1) 

Middendorf (1)

0

Y Y 

o Y

0 0

o Y

o Y 

o 

o 

o 

y

x

Y 

o 

o 

o

x

Y

X

X 

X 

X

X 

X 

X 

X

X

Thompson Oak core, Burke County, Ga.

D A QO f. T3

R4836A— - — — —

505 

561

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group

o Y 

o Y

—

Millers Pond core, Burke County, Ga.

R4581 O

R4581 N— — — ----- 

R4581 M — — — — -

P/1CC1 T

P/1CC1 17-

P/1CC1 T

R4581I— — — — —

n A Co i TJ

R4581 G— — — -----

P/1CS1 T7

n A CO 1 "R

R4581 D

R4581 C

D A co i rj

T?4S21 A

TOO TQ7

332-337 

397-402 

447-453 

481 

497.5 

517 

557.5-558 

578 

608 

662-671 

778 

7Q7 cm

827-832 

847-852

Steel Creek 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Black Creek Group 

Middendorf 

Middendorf 

Cape Fear 

Cape Fear 

Cape Fear 

Cape Fear

X

x 

x 

x 

x

y

Y 

N 

Y 

X

x 

x

Y

Y

x

—

—

—

—
C4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Table 2. Coordinates of photographed pollen specimens on Leitz microscope 871956 at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

Figure

1 ..„__._._.„.__..

9

a

4 ._.„_...._„___..

5 —— ——— ——

6, 7 —-———.

10—————

11———————

12 __ ___ . 1 ^

14 ._........„.....

15, 16 —— — —

1 8

19 21 _ — —

1 — _______ .„__._.

2 ... .... — — .

3, 4 ——— ——— . <;

6

^7

Q

10——————

11......... ........

12 ____ __ . 1 ^

14———————.

15——————.

16—————.

17 19 ————

20 _ ____

21 __ __ ...

Sample R no. (slide no.)

Plate 1

R4.70^ A AfS^

R4664 DA(3)

R4664FE(1) 

R4581 1(5)

R4664FE(1)

R4664 DA(3) 

R4664 CD(4)

R4664 DA(3)

R4664FE(1)

R4664 DA(3) 

R4664FE(1)

R4705 BG(4)

R4664FD(1)

R4664 DA(3)

R4664GA(1)

R4664 CA(6)

R4664GA(1)

A Id 1C £t

R4664FD(1)

R4664 DA(3)

R4664FD(1) 

R4581 1(5)

R4664GA(1)

T?/tS81 f~Y1 \

TJ/ICQ 1 /~V1 \

D/l co 1 T3/"1 \

R4705 BA(4)

p/ico i /"'('i \

p/icoi pvi">

R 4.664. C &(f\\

D/l ^O 1 Ttfl \

R4664FD(1)

TJ/I CO 1 TJ/-1 \

R4664 CA(6)

D/lcoi (~*f]\

Coordinates

60 6 Y Q4. Q uvj.u A. y-r.y

56.3 x 103.0

55.5x103.0

55.2 x 108.0

50.1 x 105.2

ao i v 1f)Q Q

65.3 x 100.3

56.5x112.1

58.6x110.3

54.0x107.8

60.6 x 95.7

50 2 x 99 4

59.5 x 96.4

54.8x101.7

55.1x102.1

54.8x99.8

62.3x105.1

49.9x110.3

CO 7 v QC 0

52.2 x 105.8

56.5x111.5

«7 o v QQ O

S.f. « v Q^ 9

60.5 x 95.3

45 9 x 97 3

50.2 x 106.2

^7 D v Q4. 9

5.4. 6 Y QQ 1

64.1 X 104.4

«o « v Q^ 9

S 1 9 v 1 f)7 4.

S6 ^ v Q7 3

42.8x93.3

58.5 x 102.6

Figure

1 ....... ... ... -__.__—

2————————

0

4, 5——..—————

6

^7

Q

10,11——————

12———————

13———————

14 15- - ___ —

16——————

1 2 ____ - _ -

3—— ... ..... — ——

4——— ...... _________

5—— ________

6—— — —— — —

7————————

9———— ....

10, 11—————

12 13- - ___ —

14 15——————

1— __..... ... —

3— _______ _____ — —

4, 5— ... ..... ....

6, 7— ——— ------

8, 9— — — — — — -

10, 11——————

12 13 ____ - -

14 ____________________

Sample R no. (slide no.)

Plate 3

R4705 AA(5)

R4664 CA(6)

R4664 CA(6)

R4664 CA(6)

p/ICQI (~<(1\

p/ICQI p/1 \

R4581 1(5)

R4581 1(5)

R4664 GA(1)

R4664 GA(1)

R4705 BG(4)

R4664 GA(1)

P lilt A d

R4664 DA(3)

R4581 1(5)

R4705 BA(4)

R4705 BA(4)

R4581 C(l)

R4664 GA(1)

R4705 AA(5)

R4705 BA(4)

R4705 BA(4)

R4705 AA(5)

R4664 DA(3)

Plofp C

R4705 BG(4)

R4664 BB(5)

R4664 BB(5)

R4705 BG(4)

R4705 AA(5)

R4664FE(1)

R4664 CD(4)

R4664 CD(4)

R4705 BA(4)

Coordinates

58.0x96.8

53.7 X 102.5

60 4. v Q4 7

66.4x101.6

51.8x102.6

54.6 x 102.3

61 4 v 101 Q

^R f) v QQ 9

56.2x111.0

54.0x101.2

62.1x94.8

51.8x108.4

33.3x101.2

59.6 x 106.6

58.3x94.6

60.6 x 100.9

56.7x103.0

53.0x93.8

61.9 x 107.6

60.0 x 102.4

39 9 v 11 1 6

49.6 x 97.3

0/1 0 v 1 AC 0

52.4x103.1

S4. 8 v QR 3

57 5 X 1 1 1 4

61.2x110.5

60.5 x 97.8

eg c v no 7

50.3 x 107.7

S5 7 v 1 19 1

^8 7 v QQ Si

unit, where present, is the Steel Creek Formation, a poorly 

sorted sand and clay.

In this paper, age determinations for samples from the 

Upper Cretaceous of Georgia are made using pollen and 

dinoflagellate taxa. The chronostratigraphic ranges of these 

fossils are known on the basis of previous work mainly in 

the Middle Atlantic States. European stage assignments and 

ages of Upper Cretaceous formations in New Jersey (fig. 2) 

are based primarily on calcareous nannofossil correlations, 

but the relation between calcareous nannofossil zones and 

European stages is subject to revision. Here, we use the 

boundary proposals summarized by Burnett (1996) from the 

Second Symposium on Cretaceous Stage Boundaries, Brussels, 1995.

Of particular importance to our work is the placement 

of the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary at the first 

appearance datum of the ammonite Pachydiscus neubergicus (von Hauer) in the Teras Quarry, France. This boundary position is stratigraphically higher (younger) than some 

previous interpretations of the boundary. When this boundary is correlated using nannofossil and foraminiferal zones, 

some strata that were previously considered to be Maastrichtian should now be considered to be upper Campanian. 

For example, the Mount Laurel Formation of New Jersey 

was considered by some earlier authors (for example, Olsson and others, 1988; Aurisano, 1989) to be lower Maastrichtian. However, the Mount Laurel Formation has been 

assigned to calcareous nannofossil Zone CC 22 (Self-Trail 

and Bybell, 1995; Sugarman and others, 1995), and Burnett
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C5

Table 3. Coordinates of photographed dinofla; 

Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

jellate and acritarch specimens on Olympus Vanox microscope 201526 at the U.S.

Figure Sample R no. (slide no.) Coordinates

Plate 6

1 __________________

2 ________

3 __________________

4—— _____________

5 __________________

6———————

7 __________________

9 __________________

10——————

11— _____________

1 2 _______

13-——————

14———— ......

15—— —— ______

16——————

R4705 BG(3) 

R4664 BB(4) 

R4705 BF(3) 

R4664 BB(4) 

R4664 CB(3) 

R4705 BF(2) 

R4705 BG(3) 

R4664 BB(4) 

R4664 BB(4) 

R4664 CB(4) 

R4705 BG(3) 

R4705 BF(2) 

R4705 BF(2) 

R4664 CB(3) 

R4705 BF(2) 

R4705 BG(3)

32.8 X 100.0 

30.1x97.8 

35.5 x 86.9 

26.4x96.1 

37.0x83.5 

32.5 x 99.2 

29.2 x 72.0 

24.2 x 99.7 

24.4 x 77.5 

20.3 x 105.2 

37.1x101.5 

25.6 x 90.8 

34.4x69.6 

34.8 x 95.9 

20.0 x 105.3 

31.7x108.9

Plate 7

1 ________„________.

9 __________

D/nn? Taij/"")\

RA£fiARA<7h

32.5 x 84.4

11 1 v 7^ fi

(1996) placed the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary 

within the lower part of Zone CC 23; therefore, we agree 

with Self-Trail and Bybell (1995) and Sugarman and others 

(1995) in assigning the Mount Laurel Formation to the 

upper Campanian (fig. 2).

Sugarman and others (1995) provided nannofossil 

zonal assignments for the Navesink Formation and for the 

lower part of the Red Bank Sand of New Jersey. Self-Trail 

and Bybell (1995) gave nannofossil zonal assignments for 

the Merchantville, Englishtown, Marshalltown, Mount Laurel, and Navesink Formations. Self-Trail and Bybell presented these stage assignments in terms of Perch-Nielsen's 

(1985) calcareous nannofossil zonation, but Self-Trail (written commun., 1996) has translated her zonal assignments 

into the zonal and stage scheme of Burnett (1996), which is 

followed here.

European stage assignments of Upper Cretaceous formations in the Gulf Coast were summarized by Sohl and 

others (1991) on the basis mainly of mollusk, planktonic 

foraminiferal, and calcareous nannofossil data. Tschudy 

(1973, 1975) and Christopher (1982b,c) instead used pollen 

taxa to correlate these Gulf Coast stratigraphic units with 

those of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and of Europe.

The standard pollen zonation for the Upper Cretaceous 

of the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains (fig. 2) has been 

developed in a series of abstracts and papers, notably those 

of Doyle (1969), Sirkin (1974), Wolfe (1976), Doyle and 

Robbins (1977), and Christopher (1977b, 1982c). This 

zonation was based on material mainly from the Middle

Figure

3 ..„.„.„.....„

4 _________________

5 ——————

6 ... ——— ———

7 __„________„_„

8, 9 -————-

10——————

11———————

12——————

13..-........—.

14— _____________

15— _____________

16——————

17———————

18——————

19— _____________

20——————

21——————

Sample R no. (slide no.)

Plate 7 — Continued

R4664 BA(4)

R4664 BA(4)

R4664 BB(4)

R4705 CB(4)

R4664 CD(3)

R4705 CB(4)

R4664 CA(4)

R4664 BB(4)

R4705 BF(2)

R4705 BG(3)

R4705 BG(3)

R4664 CA(4)

R4664 CA(4)

R4664CB(3)

R4664 BB(4)

R4836 B(3)

R4664 BB(4)

R4705 CB(4)

Coordinates

26.7 x 84.3

70 7 v Q4 ?

23.3x99.6

11 i \/ en o

22.3 x 106.7

30.2 x 89.0

36.8x76.4

36.0x108.0

26.1x72.0

30.1x72.1

36.0x103.7

35.8 x 102.0

32.3x73.7

32.7 x 100.5

28.7x95.9

30.3x77.4

28.7x97.8

32.2x81.4

Atlantic States. The base of pollen Zone V (fig. 2) occurs in 

the lowermost part of the Austin Chalk of Texas (Christopher, 1982c), which is Coniacian (Sohl and others, 1991). 

The top of Zone V is Santonian (Christopher and others, 

1997). The South Amboy Fire Clay Member, which forms 

the upper part of the Raritan Formation in New Jersey, has 

not been dated by means of marine fossils; therefore, the 

age determinations of Christopher (1977a), as modified by 

Christopher (1982c), are used for this member. Aurisano's 

(1989) suggestion that the South Amboy Fire Clay Member 

should be reassigned from the Raritan to the Magothy Formation appears to be a good idea, but for purposes of the 

present paper, the South Amboy Fire Clay Member is 

retained in the Raritan Formation.

In this paper, age determinations are based on pollen 

range charts presented by Tschudy (1973, 1975), Wolfe 

(1976), Christopher (1978, 1979), Frederiksen and Christopher (1978), and Litwin and others (1993), with some 

occurrence and range data from additional publications (for 

example, Tschudy, 1970; Christopher and others, 1979; 

Christopher, 1980). We have preferred to use the better 

known Atlantic Coastal Plain stratigraphic ranges rather 

than Gulf Coast ranges. However, it appears that some pollen taxa have somewhat different stratigraphic ranges in the 

Carolinas and Georgia than they have in the Middle Atlantic 

States. This regional difference may account for difficulties 

in making age determinations for some samples in this 

paper (R.A. Christopher, written commun., 1996). Similar
C6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976)

SUBZONE ZONE ZONE

POLLEN 

ZONATION

OF

CHRISTOPHER 

(1977b)

POLLEN

ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

OF CHRISTOPHER 

(1979)

SUBZONE

MT. LAUREL FM. 

WENONAH FM.

MARSHALLTOWN FM.

ENGLISHTOWN FM.

WOODBURY CLAY

MERCHANTVILLE FM.

UNNAMED MARINE BEDS

MAGOTHY FM .

RARITAN FM.

(PART)

"CLIFFWOOD BEDS"

"MORGAN BEDS"

AMBOY STONEWARE CLAY MBR

OLD BRIDGE SAND MBR.

SOUTH AMBOY FIRE CLAY MBR.

CA-5

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

NO DATA

"CA^T

Figure 2. Chart showing European stage assignments of 

Coniacian to Maastrichtian formations in New Jersey and 

the main pollen zonations proposed for these formations. 

Sources of the stage assignments are given in the text. Not

NO DATA

NO DATA NO DATA

tPSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALAC1TES MINOR

shown is the tentative assignment of the unnamed marine 

beds to Zone CA-2A by Litwin and others (1993). FM., 

Formation, MBR., Member.

differences in marine coccolith floras between New Jersey 

and Georgia are reported by Bukry (this volume, chap. D).

Most of the pollen taxa mentioned in this report (table 

4) have been illustrated previously in the publications listed, 

but many of the taxa are also illustrated in this report (plates 

1-5).

Relatively little has been published on the dinoflagellates from Upper Cretaceous sediments of the Eastern 

United States. Early work in Texas (Zaitzeff and Cross, 

1971) has been supplemented by recent papers by Srivastava 

(1991, 1993) and Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary studies by 

Habib and others (1996). Papers by Habib and Miller (1989) 

and Lucas-Clark (1992) list some of the dinoflagellates

from South Carolina from the same stratigraphic units that 

are present in the Georgia cores discussed here. The study 

by Firth (1987) in western Georgia dealt with dinoflagellates near the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary.

Dinoflagellates from the Atlantic Coastal Plain have 

been described by several authors, including Koch and Olsson (1977), Whitney (1979), May (1980), and Aurisano 

(1989). The dinoflagellate succession described by May 

(1980) from the Mount Laurel Formation in the Atlantic 

Highlands in New Jersey is of particular relevance. Some of 

the key dinoflagellate taxa from the present samples are 

illustrated in plates 6 and 7, and the dinoflagellate and acritarch taxa mentioned in this report are listed in table 5.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C7 

Table 4. List of pollen taxa mentioned in this paper with some synonyms.

Taxon Plate Figure

Brevicolporites sp. ——————————————————————————————————————— 3 14, 15

Brevicolporites sp. A of Christopher (1978); see CP3F-1 ———————————————— — —

Casuarinidites sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978) = Triatriopollenites rurensis Pflug & Thomson in Thomson and Pflug (1953) of Gray and Groot (1966) —— 1 14, 17

Casuarinidites sp. ——————————————————————————————————————— — —

Complexiopollis abditus Tschudy = NB-1 of Wolfe (1976)——————————— 2 11

Complexiopollis exigua Christopher————————————————————————————— — —

Complexiopollis funiculus Tschudy ————————————————————————————— 2 10

Complexiopollis sp. D of Christopher (1979) ——————————————————————— — —

Complexiopollis sp. E of Christopher (1979)—————————————————————— — —

Complexiopollis sp. H of Christopher (1979) —————————————————————— — —

Complexiopollis sp. I of Christopher (1979) ———————————————————————— — —

Complexiopollis sp. ———————————————————————————————————— 2 12

Complexiopollisl sp.—————————————————————————————————————— 2 17-19

C3A-2 of Wolfe (1976) ————————————————————————— — —

Aff. C3C-1 of Wolfe (1976)——————————————————————— 4 7

CP3B-1 of Wolfe (1976)——————————————————————————— — —

CP3B-6 of Wolfe (1976) ————————————————————————————— — —

CP3D-1 of Wolfe (1976)—————————————————————————— — —

CP3D-3 of Wolfe (1976) = Holkopollenites cf. H. chemardensis Fairchild in Stover and

others (1966) of Christopher (1978)———————————————————— 4 3

5 1-3

CP3E-1 of Wolfe (1976) = 1 Holkopollenites sp. of Christopher (1978) —————— 4 12, 13

5 4-9

CP3F-1 of Wolfe (1976) in part = Brevicolporites sp. A of Christopher (1978) ——— 3 12, 13

4 1,2

4 4,5

CP3F-2 of Wolfe (1976) = Brevicolporites sp. B of Christopher (1978)—————— — —

CP3G-1 of Wolfe (1976)—————————————————————————— 4 8

Holkopollenites spp. —————————————————————————————————————— 4 14, 15

5 14

Interporopollenites turgidus Tschudy ———————————————————————————— 2 2

Labrapollis sp. B of Christopher (1979) ———————————_.__.__.__.——.__.__. — —

Lanagiopollis cribellatus (Srivastava) Frederiksen = CP3A-3 of Wolfe (1976) = Tricolporites sp. C of Christopher (1980)——————————————————— 3 16

Libopollis sp.—————————————————————————————————————————— — —

Momipites fragilis Frederiksen & Christopher——————————————————————— — —

Momipites microfoveolatus (Stanley) Nichols = NK-3 of Wolfe (1976) ———————— 1 3

Momipites tenuipolus group of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978) = NK-2 of Wolfe

(1976)------------------------------------------------------------———————————— 1 5

Momipites sp. H of Christopher (1979) ——————————————————————————— — —

Momipites sp. I of Christopher (1979) —————————————————————————— — —

Momipites n. sp. 1 ————————————————————————————————————— 1 6, 7

1 10-12

Cf. MPH-1 of Wolfe (1976) ———————————————————————— 5 10, 11

New genus A of Tschudy (1975)————————————————————-— 2 13

New genus D, sp. B of Christopher (1979) —————————————————— 2 21
C8 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA 

Table 4. List of pollen taxa mentioned in this paper with some synonyms—Continued.

Taxon Plate Figure

New genus D, sp. H of Christopher (1979) —————————————————— 2 20

New genus D, sp. J of Christopher (1979)——————————-———————— 3 i

New genus D, sp. L of Christopher (1979) ————————————————— 3 2

N20-2 of R. A. Christopher (unpublished) —————————————————— 3 3-5

N20-12of R.A. Christopher (unpublished)————————————————------ 1 13

NB-2 of Wolfe (1976) = Complexiopollis sp. of Christopher (1978) ——————— — —

NB-3 of Wolfe (1976)——————————————————————————— — —

Cf. ND-2 of Wolfe (1976) ———————————————————————— 2 16

NF-1 of Wolfe (1976) = Trudopollis sp. A of Christopher (1978) ————————— — —

NO-3 of Wolfe (1976) = Betulaceoipollenites sp. of Christopher (1978) —-———— — —

NP-1 of Wolfe (1976) = Triatriopollenites sp. A of Christopher (1980)—————— — —

NP-2 of Wolfe (1976) = Triatriopollenites sp. of Christopher (1978) = Triatriopollenites sp. B of Christopher (1980) ~~—-~—~_~_~__-~~~~—----------------------- 1 8, 9

Nyssapollenites sp. of Christopher (1982b) ——————————————————————— — —

Nyssapollenites sp.——————————————————————————————————————— 4 10, 11

Plicapollis sp. A of Christopher (1979)————-—————————————— 2 8

Plicapollis sp. K of Christopher (1979)—————-————————————— 2 9

Plicatopollis cretacea Frederiksen & Christopher = NN-2 of Wolfe (1976) ————— — —

IPorocolpopollenites sp. A of Christopher and others (1979) ————————————— 3 6, 7

Porocolpopollenites n. sp. 1 ————————————————————————————————— 3 8

Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy——————————————————————————————— 2 14, 15

Proteacidites sp. aff. PR-3 of Wolfe (1976) ————————————————— — —

PR-1 of Wolfe (1976) = Proteacidites sp. B of Christopher (1978) ——————— 1 18

	2 1

PR-5 of Wolfe (1976) = Proteacidites sp. C of Christopher (1978) ——————— — —

PR-7 of Wolfe (1976) = Proteacidites sp. A of Christopher (1978) = Proteacidites sp.

G of Christopher (1980) ————————————————————————— 1 15, 16

Rhombipollis sp.———————————————————————————————————————— 3 10, 11

Rugubivesiculites sp. ————————————————————————————————————— 1 1

Santalacites minor Christopher ————————————————————————————— — —

Tetracolporate sp. ——————————————————————————— 5 12, 13

Triatriopollenites spp. ————————————————————————————————————— 1 2, 4

Tricolpites spp. ———————————————————————————————————————— 2 5-7

Tricolporites sp. ———————————————————————————————————————— 4 6, 9

Cf. Triporate type 4 of Christopher (1979) ——————————————————— 1 19-21

Trisectoris costatus Tschudy ————————————————————————————————— 2 3,4

Trudopollis sp. cf. T. meekeri Newman ——————————————————————————— 3 9
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C9

Table 5. List of dinoflagellate and acritarch taxa mentioned in this paper.

Taxon Plate Figure

Alisogymnium-Dinogymnium spp. = specimens representing various species of the genera

Alisogymnium Lentin & Vozzhennikova 1990 and Dinogymnium Evitt et al. 1967 —— 6 1,2

Alterbidinium acutulum (Wilson 1967) Lentin & Williams 1985—————————————— 6 3

Andalusiella polymorpha (Malloy 1972) Lentin & Williams 1977————————————— 6 5

Andalusiella spicata (May 1980) Lentin & Williams 1981 ———————————~— 6 4, 6

Cerodinium pannuceum (Stanley 1965) Lentin & Williams 1987 ————————————— 6 7

Cerodinium striatum (Drugg 1967) Lentin & Williams 1987 ——-——-——-----—--—— 6 8

Cordosphaeridiumfibrospinosum Davey & Williams 1966 ———————————————— 6 9

Cribroperidinium Neal & Sarjeant 1962, emend. Helenes 1984 sp.———————————— 6 10

Diphyes recurvatumMay 1980—————————————————————————————————— 6 11

Exochosphaeridium Davey et al. 1966 sp.—————————————————————————— 6 12

Fromea Cookson & Eisenack 1958, emend. Yun 1981 spp. ———————————————— 6 13, 14

Lejeunecysta Artzner & Dorhofer 1978, emend. Bujak 1980 sp. —————————————— 7 18

Membranosphaera maastrictica Samoilovitch 1961 ————————————————————— 6 15

Odontochitina costata Alberti 1961————————————————————————————— 7 1

Operculodinium Wall 1967 spp. ——————————————————————————————— 6 16

Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre 1935 ———————————————————— 7 2, 3

PalaeoperidiniumDeftandre 1934, emend. Sarjeant 1967 sp.———————————————— 7 4

Spiniferites Mantell 1850, emend. Sarjeant 1970 spp.———————————————————— 7 6

Spongodinium delitiense (Ehrenberg 1838) Deflandre 1936 ———————————————— 7 7

Tanyosphaeridium xanthiopyxides (Wetzel 1933) Stover & Evitt 1978—————————— 7 5

Tricodinium castanea (Deflandre 1935) Clark & Verdier 1967 ——————————————— 7 8, 9

Xenascus ceratioides (Deflandre 1937) Lentin & Williams 1973 ————————————— 7 19

Miscellaneous areoligeracean forms ————————————————————————————— 7 15-17, 21

Miscellaneous chorate forms (excluding Spiniferites spp.) ————————————————— 7 14

Small peridiniacean forms—————————————————————————————————— 7 10-13, 20
C10 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

MILLHAVEN TEST HOLE

The Millhaven test hole (33X048) was drilled by the 

U.S. Geological Survey at lat 32°53'25" N., long 81°35'43" 

W., near Sylvania, Burtons Ferry Landing 7.5-min quadrangle, Screven County, Ga. (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 

110 ft above sea level. Sixteen Upper Cretaceous samples 

were examined for pollen and dinoflagellates from the depth 

interval of 1,212.0 to 680.8 ft (table 1). Stratigraphic occurrences of angiosperm pollen taxa in the productive samples 

are shown in figure 3; many of these samples also contained 

the Cretaceous gymnosperm pollen genus Rugubivesiculites 

Pierce. Taxon occurrences of dinoflagellates in 10 samples 

are shown in figure 4.

CAPE FEAR FORMATION

No palynological samples were studied from the Cape 

Fear Formation in the Millhaven core.

MIDDENDORF FORMATION

SUBUNIT 2

Sample R4664 BA, from a 1,212.0-ft depth, is from 

subunit 2 of the Middendorf Formation. It contains only two 

useful angiosperm pollen taxa (fig. 3). Both of these range 

throughout Zone V (fig. 2), which is equivalent to the combined Complexiopollis exigua-Santalacites minor, 

Pseudoplicapollis longiannulata-Plicapollis incisa, and 

IPseudoplicapollis cuneata-Semioculopollis verrucosa 

Zones (fig. 2) of Coniacian, Santonian, and earliest Campanian age. The same sample contains rare dinoflagellate cysts 

of Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre and other 

peridiniacean forms, which suggests a marginal marine or 

very nearshore marine environment.

BLACK CREEK GROUP

SUBUNIT 1

Sample R4664 CA, from a depth of 1,124.3 to 1,124.7 

ft in the Millhaven test hole, is from subunit 1 of the Black 

Creek Group. Pollen taxa occurrences in this sample are 

shown in figure 5. Six species are not known to range 

higher, or they barely range higher, than the top of 

the 1 Pseudoplicapollis cuneata-Semioculopollis verrucosa

Zone. Because of the presence of these taxa, Clarke and others (1996) interpreted this sample as being Santonian in age 

and as belonging to Zone V (fig. 2). It should be noted that 

Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy apparently has not been 

reported from the Atlantic Coastal Plain and is known only 

from a single sample of the Eutaw Formation in western 

Georgia (Tschudy, 1975). Sohl and others (1991) considered the Eutaw Formation to be middle Coniacian to late 

(but not latest) Santonian in age in western Georgia. This 

formation age is used for the age range of Praecursipollis 

plebius Tschudy shown in figure 5 and other range charts of 

this paper that include this species. A very similar species, 

Praecursipollis sp. A of Christopher (1979), has a range in 

New Jersey from the base of the Complexiopollis 

exigua-Santalacites minor Zone to the lower part of the 

1 Pseudoplicapollis cuneata-Semioculopollis verrucosa 

Zone; thus, Praecursipollis sp. A has a range virtually identical to the range shown for Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy 

in this paper.

CP3B-1 and CP3B-6 of Wolfe (1976) are known from 

the uppermost part of the 1 Pseudoplicapollis cuneata-Semioculopollis verrucosa Zone, but they are not known to coexist with Complexiopollis exigua Christopher, Momipites sp. 

I of Christopher (1979), and New genus D, sp. L of Christopher (1979). CP3B-1 and CP3B-6 belong to the Holkopollenites complex, which is as yet poorly described and only 

partly illustrated. This complex is mainly developed in the 

Campanian and Maastrichtian although it has its range base 

in the Santonian (Christopher, 1982a).

PR-1 of Wolfe (1976), Proteacidites sp. aff. PR-3 of 

Wolfe (1976), and CP3D-3 of Wolfe (1976) might be contaminants, presumably from drilling mud, or they might 

have been misidentified. A more likely explanation for the 

species range pattern in figure 5 is that sample R4664 CA 

contains a number of reworked taxa from the Coniacian and 

Coniacian to Santonian, but the sample is probably assignable to mid-Campanian Zone CA-4.

Sample R4664 CA contains rare dinoflagellates of 

Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre, other peridiniacean forms, and miscellaneous areoligeracean forms 

(fig. 4), suggesting a marginal marine or very nearshore 

marine environment. These dinoflagellate specimens might 

be reworked. However, this possibility is unlikely because 

(1) the specimens are fragile and would not withstand 

reworking while remaining in a fair state of preservation, 

and (2) formations from which they might be reworked 

(Cape Fear and Middendorf) are entirely or nearly entirely 

nonmarine.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C11

800

900-

1000

1100-

1200

STEEL

CREEK

FM.

(PART)

BLACK

CREEK

GROUP

MIDDENDORF 

FM. 

(PART)

CO

1-

z

CD

CO

OJ

1-

Z

CD

CO

H 

Z

CD

CO

OJ

| 15 

1 CO

\J

LLI ^

i *

t 5

co .£

LLI ?

SAMPLES OFSERI R4664 

CF

GA

FE

DA,CD 

CC

CB

FD

BB

CA

C

Is 0

« T 

> ^

h 

j

: H ) •' 

5 C 

3 " 

i !

0

0

!;< (

i h

* ^ s-

~ it.

- (

5 c

3 i

= c 

3 "c

5 - 

i c

S c 

1 *

M/5 >

y

4

: °

> £

H' ^

C 5 p

5 g

J 

. ft 1 «

3" *

o S 5 1 1\

, 5

: Q

i C

5

)

i

j

5

(j

5 1£ 

J

i c

.0

i a

i i

l! 

:*

5

a

0

T 

L

0

i

!

1*c

X

1 «

h

2 i

h

2 "c

3 C n: c

0 (

5" ^

^ r

5 v

r 1

2- X

n

H

* 

»" *

M MH

5 C

•)"

S 

j

i 

i ^

: ex si

5 

1

0 "

i"

i-a

5S 

; C

D C

- •> ah

- T 

1 I

3 C

: <

3 *

3 T

3 C 3 C" 

- Q 

) t

5

? S

D a

h

. c

3 .C 

- '<•

II

3

j

i

I!

» •!

H; c 

i C

!!

D <

T 

!

J

!

1

^ "i

i i 3.

.^ D >

1 '

: C 

3 5

5 !

VI

N

> 4

j

3

0

5

5 5 

: S•r

0 >2

3 I

u: c_

(

)

<

1 1

5 u 

'$

) Z.

' J 

' ]

- <

3 *

- C 

) D

C

)

(

1

I

Holkopollenites spp.

> c

o

0 (

o

3

o C

3

"g O) 

CO ^-

§ 1 co -5 

£ o 

0 w

-o - — ^ •;;

1 = £ f 8-1 s ~ !co 1" _^ w o> TO IjU "o ^ ^ ^^ o> ^ ~^rv-^-' 0

2 TO M § ""^ < 33. ® r£ ^ •>- $ *= r\ £ ** "S|lf d3 *d«l^« -I 81 «ls.

%o3i >c= -^~ P > co <Q rft co 7; -^ -S^Zn Q) ^ >» i;S'*-t to Q (D -^ O co c*trO •*-" 

- C -^ ^0 Q) ^ fc*~**--C> O O > ^^ 

^.S2 tS-G*Q(bo"£Q) -2 ^ ^ fn" *£ CO

_ Q. Q) Q) ^ £ *C ^ "£ in— O" Q) -$2 ^ CO O 2 Q)

:-2§§b$£i2$o5z£o§'-j£oo<oi5

> A o o i o o

41 0 4> • • O

A 0 , , , 4> • •

i A

C)

4 41 0

-\

Figure 3. Chart showing pollen taxa occurrences in 11 samples 

between 1,212.0 and 733.2 ft in the Millhaven core, Screven 

County, Ga. Solid circles indicate that the identification of the 

specimens was checked by R.A. Christopher from 

photomicrographs provided by the senior author; hollow circles 

indicate that the identification of the specimens was not so checked;

A = aff., meaning the specimens observed were similar to the taxon 

listed but probably belong to a different species; C = cf., meaning 

that the specimens are similar to and may well belong to the taxon 

listed; P indicates that the specimens probably belong to the taxon 

listed; Q indicates that identification of the taxon was questionable, 

uncertain. Depths are in feet below land surface. FM., Formation.
C12 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

700 -

800 -

900 -

1000 -

1100 -

a. K

'usorioide

rPalaeoperidinium sp. 

Palaeohystrichophora ii

CO

£

chorale miscellaneous 

CO

E

small peridiniacean for

£

COo> 

o

to

miscellaneous areoliger

Q. 

Q.

|

Alisogymnium-Dinogymr Cerodinium pannuceun

VO

«

!•c

Tanyosphaeridium xant 

Andalusiella spicata

Q. 

Q. 

CO

$

1

Lejeunecysta sp. 

Xenascus ceratioides

pinosum

CO

Cordosphaeridium fibro Operculodinium spp. Cerodinium striatum Cribroperidinium sp. Diphyes recurvatum

ca o>

Andalusiella polymorph Spongodinium delitiens

1200 -

1300 -

STEEL 

CREEK 

FORMATION

BLACK 

CREEK 

GROUP

MIDDENDORF 

FM.

SUBUNIT 3

SUBUNIT 2

SUBUNIT 1

SUBUNIT 2

SUBUNIT 1

CAPE FEAR FM.

- CF No Dinocysls

- FG

FE No Dinocysls 

CD

h CC

CB 

FD

- BB

- CA

- BA

+ *

o o

•

t t

+

Figure 4. Chart showing dinoflagellate taxa occurrences in 10 samples between 1,212.0 and 680.8 

ft in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. Depths are in feet below land surface. FM., Formation.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C13

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE 

(1976) 

AND LITWIN 

^ w AND OTHERS POLLEN 

H LU o < 1993> ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

>? £ ^ SUB- OF CHRISTOPHER 

CO CO CO ZONE ZONE (1979)

CRETACEOUS CC 

LU

a. 

a.

D

<

io

cc I

J

;AMPANIAN

| SANTON.- CONIACIAN 

NO DAT/

CA-6/ E 

MA-1 -

t

m

CA-5

MtyMs*

CA-5 ~

CA-4

CA-3 - 

/

CA-2

CA-2? f

NO DAT

fe^KBftE

V

\\

I

1

3

1

I NO DATA

I

y

1* 

3

\

3 

\

3

tf

1PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLL1S VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATA- 

\ PLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

1

Complexiopollis exigua

1 Momipites sp. —————— Praecursipollis plebius ———————— Labrapollis Bsp. 

Mon o*

lj i

cL c

W <J

d c

co ^ 

CD a

O) C

i 1 1

CO CO 

CO CO

a. 

o

Figure 5. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in sample R4664 CA, subunit 1 of 

the Black Creek Group, from 1,124.3-1,124.7 ft in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. The known 

range shown for N20-2 of R.A. Christopher (unpublished) is from Christopher (written commun., 

1996). The identification of taxa followed by an asterisk was checked by R.A. Christopher from 

photomicrographs provided by the senior author; therefore, these taxa are of greater significance than 

the others. Full names of taxa are in figure 3 and table 4.
C14 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

SUBUNIT 2

Pollen grains and dinoflagellates were examined from 

two samples of subunit 2 of the Black Creek Group in the 

Millhaven core. They are R4664 BB and R4664 FD (figs. 3, 

4).

Pollen taxa occurrences in sample R4664 BB, from a 

1,029.5-ft depth, are shown in figure 6. The stratigraphic 

ranges are not very informative except to indicate that the 

age of the sample is probably late Campanian or Maastrichtian. However, Bukry (this volume, chap. D) reports that on 

the basis of calcareous nannofossils the interval between 

1,077.0 and 968.0 ft is late Campanian (Zone CC 22) in age.

Sample R4664 FD, from a depth of 941.7 to 941.9 ft, 

contains mainly long-ranging pollen taxa (fig. 7). Interpretation of the stratigraphic ranges is complicated by the fact 

that the specimen identified as cf. ND-2 only probably 

belongs to species ND-2 of Wolfe (1976), and the identification of species PR-1 of Wolfe (1976) was even more tenuous. However, like the underlying sample R4664 BB, this 

sample cannot be older than late Campanian; therefore, the 

specimen of New genus D, sp. H of Christopher (1979) is 

reworked or was misidentified, or its range should be 

extended upward.

Dinoflagellates are moderately abundant and diverse in 

samples R4664 BB and FD (1,029.5 and 941.7-941.9 ft, 

respectively; fig. 4). Important species include Andalusiella 

spicata (May) Lentin & Williams, Cerodinium striatum 

(Drugg) Lentin & Williams, Cerodinium pannuceum (Stanley) Lentin & Williams, Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides 

Deflandre, and Xenascus ceratioides (Deflandre) Lentin & 

Williams. The assemblage indicates correlation with the 

Mount Laurel Formation in New Jersey. This is because the 

first two species have their lowest occurrences in the Mount 

Laurel Formation and the last three species have their highest occurrences near the top of the Mount Laurel Formation 

(May, 1980). As previously stated, we consider the Mount 

Laurel Formation to be upper Campanian. However, late 

Campanian calcareous nannofossils were only found as 

high as 968.0 ft (Bukry, this volume, chap. D). Therefore, 

the possibility cannot be excluded that some of the stratigraphically highest occurrences of diverse dinoflagellate 

assemblages in the Millhaven core (as well as in the Girard 

and Thompson Oak cores) might be correlative with the 

uppermost Campanian part of the Mount Laurel-Navesink 

unconformity (fig. 2), that is, slightly younger than the preserved Mount Laurel Formation itself.

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976)

AND LITWIN 

AND OTHERS 

(1993)

Figure 6. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen 

taxa in sample R4664 BB, subunit 2 of the Black Creek Group, 

from 1,029.5 ft in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. The 

identification of the taxon followed by an asterisk was checked by 

R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior 

author; therefore, this taxon is of greater significance than the 

other. Full names of taxa are in figure 3 and table 4. The question 

mark indicates that the youngest age of the taxon is uncertain.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C15

I 

d.

POLLEN '

ZONATION c

OF WOLFE

(1976) j

AND LITWIN i

0 •= C

S u

^ O V

3 ° •-

5 i ^ .£

^ M AND OTHERS POLLEN ^' Z ,_ g 5 

^ LU g (1993) ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 1 ^ re -^ ct

>? £ ^ SUB- OF CHRISTOPHER 2

CO CO CO ZONE ZONE (1979)

CO

O

LU

<

LUtr

o

cc

LU

QL 

QL

— ^

•z.

P

O

cc

Z

1QL

*E

o

o

Z

CO

Z

o

Z

o 

o

NO DATA

CA-6/

MA-1

B

—

A

•

H

CA-5 B

s

CA-5

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

CA-2?

A

B

A

B

A?

Z32HZ1

NO DATA

NO DATA

7PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEM1OCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

: 0 51 i= c-

/

Figure 7. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in 

sample R4664 FD, subunit 2 of the Black Creek Group, from 941.7-941.9 ft 

in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. The identification of taxa 

followed by an asterisk was checked by R.A. Christopher from 

photomicrographs provided by the senior author; therefore, these taxa are of 

greater significance than the others. The stratigraphic range shown for 

species cf. ND-2 is the known range of ND-2 of Wolfe (1976). The 

identification of species PR-1 of Wolfe (1976) was uncertain. Full names of 

taxa are in figure 3 and table 4.
C16 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

SUBUNIT 3

Pollen grains and dinoflagellates were examined from 

two samples of subunit 3 of the Black Creek Group in the 

Millhaven core. They are R4664 CB and R4664 CC (figs. 3, 

4).

Sample R4664 CB from a depth of 913.8-914.2 ft has 

only sparse pollen grains that include only a few taxa (fig. 

3). The only useful species, Lanagiopollis cribellatus 

(Srivastava) Frederiksen, ranges from mid-Campanian Zone 

CA-4 into the Paleocene.

Sample R4664 CC, from 849.3-849.6 ft, contains so 

few (fig. 3) and such long-ranging pollen taxa that little can 

be said about its age.

The dinoflagellate assemblage in sample R4664 CB of 

subunit 3 (913.8-914.2 ft; fig. 4) is virtually identical to the 

assemblage in the sample below (R4664 FD at 941.7-941.9 

ft) in subunit 2. Important species include Andalusiella spicata (May) Lentin & Williams, Cerodinium striatum 

(Drugg) Lentin & Williams, Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre, and Xenascus ceratioides (Deflandre) Lentin & Williams. Here again, the assemblage is late 

Campanian, correlative with the Mount Laurel Formation in 

New Jersey.

Sample R4664 CC (849.3-849.6 ft) has a less diverse 

assemblage but contains the highest occurrence of Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre. The highest occurrence of P. infusorioides Deflandre marks the top of Koch 

and Olsson's (1977) P. infusorioides Zone, which we now 

consider to correlate approximately with the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary.

STEEL CREEK FORMATION

Ten samples of the Steel Creek Formation from the 

Millhaven test hole were examined for pollen and 

dinoflagellates. Three samples were barren of both pollen 

and dinoflagellates (table 1): R4664 FF, CE, and CG. A 

fourth sample—R4664 GB—contains practically no pollen 

and only late Paleocene dinoflagellates, which are clearly 

contaminants from uphole. The six samples providing biostratigraphic information are discussed below.

Figure 8 displays stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in 

three Steel Creek samples from between depths of 830.5 

and 824.1 ft in the Millhaven test hole:

Sample

R4664 FE 

R4664 DA 

R4664 CD

Depth below land 

surface, in feet

824.1-824.4 

829.5-829.8 

830.3-830.5

These three samples contain many taxa that were not 

found to range lower in the Millhaven core section. These 

pollen taxa include several reworked forms from the Santonian and lower Campanian, but the bulk of the evidence 

points to a Campanian or Maastrichtian age. The apparent 

presence of CP3E-1 of Wolfe (1976) and cf. MPH-1 of 

Wolfe (1976) suggests an assignment to Zone CA-5, of middle to late Campanian age. However, the specimen of cf. 

MPH-1 may have been misidentified or may be reworked, 

and CP3E-1 might be observed to range up into the early 

Maastrichtian if strata of that age are found preserved in certain parts of the coastal plain. The critical taxon in these 

samples is a new species, Momipites n. sp. 1 (pi. 1, figs. 6, 7, 

10-12), known only from the Maastrichtian (R.A. Christopher, written commun., 1996). However, the species might 

possibly be determined to range down into the uppermost 

Campanian if strata of that age are locally found to be preserved. Furthermore, the pollen assemblage in sample 

R4664 DA includes a specimen of Interporopollenites turgidus Tschudy (pi. 2, fig. 2), which apparently has previously 

been known only from the lower Paleocene (Tschudy, 

1975). This specimen may represent contamination from 

drilling mud, but it appears more likely that this occurrence 

demonstrates that the species actually ranges, in the form of 

rare specimens, down into the Upper Cretaceous. If this is 

so, then the presence of Interporopollenites turgidus 

Tschudy would also suggest that the samples are Maastrichtian. In summary, because reworking and misidentification are more likely than contamination from uphole, samples R4664 CD, DA, and FE are most likely Maastrichtian 

in age.

Sample R4664 CD, from a depth of 830.3-830.5 ft in 

the Steel Creek Formation, contains a rather sparse 

dinoflagellate assemblage. The presence of Spongodinium 

delitiense (Ehrenberg) Deflandre, which has its lowest 

occurrence in the upper part of the Mount Laurel Formation 

in New Jersey (May, 1980), indicates that the sample is late 

Campanian or Maastrichtian.

Sample R4664 FE, from 824.1-824.4 ft, does not contain dinoflagellates; sample R4664 DA, from 829.5-829.8 

ft, was not examined for these fossils.

In summary, the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary 

in the Millhaven core appears to be between 849.3-849.6 

and 830.3-830.5 ft, apparently coinciding with the boundary between the Black Creek Group and the Steel Creek 

Formation at 839.0 ft. This is because the last occurrence of 

Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre is at 849.3- 

849.6 ft and the species is not known to range higher than 

the Campanian (as the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary 

is defined in Burnett, 1996), and the first appearance of
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C17

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976)

AND LITWIN 

^ M AND OTHERS

H y O (1993)

£ S P* SUBC/) C/) C/) ZONE ZONE

NO DATA

-?•

CA-5

CA-4

CA-2

NO DATA

POLLEN

ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

OF CHRISTOPHER 

(1979)

NO DATA

1PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

•SQ. 

O

l. LJJ

co co

D. Q.

0 0

CO 

Q

8 ±

CL Z

Q_ QO

CO «

.CD £

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

Figure 8. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in three samples (R4664 CD, DA, and 

FE) from the Steel Creek Formation between 830.5 and 824.1 ft in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. 

The identification of taxa followed by an asterisk was checked by R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs 

provided by the senior author; therefore, these taxa are of greater significance than the others. The 

identification of CP3E-1 of Wolfe (1976) and MPH-1 of Wolfe (1976) was only probable; the range lines 

show the known stratigraphic ranges of the species themselves. Full names of taxa are in figure 3 and table 4.
CIS GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Maastrichtian pollen species Momipites n. sp. 1 is at 830.3- 

830.5 ft.

Sample R4664 GA, from a depth of 769.0 to 769.3 ft, 

contains pollen species CP3F-1 of Wolfe (1976), not 

thought to range higher than the mid-Campanian, as well as 

Casuarinidites sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978) 

and Lanagiopollis cribellatus (Srivastava) Frederiksen, 

which probably range from about the mid-Campanian to 

near the top or above the top of the Cretaceous (fig. 9). 

Underlying samples from the Steel Creek Formation are 

very probably Maastrichtian; therefore, the specimen of 

CP3F-1 of Wolfe (1976) is presumably reworked. One specimen was found in sample R4664 GA that resembles Triporate type 4 of Christopher (1979), which is known only from 

one sample from the middle of the Magothy Formation near 

the Coniacian-Santonian boundary of New Jersey. Either the 

specimen in the Millhaven core represents a different species, or the species (species group?) actually ranges from 

the Santonian up to the Maastrichtian, or else the specimen 

is reworked from older strata. Sample R4664 GA lacks 

dinoflagellates.

Sample R4664 FG, from a depth of 755.0 to 755.3 ft, 

does not contain any known Cretaceous pollen grains. 

Instead, it has the lower Tertiary taxa Sparganiaceaepollenites sp., Plicatopollis triradiatus (Nichols) Frederiksen & 

Christopher, and Momipites-Plicatopollis-Platycaryapollenites complex of Frederiksen (1979). These specimens no 

doubt represent contamination of the sample by drilling 

mud. This sample also contains sparse dinoflagellates (fig. 

4) that may be either indigenous (Late Cretaceous), indicating at least a marginally marine environment of deposition, 

or may be Tertiary specimens representing contamination 

from uphole.

Sample R4664 CF, from a depth of 733.2 to 733.3 ft, 

apparently is late Campanian or early Maastrichtian in age 

according to the ranges of its pollen taxa (fig. 10). Because 

of the apparent Maastrichtian age of samples lower in the 

section (fig. 8), this is also probably Maastrichtian. This 

sample lacked dinoflagellates.

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976)

AND LITWIN 

^ „. AND OTHERS H y CD '1993'

£ g £ SUBCO CO CO ZONE ZONE

NO DATA

POLLEN

ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

OF CHRISTOPHER 

(1979)

Q_ CQ

o o

7PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEM1OCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLL/S INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

Figure 9. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen 

taxa in sample R4664 GA, Steel Creek Formation, from 769.0- 

769.3 ft in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. The 

identification of taxa followed by an asterisk was checked by 

R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior 

author; therefore, these taxa are of greater significance than the 

others. Full names of taxa are in figure 3 and table 4. A range line 

for C3C-1 of Wolfe (1976) is not shown because the specimen 

found is only similar to but probably not the same species as 

C3C-1.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C19

POLLEN 

2ONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976) 

AND LITWIN

3 CO mAND °THERS 

H U (D (1993) 

CO CC < CI1D 

>- LLJ h- SUB~ 

CO CO CO ZONE ZONE

NO DATA

CA-5

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

CA-2?

NO DATA

POLLEN

ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

OF CHRISTOPHER 

(1979)

NO DATA

•2

hj. in

CC CC

CL CL

7PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLL1S VEFIFtUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

Figure 10. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in 

sample R4664 CF, Steel Creek Formation, from 733.2-733.3 ft in the 

Millhaven core, Screven County, Ga. Full names of taxa are in figure 3 and 

table 4.
C20 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

GIRARD TEST HOLE

The U.S. Geological Survey drilled the Girard test hole 

(32Y020) in southern Burke County at the lookout tower on 

Griffins Landing Road, 2 miles north of the town of Girard, 

at lat 33°03'54" N., long 81°43'13" W., Girard 7.5-min 

quadrangle (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 250 ft above sea 

level. Nineteen Upper Cretaceous samples from this core 

were examined for palynomorphs (table 1). Three of these 

were scanned in detail for pollen (fig. 11), and four samples 

were scanned in detail for dinoflagellates (fig. 12).

CAPE FEAR FORMATION

No palynological samples were studied from the Cape 

Fear Formation in the Girard core.

MIDDENDORF FORMATION

SUBUNIT 1

Sample R4705 AA, from a depth of 1,138.0 to 1,139.0 

ft in the Girard core, is from subunit 1 of the Middendorf 

Formation. The sample had only four angiosperm pollen 

taxa of known stratigraphic range, and the ranges of these 

are spread throughout the Upper Cretaceous (fig. 13). 

Therefore, the data are ambiguous. This sample did not 

contain dinoflagellates, and neither did another sample 

from subunit 1; the second sample was barren of all 

palynomorphs.

SUBUNIT 2

Sample R4705 BA, from a depth of 1,012.0 to 1,012.3 

ft in the Girard core, is from subunit 2 of the Middendorf 

Formation. The sample is similar to sample R4705 AA in 

containing pollen taxa apparently having disparate stratigraphic ranges (fig. 14). According to R.A. Christopher 

(written commun., 1996), the pollen flora of the sample 

from 1,012.0-1,012.3 ft suggests a latest Santonian(?) or 

earliest Campanian age on the basis of a pollen correlation 

with the upper part of the Shepherd Grove Formation of the 

USGS Clubhouse Crossroads core in Dorchester County, 

S.C. The sample does not appear to correlate with the middle Santonian Middendorf Formation of the Clubhouse 

Crossroads core (see Gohn, 1992).

Six samples from the Middendorf Formation (subunit 

2) were examined for dinoflagellates (fig. 12), but none contained these fossils; therefore, these samples are assumed to 

be nonmarine.

o

D

O

O

O_l

o

X

1-

_l

BLACK

CREEK

GROUP

(PART)

MIDDENDORF

FM.

(PART)

SUBUNIT 

2

sulF

UNIT

1

SUBUNIT 

2

SUBUNIT

1

LL

O

W

LU

_l

a.

^

<

w

R^ DO

-BA

AA

LU b < _a> O

800-

900

1000-

1100-

0 «

-' a

D ^

I i

* 7

_ «

- 1 

? °

5 2

> <

— r»

3 0

«• T15 >-

'-£

0 C

5 S

• H5 T.

' c

: c

C

k ,

5

C

? s

. 0

• 5

-> 1

. "c 

c 1 5

s!

) (

c

. ,

c

X

* c

0

!li!

n> n

: <.

) C

:

i

i °

° 0

ili{u5 Cc

i c

3 a : T- I "

3 J

M j--

S T. 

i- u : c" 

S a

) C.

i <

?

r?

h

5 j

- c

a

5 g 

5 S

t <

o> t5

^ ^

^ sCP3D-3 ofWoBrevicolporites : N20-12 R.A. of 

• o •

»

Figure 11. Chart showing pollen taxa occurrences in three 

samples between 1,139.0 and 738.3 ft in the Girard core, Burke 

County, Ga. Solid circles indicate that the identification of the 

specimens was checked by R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior author; hollow circles indicate 

that the identification of the specimens was not so checked. 

Depths are in feet below land surface. FM., Formation.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C21

LLI

CO

m 

o

b S

LU Z hLU 3 

LL LL

- 0 co

O LU 

I -1 -1

CL ° %

Q Ij CO

600 -

700 -

~

800 -

-

900 -

-

1000 -

1100 -

_

1200 -

STEEL

CREEK

FM. (part)

BLACK

CREEK

GROUP

MIDDENDORF

FM.

SUBUNIT 3

SUBUNIT 2

SUBUNIT 1

SUBUNIT 2

SUBUNIT 1

CAPE

FEAR

FM.

(part)

- BH

Df^ — BG 

- CE

TR

RC

- BE

- DD 

- BD

- DC

- DB, 

- AC

- DA

- AB

- AA

LU

m

£

No

No

No 

No

No

BA 

No

No

No

No

Dinocysts

Dinocysts

Dinocysts 

Dinocysts

Dinocysts

"5a

c w

o c to E

Palaeohystrichophora infu chorate fmiscellaneous 

o

£ Q. E

9- s

c to

»$ £ $

£«* &

^ coSSs &II -g^g-Q-Eg^S gl - t|a SMU unit* 8 *3ig«* 8 lii3«§j

?Si.i3«s|?1^3l? 8. a 1. . §S«i8S--iS.SSS8 iihig!« |!|ii| illa^l«3*aS^^8

<» 0 0 0

ca

.u."§

Exochosphaeridium sp. 

Membranosphaera maast 

Tricodinium castaneal

0 0

No Dinocysts 

Dinocysts

Dinocysts

Dinocysts

Dinocysts

Figure 12. Chart showing dinoflagellate taxa occurrences in 15 samples between 1,139.0 and 720.3 ft in 

the; Girard core, Burke County, Ga. Depths are in feet below land surface. FM., Formation. Four samples 

were scanned in detail for dinoflagellates. Question marks within range lines indicate uncertainty of 

identification.
C22 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

POLLEN w

ZONATION Q"

OF WOLFE w

(1976) §

AND LITWIN D) ^~ ^

2 OT AND OTHERS POLLEN LJJ cp C

H y O ( 1993) ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES CD Q. 6 Q 

£ £ j5 SUB- OF CHRISTOPHER Z O Z C

CO CO CO ZONE ZONE (1979)

C/3

D 

O

LLJ

I

cc

0

cc

LLJ

QL 

Q.

D

Z 

<

II

O 

rr

MAASTF

<

|

<

O

-?-

z

O

z

<

C/3

Z

<

o

<

z

o

0

•MvSFmnm^mm**

NO DATA

CA-6/

MA-1

B

—

A

&%$ a 

1%m

CA-5 B

CA-5

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

CA-2?

B

A

B

A

B

~K

A?

CA-1 I

NO DATA

NO DATA

? PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

? :

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE 

(1976) 

AND LITWIN 

^ OT AND OTHERS POLLEN 

|£ W <3 (1993) ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

> £ j5 SUB- OF CHRISTOPHER 

CO CO CO ZONE ZONE (1979)

CRETACEOUS

UPPER

H

o

i 1

•z. 

<

1<

0

o 

<

C/3

<

i

g

3Myiiiisigii»»

NO DAT

CA-6/ 

MA-1 -

CA-5

m

81

CA-5 -

CA-4

CA-3 -

CA-2 

CA-2?

NO DAT

H

A

B 

A

B

1

i

1

i

i

E3 

A

B 

A

B 

A"

E 

\1

7 PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEM/OCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAA PLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

Complexiopollis abdi ———————————————————— CP3F-1*

Figure 13. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen 

taxa in sample R4705 AA, subunit 1 of the Middendorf 

Formation, from 1,138.0-1,139.0 ft in the Girard core, Burke 

County, Ga. Taxa followed by an asterisk indicate that 

identification of the specimens was checked by R.A. Christopher 

from photomicrographs provided by the senior author. Full names 

of taxa are in figure 11 and table 4. Question marks indicate that 

the youngest age of the taxon is uncertain.

Figure 14. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen 

taxa in sample R4705 BA, subunit 2 of the Middendorf Formation, 

from 1,012.0-1,012.3 ft in the Girard core, Burke County, Ga. The 

identification of the taxon followed by an asterisk was checked by 

R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior 

author; therefore, this taxon is of greater significance than the 

others. Full names of taxa are in figure 11 and table 4.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C23

BLACK CREEK GROUP

The lowest marine palynomorphs in the Black Creek 

Group in the Girard core were found at 868.5-868.7 ft, in 

subunit 2, and the presence and absence pattern of dinoflagellate occurrences (fig. 12) suggests nonmarine 

conditions in subunit 1 of the Black Creek Group, then 

marine conditions in subunit 2, then nonmarine deposition 

in subunit 3 of the Black Creek. The dinoflagellate-bearing 

assemblages in the Girard core are not as rich but contain 

many of the same taxa and are the same age as samples from 

subunit 2 and the lower part of subunit 3 of the Black Creek 

Group in the Millhaven core. The taxa found in Black Creek 

samples from both cores are Palaeohystrichophora 

infusorioides Deflandre, Xenascus ceratioides (Deflandre) 

Lentin & Williams, Cordosphaeridium fibrospinosum 

Davey & Williams, and Andalusiella spicata (May) Lentin 

& Williams. In the Millhaven core, these assemblages came 

from strata assignable in part to late Campanian calcareous 

nannofossil Zone CC 22 (Bukry, this volume, chap. D), and 

the dinoflagellate assemblages were correlated with those 

from the upper Campanian Mount Laurel Formation of New 

Jersey.

Most pollen assemblages from the Black Creek of the 

Girard core are sparse and not age diagnostic. However, 

sample R4705 BG, from 738.3 to 738.6 ft (subunit 2 of the 

Black Creek Group), had two useful pollen taxa (fig. 15), 

and the overlap of the ranges of these taxa suggests a middle 

to late Campanian age somewhere within Zone CA-4 or 

Zone CA-5. As noted above, dinoflagellates from this sample suggest a late Campanian age correlative with the upper 

part of pollen Zone CA-5.

STEEL CREEK FORMATION

No palynological samples were studied from the Steel 

Creek Formation in the Girard core.

THOMPSON OAK TEST HOLE

The Thompson Oak test hole was drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey at lat 33°10'42" N., long 81°47'10" W., 

Shell Bluff Landing 7.5-min quadrangle, Burke County, Ga. 

(fig. 1). The surface elevation is 240 ft above sea level. Two 

samples were examined from this core.

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976)

AND LITWIN

AND OTHERS

(1993)

F ° DC <

LJJ 

CO CO ZONE

SUBZONE

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

CA-2? A?

Figure 15. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of 

pollen taxa in sample R4705 BG, subunit 2 of the Black 

Creek Group, from 738.3-738.6 ft in the Girard core, 

Burke County, Ga. Not shown is species N20-12 of R.A. 

Christopher (unpub.), which has a very long stratigraphic 

range from Zone V (fig. 2) to the Maastrichtian (R.A. 

Christopher, written commun., 1996). The identification of 

the taxon followed by an asterisk was checked by R.A. 

Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior 

author; therefore, this taxon is of greater significance than 

the other. Full names of taxa are in figure 11 and table 4.
C24 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

BLACK CREEK GROUP

Two samples from the Black Creek Group in the 

Thompson Oak core were examined for dinoflagellates. The 

lower sample (R4836 A, 561.0 ft depth) is from a kaolinitic, 

lignitic, micaceous sand. It contains only three dinoflagellate specimens that do not appear to be marine. The upper 

sample (R4836 B, 505.0 ft depth) is from a sandy, micaceous, lignitic kaolin and contains a sparse assemblage similar to that of samples R4664 BB to CB (from subunit 2 and 

the lowermost part of subunit 3 of the Black Creek Group) 

in the Millhaven core, that is, Palaeohystrichophom infusorioides Deflandre(?), Xenascus ceratioides (Deflandre) Lentin & Williams, and Andalusiella spicata (May) Lentin & 

Williams (fig. 16). These dinoflagellate taxa indicate a nearshore marine to normal marine environment of deposition 

and a late Campanian age.

MILLERS POND TEST HOLE

The Millers Pond test hole was drilled by the Georgia 

Geologic Survey (Burke 2, GGS-3758) near Shell Bluff 

Landing on the Savannah River, lat 33°13'48" N., long 

81°52'44" W, McBean 7.5-min quadrangle, Burke County, 

Ga. (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 245 ft above sea level. 

Clarke and others (1994) provided a lithologic description 

of the cored section.

Fifteen samples were collected from Cretaceous strata 

in this core (table 1) from the depth interval of 852.0 to 

282.0 ft. Only four contained useful pollen assemblages 

(fig. 17), and none of the samples contained marine 

palynomorphs.

CAPE FEAR FORMATION

Christopher and others (1979) examined samples from 

the Cape Fear Formation of North Carolina and concluded, 

on the basis of the pollen flora, that the Cape Fear Formation could be assigned to undifferentiated pollen Zone V, 

which is approximately equivalent to the combined Complexiopollis exigua-Santalacites minor, Pseudoplicapollis 

longiannulata-Plicapollis incisa, and IPseudoplicapollis 

cuneata-Semioculopollis verrucosa Zones of Coniacian to 

earliest Campanian age (fig. 2).

o 

o

3 o

CO

400 -

500 -

600 -

700 -

800 -

900 -

STEEL CR 

FM. (part)

BLACK 

CREEK 

GROUP

MIDDENDORF

FM.

CAPE 

FEAR 

FM. 

(part)

- B

- A

infusorioides

Palaeohystrichophora

CO

o

peridiniacean small 

forrr eracean 

r-n

areolk miscellaneous 

1-J

Cerodinium pannuce spicata Andalusiella 

tn

ceratioidet Xenascus Operculodinium spp.

Figure 16. Chart showing dinoflagellate taxa occurrences in 

two samples from 561.0 and 505.0 ft, respectively (Black Creek 

Group), in the Thompson Oak core, Burke County, Ga. Depths 

are in feet below land surface. FM., Formation. Full names of 

taxa are in table 5.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C25

£35 03 03 .|

_ O Q £ § x

°

co

.<2 .2 .fo O)

z | w lilt !alllll!|i !!nl'll 0^5 1 1 1

^ — 1 _ | ^^^'r\""sJS^^^Qi^ :sRD>"o"OD) <"> n Q. "^ 1~ ^ O ^ 'S

g] f 2 SEE||cE^EEE|fe5225§S^3^<2^ T'"S

Q i] co ooo^^^otooo^^zSSziSix^cSooz^zi^

600-

-

700-

800-

BLACK 

CREEK GR

DORF

FM.

CAPE 

FEAR FM.

h°

-c

D ft f

• c } C3 C5 * C3 6 «» C) > « » (

P

5

Figure 17. Chart showing pollen taxa occurrences in four samples between 832.0 and 517.0 ft in 

the Millers Pond core, Burke County, Ga. Solid circles indicate that the identification of the 

specimens was checked by R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior author; 

hollow circles indicate that the identification of the specimens was not so checked; C = cf., meaning 

that the specimens are similar to and may well belong to the taxon listed; P indicates that the 

specimens probably belong to the taxon listed. Depths are in feet below land surface. GR., Group; 

FM., Formation.

Sample R4581 B, from a depth of 827.0 to 832.0 ft in 

the Millers Pond core, contains pollen taxa whose ranges 

suggest assignment to the combined Complexiopollis 

exigua-Santalacites minor, Pseudoplicapollis longiannulata-Plicapollis incisa, and 1 Pseudoplicapollis cuneataSemioculopollis verrucosa Zones (figs. 2, 18; the range of 

Momipites sp. I of Christopher (1979) is difficult to evaluate 

because the identification of this species has not been verified). However, sample R4581 C, from a depth of 797.0 to 

802.0 ft, can be narrowed to the Complexiopollis 

exigua-Santalacites minor and Pseudoplicapollis longiannulata-Plicapollis incisa Zones (fig. 19) and most likely 

belongs to the Complexiopollis exigua-Santalacites minor 

Zone of Coniacian age. Therefore, the underlying sample 

R4581 B would also belong to this zone. The occurrence of 

New Genus A of Tschudy (1975) is interesting, as it was 

previously known only from a single sample of the Eutaw 

Formation in western Georgia (Tschudy, 1975), which was

also the case with Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy (discussed under sample R4664 CA, Black Creek Group of the 

Millhaven core). Clarke and others (1994, 1996) and Leeth 

and others (1996) considered the Eutaw Formation of the 

eastern Gulf Coast to be correlative with the Middendorf 

Formation, not with the Cape Fear Formation, of the Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain. As an alternative interpretation, 

Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) correlated the Cape 

Fear Formation with the lower half of the Eutaw Formation, 

and the Middendorf Formation with the upper half of the 

Eutaw Formation.

The lack of both marine palynomorphs (dinoflagellates, acritarchs) and microforaminiferal linings in samples 

R4581 B and R4581 C suggests a nonmarine environment 

of deposition for the Cape Fear Formation.

Two additional samples from the Cape Fear Formation, 

from depths of 847.0-852.0 and 778.0 ft, were barren of 

palynomorphs.
C26 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

CO

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976)

AND LITWIN 

AND OTHERS 

ij (1993) 

5 SUBCO CO CO ZONE ZONE

POLLEN

ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

OF CHRISTOPHER 

(1979)

CRETACEOUS aaddn

NVINVdlAIVO c

NVIOVINOO "NO1NVS - 

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

CA-2?

B 

A

B 

"A

A?

NO DATA

NO DATA

7PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPL/CAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPL/CAPOLLIS INC/SA

COMPLEXIOPOLL/S EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

UJ

Q. 

C/>

.w

I

,5

.CO

a '

3

i .£2

n ^r\

.co

i1

vfc

Q. 

W

.CO

Q. 

CO

^

I

,O co -S- co

^j ^

o o

E E

o o

O O

E S

i i

-§•

1

O

« 'g

o

•S

-S

c

CO

CO

Figure 18. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in sample R4581 

B, Cape Fear Formation, from 827.0-832.0 ft in the Millers Pond core, Burke County, 

Ga. The identification of taxa followed by an asterisk was checked by R. A. Christopher 

from photomicrographs provided by the senior author; therefore, these taxa are of 

greater significance than the others. Full names of taxa are in figure 17 and table 4.

MIDDENDORF FORMATION

No productive palynological samples were studied 

from the Middendorf Formation in the Millers Pond core.

BLACK CREEK GROUP

Sample R4581 G, from 578.0 ft, contained only rare 

angiosperm pollen grains; the only useful pollen species 

(whose identification is probably correct) was Casuarinidites sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978). In the 

Middle Atlantic States, this species has a known range base 

in the mid-Campanian (see fig. 14). However, sample 

R4705 BA, from the Middendorf Formation of the Girard 

core, also contains this species (fig. 14). This Girard sample

is thought to be uppermost Santonian or lowermost Campanian, suggesting that Casuarinidites sp. A of Frederiksen 

and Christopher (1978) has its range base near the base of 

the Campanian. In summary, Millers Pond sample R4581 G 

may be latest Santonian or earliest Campanian like the 

Girard sample, or it may be younger.

Sample R4581 I, from 517.0 ft, contains taxa having a 

great variety of known stratigraphic ranges (fig. 20). Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy is probably reworked. If NF-1 

and CP3B-1 are reworked or misidentified, the other taxa 

would suggest a middle to late Campanian age within Zones 

CA-4 or CA-5. The absence of marine dinoflagellates and 

microforaminiferal linings in this sample (as in all Cretaceous samples from the Millers Pond core) indicates a nonmarine environment of deposition.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C27

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976) 

AND LITWIN

^ w AND OTHERS POLLEN

H y o < 1993) ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES

^ £ H SUB- OF CHRISTOPHER

WWW ZONE ZONE (1979)

CO

0 

us

0

IT, cc

u

UJ 

Q.

D

z

n

O

Rz

CO

o

z

o 

o

CA-4

CA-3 —

A

CA-2 B

k

CA-2? A?

CA-1 I

NO DATA

NO DATA

7PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EXIGUASANTALACITES MINOR

I

CD

.CO "o

8-

1 

Q.

1

a

§ 1 X Q.

d. •£ 

o 

co -SQi CO :§. B P Qi

o 5 

§ £

^

to

C

05 

CT

CD

Q

Q.

.co

1'i

I a

CO 

Q.

Q"

^i

CD 

CT

CD

z

1"o

8-

1

£OQ. 

CO

C

1

I

|

X 

d.

,co "o 

§-

1

|

Q. 

.CO "o 

c^_

CVJ

£

Figure 19. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in sample R4581 C, Cape Fear 

Formation, from 797.0-802.0 ft in the Millers Pond core, Burke County, Ga. The known range shown 

for Porocolpopollenites n. sp. 1 is from Christopher (written commun., 1996). The identification of 

taxa followed by an asterisk was checked by R.A. Christopher from photomicrographs provided by 

the senior author; therefore, these taxa are of greater significance than the others. Full names of taxa 

are in figure 17 and table 4.
C28 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

POLLEN 

ZONATION 

OF WOLFE

(1976) 

AND LITWIN

g eo mAND OTHERS

£ UJ O < 1993>

£ £ £ SUBC/D CO CO ZONE ZONE

NO DATA

CA-5

CA-4

CA-3

CA-2

NO DATA

POLLEN

ASSEMBLAGE-ZONES 

OF CHRISTOPHER 

(1979)

O

.QO CM

£ <

5 m Q. O

T S «? LL a. co

Z O Z

Q. Q.

O Z

NO DATA

1PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS CUNEATASEMIOCULOPOLLIS VERRUCOSA

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS LONGIANNULATAPLICAPOLLIS INCISA

COMPLEXIOPOLLIS EX1GUASANTALAC1TES MINOR

Figure 20. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges of pollen taxa in sample 

R4581 I, Black Creek Group, from 517.0 ft in the Millers Pond core, Burke County, 

Ga. The identification of taxa followed by an asterisk was checked by R.A. 

Christopher from photomicrographs provided by the senior author; therefore, these 

taxa are of greater significance than the others. Full names of taxa are in figure 17 

and table 4. Trudopollis sp. cf. T. meekeri is not shown because the stratigraphic 

range of the species in the eastern United States is unknown.
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C29

SUMMARY

Fifty-two Upper Cretaceous samples were examined 

for palynomorphs from four cores (Millhaven, Girard, 

Thompson Oak, and Millers Pond) in Screven and Burke 

Counties, Ga. (table 1). Seventeen of the samples from the 

Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores contained biostratigraphically useful angiosperm pollen assemblages.

Two pollen-bearing samples from the Cape Fear Formation were analyzed, both of them from the Millers Pond 

core. They are Coniacian or early Santonian, most probably 

Coniacian, in age.

The age of strata mapped as Middendorf Formation 

varies from place to place in the Carolinas (Christopher and 

others, 1997). For example, Gohn (1988, 1992), Clarke and 

others (1994, 1996), and Leeth and others (1996) showed 

this formation as being confined to the Santonian, whereas 

Lucas-Clark (1992, p. 81) considered the Middendorf to be 

"probably Santonian to Campanian in age." Christopher and 

others (1997) stated that at least some strata assigned to the 

Middendorf in the area of the Savannah River Site are the 

same age as the lowermost part of the Black Creek Group 

(which, according to the present paper, is probably at least 

in part mid-Campanian).

Three samples that contained angiosperm pollen were 

obtained from the Middendorf Formation in the present 

study. A sample from the Millhaven core (subunit 2) 

appears to be from Zone V of Coniacian and Santonian age. 

Two samples from the Girard core, from subunits 1 and 2, 

each contain a seemingly heterogeneous set of taxa whose 

known occurrences are Coniacian to Santonian, Campanian, 

or Maastrichtian. The peculiar nature of these two assemblages seems due to some combination of reworking, drilling mud contamination from uphole, species misidentification, and different species ranges in Georgia than in the 

Middle Atlantic States. However, at least the pollen flora of 

the sample from subunit 2 suggests a latest Santonian(?) or 

earliest Campanian age.

One sample from subunit 2 of the Middendorf Formation in the Millhaven core contained marginal marine or 

very nearshore marine dinoflagellates. Yet, five samples 

examined from the Middendorf of the Girard core contained pollen but lacked dinoflagellates and thus are probably nonmarine.

Seven pollen-bearing samples were examined in detail 

from the Black Creek Group, from the Millhaven, Girard, 

and Millers Pond cores. One sample from near the base of 

the Black Creek (subunit 1) in the Millhaven core has a pollen assemblage probably assignable to mid-Campanian 

Zone CA-4 and has marginal marine or very nearshore 

dinoflagellates. Above this sample in the Millhaven core is a 

thick sequence of marine Black Creek sediments that contains late Campanian calcareous nannofossils of Zone CC 

22 in subunit 2 (Bukry, this volume, chap. D) and abundant 

late Campanian marine dinoflagellates. Two pollen assemblages from subunit 2 and one from subunit 3 indicate 

poorly defined mid-Campanian to Maastrichtian ages. The 

lowest part of subunit 3 of the Black Creek Group in the 

Millhaven core has the same diverse late Campanian 

dinoflagellate assemblage as in subunit 2 of the core. However, the uppermost part of subunit 3 has a less diverse 

dinoflagellate assemblage, which indicates minor marine 

influence.

One sample from the Black Creek of the Girard core 

and two samples from the Black Creek of the Millers Pond 

core contained pollen grains. The Girard assemblage suggests a middle to late Campanian age; one Millers Pond 

assemblage gave only a poorly defined age, but the other 

assemblage seems to be mid-Campanian in age. In the 

Girard core, dinoflagellate presence and absence data indicate nonmarine conditions for subunit 1 and the lowermost 

part of subunit 2. The data indicate marine conditions for 

the remainder of subunit 2 and nonmarine conditions during 

deposition of subunit 3 of the Black Creek Group. The 

dinoflagellate taxa in subunit 2 indicate a late Campanian 

age.

Two samples of the Black Creek Group from the 

Thompson Oak core were examined for dinoflagellates. 

One sample contained sparse marine dinoflagellates indicating a late Campanian age, and the other lacked dinoflagellates.

Five pollen-bearing samples were analyzed from the 

Steel Creek Formation, all from the Millhaven core. All of 

these assemblages appear to be Maastrichtian in age. Two 

samples from the Steel Creek have dinoflagellates which, if 

indigenous and not representing contamination from 

uphole, indicate at least a marginally marine paleoenvironment. The Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary in the Millhaven core can be shown apparently to coincide with the 

contact between the Black Creek Group and the Steel Creek 

Formation by using a combination of pollen and dinoflagellate occurrence data.

All Cretaceous samples from the Millers Pond core 

lacked dinoflagellates.
C30 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

REFERENCES CITED

Aadland, R.K., 1992, Hydrogeologic characterization of the Cretaceous-Tertiary coastal plain sequence at Savannah River Site, 

South Carolina, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, 

eds., Savannah River region; transition between the Gulf and 

Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head 

Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head 

Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 62-67.

Aurisano, R.W., 1989, Upper Cretaceous dinoflagellate biostratigraphy of the subsurface Atlantic Coastal Plain of New Jersey 

and Delaware, U.S.A.: Palynology, v. 13, p. 143-179.

Burnett, J.A., 1996, Nannofossils and Upper Cretaceous (sub-) 

stage boundaries—State of the art: Journal of Nannoplankton 

Research, v. 18, no. 1, p. 23-32.

Christopher, R.A., 1977a, Selected Normapolles pollen genera and 

the age of the Raritan and Magothy Formations (Upper Cretaceous) of northern New Jersey, in Owens, J.P., Sohl, N.F., and 

Minard, J.P., eds., A field guide to Cretaceous and lower Tertiary beds of the Raritan and Salisbury embayments, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland: Guidebook prepared for the 

annual AAPG/SEPM convention, Washington, D.C., 1977, p. 

58-69.

————1977b, The stratigraphic distribution of Normapolles and 

triporate pollen in Zones IV, V, and VII of the Raritan and 

Magothy Formations (Upper Cretaceous) of New Jersey 

[abs.]: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists, 

10th Annual Meeting, Abstracts with Program, p. 7-8. 

Reprinted 1979 in Palynology, v. 3, p. 281.

————1978, Quantitative palynologic correlation of three Campanian and Maestrichtian sections (Upper Cretaceous) from the 

Atlantic Coastal Plain: Palynology, v. 2, p. 1-27.

————1979, Normapolles and triporate pollen assemblages from 

the Raritan and Magothy Formations (Upper Cretaceous) of 

New Jersey: Palynology, v. 3, p. 73-121, pis. 1-9.

————1980, Cretaceous pollen, in Minard, J.P, Geology of the 

Round Bay quadrangle, Anne Arundel County, Maryland: 

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1109, p. 20-28.

————1982a, Holkopollenites pollen "lineage" from the Upper 

Cretaceous Series of the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf Coastal 

Plain Province [abs.]: Palynology, v. 6, p. 275-276.

————1982b, Palynostratigraphy of the basal Cretaceous units of 

the eastern Gulf and southern Atlantic Coastal Plains, in 

Arden, D.D., Beck, B.F., and Morrow, Eleanore, eds.. Proceedings; second symposium on the geology of the southeastern coastal plain: Georgia Geologic Survey Information 

Circular 53, p. 10-23, pis. 1-3. 

-1982c, The occurrence of the Complexiopollis-Atlantopollis Zone (palynomorphs) in the Eagle Ford Group (Upper 

Cretaceous) of Texas: Journal of Paleontology, v. 56, no. 2, p. 

525-541, 1 pi.

Christopher, R.A., Owens, J.P., and Sohl, N.F., 1979, Late Cretaceous palynomorphs from the Cape Fear Formation of North 

Carolina: Southeastern Geology, v. 20, no. 3, p. 145-159.

Christopher, R.A., Prowell, D.C., and Gohn, G.S., 1997, Questions 

regarding the stratigraphic relationship between the Cape 

Fear and Middendorf Formations [abs.]: Fifth Annual Clemson University Hydrogeology Symposium, Abstracts, no pagination.

Clarke, J.S., 1993, Conceptual models of possible stream-aquifer 

relations in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia 

and South Carolina [abs.]: Geological Society of America 

Abstracts with Programs, v. 25, no. 4, p. 8.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., [Bukry, David,] Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gibson, T.G., Gohn, G.S., and Fleming, Parley, 1996, Hydrogeologic data and aquifer 

interconnection in a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments near Millhaven, Screven County, Georgia, 1991-95: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 99, 43 p., 1 pi. 

in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F, Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992-93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., and West, C.T., 1994, Development of water-table and 

potentiometric-surface maps for coastal plain aquifers in the 

vicinity of the Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 26, no. 4, p. 8.

Doyle, J.A., 1969, Cretaceous angiosperm pollen of the Atlantic 

Coastal Plain and its evolutionary significance: Journal of the 

Arnold Arboretum, v. 50, p. 1-35.

Doyle, J.A., and Robbins, E.I., 1977, Angiosperm pollen zonation 

of the continental Cretaceous of the Atlantic Coastal Plain 

and its application to deep wells in the Salisbury Embayment: 

Palynology, v. 1, p. 43-78.

Edwards, L.E., 1992, Dinocysts from the lower Tertiary units in the 

Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia, in Zullo, 

V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River 

region; transition between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal 

Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 97-99.

Edwards, L.E., and Clarke, J.S., 1992, Biostratigraphic investigations help evaluation of the ground-water-flow system near 

the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina [abs.], 

in Proceedings, Fifth North American Paleontological Convention, Chicago, 111., June 28-July 1, 1992: Paleontological 

Society Special Publication 6, p. 90.

Edwards, L.E., and Frederiksen, N.O., 1992, Paleogene palynomorph correlations in eastern Georgia [abs.]: Geological 

Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, no. 2, p. 

14.

Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gohn, G.S., 

Self-Trail, J.M., Gibson, T.G., Bukry, David, and Fleming, 

R.F., 1997, Mysteries solved in the stratigraphy of the updip 

coastal plain of Georgia [abs.]: Fifth Annual Clemson University Hydrogeology Symposium, Abstracts, no pagination.

Falls, W.F., Baum, J.S., and Prowell, D.C., 1997, Physical stratigraphy and hydrostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene sediments, Burke and Screven Counties, Georgia: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 36, p. 153-176.

Falls, W.F, Prowell, D.C., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Gohn, G.S., 1993, Preliminary 

correlation of geologic units in three coreholes along the 

Savannah River in Burke and Screven Counties, Georgia
PALYNOMORPH BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS FROM FOUR CORES, GEORGIA C31

[abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 25, no. 4, p. 14.

Firth, J.V., 1987, Dinoflagellate biostratigraphy of the Maastrichtian to Danian interval in the U.S. Geological Survey Albany 

core, Georgia, U.S.A.: Palynology, v. 11, p. 199-216.

Frederiksen, N.O., 1979, Paleogene sporomorph biostratigraphy, 

northeastern Virginia: Palynology, v. 3, p. 129-167.

Frederiksen, N.O., and Christopher, R.A., 1978, Taxonomy and 

biostratigraphy of Late Cretaceous and Paleogene triatriate 

pollen from South Carolina: Palynology, v. 2, p. 113-145.

Gellici, J.A., andLogan, W.R., 1993, Preliminary stratigraphic and 

hydrostratigraphic correlation of four deep coreholes east of 

the Savannah River Site in Allendale, Barnwell and Aiken 

Counties, South Carolina [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 25, no. 4, p. 17.

Gohn, G.S., 1988, Late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic geology of 

the Atlantic Coastal Plain: North Carolina to Florida, in 

Sheridan, R.E., and Grow, J.A., eds., The Atlantic continental 

margin; U.S., v. 1-2 of Geology of North America: Boulder, 

Colo., Geological Society of America, p. 107-130.

————1992, Revised nomenclature, definitions, and correlations 

for the Cretaceous formations in USGS-Clubhouse Crossroads #1, Dorchester County, South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1518, 39 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Gray, T.C., and Groot, J.J., 1966, Pollen and spores from the 

marine Upper Cretaceous formations of Delaware and New 

Jersey: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 117, p. 114-134.

Habib, Daniel, and Miller, J.A., 1989, Dinoflagellate species and 

organic facies evidence of marine transgression and regression in the Atlantic Coastal Plain: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 74, p. 23^-7.

Habib, Daniel, Olsson, R.K., Liu, Chengjie, and Moshkovitz, Shimon, 1996, High-resolution biostratigraphy of sea-level low, 

biotic extinction, and chaotic sedimentation at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in Alabama, north of the Chicxulub 

crater, in Ryder, G., Fastovsky, D., and Gartner, S., eds., The 

Cretaceous-Tertiary event and other catastrophes in Earth history: Geological Society of America Special Paper 307, p. 

243-252.

Harris, M.K., Aadland, R.K., and Westbrook, T.M., 1992, Lithological and hydrological characteristics of the Tertiary 

hydrostratigraphic systems of the General Separations Area, 

Savannah River Site, South Carolina, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, 

W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River region; transition 

between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of 

the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains 

Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 68- 

73.

Koch, R.C., and Olsson, R.K., 1977, Dinoflagellate and planktonic 

foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the uppermost Cretaceous of 

New Jersey: Journal of Paleontology, v. 51, p. 480^191.

Leeth, D.C., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., and 

Fleming, R.F., 1996, Geologic, hydrologic, and water-chemistry data for a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments 

near Girard, Burke County, Georgia, 1992-95: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 100, 26 p., 1 pi.

Litwin, R.J., Sohl, N.F., Owens, J.P, and Sugarman, P.J., 1993, 

Palynological analysis of a newly recognized Upper Cretaceous marine unit at Cheesequake, New Jersey: Palynology, v. 

17, p. 123-135, pis. 1-3.

Lucas-Clark, Joyce, 1992, Problems in Cretaceous palynostratigraphy (dinoflagellates and pollen) of the Savannah River Site 

area, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River region; transition between the Gulf and Atlantic 

Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island 

Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, 

November 6-11, 1990, p. 81-82.

May, F.E., 1980, Dinoflagellate cysts of the Gymnodiniaceae, Peridiniaceae, and Gonyaulacaceae from the Upper Cretaceous 

Monmouth Group, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 172, p. 10-116.

Olsson, R.K., Gibson, T.G., Hansen, H.J., and Owens, J.P., 1988, 

Geology of the northern Atlantic coastal plain: Long Island to 

Virginia, in Sheridan, R.E., and Grow, J.A., eds., The Atlantic 

continental margin; U.S, v. 1-2 of Geology of North America: 

Boulder, Colo., Geological Society of America, p. 87-105.

Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, 1985, Mesozoic calcareous nannofossils, in Bolli, H.M., Saunders, J.B., and Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, eds.. Plankton stratigraphy: New York, Cambridge 

University Press, p. 329^126.

Prowell, D.C., Christopher, R.A., Edwards, L.E., Bybell, L.M., and 

Gill, H.E., 1985 [1986], Geologic section of the updip coastal 

plain from central Georgia to western South Carolina: U.S. 

Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF1737, 10-p. text, 1 sheet.

Prowell, D.C., Edwards, L.E., and Frederiksen, N.O., 1985 [1986], 

The Ellenton Formation in South Carolina—A revised age 

designation from Cretaceous to Paleocene, //; Stratigraphic 

notes, 1984: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1605-A, p. 

A63-A69.

Self-Trail, J.M., and Bybell, L.M., 1995, Cretaceous and Paleogene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of New Jersey, in 

Baker, J.E.B., ed., Contributions to the paleontology of New 

Jersey: Geological Association of New Jersey Contribution 

Proceedings, v. 12, p. 102-139.

Sirkin, L.A., 1974, Palynology and stratigraphy of Cretaceous 

strata in Long Island, N.Y, and Block Island, Rhode Island: 

U.S. Geological Survey Journal of Research, v. 2, p. 431^140.

Sohl, N.F., Martmez R., Eduardo, Salmeron-Urena, Pedro, and 

Soto-Jaramillo, Fidel, 1991, Upper Cretaceous, in Salvador, 

Amos, ed., The Gulf of Mexico Basin, v. J of Geology of 

North America: Boulder, Colo., Geological Society of America, p. 205-244.

Srivastava, S.K., 1991, Cenomanian-Coniacian dinocysts from the 

western Gulf Coastal Plain, southern United States: Palaeobotanist, v. 39, no. 2, p. 155-235.

————1993, Dinocyst biostratigraphy of Santonian-Maastrichtian 

formations of the western Gulf Coastal Plain, southern United 

States: Palaeobotanist, v. 42, no. 3, p. 249-362.

Stover, L.E., Elsik, W.C., and Fairchild, W.W., 1966, New genera 

and species of early Tertiary palynomorphs from Gulf Coast: 

Kansas University Paleontological Contributions, Paper 5, 10

PStrom, R.N., Kaback, D.S., and Schramke, J.A., 1992, Groundwater geochemistry and flow path modeling, Savannah River 

Site, S.C. [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts 

with Programs, v. 24, no. 2, p. 69.

Sugarman, P.J., Miller, K.G., Bukry, David, and Feigenson, M.D., 

1995, Uppermost Campanian-Maestrichtian strontium isotopic, biostratigraphic, and sequence stratigraphic framework of
C32 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

the New Jersey Coastal Plain: Geological Society of America 

Bulletin, v. 107, p. 19-37.

Thomson, P.W., and Pflug, H.D., 1953, Pollen und Sporen des mitteleuropaischen Tertiars: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 94, 138

PTschudy, R.H., 1970, Two new pollen genera (Late Cretaceous and 

Paleocene) with possible affinity to the Illiciaceae: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 643-F, p. F1-F13.

————1973, Complexiopollis pollen lineage in Mississippi 

embayment rocks: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

743-C, 15 p.

————1975, Normapolles pollen from the Mississippi embayment: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 865, 42 p.

Whitney, B.L., 1979, A population study ofAlterbia acutula (Wilson) Lentin & Williams from the Maestrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of Maryland: Palynology, v. 3, p. 123-128.

Wolfe, J.A., 1976, Stratigraphic distribution of some pollen types 

from the Campanian and lower Maestrichtian rocks (Upper 

Cretaceous) of the Middle Atlantic States: U.S. Geological 

Survey Professional Paper 977, 18 p., 4 pis.

Zaitzeff, J.B., and Cross, A.T., 1971, The use of dinoflagellates 

and acritarchs for zonation and correlation of the Navarro 

Group (Maastrichtian) of Texas: Geological Society of America Special Paper 127, p. 341-377.
PLATES 1-7
PLATE 1

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Rugubivesiculites sp., Middendorf Formation, subunit 1, Girard core (1,138.0- 

1,139.0 ft), Burke County.

2. Triatriopollenites sp.. Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (829.5-829.8 ft), 

Screven County.

3. Momipites microfoveolatus (Stanley) Nichols, Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven 

core (824.1-824.4 ft), Screven County.

4. Triatriopollenites sp., Black Creek Group, Millers Pond core (517.0 ft), Burke 

County.

5. Momipites tenuipolus group of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978), Steel Creek 

Formation, Millhaven core (824.1-824.4 ft), Screven County. This species group is 

characterized by having a ring of thin exine about one pole. In the present 

specimen, the ring is triangular in shape, and only two sides of the ring are distinct. 

6, 7. Momipites n. sp. 1, Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (829.5-829.8 ft), 

Screven County.

8. Aff. NP-2 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (830.3-830.5 

ft), Screven County. In this specimen, the exine is slightly thicker than in NP-2 but 

thinner than in NP-1.

9. NP-2 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (829.5-829.8 ft),

Screven County.

10-12. Momipites n. sp. 1, Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (824.1-824.4 ft, 829.5- 

829.8 ft, and 824.1-824.4 ft, respectively), Screven County.

13. N20-12 of R.A. Christopher (unpublished), Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard 

core (738.3-738.6 ft). Burke County. The pores protrude considerably less than in 

NO-3 of Wolfe (1976) (R.A. Christopher, written commun., 1996).

14. Casuarinidites sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978), Black Creek Group, 

subunit 2, Millhaven core (941.7-941.9 ft), Screven County. Many specimens 

assigned to this species in the present material have one or two pores offset onto 

one face of the grain, and in this respect they are very similar to the Tertiary genus 

Subtriporopollenites.

15, 16. PR-7 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (829.5-829.8 ft), 

Screven County.

17. Casuarinidites sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978), Steel Creek 

Formation, Millhaven core (769.0-769.3 ft), Screven County.

18. PR-1 of Wolfe (1976), Black Creek Group, subunit 1, Millhaven core (1,124.3-

1,124.7 ft), Screven County.

19-21. Cf. Triporate type 4 of Christopher (1979), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core 

(769.0-769.3 ft), Screven County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C. PLATE 1

14 15 16

19 20

0 20

21

j____I

40 Jim

POLLEN
PLATE 2

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. PR-1 of Wolfe (1976), Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core (941.7-941.9

ft), Screven County. 

2. Interporopollenites turgidus Tschudy, Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core

(829.5-829.8 ft), Screven County. 

3, 4. Trisectoris costatus Tschudy, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core

(941.7-941.9 ft), Screven County.

5. Tricolpites sp., Black Creek Group, Millers Pond core (517.0 ft), Burke County. 

6, 7. Tricolpites sp., Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (769.0-769.3 ft), Screven 

County.

8. Aff. Plicapollis sp. A of Christopher (1979), Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond 

core (797.0-802.0 ft), Burke County.

9. Plicapollis sp. K of Christopher (1979), Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core 

(797.0-802.0 ft), Burke County.

10. Complexiopollis funiculus Tschudy, Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core 

(827.0-832.0 ft), Burke County.

11. Complexiopollis abditus Tschudy, Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, Girard core 

(1,012.0-1,012.3 ft), Burke County.

12. Complexiopollis sp., Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core (797.0-802.0 ft), 

Burke County.

13. New genus A of Tschudy (1975), Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core (797.0- 

802.0 ft), Burke County.

14. Probably Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy, Black Creek Group, subunit 1, 

Millhaven core (1,124.7-1,124.3 ft), Screven County.

15. Praecursipollis plebius Tschudy, Cape Fear Formation, Pond core (827.0-832.0

ft), Burke County. Two sides of the grain have been folded inward. 

16. Cf. ND-2 of Wolfe (1976), Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core (941.7-

941.9 ft), Screven County. Plicae are present but very weak; an interloculum is

lacking. 

17-19. Complexiopollis! sp., Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core (827.0-832.0 ft),

Burke County.

20. New genus D, sp. H of Christopher (1979), Black Creek Group, subunit 1, 

Millhaven core (1,124.3-1,124.7 ft), Screven County.

21. New genus D, sp. B of Christopher (1979), Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond 

core (797.0-802.0 ft), Burke County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C, PLATE 2

12 13

14

0 20 40|im

17 18 19

POLLEN
PLATE 3

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. New genus D, sp. J of Christopher (1979), Middendorf Formation, subunit 1,

Girard core (1,138.0-1,139.0 ft), Burke County. 

2. New genus D, sp. L of Christopher (1979), Black Creek Group, subunit 1,

Millhaven core (1,124.3-1,124.7 ft), Screven County. 

3-5. N20-2 of R.A. Christopher (unpublished), Black Creek Group, subunit 1,

Millhaven core (1,124.3-1,124.7 ft), Screven County.

6, 7. IPorocolpopollenites sp. A of Christopher and others (1979), Cape Fear 

Formation, Millers Pond core (797.0-802.0 ft), Burke County.

8. Porocolpopollenites n. sp. 1, Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core (797.0- 

802.0 ft), Burke County.

9. Trudopollis sp. cf. T. meekeri Newman, Black Creek Group, Millers Pond core

(517.0ft), Burke County. 

10, 11. Rhombipollis sp., Black Creek Group, Millers Pond core (517.0 ft), Burke County.

12. CP3F-1 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (769.0-769.3 ft), 

Screven County. This specimen is similar both to CP3F-1 and to Brevicolporites 

sp. A of Christopher (1978).

13. CP3F-1 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (769.0-769.3 ft),

Screven County. 

14, 15. Brevicolporites sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (738.3-738.6 ft),

Burke County. 

16. Lanagiopollis cribellatus (Srivastava) Frederiksen, Steel Creek Formation,

Millhaven core (769.0-769.3 ft), Screven County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C, PLATE 3

10 11 12 13

14

J_____L

0 20 40 Jim

POLLEN
PLATE 4

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figures 1, 2. Brevicolporites sp. A of Christopher (1980), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven 

core (829.5-829.8 ft), Screven County. Brevicolporites sp. A of Christopher 

(1980) is not exactly the same as Brevicolporites sp. A of Christopher (1978) nor 

as CP3F-1 of Wolfe (1976). 

3. CP3D-3 of Wolfe (1976), Black Creek Group, Millers Pond core (517.0 ft), Burke

County.

4, 5. Brevicolporites sp. A of Christopher (1978), Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, 

Girard core (1,012.0-1,012.3 ft), Burke County. These specimens seem to differ 

fromCP3F-l of Wolfe (1976).

6. Tricolporites sp., Cape Fear Formation, Millers Pond core (797.0-802.0 ft), Burke 

County.

7. Aff. C3C-1 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (769.0-769.3 

ft), Screven County.

8. CP3G-1 of Wolfe (1976), Middendorf Formation, subunit 1, Girard core (1,138.0- 

1,139.0ft), Burke County.

9. Tricolporites sp., Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, Girard core (1,012.0-1,012.3

ft), Burke County. 

10, 11. Nyssapollenites sp., Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, Girard core (1,012.0-

1,012.3 ft), Burke County. 

12, 13. CP3E-1 of Wolfe (1976), Middendorf Formation, subunit 1, Girard core (1,138.0-

1,139.0ft), Burke County. 

14, 15. Holkolpollenites sp., Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (829.5-829.8 ft),

Screven County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C, PLATE 4

10 11

12 13

14

0

15 

j____I____1

20 40 Jim

POLLEN
PLATE 5

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figures 1-3. CP3D-3 of Wolfe (1976), Black Creek Group, subunit 2. 1, Girard core (738.3-

738.6 ft), Burke County; 2, 3, Millhaven core (1,029.5 ft), Screven County. 

4-9. CP3E-1 of Wolfe (1976). 4, 5, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (738.3- 

738.6 ft), Burke County; 6, 7, Middendorf Formation, subunit 1, Girard core 

(1,138.0-1,139.0 ft), Burke County; 8, 9, Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core 

(824.1-824.4 ft), Screven County.

10, 11. Cf. MPH-1 of Wolfe (1976), Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (830.3-830.5 

ft), Screven County. MPH-1 of Wolfe = Baculostephanocolpites sp. A of 

Christopher (1980) has distinct columellae, whereas the present specimen has 

barely perceptible columellae. 

12, 13. Tetracolporate sp., Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven core (830.3-830.5 ft),

Screven County.

14. Holkopollenites sp., Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, Girard core (1,012.0- 

1,012.3 ft), Burke County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C, PLATE 5

10 12

J___I

13 0 20 40|iim

POLLEN
PLATE 6

[Upper scale bar is for specimens at x 400; lower scale bar is for specimens at x 600. All specimens are from the 

Black Creek Group in Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Alisogymnium euclaense (Cookson & Eisenack) Lentin & Vozzhennikova, Black

Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (738.3-738.6 ft), Burke County; ?ventral view at 

mid-focus (x 600).

2. Dinogymnium acuminatum Evitt et al., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core 

(1,029.5 ft), Screven County; orientation unknown at high focus (x 600).

3. Alterbidinium acutulum (Wilson) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, 

Girard core (868.5-868.7 ft), Burke County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

4. lAndalusiella spicata (May) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, 

Millhaven core (1,029.5 ft), Screven County; ventral view of dorsal surface (x400). 

This form is an end member in a plexus that includes A. spicata (May) Lentin & 

Williams. Considerable variation exists in the surface texture, relative archeopyle size, 

and horn lengths.

5. Andalusiella polymorpha (Malloy) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 3, 

Millhaven core (913.8-914.2 ft), Screven County; left lateral view at mid-focus 

(x 400).

6. Andalusiella spicata (May) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard 

core (868.5-868.7 ft), Burke County; ventral view of dorsal surface (x 400).

7. Cerodinium pannuceum (Stanley) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, 

Girard core (738.3-738.6 ft), Burke County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

8. Cerodinium striatum (Drugg) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, 

Millhaven core (1,029.5 ft), Screven County; ventral view at mid-focus (x 400).

9. Cordosphaeridiumfibrospinosum Davey & Williams, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, 

Millhaven core (1,029.5 ft) Screven County; left lateral view at mid-focus (x 400).

10. Cribroperidinium sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 3, Millhaven core (913.8-914.2), 

Screven County; ventral view at mid-focus (x 400).

11. Diphyes recurvatum May, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (738.3-738.6 ft), 

Burke County; orientation unknown at mid-focus (x 600).

12. Exochosphaeridium sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (868.5-868.7 ft), 

Burke County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

13. Fromea sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (868.5-868.7 ft), Burke 

County; orientation unknown at low focus (x 400).

14. Fromea sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 3, Millhaven core (913.8-914.2 ft), Screven 

County; orientation unknown at mid-focus (x 400).

15. Membranosphaera maastrictica Samoilovitch, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard 

core (868.5-868.7 ft), Burke County; ventral view at mid-focus (x 600).

16. Operculodinium sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (738.3-738.6 ft), 

Burke County; left lateral view at mid-focus (x 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C, PLATE 6

0 20 40 |im

15 16

DINOFLAGELLATES AND ACRITARCHS
PLATE 7

[Upper scale bar is for specimens at x 400; lower scale bar is for specimens at x 600. All specimens are from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Odontochitina costata Albert!, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (868.5- 

868.7 ft), Burke County; ventral view at mid-focus (x 400).

2. Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre, Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, 

Millhaven core (1,212.0 ft), Screven County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x400).

3. Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre, Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, 

Millhaven core (1,212.0 ft), Screven County; orientation unknown at mid-focus 

(x400).

4. Palaeoperidinium sp., Middendorf Formation, subunit 2, Millhaven core (1,212.0 

ft), Screven County; ventral view at mid-focus (x 400).

5. Tanyosphaeridium xanthiopyxides (Wetzel) Stover & Evitt, Black Creek Group, 

subunit 2, Millhaven core (1,029.5 ft), Screven County; orientation unknown at 

mid-focus (x 600).

6. Spiniferites sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (834.6-834.8 ft), Burke 

County; orientation unknown at high focus (x 400).

7. Spongodinium delitiense (Ehrenberg) Deflandre, Steel Creek Formation, Millhaven

core (830.3-830.5 ft), Screven County; isolated operculum (x 400). 

8, 9. Tricodinium castanea (Deflandre) Clark & Verdier, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, 

Girard core (834.6-834.8 ft), Burke County; ventral views of ventral surface (8) and 

dorsal surface (9) (both x 400).

10. Small peridiniacean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 1, Millhaven core (1,124.3- 

1,124.7 ft), Screven County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x400).

11. Small peridiniacean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core (1,029.5 

ft), Screven County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

12. Small peridiniacean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (868.5-868.7 

ft), Burke County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

13. Small peridiniacean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core (738.3-738.6 

ft), Burke County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

14. Hystrichosphaeridium tubiferum (Ehrenberg) Deflandre, Black Creek Group, 

subunit 2, Girard core (738.3-738.6 ft), Burke County; orientation unknown at 

mid-focus (x 400) [included in tables and figures under "miscellaneous chorale 

forms"].

15. Miscellaneous areoligeracean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 1, Millhaven core 

(1,124.3-1,124.7 ft), Screven County; dorsal view at mid-focus (x 400).

16. Miscellaneous areoligeracean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 1, Millhaven core 

(1,124.3-1,124.7 ft), Screven County; ventral view at mid-focus (x 400).

17. Miscellaneous areoligeracean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 3, Millhaven core 

(913.8-914.2 ft), Screven County; dorsal view of dorsal surface? (x 400).

18. Lejeunecysta sp., Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core (1,029.5 ft), 

Screven County; dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400).

19. Xenascus ceratioides (Deflandre) Lentin & Williams, Black Creek Group,

Thompson Oak core (505.0 ft), Burke County; dorsal view at mid-focus (x 400).

20. Small peridiniacean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Millhaven core (1,029.5 

ft), Screven County; ventral view of ventral surface (x 600).

21. Miscellaneous areoligeracean form, Black Creek Group, subunit 2, Girard core 

(834.6-834.8 ft), Burke County; dorsal view? at mid-focus (x 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-C, PLATE 7

20 40 |im

DINOFLAGELLATES

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Late Campanian (Zone CC 22) Coccoliths from the 

Millhaven Core, Screven County, Georgia

By David Bukry

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-D

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... Dl

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

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 1

Material and Methods .................................................................................................... 1

Georgia Coccoliths ......................................................................................................... 1

New Jersey Coccoliths ................................................................................................... 2

Comparison of Campanian Coccolith Floras in the Atlantic Coastal Plain and

California ........................................................................................................... 2

Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 4

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 4

FIGURE

1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the location of the Millhaven test hole in Screven County,

Georgia........................................................................................................................^ D2

TABLES

1. U.S. Geological Survey Millhaven core coccolith checklist........................................................................................... D3

2. Coccolith taxa considered in this report......................................................................................................................... 4

III

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Late Campanian (Zone CC 22) Coccoliths from the 

Millhaven Core, Screven County, Georgia

By David Bukry

ABSTRACT

Coccolith floras from the Millhaven core in Screven 

County, Georgia, from depths of 1,077 to 968 feet, belong to 

late Campanian Zone CC 22. The co-occurrence of zonal 

guide species Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & 

Perch-Nielsen and Reinhardtites anthophorus (Deflandre) 

Perch-Nielsen permits direct correlation with the paleomagnetically dated Point Loma Formation in California. Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen, a warm-water taxon, 

is consistently present in the Georgia and California sections but is missing from the late Campanian floras that 

occur in the northern Atlantic Coastal Plain in New Jersey.

INTRODUCTION

Four core samples were examined for coccolith content from the U.S. Geological Survey Millhaven test hole 

(lat 32°53'25" N., long 81°35'43" W.), which is located in 

Screven County, Ga. (fig. 1). These samples were studied to 

supplement biostratigraphic dating of the Cretaceous marine 

sediments in the core interval from the 1,099 to 927 ft. This 

Cretaceous interval is considered to be part of the Black 

Creek Group, which ranges in age from middle to late Campanian in the Millhaven core (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A; Edwards and others, this volume, chap. B). 

Samples studied for this report represent all but the lowest 

20 ft of the Black Creek Group subunit 2 of Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). Comparative coccolith samples 

from New Jersey and California Cretaceous strata also were 

used in this study. The Californian floras have been published previously by Bukry and Kennedy (1969) and Bukry 

(1993, 1994). Coccoliths identified from the Millhaven core 

are listed in table 1, and all taxa considered in this report are 

listed in table 2.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Gregory S. Gohn and Lucy E. Edwards (U.S. 

Geological Survey) for providing samples and supporting 

information about the Georgia research. I thank Kevin Purcell (USGS) for doing special sample preparations for general matrix and coherent rock chips for each sample and for 

processing the text. Special appreciation goes to Peter J. 

Sugarman (New Jersey Geological Survey) and Norman F. 

Sohl and James Owens (U.S. Geological Survey, both 

deceased) for providing New Jersey core and outcrop samples as an extension of our joint studies from 1989 to 1994. 

Michael P. Kennedy (California Division of Mines and 

Geology), George W. Moore (U.S. Geological Survey), 

Annika Sanfilippo (University of California, San Diego/ 

Scripps Institution of Oceanography), and Thomas A. 

Demere (San Diego Natural History Museum) helped me to 

collect the California core and outcrop samples.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Samples from the Millhaven core and outcrop samples 

from New Jersey and California were prepared for 

light-microscope examination (magnifications x 600 and 

x 1560) using the technique described in Bukry and 

Kennedy (1969). Zonal assignments are based on 

Perch-Nielsen (1985, p. 342), and stage assignments are 

based on Sissingh (1977) and Burnett and others (1992).

GEORGIA COCCOLITHS

Coccoliths from the Millhaven core (table 1) are 

slightly etched and common to abundant. Floras have moderate to high species diversity (number of species («)=15 to 

30). The most common species are dissolution-resistant 

Micula decussata Vekshina and Reinhardtites anthophorus 

(Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen. Other stratigraphic guide speDl
D2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

82° 30' 81 ° 30'

33° 30'

33°

32° 30'

Millhaven

• Test hole site and informal name of site

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the 

location of the Millhaven test hole in Screven County, Georgia.

cies such as Broinsonia parca (Stradner) Bukry, Calculites 

obscurus (Deflandre) Prins & Sissingh, Ceratolithoides 

aculeus (Stradner) Prins & Sissingh, Quadrum trifidum 

(Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen, and R. levis Prins & Sissingh are present in smaller numbers. All four of the closely 

spaced floras (1,077, 1,021.5, 971, and 968 ft) contain both 

Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen and R. anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen, which together define 

late Campanian Zone CC 22. Reinhardtites levis Prins & 

Sissingh, which has been designated a guide species for 

upper Subzone CC 22b, occurs only rarely in the bottom 

and top samples. It is missing in the most diverse (n=30) 

sample at 1,021.5 ft. In the sample taken at 971 ft, only two 

specimens of Reinhardtites sp. cf. R. levis Prins & Sissingh 

were identified. Evidence from floras in California and 

Israel suggests that R. levis Prins & Sissingh has a longer 

range in CC 21 and CC 22 at middle latitudes (Bukry, 1994; 

Eshet and Moshkovitz, 1995). The best coccolith assignment for all four Georgia floras from the Millhaven core is 

late Campanian Zone CC 22.

NEW JERSEY COCCOLITHS

Outcrop and core samples from the Upper Cretaceous 

Mount Laurel Formation in New Jersey contain coccolith 

floras assigned to Subzone CC 22b (Sugarman and others,

1995). This late Campanian correlation is based on the identifications of key coccolith species Broinsonia parca (Stradner) Bukry, Calculites obscurus (Deflandre) Prins & 

Sissingh, Reinhardtites anthophorus (Deflandre) PerchNielsen, R. levis Prins & Sissingh, and Tranolithus phacelosus Stover. The warm-water biostratigraphic guide species 

Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen and 

Quadrum sissinghii Perch-Nielsen are missing from New 

Jersey floras (Bukry, 1990).

The absence of Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & 

Perch-Nielsen in New Jersey floras may be attributed to its 

general global distribution pattern and local ecological conditions. Roth (1978) described Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins 

& Perch-Nielsen as a temperature-sensitive, warm-water 

species. Thierstein (1981, fig. 21) demonstrated maximum 

abundances within approximately 30 degrees latitude of the 

paleoequator for Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & PerchNielsen. Doeven (1983) used this information to suggest 

that in Canadian Atlantic well sites, the top range of Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen might be depressed 

as a result of decreased paleotemperatures. Further, he 

reported only rare abundances at Canadian sites. Similarly, 

Burnett and others (1992) reported only sporadic occurrences of Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen in 

sections from Germany and Poland. This occurrence pattern 

contrasts with the rare to common but consistent occurrences in California (Bukry, 1993, 1994) and the consistent 

presence in the Georgia core samples studied here.

Similar consistent occurrences were cited in Israel 

(Moshkovitz, 1984), supporting warm-water affinities for 

Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen. The 

late Campanian Mount Laurel Formation floras from New 

Jersey lack Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen but 

were assigned to Zone CC 22 or Subzone CC 22b based on 

the co-occurrence of other taxa, principally Reinhardtites 

anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen and R. levis Prins & 

Sissingh. The highest occurrence of R. anthophorus 

(Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen defines the top of Zone CC 22 in 

the late Campanian. In cooler water floras, the co-occurrence of R. levis Prins & Sissingh with R. anthophorus 

(Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen is considered a useful indicator 

for Subzone CC 22b (Perch-Nielsen, 1985, p. 347).

COMPARISON OF CAMPANIAN

COCCOLITH FLORAS IN THE ATLANTIC

COASTAL PLAIN AND CALIFORNIA

The Point Loma Formation in San Diego County, 

Calif, contains the same key coccolith species in late Campanian Zone CC 22 that occur in the Georgia floras. The 

consistent occurrence of Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins 

& Perch-Nielsen in the Georgia floras matches the pattern in 

Point Loma core hole DH-1 where it occurs in 30 of 31 coccolith-bearing samples from CC 22 (Bukry, 1993). Both
LATE CAMPANIAN (ZONE CC 22) COCCOLITHS FROM THE MILLHAVEN CORE, SCREVEN COUNTY, GEORGIA D3 

Table 1. U.S. Geological Survey Millhaven core coccolith checklist.

Sample depth, in feet

Coccolith 1,077 1,021.5

Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis —————— X

Biscutum sp.—————————————

Broinsonia parca parca—————————— X

Broinsonia parca constricta -——-——— X 

Calculates obscurus ———————————

Ceratolithoides aculeus ———————— X

Chiastozygus amphipons ———————

Chiastozygus sp. ——————————————— X 

Coronocyclus sp. ———————————

Cretarhabdus crenulatus ———————— X

Cribrosphaera ehrenbergii—————-—— X

Eiffellithus eximius ——————————

Eiffellithus turriseiffelii———————— X

Gartnemgo concavum —————————

Gartnerago costatum —————————

Kamptnerius magnificus———————— X

Lithraphidites carniolensis———————

Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii———————

Lucianorhabdus maleformis ——————

Microrhabdulus decoratus ———————

Micula concava———————————

Micula decussata———————————— X

Parhabdolithus embergeri——————— X

Prediscosphaera cretacea ——————— X

Prediscosphaera spinosa —————————

Quadrum sissinghii —————————— X

Quadrum trifidum —————————— X

Reinhardtites anthophorus ——————— X

Reinhardtites levis—————————— X

Reinhardtites sp. cf. R. levis ——————

Rucinolithus sp.————————————

Tranolithus phacelosus —————————

Vagalapilla octoradiata———————— X

Watznaueria barnesae ———————— X

Watznaueria biporta ——————————— X

Zygodiscus bicrescenticus—————-—— x

Zygodiscus spiralis———————————

971

sites are part of a warm-water regime, but the Point Loma 

flora lacks Calculites obscurus (Deflandre) Prins & Sissingh, Kamptnerius magnificus Deflandre, Lucianorhabdus 

cayeuxii Deflandre, and Tranolithus phacelosus Stover. 

These absences reflect deep-water deposition for the Point 

Loma core strata. In shallower water strata of the Point 

Loma Formation in Carlsbad, Calif., some C. obscurus 

(Deflandre) Prins & Sissingh and L. cayeuxii Deflandre 

were recorded (Bukry, 1994).

At La Jolla, Calif., floras assigned to CC 22b occur in 

a 280-ft stratigraphic section that has been assigned to magnetochronostratigraphic Chron 33n (Bannon and others, 

1989, fig. 3) in the late Campanian (Bannon and others, 

1989; Bukry, 1994). The key La Jolla coccoliths in the 

Chron 33n portion of Subzone CC 22b include Broinsonia 

parca (Stradner) Bukry, Q. trifidum (Stradner) Prins & 

Perch-Nielsen, Q. sissinghii Perch-Nielsen, Reinhardtites 

anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen, and R. levis Prins 

& Sissingh, which enable direct correlation of late Campanian paleomagnetic Chron 33n with the four Georgia floras 

assigned to the Black Creek Group. The disappearance of/?. 

anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen in Europe predates
D4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Table 2. Coccolith taxa considered in this report.

Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis Vekshina

Broinsonia parca (Stradner) Bukry

Broinsonia parca constricta Hattner et al.

Calculites obscunis (Deflandre) Prins & Sissingh in Sissingh

Ceratolithoides aculeus (Stradner) Prins & Sissingh in Sissingh

Chiastozygus amphipons (Bramlette & Martini) Gartner

Cretarhabdus crenulatus Bramlette & Martini

Cribrosphaera ehrenbergii Arkhangelsky

Eiffellithus eximius (Stover) Perch-Nielsen

Eiffellithus turriseiffelii (Deflandre) Reinhardt

Gartnerago concavum (Gartner) Bukry

Gartnerago costatum (Gartner) Bukry

Kamptnerius magnificus Deflandre

Lithraphidites camiolensis Deflandre

Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii Deflandre

Lucianorhabdus maleformis Reinhardt

Microrhabdulus decoratus Deflandre

Micula concava (Stradner in Martini and Stradner) Verbeek

Micula decussata Vekshina

Parhabdolithus embergeri (Noel) Stradner

Prediscosphaera cretacea (Arkhangelsky) Gartner

Prediscosphaera spinosa (Bramlette & Martini) Gartner

Quadrum sissinghii Perch-Nielsen

Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & Perch-Nielsen in Manivit

Reinhardtites anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen

Reinhardtites levis Prins & Sissingh

Tranolithus phacelosus Stover

Vagalapilla octoradiata (Gorka) Bukry

Watznaueria bamesae (Black) Perch-Nielsen

Watznaueria biporta Bukry

Zygodiscus bicrescenticus (Stover) Bukry

Zygodiscus spiralis Bramlette & Martini

the appearance of the cephalopod Belemnella lanceolata 

(basal Maastrichtian) (Burnett and others, 1992) and helps 

to confirm the late Campanian age for the correlated CC 22b 

coccolith floras on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

CONCLUSIONS

Millhaven core samples from 1,077 to 968 ft contain 

late Campanian Zone CC 22 coccolith floras identified by 

key taxa Quadrum trifidum (Stradner) Prins & PerchNielsen and Reinhardtites anthophorus (Deflandre) PerchNielsen. The consistent presence of Q. trifidum (Stradner) 

Prins & Perch-Nielsen indicates a warm-water regime similar to coeval California floras and unlike cooler water New 

Jersey floras. Coccolith species permit direct long-range 

correlation for Georgia floras to paleomagnetic Chron 33n 

in California and standard European upper Campanian reference sections.

REFERENCES CITED

Bannon, J.L., Bottjer, D.J., Lund, S.P, and Saul, L R., 1989, Campanian/Maestrichtian stage boundary in southern California: 

Resolution and implications for large-scale depositional patterns: Geology, v. 17, p. 80-83.

Bukry, David, 1990, Remarks on calcareous and siliceous nannoplankton biostratigraphy for some Cretaceous and Tertiary 

core samples from southern New Jersey: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 90-278, 22 p.

————1993, Cretaceous coccolith correlation for Point Loma Formation outfall test well, San Diego, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-567, 14 p.

————1994, Coccolith correlation of Late Cretaceous Point Loma 

Formation at La Jolla and Carlsbad, San Diego County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-678, 

23 p.

Bukry, David, and Kennedy, M.P., 1969, Cretaceous and Eocene 

coccoliths at San Diego, California: California Division of 

Mines and Geology Special Report 100, p. 33-43.

Burnett, J.A., Hancock, J.M., Kennedy, W.J., and Lord, A.R., 

1992, Macrofossil, planktonic foraminiferal and nannofossil 

zonation at the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary: Newsletters on Stratigraphy, v. 27, p. 157-172.

Doeven, PH., 1983, Cretaceous nannofossil stratigraphy and paleoecology of the Canadian Atlantic margin: Geological Survey 

of Canada Bulletin 356, 69 p.

Eshet, Yoram, and Moshkovitz, Shimon, 1995, New nannofossil 

biostratigraphy for Upper Cretaceous organic-rich carbonates 

in Israel: Micropaleontology, v. 41, no. 4, p. 321-341.

Moshkovitz, Shimon, 1984, Late Cretaceous calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Mount Scopus Group, Israel: Geological Survey of Israel Current Research 1983-84, p. 46-60.

Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, 1985, Mesozoic calcareous nannofossils, in Bolli, H.M., Saunders, J.B., and Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, eds., Plankton stratigraphy: New York, Cambridge 

University Press, p. 329-426.

Roth, PH., 1978, Cretaceous nannoplankton biostratigraphy and 

oceanography of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean: Deep Sea 

Drilling Project Initial Reports, v. 44, p. 731-759.

Sissingh, W., 1977, Biostratigraphy of Cretaceous calcareous nannoplankton: Geologic en Mijnbouw, v. 56, p. 37-65.

Sugarman, P.J., Miller, K.G., Bukry, David, and Feigenson, M.D., 

1995, Uppermost Campanian-Maestrichtian strontium isotopic, biostratigraphic, and sequence stratigraphic framework of 

the New Jersey Coastal Plain: Geological Society of America 

Bulletin, v. 107, p. 19-37.

Thierstein, H.R., 1981, Late Cretaceous nannoplankton and the 

change at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, in Warme, J.E., 

Douglas, R.G., and Winterer, E.L., eds., The Deep Sea Drilling Project; a decade of progress: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publication 32, p. 355- 

394.
U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Ostracode Biostratigraphy of

Upper Campanian (Cretaceous) Marine Sediments

from the Millhaven Core, Screven County, Georgia

By Gregory S. Gohn

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-E

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... El

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

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 2

Campanian Marine Deposits in the Millhaven Core ...................................................... 2

Physical Stratigraphy ............................................................................................. 2

Ostracode Biostratigraphy ...................................................................................... 3

Ostracode Samples ......................................................................................... 3

Ostracode Assemblages ................................................................................. 4

Biostratigraphy and Age ................................................................................ 4

Paleoenvironments ......................................................................................... 5

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

Taxonomic Notes on Ostracodes .................................................................................... 6

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 9

PLATE

[Plate follows References Cited]

1. Selected Cretaceous ostracodes from the Black Creek Group in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Georgia.

FIGURES

1 . Index map showing location of the Millhaven test hole in Georgia and additional test holes in Georgia and South

..............................................................._ E2

2. Geophysical logs and geologic units of the Cretaceous section in the Millhaven core to a depth of 1,452 feet............ 3

3. Chart showing ostracode interval zones and associated ostracode datums..................................................................... 5

TABLE

1. Cretaceous ostracodes from the Black Creek Group in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Georgia......................... E4

III

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Ostracode Biostratigraphy of 

Upper Campanian (Cretaceous) Marine Sediments 

from the Millhaven Core, Screven County, Georgia

By Gregory S. Gohn

ABSTRACT

The Cretaceous section in the Millhaven core from 

Screven County, Georgia, contains calcareous, fine-grained 

marine deposits in part of the interval assigned to the Black 

Creek Group. These calcareous deposits and associated 

overlying and underlying deposits between depths of 1,119 

and 927 ft are designated informally as Black Creek subunit 

2 by Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A).

Two informally named ostracode assemblages are 

present in Black Creek subunit 2 between depths of 1,043 

and 975 ft: an older Haplocytheridea everetti assemblage 

and a younger Haplocytheridea sarectaensis assemblage. 

The presence of Escharacytheridea pinochii (Jennings) in 

the lowest studied sample and the presence of Fissocarinocythere pidgeoni (Berry) in higher samples indicate a 

late Campanian to Maastrichtian age for the interval 

between 1,043 and 1,015 ft. This age is compatible with the 

late Campanian age assigned to the calcareous part of Black 

Creek subunit 2 by Bukry (this volume, chap. D; calcareous 

nannofossil Zone CC 22). Both ostracode assemblages are 

strongly dominated by various species of Haplocytheridea 

and related genera that suggest inner-neritic paleoenvironments of deposition for the sediments of Black Creek subunit 2.

The total range of the ostracode Haplocytheridea 

sarectaensis Brown is within the upper parts of intervals 

assigned to calcareous nannofossil Zone CC 22 in the Millhaven section and in previously studied test holes in central 

South Carolina. The top of Zone CC 22 is slightly older than 

the Campanian-Maastrichtian Stage boundary as defined by 

J.A. Burnett and others (1992, Newsletters on Stratigraphy, 

v. 27, p. 157-172). Hence the highest occurrence of H. 

sarectaensis Brown approximates this stage boundary in 

eastern Georgia and central South Carolina. Sections in central South Carolina containing H. sarectaensis Brown and

calcareous nannofossil Zone CC 22 are within the Donoho 

Creek Formation of the Black Creek Group.

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation 

with the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey of the Georgia Department of 

Natural Resources, conducted a study of ground-water flow 

and ground-water quality in the area of eastern Georgia that 

is adjacent to the USDOE Savannah River Site in South 

Carolina (fig. 1). This study addressed concerns by the State 

of Georgia regarding the potential for movement of ground 

water containing radionuclides or other contaminants from 

the Savannah River Site into Georgia through coastal plain 

aquifers passing beneath the Savannah River (Clarke, 1992, 

1995).

A principal component of the study was the hydrologic 

and geologic analysis of test hole clusters drilled in the 

coastal plain sediments of Burke and Screven Counties, Ga. 

(fig. 1). The hydrologic studies at the cluster sites included 

determinations of hydraulic properties, pressure heads, and 

water quality for multiple aquifers (Clarke and others, 1994, 

1996; Leeth and others, 1996). The geologic studies 

included lithologic, paleontologic, and stratigraphic analyses of the Cretaceous and Cenozoic sediments in continuously cored sections at each site. These geologic analyses 

were conducted to determine the physical characteristics, 

distributions, and correlations of the several aquifers and 

confining units. This report discusses the ostracode biostratigraphy, inferred depositional paleoenvironments, and 

regional correlation of Cretaceous calcareous marine sediments present in the Millhaven test hole in northern Screven 

County, Ga. (fig. 1).

The Millhaven stratigraphic test hole was completed 

by a USGS drill crew in February 1992 to a depth of

El
E2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

82° 79'

34°

I-, Clark ^H

f(eservo\r~

/' Lake Murray

Savannah 

River

Sjte

33 C

i Sumter i c County '^ ,-—' ~"

'Sumter County, \ 

I sites ,

'

\ Lake Marion /

j

St. George

MillersT • 

/ Pond

Burke Girard

County ^ _.-

————' "/ r \

/ / ' *» --—-( /Millhaven'H

\ / * --

i^--^~'- Screven ^ 

—{ County, ^5-..-

Lake Moultrie

Clubhouse

^orchester 

~i County .

f o

32 C

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Figure 1. Location of the Millhaven test hole in Georgia and additional test holes in Georgia and South 

Carolina.

1,452 ft where the hole bottomed in the Upper Cretaceous 

Cape Fear Formation. This testhole is located in the Burtons 

Ferry Landing 7.5-minute quadrangle in northern Screven 

County at latitude 32°53'25" N., longitude 81°35'43" W. 

(fig. 1). Ground elevation at the drill site is +110 ft. The 

lithologies and stratigraphy of the Millhaven section are discussed by Clarke and others (1996) and Falls and Prowell 

(this volume, chap. A).

Depths measured to specific horizons in the Millhaven 

core typically are 5 to 7 ft deeper than the depths measured 

to the corresponding positions on the geophysical logs. In 

this report, and throughout this volume, core depths are used 

as the primary depth reference for samples and stratigraphic 

features. On figure 2, the geophysical logs for the Millhaven 

test hole have been shifted graphically (down 5 ft) to produce a closer correspondence between log depths and core 

depths.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The site description of the Millhaven core by W. Fred 

Falls (USGS) was an important guide to this study of the

Millhaven Cretaceous section. USGS Volunteer-for-Science 

Xenedee Bradley assisted in the preparation of the ostracode samples from the Millhaven core. I thank Jean M. 

Self-Trail (USGS) for discussions of Cretaceous calcareous 

nannofossils in the South Carolina cores. Reviews by Harry 

Dowsett (USGS), Raymond Christopher (Clemson University), and Lucy Edwards (USGS) substantially improved the 

manuscript.

CAMPANIAN MARINE DEPOSITS IN THE 

MILLHAVEN CORE

PHYSICAL STRATIGRAPHY

Upper Cretaceous sediments are present in the Millhaven core between its base and a depth of 642 ft (fig. 2) 

(Falls and others, 1997; Falls and Prowell, this volume, 

chap. A; Edwards and others, this volume, chap. B). Falls 

and Prowell (this volume, chap. A) assign the interval 

between 1,172 and 839 ft to the Black Creek Group, which 

they divide into informal lithologic subunits 1, 2, and 3
OSTRACODE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CAMPANIAN (CRETACEOUS) MARINE SEDIMENTS, GEORGIA E3

Natural gamma log

Depth

Single-point resistance Geologic units

TOTAL DEPTH = 1,452 FT

Figure 2. Geophysical logs and geologic units of the Cretaceous 

section in the Millhaven core to a depth of 1,452 feet. The 

stratigraphic position of Black Creek subunit 2, which was studied 

for this report, is indicated. The lithostratigraphy is from Falls and 

Prowell (this volume, chap. A). The geophysical logs have been 

shifted graphically to produce a correspondence between core 

depths and log depths for stratigraphic horizons.

(from base to top). Black Creek subunit 2 (1,119 to 927 ft) 

contains the only calcareous Cretaceous sediments in the 

Millhaven core. The calcareous section is present between 

1,085 and 940 ft in the core.

From its basal contact at 1,119 ft to 1,085 ft, Black 

Creek subunit 2 consists of noncalcareous, slightly to moderately muddy, fine to medium, and medium to very coarse 

sand. This section of sand is broadly gradational upward 

into calcareous fine-grained deposits that are more typical 

of the unit. The grain size of the sand fraction and the sand/ 

(clay+silt) ratio decrease upward in this basal interval.

Above 1,085 ft, Black Creek subunit 2 consists of sparingly calcareous to moderately calcareous, bioturbated, 

muddy, very fine to fine sand and similar appearing sandy 

and silty clay. Calcareous macrofossils, microfossils, and 

nannofossils are present from 1,085 to 965 ft in subunit 2. 

Molds of pelecypods, locally with traces of preserved calcium carbonate, are present above 965 to about 940 ft. An 

interval of slightly muddy, calcareous, very fine to fine sand 

is present from 1,063 to 1,051 ft. This sand has gradational 

contacts with underlying and overlying muddier sections. At 

the top of Black Creek subunit 2, its typically fine-grained 

deposits grade upward into moderately well-sorted, highly 

micaceous, very fine to fine sand (934 to 927 ft).

The dark, bioturbated, fine-grained sediments of Black 

Creek subunit 2 in the Millhaven core readily correlate with 

sections of similar fine-grained marine sediments that are 

included in the Black Creek Formation or Black Creek 

Group in wells throughout the Savannah River area (Logan 

and Euler, 1989; Fallaw and others, 1992a,b; Fallaw and 

Price, 1992, 1995; Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). 

Despite their lithologic similarity to Black Creek subunit 2 

at Millhaven, few of the correlative Black Creek marine sections have retained their calcareous fossils, probably owing 

to ground-water dissolution of the calcium carbonate.

OSTRACODE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

OSTRACODE SAMPLES

Twenty-one ostracode samples were collected from the 

calcareous part of Black Creek subunit 2 in the Millhaven 

core between depths of 1,082.7 and 940.0 ft. Of these, three 

samples at the top of the section (965.5, 956.0, and 940.0 ft) 

did not produce a reaction when treated with dilute hydrochloric acid and were assumed to be noncalcareous; these 

samples were not processed.

The eighteen remaining samples were processed using 

standard microfossil techniques. Samples weighing approximately 150 g were soaked in deionized water and sieved. 

Ostracode valves and carapaces were picked from the fine, 

medium, and coarse sand fractions and placed on standard 

micropaleontology slides for sorting and identification.
E4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Table 1. Cretaceous ostracodes from the Black Creek Group in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Georgia.

[Samples are reported as depths (in ft) below the surface]

Haplocytheridea 

everetti assemblage

Species

Haplocytheridea sp. aft. H. everetti (Berry) —

Totals —————— ————— ————

1,043 1,038

0 0 

0 0 

166 13 

30 21 

0 0 

72 13 

16 4 

0 0 

2 4 

0 0 

16 0 

5 0 

0 0 

1 0 

5 0 

0 0 

2 0 

0 1 

0 0 

0 0

315 56

1,033

0 

0 

1 

63 

0 

7 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

1

0

82

Five samples at the bottom of the section 

1,077.0, 1,067.5, 1,061.5, and 1,051.5 ft) did not yi

1,029 ;

0 

0 

0 

5 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

1

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

7

(1,082.7, 

.eld ostra1,021

222 

30 

0 

0 

87 

3 

3 

8 

6 

16 

0 

4 

2 

2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

383

Haplocytheridea sarectaensis assemblage

1,015 1,010

253 

24 

0 

0 

28 

0 

0 

12 

0 

4 

0 

0 

2 

2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

1

326

11 

8 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

20

1,005 1,000 995

44 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

47

15 31 

0 4 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0

15 35

The Haplocytheridea 

dominated by the widel1

989

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

1

985 975

57 0 

109 16 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

3 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

2 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0

171 16

everetti (Berry) 

y distributed sr

Totals % of Total

633 42.9% 

195 13.2% 

180 12.2% 

119 8.1% 

116 7.9% 

96 6.5% 

23 1.6% 

23 1.6% 

21 1.4% 

20 1.4% 

16 1.1% 

10 0.7% 

5 0.3% 

5 0.3% 

5 0.3% 

2 0.1% 

2 0.1% 

1 0.1% 

1 0.1% 

1 0.1%

1,474 100.0%

assemblage is 

>ecies Haplocodes upon processing. Planktonic foraminifers and mollusk fragments also are absent from these five samples; 

however, they do contain very sparse assemblages of calcareous benthic foraminifers, dominantly Lenticulina spp. The 

other thirteen samples produced very small to moderately 

large numbers of ostracode valves (table 1). These productive samples also contain mollusk fragments and calcareous 

and agglutinated benthic foraminifers. Variable abundances 

of planktonic foraminifers are present in some of these samples with heterohelicid genera dominating over globotruncanid genera except at 1,021 and 1,015 ft where 

heterohelicids were not seen.

OSTRACODE ASSEMBLAGES

Two ostracode assemblages are present in Black Creek 

subunit 2 (table 1). The strong dominance of three taxa in 

each assemblage and the absence or near absence of these 

dominant forms in the other assemblage permit definition of 

the assemblages by inspection.

The lower assemblage, informally named the Haplocytheridea everetti (Berry) assemblage, is present in the four 

samples between the depths of 1,043 and 1,029 ft. The 

upper assemblage, informally named the Haplocytheridea 

sarectaensis Brown assemblage, is present in the nine samples between the depths of 1,021 and 975 ft.

cytheridea renfroensis Crane and Haplocytheridea everetti 

(Berry) as well as undescribed species of the genus Cytherella (table 1). These three taxa constitute about 85 percent 

of the recovered valves in this assemblage. Brachycythere 

ovata (Berry), Escharacytheridea pinochii (Jennings), and 

typically crushed or fragmented specimens of Loxoconcha 

spp. are the only other moderately common forms. Sparse 

described forms include Curfsina communis (Israelsky), 

Orthonotacythere hannai (Israelsky), Orthonotacythere sulcata Brown, Antibythocypris fabaformis (Berry), and Fissocarinocythere pidgeoni (Berry).

The Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown assemblage 

is dominated by Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown, Antibythocypris minuta (Berry), and an undescribed species 

assigned to Haplocytheridea sp. aff. H. everetti (Berry) 

(table 1). Together, these three species constitute about 93 

percent of the assemblage. Sparse described forms include 

Eocytheropteron straillis Brown, Brachycythere rhomboidalis (Berry), Brachycythere ovata (Berry), Curfsina communis (Israelsky), and Fissocarinocythere pidgeoni (Berry).

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND AGE

Most of the described species in both Black Creek 

ostracode assemblages are long-ranging middle Campanian 

to Maastrichtian species or late Campanian to Maastrichtian 

species (Crane, 1965; Hazel and Brouwers, 1982; Gohn,
OSTRACODE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CAMPANIAN (CRETACEOUS) MARINE SEDIMENTS, GEORGIA E5

1995). These long-ranging species include Antibythocypris 

fabaformis (Berry), Antibythocypris minuta (Berry), 

Brachycythere ovata (Berry), Brachycythere rhomboidalis 

(Berry), Haplocytheridea everetti (Berry), Haplocytheridea 

renfroensis Crane, Curfsina communis (Israelsky) and 

Orthonotacythere hannai (Israelsky).

Two of the described ostracode species in Black Creek 

subunit 2 can be used to place this section in the regional 

ostracode zonation of Hazel and Brouwers (1982), as 

modified by Pitakpaivan and Hazel (1994) (fig. 3). The 

presence of Escharacytheridea pinochii (Jennings) in the 

lowest studied sample (table 1), coupled with the presence 

of Fissocarinocythere pidgeoni (Berry) in higher samples, 

indicates placement of at least part of the studied section 

(1,043 to 1,015 ft) within the late Campanian to early 

Maastrichtian chronozones of the Escharacytheridea 

pinochii (Jennings) Interval Zone and (or) the Platycosta 

lixula (Crane) Interval Zone. This late Campanian to early 

Maastrichtian age is compatible with the late Campanian 

age assigned to the calcareous part of Black Creek subunit 2 

at Millhaven by Bukry (this volume, chap. D) on the basis of 

calcareous nannofossils.

PALEOENVIRONMENTS

Species of the genera Haplocytheridea (Stephenson) 

and Antibythocypris (Jennings) tend to dominate the terrigenous inner-neritic deposits of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plains (Hazel and Brouwers, 1982; Puckett, 

1996). Conversely, ornate trachyleberid forms and 

smooth-valved forms (except cytherellids) are more common in deeper water chalk and glauconite deposits and tend 

to be rare in shallow-marine deposits. In the Haplocytheridea everetti assemblage (table 1), Haplocytheridea 

specimens constitute about two-thirds of the recovered 

valves, and an inner-neritic paleoenvironment is inferred 

from this assemblage.

Similarly, in the Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown 

assemblage, the abundance of Haplocytheridea specimens 

and Antibythocypris minuta (Berry) in moderately diverse 

subassemblages at 1,021 and 1,015 ft suggests an inner-neritic paleoenvironment. The abundance of two Haplocytheridea species in the higher samples representing this 

assemblage and the paucity of other taxa suggest possible 

environmental restrictions during sedimentation in an 

inner-neritic paleoenvironment, perhaps a low-oxygen water 

column.

DISCUSSION

The relatively little-studied ostracode species Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown holds potential as a local 

biostratigraphic marker. Known occurrences of this species 

in eastern Georgia and South Carolina are limited to the

Stage

c

.05 "*-

"u_0

"GO

05

05

^

05

Q.

CO 'c

05

Q.

E

05

O

CD

Q. 

Q.

13

i_

CD

_O

CD

Q. 

Q.

13

Regional 

ostracode 

interval 

zones

Veenia

parallelopora

Platycosta

lixula

Escharacytheridea

pinochii

Selected 

ostracode 

ranges

o

CD

'o.

9? CD

^

o

.cC;

03

o 

o

CO

.CO

LL

\

A

03 03

O o

Q. c

"CD ^

03 ^

CL CD

,03 CD

CD o

o

"3

•S

CO

O

•^

s:

1.^

cl.

ui

r

Figure 3. Ostracode interval zones and associated ostracode 

datums. The ostracode interval zones are from Hazel and 

Brouwers (1982) as modified by Pitakpaivan and Hazel (1994).
E6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

upper part of calcareous nannofossil Zone CC 22. Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown is present in the interval 

assigned to Zone CC 22 in the Millhaven core (Bukry, this 

volume, chap. D) and in the USGS-St. George core in northern Dorchester County, central South Carolina (Self-Trail 

and Gohn, 1996; for locations, see fig. 1 of this chapter). I 

also have recorded H. sarectaensis Brown at 923 to 898 ft in 

the USGS-Clubhouse Crossroads No. 1 core in southern 

Dorchester County, which is in a section representing calcareous nannofossil zone CC 22 (data in Hattner and Wise, 

1980; J.M. Self-Trail, USGS, 1995, written commun.). In 

addition, some specimens from Sumter County, S.C., cores 

(fig. 1) that I previously assigned to Haplocytheridea wilmingtonensis Brown (in Prowell, 1993, p. 43) are assigned 

here to H. sarectaensis Brown. These occurrences of H. 

sarectaensis Brown in the Sumter County cores also are 

within calcareous nannofossil Zone CC 22 (J.M. Self-Trail, 

USGS, 1995, written commun.).

Burnett and others (1992), Bukry (1994; this volume, 

chap. D), and Burnett (1996) place the Campanian-Maastrichtian Stage boundary within calcareous nannofossil 

Subzone CC 23a shortly above the extinction level of Reinhardtites anthophorus (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen at the top 

of Zone CC 22. Therefore, the upper part of calcareous nannofossil Zone CC 22 is very late Campanian, but not latest 

Campanian, in age. In eastern Georgia and South Carolina, 

the highest occurrence of Haplocytheridea sarectaensis 

Brown approximates the top of Zone CC 22 and, hence, 

approximates the position of the Campanian-Maastrichtian 

boundary.

The sections in central South Carolina containing Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown and calcareous nannofossil 

Zone CC 22 are assigned to the upper part of the Donoho 

Creek Formation of the Black Creek Group by Gohn 

(1992), Prowell (1993), and Self-Trail and Gohn (1996). 

Black Creek subunit 2 in the Millhaven core, therefore, 

occupies the same biostratigraphic position as the upper part 

of the Donoho Creek Formation in central South Carolina; it 

is also generally similar lithologically to the South Carolina 

Donoho Creek sections. As yet, however, Black Creek subunit 2 at Millhaven has not been traced lithologically 

through intervening drill holes to the central South Carolina 

sections. Although the Donoho Creek Formation is the 

uppermost formation in the Black Creek Group in central 

South Carolina (Gohn, 1992; Self-Trail and Gohn, 1996), 

the equivalent section is overlain by a substantial thickness 

of sediments assigned to the Black Creek subunit 3 in the 

Millhaven core (fig. 2) (Falls and Prowell, this volume, 

chap. A; Frederiksen and others, this volume, chap. C).

TAXONOMIC NOTES ON OSTRACODES

Most of the described ostracode species listed in table 

1 are common, widespread forms that are adequately illustrated in the literature. Except for a few selected taxa, these 

common species are not illustrated in this report; however, 

synonymies are provided as a guide to my concepts of these 

taxa. Brouwers and Hazel (1978) discussed many of the 

species listed in these notes; their detailed synonymies provide the bases for many of the synonymies used here. Undescribed species listed in table 1 are represented by small 

numbers of valves and are not treated in these notes; the several species representing the smooth-valved genus Cytherella Jones also are not treated. Listed stratigraphic ranges 

are from Hazel and Brouwers (1982) unless otherwise 

stated.

ANTIBYTHOCYPRIS FABAFORMIS (BERRY, 1925)

Cytherellafabaformis Berry, 1925, p. 487, fig. 13. 

Cytheridea fabaformis (Berry, 1925). Alexander, 1929, p.

76, pi. 5, fig. 18. 

Haplocytheridea! fabaformis (Berry, 1925). Schmidt, 1948,

p. 426, pi. 62, fig. 23, text-fig. 2e; Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 350, text-fig.; Benson and Tatro, 1964, p.

16, pi. 3, fig. 13; Crane, 1965, p. 199, pi. 1, fig. 11A, B;

Van Nieuwenhuise and Kanes, 1976, pi. 3, fig. B. 

Cytheridea (Haplocytheridea) fabaformis (Berry, 1925).

Brown, 1957, p. 17, pi. 2, figs. 7, 8; Brown, 1958, p. 58,

pi. 5, fig. 7. 

Antibythocypris fabaformis (Berry, 1925). Brouwers and

Hazel, 1978, p. 25, pi. 2, fig. 8; pi. 3, figs. 1-3; pi. 10,

fig. 5; Hazel and Brouwers, 1982, p. 181, pi. 5, fig. 3;

Gohn, 1995, pi. II, fig. 9. 

Cythere ulrichi Berry, 1925, p. 483, fig. 3.

Stratigraphic range.—Middle Campanian through 

Maastricht! an.

ANTIBYTHOCYPRIS MINUTA (BERRY, 1925)

Plate 1, figure 3

Cytherideis minutus Berry, 1925, p. 487, fig. 12. 

Cytherideis minuta Berry, 1925. Howe and Laurencich,

1958, p. 286. 

Antibythocypris minuta (Berry, 1925). Brouwers and Hazel,

1978, p. 25, pi. 3, figs. 4-7; pi. 10, fig. 6; Hazel and

Brouwers, 1982, p. 184, pi. 4, fig. 2; pi. 5, fig. 13; Gohn,

1995, pLH, fig. 11. 

Haplocytheridea! ulrichi (Berry, 1925). Schmidt, 1948, p.

426, pi. 62, figs. 18, 19; Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p.

358, text-fig.; Crane, 1965, p. 200, pi. 1, fig. 9A, B. 

Cytheridea (Haplocytheridea) ulrichi (Berry, 1925). Brown,

1957, p. 18, pi. 2, figs. 4, 5; Brown, 1958, p. 58, pi. 5,

fig- 6. 

Haplocytheridea! macropora (Alexander, 1929). Schmidt,

1948, p. 425, pi. 62, fig. 24; Van Nieuwenhuise and

Kanes, 1976, pi. 4, fig. A.
OSTRACODE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CAMPANIAN (CRETACEOUS) MARINE SEDIMENTS, GEORGIA E7

Remarks.—Cythere ulrichi Berry, 1925, is the female 

dimorph of Antibythocypris fabaformis (Berry, 1925). The 

similar species Antibythocypris macropora (Alexander, 

1929) is common in the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain but is 

rare in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Antibythocypris minuta 

typically occurs in inner-neritic muddy sands in South 

Carolina sections of the Black Creek Group and Peedee Formation (Self-Trail and Gohn, 1996).

Stratigraphic range.—Middle Campanian through 

Maastrichtian.

BRACHYCYTHERE OVATA (BERRY, 1925)

Cythereis ovatus Berry, 1925, p. 484, fig. 15.

Cythere ovata (Berry, 1925). Alexander, 1929, p. 87, pi. VII, 

figs. 10, 13.

Brachycythere ovata (Berry, 1925). Skinner, 1956, p. 190, 

pi. II, fig. 3A-C; Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 89, 

text-figs.; Benson and Tatro, 1964, p. 19, pi. 4, figs. 11- 

13, text-fig. 6; Crane, 1965, p. 210, pi. 4, fig. 1A, B\ 

Brouwers and Hazel, 1978, pi. 7, figs. 5-7, pi. 11, fig. 

4; Hazel and Brouwers, 1982, p. 185, pi. 4, fig. 12; 

Pitakpaivan and Hazel, 1994, fig. 3-(2); Gohn, 1995, pi. 

II, fig. 2.

Brachycythere ovata vecarina Crane, 1965, p. 210, pi. 4, fig. 

3A,fi.

Cytheropteron sp. A, Israelsky, 1929, p. 7, pi. IA, fig. 1A, C.

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian through 

Maastrichtian.

BRACHYCYTHERE RHOMBOIDALIS (BERRY, 1925)

Cythere rhomboidalis Berry, 1925, p. 481, figs. 1, 2.

Cythere rhomboidalis Berry, 1925. Alexander, 1929, p. 86, 

pi. VII, figs. 1, 2.

Brachycythere rhomboidalis (Berry, 1925). Schmidt, 1948, 

p. 414, pi. 62, figs. 8-10; Butler and Jones, 1957, p. 28, 

pi. 3, fig. 2A, B; Brown, 1957, p. 11, pi. 4, figs. 5, 8-10; 

Brown, 1958, p. 61, pi. 2, fig. 9; Howe and Laurencich, 

1958, p. 90, text-figs.; Benson and Tatro, 1964, p. 19, 

pi. 5, figs. 16-18, text-fig. 7; Crane, 1965, p. 209, pi. 4, 

fig. 7; Van Nieuwenhuise and Kanes, 1976, pi. 2, fig. C; 

Brouwers and Hazel, 1978, pi. 7, fig. 8; pi. 8, figs. 1-3; 

pi. 11, fig. 5; Smith, 1978, p. 551, pi. 4, figs. 4-6, 10; 

Hazel and Brouwers, 1982, p. 189, pi. 4, fig. 6; Pitakpaivan and Hazel, 1994, fig. 3-(3); Gohn, 1995, pi. II, 

fig. IBrachycythere jerseyensis Jennings, 1936, p. 48, pi. 6, fig. 

14A, B.

Remarks.—Specimens assigned to Pterygocythere pinguita Crane,1965 by Crane (1965) and Smith (1978) probably represent Brachycythere rhomboidalis (Berry, 1925).

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian through 

Maastrichtian.

CURFSINA COMMUNIS (ISRAELSKY, 1929)

Cythereis communis Israelsky, 1929, p. 14, pi. 3A, figs. 9— 

13.

Cythereis communis Israelsky, 1929. Alexander, 1929, p. 

101, pi. IX, fig. 18; Jennings, 1936, p. 52, pi. 7, fig. 3; 

Schmidt, 1948, p. 419, pi. 61, figs. 11-13; Skinner, 

1956, p. 196, pi. Ill, fig. 7A-£; Butler and Jones, 1957, 

p. 35, pi. 3, fig. 6; Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 189, 

text-fig; Crane, 1965, p. 221, pi. 6, fig. 12; Van Nieuwenhuise and Kanes, 1976, pi. 2, figs. A, B; Brouwers 

and Hazel, 1978, pi. 5, figs. 7-9; pi. 10, fig. 8; Smith, 

1978, p. 554, pi. 5, figs. 20-23.

Trachyleberis communis (Israelsky, 1929). Brown, 1957, p. 

14, pi. 3, figs. 10, 11; Brown, 1958, p. 63, pi. 4, fig. 5.

Trachyleberis? communis (Israelsky, 1929). Benson and 

Tatro, 1964, p. 22, pi. 5, figs. 13-15, text-fig. 10.

Curfsina communis (Israelsky, 1929). Hazel and Brouwers, 

1982, p. 180, pi. 1, fig. 12; Pitakpaivan and Hazel, 

1994, fig. 3-(4); Gohn, 1995, pi. I, fig. 5.

Paracythereis semilenis Schmidt, 1948, p. 418, pi. 61, fig. 

14.

Remarks.—Paracythereis semilenis Schmidt, 1948, is 

a molt of Curfsina communis (Israelsky, 1929).

Stratigraphic range.—Middle Campanian through 

Maastrichtian.

EOCYTHEROPTERON STRAILLIS BROWN, 1957

Plate 1, figure 6

Cytheropteron (Eocytheropteron) straillis Brown, 1957, p.

20, pi. 6, figs. 14, 15. 

Cytheropteron (Eocytheropteron) straillis Brown, 1957.

Brown, 1958, p. 60, pi. 7, fig. 14.

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian-Maastrichtian (data in Brown, 1957; this report).

ESCHARACYTHERIDEA PINOCHII (JENNINGS, 1936)

Plate 1, figure 5

Cytheridea pinochii Jennings, 1936, p. 58, pi. 7, fig. 9.

Haplocytheridealpinochii (Jennings, 1936). Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 356, text-fig.

Escharacytheridea pinochii (Jennings, 1936). Hazel and 

Brouwers, 1982, p. 185, pi. 5, fig. 9; pi. 6, fig. 13; Gohn, 

1995, pi. Ill, fig. 1; Puckett, 1995, p. 25, pi. 1, figs. 13, 

14.

Remarks.—Marker species for the base of the 

Escharacytheridea pinochii Interval Zone of Hazel and 

Brouwers (1982).

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian and Maastrichtian.

FISSOCARINOCYTHERE PIDGEONI (BERRY, 1925)

Cytheridea pidgeoni Berry, 1925, p. 485, figs. 7, 8.
E8 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Cythereis pidgeoni (Berry, 1925). Schmidt, 1948, p. 421, pi. 

62, figs. 2-6; Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 223, 

text-figs.; Crane, 1965, p. 216, pi. 5, fig. 10A, B; Van 

Nieuwenhuise and Kanes, 1976, p. 87, pi. 4, fig. B.

Trachyleberis pidgeoni (Berry, 1925). Brown, 1957, p. 14, 

pi. 7, figs. 26, 27; Brown, 1958, p. 63, pi. 4, fig. 3; Benson and Tatro, 1964, p. 22, pi. 5, figs. 1-3, text-fig. 11.

Fissocarinocythere pidgeoni (Berry, 1925). Brouwers and 

Hazel, 1978, p. 40, pi. 7, figs. 1^; pi. 11, fig. 3; Hazel 

and Brouwers, 1982, p. 185, pi. 1, fig. 14.

"Archicythereis" cf. Cythereis pidgeoni (Berry, 1925). 

Schmidt, 1948, p. 417, pi. 62, fig. 1.

Remarks.— "Archicythereis" cf. Cythereis pidgeoni 

(Berry, 1925) of Schmidt (1948) is a molt of Fissocarinocythere pidgeoni (Berry, 1925). Marker species for the 

top of the Platycosta lixula Interval Zone of Pitakpaivan and 

Hazel (1994).

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian and lower 

Maastrichtian (Hazel and Brouwers, 1982; Pitakpaivan and 

Hazel, 1994).

HAPLOCYTHERIDEA EVERETTI (BERRY, 1925)

Cytheridea everetti Berry, 1925, p. 486, fig. 9.

Cytheridea everetti Berry, 1925. Alexander, 1929, p. 74, pi. 

5, figs. 9, 10.

Haplocytheridea? everetti (Berry, 1925). Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 350, text-fig.

Haplocytheridea everetti (Berry, 1925). Brouwers and Hazel, 1978, p. 17, pi. 1, figs. 4, 6, 7, 9; pi. 10, fig. 3; 

Smith, 1978, p. 550, pi. 2, fig. 18; Hazel and Brouwers, 

1982, p. 181, pi. 5, fig. 8; Puckett, 1992, pi. 2, fig. 14.

Cytheridea monmouthensis Berry, 1925, p. 486, fig. 10. 

Cytheridea (Haplocytheridea) monmouthensis (Berry,

1925). Brown, 1957, p. 19, pi. 2, fig. 6; Brown, 1958, p.

58, pi. 5, fig. 11.

Haplocytheridea monmouthensis (Berry, 1925). Benson and

Tatro, 1964, p. 16, pi. 6, figs. 17, 21, 23. 

Cytheridea truncatus Berry, 1925, p. 485, fig. 6.

Haplocytheridea plummeri (Alexander, 1929). Schmidt, 

1948, p. 425, pi. 62, figs. 27-29.

Cytheridea (Haplocytheridea) plummeri Alexander, 1929. 

Brown, 1957, p. 18, pi. 2, figs. 9-11.

Cytheridea (Haplocytheridea) punctura (Schmidt, 1948). 

Brown, 1957, p. 19, pi. 2, figs. 26-28; Brown, 1958, pi. 

5, fig. 11.

Remarks.—Cytheridea truncatus Berry, 1925 is a juvenile of Haplocytheridea everetti (Berry, 1925).

Stratigraphic range.—Middle Campanian through 

Maastrichtian.

HAPLOCYTHERIDEA RENFROENSIS CRANE, 1965

Haplocytherideal renfroensis Crane, 1965, p. 201, pi. 2, fig.

IA,B. 

Haplocytheridea renfroensis Crane, 1965. Brouwers and

Hazel, 1978, p. 18, pi. 1, fig. 8; pi. 2, figs. 1, 2; pi. 10,

fig. 4; Hazel and Brouwers, 1982, p. 189, pi. 4, fig. 17;

pi. 5, fig. 11; Pitakpaivan and Hazel, 1994, fig. 5-(4). 

Cytheridea monmouthensis Berry, 1925. Alexander, 1929, p.

74, pi. 5, figs. 11-14. 

Haplocytheridea monmouthensis (Berry, 1925). Swain,

1952, p. 79, pi. 18, fig. 19; Howe and Laurencich, 1958,

p. 355, text-fig. 

Haplocytheridea? sp. cf. H. monmouthensis (Berry, 1925).

Crane, 1965, p. 200, pi. 1, fig. 12A, B. 

Haplocytheridea? monmouthensis (Berry, 1925). Smith,

1978, p. 550, pi. 2, figs. 14-16. 

Haplocytheridea pinochii (Jennings, 1936). Schmidt, 1948,

p. 427, pi. 61, figs. 25,26. 

Cytheridea plummeri Alexander, 1929. Skinner, 1956, p.

197, pi. 4, fig. 2A, D. 

Haplocytheridea? plummeri (Alexander, 1929). Butler and

Jones, 1957, p. 16, pi. 4, fig. 9; Benson and Tatro, 1964,

p. 16, pi. 3, figs. 25-27.

Stratigraphic range.—Middle Campanian through 

Maastrichtian.

HAPLOCYTHERIDEA SARECTAENSIS BROWN, 1957

Plate 1, figures 1, 2

Cytheridea (Haplocytheridea) sarectaensis, Brown, 1957, p. 

17, pi. 7, figs. 1-3.

Description.—Sexual dimorphism is pronounced. 

Females have a rounded subtriangular outline and are flattened ventrally; the dorsal margin is broadly convex and 

slightly angled in front of mid-length; the ventral margin is 

straight in right valves, slightly sinuous in left. Males have 

elongate-subquadrate outlines; the dorsal margin is very 

broadly convex; the ventral margin is straight in right 

valves, slightly sinuous in left. The central three-quarters of 

the lateral surface has prominent smooth, low, subvertical 

ridges that alternate with pitted subvertical furrows. The 

longest furrow is slightly in front of the mid-length and is 

convex toward the anterior; the marginal areas of the lateral 

surfaces are smooth. A low node is present near the posterior-ventral termination in right valves. An indistinct, vertically elongate node near the anterior margin causes the 

lateral surface to descend steeply to the slanting anterior 

margin; this node is most pronounced in right valves. The 

valves have a narrow duplicature and a shallow anterior vestibule. The valves have a holomerodont hinge, the anterior 

hinge element is distinctly larger than the posterior element, and the medial element is narrow. Muscle scars are 

not discerned.
OSTRACODE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CAMPANIAN (CRETACEOUS) MARINE SEDIMENTS, GEORGIA E9

Measurements.—Below are measurements (in millimeters) of 16 female and 6 male specimens:

Number Average

Female:

Length-———— 16 

Height--—- 16

Male:

Length-———— 6 

Height ----- 6

0.63

0.36

0.75

0.40

Observed 

range

0.58-0.67 

0.33-0.45

0.72-0.78 

0.37-0.43

Comparisons.—The smaller size, pronounced dimorphism, and vertical ridges and furrows of Haplocytheridea 

sarectaensis Brown readily distinguish this species from 

Haplocytheridea everetti (Berry) and Haplocytheridea renfroensis Crane.

Remarks.—As noted by Brown (1957), this species 

closely resembles early Tertiary species that were later 

assigned by Hazel (1968) to the genus Phractocytheridea 

Sutton and Williams. In fact, Hazel (1968, p. 131) included 

Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown in Phractocytheridea 

Sutton and Williams. However, the Millhaven specimens 

appear to lack the strong shelf at the bottom of the anterior 

socket (left-valve hinge) that was deemed characteristic of 

Phractocytheridea Sutton and Williams by Hazel (1968). 

Therefore, this species is left in Haplocytheridea Stephenson in this report. At least one of the specimens assigned to 

Phractocytheridea cf. P. sarectaensis (Brown, 1957) by 

Puckett (1996, pi. 2, fig. 4) represents the related, more rugose species Haplocytheridea wilmingtonensis Brown.

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian (data in 

Brown, 1957; Self-Trail and Gohn, 1996; Gohn, this report).

HAPLOCYTHERIDEA SP. AFF. HAPLOCYTHERIDEA 

EVERETTI (BERRY, 1925)

Plate 1, figure 4

Description.—Valves are moderate sized and subtriangular; males are slightly longer than females. The dorsal 

margin is slightly angled in females; the ventral margin is 

sinuous in left valves and straight in right valves. The anterior margin is broadly rounded and denticulate; denticles are 

more abundant on the right valve; the posterior margin is 

rounded and extended. The posterior fifth of the ventral 

margin is denticulate in the right valve. Node-like thickenings of the left valve occur at the center of the anterior margin and at the posterior termination; this thickening is most 

pronounced in females. The central two-thirds of the lateral 

surface has moderate-sized pits; two short, smooth vertical 

ridges at the center are separated and flanked by shallow, 

pitted furrows. In right valves, the lateral surface descends 

at a steep angle to the anterior margin, producing a blunt 

anterior termination. The anterior vestibule is shallow; the 

hinge is holomerodont.

Stratigraphic range.—Middle and upper Campanian 

(Gohn, this report; G. Gohn, unpub. data).

ORTHONOTACYTHERE HANNAI (ISRAELSKY, 1929)

Cytherideal hannai Israelsky, 1929, p. 12, pi. 2A, fig. 

10A, B.

Cytheropteron hannai (Israelsky, 1929). Alexander, 1929, p. 

105, pi. IX, fig. 16.

Orthonotacythere hannai (Israelsky, 1929). Alexander, 

1933, p. 200, pi. 25, fig. 1A-C; pi. 26, fig. 6A, B; pi. 27, 

fig. 14A, B; Skinner, 1956, p. 202, pi. IV, fig. 9A, B; 

Butler and Jones, 1957, p. 21, pi. 4, fig. 2; Brown, 1957, 

p. 24, pi. 6, figs. 3-5; Brown, 1958, p. 67, pi. 4, fig. 13; 

Howe and Laurencich, 1958, p. 436, text-figs.; Crane, 

1965, p. 207, pi. 8, fig. 24; Brouwers and Hazel, 1978, 

pi. 9, fig. 4; Smith, 1978, p. 551, pi. 3, fig. 13; Hazel and 

Brouwers, 1982, p. 184, pi. 3, fig. 6; Pitakpaivan and 

Hazel, 1994, fig. 5-(8).

Orthonotacythere (Orthonotacythere) hannai (Israelsky, 

1929). Benson and Tatro, 1964, p. 27, pi. 6, figs. 6, 7.

Stratigraphic range.—Upper Campanian and Maastrichtian (Crane, 1965; Puckett, 1996).

ORTHONOTACYTHERE SULCATA BROWN, 1957

Orthonotacythere sulcata Brown, 1957, p. 23, pi. 6, figs. 6-

8. 

Orthonotacythere sulcata Brown, 1957. Brown, 1958, p. 68,

pi. 4, fig. 14.

Remarks.—This species may be equivalent to Orthonotacythere scrobiculata Alexander (Alexander, 1934).

Stratigraphic range.—Campanian (data in Brown, 

1957, 1958; Self-Trail and Gohn, 1996).

REFERENCES CITED

Alexander, C.I., 1929, Ostracoda of the Cretaceous of north Texas: 

University of Texas Bulletin 2907, 137 p.

————1933, Shell structure of the ostracode Genus 

Cytheropteron, and fossil species from the Cretaceous of 

Texas: Journal of Paleontology, v. 7, no. 2, p. 181-214. 

-1934, Ostracoda of the genera Monoceratina and Orthonotacythere from the Cretaceous of Texas: Journal of Paleontology, v. 8, no. 1, p. 57-67.

Benson, R.H., and Tatro, J.O., 1964, Faunal description of Ostracoda of the Marlbrook Marl (Campanian), Arkansas: The 

University of Kansas Paleontological Contributions, Article 

7, 32 p.

Berry, E.W., 1925, Upper Cretaceous Ostracoda from Maryland: 

American Journal of Science, v. 9, p. 481-487.

Brouwers, E.M., and Hazel, J.E., 1978, Ostracoda and correlation 

of the Severn Formation (Navarroan; Maestrichtian) of Maryland: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists 

Paleontological Monograph No. 1 (Journal of Paleontology, v. 

52, no. 6, suppl.), 52 p.
E10 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Brown, P.M., 1957, Upper Cretaceous Ostracoda from North Carolina: North Carolina Division of Mineral Resources Bulletin 

70, 29 p.

————1958, Well logs from the Coastal Plain of North Carolina: 

North Carolina Division of Mineral Resources Bulletin 72, 

68 p.

Bukry, David, 1994, Coccolith correlation of Late Cretaceous 

Point Loma Formation at La Jolla and Carlsbad, San Diego 

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

94-678, 23 p.

Burnett, J.A., 1996, Nannofossils and Upper Cretaceous (sub-) 

stage boundaries—State of the art: Journal of Nannoplankton 

Research, v. 18, no. 1, p. 23-32.

Burnett, J.A., Hancock, J.M., Kennedy, W.J., and Lord, A.R., 

1992, Macrofossil, planktonic foraminiferal and nannofossil 

zonation at the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary: Newsletters on Stratigraphy, v. 27, no. 3, p. 157-172.

Butler, E.A., and Jones, D.E., 1957, Cretaceous Ostracoda of Prothro and Rayburns salt domes, Bienville Parish, Louisiana: 

Louisiana Geological Survey Geological Bulletin 32, 62 p.

Clarke, J.S., 1992, Evaluation of ground-water flow and quality in 

the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South 

Carolina [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts 

with Programs, v. 24, no. 2, p. 9.

————1995, Ground-water flow study in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia: U.S. Geological 

Survey Fact Sheet FS-178-95, 5 p.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., [Bukry, David,] Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gibson, T.G., Gohn, G.S., and Fleming, Parley, 1996, Hydrogeologic data and aquifer 

interconnection in a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments near Millhaven, Screven County, Georgia, 1991-95: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 99, 43 p., 1 pi. 

in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F, Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992-93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Crane, M.J., 1965, Upper Cretaceous ostracodes of the Gulf Coast 

area: Micropaleontology, v. 11, no. 2, p. 191-254.

Fallaw, W.C., and Price, Van, 1992, Outline of stratigraphy at the 

Savannah River Site, in Fallaw, Wallace, and Price, Van, eds., 

Geological investigations of the central Savannah River area, 

South Carolina and Georgia: Carolina Geological Society 

Field Trip Guidebook 1992, November 13-15, 1992, 

Augusta, Georgia, p. B-II-1 to B-II-33.

————1995, Stratigraphy of the Savannah River Site and vicinity: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 35, no. 1, p. 21-58.

Fallaw, W.C., Price, Van, and Thayer, PA., 1992a, Cretaceous 

lithofacies at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, in 

Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah 

River Region: Transition between the Gulf and Atlantic 

Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island 

Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, 

November 6—11, 1990, University of North Carolina at Wilrnington, p. 50-51.

————1992b, Stratigraphy of the Savannah River Site, South 

Carolina, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds.,

Savannah River Region: Transition between the Gulf and 

Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head 

Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head 

Island, November 6-11, 1990, University of North Carolina 

at Wilmington, p. 29-32.

Falls, W.F., Baum, J.S., and Prowell, D.C., 1997, Physical stratigraphy and hydrostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene sediments, Burke and Screven Counties, Georgia: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 36, no. 4, p. 153-176.

Gohn, G.S., 1992, Revised nomenclature, definitions, and correlations for the Cretaceous formations in USGS-Clubhouse 

Crossroads #1, Dorchester County, South Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1518, 39 p, 1 pi. in pocket.

————1995, Ostracode biostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous 

marine sediments in the New Jersey Coastal Plain, in Baker, 

J.E.B., ed., Contributions to the paleontology of New Jersey: 

Geological Association of New Jersey Contribution Proceedings, v. 12, p. 87-101.

Hattner, J.G., and Wise, S.W, Jr., 1980, Upper Cretaceous calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of South Carolina: South 

Carolina Geology, v. 24, no. 2, p. 41-117.

Hazel, J.E., 1968, Ostracodes from the Brightseat Formation 

(Danian) of Maryland: Journal of Paleontology, v. 42, no. 1, p. 

100-142.

Hazel, J.E., and Brouwers, E.M., 1982, Biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic distribution of ostracodes in the Coniacian-Maastrichtian (Austinian-Navarroan) in the Atlantic and 

Gulf Coastal Province, in Maddocks, R.F., ed., Texas Ostracoda, Guidebook of excursions and related papers for the 

Eighth International Symposium on Ostracoda: Houston, 

University of Houston, p. 166-198.

Howe, H.V, and Laurencich, L., 1958, Introduction to the study of 

Cretaceous Ostracoda: Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press, 536 p.

Israelsky, M.C., 1929, Upper Cretaceous Ostracoda of Arkansas: 

Arkansas Geological Survey Bulletin 2, p. 3-29.

Jennings, PH., 1936, A microfauna from the Monmouth and basal 

Rancocas Groups of New Jersey: Bulletins of American Paleontology, v. 23, no. 78, p. 1-76.

Leeth, D.C., Falls, W.F, Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., and 

Fleming, R.F., 1996, Geologic, hydrologic, and water-chemistry data for a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments 

near Girard, Burke County, Georgia, 1992-95: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 100, 26 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Logan, W.R., and Euler, G.M., 1989, Geology and ground-water 

resources of Allendale, Bamberg, and Barnwell Counties and 

part of Aiken County, South Carolina: South Carolina Water 

Resources Commission Report 155, 113 p.

Pitakpaivan, Kasana, and Hazel, J.E., 1994, Ostracodes and chronostratigraphic position of the Upper Cretaceous Arkadelphia 

Formation of Arkansas: Journal of Paleontology, v. 68, no. 1, 

p. 111-122.

Prowell, D.C., 1993, Late Cretaceous stratigraphy in the central 

Coastal Plain of South Carolina: New evidence from drill 

holes near Lake Marion, Sumter County: South Carolina 

Geology, v. 36, p. 35^6.

Puckett, T.M., 1992, Distribution of ostracodes in the Upper Cretaceous (late Santonian through middle Maastrichtian) of Alabama and Mississippi: Gulf Coast Association of Geological 

Societies Transactions, v. 42, p. 613-631.
OSTRACODE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF UPPER CAMPANIAN (CRETACEOUS) MARINE SEDIMENTS, GEORGIA E11

————1995, Planktonic foraminiferal and ostracode biostratigraphy of the late Santonian through early Maastrichtian strata in 

Dallas County, Alabama: Geological Survey of Alabama Bulletin 164, 59 p.

————1996, Ecologic atlas of Upper Cretaceous ostracodes of 

Alabama: Geological Survey of Alabama Monograph 14, 

176 p.

Schmidt, R.A.M., 1948, Ostracoda from the Upper Cretaceous and 

lower Eocene of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia: Journal 

of Paleontology, v. 22, no. 4, p. 389^31.

Self-Trail, J.M., and Gohn, G.S., 1996, Biostratigraphic data for 

the Cretaceous marine sediments in the USGS-St. George No. 

1 core (DOR-211), Dorchester County, South Carolina: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-684, 29 p.

Skinner, H.C., 1956, Ostracoda from basal Arkadelphia Marl 

exposures near Hope, Arkansas: Gulf Coast Association of 

Geological Societies Transactions, v. 6, p. 179-204.

Smith, J.K., 1978, Ostracoda of the Prairie Bluff Chalk, Upper 

Cretaceous, (Maestrichtian) and the Pine Barren Member of 

the Clayton Formation, lower Paleocene, (Danian) from exposures along Alabama state highway 263 in Lowndes County, 

Alabama: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies 

Transactions, v. 28, p. 539-579.

Swain, P.M., 1952, Part 2, Mesozoic Ostracoda, chap. B of Ostracoda from wells in North Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey 

Professional Paper 234, p. 59-93.

Van Nieuwenhuise, D.S., and Kanes, W.H., 1976, Lithology and 

ostracode assemblages of the Peedee Formation at Burches 

Ferry, South Carolina: South Carolina Division of Geology 

Geologic Notes, v. 20, no. 3, p. 74-87,

PLATE 1
PLATE 1

[All specimens are selected Cretaceous ostracodes from the Black Creek Group in the Millhaven core from 

Screven County, Georgia]

Figure 1. Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown, 985 ft, exterior view of female right valve (x 90).

2. Haplocytheridea sarectaensis Brown, 985 ft, exterior view of male left valve (x 68).

3. Antibythocypris minuta (Berry), 1,021 ft, exterior view of male left valve (x 73).

4. Haplocytheridea sp. aff. Haplocytheridea everetti (Berry), 1,021 ft, exterior view of 

female left valve (x 75).

5. Escharacytheridea pinochii (Jennings), 1,043 ft, exterior view of right side of female 

carapace (x91).

6. Eocytheropteron straillis Brown, 1,015 ft, exterior view of female(?) left valve (x 66).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-E, PLATE 1

'-*>»..

OSTRACODES

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy of 

Cenozoic Sediments from the Millhaven Core, 

Screven County, Georgia

By Laurel M. Bybell

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-F

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... Fl

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

Purpose and Scope.................................................................................................. 1

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 1

Material and Methods ..................................................................................................... 1

Biostratigraphic Zonation .............................................................................................. 2

Millhaven Core ............................................................................................................... 9

Ellenton Formation, Lower and Upper Paleocene, Zones NP 4, NP 5,

andNPS ..................................................................................................... 9

Snapp Formation .................................................................................................... 9

Congaree Formation, Middle Eocene, Zone NP 14 and Possibly Zone

NP15 ......................................................................................................... 9

Warley Hill Formation, Middle Eocene, Zone NP 15 and Possibly Zone

NP16 ......................................................................................................... 10

Santee Limestone, Middle Eocene, Zone NP 17 and Possibly Zones

NP ISorNP 16 .......................................................................................... 10

Barnwell Unit, Upper Eocene and Possibly Lower Oligocene, Zones

NP 19/20-21 .............................................................................................. 10

GirardCore .................................................................................................................... 11

Millers Pond Core .......................................................................................................... 11

List of Calcareous Nannofossil Species Mentioned in this Paper ................................. 11

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 13

PLATE

[Plate follows References Cited]

1. Coccolithus, Discoaster, Reticulofenestra, Transversopontis, Helicosphaera, Blackites, Placozygus, Ericsonia, and 

Toweius.

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the location of the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond test holes in Georgia and additional

test holes in South Carolina ........................................................................................................................................... F2

2. Chart showing calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic zonation of Cenozoic intervals in the Millhaven core

from Georgia .................................................................................................................................................................. 3

3. Calcareous nannofossil occurrence chart for Cenozoic deposits in the Millhaven core from Georgia ......................... 4

Hi

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy of

Cenozoic Sediments from the Millhaven Core,

Screven County, Georgia

By Laurel M. Bybell

ABSTRACT

Calcareous nannofossils were examined from the 

Cenozoic portion of the Millhaven core that was drilled by 

the U.S. Geological Survey in Screven County, Georgia. 

Calcareous nannofossil Zones NP 4, NP 5, and NP 8 are 

present in the Paleocene Ellenton Formation; calcareous 

nannofossils were not examined from the overlying 

noncalcareous Snapp Formation; Zone NP 14 is present in 

the overlying middle Eocene Congaree Formation; Zone NP 

15 occurs in the Warley Hill Formation; Zone NP 17 occurs 

in the upper middle Eocene Santee Limestone; and Zone 197 

20 and probably Zone 21 occur in the upper Eocene and 

possibly lower Oligocene Barnwell unit. A few samples 

were examined from the Ellenton Formation in the core 

from the nearby Girard test hole and the Santee Limestone 

in the Millers Pond core. These samples could add no more 

precise information concerning the age of these two 

formations.

INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

In this study, calcareous nannofossils were examined 

from 68 samples from the Cenozoic portion of the Millhaven core in order to establish a biostratigraphic framework that could be used to understand better the groundwater flow in the aquifers in the region near the Savannah 

River Site. I anticipated that calcareous nannofossils would 

not be useful in dating the more updip Girard and Millers 

Pond test holes, but I examined a few select samples in 

order to test this hypothesis. Falls and Prowell (this volume, 

chap. A) describe the lithology and physical stratigraphy of

the Cretaceous and Cenozoic sediments recovered in the 

cores.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Donald Queen, Eugene Cobbs, and Eugene Cobbs III, 

of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), drilled the Millhaven corehole, and I thank them for their diligent efforts in 

obtaining good core recovery. I thank Jean M. Self-Trail 

(USGS) and Amanda Chapman (USGS) for their preparation of the calcareous nannofossil samples and their excellent illustrations. I also thank Jean M. Self-Trail and 

Raymond A. Christopher (Clemson University) for their 

thoughtful reviews of the manuscript.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The Millhaven test hole (33X048) was drilled in 

Screven County, Ga., in late 1991 and early 1992 as part of a 

cooperative effort among the U.S. Geological Survey, the 

U.S. Department of Energy, and the Georgia Geologic Survey of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The 

test hole is located at lat 32°53'25" N. and long 81°35'43" 

W. (fig. 1). The drill site is located at an altitude of 110 ft, 

and the test hole was drilled to a depth of 1,452 ft. The hole 

was continuously cored, and the cores are temporarily 

stored at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Va.

Sixty-eight samples between the depths of 639.6 and 

59.8 ft in the Millhaven core were examined for their calcareous nannofossil content (fig. 2). Two samples were examined from the Girard core (32Y020), which was drilled by 

the U.S. Geological Survey in 1992 in southern Burke 

County, Ga., at the lookout tower on Griffins Landing Road, 

2 miles north of the town of Girard at lat 33°03'54" N. and 

long 81°43'13" W. (fig. 1). Three samples were examined

Fl
F2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

82° 81' 80' 79'

34°

33 C

32C

ATLANTIC OCEAN

0 20 Miles 

0 20 Kilometers

Figure 1. Location of the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond test holes in Georgia and additional 

test holes in South Carolina.

from the Millers Pond core (GGS-3758, Burke 2), which 

was drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey in 1991 in 

northern Burke County, Ga., 2 miles west of the Savannah 

River and 16 miles south of Augusta at lat 33°13'48" N. and 

long 81°52'44" W. (fig. 1). Comparisons are made with calcareous nannofossil data obtained from the Clubhouse 

Crossroads core No. 1 (Hazel and others, 1977) and the 

Pregnall core (Edwards and others, 1997), both located in 

Dorchester County, S.C.

Calcareous nannofossil samples were extracted from 

the central portion of core-segment surfaces (freshly broken 

where possible) at approximately 2- to 10-ft intervals. The 

samples were dried in a convection oven to remove residual 

water, and the resultant sediment was placed in vials for 

long-term storage in the author's laboratory at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Va. A timed settling procedure 

was used to obtain the optimum sediment-size fraction. For 

this procedure, a small amount of sample was placed in a 

beaker, stirred, and settled through 2 cm of water. The first 

settling time was 1 minute to remove the coarse material, 

and the second settling time was 10 minutes to remove the 

fine clay fraction. Smear slides then were prepared from the 

remaining material. Cover slips were attached to the slides 

using Norland Optical Adhesive (NOA-65), a clear adhesive

that bonds glass to glass and cures when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Initially, all samples were examined by using a Zeiss 

Photomicroscope III. A few samples, which were thought to 

have the best preservation and the highest abundances of 

calcareous nannofossils, were scanned by using a JEOL 35 

scanning electron microscope (SEM). Photomicrographs of 

several of the best preserved specimens are presented on 

plate 1.

BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC ZONATION

In this study, the biostratigraphic zonation of the Cenozoic strata is based primarily on the calcareous nannofossil 

zonation of Martini (1971) and secondarily on the zonation 

of Bukry (1973, 1978) and Okada and Bukry (1980). The 

calcareous nannofossil assemblages usually were sufficient 

in numbers of specimens, diversity of taxa, and preservational state in the Millhaven strata to allow placement of 

most samples within one specific calcareous nannofossil 

zone (fig. 3).

Text continues on p. F8.
CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS, MILLHAVEN CORE, GEORGIA F3

100 -

200 - 

t

300 -

400 -

500 -

642

I \

1 u

600 -i_-^_-^_-^_

NP4

EXPLANATION

Fossils

Calcareous sand

^-^^-2 Clay

ZZT

Clayey sand

Sand

Sandy limestone

Limestone

Clayey limestone

Calcareous clay

Calcareous nannofossil sample

? Uncertain age

Figure 2. Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic 

zonation of Cenozoic intervals in the Millhaven core 

from Georgia. Lithology and formations from Falls 

and Prowell (this volume, chap. A).
F4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

s

.3 

1

JH"cL C-1

V fc

Species o

Gonlolithus fluckigeri ————————— 

Hayella situliformis —— - -——— - — — — 

Helicosphaera bramlettei ——————— 

Helicosphaera compacta ——————

Helicosphaera lophota ———————— 

Helicosphaera reticulata ———————

Ellenton Formation

Early 

Paleocene

•*'*'*

OH OH OH

z, z, z

v£> 00 Tf

o\ *o in r^ r*^ r^ ^c « «

c . .

X . X

C . .

x

XXX

Late Paleocene

l/")l/")l/")l/")l/")tOV")l/")l/")l/~)l/")l/")

^0-0-^^^I^^O-aH^aH ZZZZZZZZZZ.ZZ

ro^cN — oo^Hvo^OOiriCN

T-^OO^HC^^ONlOr^ON^H^^

f>fSr)i— lOONONONOOoor-r- *CvO*C*CvO<OiO<O<O</l<O"^

X . X . . . X . X X X

xxxx.x.x.xxx

xxxx.x.x.x.x

X X

xxxx. . .x.xxx

X

00 00 

OH OH

Z, Z,

O CN

oo r- r- i^ 

>n u~>

X

X X

X X

^

^

X X

Congaree Fm. Warley Hill Formation

Middle Eocene

<ri <ri *O 

•*t'* i'*T|--'t':?ir)'/">'/">'/">'<~>>n'<~>'/">'<~>

O.QHQHQHQHO-QHQHQ-QHQHQHO-QHO-

'ZZZ.Z.ZZZZZZZZZZZ

•^lOtoioioO^^Or^ioioioiooO

^in — roincNoo^OrocNiri^OOro^- 

GNGNOOO^D^OtOlO-^Tfr^CNCN^HO •«t'«t 1 *'«t'«tTj-Tj--^-'«J-^-Tj-Tj-Tj-Tj-^Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

X

XXXXXXXXX. . . .XX

1 ..............

X

X . XXX . XXXXXXXXX

. . 2 ............

x.xxx.x.x. .xxxx 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

c ..............

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

X.XXX. XX. .XXXXX

X

1 ..............

311 1

J£

. . . . 1 ..........

Figure 3. Calcareous nannofossil occurrence chart for Cenozoic deposits 

in the Millhaven core from Georgia. The following symbols are used. 

Abundance: A, abundant or greater than 10 specimens per field of view at 

x 500; C, common or 1 to 10 specimens per field of view at x 500; F, 

frequent or 1 specimen per 1 to 10 fields of view at X 500; R, rare or 1

specimen in greater than 10 fields of view at x 500; B, barren of calcareous 

nannofossils. Preservation: F, fair; P, poor; T, terrible. Other symbols: 

1,2,3, only one, two, or three specimens observed in entire sample; C, 

contaminated specimen from elsewhere; 7, possible occurrence.
CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS, MILLHAVEN CORE, GEORGIA F5

Santee Limestone

Middle Eocene

*£> *£> *£>

CL, CL, CL, 1X1X1X1X1X1X1X1X1X0.1X1X0,

z z z ^. c- zzzizzzzzzizzzz

oooooo\oooooo>nooomo>n>n

o^oo\<nooo>/'>mvooO'-«mc^o^ooo<Nc^ oo\r^t^r^^o^£>>n^tmm'-^oo\'n^t^tcv| •*±mmmcococommcocommcNcNcNcNcN

X ..........

X.I...............

XXX. .XXXX.XXXXX. .X

XXX. .XXXX.XXXX.X.X

X.X.XXX. . . .X

Barn well unit

Late Eocene/ 

Late Eocene Early Oligocene

ooooooooorirtrj- _. 

CJ C2 CJ CJ CJ C2 CJ CJ CJ i ^ ^ \ \ e~ f~

^^^^.-^ — i — ^^H — i r-i — ^^^-H^^c^(NtN(N

ZZ,&Z,Z,Z,Z,ZZ,Z,Z,Z,%Z,Z,Z,r-ro\ooo>ntNOoo>nooooo'n Ocooo

mmo\^O(NO>n^oooO'-^'-^oo>nco lx,.^ 0<

<N(N^^-H-HONt^^o^o>nmrt005?S?i r~lr~l(N(Nr~lr~l^^-H^^^rt-H^ ON ^3u '

. . . . 1 .............

. . . . . . 1 ...........

XXXXXXXXX. . . .XXX.

X

XXXXXXXXX. . .XXXX. 

X X

XXXXXXXXX. . . .XXX.

X

X

. . . . . . 1 ...........

Species

Blackites tenuis

Chiasmolithus consuetus s.l.

Chiasmolithus grandis

Chiasmolithus oamaruensis

Coccolithus pelagicus

Cruciplacolithus tenuis

Cruciplacolithus spp.

Cyclococcolithus formosus

Cyclococcolithus spp.

Dictyococcites bisectus 

Dictyococcites scrippsae

Discoaster mirus

Discoaster saipanensis

Discoaster sublodoensis

Discoaster tanii

Ellipsolithus macellus

Ericsonia obruta

Helicosphaera bramlettei

Helicosphaera reticulata

Figure 3. Continued.
F6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

u 

a 

o N 

a.

tco • «J 5tJ species Q

Prinsius spp. ————————————

Pseudotriquetrorhabdulus inversus ———

Transversopontis pulchriporus ————— 

Transversopontis zigzag — —— - ——— —

Cretaceous forms ——————————

Ellenton Formation

Early 

Paleocene

•* •«!• •«!•

CM OH PL, 2; 2 2;

^o oo TJo ^o in m ro m \o \o ^o

X . X

X . X

X

C . .

c . .

X 

X . X

X

X . X

F R F

P T F

Late Paleocene

inininin'n'ninin'nininin

0.0.0.1X0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

ror^eNi— ioo^H\or~OO</">c-J

^HOO*-^roc7\QNinroc7N^-i<J>o> 

PICSC-)'— ioo\o\o\oooor~r~

« ^oinininininmin

XX. X. . .X.XXX

X

FFRFRRRFBRFF

pppppppp p p F

00 OO

1 <HZ<H

O CM

OO f~ p~ p~

2 2

X X

X X

F FF P

Congaree Fm. Warley Hill Formation

Middle Eocene

in in ^o 

•^••^•^-•^•^^y-ju-jininininininin

ooooooooooooooo

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

•^tmininino — omminminoo

t^m^Hrnin(Noo^omcsin^OOrori- o\i^ooi^\o^oininT)-TtmcscM^-io

x.xxxxxxx. .xxxx

c ..............

XX. .X.X.X. .XXXX

XXX. XXX. XXXX. X.

. . 3 ............

XXXXXXXXXX . XXXX

X X ...........

FRFCFFCFCCCFCFF

FPPFPPPPPPPFFPF

The Snapp Formation was cored above the Ellenton Formation from 504 to 570 ft; the Snapp did not yield any calcareous nannofossil samples.

Figure 3. Calcareous nannofossil occurrence chart for Cenozoic deposits 

in the Millhaven core from Georgia. The following symbols are used. 

Abundance: A, abundant or greater than 10 specimens per field of view at 

x 500; C, common or 1 to 10 specimens per field of view at x 500; F, 

frequent or 1 specimen per 1 to 10 fields of view at x 500; R, rare or 1

specimen in greater than 10 fields of view at x 500; B, barren of calcareous 

nannofossils. Preservation: F, fair; P, poor; T, terrible. Other symbols: 

1,2,3, only one, two, or three specimens observed in entire sample; C, 

contaminated specimen from elsewhere; ?, possible occurrence— 

Continued.
CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS, MILLHAVEN CORE, GEORGIA F7

Santee Limestone

Middle Eocene

^c ^o ^o

OH OH OH ^(^(^(^e^!^^^^^^^^ zzz^. ^.zzzzz^zzzzzzz

OOOOOO\OOOOOOW)OOOinOW>W>

O^OO\i/ioooir>ir>vooo O(^t^t^t^^O^»n^trnm — r^t^o^OootNt^ 

— ^o^irj^f^tfN 

rfencnrrienf^enf^c^fOfnencnc^tSfSMfS

X

XXXX.XX. .X. .X

X .................

X X

XX X

X

XXX. .XXXX.XXXX. . .X

CFFBRFCFFRFCFFFFBF

PPP PPFPPPPPPPPP F

Barnwell unit

Late Eocene/ 

Late Eocene Early Oligocene

ooooooooorjzjr;^ _

cjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcd77777^^-

—— —— ^H^H^^^.,—— ^H^H^Hrt^HCNtNfNtN 

&,&,&,&,&,&,&,&,&,&,&,&,&<&,&,&< 

ZZZZZZZZZZZ^ZZZZ^-^'

o\ooo>nr)ooo'nooooo'n Ocr)00

lOcnONVOfSOio^Oooo-H-HOOiocnu^u^o:

<N(N-H-H-H--HO\t^^O^OU->r<->~HOOo?5g|£

(N(N(N(N<M(N-^-H^H-H-^-H-H-H^H ax ^0 'n

9

XXXXXXXX. . . . .XXX.

XXX

XXXXXXXXX. . . . .XX.

ACCFCCCFRBRBRFFCBB

FFPPFPPPP P PPPP

Species

Poniosphaera punctosa

Pontosphaera wechesensis

Reticulofenestra umblicus

Sphenolithus pseudoradians

Zygrhablithus bijugatus 

placoliths

Cretaceous forms

Abundance

Preservation

Figure 3. Continued.
F8 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

The following calcareous nannofossil species can be FAD 

used to date sediments of early Paleocene to early Oligocene age. Many, but not all, of these species are present in 

the Millhaven core. A FAD indicates a first appearance 

datum, and a LAD indicates a last appearance datum. Zonal 

markers for the Martini NP zones are indicated with an LAD 

asterisk (*), and a pound sign (#) indicates a zonal marker 

for the Bukry CP zones. The author has found the remaining 

species to be biostratigraphically useful in the Gulf of Mex- FAD 

ico and Atlantic Coastal Plains (Bybell, 1982; Bybell and 

Gibson, 1985; Poore and Bybell, 1988; Self-Trail and 

Bybell, 1995). FAD 

LAD *#Reticulofenestra umbilicus (Levin) Martini & 

Ritzkowski—top of Zone NP 22, top of Subzone CP 16c, early Oligocene LAD 

LAD *Cyclococcolithus formosus Kamptner—top of

Zone NP 21, early Oligocene FAD 

LAD Isthmolithus recurvus Deflandre—within Zone NP

21 

LAD *#Discoaster saipanensis Bramlette & Riedel—

top of Zone NP 19/20, top of Subzone CP FAD 

15b, late Eocene

LAD #Discoaster barbadiensis Tan Sin Hok—top of FAD 

Zone NP 19/20, top of Subzone CP 15b, late 

Eocene; actually has its LAD slightly below LAD 

the LAD of D. saipanensis 

LAD Cribrocentrum reticulatum (Gartner & Smith)

Perch-Nielsen—very near top of Zone NP FAD 

19/20, late Eocene 

FAD ^Isthmolithus recurvus Deflandre—base of Zone

NP 19/20, late Eocene FAD 

FAD *#Chiasmolithus oamaruensis (Deflandre) Hay et 

al.—base of Zone NP 18, base of Subzone 

CP 15a, late Eocene FAD 

FAD Helicosphaera compacta Bramlette & Wilcoxon—

within the uppermost part of Zone NP 16; FAD 

can be used to approximate the Zone NP 16/ 

17 boundary.

LAD *#Chiasmolithus bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) FAD 

Hay & Mohler/Chiasmolithus solitus (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay et al.—top of Zone NP FAD 

16, middle Eocene

FAD Cribrocentrum reticulatum (Gartner & Smith) FAD 

Perch-Nielsen—within Zone NP 16, middle 

Eocene 

FAD Dictyococcites bisectus (Hay et al.) Bukry & Per- FAD

cival—within Zone NP 16, middle Eocene 

FAD Dictyococcites scrippsae Bukry & Percival—

within Zone NP 16, middle Eocene FAD 

FAD #Reticulofenestra umbilicus (Levin) Martini &

Ritzkowski—large forms first appear near FAD 

base of Zone NP 16, base of Subzone CP 

14a, middle Eocene FAD 

LAD *Rhabdosphaera gladius Locker—top of Zone NP 

15, middle Eocene

*#Nannotetrina fulgens (Stradner) Achuthan & 

Stradner—base of Zone NP 15, base of Subzone CP 13a, middle Eocene, the genus Nannotetrina first appears very near the Zone NP 

14/15 boundary

*Rhabdosphaera inflata Bramlette & Sullivan— 

top of Zone NP 14, base of Subzone CP 12b, 

middle Eocene

*Rhabdosphaera inflata Bramlette & Sullivan— 

middle of Zone NP 14, top of Subzone CP 

12b, middle Eocene

*#Discoaster sublodoensis Bramlette & Sullivan— 

base of Zone NP 14, base of Subzone CP 

12a, early Eocene

*Rhomboaster orthostylus (Shamrai) Bybell & 

Self-Trail—top of Zone NP 12, early Eocene

Helicosphaera lophota (Bramlette & Sullivan) 

Locker—near top of Zone NP 12; has been 

used to approximate the Zone NP 12/NP 13 

boundary, early Eocene

Helicosphaera seminulum Bramlette & Sullivan— 

middle of Zone NP 12, early Eocene

*Discoaster lodoensis Bramlette & Riedel—base 

of Zone NP 12, early Eocene

*#Rhomboaster contortus (Stradner) Bybell & 

Self-Trail—top of Zone NP 10, top of Subzone CP 9a, early Eocene

*Rhomboaster bramlettei (Bronnimann & Stradner) Bybell & Self-Trail—base of Zone NP 

10, early Eocene

*#Discoaster multiradiatus Bramlette & Riedel— 

base of Zone NP 9, base of Subzone CP 8a, 

late Paleocene

*Heliolithus riedelii Bramlette & Sullivan—base 

of Zone NP 8, late Paleocene

*#Discoaster mohleri Bukry & Percival—base of 

Zone NP 7, base of Zone CP 6, late Paleocene

*#Heliolithus kleinpellii Sullivan—base of Zone 

NP 6, base of Zone CP 5, late Paleocene

Heliolithus cantabriae Perch-Nielsen—within 

upper part of Zone NP 5, late Paleocene

Chiasmolithus bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay 

& Mohler—within Zone NP 5, late Paleocene

*#Fasciculithus tympaniformis Hay & Mohler— 

base of Zone NP 5, base of Zone CP 4, late 

Paleocene

Chiasmolithus sp. aff. C. bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay & Mohler—within Zone NP 4

Toweius pertusus (Sullivan) Romein—within Zone 

NP4

Ellipsolithus distichus (Bramlette & Sullivan) Sullivan—near base of Zone NP 4, early Paleocene
CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS, MILLHAVEN CORE, GEORGIA F9

FAD *#EUipsolithus macellus (Bramlette & Sullivan) 

Sullivan—base of Zone NP 4, base of Zone 

CP 3, early Paleocene

FAD *#Chiasmolithus danicus (Brotzen) Hay & 

Mohler—base of Zone NP 3, base of Zone 

CP 2, early Paleocene

FAD *#Cruciplacolithus tenuis (Stradner) Hay & 

Mohler—base of Zone NP 2, base of Subzone CP Ib, early Paleocene

Calcareous nannofossil contamination normally is 

confined to occasional reworked specimens of Cretaceous 

species. However, at 639.6 ft in the Millhaven core, there is 

a significant amount of downhole contamination of middle 

Eocene calcareous nannofossil specimens into a highly 

porous middle Paleocene sample. This is presumed to be the 

result of injection into open spaces of material from farther 

up in the corehole via drilling fluid. Contamination of 

Eocene pollen also was observed in this interval (see Frederiksen, this volume, chap. H). Two samples in the Pregnall 

core in Dorchester County, S.C., also are contaminated with 

middle Eocene calcareous nannofossils (Edwards and others, 1997), but there the contamination occurs in porous 

upper Paleocene limestone rather than in the middle Paleocene section. The possibility for this type of contamination 

is always present when dealing with cores, but careful sampling procedures and awareness that contamination is possible can reduce significantly the chances for biostratigraphic 

dating errors.

MILLHAVEN CORE

ELLENTON FORMATION,

LOWER AND UPPER PALEOCENE,

ZONES NP 4, NP 5, AND NP 8

Sediments in the interval from 642 to 570 ft in the 

Millhaven core are placed in the Ellenton Formation (Falls 

and Prowell, this volume, chap. A). Seventeen samples from 

639.6 to 577.2 ft in this unit were examined for their calcareous nannofossil content (fig. 3).

Three samples from 639.6, 636.8, and 635.4 ft are 

placed in Zone NP 4 because of the presence of Ellipsolithus macellus (Bramlette & Sullivan) Sullivan (FAD 

defines the base of Zone NP 4) and Chiasmolithus sp. aff. C. 

bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay & Mohler, which occurs 

only within Zone NP 4, and the absence of species indicative of Zone NP 5. The central X-shaped structure of C. sp. 

aff. C. bidens closely resembles that of Chiasmolithus 

bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) Sullivan, except that the X is 

unsplit. Perch-Nielsen (1985) contains a discussion of split 

versus unsplit terminology for the genus Chiasmolithus. 

Lower Zone NP 4 is placed in the early Paleocene, and 

upper Zone NP 4 is placed in the late Paleocene (Berggren

and others, 1985, 1995). Calcareous nannofossils cannot be 

used to determine whether the samples from the Millhaven 

core are in the lower or upper part of Zone NP 4. However, 

dinoflagellates (Edwards, this volume, chap. G) and foraminifers (Gibson, this volume, chap. I) clearly place this 

interval within the early Paleocene. For example, the planktonic foraminifer Globoconusa daubjergensis (Bronnimann), which occurs at 636.8 ft, never occurs in material 

younger than the lower Paleocene (Gibson, this volume, 

chap. I).

The 12 samples from 631.3 to 579.2 ft are placed 

within the lower part of Zone NP 5 (late Paleocene) by the 

presence of Chiasmolithus bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) 

Hay & Mohler (FAD within Zone NP 5) and the absence of 

both Heliolithus cantabriae Perch-Nielsen (FAD in upper 

half of Zone NP 5) and Heliolithus kleinpellii Sullivan (FAD 

defines the base of Zone NP 6). Fasciculithus tympaniformis 

Hay & Mohler (FAD defines the base of Zone NP 5) is rare 

in the Millhaven core and could not be used as a reliable 

biostratigraphic indicator. An unconformity within the 

Ellenton Formation comprises the upper part of Zone NP 4.

Two samples from 578.0 and 577.2 ft are placed in the 

late Paleocene Zone NP 8 on the basis of the presence of 

Heliolithus riedelii Bramlette & Sullivan (FAD defines the 

base of Zone NP 8) and the absence of Discoaster multiradiatus Bramlette & Riedel (FAD defines the base of Zone 

NP 9). An unconformity in the Ellenton spans the upper part 

of Zone 5 and Zones NP 6-7. No calcareous nannofossil 

samples were collected from the upper 7 ft of the Ellenton 

Formation. It is unknown whether there might be material of 

Zone NP 9 age (uppermost Paleocene) in this interval. Zone 

NP 9 is present in Dorchester County, S.C., both in the Pregnall core (Edwards and others, 1997) and in the Clubhouse 

Crossroads No. 1 core (Hazel and others, 1977).

SNAPP FORMATION

Calcareous nannofossils were not examined from the 

noncalcareous Snapp Formation, which extends between 

570 and 504 ft in the core. See Frederiksen (this volume, 

chap. H) for a discussion of the pollen from the Snapp Formation.

CONGAREE FORMATION,

MIDDLE EOCENE, ZONE NP 14

AND POSSIBLY ZONE NP 15

Five samples were examined from the Congaree Formation, which extends from 504 to 462 ft in the Millhaven 

core (fig. 3). Four samples from 497.4, 495.5, 481.5, and 

473.5 ft can be placed in Zone NP 14 by the presence of 

Discoaster sublodoensis Bramlette & Sullivan (FAD defines 

the base of Zone NP 14) at 497.4, 495.5, and 481.5 ft; the 

presence of Rhabdosphaera inflata Bramlette & Sullivan
F10 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

(only occurs in the upper part of Zone NP 14) at 473.5 ft; 

and the absence of the genus Nannotetrina (FAD at the base 

of Zone NP 15) in this material. Discoaster saipanensis 

Bramlette & Riedel (early forms of this species first appear 

in Zone NP 14), Lanternithus minutus Stradner (first 

appears in the upper part of Zone NP 14), and Lithostromation operosum (Deflandre) Bybell and Lithostromation simplex (Klumpp) Bybell (both first appear in Zone NP 14) are 

present in this interval. The sample at 473.5 ft, which is definitely in the upper part of Zone NP 14 because of the presence of Rhabdosphaera inflata Bramlette & Sullivan, is 

middle Eocene in age. The absence of R. inflata Bramlette 

& Sullivan in the lower three samples could indicate that 

these samples are from the lower part of Zone NP 14 (upper 

part of the early Eocene) or, more probably, the absence is 

the result of poor calcareous nannofossil assemblages in 

these samples. The sample from 465.5 ft contains no diagnostic species and could be in either Zone NP 14 or Zone 

NP15.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION,

MIDDLE EOCENE, ZONE NP 15

AND POSSIBLY ZONE NP 16

Ten samples were examined from the Warley Hill Formation, which extends from 462 to 401 ft in the Millhaven 

core (fig. 3). The lowest sample from 462.0 ft can be dated 

no closer than either Zone NP 14 or Zone NP 15. Eight samples from 458.1 to 413.0 ft are placed in Zone NP 15 

because of the presence of Chiasmolithus gigas (Bramlette 

& Sullivan) Hay et al. (FAD and LAD in Zone NP 15) in 

this interval and because large specimens of Reticulofenestra umbilicus (Levin) Martini & Ritzkowski (FAD near the 

base of Zone NP 16) are not present. The sample from 404.0 

ft can be no older than Zone NP 15 because it overlies sediments of this age and can be no younger than Zone NP 16 

because it contains Chiasmolithus bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay & Mohler/Chiasmolithus solitus (Bramlette & 

Sullivan) Hay et al. (LAD defines the top of Zone NP 16).

SANTEE LIMESTONE,

MIDDLE EOCENE, ZONE NP 17 AND POSSIBLY 

ZONES NP 15 OR NP 16

Seventeen samples were examined from the Santee 

Limestone, which extends from 401 to 228 ft in the Millhaven core (fig. 3). The deepest three samples from 400.0 to 

379.8 ft tentatively are placed in Zones NP 15 or NP 16 

because they contain Chiasmolithus bidens (Bramlette & 

Sullivan) Hay & Mohler/Chiasmolithus solitus (Bramlette 

& Sullivan) Hay et al. (LAD defines the top of Zone NP 16) 

and overlie samples of Zone NP 15 age. The sample from 

375.0 ft is barren of calcareous nannofossils, and the sample 

from 370.9 ft contains only rare nondiagnostic species.

At 368.0 ft, the sample does contain frequent calcareous nannofossils and a moderate assemblage with 21 species present. The absence of Chiasmolithus bidens 

(Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay & Mohler/Chiasmolithus solitus (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay et al. is considered to be significant, and this sample is placed in Zone NP 17. The 11 

samples in the interval from 365.0 to 242.5 ft also are placed 

in Zone NP 17 because of the absence of Chiasmolithus 

bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay & Mohler/Chiasmolithus solitus (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay et al. (LAD at the 

top of Zone NP 16) and the presence of Helicosphaera compacta Bramlette & Wilcoxon (FAD very near the top of 

Zone NP 16), Reticulofenestra umbilicus (Levin) Martini & 

Ritzkowski, Cribrocentrum reticulatum (Gartner & Smith) 

Perch-Nielsen, Dictyococcites bisectus (Hay et al.) Bukry & 

Percival, and Dictyococcites scrippsae Bukry & Percival 

(FAD's in Zone NP 16).

BARNWELL UNIT,

UPPER EOCENE AND POSSIBLY LOWER 

OLIGOCENE, ZONES NP 19/20-21

Nineteen samples were examined from the Barnwell 

unit between 227.5 and 59.8 ft in the Millhaven test hole. 

The lowest calcareous nannofossil sample from the Barnwell unit at 227.5 ft tentatively has been placed in the middle Eocene Zone NP 17 because it overlies material of Zone 

NP 17 age but contains no species indicative of a younger 

age. The fact that the rest of the Barnwell unit is in the late 

Eocene (Zone NP 19/20 or younger) indicates that this sample most likely is also of late Eocene age, and the age discrepancy is the result of the absence of diagnostic late 

Eocene species in the sample. The author has observed similar discrepancies near formational contacts elsewhere in the 

Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coastal Plains.

The nine samples that were examined from 225.9 to 

168.5 ft are placed in Zone NP 19/20 because of the presence of Isthmolithus recurvus Deflandre (FAD defines the 

base of Zone NP 19/20), Discoaster saipanensis Bramlette 

& Riedel (LAD defines the top of Zone NP 19/20), Discoaster barbadiensis Tan Sin Hok, and Cribrocentrum reticulatum (Gartner & Smith) Perch-Nielsen (LAD's very near 

the top of Zone NP 19/20). The three samples from 160.0, 

151.0, and 131.0 ft can be dated no more accurately than 

Zone NP 19/20 or Zone NP 21. This is because the samples 

from 160.0 and 131.0 ft are barren of calcareous nannofossils and the sample at 151.0 ft contains only rare and poorly 

preserved specimens.

Four samples at 118.0, 105.0, 103.5, and 95.0 ft questionably are placed in Zone NP 21. All four samples contain 

Isthmolithus recun>us Deflandre (FAD at the base of Zone 

NP 19/20 and LAD in Zone NP 21) and Cyclococcolithus 

formosus Kamptner (LAD defines the top of Zone NP 21). 

Also, all four samples do not have Discoaster barbadiensis
CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS, MILLHAVEN CORE, GEORGIA Fl 1

Tan Sin Hok, Discoaster saipanensis Bramlette & Riedel, or 

Cribrocentrum reticulatum (Gartner & Smith) PerchNielsen (LAD's near or at the top of Zone NP 20). However, 

the absence of all but one specimen of the genus Discoaster 

in this interval could possibly indicate that Discoaster barbadiensis Tan Sin Hok and Discoaster saipanensis Bramlette & Riedel are absent for other than evolutionary 

reasons. There is a possibility that this material is still in 

Zone NP 19/20. The Eocene/Oligocene boundary occurs 

within Zone NP 21 (Berggren and others, 1985, 1995). So if 

this interval in the Millhaven core is in Zone NP 21, it could 

be either late Eocene or early Oligocene in age.

The two samples from 65.3 and 59.8 ft are barren of 

calcareous nannofossils. Two samples from 65.5 and 59.6 ft 

were examined by Jonathan R. Bryan of Okaloosa-Walton 

Community College in Niceville, Fla., for their larger foraminifers, which indicate either a latest Eocene or an earliest 

Oligocene age, with the Oligocene being more likely.

GIRARD CORE

Two samples were examined from the Ellenton Formation in the Girard core (fig. 1) at 521.0 and 514.0 ft. Both 

samples were barren of calcareous nannofossils.

MILLERS POND CORE

Three samples were examined from the Santee Limestone in the Millers Pond core (fig. 1). Species from the 

lowest sample at 148 ft, which contained rare calcareous 

nannofossils with poor preservation, are as follows:

Braarudosphaera bigelowii (Gran & Braarud) Deflandre 

Helicosphaera lophota (Bramlette & Sullivan) Locker 

Reticulofenestra sp.

Species from the middle sample at 120 ft, which contained frequent calcareous nannofossils with poor preservation, are as follows:

Campylosphaera dela (Bramlette & Sullivan) Hay & 

Mohler

Coccolithus pelagicus (Wallich) Schiller

Cyclococcolithus formosus Kamptner

Ericsonia obruta Perch-Nielsen

Neococcolithes sp.

Pemma papillatum Martini

Pontosphaera multipora (Kamptner) Roth

Reticulofenestra daviesii (Haq) Haq

Reticulofenestra floridana (Roth & Hay) Theodoridis

Reticulofenestra umbilicus (Levin) Martini & Ritzkowski

Rhabdosphaera sp.

Sphenolithus moriformis (Bronnimann & Stradner) Bramlette & Wilcoxon

Transversopontis pulcher (Deflandre) Perch-Nielsen

Transversopontis pulcheroides (Sullivan) Baldi-Beke 

Transversopontis zigzag Roth & Hay 

Zygrhablithus bijugatus (Deflandre) Deflandre

The age of the sample at 120 ft is middle to late 

Eocene, and unfortunately cannot be constrained any closer 

than Zones NP 16 to NP 21. The highest sample at 82 ft was 

barren of calcareous nannofossils.

LIST OF CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL 

SPECIES MENTIONED IN THIS PAPER

[Selected well-preserved specimens from the Millhaven core are shown in 

plate 1 as indicated below]

Blackites creber (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert, 1954)

Stradner & Edwards 1968 

Blackites scabrosus (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert, 1954)

Roth 1970 (this paper, pi. 1, fig. 8) 

Blackites spinosus (Deflandre & Pert 1954) Hay & Towe

1962 

Blackites tennis (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Sherwood

1974

Braarudosphaera bigelowii (Gran & Braarud 1935) Deflandre 1947

Braarudosphaera discula Bramlette & Riedel 1954 

Braarudosphaera stylifer Troelsen & Quadros 1971 

Campylosphaera dela (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Hay &

Mohler 1967

Cepekiella lumina (Sullivan 1965) Bybell 1975 

Chiasmolithus bidens (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Hay &

Mohler 1967 

Chiasmolithus consuetus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Hay

& Mohler 1967

Chiasmolithus danicus (Brotzen 1959) Hay & Mohler 1967 

Chiasmolithus eograndis Perch-Nielsen 1971 

Chiasmolithus expansus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Hay

et al. 1966 

Chiasmolithus gigas (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Hay et al.

1966 

Chiasmolithus grandis (Bramlette & Riedel 1954) Hay et al.

1966 

Chiasmolithus oamaruensis (Deflandre in Deflandre and

Pert, 1954) Hay et al. 1966 

Chiasmolithus solitus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Hay et

al. 1966

Chiphragmalithus acanthodes Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Coccolithus eopelagicus (Bramlette & Riedel 1954) Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Coccolithus pelagicus (Wallich 1877) Schiller 1930 (this

paper, pi. 1, figs. 1, 11) 

Cribrocentrum reticulatum (Gartner & Smith 1967)

Perch-Nielsen 1971 

Cruciplacolithus primus Perch-Nielsen 1977
F12 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Cruciplacolithus staurion (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961)

Gartner 1971 

Cruciplacolithus tenuis (Stradner 1961) Hay & Mohler in

Hay and others (1967) 

Cyclagelosphaera prima (Bukry 1969) Bybell & Self-Trail

1995

Cyclococcolithus formosus Kamptner 1963 

Cyclococcolithus protoannulus (Gartner 1971) Haq &

Lohmann 1976 

Dictyococcites bisectus (Hay et al. 1966) Bukry & Percival

1971

Dictyococcites scrippsae Bukry & Percival 1971 

Discoaster barbadiensis Tan Sin Hok 1927 (this paper, pi.

l,fig.2) 

Discoaster deflandrei Bramlette & Riedel 1954 (this paper,

pi. 1, fig. 6)

Discoaster distinctus Martini 1958 

Discoaster kuepperi Stradner 1959 

Discoaster limbatus Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Discoaster lodoensis Bramlette & Riedel 1954 

Discoaster mirus Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert (1954) 

Discoaster mohleri Bukry & Percival 1971 

Discoaster multiradiatus Bramlette & Riedel 1954 

Discoaster saipanensis Bramlette & Riedel 1954 

Discoaster sublodoensis Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 (this

paper, pi. 1, fig. 3)

Discoaster tanii Bramlette & Riedel 1954 

Discoaster woodringii Bramlette & Riedel 1954 

Ellipsolithus distichus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Sullivan

1964

Ellipsolithus lajollaensis Bukry & Percival 1971 

Ellipsolithus macellus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Sullivan

1964

Ericsonia obruta Perch-Nielsen 1971 

Ericsonia subpertusa Hay & Mohler 1967 (this paper, pi. 1,

fig. 10)

Fasciculithus tympaniformis Hay & Mohler in Hay and others (1967)

Goniolithus fluckigeri Deflandre 1957 

Hayella situliformis Gartner 1969 

Helicosphaera bramlettei (Miiller 1970) Jafar & Martini

1975

Helicosphaera compacta Bramlette & Wilcoxon 1967 

Helicosphaera intermedia Martini 1965 

Helicosphaera lophota (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Locker

1973 (this paper, pi. 1, fig. 7)

Helicosphaera reticulata Bramlette & Wilcoxon 1967 

Helicosphaera seminulum Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Heliolithus cantabriae Perch-Nielsen 1971 

Heliolithus kleinpellii Sullivan 1964 

Heliolithus riedelii Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Isthmolithus recurvus Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert

(1954) 

Lanternithus minutus Stradner 1962

Lithostromation operosum (Deflandre in Deflandre and

Pert, 1954) Bybell 1975

Lithostromation simplex (Klumpp 1953) Bybell 1975 

Lophodolithus mochlophorus Deflandre in Deflandre and

Pert (1954)

Lophodolithus nascens Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Markalius apertus Perch-Nielsen 1979 

Markalius inversus (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert, 1954)

Bramlette & Martini 1964 

Micrantholithus aequalis Sullivan 1964 

Micrantholithus crenulatus Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Micrantholithus fornicatus Martini 1961 

Micrantholithus pinguis Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Nannotetrina fulgens (Stradner 1960) Achuthan & Stradner

1969 

Neochiastozygus concinnus (Martini 1961) Perch-Nielsen

1971 

Neococcolithes dubius (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert,

1954) Black 1967 

Neococcolithes protenus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961) Black

1967

Pedinocyclus larvalis Bukry & Bramlette 1971 

Pemma basquense (Martini 1959) Bybell & Gartner 1972 

Pemmapapillatum Martini 1959 

Pemma rotundum Klumpp 1953 

Pemma stradneri (Chang 1969) Perch-Nielsen 1971 

Placozygus sigmoides (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert,

1954) Black 1967 (this paper, pi. 1, fig. 9) 

Pontosphaera multipora (Kamptner ex Deflandre 1959)

Roth 1970 

Pontosphaera punctosa (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961)

Perch-Nielsen 1984 

Pontosphaera wechesensis (Bukry & Percival 1971) Aubry

1986 

Pseudotriquetrorhabdulus inversus (Bukry & Bramlette

1969) Wise in Wise and Constans (1976) 

Reticulofenestra daviesii (Haq 1968) Haq 1971 

Reticulofenestra floridana (Roth & Hay in Hay and others,

1967) Theodoridis 1984 (this paper, pi. 1, fig. 4) 

Reticulofenestra hillae Bukry & Percival 1971 

Reticulofenestra umbilicus (Levin 1965) Martini & Ritzkowski 1968

Rhabdosphaera gladius Locker 1967 

Rhabdosphaera inflata Bramlette & Sullivan 1961 

Rhomboaster bramlettei (Bronnimann & Stradner 1960)

Bybell & Self-Trail 1995 

Rhomboaster contortus (Stradner 1958) Bybell & Self-Trail

1995 

Rhomboaster orthostylus (Shamrai 1963) Bybell &

Self-Trail 1995

Sphenolithus anarrhopus Bukry & Bramlette 1969 

Sphenolithus capricornutus Bukry & Percival 1971 

Sphenolithus moriformis (Bronnimann & Stradner 1960)

Bramlette & Wilcoxon 1967 

Sphenolithus obtusus Bukry 1971
CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS, MILLHAVEN CORE, GEORGIA F13

Sphenolithus pseudoradians Bramlette & Wilcoxon 1967 

Sphenolithus radians Deflandre in Grasse (1952) 

Toweius pertusus (Sullivan 1965) Romein 1979 

Toweius selandianus Perch-Nielsen 1979 (this paper, pi. 1,

fig. 12) 

Transversopontis fimbriatus (Bramlette & Sullivan 1961)

Locker 1968 

Transversopontis pulcher (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert,

1954) Perch-Nielsen 1967 

Transversopontis pulcheroides (Sullivan 1964) Baldi-Beke

1971 (this paper, pi. 1, fig. 5) 

Transversopontis pulchriporus (Reinhardt 1967) Sherwood

1974 

Transversopontis zigzag Roth & Hay in Hay and others,

1967 

Zygrhablithus bijugatus (Deflandre in Deflandre and Pert,

1954) Deflandre 1959

REFERENCES CITED

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Flynn, J.J., and Van Couvering, J.A., 

1985, Cenozoic geochronology: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 96, p. 1407-1418.

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher, C.C., III, and Aubry, M.-P., 

1995, A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy, in Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V, Aubry, M.-R, and Hardenbol, Jan, eds., Geochronology, time scales and global 

stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary 

Geology) Special Publication 54, p. 129-212.

Bukry, David, 1973, Low-latitude coccolith biostratigraphic zonation, in Edgar, N.T., Saunders, J.B., Bolli, H.M., Boyce, R.E., 

Broecker, W.S., Donnelly, T.W., Gieskes, J.M., Hay, W.W., 

Horowitz, R.M., Maurrasse, Florentin, Perez Nieto, Hernan, 

Prell, Warren, Premoli Silva, Isabella, Riedel, W.R., Schneidermann, Nahum, Waterman, L.S., Kaneps, A.G. (ed.), Herring, J.R. (ed.), Initial reports of the Deep Sea Drilling 

Project, v. 15: Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing 

Office, p. 685-703.

————1978, Biostratigraphy of Cenozoic marine sediments by 

calcareous nannofossils: Micropaleontology, v. 24, p. 44-60.

Bybell, L.M., 1982, Late Eocene to early Oligocene calcareous 

nannofossils in Alabama and Mississippi: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 32, p. 295-302.

Bybell, L.M., and Gibson, T.G., 1985, The Eocene Tallahatta Formation of Alabama and Georgia—Its lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and bearing on the age of the Claibornian Stage: 

U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1615, 20 p.

Deflandre, Georges, and Pert, Charles, 1954, Observations sur les 

Coccolithophorides actuels et fossiles en microscopie ordinaire et electronique: Annales de Paleontologie, v. 40, p. 115- 

176.

Edwards, L.E., Bybell, L.M., Gohn, G.S., and Frederiksen, N.O., 

1997, Paleontology and physical stratigraphy of the USGS - 

Pregnall No. 1 core (DOR-208), Dorchester County, South 

Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-145, 

35 p.

Grasse, P.P., 1952, Traite de zoologie: Paris, Masson, 1071 p.

Hay, WW, Mohler, H.P., Roth, P.H., Schmidt, R.R., and Boudreaux, I.E., 1967, Calcareous nannoplankton zonation of the 

Cenozoic of the Gulf Coast and Caribbean-Antillean area and 

transoceanic correlation: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 17, p. 428-480.

Hazel, I.E., Bybell, L.M., Christopher, R.A., Frederiksen, N.O., 

May, F.E., McLean, D.M., Poore, R.Z., Smith, C.C., Sohl, 

N.F, Valentine, P.C., and Witmer, R.J., 1977, Biostratigraphy 

of the deep corehole (Clubhouse Crossroads Corehole 1) near 

Charleston, South Carolina, chap. F of Rankin, D.W, ed., 

Studies related to the Charleston, South Carolina, earthquake 

of 1886—A preliminary report: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1028, p. 71-89.

Martini, Erlend, 1971, Standard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareous nannoplankton zonation: Planktonic Conference, 2d, 

Rome, 1969, Proceedings, p. 739-785.

Okada, Hisatake, and Bukry, David, 1980, Supplementary modification and introduction of code numbers to the low-latitude 

coccolith biostratigraphic zonation (Bukry, 1973; 1975): 

Marine Micropaleontology, v. 5, no. 3, p. 321-325.

Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, 1985, Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils, in Bolli, H.M., Saunders, J.B., and Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, eds., Plankton stratigraphy: New York, Cambridge 

University Press, p. 427-554.

Poore, R.Z., and Bybell, L.M., 1988, Eocene to Miocene biostratigraphy of New Jersey core ACGS #4—Implications for 

regional stratigraphy: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1829, 

22 p., 8 fossil pis., 2 tables in pocket.

Self-Trail, J.M., and Bybell, L.M., 1995, Cretaceous and Paleogene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of New Jersey, in 

Baker, J.E.B., ed., Contributions to the paleontology of New 

Jersey: Geological Association of New Jersey Contribution 

Proceedings, v. 12, p. 102-139.

Wise, S.W, Jr., and Constans, R.E., 1976, Mid Eocene planktonic 

correlations, northern Italy-Jamaica, W.I.: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 26, p. 144-155.

PLATE 1
PLATE 1

[All specimens are from the Millhaven core, from Screven County, Georgia. Sample depths are given in feet 

below the surface. Specimen diameters are given in micrometers (jam). Designation of the calcareous nannofossil 

zone of Martini (1971) is shown in the upper right corner of each photomicrograph]

Figure 1. Coccosphere of Coccolithus pelagicus (Wallich) Schiller, Zone NP 14, Congaree 

Formation (481.5 ft) (diameter, 8.6 Jim).

2. Discoaster barbadiensis Tan Sin Hok, Zone NP 14, Congaree Formation (481.5 ft), 

side 1 (diameter, 13.6 jam).

3. Discoaster sublodoensis Bramlette & Sullivan, Zone NP 14, Congaree Formation 

(481.5 ft), side 1 (diameter, 11.0 |Ltm).

4. Reticulofenestrafloridana (Roth & Hay) Theodoridis, Zone NP 14, Congaree 

Formation (481.5 ft), distal view (length, 7.4 jam).

5. Transversopontis pulcheroides (Sullivan) Baldi-Beke, Zone NP 14, Congaree 

Formation (481.5 ft), distal view (length, 4.1 (am).

6. Discoaster deflandrei Bramlette & Riedel, Zone NP 14, Congaree Formation (481.5 

ft), side 1 (diameter, 12.3 Jim).

7. Helicosphaera lophota (Bramlette & Sullivan) Locker, Zone NP 14, Congaree 

Formation (481.5 ft), proximal view (length, 10.6 Jim).

8. Blackites scabrosus (Deflandre) Roth, Zone NP 14, Congaree Formation (481.5 ft), 

distal view (diameter, 4.6 Jim).

9. Placozygus sigmoides (Deflandre) Black, Zone NP 5, Ellenton Formation (593.7 ft), 

proximal view (length, 7.4 Jim).

10. Ericsonia subpertusa Hay & Mohler, Zone NP 5, Ellenton Formation (593.7 ft), distal 

view (length, 3.7 Jim).

11. Coccolithus pelagicus (Wallich) Schiller, Zone NP 5, Ellenton Formation (593.7 ft), 

distal view (length, 4.8 jam).

12. Toweius selandianus Perch-Nielsen, Zone NP 5, Ellenton Formation (593.7 ft), distal 

view (length, 7.4 jam).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-F, PLATE 1

10

COCCOLITHUS, DISCOASTER, RETICULOFENESTRA, TRANSVERSOPONTIS, HELICOSPHAERA, 

BLACKITES, PLACOZYGUS, ERICSONIA, AND TOWEIUS

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Dinocyst Biostratigraphy of

Tertiary Sediments from Five Cores from

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Lucy E. Edwards

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... Gl

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

Previous Work......................................................................................................... 2

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 2

Material and Methods .................................................................................................... 2

Lithostratigraphic Framework ....................................................................................... 3

Dinocysts from the Millhaven Core ............................................................................... 3

Ellenton Formation (642-570 ft) ........................................................................... 3

Snapp Formation (570-504 ft) ............................................................................... 8

Fourrm'le Branch Formation (Not Present) ............................................................ 8

Congaree Formation (504^62 ft).......................................................................... 8

Warley Hill Formation (462^01 ft) ...................................................................... 8

Santee Limestone (401-228 ft) .............................................................................. 8

Barnwell Unit (228-0 ft)........................................................................................ 8

Dinocysts from the Girard Core ..................................................................................... 9

Ellenton Formation (542-481 ft) ........................................................................... 9

Snapp Formation (481^23 ft) ............................................................................... 9

Fourmile Branch Formation (423-390 ft)............................................................... 9

Congaree Formation (390-325 ft) ......................................................................... 9

Warley Hill Formation (Not Present) ..................................................................... 9

Santee Limestone (325-250 ft) .............................................................................. 9

Barnwell Unit (250-0 ft)........................................................................................ 9

Dinocysts from the Thompson Oak Core....................................................................... 12

Ellenton Formation (324-274 ft) ........................................................................... 12

Snapp Formation (Not Present).............................................................................. 12

Fourmile Branch Formation (274-251 ft).............................................................. 12

Congaree Formation (251-182 ft) ......................................................................... 12

Warley Hill Formation (Not Present) ..................................................................... 12

Santee Limestone (182-130 ft) .............................................................................. 12

Barnwell Unit (130-0 ft)........................................................................................ 12

Dinocysts from the Millers Pond Core........................................................................... 12

Ellenton Formation (284-232 ft) ........................................................................... 12

Snapp Formation (232-165 ft)................................................................................ 13

Fourmile Branch Formation (Not Present) ............................................................ 13

Congaree Formation (165-156 ft) ......................................................................... 13

Warley Hill Formation (Not Present) ..................................................................... 14

Santee Limestone (156-82 ft) ................................................................................ 14

Barnwell Unit (82-0 ft).......................................................................................... 15

Dinocysts from the McBean Core .................................................................................. 15

Ellenton Formation (305-272 ft) ........................................................................... 15

Snapp Formation (272-222 ft) ............................................................................... 15

Fourmile Branch Formation (Not Present) ............................................................ 16

Congaree Formation (222-186 ft) ......................................................................... 16

Warley Hill Formation (Not Present) ..................................................................... 16

Santee Limestone (186-112 ft) .............................................................................. 16

Barnwell Unit (112-0 ft)........................................................................................ 16

Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 16

Taxonomic Notes ........................................................................................................... 17

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 23

m
IV CONTENTS

PLATES

[Plates follow References Cited]

1. Achilleodinium, Amphorosphaeridium, Areoligera, Areosphaeridium, Batiacasphaera, Carpatella, Cordosphaeridium, 

Cerebrocysta, Corrudinium, Cribroperidinium, and Dapsilidinium.

2. Damassadinium, Dinopterygium dadoides sensu Morgenroth (1966), Diphyes, Enneadocysta, Eocladopyxis, 

Fibradinium, Distatodinium, and Glaphyrocysta.

3. Hafniasphaera, Heteraulacacysta, Millioudodinium, Hystrichosphaeropsis, Homotryblium, Hystrichostrogylon, 

Operculodinium, and Pentadinium.

4. Pentadinium, Samlandia, Spiniferites, Systematophora, Tenua, Tectatodinium, Tuberculodinium, Turbiosphaera, and 

miscellaneous areoligeracean forms.

5. Andalusiella, Isabelidinium, Deflandrea, Dracodinium, Phelodinium, Charlesdowniea, Lentinia, Palaeoperidinium, 

Phthanoperidinium, and Selenopemphix.

6. Pseudorhombodinium, Rhombodinium, Selenopemphix, Senegalinium, Spinidinium, Wetzeliella, small peridiniacean 

forms, Cyclopsiella, andXenikoon.

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and locations of stratigraphic test holes in the study area ................... G2

2-6. Range and occurrence charts of dinocysts and acritarchs in the—

2. Millhaven core ....................................................................................................................................................... 6

3. Girardcore................................................................._ 10

4. Thompson Oak core ............................................................................................................................................... 13

5. Millers Pond core ................................................................................................................................................... 14

6. McBeancore .......................................................................................................................................................... 15

7. Correlation diagram by dinocyst assemblages for the five Georgia cores................................................................... 18

TABLES

1. Samples studied by core with U.S. Geological Survey paleobotanical numbers (R numbers), depth

below surface, and geologic unit...................................................................................................................................... G4

2. Slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed specimens........................................................................ 5
GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Dinocyst Biostratigraphy of

Tertiary Sediments from Five Cores from

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Lucy E. Edwards

ABSTRACT

Dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from five cores in 

Burke and Screven Counties in Georgia reveal a complex 

pattern of deposition and erosion. Paleocene sediments in 

the Ellenton Formation include two separate assemblages. 

The older one is of early Paleocene age (Danian, Midwayan) and contains Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich; the 

younger assemblage contains Phelodinium sp. of Edwards 

(1989, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1489-C) 

and is of late Paleocene age (Selandian and Thanetian, Midwayan and Sabinian). Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha of 

Edwards (1980, Geological Society of America Field Trip 

Guidebooks, v. 2, p. 424-427) and Isabelidinium viborgense 

sensu Kurita and Mclntyre (1995, Palynology, v. 19, p. 119- 

136) may be found just below and in the lower part of the 

upper assemblage.

The Snapp Formation is present in varying thicknesses 

in four of the five cores. Rare dinocysts are present but are 

not age diagnostic. The Fourmile Branch Formation is early 

Eocene and is recognized only in the Thompson Oak core 

where the Snapp Formation is absent and in the Girard core. 

Early Eocene dinocysts are conspicuously missing from the 

Millhaven, Millers Pond, and McBean cores.

Lower middle Eocene sediments of the Congaree Formation containing Pentadinium favatum Edwards are 

present in all cores. The highest occurrence of Turbiosphaera cf. T. galatea and the lowest occurrence of Glaphyrocysta cf. G. ? vicina may mark an important level near the 

calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 14/NP 15 boundary. Sediments containing both P. favatum Edwards and Pentadinium 

goniferum Edwards are found only in the Millhaven core, 

where they are assigned to calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 

15 and to the Warley Hill Formation.

Upper middle Eocene sediments are present in the 

Santee Limestone in all cores. The lowest occurrences of 

Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht, Cyclopsiella vieta Drugg & Loeblich, and Dapsilidinium

pseudocolligerum (Stover) Bujak et al. are found in the Santee Limestone, and Hystrichosphaeropsis Deflandre n. sp. 

A, Pentadinium Gerlach n. sp. D, and Pentadinium polypodum Edwards are apparently restricted to the Santee Limestone. Specimens of species of the genus Wetzeliella are 

present in a few Santee samples but are not common.

Dinocyst recovery is variable in sediments of the Barnwell unit. In the Millhaven core, Batiacasphaera baculata 

Drugg, Batiacasphaera compta Drugg, and Cordosphaeridium funiculatum Morgenroth indicate a late Eocene age.

Core-to-core correlations based on the dinocyst assemblages show striking variations in units and thicknesses. The 

oldest Paleocene sediments are thickest in the updip direction. Of the five cores studied, none contains all three of the 

Fourmile Branch, Congaree, and Warley Hill Formations. 

Erosion by a paleo-Savannah River may have allowed selective infilling during later transgressions and selective preservation of the stratigraphic units.

INTRODUCTION

The Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, Barnwell, 

and Allendale Counties, S.C., has manufactured, disposed 

of, and stored a variety of hazardous materials since the 

early 1950's. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation 

with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Georgia Geologic Survey of the Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources, is conducting a study of the subsurface geology, 

hydrology, and water quality in the vicinity of the SRS. The 

goal of the study is to understand the actual and possible 

future ground-water flow in the aquifers of the area. This 

paper focuses on the Tertiary dinocyst biostratigraphy in 

Burke and Screven Counties in Georgia, directly across the 

Savannah River from the SRS (fig. 1).

Dinoflagellates are microscopic algae with a complex 

life cycle that may include an encysted stage. Chemically 

resistant dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) are abundant and 

well-preserved fossils in many of the Tertiary sediments in

Gl
G2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

82° 30' 82 c 81° 30'

33° 30'

33°

32° 30

Aiken

Upper Three 

Runs Creek/ ~

: l / IBarnwell!

Savannah \ River

Allendale

EXPLANATION

Test hole site and informal name of site

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and 

locations of stratigraphic test holes in the study area.

Burke and Screven Counties in Georgia. These rapidly 

evolving and distinctive fossils produce a detailed biostratigraphic framework for the area. Two distinctive, chemically 

resistant microfossils of uncertain origin (acritarchs) are 

also included in this study.

PREVIOUS WORK

Relatively little has been published on the dinoflagellate biostratigraphy of the southeastern United States. Early 

taxonomic works by Drugg and Loeblich (1967) and Drugg 

(1970) laid the foundation for later studies. Much of the biostratigraphic information used for correlation with classic 

Alabama localities is contained in Edwards (1977), and key 

species were named and documented in Edwards (1982). A 

preliminary report on the biostratigraphy of the Chattahoochee area in Alabama and Georgia was given in 

Edwards (1980). Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985) 

and Prowell, Edwards, and Frederiksen (1985) used 

dinocysts to help correlate units in the subsurface of Georgia and South Carolina and to help document the ages of 

stratigraphic units. Firth (1987) documented the dinocyst 

stratigraphy across the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in 

western Georgia.

More recently, brief papers by Edwards (1992) and 

Lucas-Clark (1992) have focused on the dinocysts of the

SRS and surrounding areas. Clarke and others (1994, 1996) 

and Leeth and others (1996) described the geologic and 

hydrologic data from three of the cores that are used in the 

present study. Recent papers by Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) 

on the Paleocene of Manitoba, Canada, and by Edwards 

(1996) on the Eocene of Virginia and Maryland, U.S., show 

many forms similar to those encountered here.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank U.S. Geological Survey colleagues Joan S. 

Baum, Laurel M. Bybell, John S. Clarke, W. Fred Falls, R. 

Parley Fleming, Norman O. Frederiksen, Thomas G. Gibson, Gregory S. Gohn, and David C. Prowell, as well as 

Raymond A. Christopher (Clemson University), Paul F. 

Huddlestun (Georgia Geologic Survey, Atlanta), Joyce 

Lucas-Clark (Fremont, Calif.), and Robert Van Pelt (Bechtel 

Savannah River) for the generous sharing of data and ideas 

concerning the biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy of the 

coastal plain. Paul Huddlestun provided the samples from 

the Thompson Oak and McBean cores.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study is based on the dinocysts from five cores in 

east-central Georgia (fig. 1). They are discussed in order 

from most basinward (downdip) to most inshore (updip):

• The Millhaven test hole (33X048) was drilled by the 

U.S. Geological Survey in 1991-92 in northern 

Screven County at lat 32°53'25" N., long 81°35'43" 

W. Surface elevation is 110 ft above sea level.

• The Girard test hole (32Y020) was drilled by the 

U.S. Geological Survey in 1992 in southern Burke 

County at the lookout tower on Griffins Landing 

Road. The test hole is located 2 miles north of the 

town of Girard at lat 33°03'54" N., long 81°43'13" 

W. Surface elevation is 250 ft above sea level.

• The Thompson Oak test hole (GGS-3794, TR92-6, 

Burke 12) was drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey in 1993 in northeastern Burke County. The test 

hole is located 21 miles south of Augusta just above 

the flood plain of the Savannah River at lat 

33°10'42" N., long 81°47'10" W. Surface elevation is 

240 ft above sea level.

• The Millers Pond test hole (GGS-3758, Burke 2) 

was drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey in 1991 

in northern Burke County. The test hole is located 2 

miles west of the Savannah River and 16 miles south 

of Augusta, at lat 33°13'48" N., long 81°52'44" W. 

Surface elevation is 245 ft above sea level.

• The McBean test hole (GGS-3757, Burke 5) was 

drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey in 1991 in 

northern Burke County. The test hole is located on 

the north shoulder of Collins Road, 1.1 miles east of
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G3

the intersection of GA 56 and Collins Road at lat 

33°13'38" N., long 81°55'50" W. Surface elevation is 

297 ft above sea level.

Core samples were selected on the basis of favorable 

lithology and providing biostratigraphic coverage. Samples 

were assigned U.S. Geological Survey paleobotanical numbers by locality and letter designations by depth. Table 1 

provides a convenient summary of these. The depth range 

includes the thickness of the sample as well as the uncertainty of the core recovery; sample depths recorded only to 

the nearest foot have a least 1 ft of uncertainty in recovery.

Samples were cleaned and scraped and treated with 

hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids. The samples were oxidized using nitric acid, stained with Bismark brown, sieved 

at 20 micrometers, and mounted in glycerin jelly for 

light-microscope observation. All slides are stored at the 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.

Coordinates for dinoflagellate specimens are given for 

Olympus Vanox microscope 201526 at the U.S. Geological 

Survey, Reston, Va. On this microscope, the coordinates for 

the center point of a standard 25.4x76.2-millimeter slide are 

27.5 and 112,7 for the vertical and horizontal axes. The vertical coordinates increase as the stage is moved up, and the 

horizontal coordinates increase as the slide is moved from 

left to right. Slide numbers and microscope coordinates of 

photographed specimens are listed in table 2.

Taxonomy follows Williams and others (1998). Full 

taxonomic citations for all forms in the text and figures are 

found in "Taxonomic Notes." In contrast to Williams and 

others (1998), however, I do not recognize the genus Tityrosphaeridium Sarjeant as separate and distinct from the 

genus Cordosphaeridium Eisenack, because both appear to 

possess cingular processes. Except for the distinctive species that are listed separately, the highly variable plexus that 

contains members of the genera Adnatosphaeridium, Areoligera, and Glaphyrocysta was considered to be a single taxonomic entity (miscellaneous areoligeraceae, pi. 4, figs. 13, 

14).

LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK

Details of the lithostratigraphy are given by Falls and 

Prowell (this volume, chap. A). They recognize seven Tertiary units, and their terminology and correlations are followed here. However, the individual components of their 

"Fourmile Branch/Congaree/Warley Hill unit" are discussed 

separately. The Ellenton Formation is the lowest Tertiary 

unit and consists of calcareous and noncalcareous sand and 

clay that is locally glauconitic. It is overlain by the Snapp 

Formation, a distinctive unlithified sand and overlying white 

kaolin. The Fourmile Branch Formation is recognized only 

in the Girard and Thompson Oak cores, where it consists of 

layers of clay and poorly sorted sand. The Congaree Formation consists of interbedded sand, marl, and limestone in

downdip cores and sand with or without sandy carbonate in 

more updip cores. The Warley Hill Formation is found only 

in the Millhaven core and is primarily a carbonate sand. The 

Santee Limestone is predominantly a carbonate that 

includes beds of calcareous sand and clay. The Barnwell 

unit is a mixed lithologic package of sandy limestone, marl, 

clay, and sand. The Ellenton and Snapp Formations are 

Paleocene; the Fourmile Branch Formation, Congaree Formation, Warley Hill Formation, Santee Limestone, and 

Barnwell unit are Eocene (Edwards and others, this volume, 

chap. B).

DINOCYSTS FROM THE 

MILLHAVEN CORE

Thirty-three samples were examined for dinocysts in 

the Tertiary sediments in the Millhaven core, and all but six 

contained dinocysts. The occurrences of dinocyst taxa in 

this core are shown in figure 2.

ELLENTON FORMATION (642-570 ft)

Dinocysts in the Paleocene Ellenton Formation in the 

Millhaven core were studied from eight samples from 

639.5-571 ft depth (table 1). The lowest sample (R4664 

GC, at 639.5 ft) contains Areoligera volata Drugg, Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich (pi. 1, fig. 10), Spinidinium densispinatum Stanley, Spinidinium pulchrum (Benson) Lentin 

& Williams, and Tenua sp. cf. T. formosa of Kurita and 

Mclntyre (1995). Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich has not 

been reported from sediments younger than early Paleocene 

(Danian). Ellenton samples below 635.4 ft have been 

assigned to calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 4 (Bybell, this 

volume, chap. F). The early-late Paleocene boundary is 

within Zone NP 4 (Berggren and others, 1995); the presence 

of C. cornuta Grigorovich indicates that these sediments are 

from the early Paleocene part of the zone.

The next higher sample (R4664 CH, at 632-632.2 ft) is 

dominated by small peridiniaceans such as Senegalinium 

microgranulatum (Stanley) Stover & Evitt and contains 

other forms such as Palaeoperidinium pyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant and Hafniasphaera septata (Cookson & 

Eisenack) Hansen, Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha of 

Edwards (1980), and Deflandrea cf. D. diebelii of Drugg 

(1967). The remaining Ellenton samples contain similar 

assemblages that include Damassadinium californicum 

(Drugg) Fensome et al. (pi. 2, fig. 3), Phelodinium sp. of 

Edwards (1989) (lowest occurrence in R4664 GD, at 620.8 

ft), and Deflandrea delineata Cookson & Eisenack (lowest 

occurrence in R4664 A, at 589 ft, pi. 5, 5.5). Palaeoperidinium pyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant and Fibradinium 

annetorpense Morgenroth are present in the highest sample 

(R4664 D, at 571 ft). Most of the Ellenton has been
G4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Table 1. Samples studied by core with U.S. Geological Survey paleobotanical numbers (R numbers), depth below surface, and geologic 

unit.

[Fourmile, Fourmile Branch Formation; T/F, discussed in text and figures]

R number Depth (ft) Unit Notes R number

Millhaven core

R4664 AV __

R4664AU— -

R4664 AT— —

R4664 AS ----- 

R4664 AvH-UU*r ^\IV AR - ————

R4664AQ— -

R4664 AP 

R4664 AO ----- 

R4664 AN-— 

R4664 AL ----- 

R4664AI— —

R4664AG— --

R4664 AC ----- 

R4664 Y — —

R4664X— — -

R4664V— — -

R4664 R — -—

R4664 I.VT\J\J*T O \^/ ___—— 

R4664 N ___

R4664 T -- —

R4664 K — —

R4664 I ____

R4664 I\>T\JW^ T JL ____ — — 

R4664 F -- -

R4664 1\>TUU*T F I..* . ------- _ .

R4664 D - _ -

R4664 r - _ -

R4664 B — — -

R4664 A

R4664 GE — - 

R4664 Iv*T\JUH- (TD-- VJ-L/ ————-

R4664CH— -

R4664 GC

105 

118 

195

205 

210 

216.5 

227.5 

237.5 

242.5 

260 

293 

313.5 

346 

375 

396 

413 

442 

466 

473.5 

483.5 

490 

495.5 

498.5 

527 

~/UH- 564 ~>\J*J 565

571 

577 

581 

589 

599.5 

620.8

^•20 ^^O 1

639.5

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Warley Hill 

Warley Hill 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Snapp 

Snapp 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton

Barren. 

1 dinocyst. 

1 dinocyst. 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

Barren. 

Barren. 

Barren. 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

Barren. 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

Barren. 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F

Girard core

R4705 L — — -

PzL7fK V

R4705J-— —

R4705 I — -—

P/CTAC TT

R4705G— — -

P/l7fK P

R4705 AF

64.1-64.3 

103.6-103.8 

146.6-146.8 

211 1 211 3

OCT Q OCQ

321.4-321.6

•399 -2 399 5

327.3-327.5

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Barnwell 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Consaree

Barren. 

Barren. 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F

R4705 E— —

R4705 CF 

R4705AE-—

R4705D— — -

P/C7fK f"1

R4705 AD—-

p/fync O

R4705 A— -—

Depth (ft) Unit Notes

Girard core — Continued

Q/JO Q/;O i

415 

415.2^15.5 

484.1^84.3 

514-514.3

517.9 518.1 

521-521.2

532.5-532.7

Congaree 

Fourmile 

Fourmile 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton 

Ellenton

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F

Thompson Oak core

P/lQ'iA P

R4836Q— -—

PztS"2A P

R4836O— — -

R4836N— — -

R4836 M

R4836 L — — -

P/IS3A V

R4836J— -----

R4836I— ——

~n AO^£. TLJ

T> /t oi£. r~*

R4836 F — — -

P/IQ1A TH

R4836D— — -

PzlS^A r~"

138 

154 

164 

172 

174 

181.5 

183 

192 

194 

210 

231.5 

245 

255 

269 

281 

302

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Congaree 

Fourmile 

Fourmile 

Ellenton 

Ellenton

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F

Millers Pond core

P/ICQ1 V

P/ICQ1 V

R4581 W— —

p/icoi \r

P/ICQ1 TT

P/ICQ1 T

P/ICQ1 C

T5/ICQ1 p

P/ICQ1 O

72 77

oZ— oj

120

124 

148 

155 

165

237-242 

252-257

Barnwell 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Santee 

Congaree 

Ellenton 

Ellenton

Barren. 

Barren. 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F 

T/F

McBean core

R4663 G— -—

IVH-UU^ JL ——— —

R4663 E — — -

R4663 D— — -

R4663C— — -

PZL6A3 R ______

181 

210

243

264 

276 

9Q4

Santee 

Congaree 

Snapp 

Snapp 

Ellenton 

Ellenton

T/F 

T/F 

No dinocysts.

T/F 

T/F 

T/F
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G5

Table 2. Slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed specimens.

[The slide designations show the sample number (table 1) followed by the slide number in parentheses. Coordinates are given for Olympus Vanox microscope 201526 at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.]

Figure Slide Coordinates

Plate 1

1 ___________________

2——— _____ _______

3— _______________

4 ___________________

5 ___________________

6—— _______ _____..

7 ___________________

8,9—————

10 —— — ———

11 _________________

12 13 ____ -

14 _________________

15 _________________

16 —— —— ———

17 _________________

1 8

R4664 K (1) 

R4664 O (3) 

R4705 E (2) 

R4705 D (2) 

R4581 Q (4) 

R4664 R (4) 

R4664AS(1) 

R4664 AS (1) 

R4664 GC (1) 

R4664 AS (1) 

R4664 K (1) 

R4664 AC (3) 

R4705 I (3) 

R4664 O (3) 

R4664 AC (3) 

R4705 I (3)

31.1x83.0 

20.2x93.2 

33.5x74.5 

18.7x80.3 

22.6x81.2 

27.6x98.4 

30.7x86.0 

30.2x81.4 

20.4x97.0 

33.7x78.6 

28.2x79.1 

29.8x81.4 

35.6x90.6 

34.3x89.4 

27.3x103.4 

26.9x94.4

Plate 2

1,2——————

3— ________________

4 ___________________

5 ___________________

6— _______ ______ ...

7 ___________________

9 ___________________

10 12—————

13 _________________

14 _________________

15 ._......_________

R4663 B (4) 

R4664 A (3) 

R4664 AS (1) 

R4664 O (3) 

R4664 AQ (2) 

R4705 E (2) 

R4664 A (3) 

R4664AR(1) 

R4664 O (3) 

R4705 E (2) 

R4836 K (3) 

R4705G(3)

34.5x93.8 

22.1x71.8 

30.9x86.7 

19.4x103.8 

37.5x80.7 

21.1x75.0 

19.4x97.7 

37.2x84.5 

34.3x76.4 

30.4x75.6 

26.0x71.1 

30.4x89.0

Plate 3

1 ___________________

2 3 - ___ _ .

4

5 ...................

6— — — _______ —

7 9................

10 — — - — — —

11 ————......

12 —————.—

13 .................

14 _________________

15 _________________

16 _________ ________

17 —.......-.....

1 8

1Q 91 -__-_._.

R4836 F (2) 

R4836 R (3) 

R4663 G (3) 

R4663 G (3) 

R4664 AC (3) 

R4836 R (3) 

R4705 AD (2) 

R4836 E (3) 

R4705 I (3) 

R4836 N (4) 

R4664 O (3) 

R4664 N (2) 

R4664 AC (3) 

R4664 AR (1) 

R4664 AR (1) 

P48^pm

30.0x76.0 

22.6x79.6 

33.2x94.2 

21.9x77.1 

34.7x84.7 

17.8x75.3 

26.9x101.6 

19.2x89.6 

28.9x86.7 

35.0x107.8 

34.8x85.1 

30.8x86.6 

35.7x71.7 

36.5x101.9 

26.4x94.9 

94 1 vir»8 n

Figure

1 ...................

2 ________ — ___..__

3 . — -__——.—-.

4 .——..——.——

5 ...................

6 ___________________

7 ___________________

Q

10,11—————

12——————

1 3 __________________

14........— .......

1 .—...—————

2 ———————

3 ___________________

4 ___________________

5 ___________________

6 ________ _______ — -

7 ...................

9 ___________________

10——————

1 1 __________________

12——————

13—...————.

it

15 __________________

16, 17 — — — —

1 8

1 ...................

2 ——————

3 ..........._......_

4 ___________________

5 ___________________

6, 10—————

7 ___________________

Q

11-————————————

12———————

13 __________________

14———————

15 __________________

\f\

17———————

18. ____ ___ —

Slide

Plate 4

R4664 AI (4)

R4664 AI (4)

P/IC16 \f l^i\

R4664 AC (3)

R4664 AC (3)

R4705 I (3)

R4705 AD (2)

R4705 G (3)

R4664 AR (1)

R4705 AD (2)

R4664K(1)

R4664 K (1)

TJ/ICO 1 T> / A\

Plate 5

P.45R1 R (1 ^

R4663 C (4)

TJ/ICS1 T> /I \

R4836 D (3)

R4664 A (3)

R4705 AD (2)

P. 4705 PF ("[ ^

R4705

R4664 AS

R4836 D (3)

R4664 AQ (2)

R4705 F (Y\

R4663 C (4)

R4664 AQ (2)

R4664 O (3)

R4664 V (4)

Plate 6

P4705 F Cy\

R4664 AC (4-)

R4705 I (3)

R4664 V (4)

P/l<81 P ^1 "\

R4836 C (3)

R4664K(1)

R4705 B (3)

R4664 AQ (2)

R4664 L (1)

R4581 V (4)

R4664 D (4)

R4664 F (4}

R4663 C (4)

O A ^Q 1 1? f 1 \

R4664 AS (1)

P4664 r» (A.\

Coordinates

TO 3s/7f: c

JJ. JA/U.J

91 Zl-H-A/H-.O 4x74 R

28.4x97.0

31.4x103.8

24 ^3x72 3

24 0x75 3

33.7x76.4

24.9x90.4

35 7x1 04 9 j

33.6x76.3

30.3x78.0

'ji Qv87 1

T.f. 1vQ1 1

23.2x74.6

Ol 1 vQ^ ^

26.0x73.0

99 4v7S 9

93 5x99 7 3

27 ' ••2x95 i-'A;7j.J5

^9 6x79 4

30.5x107.9

24.6x78.8

18.2x74.6

37.4x98.2

1 7 9x80 4

23 7x82 8

33 4x95 2

^9 •^ ^xRfi AOO. J3

26.0x95.7

1 O Qs^Q 1 A

29.8x95.6

34.6x69.6

^ /

1 8 3x78 9 '

98 8^1 C\A 8

32.4x80.8

^c 1 vQ1 8

28.9x94.8

22.0x74.4

26 9x83 5

18.3x79.0

1 Q Q\x'7O 1

31.4x91.4

99 7x73 ' 5

25 3x86 8

9Q 0x81 0
G6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

¥CO

I

i co S § = « » 1 o?i= ~ "o 1

• ! !i 

1 ! i S 5 S5 $S SlS ^frS3t&l3i«ilim$l-§3l§ltSISl3SI till § e- g § :§ S? en m (D D

100 ——————————

200-

—

300-

-

400-

-

500-

600-

BARNWELL

UNIT

(part)

SANTEE 

LIMESTONE

WARLEY

HILL

FORMATION

CONGAREE 

FORMATION

SNAPP

FORMATION

ELLENTON

FORMATION

I- AV barren ^ O ^ Q co

-AU ; ;

ZAR AS : : — AP

=AO barren ; , ;

AN barren

~AL barren

Al . ! ! '

-AG :

-AC :

— X barren

-R :

O — N .

i : ' — F barren •

_E :

-A B° >

— Gc.

— GD , : : — HH •

GC

°- E •£ "5 ^S •§ •£ •

^QCOOCO^tC

H .

, : , o

1}

< i • • 

(i •

o

o

0 , : N[! ;

;

< i i 

< i • .1

1

• ( 

i (

• • <

s

TJ

LC

1 | 

• !

(

i i

- "-Sfflfflc OJ'CB^.'SWC S-S'Ec^-S'c^Swicw S5>2S"mi

0 ECOQ.0.^. O wQ.COlQLLQSXSh-Q.SlCO^lOQ.LLSh-C.

( 

{

(

<

' ' i i R . R i ' , , i ' i i ' 

M > * ' • <

i ( 

i

> i

i <

<

t

<

4

i . , , ,

• ! ' ' i

1 ! ! ! !

i , ]

I

< i i

.

!

«

.;.

• <> <

1 ...

, , . ( ,

ill!!,,:

R . '

! ! , i

' " "

iiirii!

• (

>

i < 

>

>

<

i

<

i

!i

' 1

1 O

1 O

> 41

li.

• . : :|

! ! i

o o

i . O (

< > ; (

! o o

: ° 0 »IM 

>*° : :

i . ! ! ! ! '.!!'. i , , , ,

Figure 2. Range and occurrence chart of dinocysts and acritarchs in the Millhaven core. Lithostratigraphy from Falls 

and Prowell (this volume, chap. A). R=reworked; cf=compares with; ?=questionably identified; l=single specimen.
an

o 

5' I

§ DEPTH

is 

11

o oo 

o :co

> O m

CONGAREI 

FORMATIO 0 <s

TJ g

S x >

5 F *

5 n rn O -<

II I

LITHOS

SAMPL

_j =; =; »j tj "J y; 

3 § I § § 

———•——————————•—•——————•—• - - - - - - - - Lingulodinium 

•^——————————————————————•-«•• - - - - - - - - Samlandia ch

-•——•————————————•——————< <M ---------- Tectatodinium 

------ - - - --------- . ... . ... . . . . . Diphyes ficus

- - --------------- --------- . . . . ... - Eocladopyxis 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------------- - - Glaphyrocyst

- - - - - - - - - -------------------------- Melitasphaeri

———•————————————• ------ . . . . . . _ . . . _ Corrudinium 

———————————————————————•- - - - -------- Phthanoperid

——————————•—————————————•-• - --------- Dinopterygium 

•——•- - - - - - - - - . . . . .-.._.-....-..---.. Operculodiniu

•—————————————•—• - - - - - ------------ Areosphaerid

•———————————————• - - - ------- ------ Lentinia serra

•——•———•——•——•—• - - --------- - - - - - - Pentadinium 

•——•——————•—————•——————•-• - - - - ----- Hystrichokolp

- - •- - - --------------- - - . - . . - . . . . Muratodinium 

- - - •- --------------- . . . . . . . . ....... Selenopemph

- - - •—————————•- - - - - --------- ....-- Charlesdown

------ - - - a - - - - --------- - - - - - - - - Millioudodiniu

----------- *——•—• - - ------------ - - - Pentadinium p

•—————•————————•- ----- - - - Cordosphaeri

•—————•———————••- ---------- Distatodinium 

•————•——————• ••- ---------- Enneadocysta 

------ ------ Samlandia ch

- - --------- Rhombodiniu

•—•——————< ••• ---------- Phthanoperid

-------------- Cribroperidini

-------------- Pentadinium 

-•-*•- ---------- Lejeunecysta 

-————————• ---------- Cyclopsiella v

- - - - - - - •-••- - - - ------ Pentadinium 

------- «—• - - - ------ Batiacasphae

-------- > MJ - - - - - - - - Charlesdown

-------- •-••• ---------- Pentadinium 

--------- -o ------- - - - Batiacasphae

- - ------ -•»- ------- - Spinidinium s

---------- *- ---------- Tuberculodin

--------- «•------ - - Cordosphaer

---------- 0 ---------- Corrudinium 

---------- -9 ---------- Deflandreaph
G8 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

assigned to the early late Paleocene calcareous nannofossil 

Zone NP 5, but the uppermost part of the Ellenton (above 

578 ft) has been placed in the middle late Paleocene Zone 

NP 8 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

SNAPP FORMATION (570-504 ft)

A single sample in the Snapp Formation (R4664 E, at 

564-565 ft) produced rare, small peridiniacean dinocysts 

(pi. 6, fig. 14), as well as miscellaneous areoligeracean 

forms and Cordosphaeridium Eisenack sp. This Snapp Formation sample remains undated paleontologically. In this 

sample, the Snapp is at least marginally marine, unless all 

specimens are reworked. A higher sample (R4664 F, at 527 

ft) did not contain dinocysts.

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION 

(NOT PRESENT)

The Fourmile Branch Formation is not present in the 

Millhaven core. Sediments containing marine middle 

Eocene dinocysts directly overlie the Snapp Formation.

CONGAREE FORMATION (504-462 ft)

The dinocyst assemblages in six samples in the Congaree Formation from 498.5-466 ft were studied. All contain 

Pentadinum favatum Edwards (pi. 3, fig. 15). The lower five 

samples (R46641, J, K, L, and N) contain Turbiosphaera cf. 

T. galatea (pi. 4, fig. 12), which is reported from the upper 

part of the Tallahatta Formation in Alabama (Edwards, 

1977) and unit E3 of Prowell, Christopher, and others 

(1985). The absence of Hafniasphaera goodmanii Edwards 

suggests that these samples are of middle Eocene age, rather 

than early Eocene age, and that lower Eocene sediments are 

not present in this core. The calcareous nannofossils in these 

lower samples are assigned to Zone NP 14 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

The assemblage at 466 ft (R4664 O) contains the lowest occurrence Glaphyrocysta cf. G.I vicina (pi. 2, figs. 10- 

12) and appears to be correlative with the lowest part of the 

Lisbon Formation in Alabama (Edwards, unpub. data). This 

level could be assigned to either calcareous nannofossil 

Zone NP 14 or NP 15 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

WARLEY HILL FORMATION (462-401 ft)

Both Pentadinium favatum Edwards and Pentadinium 

goniferum Edwards are present in the samples of the Warley 

Hill Formation at 442 and 413 ft (R4664 R and V). These 

species overlap in a thin interval within the lower, but not 

lowest, part of the Lisbon Formation in Alabama, which has 

been dated as NP 15 or NP 16 (Wrenn, 1996). It is assigned

to NP 15 in the Millhaven core. The dinocyst assemblages 

in these samples correspond to those reported in part of the 

unit E4 of Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985).

SANTEE LIMESTONE (401-228 ft)

Eight samples were examined for dinocysts within the 

Santee Limestone; four of these are barren. One sample 

(R4664 Y, at 375 ft) contained only two specimens, both of 

Pentadinium goniferum Edwards. The three remaining samples (R4664 AC, at 346 ft; R4664 AG, at 313.5 ft; and 

R4664 AI, at 293 ft) produced well-preserved, diverse 

dinocysts that include Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht (pi. 1, fig. 14), Distatodinium ellipticum (Cookson) Eaton, P. goniferum Edwards (pi. 3, fig. 16), 

Pentadinium polypodum Edwards (pi. 4, fig. 2), Rhombodinium draco Gocht (pi. 6, fig. 2), Samlandia chlamydophora 

Eisenack sensu Stover and Hardenbol (1993) (pi. 4, fig. 4), 

and Areosphaeridium diktyoplokum (Klumpp) Eaton. This 

assemblage is typical of the late middle Eocene and suggests correlation with the upper part of the Lisbon Formation or the Gosport Sand in Alabama. Three samples higher 

in the Santee (R4664 AL, at 260 ft; R4664 AN, at 242.5 ft; 

and R4664 AO, at 237.5 ft), as well as one near its base 

(R4664 X, at 396 ft), are barren. Santee sediments above 

368 ft in the Millhaven core have been assigned to late middle Eocene calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 17 (Bybell, this 

volume, chap. F).

BARNWELL UNIT (228-0 ft)

Seven samples from the Barnwell unit were examined 

for dinocysts; four were productive, and three are barren or 

contain only a single specimen.

Samples from the Barnwell unit are above the highest 

appearance of P. goniferum Edwards and are most likely of 

late Eocene age. The basal Barnwell sample (R4664 AP, at 

227.5 ft) contains the lowest occurrence of Charlesdowniea 

variabilis (Bujak) Lentin & Vozzhennikova and Batiacasphaera baculata Drugg (pi. 1, fig. 7). Higher samples 

(R4664 AR, at 210 ft, and R4664 AS, at 205 ft) contain B. 

baculata Drugg or Batiacasphaera compta Drugg (pi. 1, 

figs. 8-9) or both, which suggest correlation with the upper 

Eocene Yazoo Clay in Alabama, and Cordosphaeridium 

funiculatum Morgenroth (pi. 1, fig. 11), which is found in 

the Gosport Sand and Moodys Branch Formation (upper 

middle Eocene) in Alabama and the Parkers Ferry and 

Harleyville Formations (lower part of the Cooper Group, 

upper Eocene) in South Carolina (Edwards, 1977; unpub. 

data). Three samples above 205 ft are barren or nearly so 

(R4664 AT, AU, AV, at 195, 118 and 105 ft, respectively). 

Barnwell sediments in the Millhaven core have been 

assigned to calcareous nannofossil Zones NP 17 and 19/20- 

21(?) (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G9

DINOCYSTS FROM THE GIRARD CORE

Sixteen samples were taken for dinocysts in the Tertiary sediments from the Girard core and all but two contained dinocysts. The occurrences of dinocyst taxa in this 

core are shown in figure 3.

ELLENTON FORMATION (542-481 ft)

Dinocysts in the Paleocene Ellenton Formation in the 

Girard core were studied from five samples from 532.7 to 

484.1 ft. As in the Millhaven core, both early Paleocene and 

late Paleocene assemblages were recorded.

The lowest sample (R4705 A, at 532.5-532.7 ft) contains a nondiagnostic dinoflora consisting of small peridiniacean cysts, Spiniferites Mantell spp., and a few specimens 

of the areoligeracean group. The next higher samples 

(R4705 B, at 521.0-521.2 and R4705 AD, at 517.9-518.1) 

contain early Paleocene (Danian, Midwayan) dinocysts, 

including Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich, Tenua sp. cf. T. 

formosa of Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) (pi. 4, fig. 7), Tectatodinium rugulatum (Hansen) McMinn (pi. 4, figs. 10, 11) 

and Deflandrea n. sp. aff. D. truncata Stover (pi. 5, fig. 8). 

This assemblage is also dominated by small peridiniacean 

cysts. The sample R4705 C (at 514.0-514.3 ft) contains a 

rather sparse dinoflora that includes a fragment questionably identified as C. cornuta Grigorovich. The sample 

R4705 D (at 484.1-484.3 ft) contains a typical late Paleocene (Selandian, late Midwayan) dinoflora, which is also 

dominated by small peridiniacean cysts and contains Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) Fensome et al. and Phelodinium sp. of Edwards (1989).

SNAPP FORMATION (481-423 ft)

No samples were taken from the sand and clay of the 

Snapp Formation in the Girard core.

CONGAREE FORMATION (390-325 ft)

Two samples were studied within the Congaree Formation. The lower sample (R4705 E, at 362-362.3 ft) contains 

a variety of middle Eocene dinocysts that suggest correlation with the lower part of the Lisbon Formation in Alabama. Important species include Pentadinium favatum 

Edwards, Corrudinium sp. I of Edwards (1984), Phthanoperidinium echinatum Eaton, Pseudorhombodinium lisbonense Wrenn (pi. 6, fig. 1), Samlandia chlamydophora 

Eisenack, Wetzeliella articulata Eisenack, Glaphyrocysta cf. 

G.I vicina (pi. 2, fig. 13), and Eocladopyxis Morgenroth n. 

sp. A (pi. 2, fig. 7). The higher Congaree sample (R4705 

AF, at 327.3-327.5 ft) contains a similar dinocyst assemblage.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION (NOT PRESENT)

No samples containing both P. favatum Edwards and P. 

goniferum Edwards were found. Sediments correlative with 

the Warley Hill in the Millhaven core apparently are not 

present in the Girard core.

SANTEE LIMESTONE (325-250 ft)

Three samples were examined from the Santee Limestone in the Girard core. The lowest Santee sample (R4705 

F, at 322.3-322.5 ft) contains a very sparse and relatively 

nondiagnostic dinocyst assemblage. It does, however, contain the middle Eocene species Pentadinium goniferum 

Edwards. The sample a foot higher (R4705 G, at 321.4- 

321.6 ft) contains the lowest occurrence of Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht. The sample at 257.8-258 

ft (R4705 H) contains a well-preserved, diverse dinocyst 

assemblage that includes Pentadinium polypodum Edwards, 

Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack sensu Stover and 

Hardenbol (1993), and Enneadocysta spp. These and other 

species present are characteristic of upper middle Eocene 

sediments correlative with the upper Lisbon Formation and 

the Gosport Sand (Edwards, 1977; unpub. data) and with 

unit E5 of Prowell, Christopher, and others (1985).

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION (423-390 ft)

Two samples were studied within the Fourmile Branch 

Formation. The age of these samples is Eocene. However, 

attempts to determine whether they are early or middle 

Eocene were inconclusive. In the lower sample (R4705 AE, 

at 415.2-415.5 ft), Homotryblium tenuispinosum Davey & 

Williams is tentatively identified. A nearby repeat sample 

(R4705 CF, at 415 ft) recovered a single specimen of Draco dinium varielongitudum (Williams & Downie) Costa & 

Downie (pi. 5, fig. 7).

BARNWELL UNIT (250-0 ft)

Four samples from the Barn well unit were studied 

from the Girard core. Sample R4705 I (at 211.1-211.3 ft) 

contains the species Rhombodinium perforatum (Jan du 

Chene & Chateauneuf) Lentin & Williams (pi. 6, fig. 3), 

Charlesdowniea variabilis (Bujak) Lentin & Vozzhennikova, and Corrudinium incompositum (Drugg) Stover & 

Evitt (pi. 1, fig. 15). These species suggest a late middle or 

late Eocene age. The sample R4705 J (at 146.6-146.8 ft) 

contains a very sparse and nondiagnostic dinocyst
G10 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

ID 

O

X 

Q. 

< 

DC 

O

5 

DC

fe 

O

DC 

LU

iDC

LU

I

CD 

&

W CO

100 —

200 -

300 -

400 -

500 -

BARNWELL

UNIT (pan)

SANTEE 

LS.

ONGAREE 

FORMATION

FOURMILE 

BRANCH FM

SNAPP 

FM.

ELLENTON 

FM.

is t CD

C jr O).

CO Z~S

S

CO 

3 $

is

S--S

-L barren

K barren

E . CD -3 Q. o co c 

%%

c Q-T^ c c CD !5 -S

!"$§§ fc -c qj >

Cr O S ^

ll gj o |

I

CO .§! '£•?:

.5 CO

a. <D jo a-s o

^0

OJ co £ 5 0)

03 * I III

3.gi 

cp

C ^

filliflms T* *»• 1^ Q *** -^ A I i r» ^N ^N

ii Hi fill ml

' C O r- «B

^6 g-^-g S S^S

i-gocScD-CC 

^r -^ O Q) -C co O CD 5QUj~jQ.Q.^Q.

—j

AF

-E

-CF,AE

AD

11

111

Figure 3. Range and occurrence chart of dinocysts and acritarchs in the Girard core. Lithostratigraphy from Falls and Prowell 

(this volume, chap. A). cf=compares with; ?=questionably identified.
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA Gil

100 —

200 -

300 -

400 -

500 -

BARNWELL

UNIT (part)

SANTEE 

LS.

CONGAREE 

FORMATION

SNAPP 

FM.

ELLENTON 

FM.

CO 

ULj

OC 

LU 

CO 

W -^

o P

$ Lil 01 m

f £

.0 

CL

CO

^S

Q-O) 

ItcD

u> % c

si-i

CO -o ^

CO

I 

I

FOURMILE 

BRANCH FM.

—L barren

.2 CL

« I = 2

C CD O

o -5 •§. 5 c ^^|ocD

P CD Q3 Q. CD 

1-^1 f I

!i in

w

V

•D i

Ul

.3io

§ .3 0^:5 11 .CD g 

-K barren |||lfl|l

l^tlSLtll, SOCDI^UCOCO

I

S ° X C

tid»! CD ? co TO e 

Q-5 g^§ 

5 ^S o^o. Hill Ifl II 

sun

CD 

CO

CD g^ l«'

oSt^

3 £ "6 -5 'c -c cS t5

II

1 0.5.

CD CO 3

. 5 .co o -^ cL-g

1 &!&££&!

£t«^g O Q.E CD 

_. 3 O) CD CL Q__g co

•a 5 .a -g ^ t?i

CD O CD 

Q.OCO

5 CL c w

§1 Q.'| 

Q. SOco

E co 

5 => 

gg£s

.^•s^l till l.§il

E

.o o

•C CtJ O

13 CO CD C

111'i

CD .3 O 3

5 -S "° !£

-o c CD c

O CD -C O

0:0.00

El

Q..O

;g I

— H

G

"AF

-E

CF, AE

-D

_C

: B 

"A

AD

^t o o o o o o o o o

Figure 3. Continued.
G12 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

assemblage. Samples R4705 K and L (at 103.6-103.8 and 

64.1-64.3 ft) are barren of dinocysts.

DINOCYSTS FROM THE 

THOMPSON OAK CORE

Sixteen samples were taken for dinocysts in the Tertiary sediments of the Thompson Oak core, and all contained dinocysts. The occurrences of dinocyst taxa in the 

Thompson Oak core are shown in figure 4.

ELLENTON FORMATION (324-274 ft)

Dinocysts in the Ellenton from the Thompson Oak 

core were studied from two samples. Both are Paleocene 

(Danian or Selandian, Midwayan). The lower sample 

(R4836 C, at 302 ft) is dominated by Areoligera volata 

Drugg and small peridiniaceans. Important species present 

include Tectatodinium rugulatum (Hansen) McMinn, Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) Fensome et al., Tenua sp. 

cf. T. formosa of Kurita and Mclntyre (1995), and Deflandrea n. sp. aff. D. truncata Stover. The sample lacks Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich but contains other species 

recorded in the early Paleocene samples from the Millhaven, Girard, and Millers Pond cores. The upper sample 

(R4836 D, at 281 ft) is dominated by small peridiniaceans 

and contains Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha of 

Edwards (1980) (pi. 5, fig. 4) and Phelodinium sp. of 

Edwards (1989). It is of late Paleocene age (Selandian).

SNAPP FORMATION (NOT PRESENT)

The Snapp Formation is not present in the Thompson 

Oak core. Sediments containing marine Eocene dinocysts 

directly overlie marine Paleocene sediments.

with the upper part of the Tallahatta Formation and the 

lower part of the Lisbon Formation in Alabama. Sample 

R4836 H (at 231.5 ft) is more likely correlative with the 

upper part of the Tallahatta because it contains Turbiosphaera cf. T. galatea. The three samples from 194-183 ft 

(R4836 J, K, and L) are more likely correlative with the 

lower part of the Lisbon because they contain Glaphyrocysta cf. G.? vicina (pi. 2, fig. 14). Sample R4836 I (at 210 

ft) does not contain sufficient diagnostic taxa.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION (NOT PRESENT)

The Warley Hill Formation is not present in the 

Thompson Oak core.

SANTEE LIMESTONE (182-130 ft)

Six samples of the Santee Limestone were studied 

from the Thompson Oak core. The five samples from 

181.5-154 ft depth contain a distinctive dinocyst assemblage that includes Pentadinum goniferum Edwards, Pentadiniurn Gerlach n. sp. D (pi. 3, figs. 19-21), Enneadocysta 

Stover & Williams spp., Heteraulacacysta porosa Bujak, 

and Hystrichostrogylon membmniphorum Agelopoulos (pi. 

3, fig. 13). These forms indicate an age in the later part of 

the middle Eocene and correlation with the upper part of the 

Lisbon Formation, the Gosport Sand, or the Moodys Branch 

Formation in the Gulf Coast. The highest Santee Limestone 

sample (R4836 R, at 138 ft) contains the lowest occurrence 

of Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht.

BARNWELL UNIT (130-0 ft)

Sediments of the Barn well unit in the Thompson Oak 

core were not sampled in this study.

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION (274-251 ft)

Two samples from 269 and 245 ft contain early Eocene 

dinocysts, including Hafniasphaera goodmanii Edwards 

(pi. 3, fig. 1), primitive forms of Pentadinium favatum 

Edwards, and Wetzeliella articulata Eisenack. The lowest of 

these contains Homotryblium abbreviation Eaton (pi. 3, fig. 

11). These assemblages are likely to be of early Eocene age.

CONGAREE FORMATION (251-182 ft)

Six samples in the Congaree from the Thompson Oak 

core were studied for dinocysts. The lowest sample (R4836 

G from 245 ft) contains the highest occurrence of Hafniasphaera goodmanii Edwards. Five samples from 231.5- 

183.5 ft all contain dinofloras that are roughly correlative

DINOCYSTS FROM THE 

MILLERS POND CORE

Nine samples were taken in Tertiary sediments of the 

Millers Pond core; seven contained dinocysts, and the 

uppermost two samples are barren. The occurrences of 

dinocyst taxa in this core are shown in figure 5.

ELLENTON FORMATION (284-232 ft)

Dinocysts in the Ellenton Formation from the Millers 

Pond core were studied from two samples (R4581 Q, at 

252-257 ft; R4581 R, at 237-242 ft). Both contain dinocyst 

assemblages of Paleocene age (Danian or Selandian, Midwayan). The lower sample contains Areoligera volata 

Drugg (pi. 1, fig. 5), Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich, Spini-
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G13

200 -

300 -

SANTEE 

LS.

CONGAREE 

FM.

FOURMILE 

BRANCH FM

ELLENTON 

FM.

-R

Q 

P

= L i\n 

=J K

\

E

hD

-C

ti

iS

111 

!B|

- W JC 

3 Qi C

!€R

t CO tE ;-§§:=

fle|

III III

t *£ "co ^J -2 "55 *-3s •&>-£>.?> £

3:3:0.0.

s -9"" ^.; li*3i

•= m a T3 i 

so 05-^; :l I-. K- c*- ^

,° S.2>

• I S cS'

§fl

igf «

!C*= 

!. CO O

,-d. doQ. CO CO

!«s§

s di C13 -Sr

Q.P 

CO §

Q..9^3 * IS 

CO C S

<o "8 to 

P-2 &

1!§>1" iisr §^2-3

i-3S--B*l

i-^Ss^l :«•§!§!•

!! I05 o

ae

-S gi.

CO = CO

5 co £"5

11

llllttf!

(

1

' \ 

\

t

i 4

| <

» <

i <

I

1 i

1 I

I 1 

\

1

1

i : ' <

i

\

i 

\ \

I 4

! 1

(

: < 

I 1

1

1

1

1

i 4

: 1

i i

; • ( 

1 , 1

4

[

\

\ { \ \

i

\ ,

1 1

< \

t <

..'•: ,,:.,,,I

111 • <>•>••

1 " ; * 1 IMI " 1! 1 II ;

'ii , ' : : : :

Figure 4. Range and occurrence chart of dinocysts and acritarchs in the Thompson Oak core. Lithostratigraphy from Falls and 

Prowell (this volume, chap. A). ?=questionably identified.

dinium densispinatum Stanley, Spinidinium pulchrum (Benson) Lentin & Williams, Tectatodinium rugulatum (Hansen) 

McMinn, and Tenua sp. cf. T. formosa of Kurita and Mclntyre (1995). C. cornuta has not been reported from sediments younger than early Paleocene. This sample contains 

early Paleocene pollen (Frederiksen, this volume, chap. H).

The upper sample in the Ellenton contains a distinctive 

assemblage including Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha 

of Edwards (1980) (pi. 5, fig. 3), Deflandrea cf. D. diebelii 

of Drugg (1967), Senegalinium microgranulatum (Stanley) 

Stover & Evitt (pi. 6, fig. 5), Isabelidinium viborgense sensu 

Kurita and Mclntyre (1995), and Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) Fensome et al. The species in this upper sample were reported together in the Porters Creek Clay in 

Alabama (Edwards, 1980). However, the assemblage could 

perhaps range into slightly younger sediments, because the 

Naheola Formation was not included in the 1980 study. 

Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) used the lowest occurrence of/. 

viborgense Heilmann-Clausen to mark the base of the 

Selandian (earliest late Paleocene) in Manitoba, Canada.

SNAPP FORMATION (232-165 ft)

The interval from 232 to 165 ft in the core consisted of 

coarse sand and thoroughly oxidized kaolinitic clay and was 

not sampled for dinocysts.

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION 

(NOT PRESENT)

The Fourmile Branch Formation is not present in the 

Millers Pond core. There is no evidence of early Eocene 

marine deposition in this core.

CONGAREE FORMATION (165-156 ft)

Directly above the oxidized clays of the Snapp Formation is a 9-ft-thick unit of silty sand. A sample just above the 

base (R4581 S, at 165 ft) contains a dinocyst assemblage 

that includes Diphyes colligerum (Deflandre & Cookson) 

Cookson, Phthanoperidinium echinatum Eaton, Polysphaeridium zoharyi (Rossignol) Bujak et al., somewhat primitive
G14 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

100 —

150-

200-

250-

BARNWELL 

UNIT

SANTEE 

LS.

CONGAREE

SNAPP 

FM.

ELLENTON 

FM.

-Y barren

-X barren

E

-|_£S

al ill' 3s . §•§ ^

O O Q.^3 Q. S ^ i U CO p R .3 ^3

5-SS § §i o

f I tills i j? I :i.:i..B I

O) ^ 

C-°

com

CD ^", 

f*

co o

Ed rph

(0 (0

of ra 

lym um 

\ Dr

p 

nicu lii

CO CO

1! 

,11s? «

.$ £

il

•— ^ Q. SJ.Q-? 0>Q. £

: S

.-ra-sj-KCn— c-^co_35 =g2^§-||8§s|B>|

ii^slSiSlSIJ

•§.:§•= §cf -s;

7f--*Z <D •?- rrt *^t CO

S.E§«S^>S^^QSS2c^c aj BCT c tB QJ co co p Q..S2 o -Q 'C: 55 $ oTS -iQQS-afeo^Eo^oe:

tfi!!!!tjtttf!i!it!i!!fi .tt'SliS.H'SS&iSlis.Si.S.S.ljSi.Ss. Qcui^Qls^CiCLPQScLUi fa: of o oTco s § Q f

-v W

-u

- T

l\

R R

il

<l(l**?l>l>0

Figure 5. Range and occurrence chart of dinocysts and acritarchs in the Millers Pond core. Lithostratigraphy from Falls and 

Pro well (this volume, chap. A). R=reworked; cf=compares with; ?=questionably identified.

forms of Pentadinium favatum Edwards, Turbiosphaera cf. 

T. galatea, and Wetzeliella articulata Eisenack. This assemblage correlates with that recorded from the upper part of 

the Tallahatta Formation in Alabama, which is in the lower 

part of the middle Eocene.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION (NOT PRESENT)

The Warley Hill Formation is not present in the Millers 

Pond core.

SANTEE LIMESTONE (156-82 ft)

Five samples from the Santee Limestone were studied 

from the Millers Pond core. The lowest sample (R4581 T, at 

155 ft) contains a diverse dinocyst assemblage including 

Achilleodinium biformoides (Eisenack) Eaton and Pentadinium goniferum Edwards, and single specimens of Pentadinium favatum Edwards and Turbiosphaera cf. T. galatea.

This assemblage could represent the interval of overlap of 

the ranges of P. favatum Edwards and P. goniferum 

Edwards, or it could represent a lag deposit at the base of 

the overlying unit. Because P. favatum Edwards and Turbiosphaera cf. T. galatea are each represented by one poorly 

preserved specimen, and because Turbiosphaera cf. T. 

galatea and P. goniferum Edwards do not overlap in other 

cores, the interpretation of this sample as a lag deposit 

appears more likely.

Three samples (R4581 U, V, W, at 148, 124, and 120 

ft) contain diverse and abundant dinocyst assemblages 

including Pentadinium goniferum Edwards, Pentadinium 

Gerlach n. sp. D, Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack, 

Hystrichostrogylon coninckii Heilmann-Clausen, Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht, and 

Dapsilidinium pseudocolligerum (Stover) Bujak et al. This 

is a late middle Eocene assemblage, correlative with the 

upper part of the Lisbon Formation, Gosport Sand, or 

Moodys Branch Formation in Alabama. The uppermost
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G15

S ~

CO 1— m

± "co rj

H O QE X 2

LU H < 

Q _l CO

0 ——————————

-

100 -

200 -

300 -

BARNWELL 

UNIT

SANTEE

LS.

CONGAREE

FM.

SNAPP

FM.

ELLENTON 

FORMATION

- F

- E

- D

p\s

— B

o

a. ^

I ~£ 

§P ° 

§ §1 «

^|it §

|«|S| £

g"ca a 3 Q. c

IcglS .$ ^ §c -^ G-%

^•^ ca S c Q.*

S -S p .1 'B 2 .E l^llsl? CO eg .C § Q.'C (D 

~3 JG "S *• O CD Q75 S w S 8*5 =

o S S o -S •£ co

c ra 5 CD fa Q. F

•?C Q U. 1- Q. CO w

o •

No Dinocysts

••••Inl

1T>

111 c "o

(/} C ft* C 5 ^

1 It *~ .£ 3

I tl o ^ o a . | Q. 

£&i^

5 ".§*= 

CD £ "6 cc

co 5 '§ d-d.

03 3 CO W 03

o 2 "§ ^S £ CD JS to "qj .5

= §" o J'S 

® "R ^5 ^

— o E t >^

E O -=c -^ Q.

M O

O O

O

t~-

|||£ w E £ 05 

c co •= c. 0) -5 3 __ ^§*g

s S g 2 a^.cQ

||»o

CD

8 

.SI

|||||<|||

R "O *- ' 3 n T5

11 SI III II

Ch "S ^5 Q) * CO to JG Q 3

O O

3 Q A. "c5 Q5

: uj i a. a.

0 0 O •

\

'<

'

o

Q.

E

CO

3

1

C

placaca ra 

irum

O Qj

S CD

CD ^s

s^ -Qco (3

T : "

s < •§ S s-

§ ca5 w

'1 i 1 . « iaa&i ||tl|d w "^ & & Q. *" m ^5

Illllll

jQ q\ q\ ^! ^L "ri\ t nt

Cj I I I I ~j ~j

si i?

ohorum 

orecurval Awards (

machaeroi lum pseud 1 Eofsp. n 

P 3

o 8" "5 

•* ca 3 O ,^M Q

C CD -^

^j § §

'o'

Q.

CO

w 

5 a

r- 5^

|o|j

O) C ]g E

IPl

05 n^ m m

a. a. co i~

.S

3>

fO Q.

W "ql

•£* Q

1- S

Figure 6. Range and occurrence chart of dinocysts and acritarchs in the McBean core. Lithostratigraphy from Falls and Prowell 

(this volume, chap. A). ?=questionably identified.

sample in the Santee Limestone (R4581 X, at 82-83 ft) is 

barren of dinocysts.

BARNWELL UNIT (82-0 ft)

Barnwell unit sediments were examined for dinocysts 

in a single sample at 72-77 ft in the Millers Pond core. The 

sample proved barren.

DINOCYSTS FROM THE MCBEAN CORE

Six samples were taken in Tertiary sediments of the 

McBean core; five contained dinocysts and one yielded only 

pollen. The occurrences of dinocyst taxa in this core are 

shown in figure 6.

wayan) dinocyst assemblages. The lower sample (R4663 B, 

at 294 ft) includes Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) 

Fensome et al. (pi. 2, figs. 1-2), Palaeoperidinium pyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant, and Tectatodinium rugulatum 

(Hansen) McMinn. The upper sample (R4663 C, at 276 ft) 

includes Andalusiella sp. aff A. polymorpha of Edwards 

(1980), Deflandrea cf. D. diebelii of Drugg (1967), 

Hafniasphaera septata (Cookson & Eisenack) Hansen, Isabelidinium viborgense sensu Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) 

(pi. 5, fig. 2), and P. pyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant. The 

lower sample is likely to be early Paleocene, as indicated by 

the presence of T. rugulatum (Hansen) McMinn. The upper 

sample is late Paleocene (Selandian, Midwayan) because of 

the presence of /. viborgense sensu Kurita and Mclntyre 

(1995).

ELLENTON FORMATION (305-272 ft)

Two samples from the Ellenton Formation in the 

McBean core yielded Paleocene (Danian or Selandian, MidSNAPP FORMATION (272-222 ft)

A single fragmental specimen of the areoligeraceae 

jroup was recovered from the sample of the Snapp Forma-
G16 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

tion at 264 ft (R4663 D) in the McBean core. A second sample (R4663 E, at 243 ft) yielded no dinocysts.

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION 

(NOT PRESENT)

The Fourmile Branch Formation is not recognized in 

the McBean core.

CONGAREE FORMATION (222-186 ft)

A single sample of the Congaree Formation in the 

McBean core (R4663 F, at 210 ft) contains the early middle 

Eocene species Eocladopyxis Morgenroth n. sp. A and Pento, dinium favatum Edwards, and long-ranging species.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION (NOT PRESENT)

The Warley Hill Formation is not recognized in the 

McBean core.

SANTEE LIMESTONE (186-112 ft)

A single sample of the Santee Limestone in the 

McBean core (R4663 G, at 181 ft) yielded a diverse middle 

Eocene dinocyst assemblage. Heteraulacacysta porosa 

Bujak, Heteraulacacyata pustulosa Jan du Chene & Adediran (pi. 3, fig. 5), Pentadinium goniferum Edwards, and 

Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack are present The 

assemblage resembles that in the Santee Limestone in the 

Thompson Oak core.

BARNWELL UNIT (112-0 ft)

Sediments of the Barnwell unit from the McBean core 

were not sampled in this study.

DISCUSSION

Paleocene sediments in the cores studied include two 

separate assemblages. The older one is early Paleocene 

(Danian, Midwayan) and contains Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich, Spinidinium pulchrum (Benson) Lentin & Williams 

(pi. 6, figs. 6, 10), Tectatodinium rugulatum (Hansen) 

McMinn, and Tenua sp. cf. T. formosa of Kurita and Mclntyre (1995). This assemblage is assigned to calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 4 in the Millhaven core. The younger 

assemblage contains Phelodinium sp. of Edwards (1989) 

(pi. 5, fig. 10) and is assigned to calcareous nannofossil 

Zones NP 5 and NP 8 in the Millhaven core (Bybell, this 

volume, chap. F). Both assemblages contain Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) Fensome et al., Palaeoperidinium

pyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant, and Deflandrea cf. D. 

diebelii of Drugg (1967) (pi. 5, fig. 6) and may be dominated by small peridiniaceans (pi. 6, figs. 13, 15, 16). 

Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha of Edwards (1980) and 

Isabelidinium viborgense sensu Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) 

may be found just below, and in the lower part of, the upper 

assemblage. Kurita and Mclntyre (1995) used the lowest 

occurrence of I. viborgense Heilmann-Clausen to approximate the early-late Paleocene (Danian-Selandian) boundary 

in Manitoba, Canada. In the Millhaven core, the uppermost 

Ellenton sample has been placed in calcareous nannofossil 

Zone NP 8 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F) although the 

dinocyst assemblage is not noticeably different from assemblages in the samples below it.

The Snapp Formation is present in varying thicknesses 

in four of the five cores. It is conspicuously absent in the 

Thompson Oak core, and an upper kaolinitic part is not 

present in the McBean core. Because the Snapp Formation 

is present in the most updip cores, it was probably also 

present in the Thompson Oak area originally but subsequently removed. Marginal marine or marine dinocysts are 

found in two samples of the lower part of the Snapp Formation in the Millhaven and McBean cores. However, the 

assemblages are not age diagnostic and could perhaps be 

reworked from the Ellenton.

Lower Eocene sediments are identified in the Fourmile 

Branch Formation in the Thompson Oak core on the basis of 

Hafniasphaera goodmanii Edwards and primitive forms of 

Pentadinium favatum Edwards. Homotryblium abbreviatum 

Eaton is also present. Sediments in the Fourmile Branch in 

the Girard core contain Dracodinium varielongitudum (Williams & Downie) Costa & Downie and Homotryblium 

tenuispinosum Davey & Williams and may be of early 

Eocene age. Early Eocene dinocysts are conspicuously 

missing from the Millhaven, Millers Pond, and McBean 

cores.

Middle Eocene Congaree sediments correlative with 

the uppermost part of the Tallahatta Formation and the 

lower part of the Lisbon Formation are present in all cores. 

Samples contain diverse dinocyst assemblages, which 

include Achilleodinium biformoides (Eisenack) Eaton (pi. 1, 

figs. 1-3), Diphyes colligerum (Deflandre & Cookson) 

Cookson, Eocladopyxis Morgenroth n. sp. A, Glaphyrocysta 

cf. G.I vicina, Phthanoperidinium echinatum Eaton (pi. 5, 

figs. 16, 17), Pentadinium favatum Edwards, Samlandia 

chlamydophora Eisenack (pi. 4, fig. 3), Turbiosphaera cf. T. 

galatea, Wetzeliella articulata Eisenack (pi. 6, figs. 7, 11), 

and many areoligeracean forms. The highest occurrence of 

Turbiosphaera cf. T. galatea and the lowest occurrence of 

Glaphyrocysta cf. G. ? vicina may mark an important level, 

correlative with the Tallahatta Formation-Lisbon Formation 

boundary in Alabama and the E3-E4 boundary (of Pro well, 

Christopher, and others, 1985) in Georgia. Calcareous nannofossils in the Millhaven core indicate that this boundary is 

near the NP 14/NP 15 boundary.
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G17

Sediments containing both Pentadinium favatum 

Edwards and Pentadinium goniferum Edwards are found 

only in the Millhaven core. It is here they are assigned to the 

Warley Hill Formation (Falls and Prowell, this volume, 

chap. A) and to calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 15 (Bybell, 

this volume, chap. F).

Middle Eocene sediments correlative with the upper 

part of the Lisbon Formation and the Gosport Sand in Alabama are present in the Santee Limestone in all cores. 

Assemblages vary from quite diverse to poorly preserved 

and nondiagnostic. Pentadinium goniferum Edwards is 

present in every sample. The lowest occurrences of Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht, Cyclopsiella 

vieta Drugg & Loeblich, and Dapsilidinium pseudocolligerum (Stover) Bujak et al. (pi. 1, fig. 18) are found in the 

Santee Limestone. Hystrichosphaeropsis Deflandre n. sp, A 

(pi. 3, figs.7-9), Pentadinium Gerlach n. sp. D, and Pentadinium polypodum Edwards are apparently restricted to the 

Santee Limestone. Enneadocysta spp., various species of 

Heteraulacacysta, and a wide variety of areoligeracean 

forms are present in the more diverse samples. Species of 

Wetzeliella (pi. 6, fig. 12) are present in a few samples but 

are not common.

In the Millhaven and Girard cores, the lowest samples 

in the Santee Limestone are barren or nearly so. In the Millhaven core, the sample at 346 ft contains the lowest occurrences of Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht, 

Pentadinium polypodum Edwards, and Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack sensu Stover and Hardenbol (1993). 

Here, the lowest occurrence of Cordosphaeridium 

cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht approximates the base of calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 17 (Bybell, this volume, chap. 

F). In the Girard core, the lowest occurrence of Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius) Gocht is just above 

the base of the Santee Limestone.

Dinocyst recovery is spotty in sediments of the Barnwell unit. In the Millhaven core, samples contain Batiacasphaera baculata Drugg, Batiacasphaera compta Drugg, 

and Cordosphaeridium funiculatum Morgenroth, which 

indicate a late Eocene age. In the Girard core, Rhombodinium perforatum (Jan du Chene & Chateauneuf) Lentin & 

Williams is diagnostic. Both cores contain Charlesdowniea 

variabilis (Bujak) Lentin & Vozzhennikova (pi. 5, fig. 11). 

In the remaining cores, samples were not taken in Barnwell 

sediments, except one sample, which was barren (table 1).

Figure 7 shows core-to-core correlations suggested by 

the dinocyst assemblages. Lower Paleocene sediments are 

present in all cores, but these may be thicker in the updip 

cores (McBean, Millers Pond, and Thompson Oak) than in 

the most downdip core (Millhaven). The younger part of the 

Ellenton is thinnest in the updip cores.

The Snapp Formation is missing from the Thompson 

Oak core and truncated in the McBean core. The Fourmile 

Branch Formation is recognized only in the Girard and 

Thompson Oak cores. In the Thompson Oak core, the

absence of the Snapp corresponds with the presence of the 

Fourmile Branch and a thickened Congaree relative to other 

cores.

The Congaree Formation is middle Eocene. It contains 

two recognizable dinocyst assemblages, which are equivalent to those found in the upper part of the Tallahatta Formation and the lower part of the Lisbon Formation in Alabama. 

The Warley Hill Formation is recognized only in the most 

basin ward core (Millhaven).

The Tertiary units in the Burke and Screven County 

cores studied here show a much more complex history than 

was anticipated. In these generally shallow marine sediments, local patterns of erosion and deposition are important. A paleo-Savannah River may have wholly or partially 

eroded units such as the Snapp Formation to allow selective 

infilling, or selective preservation of more widespread infilling, during later transgressions.

TAXONOMIC NOTES

The species present are listed in Williams and others 

(1998) and their taxonomic history is not repeated here. 

Brief synonymies are provided for dinocysts that are presented in open or informal nomenclature. Higher level taxonomy is taken from Fensome and others (1993). Taxa are 

presented alphabetically by order. For convenience, dates 

are provided with the authors' names for formal taxa; the 

works these represent are not included in the references here 

but may be found in Williams and others (1998). Table 2 

provides the slide locations of all figured specimens.

Division DINOFLAGELLATA (Butschli 1885) Fensome et al. 1993 

Subdivision DINOKARYOTA Fensome et al. 1993

Class DINOPHYCEAE Pascher 1914

Subclass PERIDINIPHYCIDAE Fensome et al. 1993

Order GONYAULACALES Taylor 1980

ACHILLEODINIUM BIFORMOIDES 

(EISENACK 1954) EATON 1976

Plate 1, figures 1-3

Remarks.—Both relatively smooth forms and those 

with striate processes are included.

AMPHOROSPHAERIDIUM1MULTISPINOSUM 

(DAVEY & WILLIAMS 1966) SARJEANT 1981

Plate 1, figure 4

AREOLIGERA VOLATA DRUGG 1967

Plate 1, figures

AREOSPHAERIDIUM DIKTYOPLOKUM 

(KLUMPP 1953) EATON 1971

Plate 1, figure 6

BATIACASPHAERA BACULATA DRUGG 1970

Plate 1, figure 7
NW

McBean 

(R4663)

Depth 

(feet)

0- ———————— 

100 -

200 -

300 -

BARNWELL 

UNIT

SANTEE 

LS.

CONGAREE 

FM.

SNAPP 

FM.

ELLENTON 

FM.

100 — 

Sample

200 -

Millers Pond

(R4581) _ _ , Thompson Oak

100- (R4836)

SAN ILL w -R 

LS. ^V - SANTEE Q 300 -

L R - U LS. =Pp

CONGAREE _^JsiJ**Ja*|sfss~.., , „., _ L !Y'

F ~«!i;g|^i|i»i*«rf CONGAREE wftffsWTM¥f5*Ws«*^ -

2oo _ SNAPP --^jip FM isfiflsSfypsisWlllifiiPTwwr'js^

— D o FOURMILE I" 4UU 

r ~ H BRANCH FM. ~ r

- ELLENTON ..o n 

— B —————— FM "^"^^^^^ ELLENTON D 

.,nn - FM. Sp

^500 -

0_JO_20 MILES SOUTH ^ 

0 10 20 KILOMETERS

CAROLINA

x / | ^K i Savannah

,-<.-, N.; ^i| ——— i — — Rivfir

Girard 

(R4705)

BARNWELL 

UNIT (part)

SANTEE 

LS.

CONGAREE 

FORMATION

FOURMILE 

BRANCH FM.

SNAPP 

FM.

ELLENTON 

FM.

-J

-1 

-H 

G F

AF

-CF, AE 

-D

^R^0 

/ / *^C."i:4 ( Site 

\ [ Burke \^C?~~"'^>_ ...^sste,. Approximate location 

> / f-"^Y \ ( -»«*1 ' break within the Cong

_o ^ >?creven( j/^ Early Paleocene sam

Figure 7. Correlation diagram by dinocyst assemblages for the five Georgia cores. Datum is the base of the Santee Limestone.
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G19

BATIACASPHAERA COMPTA DRUGG 1970

Plate 1, figures 8, 9

CARPATELLA CORNUTA GRIGOROVICH 1969

Plate 1, figure 10

CEREBROCYSTA BARTONENSIS BUJAK 1980

Plate 1, figures 12, 13

CORDOSPHAERIDWM CANTHARELLUS 

(BROSIUS 1963) GOCHT 1969

Plate 1, figure 14

Remarks.—Cordosphaeridium Eisenack 1963 is 

considered here to be the senior taxonomic synonym of 

Tityrosphaeridium Sarjeant 1981. The holotype of 

Cordosphaeridium inodes (Klumpp 1953) Eisenack 1963 

clearly shows cingular processes in the illustration by 

Sarjeant (1981, text-fig. 1).

CORDOSPHAERIDIUM FUNICVLATUM MORGENROTH 1966

Plate 1, figure 11

CORDOSPHAERIDIUM EISENACK 1963 SPP.

Remarks.—The species Cordosphaeridium fibrospinosum Davey & Williams 1966, Cordosphaeridium gracile 

(Eisenack 1954) Davey & Williams 1966, Cordosphaeridium inodes (Klumpp 1953) Eisenack 1963, and forms 

between these endmembers are not differentiated in this 

study.

CORRUDINIUMINCOMPOSITUM 

(DRUGG 1970) STOVER & EVITT 1978

Plate 1, figure 15

CORRUDINIUM SP. I OF EDWARDS (1984)

Plate 1, figure 16

Corrudinium sp. I. Edwards, 1984, pi. 2, fig. 1.

Remarks.—Some forms are transitional to Cerebrocysta bartonensis Bujak 1980.

CRIBROPERIDINIUM GIUSEPPEI 

(MORGENROTH 1966) HELENES 1984

Plate 1, figure 17

CRIBROPERIDINIUM TENUITABULATUM 

(GERLACH 1961) HELENES 1984

DAMASSADINIUM CALIFORNICUM 

(DRUGG 1967) FENSOME ET AL. 1993

Plate 2, figures 1-3

Remarks.—Both typical and elongate forms are 

included.

DAPSIUDINIUM PSEUDOCOLLIGERUM 

(STOVER 1977) BUJAK ET AL. 1980

Plate 1, figure 18

DINOPTERYGIUM CLADOIDES SENSU MORGENROTH 1966

Plate 2, figure 4

Dinopterygium cladoides Deflandre. Morgenroth, 1966, pi.

2, fig. 11.

Heteraulacacysta sp. Damassa and others, 1990, fig. 5E, F. 

Dinopterygium sp. Stover and Hardenbol, 1993, pi. 12, fig.

83.

DIPHYES COLLIGERUM (DEFLANDRE & COOKSON 1955) 

COOKSON 1965

DIPHYES FICUSOIDES ISLAM 1983

Plate 2, figure 5

DISTATODINIUM ELLIPTICUM (COOKSON 1965) EATON 1976

Plate 2, figure 9

ENNEADOCYSTA STOVER & WILLIAMS 1995 SPP.

Plate 2, figure 6

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

EOCLADOPYXIS MORGENROTH 1966 N. SP. A

Plate 2, figure 7

Remarks.—The processes resemble those of Polysphaeridium zoharyi (Rossignol 1962) Bujak et al. 1980, 

but the separation of the individual paraplates requires 

placement in the genus Eocladopyxis Morgenroth 1966.

FIBRADINIUM ANNETORPENSE MORGENROTH 1968

Plate 2, figure 8

FIBROCYSTA STOVER & EVITT 1978 SPP.

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

GLAPHYROCYSTA CF. G.7 VICINA 

(EATON 1976) STOVER & EVITT 1978

Plate 2, figures 10-15

Remarks.—This form is highly variable in the degree 

of development of the marginal flanges. It resembles Membranophoridium aspinatum Gerlach 1961 in overall appearance, but it is smaller, has less pronounced dorso-ventral 

compression, and has less prominent flanges. It resembles 

and may be transitional with Membranophoridium bilobatum Michoux 1985, which has narrower flanges and no 

development of pericoels other than along the margins. It is 

closest to Glaphyrocystal vicina (Eaton 1976) Stover & 

Evitt 1978. However, the paracingulum may be more pronounced, and the details of the dorsal and ventral surfaces 

may warrant separation.

HAFNIASPHAERA GOODMANII EDWARDS 1982

Plate 3, figure 1

Remarks.—The illustrated specimen, like most specimens seen, is actually transitional with primitive forms of 

Pentadinium favatum Edwards.

HAFNIASPHAERA SEPTATA 

(COOKSON & EISENACK 1967) HANSEN 1977

Plate 3, figure 10
G20 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

HETERAULACACYSTA POROSA BUJAK 1980

Plate 3, figures 2, 3

HETERAULACACYSTA PUSTULOSA JAN DU CHENE 

& ADEDIRAN 1985

Plate 3, figure 5

HETERAULACACYSTA DRUGG & LOEBLICH 1967 SPP.

Plate 3, figure 6

Remarks.—The species Heteraulacacysta campanula 

Drugg & Loeblich 1967 and Heteraulacacysta] leptalea 

Eaton 1976 and poorly preserved specimens of the genus 

that are unattributable to species are placed here.

HOMOTRYBLIUM ABBREVIATUM EATON 1976

Plate 3, figure 11

HOMOTRYBLIUM PLECTILUM DRUGG & LOEBLICH 1967

Plate 3, figure 12

HOMOTRYBLIUM TENUISPINOSUM DAVEY & WILLIAMS 1966 

HYSTRICHOKOLPOMA CINCTUM KLUMPP 1953

HYSTRICHOKOLPOMA RIG AUDIAE DEFLANDRE 

& COOKSON 1955

HYSTRICHOKOLPOMA DEFLANDRE 1935 SPP.

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

HYSTRICHOSPHAERIDIUM TUBIFERUM 

(EHRENBERG 1838) DEFLANDRE 1937

HYSTRICHOSPHAEROPSIS DEFLANDRE 1935 N. SP. A

Plate 3, figures 7-9

Remarks.—This small, distinctive form has relatively 

high septa that are finely serrate distally.

HYSTRICHOSTROGYLON CONINCKII 

HEILMANN-CLAUSEN 1985

HYSTRICHOSTROGYLON MEMBRANIPHORUM 

AGELOPOULOUS 1964

Plate 3, figure 13

LINGULODINIUM MA CHAEROPHORUM 

(DEFLANDRE & COOKSON 1955) WALL 1967

MELITASPHAERIDIUM ASTERIUM 

(EATON 1976) BUJAK ET AL. 1980

MELITASPHAERIDIUM PSEUDORECURVA TUM 

(MORGENROTH 1966) BUJAK ET AL. 1980

MILLIOUDODINIUM SP. I OF EDWARDS (1984)

Plate 3, figure 4

Millioudodinium sp. I. Edwards, 1984, pi. 2, fig. 2. 

Cribroperidinium sp. 2. Damassa and others, 1990, fig. 4C. 

Cribroperidinium sp. 2. Firth, 1996, pi. 5, figs. 7, 8.

Remarks.—The honeycomb pattern in the intraplate 

areas is distinctive. This form now correctly belongs in the

genus Cribroperidinium Neale & Sarjeant 1962, emend. 

Helenes 1984.

MURATODINIUM FIMBRIATUM 

(COOKSON & EISENACK 1967) DRUGG 1970

NEMATOSPHAEROPSIS DEFLANDRE & COOKSON 1955 SPP.

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

OPERCULODINIUM CENTROCARPUM 

(DEFLANDRE & COOKSON 1955) WALL 1967

Plate 3, figure 14

Remarks.—The species name is used in the broad 

sense.

OPERCULODINIUM WALL 1967 SPP.

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

PENTADINIUM FAVATUM EDWARDS 1982

Plate 3, figure 15

PENTADINIUM GONIFERUM EDWARDS 1982

Plate 3, figure 16

PENTADINIUM LATICINCTUM GERLACH 

1961 SUBSP. LATICINCTUM

Plate 3, figure 17

PENTADINIUM LATICINCTUM GERLACH 1961 (VERM.)

Plate 3, figure 18

Pentadinium laticinctum subsp. granulatum. Edwards, 1982,

pi. 4, figs. 10,11. 

Pentadinium laticinctum (vermicular) Gerlach. Edwards,

1984, pi. 2, fig. 4.

Remarks.—Specimens of P. laticinctum Gerlach 1961 

with a vermicular surface are separated from P. laticinctum 

Gerlach 1961 subsp. laticinctum. The vermicular surface 

differs from the granular surface of Pentadinium laticinctum 

subsp. granulatum Gocht 1969.

PENTADINIUM MEMBRANACEUM (EISENACK 1965) 

STOVER & EVITT 1978

Plate 4, figure 1

PENTADINIUM POLYPODUM ED WARDS 1982

Plate 4, figure 2

PENTADINIUM GERLACH 1961 N. SP. D

Plate 3, figures 19-21

Remarks.—In this undescribed form of Pentadinium 

Gerlach 1961, the periphragm in the paracingular region is 

separated from the endophragm only along the ventral side; 

the wall layers are appressed laterally and dorsally. The wall 

surface is smooth.

POLYSPHAERIDIUM ZOHARYI (ROSSIGNOL 1962) 

BUJAK ET AL. 1980
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G21

ROTTNESTIA BORUSSICA (EISENACK 1954) 

COOKSON & EISENACK 1961

SAMLANDIA CHLAMYDOPHORA EISENACK 1954

Plate 4, figure 3

SAMLANDIA CHLAMYDOPHORA EISENACK SENSU STOVER 

AND HARDENBOL (1993)

Plate 4, figure 4

Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack 1954. Stover and Hardenbol, 1993, pi. 8, fig. 54 a,b.

Remarks.—This form has considerably more differentiation into separate penetabular process complexes than 

does the type of S. chlamydophora Eisenack 1954.

SPINIFERITES PSEUDOFURCATUS (KLUMPP 1953) 

SARJEANT 1970

Plate 4, figure 5

SPINIFERITES MANTELL 1850 SPP.

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

SYSTEMATOPHORA PLACACANTHA 

(DEFLANDRE & COOKSON 1955) DAVEY ET AL. 1969

Plate 4, figure 6

Remarks.—The species name is used in the broad 

sense. The process complexes are highly variable.

TECTATODINIUMPELLITUMVfALL 1967

Plate 4, figure 8

Remarks.—The species name is used in the broad 

sense. The wall thickness is highly variable. Although some 

specimens are assignable to Tectatodinium grande Williams 

et al. 1993, they are clearly only endmembers in a spectrum.

TECTATODINIUMRUGULATUM (HANSEN 1977) MCMINN 1988 

Plate 4, figures 10, 11

Remarks.—The species name is used in the broad 

sense. The wall is thicker than the wall in the type specimen.

TENUA SP. CF. T. FORMOSA OF KURITA AND MCINTYRE (1995)

Plate 4. figure 7

Tenua sp. cf. T.formosa (Mao & Norris 1988) Lentin & Williams 1993. Kurita and Mclntyre, 1995, p. 134, pi. 2, 

fig. 15.

Remarks.—Like the specimens reported by Kurita and 

Mclntyre (1995), the specimens in the Georgia cores lack 

well-defined paratabulation. This form was encountered in 

three cores in the lowest samples from the Ellenton Formation. In four of the five samples, Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich was also present.

THALASSIPHORA PELAGICA (EISENACK 1954) 

EISENACK & GOCHT 1960

TRIGONOPYXIDIA GINELLA (COOKSON & EISENACK 1960) 

DOWNIE & SARJEANT 1965

TUBERCULODINIUM WALL 1967 N. SP. A

Plate 4, figure 9

Remarks.—Only a few specimens of this form were 

encountered. It has a broad flange and faintly developed 

tubercules. The multiplate antapical archeopyle clearly indicates its affinity with Tuberculodinium Wall 1967.

TURBIOSPHAERA CF. T. GALATEA EATON 1976

Plate 4, figure 12

ILanternosphaeridium lanosum Morgenroth 1966. Drugg 

and Stover, 1975, pi. 5, fig. 2.

Remarks.—The Georgia form resembles Turbiosphaera galatea Eaton 1976, but the intratabular processes 

are not as well developed and may form a more or less continuous membrane that represents the postcingular and 

antapical areas. The endocyst may have a distinct apical 

boss. It is more elongate than L. lanosum Morgenroth sensu 

Drugg and Stover (1975).

MISCELLANEOUS AREOLIGERACEAN FORMS

Plate 4, figures 13, 14

Remarks.—This category is used for the highly variable plexus that contains members of the genera 

Adnatosphaeridium, Areoligera, and Glaphyrocysta, except 

for the distinctive species listed separately.

Order PERIDINIALES Haeckel 1894

ANDALUSIELLA POLYMORPHA (MALLOY 1972) 

LENTIN & WILLIAMS 1977

Remarks.—Broad forms with two distinct antapical 

horns were seen.

ANDALUSIELLA SP. AFF. A. POLYMORPHA OF EDWARDS (1980)

Plate 5, figures 3, 4

Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha (Malloy 1972) Lentin & 

Williams 1977. Edwards, 1980, p. 9, fig. 1.

Andalusiella australinum (Cookson 1965) Lentin & Williams 1977. Kurita and Mclntyre (1995), pi. 1, fig. 12.

Remarks.—The two antapical horns are fused proximally. At one-third to one-half of the total length of the 

longer horn, they separate.

1ANDALUSIELLA RHOMBOHEDRA OF 

EDWARDS AND OTHERS (1984)

Plate 5, figure 1

1 Andalusiella rhombohedra (Benson) Stover & Evitt. Edwards and others, 1984, pi. 2, fig. 5.

Remarks.—This small, distinctive form could perhaps 

represent the endocyst only.
G22 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

CHARLESDOWNIEA COLEOTHRYPTA (WILLIAMS & DOWNIE 

1966) LENTIN & VOZZHENNIKOVA 1989

CHARLESDOWNIEA VARIABILIS (BUJAK 1980) 

LENTIN & VOZZHENNIKOVA 1989

Plate 5, figure 11

Remarks.—The species name is used in the broad

sense.

DEFLANDREA DELINEATA COOKSON & EISENACK 1965

Plate 5, figure 5

Deflandrea cf. D. dartmooria Cookson & Eisenack 1965.

Edwards and others, 1984, pi. 1, fig. 7. 

Deflandrea cf. D. dartmooria of Edwards and others (1984).

Edwards, 1989, pi. 1, fig. 6.

Remarks.—This form lacks the broad shoulders characteristic of Cerodinium dartmoorium (Cookson & Eisenack 1965) Lentin & Williams 1987.

DEFLANDREA PHOSPHORITICA EISENACK 1938

Plate 5, figure 9

DEFLANDREA N. SP. AFF.Z). TRUNCATA STOVER

Plate 5, figure 8

Remarks.—The specimen shown in plate 5, figure 8 is 

a rather large, circumcavate form with a granulate endocyst. 

This form is relatively rare in the Georgia cores studied, but 

it may be stratigraphically important.

DEFLANDREA CF. D. DIEBELII ALBERTI OF DRUGG (1967)

Plate 5, figure 6

Deflandrea cf. D. diebelii Alberti 1959. Drugg, 1967, p. 16-

17, pi. 2, fig. 6. 

Deflandrea sp. cf. D. diebelii sensu Drugg 1967. Edwards,

1980, pi. 9, fig. 4. 

Cerodinium speciosum (Alberti 1959) Lentin & Williams

1987. Kurita and Mclntyre, 1995, pi. 1, fig. 1.

Remarks.—The periphragm is almost smooth (lacking 

striations or spinules).

DRACODINIUM VARIELONGITUDUM (WILLIAMS & DOWNIE 

1966) COSTA & DOWNIE 1979

Plate 5, figure 7

ISABELIDINIUM VIBORGENSE SENSU KURITA 

AND MCINTYRE (1995)

Plate 5, figure 2

Peridiniacean cyst sp. C. Edwards, 1980, pi. 9, fig. 11. 

Peridiniacean cyst sp. C of Edwards (1980). Edwards, 1989,

pi. 1, fig. 12. 

Isabelidinium viborgense Heilmann-Clausen 1985. Kurita

and Mclntyre, 1995, p. 131, pi. 1, figs. 9, 10.

Remarks.—The specimens in the Georgia cores, like 

the ones described by Kurita and Mclntyre (1995), lack the 

additional openings on the pericyst that are found in the type 

material of Heilmann-Clausen (1985).

LEJEUNECYSTA ARTZNER & DORHOFER 1978 SPP.

Remarks.—Various species of the genus are included.

LENTINIA SERRATA BUJAK 1980

Plate 5, figure 12

PALAEOCYSTODINIUM GOLZOWENSE ALBERTI 1961 

PALAEOCYSTODINIUM ALBERTI 1961 SPP.

Remarks.—Specimens of the genus Palaeocystodinium 

Alberti in the Georgia cores were not assigned to species if 

the endocyst was clearly wider than the endocyst in specimens assigned to Palaeocystodinium golzowense Alberti.

PALAEOPERIDINIUM PYROPHORUM 

(EHRENBERG 1838) SARJEANT 1967

Plate 5, figure 13

PHELODINIUM SP. OF EDWARDS (1989)

Plate 5, figure 10

Phelodinium sp. Edwards, 1989, pi. 1, fig. 9. 

Phelodinium magnificum sensu lato, Edwards, 1996, pi. 1, 

fig. 12.

Remarks.—Phelodinium sp. of Edwards (1989) has an 

elongated outline and straight sides on the epicyst; that is, 

the epicystal shape is neither convex nor concave in the terminology of Bujak and Davies (1983). This morphotype is 

restricted to the upper Paleocene in Virginia (Edwards, 

1989, 1996) and the Georgia cores.

PHELODINIUM STOVER & EVITT 1978 SPP.

Plate 5, figure 14

Remarks.—Specimens from the Georgia cores 

assigned to Phelodinium Stover & Evitt spp. are of miscellaneous forms, probably several different species, that 

broadly are similar to Phelodinium magnificum (Stanley) 

Stover & Evitt sensu stricto.

PHTHANOPERIDINIUM COMATUM (MORGENROTH 1966) 

EISENACK & KJELLSTROM 1972

Plate 5, figure 15

PHTHANOPERIDINIUM ECHINATUM EATON 1976

Plate 5, figures 16, 17

PSEUDORHOMBODINIUM LISBONENSE WRENN 1996

Plate 6, figure 1

RHOMBODINIUM DRACO GOCHT 1955

Plate 6, figure 2
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G23

RHOMBODINIUM PERFORATUM (JAN DU CHENE & 

CHATEAUNEUF 1975) LENTIN & WILLIAMS 1977

Plate 6, figure 3

SELENOPEMPHIX NEPHROIDES BENEDEK 1972

Plate 5, figure 18

SELENOPEMPHIX BENEDEK 1972 SPP.

Plate 6, figure 4

Remarks.—Various species of the genus were seen.

SENEGALJNIUM MICROGRANULATUM (STANLEY 1965) 

STOVER & EVITT 1978

Plate 6, figure 5

Remarks.—This species name is used in the broad

sense.

SPINIDINIUM DENSISPINATUM STANLEY 1965

Plate 6, figure 8

Remarks.—This species name is used in the broad 

sense.

SPINIDINIUM PULCHRUM (BENSON 1976) 

LENTIN & WILLIAMS 1977

Plate 6, figures 6, 10

SPINIDINIUM COOKSON & EISENACK 1962 SPP.

Plate 6, figure 9

Remarks.—Specimens from the Georgia cores 

assigned to Spinidinium Cookson & Eisenack spp. are miscellaneous forms that do not clearly fall into the endmember 

morphotypes of recognized species. The illustrated specimen, recovered from the upper Eocene Barnwell unit, is 

probably reworked.

WETZELIELLA ARTICULATA EISENACK 1938

Plate 6, figures 7, 11

Remarks.—The species name is used in the broad 

sense.

WETZELIELLA EISENACK 1938 SPP.

Plate 6, figure 12

Remarks.—Specimens from the Georgia cores 

assigned to Wetieliella Eisenack spp. are miscellaneous 

forms; many of the specimens are poorly preserved.

SMALL PERIDINIACEAN FORMS

Plate 6, figures 13-16

Remarks.—The category "small peridiniacean forms" 

was used for specimens in the Georgia cores that belong to 

miscellaneous species of the Family Peridiniaceae Ehrenberg 1831. They belong to several genera including Alterbidinium Lentin & Williams 1985, Lentinia Bujak 1980, 

Senegalinium Jain & Millepied 1973, and Spinidinium

Cookson & Eisenack 1962. The category includes poorly 

preserved specimens and specimens that do not fall into the 

endmember morphotypes of recognized species.

ACRITARCHS

CYCLOPSIELLA VIETA DRUGG & LOEBLICH 1967

Plate 6, figure 17

XENIKOON AUSTRALIS SENSU BENSON (1976)

Plate 6, figure 18

Xenikoon australis Cookson & Eisenack. Benson, 1976, p. 

28, pi. 14, fig. 11.

Xenikoon australis Cookson & Eisenack. Edwards and others, 1984, pi. l.fig. 6.

Incertae sedis 1. Heilmann-Clausen, 1985, p. 26, text-fig. 11; 

pi. 15, figs. 7-10.

Xenikoon australis sensu Edwards and others, 1984. Edwards, 1989, pi. l,fig. 4.

Remarks.—As Heilmann-Clausen (1985) pointed out, 

this form lacks tabulation and an observable archeopyle.

REFERENCES CITED

Benson, D.G., 1976, Dinoflagellate taxonomy and biostratigraphy 

at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, Round Bay, Maryland: 

Tulane Studies in Geology and Paleontology, v. 12, no. 4, p. 

169-233, pis. 1-15.

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher, C.C., HI, and Aubry, M.-R, 

1995, A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy, in Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Aubry, M.-R, and Hardenbol, Jan, eds., Geochronology, time scales and global 

stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary 

Geology) Special Publication 54, p. 129-212.

Bujak, J.P., and Davies, E.H., 1983, Modern and fossil Peridiniineae: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists 

Contribution Series 13, 203 p., 12 pis.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.R, Edwards, L.E., [Bukry, David,] Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gibson, T.G., Gohn, G.S., and Fleming, Parley, 1996, Hydrogeologic data and aquifer 

interconnection in a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments near Millhaven, Screven County, Georgia, 1991-95: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 99, 43 p., 1 pi. 

in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992-93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Damassa, S.P., Goodman, O.K., Kidson, E.J., and Williams, G.L., 

1990, Correlation of Paleogene dinoflagellate assemblages to 

standard nannofossil zonation in North Atlantic DSDP sites: 

Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, v. 65, p. 331-339.
G24 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Drugg, W.S., 1967, Palynology of the upper Moreno Formation 

(Late Cretaceous-Paleocene), Escarpado Canyon, California: 

Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 120, p. 1-71.

————1970, Some new genera, species, and combinations of phytoplankton from the lower Tertiary of the Gulf Coast, U.S.A.: 

Proceedings of the North American Paleontological Convention, Chicago, 1969, part G, p. 809-843.

Drugg, W.S., and Loeblich, A.R., Jr., 1967, Some Eocene and Oligocene phytoplankton from the Gulf Coast, U.S.A.: Tulane 

Studies in Geology, v. 5, p. 181-194, pis. 1-3.

Drugg, W.S., and Stover, L.E., 1975, Stratigraphic range charts, 

selected Cenozoic dinoflagellates, in Evitt, W.R., ed., Proceedings of a forum on dinoflagellates held at Anaheim, California, October 16, 1973: American Association of 

Stratigraphic Palynologists Contributions Series 4, p. 73-76, 

pis. 1-7.

Edwards, L.E., 1977, Range charts as chronostratigraphic hypotheses, with applications to Tertiary dinoflagellates: University 

of California, Riverside, unpub. dissertation, 188 p.

————1980, Dinoflagellate biostratigraphy: A first look, in Reinhardt, Juergen, and Gibson, T.G., Upper Cretaceous and lower 

Tertiary geology of the Chattahoochee River Valley, western 

Georgia and eastern Alabama, in Frey, R.W., ed., Excursions 

in southeastern geology, v. 2: Geological Society of America 

Annual Meeting (93d), Atlanta, 1980, Field Trip Guidebooks, 

p. 424^27, pi. 9.

————1982, Biostratigraphically important species of Pentadinium Gerlach, 1961, and a likely ancestor, Hafiiiasphaera 

goodmanii n. sp., from the Eocene of the Atlantic and Gulf 

Coastal Plains: Palynology, v. 6, p. 105-117.

———1984, Dinocysts of the Tertiary Piney Point and Old 

Church Formations, Pamunkey River area, Virginia, in Ward, 

L.W., and Krafft, Kathleen, eds., Stratigraphy and paleontology of the outcropping Tertiary beds in the Pamunkey River 

region, central Virginia Coastal Plain—Guidebook for Atlantic Coastal Plain Geological Association 1984 field trip: 

Atlantic Coastal Plain Geological Association, p. 124-134, 

pis. 1-4.

————1989, Dinoflagellate cysts from the lower Tertiary formations, Haynesville cores, Richmond County, Virginia, chap. C 

of Mixon, R.B., ed., Geology and paleontology of the 

Haynesville cores—Northeastern Virginia coastal plain: U.S. 

Geological Survey Professional Paper 1489, p. C1-C12, pis. 

1-5.

————1992, Dinocysts from the lower Tertiary units in the Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia, in Zullo, V.A., 

Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River region; 

Transition between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island Conference on 

Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 

1990, p. 97-99. 

-1996, Graphic correlation of the Marlboro Clay and Nanjemoy Formation (uppermost Paleocene and lower Eocene) of 

Virginia and Maryland, in Jansonius, J., and McGregor, D.C., 

eds., Palynology; principles and applications, v. 3: Salt Lake 

City, American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists 

Foundation, p. 989-999.

Edwards, L.E., Goodman, D.K., and Witmer, R.J., 1984, Lower 

Tertiary (Pamunkey Group) dinoflagellate biostratigraphy, 

Potomac River area, Virginia and Maryland, in Frederiksen,

N.O., and Krafft, Kathleen, eds., Cretaceous and Tertiary 

stratigraphy, paleontology, and structure, southwestern Maryland, and northeastern Virginia: American Association of 

Stratigraphic Palynologists Field Trip Volume and Guidebook, p. 137-152, pis. 1-4.

Fensome, R.A., Taylor, F.J.R., Norris, G., Sarjeant, W.A.S., Wharton, D.I., and Williams, G.L., 1993, A classification of living 

and fossil dinoflagellates: New York, Micropaleontology 

Press, Special Publication 7, 351 p.

Firth, J.V., 1987, Dinoflagellate biostratigraphy of the Maastrichtian to Danian interval in the U.S. Geological Survey Albany 

core, Georgia, U.S.A.: Palynology, v. 11, p. 199-216, pis. 1- 

3.

————1996, Upper middle Eocene to Oligocene dinoflagellate 

biostratigraphy and assemblage variations in Hole 913B, 

Greenland Sea, in Thiede, Jorn, Myhre, A.M., Firth, J.V, 

Johnson, G.L., and Ruddiman, W.F., eds., Proceedings of the 

Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, v. 151, p. 203- 

242.

Heilmann-Clausen, Claus, 1985, Dinoflagellate stratigraphy of the 

uppermost Danian to Ypresian in the Viborg 1 borehole, central Jylland, Denmark: Danmarks Geologiske Unders0gelse, 

Serie A, no. 7, p. 1-69, pis. 1-15.

Kurita, Hiroshi, and Mclntyre, D.J., 1995, Paleocene dinoflagellates from the Turtle Mountain Formation, southwestern Manitoba, Canada: Palynology, v. 19, p. 119-136, pis. 1, 2.

Leeth, D.C., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., and 

Fleming, R.F., 1996, Geologic, hydrologic, and water-chemistry data for a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments 

near Girard, Burke County, Georgia, 1992-95: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 100, 26 p, 1 pi.

Lucas-Clark, Joyce, 1992, Some characteristic fossil dinoflagellate 

cysts of Eocene strata, Savannah River Site, South Carolina, 

in Fallaw, W.C., and Price, Van, eds., Geological investigations of the central Savannah River area, South Carolina and 

Georgia (Carolina Geological Society field trip guidebook, 

November 13-15, 1992): U.S. Department of Energy and 

South Carolina Geological Survey, p. CGS-92-B.VII.1- 

B.VII.6.

Morgenroth, Peter, 1966, Mikrofossilien uns Konkretionen des 

nordwesteuropaischen Untereozans: Palaeontographica, ser. 

B,v. 119, p. 1-53, pis. 1-11.

Prowell, D.C., Christopher, R.A., Edwards, L.E., Bybell, L.M., and 

Gill, H.E., 1985 [1986], Geologic section of the updip coastal 

plain from central Georgia to western South Carolina: U.S. 

Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF1737, 10-p. text, 1 sheet.

Prowell, D.C., Edwards, L.E., and Frederiksen, N.O., 1985 [1986], 

The Ellenton Formation in South Carolina—A revised age 

designation from Cretaceous to Paleocene, in Stratigraphic 

notes, 1984: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1605-A, p. 

A63-A69.

Sarjeant, W.A.S., 1981, A restudy of some dinoflagellate cyst 

holotypes in the University of Kiel collections—II. The 

Eocene holotypes of Barbara Klumpp (1953); with a revision 

of the genus Cordosphaeridiunr. Meyniana, v. 33, p. 97-132.

Stover, L.E., and Hardenbol, Jan, 1993 [1994], Dinoflagellates and 

depositional sequences in the lower Oligocene (Rupelian) 

Boom Clay Formation, Belgium: Bulletin de la Societe beige 

de Geologic, v. 102, nos. 1-2, p. 5-77, pis. 1-13.
DINOCYST BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA G25

Williams, G.L., Lentin, J.K., and Fensome, R.A., 1998, The Lentin Wrenn, J.H., 1996, Pseudorhombodinium lisbonense gen. et sp.

and Williams index of fossil dinoflagellates—1998 edition: nov., a new dinoflagellate fossil from the Lisbon Formation

American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Contri- (middle Eocene), Little Stave Creek, Alabama: Palynology, v.

bution Series 34, 817 p. 20, p. 209-219.

PLATES 1-6
PLATE 1

[Upper scale bar is for specimens at x 400; lower scale bar is for specimens at x 600. All specimens are from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Achilleodinium biformoides (Eisenack) Eaton, Millhaven core (490 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., latero-dorsal view at high focus (X 400).

2. Achilleodinium biformoides (Eisenack) Eaton, Millhaven core (466 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., right-lateral view (X 400).

3. Achilleodinium biformoides (Eisenack) Eaton, Girard core (362-362.3 ft),

Congaree Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral view of dorsal surface (X 400).

4. Amphorosphaeridiuml multispinosum (Davey & Williams) Sarjeant, Girard core 

(484.1^-84.3 ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., orientation uncertain, 

optical section (X 400).

5. Areoligera volata Drugg, Millers Pond core (252-257 ft), Ellenton Formation, 

Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

6. Areosphaeridium diktyoplokum (Klumpp) Eaton, Millhaven core (442 ft), Warley 

Hill Formation, Screven County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus (X 400).

7. Batiacasphaera baculata Drugg, Millhaven core (205 ft), Barnwell unit, Screven

County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus (X 400).

8, 9. Batiacasphaera compta Drugg, Millhaven core (205 ft), Barnwell unit, Screven 

County, Ga., orientation uncertain; 8, upper focus; 9, slightly lower focus (X 400).

10. Carpatella cornuta Grigorovich, Millhaven core (639.5 ft), Ellenton Formation, 

Screven County, Ga., ventral view of ventral surface, broken specimen (X 400).

11. Cordosphaeridiumfnniculatum Morgenroth, Millhaven core (205 ft), Barnwell 

unit, Screven County, Ga.. orientation uncertain, upper focus, fragment (X 400). 

12, 13. Cerebrocysta bartonensis Bujak, Millhaven core (490 ft), Congaree Formation, 

Screven County, Ga., antapical views; 12, antapex; 13, apex (X 400).

14. Cordosphaeridium cantharellus (Brosius), Gocht, Millhaven core (346 ft) Santee 

Limestone, Screven County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus (X 400).

15. Corrudinium incompositum (Drugg) Stover & Evitt, Girard core (211.1-211.3 ft), 

Barnwell unit, Burke County, Ga., right-lateral view (X 600).

16. Corrudinium sp. I of Edwards (1984), Millhaven core (466 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus (X 400).

17. Cribroperidinium giuseppei (Morgenroth) Helenes, Millhaven core (346 ft) Santee 

Limestone, Screven County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

18. Dapsilidinium pseudocolligerum (Stover) Bujak et al., Girard core (211.1-211.3 

ft), Barnwell unit, Burke County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus (X 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G, PLATE 1

17

i I I

0 20 40 jam

0 20 40 jam

ACHILLEODINIUM, AMPHOROSPHAERIDIUM, AREOLIGERA, AREOSPHAERIDIUM, BATIACASPHAERA, CARPATELLA, CORDOSPHAERIDIUM, CEREBROCYSTA, CORRUDINIUM, CRIBROPERIDINIUM. AND DAPSILIDINIUM
PLATE 2

[Upper scale bar is for specimens at x 400; lower scale bar is for specimens at x 600. All specimens are from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figures 1, 2. Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) Fensome et al., McBean core (294 ft), 

Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., right-lateral views; 1, upper focus; 2, 

lower focus (X 400).

3. Damassadinium californicum (Drugg) Fensome et al., Millhaven core (589 ft), 

Ellenton Formation, Screven County, Ga., right-lateral view, upper focus (X 400).

4. Dinopterygium cladoides sensu Morgenroth (1966), Millhaven core (205 ft), 

Barnwell unit, Screven County, Ga., interior view of epicyst (x 400).

5. Diphyes ficusoides Islam, Millhaven core (466 ft), Congaree Formation, Screven 

County, Ga., ventral? view at midfocus (X 400).

6. Enneadocysta Stover & Williams sp., Millhaven core (216.5 ft), Barnwell unit, 

Screven County, Ga., orientation uncertain, midfocus (X400).

7. Eocladopyxis Morgenroth n. sp. A, Girard core (362-362.3 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., interior view of hypocyst (X 400).

8. Fibradinium annetorpense Morgenroth, Millhaven core (589 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., right-lateral view, upper focus (X 600).

9. Distatodinium ellipticum (Cookson) Eaton, Millhaven core (210 ft), Barnwell unit,

Screven County, Ga., orientation uncertain, midfocus (X 400)

10-12. Glaphyrocysta cf. G.I vicina (Eaton) Stover & Evitt, Millhaven core (466 ft), 

Congaree Formation, Screven County, Ga., dorsal views; 10, dorsal surface; 11, 

optical section; 12, ventral surface (x 400).

13. Glaphyrocysta cf. G.I vicina (Eaton) Stover & Evitt, Girard core (362-362.3 ft), 

Congaree Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral view of ventral surface (X400).

14. Glaphyrocysta cf. G.I vicina (Eaton) Stover & Evitt, Thompson Oak core (192 ft), 

Congaree Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

15. Glaphyrocysta cf. G.I vicina (Eaton) Stover & Evitt, Girard core (321.4-321.6 ft), 

Santee Limestone, Burke County, Ga., ventral view of ventral surface (X 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G, PLATE 2

11

13

0 20 40 |im

i___i___i

0 20 40 Jim

DAMASSADINIUM, DINOPTERYGIUM CLADOIDES SENSU MORGENROTH (1966), DIPHYES, ENNEADOCYSTA, 

EOCLADOPYXIS, FIBRADINIUM, DISTATODINIUM, AND GLAPHYROCYSTA
PLATE 3

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Hafniasphaera goodmanii Edwards, Thompson Oak core (255 ft), Fourmile

Branch Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (x 400). 

2, 3. Heteraulacacysta porosa Bujak, Thompson Oak core (138 ft), Santee Limestone, 

Burke County, Ga., antapical views; 2, antapex; 3, optical section (X 400).

4. Millioudodinium sp. I of Edwards (1984), McBean core (181 ft), Santee 

Limestone, Burke County, Ga., left-lateral view, upper focus (x 400).

5. Heteraulacacysta pustulosa Jan du Chene & Adediran, McBean core (181 ft), 

Santee Limestone, Burke County, Ga., interior view of hypocyst (X 400).

6. Heteraulacacysta Drugg & Loeblich sp., Millhaven core (346 ft), Santee

Limestone, Screven County, Ga., apical view, midfocus (X 400). 

7-9. Hystrichosphaeropsis Deflandre n. sp. A, Thompson Oak core (138 ft), Santee

Limestone, Burke County, Ga., dorsal views; 7, dorsal surface; 8, optical section; 9, 

ventral surface (X 400).

10. Hafniasphaera septata (Cookson & Eisenack) Hansen, Girard core (517.9-518.1 

ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus 

(x 400).

11. Homotryblium abbreviatum Eaton, Thompson Oak core (269 ft), Fourmile Branch 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., oblique exterior view of hypocyst (X 400).

12. Homotryblium plectilum Drugg & Loeblich, Girard core (211.1-211.3 ft), 

Barnwell unit, Burke County, Ga., exterior view of hypocyst (X 400).

13. Hystrichostrogylon membmniphorum Agelopoulous, Thompson Oak core (174 ft), 

Santee Limestone, Burke County, Ga., orientation uncertain, midfocus (X 400).

14. Operculodinium centrocarpum (Deflandre & Cookson) Wall, Millhaven core (466 

ft), Congaree Formation, Screven County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface 

(x 400).

15. Pentadiniumfavatum Edwards, Millhaven core (473.5 ft), Congaree Formation, 

Screven County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

16. Pentadinium goniferum Edwards, Millhaven core (346 ft), Santee Limestone, 

Screven County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

17. Pentadinium laticinctum Gerlach subsp. laticinctum, Millhaven core (210 ft),

Barnwell unit, Screven County, Ga., oblique left-lateral view, upper focus (X 400).

18. Pentadinium laticinctum Gerlach (verm.) Millhaven core (210 ft), Barnwell unit,

Screven County, Ga., oblique right-lateral view, upper focus (x 400). 

19-21. Pentadinium Gerlach n. sp. D, Thompson Oak core (164 ft), Santee Limestone,

Burke County, Ga., apical views; 19, apex; 20, optical section; 21, antapex (X 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G, PLATE 3

I 1

16 17 18

19 20

0 20 40

HAFNIASPHAERA, HETERAULACACYSTA, MILLIOUDODINIUM, HYSTRICHOSPHAEROPSIS, HOMOTRYBLIUM, 

HYSTRICHOSTROGYLON, OPERCULODINIUM, AND PENTADINIUM
PLATE 4

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia!

Figure 1. Pentadinium membranaceum (Eisenack) Stover & Evitt, Millhaven core (293 ft), 

Santee Limestone, Screven County, Ga., ventral view of dorsal surface (X 400).

2. Pentadinium polypodum Edwards, Millhaven core (293 ft), Santee Limestone, 

Screven County, Ga., left-lateral view, upper focus (X 400).

3. Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack, Thompson Oak core (192 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view, midfocus (X 400).

4. Samlandia chlamydophora Eisenack sensu Stover and Hardenbol (1993),

Millhaven core (346 ft), Santee Limestone, Screven County, Ga., ventral view of 

ventral surface (X 400).

5. Spiniferites pseudofurcatus (Klumpp) Sarjeant, Millhaven core (346 ft), Santee 

Limestone, Screven County, Ga., right-lateral view, upper focus (X 400).

6. Systematophora placacantha (Deflandre & Cookson) Davey et al., Girard core 

(211.1-211.3 ft), Barnwell unit, Burke County, Ga., apical view, upper focus 

(X 400).

7. Tenua sp. cf. T. formosa of Kurita and Mclntyre (1995), Girard core (517.9-518.1 

ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus 

(X 400).

8. Tectatodinium pellitum Wall, Girard core (321.4-321.6 ft), Santee Limestone, 

Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

9. Tuberculodinium Wall n. sp. A, Millhaven core (210 ft), Barnwell unit, Screven

County, Ga., antapical view of antapex (X 400). 

10, 1 1. Tectatodinium rugulatum (Hansen) McMinn, Girard core (517.9-518.1 ft),

Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral views; 10, ventral surface; 1 1, 

dorsal surface (X 400).

12. Turbiosphaera cf. T. galateaEaton, Millhaven core (490 ft), Congaree Formation, 

Screven County, Ga., ventral view, midfocus (X 400).

13. Miscellaneous areoligeracean form, Millhaven core (490 ft), Congaree Formation, 

Screven County, Ga., dorsal view, midfocus (X 400).

14. Miscellaneous areoligeracean form, Millers Pond core (237-242 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G. PLATE 4

PENTADINIUM, SAMLANDIA, SPINIFERITES, SYSTEMATOPHORA, TENUA, TECTATODINIUM, 

TUBERCULODINIUM, TURBIOSPHAERA, AND MISCELLANEOUS AREOLIGERACEAN FORMS
PLATE 5

[Upper scale bar is for specimens at x 300; middle scale bar is for specimens at x 400; lower scale bar is for 

specimens at x 600. All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. lAndalusiella rhombohedra of Edwards and others (1984), Millers Pond core

(237-242 ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface 

(X 400).

2. Isabelidinium viborgense sensu Kurita and Mclntyre (1995), McBean core (276 

ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

3. Andalusiella sp. aff. A polymorpha of Edwards (1980), Millers Pond core (237- 

242 ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., mostly dorsal view of dorsal 

surface (X 300).

4. Andalusiella sp. aff. A. polymorpha of Edwards (1980), Thompson Oak core (281 

ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., left-lateral view at midfocus (X 300).

5. Deflandrea delineata Cookson & Eisenack, Millhaven core (589 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., ventral view of ventral surface (X 400).

6. Deflandrea cf. D. diebelii Alberti of Drugg (1967), Girard core (517.9-518.1 ft), 

Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., orientation uncertain, midfocus (X 400).

7. Dracodinium varielongitudum (Williams & Downie) Costa & Downie, Girard core 

(415 ft), Fourmile Branch Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral view of dorsal 

surface (X 400).

8. Deflandrea n. sp. aff. D. truncata Stover, Girard core (521-521.2 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral view at midfocus (X 400).

9. Deflandrea phosphoritica Eisenack, Millhaven core (205 ft), Barnwell unit, 

Screven County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

10. Phelodinium sp. of Edwards (1989), Thompson Oak core (281 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral view of dorsal surface (X 400).

11. Charlesdowniea variabilis (Bujak) Lentin & Vozzhennikova, Millhaven core 

(216.5 ft), Barnwell unit, Screven County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface 

(X 400).

12. Lentinia serrata Bujak, Girard core (362-362.3 ft), Congaree Formation, Burke 

County, Ga., ventral view at midfocus (X 400).

13. Palaeoperidiniumpyrophorum (Ehrenberg) Sarjeant, Millhaven core (589 ft), 

Ellenton Formation, Screven County, Ga., ventral view of dorsal surface (X 400).

14. Phelodinium Stover & Evitt sp., McBean core (276 ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke 

County, Ga., orientation uncertain, upper focus (X 400).

15. Phthanoperidinium comatum (Morgenroth) Eisenack & Kjellstrom, Millhaven

core (216.5 ft), Barnwell unit, Screven County, Ga., ?right-lateral view, upper

focus (X 400). 

16, 17. Phthanoperidinium echinatum Eaton, Millhaven core (466 ft), Congaree

Formation, Screven County, Ga., ventral views; 16, ventral surface; 17, dorsal

surface (X 600). 

18. Selenopemphix nephroides Benedek, Millhaven core (413 ft), Warley Hill

Formation, Screven County, Ga., ?apical view at midfocus (X 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G, PLATE 5

0 20 40 Jim 

i i i 

^" 0 20 40 Jim

16 17 18 0 20 40 jam

ANDALUSIELLA, ISABELIDINIUM, DEFLANDREA, DRACODINIUM, PHELODINIUM, CHARLESDOWNIEA, 

LENTINIA, PALAEOPERIDINIUM, PHTHANOPERIDINWM, AND SELENOPEMPHIX
PLATE 6

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Pseudorhombodinium lisbonense Wrenn, Girard core (362-362.3 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

2. Rhombodinium draco Gocht, Millhaven core (313.5 ft), Santee Limestone, Screven 

County, Ga., dorsal view at midfocus (X 400).

3. Rhombodinium perforatum (Jan du Chene & Chateauneuf) Lentin & Williams, 

Girard core (211.1-211.3 ft), Barnwell unit, Burke County, Ga., ventral view at 

midfocus (X 400).

4. Selenopemphix Benedek sp., Millhaven core (413 ft), Warley Hill Formation, 

Screven County, Ga., apical view of apex (X 400).

5. Senegalinium microgranulatum (Stanley) Stover & Evitt, Millers Pond core (237- 

242 ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral view at midfocus (X 400). 

6, 10. Spinidinium pulchrum (Benson) Lentin & Williams, Thompson Oak core (302 ft), 

Ellenton Formation, Burke County, Ga., ventral views: 6, ventral surface; 10, dorsal 

surface (X 400).

7. Wetzeliella articulata Eisenack sensu amplo, Millhaven core (490 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., dorsal view, upper focus (X 400).

8. Spinidinium densispinatum Stanley, Girard core (521.0-521.2 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Burke County, Ga., dorsal? view of dorsal surface (X 400).

9. Spinidinium Cookson & Eisenack sp., reworked?, Millhaven core (216.5 ft), 

Barnwell unit, Screven County, Ga., ventral view at midfocus (X 400).

11. Wetzeliella articulata Eisenack sensu amplo, Millhaven core (483.5 ft), Congaree 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., ventral view at midfocus (X 400).

12. Wetzeliella Eisenack sp., Millers Pond core (124 ft), Santee Limestone, Burke 

County, Ga., dorsal view of dorsal surface (X 400).

13. Small peridiniacean form, Millhaven core (571 ft), Ellenton Formation, Screven 

County, Ga., ventral? view of dorsal surface (X 400).

14. Small peridiniacean form, Millhaven core (564-565 ft), Snapp Formation, Screven 

County, Ga., ventral view of dorsal surface (X 400).

15. Small peridiniacean form, McBean core (276 ft), Ellenton Formation, Burke 

County, Ga., orientation uncertain, midfocus (X 400).

16. Small peridiniacean form, Millers Pond core (237-242 ft), Ellenton Formation, 

Burke County, Ga., ventral view at midfocus (X 400).

17. Cyclopsiella vieta Drugg & Loeblich, Millhaven core (205 ft), Barnwell unit, 

Screven County, Ga., high focus (X 400).

18. Xenikoon australis sensu Benson (1976), Millhaven core (571 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, Screven County, Ga., midfocus (X 400).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-G, PLATE 6

0 20 40 jum

15 17 18

PSEUDORHOMBODINIUM, RHOMBODINIUM, SELENOPEMPHIX, SENEGALINIUM, SPINIDINIUM, WETZELIELLA, 

SMALL PERIDINIACEAN FORMS, CYCLOPSIELLA, AND XENIKOON

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Pollen Biostratigraphy of

Lower Tertiary Sediments from Five Cores from

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Norman 0. Frederiksen

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-H

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... HI

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

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 2

Material and Methods .................................................................................................... 2

Correlations and Age Determinations ............................................................................ 2

Millhaven Test Hole........................................................................................................ 2

Ellenton Formation................................................................................................. 2

Snapp Formation .................................................................................................... 6

Congaree Formation ............................................................................................... 6

Warley Hill Formation ........................................................................................... 7

Santee Limestone.................................................................................................... 7

BarnwellUnit.......................................................................................................... 9

Girard Test Hole ............................................................................................................. 9

Ellenton Formation ................................................................................................ 9

Snapp Formation .................................................................................................... 9

Fourmile Branch Formation ................................................................................... 9

Congaree Formation................................................................................................ 9

Santee Limestone ................................................................................................... 9

BarnwellUnit ......................................................................................................... 9

Thompson Oak Test Hole .............................................................................................. 12

Ellenton Formation................................................................................................. 12

Fourmile Branch Formation ................................................................................... 13

Congaree Formation................................................................................................ 13

Santee Limestone ................................................................................................... 14

BarnwellUnit ......................................................................................................... 14

Millers Pond Test Hole .................................................................................................. 14

Ellenton Formation................................................................................................. 14

Snapp Formation .................................................................................................... 14

Congaree Formation ............................................................................................... 15

Santee Limestone ................................................................................................... 15

BarnwellUnit ......................................................................................................... 15

McBean Test Hole .......................................................................................................... 17

Ellenton Formation................................................................................................. 17

Snapp Formation .................................................................................................... 17

Congaree Formation ............................................................................................... 17

Santee Limestone ................................................................................................... 17

BarnwellUnit ......................................................................................................... 17

Summary ........................................................................................................................ 18

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 19

PLATES

[Plates follow References Cited]

1,2. Angiosperm pollen grains.

Ill
IV CONTENTS

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the location of test holes for this study ....................................... H2

2. Pollen zonation chart for the Paleocene of the Eastern United States ...................................................................... 6

3-14. Charts showing—

3. Pollen distributions in six samples from the Ellenton Formation in the Millhaven core .................................... 7

4. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species 

in samples R4664 GD, B, and D, from 620.8, 581.0, and 571.0 ft, respectively, in the Ellenton Formation 

in the Millhaven core .......................................................................................................................................... 8

5. Pollen distributions in four of the five samples from the Ellenton Formation of the Girard core ...................... 10

6. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species

in sample R4705 B (from 521.0-521.2 ft) and AD (from 517.9-518.1 ft) from the Ellenton Formation in the 

Girard core........................................................................................................................................................... 11

7. Pollen distributions in four samples, from 302.0 to 183.0 ft, of the Ellenton and Congaree Formations in the 

Thompson Oak core ............................................................................................................................................ 12

8. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of two biostratigraphically important pollen species

found in sample R4836 D, from 281.0 ft, in the Ellenton Formation in the Thompson Oak core...................... 13

9. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species in

sample R4836 K, from 192.0 ft, in the Congaree Formation in the Thompson Oak core ................................. 14

10. Pollen distributions in three samples between 257.0 and 148.0 ft in the Millers Pond core............................... 15

11. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species in

sample R4581 Q, from 252.0-257.0 ft, in the Ellenton Formation in the Millers Pond core ............................ 16

12. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species in

sample R4581 U, from 148.0 ft, in the Santee Limestone in the Millers Pond core........................................... 17

13. Pollen distributions in two samples, from 264.0 and 181.0 ft, in the Snapp Formation and Santee Limestone

in theMcBean core.............................................................................................................................................. 18

14. Known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species in

sample R4663 D, from 264.0 ft, in the Snapp Formation in the McBean core .................................................. 19

TABLES

1. Samples containing pollen and samples barren of pollen from each stratigraphic unit in each core .............................. H3

2. Slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed specimens ........................................................................ 4

3. List of pollen taxa mentioned in this report followed by the illustration location........................................................... 4
GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Pollen Biostratigraphy of

Lower Tertiary Sediments from Five Cores from 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Norman O. Frederiksen

ABSTRACT

Seventeen biostratigraphically useful lower Tertiary 

samples were examined for their pollen taxa from five test 

holes (Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers Pond, 

and McBean) in Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia. Ten 

biostratigraphically useful samples from the Ellenton Formation have earliest and latest possible ages of late early 

Paleocene and late Paleocene, respectively, but most or all 

of the samples are probably late early or early late Paleocene. One good sample from the Snapp Formation is no 

older than earliest late Paleocene and no younger than middle late Paleocene. Four productive samples from the Congaree Formation are not very well dated using pollen, but 

possible ages are generally from late early to middle middle 

Eocene. Two samples from the Santee Limestone are poorly 

dated from pollen within the late early Eocene to middle 

Eocene (or younger?) interval.

INTRODUCTION

The Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, Barnwell, 

and Allendale Counties, S.C. (fig. 1), has manufactured, disposed of, and stored a variety of hazardous materials since 

the early 1950's. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Georgia 

Geologic Survey of the Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources, is conducting a study of the subsurface geology, 

hydrology, and water quality in the vicinity of the SRS. The 

goal of the study is to understand the present and possible 

future ground-water flow in the aquifers of the area. Many 

test holes have been drilled in Georgia and South Carolina 

to study the flow of ground water in the SRS region (Aadland, 1992; Harris and others, 1992; Strom and others, 

1992; Clarke, 1993; Gellici and Logan, 1993; Clarke and

others, 1994, 1996; Clarke and West, 1994; Leeth and others, 1996). The Cretaceous and Cenozoic aquifers are difficult to correlate from area to area because of structural 

movement and rapid facies changes. Some biostratigraphic 

research has been completed toward the goal of correlating 

aquifers between some of the test holes (Prowell and others, 

1985; Edwards, 1992; Edwards and Clarke, 1992; Edwards 

and Frederiksen, 1992; Lucas-Clark, 1992; Falls and others, 

1993, 1997; Clarke and others, 1994, 1996; Leeth and others, 1996; Edwards and others, 1997). However, much biostratigraphic study remains to be done in the region.

This paper uses Tertiary pollen grains in core samples 

from five Georgia test holes to provide biostratigraphic data 

on both marine and nonmarine sediments in the area. The 

five Georgia test holes (Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, 

Millers Pond, and McBean) in Burke and Screven Counties, 

Ga., are directly across the Savannah River from the SRS. 

Details of the Tertiary geologic framework of the region are 

presented elsewhere (Falls and Prowell, this volume, chap. 

A). Table 1 summarizes the number of samples containing 

pollen and the number of samples barren of pollen from 

each stratigraphic unit in each core.

Pollen grains from terrestrial plants are frequently 

found in marine and terrestrial rocks. However, the palynological preparations of samples from cored strata in the SRS 

region commonly contained much more abundant 

dinoflagellates of marine to brackish-water origin 

(Edwards, this volume, chap. G) than pollen grains of terrestrial origin. This dinoflagellate dominance was particularly true of the Eocene rocks and the downdip Paleocene 

rocks in the Millhaven and Girard cores. Yet, some Paleocene samples from the cores contained abundant pollen 

grains, and some others contained sufficient pollen to make 

age determinations of these samples possible by using these 

fossils.

Hi
H2 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

82° 30' 81° 30'

33° 30'

33°

32° 30'

EXPLANATION

Test hole site and informal name of site

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the 

location of test holes for this study.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

D.W. Engelhardt (University of South Carolina) and 

R.A. Christopher (Clemson University) reviewed drafts of 

this paper and provided helpful suggestions for its improvement.

Tertiary samples. However, some of the species could not be 

usefully photomicrographed because of mediocre preservation or because the specimens were poorly oriented, crumpled, or partially covered with debris.

CORRELATIONS AND AGE 

DETERMINATIONS

Correlations and age determinations in this paper are 

based on many articles on spores and pollen grains from 

lower Tertiary strata in the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi 

embayment (Jones, 1962; Elsik, 1968a,b, 1974; Fairchild 

andElsik, 1969; Nichols and Traverse, 1971; Nichols, 1973; 

Tschudy, 1973a,b, 1975; Potter, 1976; Frederiksen, 1978, 

1980a, 1988, 1991, 1998; Jarzen, 1978; Christopher and 

others, 1980; Frederiksen and others, 1982), in the Southern 

Atlantic States (Frederiksen, 1978, 1980b, 1991; Frederiksen and Christopher, 1978; Prowell and others, 1985), and 

in the Middle Atlantic States (Frederiksen, 1979, 1984, 

1991, 1998). The best pollen-stratigraphic control for the 

Paleocene and Eocene of eastern North America is in the 

eastern Gulf Coast. Therefore, in this paper, ages and correlations are made primarily by using ranges of pollen taxa in 

the eastern Gulf Coast. Most of the pollen taxa identified in 

this report (table 3) have been previously illustrated with 

photomicrographs in the papers listed, and many of the taxa 

are illustrated in plates 1 and 2.

Figure 2 shows the pollen zones that have been proposed for the Paleocene of the Eastern United States. No 

such zonation has been proposed for the Eocene of this 

region.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The samples discussed in this paper were processed by 

using normal palynological techniques involving treatment 

with hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, and nitric acids; short centrifugation with soapy water to remove fine material; 

removal of mineral grains by swirling; staining with Bismark brown; and screening on 8- or 10-micrometer (|jm) 

sieves. The residues were mounted in glycerine jelly.

Table 2 shows the slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed pollen specimens; the slide designations show the sample number with the slide number in 

parentheses. The coordinates locate the specimens on Leitz 

microscope 871956 at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, 

Va. On this microscope, the coordinates for the center point 

of a standard 25.4x76.2-millimeter slide are 38.8 and 102.5 

for the horizontal and vertical axes. The horizontal coordinates increase toward the right edge of the stage, and the 

vertical coordinates increase toward the front of the stage. 

Slides are stored at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va. 

The plates illustrate many of the pollen species found in the

MILLHAVEN TEST HOLE

The Millhaven test hole (33X048) was drilled by the 

U.S. Geological Survey at lat 32°53'25" N., long 81°35'43" 

W., near Sylvania, Burtons Ferry 7.5 min quadrangle, 

Screven County, Ga. (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 110 ft 

above sea level. Sixteen Tertiary samples from this core 

were examined for pollen, from the depth interval of 639.5 

to 105.0 ft. Seven contained biostratigraphically useful pollen assemblages.

ELLENTON FORMATION

Nine samples of the Ellenton Formation from 639.5 to 

571.0 ft in the Millhaven core were examined for pollen, 

and six contained significant assemblages. Samples from 

639.5, 632.0-632.2, and 577.0 ft were barren of pollen or 

recovered very poor assemblages. Distributions of pollen 

taxa in the six productive samples are shown in figure 3.

All of the pollen taxa in sample R4664 GD, from 620.8 

ft, have long chronostratigraphic ranges within the Pale-
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H3

Table 1. Samples containing pollen and samples barren of 

pollen from each stratigraphic unit in each core.

[R numbers are U.S. Geological Survey paleobotanical numbers. Depths 

are in feet below the surface. P column: X = pollen grains are present, 

although not necessarily ones that are biostratigraphically important. B 

column: X = barren of pollen]

R number Depth (ft) Unit P B

Millhaven core

R4664 AV— - -

R4fS64 AT __

R4664 AR——

R4f»f>4 AT

T> A ddA 'V

R4664 H— — -

R4664E— — -

R4664 D— — -

R4664 C ___

R4664AW — 

R4664B— — -

R4664 A— — -

R4664 GE——

R4664 GD — 

R4664 CH— -

R4664 GC——

R4664 FO __

105 Barnwell 

195 Barnwell 

210 Barnwell 

260 Santee 

490 Congaree 

499 Congaree 

564-565 Snapp 

571 Ellenton 

577 Ellenton 

579.5 Ellenton 

581 Ellenton 

589 Ellenton 

599.5 Ellenton 

620.8 Ellenton 

632 632.2 Ellenton

639.5 Ellenton 

755.0-755.3 Steel Creek

X 

X

X

X 

X 

X 

X 

X

X

X 

X

X

X 

X

X

X 

X

Girard core

R4705 F —— -

R4705 AF

R4705 D— —

R4705 AD — -

T? A "~lf\^ T5

TM7OS A

322.3 322.5 Santee

415.2^15.5 FourmileBr. 

484.1^84.3 Ellenton 

514-514.3 Ellenton 

517.9-518.1 Ellenton 

521 521.2 Ellenton

532.5 532.7 Ellenton

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X

--

Thompson Oak core

R4836 O— — -

R4836 N— — -

R4836M— —

R4836 L— — -

T?A81fi K"

R4836 D—— -

O A Q1£i (~*

172 Santee 

174 Santee 

181.5 Santee 

183 Congaree 

192 Congaree 

281 Ellenton 

302 Ellenton

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X

-

Millers Pond core

TJ/ICQ1 V

TJ/ICQ1 V

R4581 W— —

TJ/ICQ1 \I

TJ/ICO1 TT

TJ/|CQ1 C

R4581 Q—— -

72 77 Barnwell

82-83 Santee

120 Santee 

124 Santee 

148 Santee 

165 Congaree 

252-257 Ellenton

X 

X 

X

X 

X 

X 

X

McBean core

R4663 G— — -

R4663 F ———

T> A z:/ro "c

R4663 D— — -

T> A /T/TO /^

R4663 B— — -

181 Santee 

210 Congaree 

243 Snapp 

264 Snapp 

276 Ellenton 

294 Ellenton

X 

X

X 

X

X 

X

ocene except for the Caryapollenites prodromus group of 

Frederiksen (1991). This group has its range base near the 

top of the Naheola Formation in the eastern Gulf Coast (fig. 

4), in the lower part of the upper Paleocene in calcareous 

nannofossil Zone NP 5 and, by definition, at the base of the 

Caryapollenites prodromus Interval Zone (fig. 2). Nannofossil evidence indicates that this sample lies within the 

lower part of Zone NP 5 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

Only three pollen taxa were identified in sample R4664 

GE, from 599.5 ft, and the only useful taxon was the 

Caryapollenites prodromus group. Nannofossil evidence 

indicates that this sample lies within the lower part of Zone 

NP 5 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

In sample R4664 A, from 589.0 ft, the only age-diagnostic species was Choanopollenites sp. cf. C. consanguineus Tschudy of Frederiksen (1979). This species was 

previously known only from the lowermost part of the 

Aquia Formation of Virginia, which belongs to the lower 

part of the Gary a Interval Zone (Frederiksen, 1979, 1991) 

and which has been assigned to calcareous nannofossil 

Zone NP 5 (Bybell and Gibson, 1991) of early late Paleocene age. Sample R4664 A also belongs to nannofossil 

Zone NP 5 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F); therefore, scanty 

evidence suggests that Choanopollenites sp. cf. C. consanguineus Tschudy of Frederiksen (1979) may in fact be confined to rocks of NP 5 age. However, because nannofossil 

Zone NP 5 includes the upper part of the Caryapollenites 

prodromus Interval Zone as well as the lowermost part of 

the Carya Interval Zone, it is possible that Choanopollenites 

sp. cf. C. consanguineus Tschudy occurs in both of these 

pollen zones.

Sample R4664 B, from 581.0 ft, is no older than the 

upper part of the lower unnamed member of the Porters 

Creek Formation (latest early Paleocene) in the eastern Gulf 

Coast, according to the known range base of Plicatopollis 

triradiatus (Nichols) Frederiksen & Christopher. The sample from 581.0 ft is no younger than the Nanafalia Formation, which is late but not latest Thanetian (known range top 

of Momipites dilatus Fairchild; fig. 4). The chronostratigraphic range of the genus Fried'richipollis Krutzsch is 

poorly known because pollen of this genus is very rare. 

Nannofossil evidence indicates that this sample lies within 

the lower part of Zone NP 5 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

Sample R4664 AW, from 579.5 ft, contained only rare 

angiosperm pollen grains. Among the taxa present (fig. 3), 

the only one of bio stratigraphic interest was Spinaepollis 

spinosus (Potonie) Krutzsch. This species has a range from 

near the NP 4-NP 5 calcareous nannofossil zone boundary 

(very low in the upper Paleocene) to the top of the Paleocene. Nannofossil evidence indicates that this sample lies 

within the lower part of Zone NP 5 (Bybell, this volume, 

chap. F).

Critical range bases and tops of taxa in sample R4664 

D, from 571.0 ft, are displayed in figure 4. From these data, 

it is apparent that this sample can be assigned to the interval
H4 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Table 2. Slide numbers and microscope coordinates of photographed specimens.

[The slide designations show the sample number (table 1) followed by the slide number in parentheses. Coordinates are given for Leitz microscope 871956 

at the U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.]

Figure Slide

Plate 1

1 .......

2—....

3.......

4.......

5 .......

6——. 

7,8 — 

9, 10 -

11

12 -----

13

14

15

16

17

18

19 .....

20

21,22-

R4705 B(l)

R4836K(1)

R4705D(1)

R4663 D(l)

R4836K(1)

R4664D(1)

R4664K(1)

R4664FG(1)

R4664KU)

R4664FG(1)

R4705 AE(1)

R4664 K(l)

R4663 D(l)

R4705D(1)

R4705D(1)

R4836K(1)

R4664AW(1)

R4836K(1)

R4836N(1)

Coordinates

58.7x95.0 

50.1 x 107.5 

61.8x111.3 

50.0 x 104.7 

56.3 x 109.0 

44.7 x 96.0 

61.4x110.6 

58.7x111.7 

59.6x93.3 

57.8x105.7 

63.4x95.2 

56.1x96.8 

52.5 x 105.2 

62.0x109.4 

57.3 x 94.9 

58.1 x 104.6 

57.4 x 102.5 

64.1 x 105.8 

52.4x101.8

Figure Slide Coordinates

23

24

Plate 1—Continued

R4836 D(l)

9-

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

R4705D(1) 

R4705 A(l) 

R4836D(1) 

R4663 G(l) 

R4664A(1) 

R4663 D(l) 

R4664B(1) 

R4581 Q(2) 

R4836 C(l) 

R4705 D(l) 

R4581 U(l) 

R4664B(1) 

R4581 Q(6) 

R4664 D(l) 

R4664B(1) 

R4836L(1)

54.9 x 109.2 

45.8 x 99.2

55.9x106.3 

54.2 x 96.9 

50.9 x 105.4 

49.0 x 100.3 

42.0 x 109.9 

51.0x104.0 

42.2 x 95.0 

55.5x99.8 

62.4 x 93.6 

61.0x101.0 

44.0x110.3 

42.2 x 95.0 

45.7x93.8 

40.2 x 109.7 

44.4 x 102.0 

49.7x93.7

Table 3. List of pollen taxa mentioned in this report followed by the illustration location. 

[Most pollen taxa have been previously illustrated by the authors listed]

Taxon Plate Figure

Aesculiidites circumslriatus (Fairchild in Stover and others, 1966) Elsik——————- 

Bombacacidites nacimientoensis (Anderson) Elsik ——————————————————- 

Bombacacidites reticulatus Krutzsch ——————————————————————————- 

Carya <29 jam ———————————————————————————————————————- 

Carya >28 |um ————————————————————————————————————————— 

Caryapollenites prodromus group of Frederiksen (1991) ———————————————- 

Choanopollenites sp. cf. C. consanguineus Tschudy of Frederiksen (1979) ————- 

Eucommia type (tricolporate) of Frederiksen (1988) —————————————————- 

Favitricolporites baculoferus (Pflug in Thomson andPflug, 1953) Srivastava 1972- 

Friedrichipollis sp.——————————————————————————

Holkopollenites chemardensis Fairchild in Stover and others (1966)————————- 

Holkopollenites sp. A———————————————————————————————————- 

Ilexpollenites sp. ——————————————————————————

Insulapollenites rugulatus Leffingwell ——————————————————

Intratriporopollenites pseudinstructus Mai—————————————————

Intratriporopollenites sp.—————————————————————————————————- 

Lanagiopollis cribellatus (Srivastava) Frederiksen—————————————————- 

Lanagiopollis sp., probably L. hadrodictyus Frederiksen ———————————

23

14

13

5

20

12

24

6

7

15

16
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H5

Table 3. List of pollen taxa mentioned in this report followed by the illustration location—Continued.

Taxon Plate Figure

Malvacipollis cf. M. tschudyi Frederiksen of Frederiksen (1988) —————————————————————— 1 18 

Milfordia hungarica (Kedves) Krutzsch & Vanhoorne in Krutzsch (1970) ————————————————— 1 2 

Milfordia incerta (Pflug & Thomson in Thomson and Pflug, 1953) Krutzsch ——————————————— 1 3 

Momipites actinus Nichols & Ott —————————————————————————————

Momipites coryloides Wodehouse ———————————————————————————————————————— 1 5 

Momipites dilatus Fairchild in Stover and others (1966) —————————————————————————— 1 6 

Momipites strictus Frederiksen & Christopher———————————————————————

Momipites tenuipolus group of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978) ————————————————————— 1 4 

Momipites-Plicatopollis-Platycaryapollenites complex of Frederiksen (1979) ——————————————— 1 14 

Myrtaceidites sp. ——————————————————————————————————————————————————

Nudopollis terminalis (Pflug & Thomson in Thomson and Pflug, 1953) Pflug —————————————— 2 2, 3 

Nudopollis thiergartii (Thomson & Pflug) Pflug ———————————————————————

Osculapollisl colporatus Frederiksen —————————————————————————————————————— 2 9 

Piolencipollis endocuspoides Frederiksen—————————————————————————

Platycarya platycaryoides (Roche) Frederiksen & Christopher———————————————————————— 1 7, 8 

Platycarya sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978)————————————————————- 1 9, 10

Platycarya spp. ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— 1 11-13 

Platycaryapollenites sp. aff. P. swasticoidus (Elsik) Frederiksen & Christopher ———————————

Plicatopollis triorbicularis type of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978)—————————————————— 1 15 

Plicatopollis triradiatus (Nichols) Frederiksen & Christopher———————————————————

Porocolpopollenites ollivierae (Gruas-Cavagnetto) Frederiksen —————————————————

Pseudolaesopollis ventosus (Potonie) Frederiksen ——————————————————————————————— 2 4 

Pseudoplicapollis limitatus Frederiksen ——————————————————————————————————— 2 1 

Pseudoplicapollis serenus Tschudy———————————————————————————————————————— 2 8 

Retitrescolpites anguloluminosus (Anderson) Frederiksen—————————————————

Rousea monilifera Frederiksen —————————————————————————————————

Sparganiaceaepollenites sp. ———————————————————————————————————————————— 1 1 

Spinaepollis spinosus (Potonie) Krutzsch ———————————————————————————————————— 1 19 

Spinizonocolpites prominatus (Mclntyre) Stover & Evans ——————————————————————————— 1 21, 22 

Subtriporopollenites anulatus Pflug & Thomson in Thomson and Pflug (1953)———————————

Symplocosl sp. 1 of Frederiksen (1988) ————————————————————————————

Symplocosl sp. aff. Symplocosl sp. 1 of Frederiksen (1988)———————————————————————— 2 11 

"Symplocospollenites spp." of Tschudy (1973a)———————————————————————

Tetracolporopollenites lesquereuxianus (Traverse) Frederiksen—————————————————

Tetracolporopollenites megadolium (Potonie) Frederiksen—————————————————————

Triatriopollenites sparsus group of Frederiksen (1988) ——————————————————————

Tricolpites asper Frederiksen———————————————————————————————————————

Triporopollenites infrequens (Stanley) Frederiksen ———————————————————————

Tru dopollis plenus Tschudy ———————————————————————————————————————————— 2 10 

Trudopollis spp. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ulmipollenites krempii (Anderson) Frederiksen ——————————————————————————————— 1 17 

Ulmipollenites tricostatus (Anderson) Frederiksen ————————————————————————————— 1 16
H6 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

lug

rr LLJ ^

W m CL ?

y w o >

DC m DC o

uj z> => tr

w w LLJ QO

DC 

o

LL

DC 

UJ

m

UJ

LLJ

o

N

DC 

UJ hTUSCAHOMA FM.

NANAFALIA 

FORMATION

NAHEOLA FM.

PORTERS

CREEK 

FORMATION

CLAYTON

FORMATION

GRAMPIAN 

HILLS MEMBER

OSTREA THIRSAE BEDS"

PLATYCARYA PLATYCARYOIDES

CARYA

GRAVEL CREEK 

SAND MEMBER

COAL BLUFF MARL MBR.

OAK HILL MEMBER

MATTHEWS LANDING 

\ MARL MEMBER /

LOWER 

UNNAMED MBR.

MCBRYDE

LIMESTONE

MEMBER

PINE 

BARREN 

MEMBER

CARYAPOLLENITES PRODROMUS

TRICOLPITES ASPER

PSEUDOPLICAPOLLIS SERENUS

Figure 2. Pollen zonation chart for the Paleocene of the Eastern United States. Zones were proposed by 

Frederiksen (1991, 1998). Division of the Tertiary into European stages follows Berggren and others (1995).

from the lower part of the upper Paleocene (lower Selandian) to the upper part of the upper Paleocene (middle 

Thanetian). The sampled interval from the Ellenton Formation of this core contains the Caryapollenites prodromus 

group of Frederiksen (1991) but no specimens of Gary a <29 

jam were found. The latter taxon is common in samples 

above its range base at about the Midwayan-Sabinian Provincial Stage boundary (fig. 2), which is probably within 

calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 5. The apparent lack of this 

taxon in the Ellenton samples from the Millhaven core 

would suggest that this sampled interval belongs to the 

Caryapollenites prodromus Interval Zone. However, nannofossil evidence indicates that a sample from slightly deeper 

in this core, from 578.0 ft, is tentatively assignable to Zone 

NP 8 of middle Thanetian age, that is, within the upper half 

of the upper Paleocene (Bybell, this volume, chap. F), 

which is well within the range of Carya <29 jam. Thus, the 

apparent lack of this taxon in the sample from 571.0 ft is of 

no biostratigraphic significance. On the other hand, the lack 

of Carya <29 jam in the Ellenton samples assigned to the

lower part of calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 5 in this core 

is thought to indicate a real absence of the taxon. Carya <29 

jam is not known to range down to the lower part of Zone NP 

5 in either the eastern Gulf Coast or South Carolina (Frederiksen, 1991).

SNAPP FORMATION

One sample, R4664 E, from 564.0-565.0 ft, was examined from the Snapp Formation in the Millhaven core. This 

sample contained rare dinoflagellates (Edwards, this volume, chap. G) but was barren of pollen grains.

CONGAREE FORMATION

Two samples were examined from the Congaree 

Formation in the Millhaven core. Sample R4664 H, from 

499.0 ft, was barren of palynomorphs. Sample R4664 K, a 

fossiliferous sand from 490.0 ft, contained calcareous 

nannofossils of lower to middle Eocene Zone NP 14
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H7

§Q)

.C

3

c5

<f> TO

y a. g

E o 8 •$ UJ 2 ° 2

^r\ O) *- (/J a. r>; <u

s I | i s " t

^<w

o

E

^ a ifP * iii>J.i.i!

I > s § lltHIM^tiJi!" 1 !

a T- 3 t §|8tlaiMlita8|i|i

CO 

ill

Q ^ LL mOSQ.I^Ol-CQSa.SLL-jSCO^SQ:

D -i

AW - 

B -

A

GE - 

fiD -

-571.0

579 5 

"581.0

-589.0

-599.5 

^fipn R

-"Z—

\ ^j~-\

\ <~\

^£=L

ELLENTON

< t 4

4

t 4

4

1 4

» F

t

1 (

1 <

< 

<

•

) 4" 4

1 

»

1 0 4

„ . : : <

t Q • •

• 

»

EXPLANATION

BClay 

K!| Sandy clay 

[=d| Sandy limestone 

I ~~| Shells present

Figure 3. Chart showing pollen distributions in six samples from the Ellenton Formation in the 

Millhaven core. P indicates that the identification of the species was probable; Q indicates that the 

identification of the species was uncertain.

(Bybell, this volume, chap. F) and middle Eocene 

dinoflagellates (Edwards, this volume, chap. G) but only 

sparse pollen grains. Among the pollen taxa recovered were 

Platycarya platycaryoides (Roche) Frederiksen & 

Christopher and the Momipites-Plicatopollis-Platycaryapollenites complex of Frederiksen (1979). Both taxa have 

long chronostratigraphic ranges in the lower and middle 

Eocene, and both have their range bases a short stratigraphic 

distance below the top of the Paleocene.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION

No samples from the Warley Hill Formation in the 

Millhaven core were examined for pollen.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

One sample from the Santee Limestone in the Millhaven core, R4664 AL, from 260.0 ft, was examined for 

pollen. However, the sample was barren of these fossils.
H8 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Q Q" 

O

QCD"

Q.

2

O)

LU 

O

LU 

O

£T LLJ m Q_ Z

So >

CD DC O

D Z) DC

C/D LLI Q.

h- 

<

^

DC 

O

LL

LLI

g^ 

LLJ

NANAFALIA 

FORMATION

GRAMPIAN 

HILLS MEMBER

GRAVEL CREEK

SAND MEMBER

COAL BLUFF MARL MBR NAHEOLA FM.

PORTERS

CREEK 

FORMATION

CLAYTON

FORMATION

OAK HILL MEMBER

MATTHEWS LANDING 

s _ _ JVLARL._..MEMBER _ /

LOWER 

UNNAMED MBR,

MCBRYDE

LIMESTONE

MEMBER

I| •$ ^c 

^ "5

.J2 to 

^ *

cc

us

P' NE 

BARREN

MEMBER

I I

I

c

CD

*5 Q t-i VJ

•I- t -I- §-

5 6 

cc

Figure 4. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of 

biostratigraphically important pollen species in samples R4664 GD, B, and D, from 

620.8, 581.0, and 571.0 ft, respectively, in the Ellenton Formation in the Millhaven 

core. Samples in which each taxon was found are indicated by the sample initial 

following the taxon name; an asterisk following the name Momipites actinus indicates 

that this species was only tentatively identified.
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H9

BARNWELL UNIT

Sample R4664 AR, a fossiliferous sand from 210.0 ft 

in the Millhaven core, is from the Barn well unit; the sample 

contained calcareous nannofossils of upper Eocene Zone 

NP 19/20 (Bybell, this volume, chap. F) and typical Eocene 

to Oligocene pollen species such as Momipites coryloides 

Wodehouse, Pseudolaesopollis ventosus (Potonie) Frederiksen, and Tetracolporopollenites lesquereuxianus (Traverse) 

Frederiksen. However, all of these pollen taxa have such 

long chronostratigraphic ranges that they are not useful for 

age determinations. Two additional samples of the Barn well 

unit, from 195.0 and 105.0 ft, were barren of pollen.

GIRARD TEST HOLE

The Girard test hole was drilled by the U.S. Geological 

Survey in southern Burke County at the lookout tower on 

Griffins Landing Road, 2 miles north of the town of Girard, 

at lat 33°03'54" N., long 81°43'13" W., Girard 7.5 min quadrangle (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 250 ft above sea 

level. Seven Tertiary samples from this core were examined 

for pollen, from the depth interval of 532.7 to 322.3 ft.

ELLENTON FORMATION

Five samples from the Ellenton Formation of the 

Girard core were examined for pollen. One of these, sample 

R4705 A, from 532.5-532.7 ft, contained only two taxa (fig. 

5), both long ranging. The second sample, R4705 C, from 

514.0-514.3 ft (not shown in fig. 5), had only very rare pollen grains.

Samples R4705 B, from 521.0-521.2 ft, and AD, from 

517.9-518.1 ft, included taxa listed in figure 5. Stratigraphic 

ranges of the key pollen taxa in the two samples are shown 

in figure 6. The overlap of ranges of Osculapollisl colporatus Frederiksen and Caryapollenites prodromus group of 

Frederiksen (1991) might suggest that the samples correlate 

with the Naheola Formation of the eastern Gulf Coast and 

are early late Paleocene in age. However, two specimens 

were found in the sample from 521.0-521.2 ft that might 

belong to the early Paleocene species Pseudoplicapollis serenus Tschudy. If P. serenus Tschudy actually is present, that 

might complicate the age interpretation because this species 

is not known to coexist with the late Paleocene taxon 

Caryapollenites prodromus group of Frederiksen (1991). 

However, P. serenus Tschudy ranges down into the Cretaceous (fig. 6) and, therefore, might be reworked.

Sparganiaceaepollenites sp. is an upper Paleocene to 

Holocene(?) species that is probably a result of drilling mud 

contamination of the sample. Myrtaceidites is a mainly 

Eocene to Oligocene genus in southeastern North America 

and is extremely rare below the Eocene. Therefore, this 

specimen also is probably a result of drilling mud

contamination of the sample. Dinoflagellates in the samples 

from 521.0-521.2 ft and 517.9-518.1 ft indicate an early 

Paleocene, Danian age (Edwards, this volume, chap. G). 

Leeth and others (1996) interpreted the data as indicating 

that these samples are late Paleocene and contain reworked 

early Paleocene palynomorphs. However, it now seems 

more likely that Myrtaceidites sp., Caryapollenites 

prodromus group, and Sparganiaceaepollenites sp. are all 

contaminants from uphole, and that the samples from 

521.0-521.2 ft and 517.9-518.1 ft are early Paleocene in 

age and assignable to the Pseudoplicapollis serenus Interval 

Zone (fig. 2).

Sample R4705 D, from 484.1^84.3 ft, contained a 

variety of pollen taxa (fig. 5), but all of them are long ranging within the Paleocene. Dinoflagellates in the sample 

were interpreted by Leeth and others (1996) and Edwards 

(this volume, chap. G) as indicating an early late Paleocene 

(Selandian) age.

SNAPP FORMATION

No pollen samples were examined from the Snapp Formation in the Girard core.

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION

Sample R4705 AE, from 415.2-415.5 ft in the Girard 

core, is from the Fourmile Branch Formation; the sample 

contained very rare pollen grains. However, two of the specimens identified were of Platycaryapollenites sp. aff. P. 

swasticoidus (Elsik) Frederiksen & Christopher and, therefore, are Eocene. These two specimens are probably of early 

Eocene or possibly early middle Eocene age.

CONGAREE FORMATION

No pollen samples were examined from the Congaree 

Formation in the Girard core.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

One sample of the Santee Limestone, R4705 F, from 

322.3-322.5 ft in the Girard core, was examined, but the 

sample contained only rare pollen grains.

BARNWELL UNIT

No pollen samples were examined from the Barnwell 

unit in the Girard core.
H10 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

SAMPLES OFSERIES R4705 3

ABD =

A -

LU 

UJ 

U.

z

I

CL 

LU 

Q

484.1-

484.3

517.9-

518.1 

"521.0- 

521.2

532.5- 

539 7

LITHOLOGY

— —

-

. — .

I I

l~

I -I

I I

, l-r i i

I I

x^LT

FORMATION

ELLENTON

Nudopollis terminalis 

Bombacacidites reticulatus Pseudoplicapollis serenus(?) Holkopollenites chemardensis 

Caryapollenites prodromus group 

Osculapollis? colporatus 

Sparganiaceaepollenites sp. Subtriporopollenites anulatus

o II • • S S S S !

O <'

Favitricolporites baculoferus

I.

c g

S I -s

'a

EXPLANATION

BClay

HH| Sandy clay

^G| Sandy limestone

, Sand

| "~| Shells present

Figure 5. Chart showing pollen distributions in four of the five samples from the Ellenton 

Formation of the Girard core. A fifth sample, not shown, contained only very rare pollen grains.
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA Hll

Q.

I 

O)

C75 

LU < F;

n DC W

y£g

DC CD DC

O 

O

LU =) =) DC 

C/) C/5 LLI Q_

O

DC

O

LL

DC 

LLI 

CD

LLI

^

c

CD 

CO

.CO "o 

1

I

=5 

CD 

CO

1

)sct//apo///s? colporc

fyrtaceidites sp.

§

p

laryapollenites prodi

u. 

CO

CO

a

>parganiaceaepollenii

O CO

PALEOCENE

UPPER

LOWER

SELAND.? THANETIAN

DANIAN

j SABINIAN

MIDWAYAN !

TUSCAHOMA FM.

NANAFALIA 

FORMATION

NAHEOLA FM.

PORTERS 

CREEK 

FORMATION

CLAYTON 

FORMATION

GRAMPIAN 

HILLS MEMBER

"OSTREA THIRSAE BEDS"

GRAVEL CREEK 

SAND MEMBER

COAL BLUFF MARL MBR.

OAK HILL MEMBER

. MATTHEWS LANDING 

\ MARL MEMBER /

LOWER 

UNNAMED MBR.

MCBRYDE 

LIMESTONE 

MEMBER

PINE 

BARREN 

MEMBER

Figure 6. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of 

biostratigraphically important pollen species in sample R4705 B (from 521.0-521.2 ft) 

and AD (from 517.9-518.1 ft) from the Ellenton Formation in the Girard core.
H12 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

O) co 

LJLJ 5

cc

LJLJ 

0)

CD 

CO

00

DC

2 .2

ffl

.jx

SAMPLES Cr- s 

ri

| DEPTH, IN

D - 

C, -

i»^;.u

281 .0 

-302.0

CD 0 

0 H

_i < 

0 ^ 

T. DC

b 0

_J LJ-

?

~^

—

~-

-f'^-

CONGAREE

FOURMILE 

BRANCH

ELLENTON

oii-siisf.!! $ •^ & %%'.§.'•§'§•&£ §- :«

1 1 1 1 1 II I ! 1 1

I '$ 1 -i- co $ ^ §-

3- g o § ^ :§-S "5, 

= 8 9- -i 42 ££« g

i S 1 1 US! 

p

EXPLANATION

Clay

Sandy clay 

I— I Clayey sand 

Sand

Figure 7. Chart showing pollen distributions in four samples, from 302.0 to 183.0 ft, of the 

Ellenton and Congaree Formations in the Thompson Oak core. P indicates that the identification of 

the species was probable.

THOMPSON OAK TEST HOLE

The Thompson Oak test hole was drilled by the Georgia Geologic Survey at lat 33°10'42" N., long 81°47'10" W., 

Shell Bluff Landing 7.5-min quadrangle, Burke County, Ga. 

(fig. 1). The surface elevation is 240 ft. Seven Tertiary samples from this core were examined for pollen, from a depth 

interval of 302.0 to 172.0 ft. Pollen distributions in four productive samples from this core are shown in figure 7.

ELLENTON FORMATION

Two pollen samples were examined from the Ellenton 

Formation in the Thompson Oak core. Sample R4836 C, 

from 302.0 ft, contained mainly long-ranging taxa. However, several specimens were observed of Osculapollisl 

colporatus Frederiksen, whose range in the eastern Gulf 

Coast is from the upper part of the lower Paleocene to very 

low in the upper Paleocene (fig. 6).
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H13

HI

W Z

HI <

E LLJ

LJJ Or

05 O

00 D:

D =) 

05 HI

O 

<

or OLL

LU

Q_

NANAFALIA 

FORMATION

NAHEOLA FM.

GRAMPIAN 

HILLS MEMBER

GRAVEL CREEK 

SAND MEMBER

COAL BLUFF MARL MBRp 

OAK HILL MEMBER

PORTERS

CREEK 

FORMATION

MATTHEWS LANDING 

\ MARL MEMBER

LOWER 

UNNAMED MBR

CLAYTON 

FORMATION

MCBRYDE

LIMESTONE

MEMBER

PINE 

BARREN 

MEMBER

CO

8

o 

p.

CD 

.CO "6 

.0. 

o

cB 

o

CO

Figure 8. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern 

Gulf Coast of two biostratigraphically important pollen species found 

in sample R4836 D, from 281.0 ft, in the Ellenton Formation in the 

Thompson Oak core.

Most of the taxa in sample R4836 D, from 281.0 ft, 

have long stratigraphic ranges within the Paleocene. The 

presence of Aesculiidites circumstriatus (Fairchild) Elsik 

and Piolencipollis endocuspoides Frederiksen indicates that 

the sample could be any age within the late Paleocene (fig. 

8).

FOURMILE BRANCH FORMATION

No pollen samples were examined from the Fourmile 

Branch Formation in the Thompson Oak core.

CONGAREE FORMATION

Two pollen samples were examined from the Congaree 

Formation in the Thompson Oak core. Sample R4836 K, 

from 192.0 ft, contained several pollen taxa having somewhat restricted ranges (figs. 7, 9). The known range ofMalvacipollis cf. M. tschudyi Frederiksen of Frederiksen 

(1988), the most age-definitive species in the sample, is 

from the lower part of the Tallahatta Formation (Zone NP 

12, middle lower Eocene) to the lower part of the Lisbon 

Formation (Zone NP 15 or lowermost Zone NP 16, lower
H14 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

-S- 5, SANTEE LIMESTONE

Lu

Og co £, 2

hr co 03 CD si z c >> CO -7 -f o 3 ** v

M 1 ^- <C ^ J~ *

— < o P -S c

y* DC LU ^ <£ .03 S •£

E^gg 1 111

LUDDOC O ^,S^

COCOLUQ. U_ ^UJ3

LU

Z

LU

O

O

LU

LU

_l 

Q 

Q

DC

LU

O

_l

Z

LU1-

-1

Z

CO 

LU

DC

Q_

Z

Z

DC

O

CQ

^

|

O

as

1

Z

Z

CQ

CO

LISBON

FORMATION

(PART)

TALLAHATTA

FORMATION

HATCHETIGBEE/

BASHI

FORMATION

Figure 9. Chart showing known stratigraphic 

ranges in the eastern Gulf Coast of 

biostratigraphically important pollen species in 

sample R4836 K, from 192.0 ft, in the 

Congaree Formation in the Thompson Oak 

core.

middle Eocene) in the eastern Gulf Coast. Dinoflagellates in 

the sample indicate that it is probably correlative with the 

lower part of the Lisbon Formation (Edwards, this volume, 

chap. G).

The only species of interest found in sample R4836 L, 

from 183.0 ft, was a specimen probably belonging to 

Lanagiopollis hadrodictyus Frederiksen. In the eastern Gulf 

Coast, the known range of this species is from the lower part 

of the Tallahatta Formation, NP 12, to the lower part of the 

Lisbon Formation, lower NP 16, and possibly as high as the 

Moodys Branch Formation, NP 17.

Samples R4836 M (181.5 ft), R4836 N (174.0 ft), and 

R4836 O (172.0 ft) were examined for pollen from the Santee Limestone in the Thompson Oak core, but they contained no biostratigraphically useful taxa. Spinizonocolpites 

prominatus (Mclntyre) Stover & Evans was found in the 

sample from 174.0 ft (pi. 1, figs. 21, 22), but this species 

ranges throughout the Eocene.

BARNWELL UNIT

No pollen samples were examined from the Barn well 

unit in the Thompson Oak core.

MILLERS POND TEST HOLE

The Millers Pond test hole was drilled by the Georgia 

Geologic Survey (Burke 2, GGS-3758) near Shell Bluff 

Landing on the Savannah River, lat 33°13'48" N., long 

81°52'44" W., McBean 7.5-min quadrangle, Burke County, 

Ga. (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 245 ft above sea level. 

A lithologic description of the cored section was provided 

by Clarke and others (1994). Seven Tertiary samples from 

this core were examined for pollen, from the depth interval 

of 257.0 to 72.0 ft, and two contained pollen assemblages 

that conveyed useful information. Pollen distributions in 

three of the samples are shown in figure 10.

ELLENTON FORMATION

One sample from the Ellenton Formation in the Millers 

Pond core was examined for pollen—sample R4581 Q from 

252.0-257.0 ft. Known Gulf Coast ranges of critical species 

in this sample are displayed in figure 11. It appears on the 

basis of the overlapping ranges of Pseudoplicapollis serenus 

and Momipites coryloides that this sample is from the upper 

part of the lower Paleocene (upper Danian). The sample is 

from the upper part of the Pseudoplicapollis serenus Interval Zone (fig. 2). This age determination is supported by a 

Danian (early Paleocene) dinoflagellate age for the sample 

(Edwards, this volume, chap. G).

SNAPP FORMATION

No pollen samples were examined from the Snapp Formation in the Millers Pond core.
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H15

05

Bombacacidites reticui

V)

1^

Holkopollenites chema Holkopollenites Asp. 

Momipites coryloides

CL

o

O)

Momipites tenuipolus

0)

5 •2.s

Porocolpopollenites oil

c

Pseudoplicapollis sere

Q. 

Q.

"Symplocospollenites s

CL 

o

O)

§

Triatriopollenites spars

CL

o

O)

1

Caryapollenites prodrc Nudopollis terminalis

1

"3

Subthporopollenites ai

Thcolpites asper

13

Triporopollenites infrec

E

a

CO 

CM 

A

Rousea mnilifera

'mplocos? sp

ft

Symplocos? aff. sp. 

squereuxianui

-2

Tetracolporopollenites

Q

,-148

165

252-

257

iii

:-:vv:-;.v-: — — ^

^>-<^

~2^--

— __

f SANTEE LMST.^1

CONGAREE

SNAPP

ELLENTON

Q • •

EXPLANATION

Limestone

Figure 10. Chart showing pollen distributions in three samples between 257.0 and 148.0 ft in the 

Millers Pond core. Q indicates that the identification of the species was uncertain.

CONGAREE FORMATION

Sample R4581 S, from 165.0 ft, is just above the contact of the Snapp and Congaree Formations in the Millers 

Pond core. The sample contained only a few pollen taxa 

(fig. 10). Either these taxa are long ranging, or else the identification of the taxa was uncertain.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

Sample R4581 U, from 148.0 ft in the Santee Limestone of the Millers Pond core, had two pollen taxa that do 

not range below the lower Eocene part of the Tallahatta Formation in the eastern Gulf Coast (fig. 12). Symplocosl sp. 1 

of Frederiksen (1988) is a rare species that has previously 

been found only in the lower part of the Lisbon Formation

(lower middle Eocene, lower Lutetian) in Alabama and 

Georgia. However, the true range of this species is poorly 

known. Dinoflagellates in the sample indicate correlation 

with the upper part of the Lisbon Formation (middle part of 

the middle Eocene; Edwards, this volume, chap. G). Three 

additional samples of the Santee Limestone, from 124.0, 

120.0, and 82.0-83.0 ft, were also examined, but they were 

either barren of pollen or else did not contain any biostratigraphically useful taxa.

BARNWELL UNIT

One sample from the Barnwell unit in the Millers Pond 

core was examined for pollen—sample R4581Y from 72.0- 

77.0 ft, but it was barren of palynomorphs.
H16 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

HI < ^

rr LLJ ^

CO fi 0. 2

w co O >

CC CO CC O

LLI => => CC

CO CO LLI Q.

CL 

O

u_

TUSCAHOMA FM.

NANAFALIA 

FORMATION

NAHEOLA FM.

GRAMPIAN 

HILLS MEMBER

"OSTREA THIRSAE BEDS"

GRAVEL CREEK 

SAND MEMBER

COAL BLUFF MARL MBR 

OAK HILL MEMBER

PORTERS

CREEK 

FORMATION

MATTHEWS LANDING . 

\ MARL MEMBER /

LOWER 

UNNAMED MBR

CLAYTON

FORMATION

MCBRYDE

LIMESTONE

MEMBER

PINE 

BARREN 

MEMBER

.CO "o

.1 5-

co

Q.

I 

O)

§

fo

II

CD

1

lil

Figure 11. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf 

Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species in sample R4581 Q, 

from 252.0-257.0 ft, in the Ellenton Formation in the Millers Pond core.
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H17

EOCENE

MIDDLE

LOWER

z

<

LLJ

_l

YPRESIAN

ffl CLAIBORNIAN

Z

< 

z

m 

<

CO

LISBON 

FORMATION 

(PART)

TALLAHATTA 

FORMATION

HATCHETIGBEE/ 

BASH I 

FORMATION

Cr fn

(n 

uu

cc

LJJ (n

BSERIES

D

(n

LJJ

o

£(n

LJJ 

0

g

ROPEAN OVINCIAL

D 

LJJ

cc

DL

Z

o

1

DC

O

LJL

CO •S-! "£ 

-2 "o

tracolporop

iS

2

i'£ 

o

E

cc CD

CO3

fi

E

CO 

CM 

A

5

Q. 

CO

1 

8

I

CO

Figure 12. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges 

in the eastern Gulf Coast of biostratigraphically 

important pollen species in sample R4581 U, from 

148.0 ft, in the Santee Limestone in the Millers Pond 

core.

MCBEAN TEST HOLE

The McBean test hole (GGS-3757) was drilled by the 

Georgia Geologic Survey at lat 33°13'38" N., long 

81°55'50" W., in the McBean 7.5-min quadrangle, Burke 

County, Ga. (fig. 1). The surface elevation is 297 ft above 

sea level. Six Tertiary samples from this core were examined for pollen, from the depth interval of 294.0 to 181.0 ft. 

Two samples contained more than rare pollen grains. These 

two samples were from 264.0 and 181.0 ft (fig. 13).

ELLENTON FORMATION

Two samples were examined from the Ellenton Formation (R4663 B and C, from 294.0 and 276.0 ft, respectively) 

in the McBean core, but they were barren or nearly barren of 

pollen grains.

SNAPP FORMATION

No dinocysts were found in sample R4663 D, from 

264.0 ft in the Snapp Formation of the McBean core. The 

critical pollen taxa in this sample (fig. 14) were Momipites 

dilatus Fairchild and Caryapollenites prodromus group of 

Frederiksen (1991), whose overlapping ranges indicate that 

the sample is no older than earliest late Paleocene and no 

younger than middle late Paleocene. The sample belongs 

somewhere within the Caryapollenites prodromus or Carya 

Interval Zones (fig. 2). Sample R4663 E, from 243.0 ft, was 

barren or nearly barren of pollen grains.

CONGAREE FORMATION

Sample R4663 F, from 210.0 ft in the Congaree Formation of the McBean core, was barren or nearly barren of pollen grains.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

Sample R4663 G, from 181.0 ft in the Santee Limestone of the McBean core, contained few pollen taxa (fig. 

13); however, Ilexpollenites Potonie and Tetracolporopollenites rnegadolium (Potonie) Frederiksen are known only 

from Eocene and younger strata.

BARNWELL UNIT

No pollen samples were examined from the Barnwell 

unit in the McBean core.
H18 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

CO

LU

DC

LU

CO

CO

CD

CD

DC

LL

0

CO 

LU

DL

^

CO

LU

LU

LL

Z

I

1-

DL

LU

Q

.

O 

CD

O

I1-

_i

-z. 

o

DC 

O

LL

103

>,

Aesculiidites circumsl

Q. 3 

o 

b)

S

E

o

Caryapollenites prodr

5

ra

Insulapollenites rugul,

Momipites dilatus Momipites strictus

Q.

0 

0)

Momipites tenuipolus Nudopollis terminalis

<B 

Q. £•

to

C

CO

Plicatopollis triorbicul.

Trudopollis plenus

llexpollenites sp.

ivierae

^5

Porocolpopollenites c

S

S

c

Pseudolaesopollis ve

megadolium

Tetracolporopollenites

G-i-181

D -1 - 264 ^"-^ _ _

CONGAREE

SNAPP

EXPLANATION

FT^/1 Sand

N^ Sandy limestone

Figure 13. Chart showing pollen distributions in two samples, from 264.0 and 181.0 ft, 

in the Snapp Formation and Santee Limestone in the McBean core. Q indicates that the 

identification of the species was uncertain.

SUMMARY

Seventeen biostratigraphically useful lower Tertiary 

samples were examined for pollen from five cores 

(Millhaven, Girard, Thompson Oak, Millers Pond, and 

McBean) in Screven and Burke Counties, Ga. Ten 

biostratigraphically useful samples from the Ellenton 

Formation were analyzed, from the Millhaven, Girard, 

Thompson Oak, and Millers Pond cores. Most samples are 

not older than early late Paleocene, but one or two of them 

are older—late early Paleocene in age. The youngest 

possible age for some of the Ellenton samples is more 

difficult to establish. On the basis of pollen evidence, 

several of the Ellenton samples might be as young as middle 

late or even late late Paleocene. However, most of the 

samples are probably not younger than the Caryapollenites 

prodromus Interval Zone of early late Paleocene age.

Only one productive sample was obtained from the 

Snapp Formation; it was from the McBean core. This sample is no older than earliest late Paleocene and no younger 

than middle late Paleocene.

One productive sample was obtained from the Fourmile Branch Formation, from the Girard core. The sample 

appears to be early Eocene or possibly early middle Eocene 

in age.

Three productive samples were obtained from the Congaree Formation from the Millhaven and Thompson Oak 

cores. The pollen taxa in these samples mainly have long 

stratigraphic ranges within the lower and middle Eocene. 

However, one of the samples from the Thompson Oak core 

appears to be late early to early middle Eocene in age.

Two productive samples were examined from the Santee Limestone from the Millers Pond and McBean cores. 

These are poorly dated within the late early Eocene to middle Eocene (or younger?) interval.
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H19

Lug 

3£

tt Z <

VJ LU D- £:

CC CD CC O

LU D ID CC

CO CO LU CL

CL 

O

CL 

LLI 

CD 

^ 

LU

CO 

£ 

.§.

eo

oI

£

Q.

I 

O)

e 

I

to

.CD 

I

"o

I

PALEOCENE

UPPER

LOWER

SELAND.? THANETIAN

DANIAN

! SABINIAN ,

1MIDWAYAN 

TUSCAHOMA FM.

NANAFALIA

FORMATION

NAHEOLA FM.

PORTERS 

CREEK 

FORMATION

CLAYTON 

FORMATION

GRAMPIAN 

HILLS MEMBER

'OSTREA THIRi

4UIIIIII

GRAVEL 

SAND M[

J/4E BEDS"

CREEK 

EMBER

COAL BLUFF MARL MBR.

OAK HILL MEMBER

MATTHEWS LANDING 

\ MARL MEMBER /

LOWER 

UNNAMED MBR.

MCBRYDE 

LIMESTONE 

MEMBER

PINE 

BARREN 

MEMBER

Figure 14. Chart showing known stratigraphic ranges in the eastern Gulf 

Coast of biostratigraphically important pollen species in sample R4663 D, 

from 264.0 ft, in the Snapp Formation in the McBean core.

REFERENCES CITED

Aadland, R.K., 1992, Hydrogeologic characterization of the, Cretaceous-Tertiary coastal plain sequence at Savannah River Site, 

South Carolina, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, 

eds., Savannah River region; Transition between the Gulf and 

Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of\he Second Bald Head 

Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head 

Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 62-67.

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher, C.C., III, and Aubry, M.-P, 

1995, A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy, in Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V, Aubry, M.-P, and Hardenbol, Jan, eds., Geochronology, time scales and global 

stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary 

Geology) Special Publication 54, p. 129-212.

Bybell, L.M., and Gibson, T.G., 1991, Calcareous nannofossils and 

foraminifers from Paleocene and Eocene strata in Maryland 

and Virginia, in Gibson, T.G., and Bybell, L.M., leaders, Paleocene-Eocene boundary sedimentation in the Potomac River 

Valley, Virginia and Maryland: I.G.C.P. (International Geological Correlation Programme) Project 308 Field Trip Guidebook, p. 15-29.

Christopher, R.A., Prowell, D.C., Reinhardt, J., and Markewich, 

H.W., 1980, The stratigraphic and structural significance of 

Paleocene pollen from Warm Springs, Georgia: Palynology, v. 

4, p. 105-124.

Clarke, J.S., 1993, Conceptual models of possible stream-aquifer 

relations in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia 

and South Carolina [abs.]: Geological Society of America 

Abstracts with Programs, v. 25, no. 4, p. 8.
H20 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., [Bukry, David,] Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gibson, T.G., Gohn, G.S., and Fleming, Parley, 1996, Hydrogeologic data and aquifer 

interconnection in a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments near Millhaven, Screven County, Georgia, 1991-95: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 99, 43 p., 1 pi. 

in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992-93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Clarke, J.S., and West, C.T., 1994, Development of water-table and 

potentiometric-surf ace maps for coastal plain aquifers in the 

vicinity of the Savannah River Site, South Carolina and Georgia [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 26, no. 4, p. 8.

Edwards, L.E., 1992, Dinocysts from the lower Tertiary units in the 

Savannah River area, South Carolina and Georgia, in Zullo, 

V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River 

region; Transition between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal 

Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 97-99.

Edwards, L.E., and Clarke, J.S., 1992, Biostratigraphic investigations help evaluation of the ground-water-flow system near 

the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina [abs.], 

in Proceedings, Fifth North American Paleontological Convention, Chicago, 111., June 28-July 1, 1992: Paleontological 

Society Special Publication 6, p. 90.

Edwards, L.E., and Frederiksen, N.O., 1992, Paleogene palynomorph correlations in eastern Georgia [abs.]: Geological 

Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, no. 2, p. 

14.

Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Gohn, G.S., SelfTrail, J.M., Gibson, T.G., Bukry, David, and Fleming, R.F., 

1997, Mysteries solved in the stratigraphy of the updip coastal 

plain of Georgia [abs.]: Fifth Annual Clemson University 

Hydrogeology Symposium, Abstracts, no pagination.

Elsik, W.C., 1968a, Palynology of a Paleocene Rockdale lignite, 

Milam County, Texas. I. Morphology and taxonomy: Pollen 

et Spores, v. 10, p. 263-314.

———1968b, Palynology of a Paleocene Rockdale lignite, Milam 

County, Texas. II. Morphology and taxonomy (end): Pollen et 

Spores, v. 10, p. 599-664. 

-1974, Characteristic Eocene palynomorphs in the Gulf

Coast, U.S.A.: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 149, p. 90-111.

Fairchild, W.W., and Elsik, W.C., 1969, Characteristic palynomorphs of the lower Tertiary in the Gulf Coast: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 128, p. 81-89.

Falls, W.F., Baum, J.S., and Prowell, D.C., 1997, Physical stratigraphy and hydrostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene sediments, Burke and Screven Counties, Georgia: 

Southeastern Geology, v. 36, p. 153-176.

Falls, W.F., Prowell, D.C., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Gohn, G.S., 1993, Preliminary 

correlation of geologic units in three coreholes along the 

Savannah River in Burke and Screven Counties, Georgia

[abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 25, no. 4, p. 14.

Frederiksen, N.O., 1978, New Paleogene pollen species from the 

Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains: U.S. Geological Survey 

Journal of Research, v. 6, p. 691-696.

———1979, Paleogene sporomorph biostratigraphy, northeastern 

Virginia: Palynology, v. 3, p. 129-167.

———1980a, Lower Tertiary sporomorph biostratigraphy: Preliminary report, in Reinhardt, Juergen, and Gibson, T.G., Upper 

Cretaceous and lower Tertiary geology of the Chattahoochee 

River Valley, western Georgia and eastern Alabama, in Frey, 

R.W., ed., Excursions in southeastern geology, v. 2: Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting (93rd), Atlanta, 

1980, Field Trip Guidebooks, p. 422-423.

———1980b, Paleogene sporomorphs from South Carolina and 

quantitative correlations with the Gulf Coast: Palynology, v. 

4, p. 125-179.

———1984, Lower Tertiary pollen biostratigraphy, Maryland and 

Virginia, in Frederiksen, N.O., and Krafft, Kathleen, eds., 

Cretaceous and Tertiary stratigraphy, paleontology and structure, southwestern Maryland and northeastern Virginia: 

American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Field 

Trip Volume and Guidebook, p. 163-168.

———1988, Sporomorph biostratigraphy, floral changes, and paleoclimatology, Eocene and earliest Oligocene of the eastern 

Gulf Coast: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1448, 

68 p.

———1991, Midway an (Paleocene) pollen correlations in the Eastern United States: Micropaleontology, v. 37, p. 101-123. 

-1998, Upper Paleocene and lowermost Eocene angiosperm

pollen biostratigraphy of the eastern Gulf Coast and Virginia: 

Micropaleontology, v. 44, p. 45-68.

Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, L.M., Christopher, R.A., Crone, A.J., 

Edwards, L.E., Gibson, T.G., Hazel, J.E., Repetski, J.E., Russ, 

D.P., Smith, C.C., and Ward, L.W., 1982, Biostratigraphy and 

paleoecology of lower Paleozoic, Upper Cretaceous, and 

lower Tertiary rocks in U.S. Geological Survey New Madrid 

test wells, southeastern Missouri: Tulane Studies in Geology 

and Paleontology, v. 17, p. 23^45.

Frederiksen, N.O., and Christopher, R.A., 1978, Taxonomy and 

biostratigraphy of Late Cretaceous and Paleogene triatriate 

pollen from South Carolina: Palynology, v. 2, p. 113-145.

Gellici, J.A., and Logan, W.R., 1993, Preliminary Stratigraphic and 

hydrostratigraphic correlation of four deep coreholes east of 

the Savannah River Site in Allendale, Barnwell and Aiken 

Counties, South Carolina [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 25, no. 4, p. 17.

Harris, M.K., Aadland, R.K., and Westbrook, T.M., 1992, Lithological and hydrological characteristics of the Tertiary 

hydrostratigraphic systems of the General Separations Area, 

Savannah River Site, South Carolina, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, 

W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River region; Transition 

between the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains: Proceedings of 

the Second Bald Head Island Conference on Coastal Plains 

Geology, Hilton Head Island, November 6-11, 1990, p. 68- 

73.

Jarzen, D.M., 1978, The terrestrial palynoflora from the Cretaceous-Tertiary transition, Alabama, U.S.A.: Pollen et Spores, 

v. 20, p. 535-553.
POLLEN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF LOWER TERTIARY SEDIMENTS FROM FIVE CORES, GEORGIA H21

Jones, E.L., 1962, Palynology of the Midway-Wilcox boundary in 

south-central Arkansas: Gulf Coast Association of Geological 

Societies Transactions, v. 12, p. 285-294.

Krutzsch, W., 1970, Atlas der mittel- und jungtertiaren dispersen 

Sporen- und Pollen- sowie der Mikroplanktonformen des 

nordlichen Mitteleuropas, VII: Jena, VEB Gustav Fischer 

Verlag, 175 p.

Leeth, D.C., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., and 

Fleming, R.F., 1996, Geologic, hydrologic, and water-chemistry data for a multi-aquifer system in coastal plain sediments 

near Girard, Burke County, Georgia, 1992-95: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 100, 26 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Lucas-Clark, Joyce, 1992, Problems in Cretaceous palynostratigraphy (dinoflagellates and pollen) of the Savannah River Site 

area, in Zullo, V.A., Harris, W.B., and Price, Van, eds., Savannah River region; Transition between the Gulf and Atlantic 

Coastal Plains: Proceedings of the Second Bald Head Island 

Conference on Coastal Plains Geology, Hilton Head Island, 

November 6-11, 1990, p. 81-82.

Nichols, D.J., 1973, North American and European species of 

Momipites ("Engelhardtia") and related genera: Geoscience 

and Man, v. 7, p. 103-117.

Nichols, D.J., and Traverse, Alfred, 1971, Palynology, petrology, 

and depositional environments of some early Tertiary lignites 

in Texas: Geoscience and Man, v. 3, p. 37-48.

Potter, F.W., Jr., 1976, Investigations of angiosperms from the 

Eocene of southeastern North America—Pollen assemblages

from Miller pit, Henry County, Tennessee: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 157, p. 44-96.

Prowell, D.C., Edwards, L.E., and Frederiksen, N.O., 1985 [1986], 

The Ellenton Formation in South Carolina—A revised age 

designation from Cretaceous to Paleocene, in Stratigraphic 

notes, 1984: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1605-A, p. 

A63-A69.

Stover, L.E., Elsik, W.C., and Fairchild, W.W., 1966, New genera 

and species of early Tertiary palynomorphs from Gulf Coast: 

Kansas University Paleontological Contributions, Paper 5, 10 

PStrom, R.N., Kaback, D.S., and Schramke, J.A., 1992, Groundwater geochemistry and flow path modeling, Savannah River 

Site, S.C. [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts 

with Programs, v. 24, no. 2, p. 69.

Thomson, P.W., and Pflug, H.D., 1953, Pollen und Sporen des mitteleuropaischen Tertiars: Palaeontographica, ser. B, v. 94, 138

PTschudy, R.H., 1973a, Stratigraphic distribution of significant

Eocene palynomorphs of the Mississippi embayment: U.S.

Geological Survey Professional Paper 743-B, 24 p.

———1973b, Complexiopollis pollen lineage in Mississippi 

embayment rocks: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

743-C, 15 p.

———1975, Normapolles pollen from the Mississippi embayment:

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 865, 42 p.

PLATES 1, 2
PLATE 1

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Sparganiaceaepollenites sp., Ellenton Formation, Girard core (521.0-521.2 ft), Burke 

County.

2. Milfordia hungarica (Kedves) Krutzsch & Vanhoorne in Krutzsch (1970), Congaree 

Formation, Thompson Oak core (192.0 ft). Burke County.

3. Milfordia incerta (Pflug & Thomson in Thomson and Pflug, 1953) Krutzsch, Ellenton 

Formation, Girard core (484.1^84.3 ft), Burke County.

4. Momipites tenuipohis group of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978), Snapp 

Formation, McBean core (264.0 ft). Burke County.

5. Momipites coryloides Wodehouse, Congaree Formation, Thompson Oak core (192.0 

ft), Burke County.

6. Momipites dilatus Fairchild in Stover and others (1966), Ellenton Formation,

Millhaven core (571.0 ft), Screven County. 

7, 8. Platycarya platycaryoides (Roche) Frederiksen & Christopher, Congaree Formation,

Millhaven core (490.0 ft), Screven County. Interference contrast. 

9, 10. Platycarya sp. A of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978) (from drilling mud

contamination), Steel Creek Formation (Cretaceous), Millhaven core (755.0-755.3 

ft), Screven County.

11. Platycarya sp., Congaree Formation, Millhaven core (490.0 ft), Screven County. The 

specimen has several irregular pseudocolpi; interference contrast.

12. Platycarya sp. (from drilling mud contamination), Steel Creek Formation 

(Cretaceous), Millhaven core (755.0-755.3 ft), Screven County.

13. Platycarya sp., Fourmile Branch Formation, Girard core (415.2^15.5 ft), Burke 

County.

14. Momipites-PlicatopoHis-Platycaryapollenites complex of Frederiksen (1979), 

Congaree Formation, Millhaven core (490.0 ft), Screven County.

15. Plicatopollis triorbicularis type of Frederiksen and Christopher (1978), Snapp 

Formation. McBean core (264.0 ft). Burke County.

16. Ulmipollenites tricostatus (Anderson) Frederiksen, Ellenton Formation, Girard core 

(484.1-484.3 ft), Burke County.

17. Ulmipollenites krernpii (Anderson) Frederiksen, Ellenton Formation, Girard core 

(484.1-484.3 ft), Burke County.

18. Malvacipollis cf. M. tschudyi Frederiksen of Frederiksen (1988), Congaree 

Formation, Thompson Oak core (192.0 ft), Burke County.

19. Spinaepollis spinosus (Potonie) Krutzsch, Ellenton Formation, Millhaven core (579.5 

ft), Screven County.

20. Eucommia type (tricolporate) of Frederiksen (1988), Congaree Formation, Thompson

Oak core (192.0 ft), Burke County.

21, 22. Spinizonocolpites prominatus (Mclntyre) Stover & Evans, Santee Limestone, 

Thompson Oak core (174.0 ft), Burke County.

23. Aesculiidites circumstriatus (Fairchild in Stover and others, 1966) Elsik, Ellenton 

Formation, Thompson Oak core (281.0 ft), Burke County.

24. llexpollenites sp., Santee Limestone, McBean core (181.0 ft). Burke County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-H, PLATE 1

22 40 Jim

ANGIOSPERM POLLEN GRAINS
PLATE 2

[All specimens are from Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia]

Figure 1. Pseudoplicapollis limitatus Frederiksen, Ellenton Formation, Girard core (484.1-

484.3 ft), Burke County. 

2, 3. Nudopollis lerminalis (Pflug & Thomson in Thomson and Pflug, 1953) Pflug,

Ellenton Formation. 2, Girard core (532.5-532.7 ft), Burke County; 3, Thompson 

Oak core (281.0 ft), Burke County.

4. Pseudolaesopollis ventosus (Potonie) Frederiksen, Santee Limestone, McBean core 

(181.0ft), Burke County.

5. Choanopollenites sp. cf. C. consanguineus Tschudy of Frederiksen (1979), 

Ellenton Formation, Millhaven core (589.0 ft), Screven County.

6. Insulapollenites rugulatus Leffingwell, Snapp Formation, McBean core (264.0 ft), 

Burke County.

7. Intmtriporopollenites sp., Ellenton Formation, Millhaven core (581.0 ft), Screven 

County.

8. Pseudoplicapollis serenus Tschudy, Ellenton Formation, Millers Pond core (252.0- 

257.0 ft), Burke County.

9. Osculapollisl colporatus Frederiksen, Ellenton Formation, Thompson Oak core 

(302.0 ft), Burke County.

10. Trudopollis plenus Tschudy, Ellenton Formation, Girard core (484.1^84.3 ft), 

Burke County.

11. Symplocos! sp. aff. Symplocosl sp. 1 of Frederiksen (1988), Santee Limestone, 

Millers Pond core (148.0 ft), Burke County.

12. Friedrichipollis sp., interference contrast. Ellenton Formation, Millhaven core 

(581.0 ft), Screven County.

13. Bombacacidites reticulatus Krutzsch, Ellenton Formation, Millers Pond core 

(252.0-257.0 ft). Burke County.

14. Bombacacidites nacimientoensis (Anderson) Elsik, Ellenton Formation, Millhaven 

core (571.0 ft), Screven County.

15. Lanagiopollis cribellatus (Srivastava) Frederiksen, Ellenton Formation, Millhaven 

core (581.0 ft), Screven County.

16. Lanagiopollis sp., probably L. hadrodictyusFredenksen, Congaree Formation, 

Thompson Oak core (183 ft), Burke County.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-H. PLATE 2

J____I____I

0 20 40 Jim

11

16

ANGIOSPERM POLLEN GRAINS

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Foraminifera from Paleogene Sediments from the 

Millhaven and Millers Pond Cores, 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Thomas G. Gibson

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-1

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Department of Energy and the 

Georgia Geologic Survey

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Edited by Lucy E. Edwards

CONTENTS

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... II

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

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 2

Material and Methods .................................................................................................... 2

Biostratigraphy ............................................................................................................... 2

Paleoenvironmental Analysis.......................................................................................... 4

MillhavenCore................................................................................................................ 5

Ellenton Formation ................................................................................................ 5

Snapp Formation .................................................................................................... 8

Congaree Formation ............................................................................................... 8

Warley Hill Formation ........................................................................................... 9

Santee Limestone ................................................................................................... 10

Barnwell Unit ......................................................................................................... 10

Millers Pond Core........................................................................................................... 10

Santee Limestone ................................................................................................... 11

Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 12

References Cited ............................................................................................................ 12

PLATE

[Plate follows References Cited] 

1. Nodogenerina, Pseudonodosaria, Globoconusa, Pyramidina, Pulsiphonina, Siphonina, Cibicides, and Pararotalia.

FIGURES

1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the location of the Millhaven and Millers Pond test holes in

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia............................................................................................................................ 12

2. A lithologic log and paleobathymetry of the Millhaven core .......................................................................................... 3

3. A lithologic log of the Millers Pond core......................................................................................................................... 4

TABLES

1, 2. Sedimentary characteristics of foraminiferal samples from the—

1. Millhaven core......................................................................................................................................................... 16

2. Millers Pond core .................................................................................................................................................... 11

m

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM 

SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, EASTERN GEORGIA

Foraminifera from Paleogene Sediments from the

Millhaven and Millers Pond Cores, 

Screven and Burke Counties, Georgia

By Thomas G. Gibson1

ABSTRACT

Paleocene and Eocene foraminifers were studied for 

biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental analysis in cores 

from two test holes in the eastern Georgia Coastal Plain. 

The Millhaven test hole, located southeast of the Millers 

Pond test hole, is in the more downbasin position. In the 

Millhaven core, foraminifers are present in lower and upper 

Paleocene strata of the Ellenton Formation, lower middle 

Eocene strata of the Congaree and Warley Hill Formations, 

upper middle Eocene strata of the Santee Limestone, and 

upper Eocene and questionable lower Oligocene strata of 

the Barnwell unit. Foraminifers were recovered only from 

upper middle Eocene strata of the Santee Limestone in the 

Millers Pond core. The Millers Pond site is the more westerly of the two sites and is in a more upbasin position.

Foraminifers are moderately to highly altered diagenetically in many of the sandy or carbonate-rich intervals in 

these cores, and the alteration makes specific identifications 

difficult. Diagnostic planktonic species are found only in 

beds of early Paleocene age. Some benthic foraminiferal 

species that have restricted regional biostratigraphic ranges 

are present. These species suggest placements for some 

strata in the early part of the late Paleocene and in the middle Eocene.

Foraminiferal assemblages suggest that most upper 

Paleocene and Eocene beds were deposited in shallow-marine environments with water depths of less than 

100 ft. Assemblages in a few intervals, however, suggest 

somewhat deeper inner-middle to middle neritic environments. Foraminiferal assemblages suggest well-oxygenated

Retired from the U.S. Geological Survey. Present address: Department of Paleobiology. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian 

Institution, Washington, DC 20560-0121.

environments during the deposition of most upper Paleocene and Eocene beds, but an upper Paleocene dark clay 

interval contains assemblages suggestive of high-productivity and low-oxygen environments.

INTRODUCTION

Paleogene foraminifers from the Millhaven and Millers 

Pond cores were examined during a study of the hydrogeologic framework of easternmost Georgia across the river 

from the Savannah River Site in South Carolina (fig. 1). 

This study examined foraminiferal assemblages both for 

biostratigraphic placement of the strata and for interpretation of depositional environments. Foraminiferal assemblages are discussed in a sample-by-sample format to 

provide the maximum amount of information from this area 

where little foraminiferal information is currently available.

In the more easterly, and thus downbasin, Millhaven 

core, foraminifers are found both in Paleocene and Eocene 

strata. The specimens are well preserved in the more clayey 

strata, but most are highly altered in the more sandy and 

limy beds. In the more upbasin Millers Pond core, foraminifers are found only in the Santee Limestone of late middle 

Eocene age. These specimens occur in carbonate-rich, 

sandy sediments, and their tests are moderately to highly 

altered diagenetically.

Some common and important stratigraphic marker 

benthic species and one stratigraphically important planktonic species are illustrated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs (pi. 1). A high degree of 

recrystallization within many assemblages, however, makes 

it difficult to obtain satisfactory pictures of many species, 

particularly those from the middle Eocene.
12 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

82° 30' 82 c 81° 30'

33° 30'

33°

32° 30'

/'

/' / -

-\ / °

'\ Jefferson -

- ^"\ i

0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Millhaven

•

EXPLANATION

Test hole site and informal name of site

Figure 1. Index map showing the Savannah River Site and the 

location of the Millhaven and Millers Pond test holes in Screven 

and Burke Counties, Georgia.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thomas Servais (U.S. Geological Survey) prepared the 

foraminiferal samples and aided in the sediment descriptions. Jean M. Self-Trail and Amanda Chapman (U.S. Geological Survey) prepared the illustrations. Raymond A. 

Christopher (Clemson University) and Harry J. Dowsett 

(U.S. Geological Survey) made helpful suggestions on the 

manuscript.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Foraminifers were prepared from core sections several 

inches in length. The outside rind of each core segment, 

which may contain contaminated drilling mud, was 

removed before processing. Core sections were washed over 

a 63-micrometer screen that retained all sand-sized and 

coarser particles.

We then followed two procedures depending upon the 

state of foraminiferal preservation. In samples containing 

well-preserved foraminiferal assemblages, the specimens 

were concentrated from other sand-sized sedimentary particles by soap flotation. However, in many samples, the foraminifers were altered diagenetically and exhibited one or 

more of the following conditions: extraneous sedimentary

particles adhering to the specimens, chamber infillings, calcareous overgrowths, or heavy recrystallization of the test 

wall. In these samples, the foraminifers were picked from 

the entire sediment residue that remained after washing.

The degree of diagenetic alteration of the foraminifers 

in many samples makes it difficult to identify these specimens to the species level. In addition, diagenetic alteration 

may have selectively removed certain taxa from the original 

foraminiferal assemblage. Because of these possible biases, 

samples were studied on a qualitative (species present or 

absent) basis only.

In the Millhaven core, 23 samples from 5 Paleocene 

and Eocene units contained foraminifers (fig. 2). In the 

Millers Pond core, only three samples from the Santee 

Limestone contained foraminifers (fig. 3). Sample depths 

are recorded to the nearest 0.5 ft, except in the lower part of 

the Millhaven core where sample depths are recorded to the 

nearest 0.1 ft.

Illustrated specimens, other study specimens, faunal 

slides, and foraminiferal concentrates are deposited in the 

Cushman Foraminiferal Collection at the U.S. National 

Museum of Natural History (USNM), Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Gohn (1988) summarized the early Cenozoic geology 

of the southern Atlantic Coastal Plain. This work contains 

numerous references to the lithostratigraphy of Paleogene 

deposits in Georgia and South Carolina. Relatively few publications, however, exist on the biostratigraphy of Paleogene 

Foraminifera in Georgia and South Carolina, and even fewer 

contain illustrations of the species. Herrick (1961) summarized the occurrence of many benthic species in subsurface 

samples from Paleogene formations of Georgia, but the species were not illustrated.

Biostratigraphic ranges of many benthic foraminiferal 

taxa occurring in Georgia and South Carolina deposits 

largely are undocumented, both in terms of their ranges in 

Paleogene deposits of the Southeastern United States and in 

terms of the intercontinental biostratigraphic zonations. I 

compared the benthic species, when possible, with their biostratigraphic distribution in neighboring areas to the north in 

North Carolina (Copeland, 1964; Jones, 1983) and Virginia 

and Maryland (Nogan, 1964; Gibson and others, 1980; 

Poag, 1989), and to the southwest in Alabama (Bandy, 

1949), where more detailed studies of these faunas have 

been made. Even in these areas, however, the ranges of 

benthic species in terms of intercontinental biostratigraphic 

zonations are largely unknown at the present time.

Planktonic foraminifers can be widely distributed in 

the oceans and, therefore, are widely used in 

intercontinental correlation and zonations. Unfortunately, 

they are quite rare in Paleogene strata in the two studied
FORAMINIFERA FROM THE MILLHAVEN AND MILLERS POND CORES, GEORGIA 13

EXPLANATION

i- i -i

Fossils

Calcareous sand

Clay

Clayey sand

Sand

Sandy limestone

Limestone

Clayey limestone

Calcareous clay

Foraminiferal sample

? Uncertain age

600 m -^-=--=.

642

Figure 2. A lithologic log and paleobathymetry of the Millhaven core. The solid triangles 

indicate the locations of the productive foraminiferal samples. A nonproductive sample from 219 

ft is not shown. The calcareous nannofossil zones are from Bybell (this volume, chap. F).
14 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

I ^

1 LU 1^ 

Q

ot

100- 

»

>

200-

LITHOLOGY

:.- • .

I I

| |

I I

— —

—— ——

O

0

obs§

0

Barnwell 

unit

Santee 

Limestone

Congarfifi Formation

Snapp 

Formation

Ellenton 

Formation

SERIES

Eocene

Paleocene

o

Q. 

Q.

=>

0

•a 

•o

^

£s_0 

a.

Q.

=>

7P

o

EXPLANATION

Massive 

clay

Laminated 

clay

Sand

Limestone

Foraminiferal 

sample

Figure 3. A lithologic log of the Millers Pond core. The solid triangles indicate the locations of 

the foraminiferal samples. The lithology is from Clarke and others (1994) and the 

lithostratigraphy is from Falls and Prowell (this volume, chap. A).

cores. The few planktonic specimens recovered from most 

samples consist mainly of juvenile individuals, which are 

difficult to place in a specific taxon. The rarity of adult 

planktonic specimens in the deposits is due primarily to the 

shallow-water depositional environments of the preserved 

Paleogene strata in this area. The natural rarity of planktonic 

specimens in these environments may be augmented by the 

extensive diagenetic history of many of the samples. Tests 

of planktonic species are more vulnerable to dissolution 

during diagenesis than are tests of most benthic species 

(Murray, 1991). Much less is known biostratigraphically 

about benthic foraminifers, and they are more closely 

subjected to environmental controls. Yet, benthic 

foraminifers compose more than 95 percent of most 

assemblages.

Most age assignments of strata used in this paper result 

from the calcareous nannofossil study of these cores by 

Bybell (this volume, chap. F). Bybell and I have found in 

studies of Paleogene strata in other parts of the Eastern and 

Southeastern United States that diagnostic calcareous nannofossil species are much more common in shallow-water 

deposits than are diagnostic planktonic foraminiferal species (Gibson and Bybell, 1995). In the Millhaven core, 

planktonic foraminifers, in conjunction with calcareous 

nannofossils, were valuable in a more accurate placement of 

the upper lower Paleocene strata.

PALEOENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

The paleoenvironmental analysis is largely based on 

two approaches: (1) the specific and generic composition of 

the benthic foraminiferal assemblage and (2) the population 

characteristics of the entire foraminiferal assemblage. Most 

benthic species occurring in Paleogene assemblages became 

extinct during the early and middle Cenozoic. Therefore, for 

Paleogene species, data on environmental tolerances and 

distribution in modern environments usually is not possible. 

However, general paleoenvironmental limits on some 

extinct species were suggested in studies of Paleogene 

assemblages in adjacent areas such as those of Olsson and 

Wise (1987) in New Jersey and Poag (1989) in Virginia.

Numerous benthic genera, however, range from the 

Paleogene into modern faunas. Although benthic foraminiferal genera usually have wider environmental tolerances 

than any single contained species, some benthic genera have 

relatively restricted environmental tolerances for all their 

modern species. The occurrences of fossil species within 

these genera also seem to mirror similar environmental controls. Generalized environmental interpretations regarding 

depth, productivity, and oxidation levels were reconstructed 

from these genera wherever possible.

Population characteristics of the entire foraminiferal 

assemblage that can be used for paleoenvironmental analysis include benthic species diversity and the planktonic/
FORAMINIFERA FROM THE MILLHAVEN AND MILLERS POND CORES, GEORGIA 15

benthic ratio. Gibson and Buzas (1973) conducted studies 

on species diversity, and Gibson (1988, 1989) studied planktonic/benthic ratios. Both sets of studies show that patterns 

of these assemblage characteristics found with increasing 

water depth are similar between the early and middle Cenozoic faunas of the Atlantic and eastern Gulf Coastal Plains 

and the modern faunas of the western Atlantic Ocean and 

the Gulf of Mexico.

MILLHAVEN CORE

The Millhaven test hole (33X048) site, lat 32°53'25" 

N., long 81°35'43" W., is located in Screven County, Ga. 

(fig. 1). Land surface elevation of the drill site is 110 ft. 

Twenty-four samples between the depths of 637 and 118 ft 

were examined for foraminifers (table 1, fig. 2). Foraminifers are present in both lower and upper Paleocene strata of 

the Ellenton Formation, lower middle Eocene strata of the 

Congaree and Warley Hill Formations, upper middle 

Eocene strata of the Santee Limestone, and upper Eocene 

and possibly lower Oligocene strata of the Barn well unit in 

the Millhaven core.

ELLENTON FORMATION

The lower beds of the Ellenton Formation in the Millhaven core, as seen in the lowest foraminiferal sample studied at 636.8 ft, contain a more highly altered and a lower 

diversity benthic assemblage than the nine samples studied 

from the middle and upper parts of the formation (631.3 to 

581 ft). The lowest sample is of early Paleocene age (lower 

part of calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 4) as discussed 

below, and the nine higher samples are of early late Paleocene age (calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 5) (Bybell, this 

volume, chap. F).

Lower Paleocene beds in the Millhaven core have a 

thickness of approximately 10 ft or less. These beds apparently represent a relatively thin remnant of a formerly much 

thicker lower Paleocene deposit in this area that underwent 

significant erosional removal during the latest early and earliest late Paleocene. Several of the highest Cenozoic sea levels occurred in the early Paleocene (Haq and others, 1987), 

and deposits representing these extensive seas are found in 

many areas in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Studies on Paleogene deposits of western Georgia and eastern Alabama 

(Gibson, 1992) and Maryland (Gibson and Bybell, 1994) 

found that these lower Paleocene deposits represented the 

deepest water deposition and the highest sea levels of any 

Paleogene unit that is found in those areas. However, the 

lower Paleocene middle to outer neritic deposits are very 

patchy in their present-day occurrence in the Atlantic 

Coastal Plain, which suggests that widespread erosion of 

these deposits occurred during latest early Paleocene, late 

Paleocene, and younger times.

The nine samples examined from the higher part of the 

Ellenton Formation (631.3-581 ft) are of early late 

Paleocene age (calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 5) 

according to Bybell (this volume, chap. F). Some benthic 

foraminiferal species, such as Cibicides compressus Olsson, 

that occur in these samples have their highest occurrences in 

Virginia and Maryland in strata placed in Zone NP 5 

(Nogan, 1964; Bybell and Gibson, 1991), which supports 

this age assignment.

Five intervals with differing foraminiferal assemblages 

are present in the formation: (1) a highly altered, low-diversity assemblage of early Paleocene age at 636.8 ft; (2) an 

assemblage containing apparent mixing of specimens from 

lower Paleocene beds with early late Paleocene specimens 

at 631.3 ft; (3) an assemblage suggesting normal productivity and oxygen levels with a probable water depth range of 

100 to 200 ft, which occurs at 628.7 ft in clayey glauconitic 

sand; (4) an assemblage suggestive of water depths of less 

than 100 ft but having high-productivity and (or) low-oxygen conditions, which occurs in dark clay samples from 

621.2 to 599.1 ft; and (5) an assemblage suggestive of water 

depths of less than 100 ft with normal marine oxygen conditions in samples from 593.7 to 581 ft, which occurs in calcareous and clayey sand beds.

636.8ft (early Paleocene).—The sample from 636.8 ft 

contains relatively few specimens of a low-diversity assemblage of highly corroded foraminifers, most of which have 

calcite rhombohedrons attached to their tests. The poor 

preservation precludes definitive identifications of some 

specimens beyond the generic level.

Cibicides compressus Olsson, Bulimina sp., Cibicides 

sp., and Gyroidina sp. are present in the benthic foraminiferal assemblage. Cibicides compressus Olsson occurs in 

both lower and lower upper Paleocene strata in Virginia and 

Maryland (Nogan, 1964; Thomas Gibson, unpub. data). The 

highly altered specimens and the few species present in the 

assemblage suggest that much of the original assemblage 

was removed during diagenesis. Extensive diagenesis could 

be expected as this sample is near the top of the lower Paleocene beds. There is a disconformity between lower Paleocene and lower upper Paleocene strata located somewhere 

between this sample and the overlying sample at 631.3 ft. 

Subaerial exposure of these beds was likely during the formation of the disconformity.

The foraminiferal assemblage also contains recognizable specimens of the important planktonic species Globoconusa daubjergensis (Bronnimann). This planktonic 

species ranges through much of the early Paleocene (planktonic foraminiferal Zone PI, Danian) but does not range 

into the latest early Paleocene (Toumarkine and Luterbacher, 1985; Berggren and others, 1995). Bybell (this volume, chap. F), on the basis of the calcareous nannofossils, 

places this sample interval into calcareous nannofossil Zone 

NP 4, which is of latest early Paleocene and earliest late 

Paleocene age (Berggren and others, 1995). The presence of
16 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Table 1. Sedimentary characteristics of foraminiferal samples from the Millhaven core.

Sample depth _ ,. , Sedimentary characteristics

Barnwell unit

118 ———— Calcareous sand; 71 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of abundant recrystallized shell fragments 

and bryozoan fragments with about 10 percent quartz; trace of glauconite.

219 ———— Calcareous quartz silty sand; 87 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 70 percent quartz, 20 percent 

calcareous grains, and 10 percent shell fragments.

Santee Limestone

248 ———— Calcareous sand; 73 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 85 percent carbonate and 15 percent 

glauconite; just traces of shell debris and quartz.

307 ———— Limestone with some recrystallized shell fragments and a trace of pyrite.

346 ———— Calcareous unit with trace of glauconite.

355 ———— Calcareous unit with traces of quartz and glauconite.

365 ———— Calcareous unit with 15 percent glauconite.

Warley Hill Formation

404 ———— Calcareous quartz sand; 85 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 45 percent carbonate, 30 percent 

quartz, and 25 percent shell fragments.

413 ———— Calcareous quartz sand; 84 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 55 percent quartz, 40 percent carbonate, and 5 percent glauconite.

426.5 ——— Calcareous unit with 10 percent glauconite and 5 percent pyrite, trace of quartz.

456 ———— Calcareous unit with 20 percent glauconite, 10 percent shell hash, and 5 percent quartz.

Congaree Formation

473.5 ——— Quartz sand, 88 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 60 percent quartz and 40 percent glauconite. 

481.5 ——— Quartz sand, 90 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 55 percent quartz and 45 percent glauconite.

495.5 ——— Quartz sand, 95 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction consists of 85 percent quartz and 15 percent glauconite 

with a trace of phosphate.

Ellenton Formation

581 ———— Calcareous unit with 20 percent shell fragments and 10 percent quartz.

589 ———— Calcareous unit with 15 percent shell fragments.

593.7 ——— Clayey very fine sand, discontinuous clay laminae, very shelly including small oyster.

[At 595.2 ft, there appears to be burrowed contact of sand into underlying clay]

599.1 ——— Dark clay, thin discontinuous sand lenses, highly bioturbated, small clam shells.

609.8 ——— Dark clay, thin discontinuous sand lenses, highly bioturbated.

613.1 ——— Dark clay, thin discontinuous sand lenses, highly bioturbated.

621.2 ——— Dark clay, thin discontinuous sand lenses, highly bioturbated.

[At 622.4 ft, there is a rapid downward change with no noticeable break from clay to quite glauconitic medium sand, mostly slightly indurated; 

this change occurs with a gradual downward decrease in the amount of clay over the upper 2 ft to considerably lower levels]

628.7 ——— Clayey glauconitic fine to medium sand with the more sandy intervals being somewhat indurated. 

631.3 ——— Clayey glauconitic fine to medium sand. 

636.8 ——— Clayey glauconitic fine to coarse sand.

The Snapp Formation was cored above the Ellenton Formation from 570 to 504 ft in the Millhaven core; no foraminifers were observed and no samples were taken.
FORAMINIFERA FROM THE MILLHAVEN AND MILLERS POND CORES, GEORGIA 17

G. daubjergensis (Bronnimann) indicates that this interval 

belongs to the older, or early Paleocene, part of calcareous 

nannofossil Zone NP 4 (Berggren and others, 1995).

The probable diagenetic removal of much of the 

assemblage makes a meaningful paleoenvironmental 

interpretation of the sample difficult. However, the moderate 

abundance of the more dissolution susceptible planktonic 

specimens suggests that planktonic specimens were 

abundant and that this sample reflects a relatively offshore 

environment.

631.3ft (late Paleocene with mixing of early Paleocene 

specimens).—The sample from 631.3 ft contains shallow-marine benthic foraminiferal species that are similar to 

those found in Paleocene strata to the north. Benthic taxa 

present include Lenticulina, Hanzawaia, Cibicides compressus Olsson, Cibicides neelyi Jennings, Cibicides sp., 

Pulsiphonina prima (Plummer), Gyroidina, Alabamina, and 

Nodosaria latejugata carolinensis Cushman. These taxa 

occur both in lower and lower upper Paleocene strata in 

North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland (Nogan, 1964; Gibson and others, 1980, Thomas Gibson, unpub. data).

The calcareous nannofossil assemblage occurring in 

this sample suggests placement in Zone NP 5 of the lower 

upper Paleocene (Bybell, this volume, chap. F). However, 

this sample also contains moderately abundant lower Paleocene planktonic foraminifers including Globoconusa 

daubjergensis (Bronnimann) and Morozovella pseudobulloides (Plummer). The presence of a calcareous nannofossil 

assemblage that is indicative of an early late Paleocene age 

suggests that the early Paleocene planktonic foraminifers in 

this sample have been reworked from underlying lower 

Paleocene deposits. The reworking of early Paleocene 

planktonic foraminifers into lower upper Paleocene beds 

placed in Zone NP 5 is seen in other localities in the Atlantic Coastal Plain (Thomas Gibson, unpub. data). As discussed above, much of the lower Paleocene material appears 

to have been removed through erosion from the Millhaven 

test hole site.

Relatively deep water depositional environments are 

present during some intervals of Zones NP 3 and NP 4 of 

the early Paleocene. Foraminiferal assemblages from these 

intervals in the Atlantic Coastal Plain deposits thus contain 

abundant planktonic specimens, mostly composed of G. 

daubjergensis (Bronnimann) and M. pseudobulloides 

(Plummer) (Thomas Gibson and Laurel Bybell, unpub. 

data). The abundant planktonic specimens apparently are 

reworked from these lower Paleocene deposits and incorporated into the lower part of the strata that formed during the 

widespread marine transgression of Zone NP 5 in the early 

late Paleocene. The exact location in the Millhaven core of 

the disconformable contact between the two different age 

units within the Ellenton is uncertain, but apparently occurs 

somewhere between 636.8 and 631.3 ft.

For the Millhaven core, I consider a similar reworking 

of lower Paleocene planktonic foraminifers into basal

transgressive beds of the lower upper Paleocene more likely 

than either of two other interpretations for the age disparity. 

These basal transgressive beds contain calcareous 

nannofossils indicative of Zone NP 5. One other interpretation for the age disparity is downhole contamination of 

early late Paleocene calcareous nannofossils into lower 

Paleocene strata. Another is an unrecognized disconformity 

that could have separated the foraminiferal and nannofossil 

samples taken from the core segment from 631.3-631.6 ft 

(whether the two samples were taken from opposite ends of 

this core segment or both from the same end is unknown 

and undeterminable).

628.7ft (late Paleocene).—-The sample from 628.7 ft 

contains a well-preserved and diverse benthic assemblage. 

Benthic taxa include Hanzawaia, Cibicides compressus Olsson, Lenticulina, Alabamina, Pulsiphonina prima (Plummer), Eponides lotus (Schwager), Nodosaria latejugata 

carolinensis Cushman, Pseudonodosaria tenuistriata 

(Franke), Spiroplectammina wilcoxensis Cushman and Ponton, Loxostomum, Nodogenerina plummerae (Cushman), 

Epistominella minuta (Olsson), Bolivinopsis emmendorferi 

(Jennings), Pararotalia perclara (Loeblich and Tappan), and 

Pyramidina virginiana (Cushman). This assemblage is characteristic of the lowermost part of the Aquia Formation in 

Virginia and Maryland (Nogan, 1964; Thomas Gibson, 

unpub. data). Some of these species also range into the middle part of the Aquia Formation. The lowermost beds of the 

Aquia Formation are placed in calcareous nannoplankton 

Zone NP 5 of the lower upper Paleocene; the middle beds 

extend from Zone NP 6 to NP 8 (Gibson and others, 1991). 

Planktonic specimens make up a small proportion of the 

assemblage. The foraminiferal assemblage suggests shallow-marine environments having water depths less than 200 

ft, but possibly in the 100-ft or slightly deeper range. Normal marine productivity and oxygen levels were present.

621.2 ft (late Paleocene).—The sample from 621.2 ft 

contains a well-preserved and moderately diverse assemblage that differs considerably from the underlying assemblages. Benthic taxa include Epistominella minuta (Olsson), 

Fursenkoina, Pararotalia perclara (Loeblich and Tappan), 

Pulsiphonina prima (Plummer), and Pyramidina virginiana 

(Cushman). Pararotalia perclara (Loeblich and Tappan) is 

commonly found in Paleocene strata, but it is not found in 

beds younger than those placed in calcareous nannofossil 

Zone NP 8 in Virginia and Maryland (Thomas Gibson, 

unpub. data). The assemblage suggests shallow-marine 

environments having water depths around 100 ft or shallower. The above-noted species dominate the assemblage. 

Their abundance suggests high-productivity and (or) 

low-oxygen depositional environments for the interval containing this sample and the three overlying ones. This is in 

contrast to the relatively normally oxygenated environments 

that are characteristic of samples below 621.2 ft. The 

high-productivity and (or) low-oxygen assemblages occur in 

a dark clay interval, which contrasts with the underlying
18 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

interval of clayey, glauconitic, fine to medium sand. The 

dark color of the clay also supports the idea that low-oxygen 

environments were present that would lead to increased 

preservation of organic matter in the sediments.

613.1 ft (late Paleocene).—The well-preserved assemblage from 613.1 ft contains a relatively low diversity 

benthic component with few planktonic specimens. The 

benthic assemblage is dominated by Pararotalia perclara 

(Loeblich and Tappan) and Fursenkoina, with lesser proportions of Epistominella minuta (Olsson), Pulsiphonina prima 

(Plummer), and Pyramidina virginiana (Cushman). This 

benthic assemblage is similar to that of the underlying sample. These species are either characteristic of, or found in, 

high-productivity or low-oxygen environments (Poag, 1989; 

Gibson and others, 1993; Thomas Gibson, unpub. data).

609.8 ft (late Paleocene).—The benthic assemblage 

from 609.8 ft is well preserved but shows relatively low species diversity. The composition is similar to the two underlying assemblages, with Pararotalia perclara (Loeblich and 

Tappan) and Fursenkoina being dominant.

599.1 ft (late Paleocene).—The well-preserved benthic 

assemblage from 599.1 ft has relatively low species diversity and is highly dominated by Pararotalia perclara (Loeblich and Tappan). Other abundant species include 

Epistominella minuta (Olsson), Fursenkoina, and Pyramidina virginiana (Cushman). The assemblage is similar to 

those of the underlying three samples and suggests shallow-marine environments of about 100-ft water depth or 

less with high-productivity and (or) low-oxygen conditions.

Burrowed contact.—At 595.2 ft, there appears to be a 

burrowed contact of overlying clayey very fine sand into the 

dark clay unit. The foraminiferal assemblages above and 

below this surface differ considerably.

593.7 ft (late Paleocene).—'The sample from 593.7 ft 

contains a low-diversity benthic assemblage consisting of 

moderately well preserved to slightly recrystallized specimens, and it also contains a few planktonic specimens. The 

assemblage is highly dominated by Anomalinoides umboniferus (Schwager) and also contains Cibicides alleni (Plummer), Gyroidinoides, Pyramidina virginiana (Cushman), 

and Buliminella elegantissima (d'Orbigny). These species 

commonly occur in upper Paleocene deposits, but most of 

them also occur in lower Eocene and younger strata. The 

assemblage is characteristic of shallow-marine environments having water depths less than 100 ft. The assemblage 

differs from those in the underlying four samples by the 

presence of A. umboniferus and C. alleni, which are characteristic of more oxygenated waters. This change suggests 

that the burrowed surface at 595.2 ft separates two differing 

depositional settings.

589 ft (late Paleocene).—The small benthic assemblage from 589 ft consists of moderately well preserved to 

partially recrystallized specimens. The low-diversity assemblage is highly dominated by Anomalinoides umboniferus 

(Schwager) with lesser numbers of Pyramidina virginiana

(Cushman). The assemblage is characteristic of shallow-marine environments of less than 100-ft water depth.

581 ft (late Paleocene).—The small benthic assemblage from 581 ft consists of moderately well preserved to 

partially recrystallized specimens. The low-diversity assemblage is dominated by Anomalinoides umboniferus (Schwager) with lesser numbers of Pyramidina virginiana 

(Cushman), compositionally similar to the two underlying 

samples. However, the proportion of Pararotalia perclara 

(Loeblich and Tappan) is considerably higher than found in 

the underlying samples. The increase in P. perclara (Loeblich and Tappan) in this sample possibly signifies that 

somewhat higher productivity and (or) lower oxygen levels 

were present.

SNAPP FORMATION

The Snapp Formation was cored above the Ellenton 

Formation from 570 to 504 ft in the Millhaven test hole. No 

foraminifers were observed and no samples were taken.

CONGAREE FORMATION

Three samples of the Congaree Formation from the 

Millhaven test hole were examined; they came from 

between depths of 495.5 and 473.5 ft. Benthic foraminiferal 

species characteristic of middle Eocene strata in the Southeastern United States, such as Cibicides westi Howe, 

Siphonina claibornensis Cushman, Cancris involutus Copeland, and Guembelitria columbriana Howe occur in these 

samples. Bybell (this volume, chap. F) placed these Congaree samples in calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 14 (earliest 

middle Eocene).

Foraminiferal assemblages in the lower and upper 

Congaree samples suggest shallow-marine environments 

with water depths of approximately 100 ft. However, a considerably deeper water pulse with water depths of around 

300 ft is suggested by the assemblage in the middle sample 

at 481.5 ft.

The Congaree samples, which are placed in calcareous 

nannofossil Zone NP 14 by Bybell (this volume, chap. F), 

contain much greater amounts of sand-sized particles 

(mostly very fine to fine grained, with both quartz and glauconite being abundant) (table 1), than do the calcareous 

samples from the overlying Warley Hill Formation.

495.5 ft (middle Eocene).—The sample from 495.5 ft 

contains a moderately well preserved, moderately diverse 

benthic assemblage that contains a few adult planktonic 

specimens. The most common or diagnostic benthic taxa are 

Cibicides westi Howe, Cibicides sp., Gyroidinoides, Siphonma claibornensis Cushman, Eponides lotus (Schwager), and 

Anomalinoides umboniferus (Schwager). Siphonina claibornensis Cushman has its initial appearance in the Southeastern United States in strata placed in calcareous
FORAMINIFERA FROM THE MILLHAVEN AND MILLERS POND CORES, GEORGIA 19

nannofossil Zone NP 13 of the late early Eocene. This species survives into the late Eocene (Thomas Gibson, unpub. 

data). The joint occurrence of this species and C. westi 

Howe, which is characteristic of the middle Eocene, suggests a middle Eocene age for the sample. The assemblage 

suggests fairly shallow marine environments having water 

depths of approximately 100 ft.

481.5 ft (middle Eocene).—-The sample from 481.5 ft 

contains a moderately well preserved and moderately 

diverse benthic assemblage, and it also contains a moderate 

number of planktonic specimens. Benthic taxa include 

Gyroidina, Siphonina claibornensis Cushman, Cibicides 

westi Howe, Cibicides alleni (Plummer), Cibicidoides sp., 

Cancris involutus Copeland, Eponides lotus (Schwager), 

Trifarina, Bulimina, Bolivina, and Guembelitria columbiana Howe. Pseudohastigerina micro. (Cole) and Acarinina 

spp. compose the planktonic component. The presence of 

Cibicides westi Howe, Cancris involutus Copeland (which 

occurs in middle Eocene beds in North Carolina, Jones, 

1983), and Guembelitria columbiana Howe indicates a middle Eocene age. The composition of the benthic assemblage 

and the relative abundance and diversity of planktonic specimens, including the presence of common adult forms, suggest deposition in middle neritic environments with water 

depths of approximately 300 ft. This interpreted depth is 

significantly greater than that proposed for the underlying 

sample. This projected depth increase is accompanied by an 

increase in glauconite content to 45 percent of the sand fraction from 15 percent in the lower sample.

473.5 ft (middle Eocene).—Most specimens in the 

sample from 473.5 ft are recrystallized to a lesser or greater 

degree. The species diversity of the benthic assemblage is 

moderately low, and some planktonic specimens are 

present. Important benthic taxa include Cibicides westi 

Howe, Eponides lotus (Schwager), Eponides carolinensis 

Cushman, Bulimina, Bolivina, Lenticulina, and Valvulineria 

involuta Cushman and Dusenbury. The benthic assemblage, 

plus the occurrence of the planktonic species 

Pseudohastigerina micra (Cole), places this sample in the 

middle Eocene. The assemblage suggests deposition in 

water depths of approximately 100 ft or slightly deeper, 

which represents a considerable shallowing from the 

underlying sample. Glauconite remains an important 

constituent in the sample, but it is less abundant than in the 

underlying sample.

WARLEY HILL FORMATION

Four Warley Hill samples were examined between 

depths of 456 and 404 ft in the Millhaven core. Benthic foraminiferal species that are characteristic of middle Eocene 

strata in the Southeastern United States, such as Cibicides 

westi Howe and Guembelitria columbiana Howe, occur in

these samples. Bybell (this volume, chap. F) placed the 

Warley Hill in Zone NP 15 (early middle Eocene).

Foraminiferal assemblages in most of these samples 

suggest shallow-marine environments with water depths of 

approximately 100 ft with even shallower depths for the 

uppermost sample.

The Warley Hill samples from 413 and 404 ft are calcareous quartz sands, but they contain much more carbonate 

matrix and carbonate sand grains, less glauconite and 

quartz, and somewhat coarser sand grains than do samples 

in the quartz sand of the Congaree Formation. Shell fragments are present in large amounts in the uppermost sample 

at 404 ft, which supports the interpretation of very shallow 

marine environments for this interval.

456 ft (middle Eocene).—The specimens in the sample 

from 456 ft range from moderately well preserved to 

slightly recrystallized. Benthic species diversity is moderate, and there are some planktonic specimens. Benthic species found include Valvulineria involuta Cushman and 

Dusenbury, Eponides carolinensis Cushman, Eponides lotus 

(Schwager), Cibicides westi Howe, Gyroidinoides octocameratus (Cushman and Hanna), Hanzawaia, and Caucasina. 

These benthic taxa place this sample in the middle Eocene. 

The depositional environment had water depths around 100 

ft or slightly deeper.

426.5 ft (middle Eocene).—The foraminifers in the 

sample from 426.5 ft are moderately well preserved. The 

assemblage has a moderately low species diversity and contains a moderately low number of planktonic specimens. 

Important benthic taxa include Gyroidinoides octocameratus (Cushman and Hanna), Cibicides westi Howe, Eponides 

lotus (Schwager), Guembelitria columbiana Howe, and 

Caucasina. The benthic species suggest a middle Eocene 

age. The assemblage suggests deposition in water depths of 

approximately 100 ft or slightly deeper.

413ft (middle Eocene).—The sample from 413 ft contains a moderately diverse benthic assemblage in which 

most specimens are slightly recrystallized. A few planktonic 

specimens are present. Important benthic taxa present in the 

sample include Gyroidinoides octocameratus (Cushman and 

Hanna), Cancris involutus Copeland, Cibicides westi Howe, 

Valvulineria involuta Cushman and Dusenbury, Eponides 

lotus (Schwager), and Guembelitria columbiana Howe. 

These benthic species indicate a middle Eocene age for the 

sample. The assemblage suggests a depositional environment with water depths of approximately 100 ft.

404 ft (middle Eocene).—Most foraminifers in the 

sample from 404 ft are slightly recrystallized. The species 

diversity is moderately low. The benthic assemblage contains Cibicides westi Howe, Cibicides sp., Gyroidinoides 

octocamerata (Cushman and Hanna), Valvulineria involuta 

Cushman and Dusenbury, Eponides carolinensis Cushman, 

Eponides ouachitaensis Howe and Wallace, and Textularia. 

There are only a few planktonic specimens. The presence of 

C. westi Howe and other benthic species indicates a middle
no GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

Eocene age. The assemblage suggests warm, shallow-marine waters, probably within the shallower part of a 

0- to 100-ft depth range.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

Five samples were examined from the Santee Limestone, between the depths of 365 and 248 ft in the Millhaven 

core; all samples are placed by Bybell (this volume, chap. F) 

in calcareous nannofossil Zone NP 17 (upper middle 

Eocene). Most of these samples contain Cibicides westi 

Howe and Siphonina claibornensis Cushman; the co-occurrence of these benthic species is characteristic of middle 

Eocene strata in the Southeastern United States.

The lower three samples are from soft calcareous beds 

and contain a slightly recrystallized but diverse foraminiferal fauna that suggests water depths of 100 to 200 ft. Foraminifers in the upper two samples (limestone and 

calcareous sand) are highly recrystallized; the relatively few 

recognizable specimens suggest possibly slightly shallower 

water depths of 100 ft or less.

365 ft (late middle Eocene).—Most foraminifers in the 

sample from 365 ft are slightly recrystallized. A diverse 

benthic assemblage is present, including Pseudononion, 

Cibicides westi Howe, Cibicides sp., Siphonina claibornensis Cushman, Gyroidinoides octocameratus (Cushman and 

Hanna), Bolivina, Lagena, Textularia, Pyramidina, Trifarina, and Uvigerina. A moderate number of planktonic 

specimens are present, including Pseudohastigerina micra 

(Cole) and Cheiloguembelina. The foraminiferal assemblage suggests water depths of 100 to 200 ft. This assemblage is similar to those found in the two overlying samples 

of the Santee Limestone. These assemblages suggest 

slightly deeper water environments than those found in the 

underlying sample from the upper part of the Warley Hill 

Formation.

355 ft (late middle Eocene).—The foraminifers in the 

sample from 355 ft are slightly to moderately recrystallized. 

A diverse benthic assemblage similar to that of the underlying sample is present, along with a small to moderate proportion of planktonic specimens. Cibicides westi Howe, 

Pseudononion, Siphonina claibornensis Cushman, Gyroidinoides octocameratus (Cushman and Hanna), Pyramidina, 

and Lagena, are present among other benthic taxa. The 

assemblage suggests water depths of 100 to 200 ft.

346 ft (late middle Eocene).—The foraminifers in the 

sample from 346 ft range from moderately well preserved to 

slightly recrystallized. A diverse benthic assemblage 

includes Pseudononion, Cibicides westi Howe, Gyroidinoides octocameratus (Cushman and Hanna), Siphonina 

claibornensis Cushman, Valvulineria, Nonionella, Anomalinoides, Hanzawaia, Bolivina, Pararotalia, Trifarina, Textularia, Spiroplectammina, Guembelitria columbiana Howe, 

and Lagena. A small proportion of planktonic specimens is

present. This assemblage, as well as the underlying two, 

suggests water depths between 100 to 200 ft, which are 

slightly deeper than any interpreted for age-equivalent strata 

in the limited number of samples from the Millers Pond 

core.

307 ft (late middle Eocene).—Only a few highly 

recrystallized foraminifers are present in the sample from 

307 ft. Identifiable benthic taxa include Cibicides westi, 

Cibicides sp., Cibicidoides sp., Elphidium, and Nonion. The 

identifiable assemblage suggests shallow waters with depths 

of 0 to 100 ft.

248 ft (late middle Eocene).—A few highly recrystallized foraminifer specimens are present in the sample from 

248 ft. Cibicides and Quinqueloculina are the most abundant genera. No planktonic specimens or any age-diagnostic 

benthic taxa were recognized. The preserved assemblage 

suggests warm-water environments with depths of probably 

less than 100 ft.

BARNWELL UNIT

The lower sample examined from the Barnwell unit at 

219 ft in the Millhaven core did not contain foraminifers. 

The upper sample examined from the Barnwell unit is considered either latest Eocene or earliest Oligocene in age 

(Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

118ft (latest Eocene or earliest Oligocene).—The foraminifers in the sample from 118 ft are moderately to highly 

recrystallized. Cibicides is the most abundant benthic taxon, 

and lesser numbers of Siphonina, Gyroidinoides, and 

Eponides are present. A small proportion of adult planktonic foraminifers is present. No age-diagnostic taxa were 

noted. The assemblage suggests shallow-marine environments, probably in the deeper portion of the 0- to 100-ft 

depth interval.

MILLERS POND CORE

The continuously cored Millers Pond test hole (GGS3758, Burke 2) in Burke County, Ga. (fig. 1), penetrated 

Upper Cretaceous through upper Eocene deposits. The land 

surface elevation is 245 ft at the drill site. The site is located 

at lat 33°13'48" N., long 81°52'44" W. This test hole is in a 

more upbasin location than is the Millhaven test hole, and 

beds containing calcareous microfossils are much less 

numerous. Only three Cenozoic samples, between a depth 

of 148 and 82 ft, yielded foraminifers (table 2, fig. 3). Foraminifers in all three assemblages are moderately to highly 

recrystallized. The three samples are from strata placed in 

the Santee Limestone of middle Eocene age (Falls and 

Prowell, this volume, chap. A). The uppermost sample at 

82-83 ft is in carbonate-rich quartzose sand of the upper 

Three Runs Aquifer of Clarke and others (1994). The underlying samples from 148 ft and 120 ft are in carbonate-rich
FORAMINIFERA FROM THE MILLHAVEN AND MILLERS POND CORES, GEORGIA 111

Table 2. Sedimentary characteristics of foraminiferal samples from the Millers Pond core.

Sample depth (ft) Sedimentary characteristics

Santee Limestone

82-83—————— Carbonate-rich quartzose sand; 59 percent sand size by weight; quartz composes 75 percent of the sand-sized material with carbonate as the remainder; quartz is very angular to angular; echinoid spines present; no glauconite 

present, but there are trace amounts of red jasper and obsidian.

120——————— Carbonate sand; 77 percent sand size by weight, and all is carbonate; echinoid spines present; no glauconite present.

148——————— Calcareous silty sand; 93 percent sand size by weight; sand fraction mostly carbonate with only 5 percent angular to 

subangular quartz; no glauconite present, but there are trace amounts of obsidian and chalcopyrite.

and quartz-poor sediments of the lower confining unit of 

this aquifer system. The general lithologic nature of each 

sample and the most important foraminiferal components of 

each sample are given below. More detailed sedimentologic 

information is in table 2.

SANTEE LIMESTONE

Most foraminifers from the Santee Limestone in the 

Millers Pond core are moderately to highly recrystallized. 

The identifiable taxa suggest shallow-marine environments 

with water depths of 100 ft or shallower for the calcareous 

sediments of the three samples from the Santee Limestone. 

There is considerable variability in the proportion of quartz 

grains in these sands.

148ft (middle Eocene).—The sample from 148 ft is a 

calcareous, slightly silty sand that contains a small amount 

(5 percent) of quartz. Few foraminifers are present, and 

most of these are poorly preserved. The specimens mainly 

belong to several species of Cibicides (but C. westi Howe is 

not present) with a few poorly preserved miliolid specimens 

probably belonging to Quinqueloculina. No species known 

to be significant biostratigraphically were recognized in the 

assemblage.

Because of the poor state of preservation and the likely 

removal of some or many species of the original foraminiferal assemblage, little definitive interpretation of the paleoenvironments is possible. The species found in the sample 

are in keeping with a warm marine environment with water 

depths of less than 100 ft as found for the overlying two 

samples discussed below.

120 ft (middle Eocene).—The sample from 120 ft is a 

carbonate sand that does not contain quartz grains. Foraminiferal specimen preservation ranges from moderately to 

highly recrystallized. This assemblage contains more genera 

than noted in the overlying sample at 82-83 ft, but this 

higher diversity may reflect only the better preservation that 

is present in this sample. The dominant benthic forms 

belong to Hanzawaia and Cibicides, but the sample also 

contains Nonion, Elphidium, Bolivina, Lenticulina, Globocassidulina, Gyroidina, and Cibicides westi Howe. 

Pseudohastigerina micra (Cole) is the only planktonic species noted. Cibicides westi Howe is characteristic of middle 

Eocene strata in the Southeastern United States, being found 

in the Lisbon and Gosport Formations in Alabama (Bandy, 

1949), other middle Eocene strata in Georgia (Herrick, 

1961), and middle Eocene strata in North Carolina (Jones, 

1983). The presence of this species suggests a middle 

Eocene age for this sample.

The generic composition of the benthic foraminiferal 

assemblage and the presence of only a few planktonic specimens suggests shallow-marine, probably well-oxygenated 

depositional environments having water depths less than 

100 ft. The faunal similarity to Alabama middle Eocene faunas and the carbonate substrate suggest warm temperate to 

subtropical paleotemperatures. The abundance of Cibicides 

and Hanzawaia specimens and the presence of echinoid 

spines in the sample suggest a relatively firm substrate during deposition. The absence of glauconite in the sample may 

suggest moderately high sedimentation rates, as the apparently open marine conditions would not preclude glauconite 

formation, which was common in this time interval in other 

areas in the Southeastern United States.

82-83 ft (middle Eocene).—The sample from 82-83 ft 

is a carbonate-rich quartzose sand. The benthic assemblage 

is moderately to highly recrystallized, which makes it difficult to identify specimens to the species level. The benthic 

assemblage is dominated by taxa of Discorbis, Hanzawaia, 

Elphidium, Nonion, Cibicides, Cancris, and Textularia. The 

sample contains common specimens of Cibicides westi 

Howe, which is characteristic of middle Eocene strata, and 

Cancris involutus Copeland, which is found in middle 

Eocene beds in North Carolina (Jones, 1983). No planktonic 

specimens were noted.

The generic composition of the foraminiferal assemblage suggests a shallow-marine, probably well-oxygenated 

depositional environment having water depths less than 100 

ft, similar to that proposed for the underlying sample. A significant quartzose sand component is present in this sample 

in contrast with its absence in the underlying two samples. 

Its presence suggests possible shallowing of the marine
112 GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF FIVE CORES FROM SCREVEN AND BURKE COUNTIES, GEORGIA

environment or a change in the sediment source, transportation system, or energy level in the depositional regime of 

this interval.

CONCLUSIONS

Foraminiferal assemblages indicative of late early and 

early late Paleocene and middle Eocene ages are present in 

the more downbasin Millhaven test hole. A late early Paleocene age assignment for the lowest beds of the Ellenton 

Formation is based on the co-occurrence of planktonic foraminiferal taxa and calcareous nannofossil taxa. Early late 

Paleocene and middle Eocene age assignments are based on 

the ranges of benthic foraminiferal taxa in the Southeastern 

United States. More detailed age assignments of the strata 

on the basis of the foraminifers are not possible. This is 

because the ranges of most benthic taxa in terms of the 

intercontinental zonations, which are largely based upon 

planktonic microfossils, are not yet known, and diagnostic 

planktonic foraminiferal species are not present in most 

beds. Detailed age assignments of most foraminifer-bearing 

beds were possible, however, on the basis of the calcareous 

nannofossils (Bybell, this volume, chap. F).

In the Millhaven core, one sample from the Ellenton 

Formation contains both early Paleocene planktonic foraminiferal specimens and calcareous nannofossils diagnostic 

of the lower part of the upper Paleocene. The planktonic foraminifers apparently were derived during erosional removal 

of lower Paleocene strata in this area and reworked into the 

basal part of the lower upper Paleocene transgressive 

sequence. Lower Paleocene strata that are now eroded from 

this area apparently represent middle to outer neritic environments because the reworked assemblages are dominated 

by planktonic specimens. Similar situations of abundant 

deeper water lower Paleocene specimens being reworked 

into shallow-water lower upper Paleocene beds are also 

present in Atlantic Coastal Plain deposits in North Carolina 

and Virginia.

In the more upbasin Millers Pond core, foraminiferal 

assemblages were obtained only from the Santee Limestone. The assemblages contain benthic species characteristic of a middle Eocene age.

Most foraminifer-bearing beds examined in the two 

cores were deposited in inner neritic (0- to 100-ft water 

depth) to inner-middle neritic (100- to 200-ft water depth) 

environments. One interval in the Congaree Formation, in 

the early middle Eocene, at 481.5 ft, contains assemblages 

suggestive of deeper water environments with depths 

around 300 ft. Some intervals in the upper middle Eocene 

strata of the Santee Limestone in the more southeasterly, 

more downbasin Millhaven core suggest slightly deeper 

water environments (inner-middle neritic) than presumably 

coeval inner neritic strata of the Santee Limestone, which is 

found in the more northwesterly, more upbasin Millers Pond

core. This paleobathymetric interpretation suggests that the 

upbasin-downbasin relationship now present in these two 

cores is similar to that present during the middle Eocene.

Depositional environments generally had near-normal 

to normal oxygenation levels except for an interval in early 

late Paleocene time. This interval is represented by beds of 

the Ellenton Formation where high-nutrient and (or) 

low-oxygen environments were present as reflected by the 

benthic foraminiferal assemblage. The sediments in this 

interval, however, are bioturbated and contain some small 

clam shells, so oxidation levels were not so low as to preclude some bottom organic activity.

REFERENCES CITED

Bandy, O.L., 1949, Eocene and Oligocene Foraminifera from Little Stave Creek, Clarke County, Alabama: Bulletins of American Paleontology, v. 32, 210 p.

Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher, C.C., III, and Aubry, M.-P., 

1995, A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronosrratigraphy, in Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Aubry, M.-P, and Hardenbol, Jan, eds., Geochronology, time scales and global 

stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary 

Geology) Special Publication 54, p. 129-212.

Bybell, L.M., and Gibson, T.G., 1991, Calcareous nannofossils and 

foraminifers from Paleocene and Eocene strata in Maryland 

and Virginia, in Gibson, T.G., and Bybell, L.M., leaders, Paleocene-Eocene boundary sedimentation in the Potomac River 

Valley, Virginia and Maryland: I.G.C.P (International Geological Correlation Programme) Project 308 Field Trip Guidebook, p. 15-29.

Clarke, J.S., Falls, W.F., Edwards, L.E., Frederiksen, N.O., Bybell, 

L.M., Gibson, T.G., and Litwin, R.J., 1994 [1995], Geologic, 

hydrologic and water-quality data for a multi-aquifer system 

in coastal plain sediments near Millers Pond, Burke County, 

Georgia, 1992—93: Georgia Geologic Survey Information Circular 96, 34 p., 1 pi. in pocket.

Copeland, C.W., 1964, Eocene and Miocene Foraminifera from 

two localities in Duplin County, North Carolina: Bulletins of 

American Paleontology, v. 47, p. 209-324.

Gibson, T.G., 1988, Assemblage characteristics of modern benthic 

Foraminifera and application to environmental interpretation 

of Cenozoic deposits of eastern North America: Revue de 

Paleobiologie, special issue 2, p. 777-787.

————1989, Planktonic benthonic foraminiferal ratios—Modern 

patterns and Tertiary applicability: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 15, p. 29-52. 

-1992, Lithologic changes in fluvial to marine depositional

systems in Paleogene strata of Georgia and Alabama, in 

Gohn, G.S., ed., Proceedings of the 1988 U.S. Geological 

Survey Workshop on the Geology and Geohydrology of the 

Atlantic Coastal Plain: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1059, 

p. 109-113.

Gibson, T.G., Andrews, G.W., Bybell, L.M., Frederiksen, N.O., 

Hansen, Thor, Hazel, I.E., McLean, D.M., Witmer, R.J., and 

Van Nieuwenhuise, D.S., 1980, Biostratigraphy of the Tertiary strata of the core, in Geology of the Oak Grove core:
FORAMINIFERA FROM THE MILLHAVEN AND MILLERS POND CORES, GEORGIA 113

Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 20, pt. 2, 

p. 14-30.

Gibson, T.G., and Buzas, M.A., 1973, Species diversity: patterns in 

modern and Miocene Foraminifera of the eastern margin of 

North America: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 

84, p. 217-238.

Gibson, T.G., and Bybell, L.M., 1994, Paleogene stratigraphy of 

the Solomons Island, Maryland corehole: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 94-708, 39 p.

————1995, Sedimentary patterns across the Paleocene-Eocene 

boundary in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains of the 

United States: Societe Beige de Geologic Bulletin, v. 103, p. 

237-265.

Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Govoni, D.L., 1991, Paleocene 

and Eocene strata of the central Atlantic Coastal Plain, in 

Gibson, T.G., and Bybell, L.M., leaders, Paleocene-Eocene 

boundary sedimentation in the Potomac River Valley, Virginia 

and Maryland: I.G.C.P. (International Geological Correlation 

Programme) Project 308 Field Trip Guidebook, p. 1-13.

Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Owens, J.P., 1993, Latest Paleocene lithologic and biotic events in neritic deposits of southwestern New Jersey: Paleoceanography, v. 8, p. 495-514.

Gohn, G.S., 1988, Late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic geology of 

the Atlantic Coastal Plain: North Carolina to Florida, in 

Sheridan, R.E., and Grow, J.A., eds., The Atlantic continental 

margin; U.S., v. 1-2 o/The geology of North America: Boulder, Colo., Geological Society of America, p. 107-130.

Haq, B.U., Hardenbol, Jan, and Vail, PR., 1987, Chronology of 

fluctuating sea levels since the Triassic: Science, v. 235, p. 

1156-1167.

Herrick, S.M., 1961, Well logs of the coastal plain of Georgia: 

Georgia Geologic Survey Bulletin 70, 462 p.

Jones, G.D., 1983, Foraminiferal biostratigraphy and depositional 

history of the middle Eocene rocks of the coastal plain of 

North Carolina: North Carolina Geological Survey Section 

Special Publication 8, 80 p., 16 pis.

Martini, Erlend, 1971, Standard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareous nannoplankton zonation: Planktonic Conference, 2d, 

Rome, 1969, Proceedings, p. 739-785.

Murray, J.W., 1991, Ecology and palaeoecology of benthic Foraminifera: New York, John Wiley & Sons, 397 p.

Nogan, D.S., 1964, Foraminifera, stratigraphy, and paleoecology 

of the Aquia Formation of Maryland and Virginia: Cushman 

Foundation for Foraminiferal Research Special Publication 7, 

50 p.

Olsson, R.K., and Wise, S.W., Jr., 1987, Upper Paleocene to middle Eocene depositional sequences and hiatuses in the New 

Jersey Atlantic margin: Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research Special Publication 24, p. 99-112.

Poag, C.W., 1989, Foraminiferal stratigraphy and paleoenvironments of Cenozoic strata cored near Haynesville, Virginia, 

chap. D o/Mixon, R.B., ed., Geology and paleontology of the 

Haynesville cores—Northeastern Virginia Coastal Plain: U.S. 

Geological Survey Professional Paper 1489, 20 p, 5 pis.

Toumarkine, Monique, and Luterbacher, Hanspeter, 1985, Paleocene and Eocene Foraminifera, in Bolli, H.M., Saunders, 

J.B., and Perch-Nielsen, Katharina, eds., Plankton stratigraphy: New York, Cambridge University Press, p. 87-154.

PLATE 1
PLATE 1

[Illustrated specimens are from the indicated depths in the Millhaven core, Screven County, Georgia. All 

specimens are benthic except for Globoconusa daitbjergensis. USNM, U.S. National Museum of Natural 

History, Washington, D.C.]

Figure 1. Nodogenerina plummerae (Cushman), USNM 493350 (628.7 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, side view (x 85).

2. Pseudanodosaria tenuistriata (Franke), USNM 493351 (628.7 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, side view (x 42).

3. Globoconusa daubjergensis (Bronnimann), USNM 493352 (631.3 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, spiral view (x 292).

4. Globoconusa daubjergensis (Bronnimann), USNM 493353 (631.3 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, side view (x 256).

5. Pyramidina virginiana (Cushman), USNM 493354 (593.7 ft), Ellenton Formation, 

side view (x 228).

6. Pulsiphonina prima (Plummer), USNM 493355 (631.3 ft), Ellenton Formation, 

spiral view (x 148).

7. Pulsiphonina prima (Plummer), USNM 493356 (628.7 ft), Ellenton Formation, 

umbilical view (x 182).

8. Siphonina daibornensis Cushman, USNM 493357 (355 ft), Santee Limestone, 

umbilical view (x 104).

9. Cibicides compressus Olsson, USNM 493358 (631.3 ft), Ellenton Formation, spiral

view (x 148).

10, 11. Cibicides compressus Olsson, USNM 493359 (631.3 ft), Ellenton Formation; 10, 

side view (x 149); 11, umbilical view (x 148).

12. Cibicides neelyi Jennings, USNM 493360 (631.3 ft), Ellenton Formation, umbilical 

view (x 91).

13. Pararotaliaperclara (Loeblich and Tappan), USNM 493361 (628.7 ft), Ellenton 

Formation, spiral view (x 287).

14. Pararotalia perclara (Loeblich and Tappan), USNM 493362 (628.7 ft), Ellenton

Formation, umbilical view (x 297).

15, 16. Cibicides westi Howe, USNM 493363 (355 ft), Santee Limestone; 15, umbilical 

view (x 170); 16, side view (x 174).
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1603-1, PLATE 1

NODOGENERINA, PSEUDONODOSARIA, GLOBOCONUSA, PYRAMIDINA, PULSIPHONINA, 

SIPHONINA, CIBICIDES, AND PARAROTALIA

* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 2001 — 673-049 / 30019 Region No. 8

Selected Series of U.S. Geological Survey Publications

Books and Other Publications

Professional Papers report scientific data and interpretations 

of lasting scientific interest that cover all facets of USGS investigations and research.

Bulletins contain significant data and interpretations that are of 

lasting scientific interest but are generally more limited in 

scope or geographic coverage than Professional Papers.

Water-Supply Papers are comprehensive reports that present 

significant interpretive results of hydrologic investigations of 

wide interest to professional geologists, hydrologists, and engineers. The series covers investigations in all phases of hydrology, including hydrogeology, availability of water, quality of 

water, and use of water.

Circulars are reports of programmatic or scientific information 

of an ephemeral nature; many present important scientific 

information of wide popular interest. Circulars are distributed 

at no cost to the public.

Fact Sheets communicate a wide variety of timely information 

on USGS programs, projects, and research. They commonly 

address issues of public interest. Fact Sheets generally are two 

or four pages long and are distributed at no cost to the public.

Reports in the Digital Data Series (DDS) distribute large 

amounts of data through digital media, including compact discread-only memory (CD-ROM). They are high-quality, interpretive publications designed as self-contained packages for viewing and interpreting data and typically contain data sets, 

software to view the data, and explanatory text.

Water-Resources Investigations Reports are papers of an 

interpretive nature made available to the public outside the formal USGS publications series. Copies are produced on request 

(unlike formal USGS publications) and are also available for 

public inspection at depositories indicated in USGS catalogs.

Open-File Reports can consist of basic data, preliminary 

reports, and a wide range of scientific documents on USGS 

investigations. Open-File Reports are designed for fast release 

and are available for public consultation at depositories.

Maps

Geologic Quadrangle Maps (GQ's) are multicolor geologic 

maps on topographic bases in 7.5- or 15-minute quadrangle 

formats (scales mainly 1:24,000 or 1:62,500) showing bedrock, 

surficial, or engineering geology. Maps generally include brief 

texts; some maps include structure and columnar sections only.

Geophysical Investigations Maps (GP's) are on topographic 

or planimetric bases at various scales. They show results of 

geophysical investigations using gravity, magnetic, seismic, or 

radioactivity surveys, which provide data on subsurface structures that are of economic or geologic significance.

Miscellaneous Investigations Series Maps or Geologic 

Investigations Series (I's) are on planimetric or topographic 

bases at various scales; they present a wide variety of format 

and subject matter. The series also incudes 7.5-minute quadrangle photogeologic maps on planimetric bases and planetary 

maps.

Information Periodicals

Metal Industry Indicators (Mil's) is a free monthly newsletter that analyzes and forecasts the economic health of five 

metal industries with composite leading and coincident 

indexes: primary metals, steel, copper, primary and secondary 

aluminum, and aluminum mill products.

Mineral Industry Surveys (MIS's) are free periodic statistical 

and economic reports designed to provide timely statistical data 

on production, distribution, stocks, and consumption of significant mineral commodities. The surveys are issued monthly, 

quarterly, annually, or at other regular intervals, depending on 

the need for current data. The MIS's are published by commodity as well as by State. A series of international MIS's is also 

available.

Published on an annual basis. Mineral Commodity Summaries is the earliest Government publication to furnish estimates 

covering nonfuel mineral industry data. Data sheets contain 

information on the domestic industry structure, Government 

programs, tariffs, and 5-year salient statistics for more than 90 

individual minerals and materials.

The Minerals Yearbook discusses the performance of the 

worldwide minerals and materials industry during a calendar 

year, and it provides background information to assist in interpreting that performance. The Minerals Yearbook consists of 

three volumes. Volume I, Metals and Minerals, contains chapters about virtually all metallic and industrial mineral commodities important to the U.S. economy. Volume II, Area Reports: 

Domestic, contains a chapter on the minerals industry of each 

of the 50 States and Puerto Rico and the Administered Islands. 

Volume III, Area Reports: International, is published as four 

separate reports. These reports collectively contain the latest 

available mineral data on more than 190 foreign countries and 

discuss the importance of minerals to the economies of these 

nations and the United States.

Permanent Catalogs

"Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1879-1961" 

and "Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1962- 

1970" are available in paperback book form and as a set of 

microfiche.

"Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1971-1981" is

available in paperback book form (two volumes, publications 

listing and index) and as a set of microfiche.

Annual supplements for 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 

subsequent years are available in paperback book form.