Article: Upper Cenomanian ammonites from Anjou and the Vendée, Western France
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume:
24
Part:
1
Publication Date:
January
1981
Page(s):
25
–
84
Author(s):
W. J. Kennedy, P. Juignet and J. M. Hancock
Abstract
Revision of the Upper Cenomanian ammonites from Anjou and the Vendee in Western France including those described by A. de Grossouvre (1912), shows that two faunas are present. A lower assemblage including Pseudocalycoceras? cf. lattense (Thomel), Thomelites aff. sornayi (Thomel), and rare Calycoceras naviculare (Mantell) comes from the Marnes a Ostracees, and can be correlated with similar faunas in Sarthe, the Paris Basin, and southern England. Above, the Sables a Catopygus obtusus yields Sciponoceras gracile (Shumard), Metengonoceras dumbli (Cragin), Proplacenticeras cf. memoriaschloenbachi (Laube and Bruder), Forbesiceras group of largilliertianum (d'Orbigny), common Calycoceras naviculare and Metoicoceras geslinianum (d'Orbigny). This latter fauna can be traced widely in north-western Europe and is equivalent to that of the Plenus Marls of the Anglo-Paris Basin. Elsewhere it is known from Africa and Japan and matches the fauna of the North American Sciponoceras gracile Zone. A complete revision of the European species of Metoicoceras is given; M. gourdoni and four other species described by de Grossouvre are shown to be synonyms of M. geslinianum, as are five of the North American species, including the zonal index M. whitei Hyatt.