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Hall Lake Formation

Coordinates: 33°12′N 107°06′W / 33.2°N 107.1°W / 33.2; -107.1
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Hall Lake Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous, CampanianMaastrichtian
~83.5–66.0 Ma
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofMcRae Group
UnderliesJose Creek Member[1]
Overlies"Quaternary-Tertiary basalt flows and alluvium"
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone, "shale", sandstone
Location
Coordinates33°12′N 107°06′W / 33.2°N 107.1°W / 33.2; -107.1
Approximate paleocoordinates40°30′N 81°06′W / 40.5°N 81.1°W / 40.5; -81.1
RegionNew Mexico
CountryUnited States
Hall Lake Formation is located in the United States
Hall Lake Formation
Hall Lake Formation
Hall Lake Formation (the United States)
Hall Lake Formation is located in New Mexico
Hall Lake Formation
Hall Lake Formation
Hall Lake Formation (New Mexico)

The Hall Lake Formation, formerly called the Hall Lake Member, is a geological formation in Sierra County, New Mexico preserving Lancian fauna, most notably dinosaurs. It is regarded as a member of the McRae Group, including the Elephant Butte and Staton-LaPoint locales.[2]

Description

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While most estimates place it firmly within the Lancian fauna, specifically using taxa such as Compsemys as index fossils to recover a Campanian-Maastrichtian age,[3] Lozinsky et al. (1984) note the presence of basalt flows and alluvium dating to the Quaternary-Tertiary.

It overlooks the Jose Creek Member and is composed of purple and maroon shales. When they meet, it is marked by a basal conglomerate or a color distinction where conglomerate is absent. Various Cenozoic units overly the formation. Where some choose to classify these layers as a member of the McRae Formation,[4] others classify it as a distinct formation in a group of formations.[5]

Fossil content

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Dinosaurs

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Saurischians

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Genus Species Locality Material Notes References Images
Tyrannosauridae indet. Staton-LaPoint
  • TKM001, dorsal vertebral centrum
Lozinsky et al. (1984) call it indeterminate [4]
Tyrannosaurus T. mcraeensis Elephant Butte (upper)
  • NMMNH P-3698, a partial skull, lower jaw bones, teeth, and chevrons
[6]
Alamosaurus sp. upper
  • TKM007, a damaged humerus
Tentative referral [5][4]
Sauropoda Possibly from the Jose Creek Member [7]
Theropoda

Ornithischians

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Taxon Locality Material Notes References Images
Triceratops sp. 2 miles south of Elephant Butte
  • USNM 243, dorsal vertebral centrum
This genus, Torosaurus or a novel taxon [2][4]
Sierraceratops turneri Elephant Butte (lower)
  • Partial skeleton with skull
[5]
Ceratopsidae Elephant Butte (upper)
  • TKM002, a coranoid
  • TKM020, crest fragment[4]
A new genus similar to Torosaurus is said to exist above the base of the formation [3]
Elephant Butte (lower) Indeterminate, in abundance
Torosaurus sp. Elephant Butte (upper)?
Hadrosauridae cannot be determined Indeterminate and of unknown origins due to faulting or Quaternary cover
Ankylosauria
  • TKM011, pyramidal bone fragment
Possibly from the Jose Creek Member, near identical from UNM-FKK-001P of the Kirtland Formation [7][4]

Reptiles

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Taxon Locality Material Notes References
Testudinata Elephant Butte (upper) [2]
Crocodylia
Compsemys Index fossils suggesting a Lancian age [3]
Bothremydidae

Plants

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Genus Species Locality Notes References
Tracheophyta indet. 2 miles south of Elephant Butte [2]
Sabalites sp. Possibly from the Jose Creek Member [7]
Sequoia
Sabal
Araucarites
Viburnum
Cinnamomum
Exnelumbites
Phyllites
Ficus
Salix

References

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  1. ^ Amato, Jeffrey M.; Mack, Greg H.; Jonell, Tara N.; Seager, William R.; Upchurch, Garland R. (2017-05-11). "Onset of the Laramide orogeny and associated magmatism in southern New Mexico based on U-Pb geochronology". Geological Society of America Bulletin: B31629.1. doi:10.1130/B31629.1. ISSN 0016-7606.
  2. ^ a b c d Vigla Formation at Paleobiodb.org
  3. ^ a b c Lucas, Spencer G.; Dalman, Sebastian; Lichtig, Asher J.; Elrick, Scott; Nelson, W. John; Krainer, Karl (2017). "Stratigraphy and Age of the Dinosaur-Dominated Fossil Assemblage of the Upper Cretaceous Hall Lake Member of the Mcrae Formation, Sierra County, New Mexico". New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting. New Mexico Geological Society, 2017 Annual Spring Meeting, Proceedings Volume, Theme: "Uranium in New Mexico: The Resource and the Legacy". doi:10.56577/SM-2017.479.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lozinsky, Richard P.; Hunt, Adrian P.; Wolberg, Donald L.; Lucas, Spencer G. (1984). "Late Cretaceous (Lancian) dinosaurs from the McRae Formation, Sierra County, New Mexico". New Mexico Geology. 6 (4): 72–77. doi:10.58799/NMG-v6n4.72. ISSN 2837-6420. S2CID 237011797.
  5. ^ a b c Dalman, Sebastian G.; Lucas, Spencer G.; Jasinski, Steven E.; Longrich, Nicholas R. (2022). "Sierraceratops turneri, a new chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the Hall Lake Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of south-central New Mexico". Cretaceous Research. 130: 105034. Bibcode:2022CrRes.13005034D. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105034. S2CID 244210664.
  6. ^ Dalman, Sebastian G.; Loewen, Mark A.; Pyron, R. Alexander; Jasinski, Steven E.; Malinzak, D. Edward; Lucas, Spencer G.; Fiorillo, Anthony R.; Currie, Philip J.; Longrich, Nicholas R. (2024-01-11). "A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism". Scientific Reports. 13 (1): 22124. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-47011-0. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10784284. PMID 38212342.
  7. ^ a b c "McRae, Sierra County, New Mexico, USA" at mindat.org