An Early Cretaceous stratigraphic marker fossil in the High Arctic: the belemnite Arctoteuthis bluethgeni

• Published in: Geological magazine Vol. 157; no. 10; pp. 1715 - 1728
• Main Authors: Alsen, Peter, Jelby, Mads E., Śliwińska, Kasia K., Mutterlose, Jörg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2020
• Subjects: Arctic region; Arctoteuthis; Arctoteuthis bluethgeni; assemblages; Belemnitida; Belemnitidae; Belemnoidea; biostratigraphy; Bohemanflya; Cephalopoda; clastic rocks; Coasts; Coleoidea; Cretaceous; Fossil animals; Fossils; index fossils; invertebrate; Lower Cretaceous; marker beds; Mesozoic; Mollusca; mudstone; Myklegardfjellet; Original Article; Paleontology; Rurikfjellet Formation; sedimentary rocks; Spitsbergen; Stratigraphy; Svalbard; taxonomy; Wimanfjellet Member; Canada; Arctic region; Svalbard; Wimanfjellet Member; Rurikfjellet Formation; Belemnite; curved rostra
• ISSN: 0016-7568; 1469-5081
• DOI: 10.1017/S0016756819000803

The original description of the large and characteristic belemnite species Arctoteuthis bluethgeni Doyle was based on fragmentary material from a relatively uncertain stratigraphic interval in Kong Karls Land, Svalbard. Recent collection of a belemnite assemblage in the Lower Cretaceous Rurikfjellet Formation on Spitsbergen include numerous complete specimens, allowing a detailed description of the species. With the exception of a specimen reported from Arctic Canada, its distribution is restricted to Svalbard. Its stratigraphic range appears to be restricted to the upper Valanginian – lower Hauterivian from ages obtained from palynostratigraphy. A. bluethgeni is therefore considered to be a useful Lower Cretaceous guide fossil in the Boreal High Arctic.