Palynology and age of South Hospah coal-bearing deposits, McKinley County, New Mexico

Abstract

Ninety-four samples from four core sections in the South Hospah coal-bearing deposits, McKinley County, New Mexico, yielded a rich palynomorph assemblage. One hundred and seventy-two species assigned to 91 form genera of spores, gymnospermous pollen, and angiospermous pollen are described in this paper. Two new genera, eight new species, nine new combinations, and two new ranks are proposed. One hundred and fourteen of the described palynomorphs are either stratigraphically restricted to the Cretaceous System, or their oldest reported occurrence is in the Cretaceous. The palynomorph assemblages indicate a Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) age for the South Hospah deposits. Assignment of these strata to the Menefee Formation is appropriate according to palynological evidence. The source of some of the clastic material in the South Hospah deposits can be interpreted based on the occurrence of palynomorphs recycled from older strata.