Oxfordian ammonites of the Pinar del Rio province (western Cuba); their revision and stratigraphical significance

Abstract

The revision of classical ammonite fauna of the Cuban Oxfordian, from the Jagua Vieja Member of the Jagua Fm. of the Sierra de los Organos, and from Francisco Fm. of the Sierra del Rosario shows that these ammonites belong to the following genera and subgenera: Vinalespinctes Spath (Vinalesphinctes. Subvinalesphinctes subgen. n., Roigites subgen. n.), Perisphinctes Waagen (Cubasphinctes Chudoley & Furrazola, Antilloceras subgen. n.), Discosphinctes Dacque, Euaspidoceras Spath, Ochetoceras Haug, Cubaochetoceras Arkell and Glochiceras Hyatt (Glochiceras). This assemblage is of Middle Oxfoidian age, Gregoryceras transversarium and possibly early Perisphinctes bifurcatus age. It became the basis for the time-correlation between the Oxfordian sections of the Sierra de los Organos and the Sierra del Rosario. The Zacarias Member, a new lithostratigraphic unit is distinguished within the Jagua Fm., and it is regarded as a facies equivalent of the Azucar (= Pan) Member. The Oxfordian ammonite fauna from Cuba is dose to the other faunas of the Americas (except the Boreal regions). The paleobiogeographic position of all these faunas within the Tethyan realm is subsequently discussed.