Testing the congruence of the macrofossil versus microfossil record in the Turonian–Coniacian boundary succession of the Wagon Mound–Springer composite section (NE New Mexico, USA)

Abstract

The Turonian–Coniacian boundary succession from the Wagon Mound–Springer composite section in the US Western Interior shows a virtually identical macrofaunal record to that revealed in the proposed candidate Coniacian GSSP in the Salzgitter-Salder–Słupia Nadbrzeżna composite section in central Europe, with easy identification in both regions of the base of the Coniacian Stage, as defined by the first appearance of the inoceramid bivalve species, Cremnoceramus deformis erectus (Meek). The macrofaunal boundary definition is additionally confirmed by foraminiferal and nannofossil data, demonstrating the high potential of the inoceramid marker for the base of the Coniacian. The former claims concerning distinct diachroneity between macrofossil and microfossil dates in the trans-Atlantic correlations, resulted from methodological deficiencies, and have no factual basis.