Deep Spring Formation

The Deep Spring Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada. It preserves fossils dating back to the Ediacaran and Cambrian periods, like Wutubus and Elainabella.^[3][4] It is also currently the only known Ediacaran Lagerstätten in the Southwestern United States.^[3]

Deep Spring Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ediacaran - Cambrian 540–527 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N [1]
Type	Geological Formation
Sub-units	Dunfee, Esmeralda and Gold Point Members
Underlies	Campito Formation[2]
Overlies	Reed Dolomite[2]
Thickness	549 m (1800 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Limestone
Other	Quartzite, Siltstone
Location
Region	Nevada
Country	United States

Paleobiota

The first organism to be described from the Deep Spring Formation in 2014 was Elainabella in the Esmeralda Member, an enigmatic alga with similarities to green algae, suggesting that part of the formation was at one point a shallow marine environment or a microbial reef community.^[4] More organisms would be described in 2016, most of which are ichnogenus' like Planolites, and even some tubular forms, like Wutubus, expanding not only the stratigraphic range of some of these forms, but also their biogeographic range.^[3]

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.

Paleobiota
Genus	Species	Notes	Images
Costatubus[5]	C. bibendi	Tubular fossil, first occurrence in this formation and new species.
Conotubus	Conotubus sp.	Non-biomineral tubular fossil.
Gaojiashania	Gaojiashania sp.	Worm-like organism.
Saarina[5]	S. hagadorni	Tubular fossil, first occurrence in this formation and new species.
Wutubus	W. annularis	Tubular fossil.
Elainabella[4]	E. deepspringensis	Enigmatic filamentous multicellular alga.
Bergaueria?	Bergaueria sp.	Resting place of Cnidarians.
Neonereites?	Neonereites sp.	Burrows.
Planolites	Planolites sp.	Burrows.
Scolicia?	Scolicia sp.	Burrows.

See also

• Earth sciences portal
• United States portal
• Paleontology portal

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nevada
• Paleontology in Nevada