Sheepbed Formation

The Sheepbed Formation is a geologic formation in Northwest Territories, which is dominated by shale despoits, and capped by a layer of dolostone.^[1]

Sheepbed Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ediacaran 632.6 Ma[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Formation
Unit of	Rackla Group[1]
Sub-units	Lower and Upper Member
Underlies	Nadaleen Formation[1]
Overlies	Cliff Creek Formation[1]
Thickness	400 metres (1,300 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Shale[1]
Other	Dolostone[1]
Location
Region	Northwest Territories
Country	Canada

History

In 1989, a paper by Aitken was published describing the discovery of the fossil genus Kullingia in the then 'Upper-most Sheepbed Formation'.^[2] Further discoveries were made a year later in 1990 by Narbonne & Aitken, ranging from Charniodiscus to Sekwia.^[3]

Although in 2013 and 2014, studies found that this fossiliferous unit was in fact not a part of the Sheepbed Formation, due to the coarser nature of the shales, and is separated from the Sheepbed Formation by major regional sequence boundary, marked by large channel fills. As such, it is noted this strata, previously referred to as the "June Beds" and now formally known as the Nadaleen Formation,^[1] is younger in age than the Sheepbed Formation. As such, there are currently no known fossils from within Sheepbed.^[4][5]

See also

• Earth sciences portal
• Canada portal
• Paleontology portal

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Northwest Territories