The practicality of vertical cephalopod shells as paleobathymetric markers

Research Article| September 01, 1983 The practicality of vertical cephalopod shells as paleobathymetric markers REX E. CRICK REX E. CRICK 1Department of Geology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information REX E. CRICK 1Department of Geology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1983) 94 (9): 1109–1116. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1983)94<1109:TPOVCS>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation REX E. CRICK; The practicality of vertical cephalopod shells as paleobathymetric markers. GSA Bulletin 1983;; 94 (9): 1109–1116. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1983)94<1109:TPOVCS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The depth to which an intact coiled cephalopod shell will sink with its plane of symmetry vertical is related to shell geometry. Equations that relate shell geometry to physical constants of pressure, sea-water density, and gravity yield the maximum depth of stable verticality of a shell. Water depths calculated from the geometries of vertical shells of Cymatoceras hilli (Shattuck), Drakeoceras drakei Young, and Mortoniceras wintoni (Adkins) from the Fort Worth Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Albian) of north-central Texas are used to reconstruct a portion of the paleobathymetry of the East Texas Embayment during late Fort Worth time. The maximum water depth to which shells with these geometries would have sunk with the plane of symmetry vertical range from 1.6 m for the least stable shell geometry (D. drakei) to 2.6 m for the most stable shell geometry (C. hilli). Water depths were deeper than 2.6 m at localities where no vertical shells were observed and shells with the plane of symmetry horizontal showed no evidence of being reworked from the vertical orientation. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.