The Latham Shale is a geologic formation in California. It contains some of the most important examples of Lower Cambrian trilobites in the world. Fossils of 12 different species of trilobite and 9 other Cambrian invertebrates, including articulate brachiopods and Anomalocaris appendages, have been found in the formation. Fossil veins are so thick that in certain places nearly every rock contains trilobite fossils, making it a destination for trilobite collectors worldwide.[1] Oncolite fossils are also found in significant quantities.[2][3]
| Latham Shale | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Cambrian | |
 | |
| Type | Geologic formation |
| Overlies | Prospect Mountain Quartzite |
| Thickness | 15–24 metres (49–79 ft) |
| Location | |
| Region | San Bernardino County, California |
| Country | United States |
Due to the fragmentary nature of most trilobites found in the formation, it may represent a trilobite molting ground or just an area where ocean currents brought dead trilobite exoskeletons. Latham shale is the primary rock formation in the southern Marble Mountains of the Mojave Desert where it is found in deposits 15–24 metres (49–79 ft) thick.[1][4][5]
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b "Latham Shale - California Dreamin'". American Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024.
- ^ Waggoner, Ben (8 July 2000). "The Marble Mountains". University of California Berkeley. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
- ^ "Trilobites In The Marble Mountains, Mojave Desert, California". inyo.coffeecup.com. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
- ^ Norris, Robert M.; Webb, Robert W. (1990). Geology of California (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. p. 244. ISBN 0-471-50980-9.
- ^ Sylvester, Arthur Gibss; O'Black Gans, Elizabeth (June 2021). Roadside Geology of Southern California. Mountain Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-87842-653-9.
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