Geological setting of vertebrate microfossil localities across the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

The Frenchman and Ravenscrag formations of southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, record an apparently continuous sequence of nonmarine clastic sediments across the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary. Extensive exposures of these fossil-rich sediments occur in the Frenchman River Valley, near the towns of Ravenscrag, Eastend, and Shaunavon, and have been a focus of study since the 1970s. Despite this long history of investigation, a comprehensive account of the geographic and stratigraphic positions of many of the significant fossil localities has yet to be published. Given this state of affairs, the goals of this paper are to (i) document the geographic locations, stratigraphic positions, and lithologies of 11 key vertebrate microfossil localities, including several new localities that have been recently discovered, and (ii) provide an update on the status of these fossil localities, the majority of which have not been sampled in the last 20 years. Four fossil localities are known from the lower Paleocene Ravenscrag Formation, all of which are Puercan in age: Rav W-1 (Pu2), French Fry (Pu1), Croc Pot (?Pu2), and Pine Cree (?Pu2). With the exception of Rav W-1, which has since been lost as a consequence of quarry reclamation, all of the Ravenscrag Formation localities remain accessible and continue to be productive. Seven vertebrate microfossil localities from the upper Maastrichtian Frenchman Formation are reported here, all of which are Lancian in age: Long Fall, Fr-1, By Gar Gap, Hairpin, Wounded Knee, Wounded C, and Gryde. With the exception of Long Fall and Wounded Knee, which have been lost through reclamation or construction, all of the Frenchman Formation localities are accessible and remain productive.