Current Taxonomic Status of Late Cretaceous Ammonoid Species from the Western Interior Seaway Assigned to the Family Baculitidae (Ancyloceratina: Turrilitaceae)
Jonathan R. Hendricks
Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York
Note: Names in green are accepted; names in red are synonyms. Return to main list here. This page was last updated October 16, 2017.
Class Cephalopoda
Order Ammonoidea Zittel, 1884
Suborder Ancyloceratina Wiedmann, 1966
Duration: Lower Tithonian to Upper Maastrichtian (Source: Wright et al., 1996).
Superfamily Turrilitaceae Gill, 1871
Duration: Lower Albian to Upper Maastrichtian (Source: Wright et al., 1996).
Family Baculitidae Gill, 1871
Duration: Upper Albian to Upper Maastrichtian (Source: Wright et al., 1996).
Genus Baculites Lamarck, 1799
Type species: Baculites vertebralis Lamarck, 1801
Duration: Upper Turonian to Upper Maastrichtian (Wright et al., 1996).
PaleoDB taxon number: 14603.
Baculites asper Meek, 1876 = Baculites asperiformis Meek, 1876
Reason for equivalency: junior synonym (see Cobban, 1962).
Baculites asperiformis Meek, 1876
Original presentation: Baculites asperiformis
Original publication: Meek. 1876. [p. 405, pl. 39, figs. 10a, d].
Lectotype: USNM 178a.
Type horizon: “Eagle and Claggett Formations” (Cobban, 1962, p. 711).
Type locality: Judith River, Montana (Cobban, 1962).
Other specimens: USNM 178b (paratype), USNM 131015a-f, USNM 13106a,b.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Pakowki Formation (Alberta) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Claggett Shale (MT) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (Sharon Springs Member) (SD) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (Sharon Springs Member) (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (lower part) (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (lower part) (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Mancos Shale (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Steele Shale (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Cody Shale (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Zonation: Baculites asperiformis Zone, Upper Campanian (Cobban et al., 2006).
PaleoDB taxon number: 130338.
Synonyms: Baculites asperoides Meek and Hayden, 1861 (nomen nudum, Cobban, 1962); Baculites asper Meek, 1876 (junior synonym, Cobban, 1962).
References: Cobban (1962), Cobban et al. (2006).
Origin of name: “Latin, asper, rough, forma, shape” (Cobban et al., 2006, p. 30).
Baculites asperoides Meek and Hayden, 1861 = Baculites asperiformis Meek, 1876
Reason for equivalency: nomen nudum (see Cobban, 1962).
Baculites baculus Meek and Hayden, 1861
Original presentation:
Original publication: Meek and Hayden. 1861.
Holotype: USNM 1916.
Type locality: “near Glenrock, Wyo.” (Gill and Cobban, 1973).
Type horizon: Fox Hills Sandstone (Gill and Cobban, 1973).
Other specimens:
WIS occurrences:
Maastrichtian: Fox Hills Sandstone (Gill and Cobban, 1973).
Other occurrences: “a migrant from the Gulf coastal area” (Gill and Cobban, 1973, p. 10).
PaleoDB taxon number: 130774.
References: Gill and Cobban (1973); Cobban et al. (2006).
Origin of name: “Latin, baculum, rod or staff” (Cobban et al., 2006, p. 30).
Remarks: This species … a migrant from the Gulf coastal area, is characterized by its large size, circular to broadly ovate section, broad arcuate flank ribs, and suture much like that of pre-gregoryensis baculites … . The holotype, from the Fox Hills Sandstone near Glenrock, Wyo., was illustrated by Meek (1876, text figs. 51, 52) .
Baculites clinolobatus Elias, 1933
Baculites columna Morton, 1834
Original presentation: Baculites columna
Original publication. Morton. 1834. [p. 44, pl. 19, fig. 8].
Syntypes: ANSP 72867 (5 specimens) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Type locality: Prairie Bluff, Alabama (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Type horizon: Prairie Bluff Chalk (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Other specimens: BHI 2035.
WIS occurrences:
Maastrichtian: Fox Hills Formation (Timber Lake Member) (SD) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Maastrichtian: Fox Hills Formation (Trail City Member) (SD) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Other occurrences: Prairie Bluff Chalk (AL) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992); Prairie Bluff Chalk (MS) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992); Corsicana Fm. (TX) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992); “Maastrichtian of the San Joaquin Valley, California” (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992, p. 683).
Reference: Cobban and Kennedy (1992).
Baculites compressus Say, 1820
Original presentation: Baculites compressa
Original publication: Say. 1820. [p. 41].
Types: “Morton’s types were from the Pierre Shale near or at the Great Bend of the Missouri River below Fort Pierre, S. Dak.” (Cobban et al., 1992).
Other specimens: USNM 449794-449797.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Pierre Shale (CO) (Cobban et al., 1992).
Zonation: Baculites compressus Zone, Upper Campanian (73.52 +/- 0.39 Ma) (Cobban et al., 2006).
PaleoDB taxon number: 130325.
References: Cobban et al. (1992).
Diagnosis: “A moderately large species that has a compressed whorl section, smooth flanks in most growth stages, a smooth or weakly ribbed venter, and a complex suture characterized by the terminal branches of the lateral lobe being almost pinched off” (Cobban et al., 1992, p. A7).
Baculites cuneatus Cobban, 1962
Original presentation: Baculites cuneatus
Original publication: Cobban, W. A. 1962. New baculites from the Bearpaw Shale and equivalent rocks of the Western Interior. Journal of Paleontology 36(1): 126-135. [pp. 127-129, pl. 25, figs. 1-8, text-fig. 1b].
Holotype: USNM 108966.
Type locality: Big Horn County, Montana.
Type horizon: Bearpaw Shale.
Other specimens: USNM 108967a, USNM 131116.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Bearpaw Shale (MT) (Cobban, 1962).
Zonation: Baculites cuneatus Zone, Upper Campanian (Cobban et al., 2006).
PaleoDB taxon number: not in database.
References: Cobban (1962).
Diagnosis: “This species, which is large for the genus, is characterized by its trigonal cross section and very narrow venter. The juveniles are smooth, commonly curved, and have a high angle of taper. The adults are straight, have a low angle of taper, and possess moderately strong ventral and lateral ribbing. The suture is complex” (Cobban, 1962, p. 127).
Baculites eliasi Cobban, 1958
Baculites gilberti Cobban, 1962
Original presentation: Baculites gilberti
Original publication: Cobban. 1962. [p. 716-717, pl. 108, figs. 5-13, text-figs. 1d-f].
Holotype: USNM 108911.
Type locality: Boulder County, Colorado (Cobban, 1962).
Type horizon: Pierre Shale.
Other specimens: USNM 108912a-e.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Pierre Shale (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Mancos Shale (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Mancos Shale (Loyd Member) (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
PaleoDB taxon number: not in database.
Reference: Cobban (1962).
Origin of name: “named for G. K. Gilbert” (Cobban, 1962, p. 716).
Baculites grandis Hall and Meek, 1856
Baculites gregoryensis Cobban, 1951
Baculites jenseni Cobban, 1962
Original presentation: Baculites jenseni
Original publication: Cobban, W. A. 1962. New baculites from the Bearpaw Shale and equivalent rocks of the Western Interior. Journal of Paleontology 36(1): 126-135. [pp. 129-131, pl. 26, figs. 1-12, text-fig. 1a].
Holotype: USNM 131117.
Type locality: Rosebud County, Montana (Cobban, 1962).
Type horizon: Bearpaw Shale (Cobban, 1962).
Other specimens: USNM 13118a,b, USNM 13119a,b.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Bearpaw Shale (MT) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Lewis Shale (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (Richard Sandstone Member) (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Zonation: Baculites jenseni Zone, Upper Campanian (Cobban, 1962).
PaleoDB taxon number: not in database.
References: Cobban (1962).
Origin of name: “named for Dr. Fred S. Jensen” (Cobban, 1962, p. 129).
Diagnosis: “This species is larger than average size for the genus. It is characterized by its straightness, low degree of taper, stout ovate section, smooth flanks with ventro-lateral depression, and complex suture. Young adults have about 9 ventral ribs per shell diameter but on old adults the venter tends to become smooth” (Cobban, 1962, p. 129).
Baculites larsoni Cobban and Kennedy, 1992
Original presentation: Baculites larsoni
Original publication: Cobban, W. A. and W. J. Kennedy. 1992. The last western interior Baculites from the Fox Hills Formation of South Dakota. Journal of Paleontology 66(4): 682-684.
Holotype: USNM 450318
Type locality: Dewey County, South Dakota (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Type horizon: Fox Hills Formation (Timber Lake Member) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
Other specimens: USNM 450319, USNM 450320, USNM 450321, USNM 450322, BHI 2036.
WIS Occurrences:
Maastrichtian: Fox Hills Formation (Timber Lake Member) (SD) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992).
PaleoDB taxon number: not in database.
Reference: Cobban and Kennedy (1992).
Origin of name: “[f]or Neal L. and Peter L. Larson of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research” (Cobban and Kennedy, 1992, p. 682).
Baculites maclearni Landes, 1940
Original presentation: Baculites mclearni
Original publication. Landes. 1940. [p. 165, pl. 7, figs. 1-3].
Holotype: Geological Survey of Canada Collections 9366.
Type locality: Alberta (see details in Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Type horizon: Pakowki Formation (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Other specimens: USNM 441188, USNM 441187, USSNM 441186, USNM 441184, USNM 441185, USNM 441182.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (Alberta) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (Saskatchewan) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (WY) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (MT) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (CO) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (UT) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (NM) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Baculites mclearni Zone (TX) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Campanian: Wolfe City Sand (TX) (Cobban and Kennedy, 1993).
Zonation: Baculites mclearni Zone, Upper Campanian (Cobban et al., 2006).
PaleoDB taxon number: 130341.
References: Cobban and Kennedy (1993); Cobban et al. (2006).
Origin of name: “[f]or Frank Harris McLearn (1885-1964)” (Cobban et al., 2006, p. 32).
Baculites obtusus Meek, 1876
Original presentation: Baculites anceps Lamarck var. obtusus
Original publication: Meek. 1876. [p. 406, text-figs. 57-60].
Lectotype: USNM 1934a.
Type locality: Converse County, Wyoming (see Cobban, 1962).
Type horizon: probably the Steele Shale (see discussion in Cobban, 1962).
Other specimens: USNM 1934b (paratype), USNM 131011a-e, USNM 131012.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Pierre Shale (lower part) (SD) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (Sharon Springs Member) (CO) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (Sharon Springs Member) (SD) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Cody Shale (upper part) (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Steele Shale (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Claggett Shale (lower part) (MT) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pakowki Shale (Alberta) (Cobban, 1962).
Zonation: Baculites obtusus Zone, Upper Campanian, 80.58 +/- 0.55 Ma (Cobban et al., 2006).
PaleoDB taxon number: 130336.
References: Cobban (1962), Cobban et al. (2006).
Baculites perplexus Cobban, 1962
Original presentation: Baculites perplexus
Original publication: Cobban, W. A. 1962. Baculites from the lower part of the Pierre Shale and equivalent rocks in the Western Interior. Journal of Paleontology 36(4): 704-718. [p. 714-716, pl. 107, figs. 1-16, text-figs 1a-c.]
Holotype: USNM 108914.
Type locality: “Mesozoic locality D255 near Glenrock, Wyoming” (Cobban, 1962, p. 714).
Type horizon: Steele Shale.
Other specimens: USNM 108915a-f.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Stelle Shale (WY) (Cobban, 1962).
Campanian: Pierre Shale (Mitten Member) (Cobban, 1962)
Campanian: Cody Shale (Claggett Member) (MT) (Cobban, 1962)
Campanian: Mancos Shale (CO) (Cobban, 1962)
Zonation: Baculites perplexus Zone.
PaleoDB taxon number: not in database.
Reference: Cobban (1962).
Baculites reduncus Cobban, 1977
Baculites rugosus Cobban, 1962
Original presentation: Baculites rugosus
Original publication: Cobban, W. A. 1962. New baculites from the Bearpaw Shale and equivalent rocks of the Western Interior. Journal of Paleontology 36(1): 126-135. [pp. 131-134, pl. 27, figs. 1-12, text-fig. 1a].
Holotype:
Diagnosis: “this large species is characterized by its very strongly ribbed venter and complex suture with expanded elements. Most specimens have a high degree of taper slender ovate section, broad venter, and, in the late adult growth stage, lateral ribs. Ventral ribs on adults are ordinarily spaced 3 or 4 for the shell diameter” (Cobban, 2006, p. 131).
Baculites reesidei Elias, 1933
Baculites scotti Cobban, 1958
Baculites undatus Stephenson, 1941
Original presentation: Baculites undatus
Original publication: Stephenson. 1941. [p. 405, pl. 79, figs. 5-10].
Holotype: USNM 77245.
Type locality: Navarro County, Texas (Cobban et al., 1992).
Type horizon: Nacatoch Sand (Cobban et al., 1992).
Other specimens: USNM 77246, USNM 77247.
WIS occurrences:
Campanian: Pierre Shale (CO) (Cobban et al., 1992).
PaleoDB taxon number: 131009.
Diagnosis: A moderately sized species that has a stout, subelliptical cross section; an ornament of strong, arcuate, nodelike ribs; and a fairly simple suture characterized by its rectangular, bifid lateral lobe. (Cobban et al., 1992, p. A7).
Baculites yokoyamai Tokunaga and Shimizu, 1926
Original presentation: Baculites (Lechites) yokoyamai
Original publication: Tokunaga and Shimizu. 1926. [p. 195, pl. 22, figs 5a, 5b, pl. 26, fig. 11].
Types: awaiting determination.
Type locality: awaiting determination.
Type horizon: awaiting determination.
Other specimens: USNM 328704-328706 (Cobban and Cook, 1983).
WIS occurrences:
Turonian: Mancos Shale (Rio Salado Tongue) (NM).
Other occurrences: awaiting determination.
PaleoDB taxon number: 143702.
Synonyms: Baculites besairiei Collignon, 1931 (source: Cobban and Hook, 1983).
References: Cobban and Cook (1983).
Genus Sciponoceras Hyatt, 1894
Type species: Hamites baculoide Mantell, 1822
Duration: Upper Albian to Upper Turonian (Wright et al., 1996).