| Bell Canyon Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range:Guadalupian | |
| Type | Formation |
| Unit of | Delaware Mountain Group |
| Underlies | Castile Formation |
| Overlies | Cherry Canyon Formation |
| Thickness | 200–300 m (660–980 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone,siltstone |
| Other | Limestone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 31°56′09″N104°43′25″W / 31.9359°N 104.7237°W /31.9359; -104.7237 |
| Region | New Mexico Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Bell Canyon |
| Named by | DeFord and Lloyd |
| Year defined | 1940 |
  Bell Canyon Formation (the United States) Show map of the United States Bell Canyon Formation (Texas) Show map of Texas | |
TheBell Canyon Formation is ageologic formation found in theDelaware Basin of southeasternNew Mexico and westernTexas. It contains fossils characteristic of theGuadalupianAge of thePermianPeriod.[1]
The formation consists mostly of marinesandstone andsiltstone, but with five interfingering tongues of graylimestone. These extend from theCapitan reef into what was then deep, anoxic water 300–500 meters (980–1,640 ft) deep of thePermian Basin. Total thickness of the formation is 200–300 meters (660–980 ft).[2]
The formation's Lamar Limestone Member ofGuadalupe Mountains National Park has produced fossilholocephalan teeth.[3]
The unit was first designated as a formation by DeFord and Lloyd in 1940, who raised theDelaware Mountain Formation togroup rank and designed its previously informal members as formations.[4][5]