New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

A low diversity/high abundance ostracod fauna has been recovered from a gastropod/ bivalve community in the Laborcita Formation in south central New Mexico. This fauna contains abundant Cavellina nebrascensis and Pseudobythocypris pediformis, two opportunistic late Pennsylvanian and early Permian ostracod species. Other common elements of this ostracod fauna include: Knoxina bolliaformis, Youngiella knight, Basslerella crassa, and Hollinella nevensis. A few rare ostracod species round out this fauna: Knightina texana, Bairdia beedei, Bairdia ?pecosensis, and Acratia garrisonensis. This marginal marine ostracod assemblage is similar to others previously recognized in Europe and the mid-continent of the United States.

Other microfossil elements include a low diversity/high abundance foraminifera assemblage including: Globovalvulina, Glomospira, Earlandia, and a variety of attached calcareous species. Also common is the hook-like holothurian spicules referred to as Achistrum.