Simon F Mitchell

University of the West Indies · Department of Geography and Geology

Following the breakup of Pangaea, many rifted margins of the Americas became carbonate platforms. During the Cretaceous, these platforms, as well as those associated with volcanic arcs, were populated by rudist bivalves that underwent a major radiation from the Early to Late Cretaceous. Carbonate platform development was episodic with major platfor...

Five species of hippuritid rudist bivalves are recognized from the Dry Hill Formation of Jamaica: the multiple-fold species Barrettia dommeleni Grubić, Whitfieldiella catherinei sp. nov., W. gracilis sp. nov. and Praebarrettia magnifica sp. nov., and the simple hippuritid Torreites tschoppi Mac Gillavry. The Dry Hill Formation is placed in the lowe...

The elemental chemistry of 90 pottery samples from ten Pre-Columbian sites distributed across Jamaica was analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. The results were subjected to univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses in order to understand the relationships of the concentrations of the fourteen elements analysed between sites....

We have undertaken a study of the larger benthic foraminifera (LBF) of the Eocene of Jamaica that involved collecting free specimens and calibrating their occurrence against chronostratigraphy using calcareous nannofossils identified from sample splits or adjacent samples. The results have been plotted stratigraphically and allow a detailed zonatio...

Jamaica has a complex geological history with rocks belonging to the Cretaceous Caribbean Large Igneous Province (CLIP) in the east and Cretaceous oceanic island arc rocks in the centre and west. We present a new geochemical dataset for the CLIP and correlate this dataset and previous datasets using radiolarians and planktic foraminifers to the geo...

The hippuritid bivalves (Barrettia and Whitfieldiella) from the upper Santonian/lower to middle Campanian limestone members of the Pozas Formation in the Central Igneous Province of Puerto Rico are revised based on material in museum collections and material recovered in the field. Four species are recognised: Barrettia coatesi (Chubb) from the Rev...

The Newcastle Porphyry crops out extensively in the Wag Water Belt, occurring primarily as porphyritic lava flows and shallowly-emplaced intrusions. Compositionally, the Newcastle Porphyry ranges from basaltic andesite to rhyolites. However, unlike normal island arc andesites, dacites, and rhyolites (ARDs), the Newcastle Porphyry has anomalously hi...

A new representative of the family Orbitolinidae is described as Robinsoniella jamaicaensis Schlagintweit n. gen., n. sp. from the middle?-late Eocene to early Oligocene of the Caribbean Faunal Province (Jamaica and Mexico). The type-level is placed into the Walderston limestone that belongs to the White Limestone Group of Jamaica. The high-conical...

The middle to upper Eocene mixed carbonate-clastic and siliciclastic deposits of the Şevketiye and Keşan formations in northwest Turkey yielded unique assemblages of larger benthic foraminifera, some displaying a typical orbitoidiform test, not comparable to any known taxa in the Palaeogene of the Neo-Tethys. These specimens with a flat, discoidal...

The upper Bartonian–Priabonian shallow-marine deposits in the Biga Peninsula (NW Turkey) contain some hyaline larger benthic foraminifers (LBF) with a test architecture similar to ‘orbitoidiform’ foraminifers, but displaying some distinctive and complex morphological features that are recorded here for the first time. These coarsely porous specimen...

The hippuritid rudist bivalves from the Peters Hill Limestone, Jamaica, Barrettia coatesi (Chubb 1968) and Torreites tschoppi Mac Gillavry1937, are revised. B. coatesi is shown to be a primitive species of Barrettia and similar in development to B. ruseae Chubb 1968 from the Clifton Limestone, Jamaica, but more advanced that an undescribed Barretti...

The lower Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) Clifton Limestone of Jamaica yields three species of hippuritid bivalve: Barrettia ruseae CHUBB, Whitfieldiella luceae sp. nov. and Vaccinites vermunti MAC GILLAVRY, and the plagioptychid: Plagioptychus sp. The hippuritids are described in detail using statistics. Barrettia ruseae is demonstrated to be a more...

Exceptionally well-preserved (silicified) hippuritid rudists occur in the El Rayo Formation (lower Maastrichtian) of south-western Puerto Rico. Three species belonging to three different genera are present: Caribbea muellerreidi (VERMUNT), Laluzia peruviana (GERTH) and Parastroma guitarti (PALMER). Acid digestion of the limestones has resulted in a...

We undertook a palaeoecological evaluation of the development of ribs, flanges, tubes and pallial canals in recumbent rudist bivalves typified by the genus Titanosarcolites. We used an evidence based system to interpret potential functional significance of features. The dorsal position of the ancestral ligament and the antero-ventral-down orientati...

This paper provides new data on the Cretaceous geology together with existing data to define four terranes for the Cretaceous of Jamaica. The Northeast Blue Mountain Terrane (NEBMT) contains a shallow-water pile of Campanian basaltic and andesitic lavas interbedded with shallow-water, rudist-bearing limestones. The Southeast Blue Mountain Terrane (...

In this paper we correct nomenclatural issues with various genera and species of Larger Benthic Foraminifera from Jamaica. We designate valid type species for the genera Verseyella Robinson 1977 and Coleiconus Hottinger and Drobne 1980. We designate lectotypes for Coeliconus zansi Robinson 1993, Fabularia hanzawai Robinson 1993, Twaraina seigliei R...

The western margin of the Caribbean Plate is a typical example where oceanic and continental terranes have amalgamated by subduction, collision, and strike‐slip processes. The boundaries between these blocks, as well as their tectonostratigraphic records, are generally covered by younger deposits and dense tropical vegetation, which may hamper reco...

Tectonics in Southeast Jamaica is poorly understood, but the region may contain currently unknown faults that could generate large‐magnitude earthquakes. This study constrains tectonics in Southeast Jamaica by collecting and analyzing seismic and shallow sediment core data in and around Kingston Harbor. Seismic results reveal a previously unrecogni...

Paleocene orthophragminids from the American bioprovince were studied from the Nonsuch Formation in Jamaica and the Salt Mountain Limestone in Alabama, the latter being the type locality of Discocyclina blanpiedi (Vaughan) and Discocyclina cookei (Vaughan). Species, traditionally assigned to Athecocyclina Vaughan, Neodiscocyclina Caudri and Hexagon...

Gold et al. (2018) present a mid Cretaceous-early Cenozoic relative sea-level curve for Jamaica based on sedimentological and biostratigraphic data from spot samples made from Jamaican outcrop localities and well/corehole samples. They base their work on 200 samples from field outcrops and 600 samples from hydrocarbon exploration wells (many of the...

A review of the Chalk of the Northern Province recognizes six formations, five of which (Hunstanton, Ferriby, Welton, Burnham and Flamborough formations) crop out in northern Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, and a sixth (Rowe Formation) is buried beneath the drift of Holderness. The Hunstanton, Ferriby and Flamborough formations are largely dev...

Effects of beachrocks on wave and coastal morphodynamics are not at this time known. However, since more beachrocks are becoming exposed with sea level rise and erosion it is important that we try to understand and quantify the processes in order to inform and fine-tune temporal models of beach response to daily coastal processes and storm events....

Sea-level rise variability and reconstructions studies are mostly related to temperature change and they are important for predicting and understanding the response of the coastlines globally. Yet it is well known that coastlines may also be affected by positive or negative tectonics, which will affect the accuracy of these models. Beachrock is exa...

Replacement dolomite is widespread in the Cenozoic carbonates of Jamaica, with dolomitization affecting platform limestones of Eocene and Miocene age, and fringing reefs of Pliocene age. The Eocene dolostones are the largest volumetrically and are characterised by sucrosic dolomite with euhedral to subhedral interlocking crystals and the loss of mo...

The Jamaican Stratigraphic Committee at a meeting held on the 25 th November 2015, came to the following decisions with regard to the naming of stratigraphic units in Jamaica: The names Yellow Limestone Group, White Limestone Group and Coastal group were formally adopted because of their historical use and to maintain terms in common usage. The nam...

Carbonate platforms developed progressively on shallow-water blocks during the mid Paleocene-mid Eocene across the Nicaragua Rise as volcanism related to subduction of Proto-Caribbean oceanic crust ceased and an east-west strike-slip boundary developed along the northern margin of the Caribbean Plate. These carbonate platforms were dominated by for...

During the Paleogene the Nicaragua Rise saw the development of extensive carbonate platforms that today are only exposed at surface in Jamaica. However, faults associated with the tectonic uplift of Jamaica have largely obliterated the original platform margins with shallow-water deposits faulted against deep-water deposits. In this presentation we...

Eocene-Miocene shallow marine carbonates have become major oil and gas reservoir targets along the Circum-Caribbean. The Eocene-Miocene carbonate record from Jamaica may constitute an important frontier for the exploration of fossil fuels. Here, we present sedimentologic, stratigraphic, petrographic and chemostratigraphic information for the Eocene...

The Benbow Inlier in Jamaica contains the Devils Racecourse Formation, which is composed of a Hauterivian to Aptian island arc succession. The lavas can be split into a lower succession of basaltic andesites and dacites/rhyolites, which have an island arc tholeiite (IAT) composition and an upper basaltic and basaltic andesite sequence with a calc-a...

The geology of the Jerusalem Mountain Inlier is revised based on geological mapping. Five Cretaceous formations are recognized: Mint Formation (new name); Thicket River Formation; Belleisle Formation (new name); Jerusalem Formation; Masemure Formation. The Mint Formation is introduced for what has previously been called the Moreland Formation. Desc...

We provide comments on the paper: “Geomorpho-tectonic evolution of the Jamaican restraining bend” by Domínguez-González et al. (2015). The literature review given is lacking in significant elements, particularly recent papers detailing the geology and uplift history of Jamaica. The paper undertakes a GIS analysis of a DEM and produces a drainage ne...

Understanding how the Earth’s first continental land masses were generated is important because the processes responsible directly affected the evolution of the planet’s primordial silicate interior, and also its atmosphere and hydrosphere. Archaean continental crust is dominated by rocks of the trondhjemite–tonalite–granodiorite (TTG) suite. These...

van den Ende and Donovan (2015: “Urchins on the edge: an echinoid fauna with a mixed environmental signal from the Eocene of Jamaica” Swiss J. Palaeontol. doi:10.1007/s13358-015-0072-3) describe an interesting echinoid fauna from the Guys Hill Formation of Thornton, Jamaica. Based on geological mapping, this fauna should be assigned to the Chapelto...

We make two comments on the paper ‘Jamaican Cenozoic ichnology: review and prospectus’ by Donovan et al. (2015). Based on biostratigraphy and new radiometric dates, we recommend the separation of the Richmond Formation (deposited in the Wagwater Graben and onlapping onto the edges of the Clarendon Block and Blue Mountains Block) and the Moore Town...

A reinvestigation of the validity of the belemnite genus Belemnopsis Bayle is undertaken, together with a survey of the early history of the usage of the names Belemnites sulcatus, Belemnopsis Bayle and Belemnopsis Edwards. Belemnites sulcatus Miller has been variously equated with either Belemnites apiciconus Blainville or with the group of belemn...

The new caprinoidean rudist bivalve Cobbanicaprina bighornensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from the upper middle Cenomanian of Big Horn County, Montana, USA. Cobbanicaprina gen. nov. is closely related to Mexicaprina and differs from that form in the absence of an external ligamental groove. The presence of Cobbanicaprina gen. nov. in the mid...

The rudist bivalve family Antillocaprinidae Mac Gillavry is revised following a study of nearly all available material in museum collections. Based on differences in their myocardinal arrangements, three subfamilies are recognized: the Titanosarcolitinae nov. subfam., the Antillocaprininae Mac Gillavry, and the Parasarcolitinae nov. subfam. Fifteen...

The lithostratigraphy of the Central Inlier is revised based on a complete geological map of the entire inlier. Nomenclature problems from previous schemes are reviewed, the Crofts Synthem is changed rank to Crofts Group, and the Back River Formation is corrected to Black River Formation. The following new units are described: Bellas Gate Formation...

Erratum. N/A

The lithostratigraphy of the White Limestone Group (Eocene-Miocene) of Jamaica is revised based on geological mapping across the northern part of the Clarendon block. Eight shallow-water formations are recognised which are from base to top: Healthy Hill Formation (new name): predominantly white grainstones; Troy Formation: recrystallized and dolomi...

The sedimentary succession of southeastern Jamaica preserves a depositional record of accommodation changes and tectonic events for the last 14 Ma. The depositional systems which occur in the area have been classified according to distinct tectono-stratigraphic packages based on the depositional environments, rapid facies changes, and or significan...

Tectonic models of the evolution of the inter-American region show that induced subduction initiation/polar-ity reversal is required in order to isolate the Caribbean as a separate plate. However, the timing and mech-anism of this subduction initiation/reversal are still controversial. In order to shed light on this issue we investigate the geochem...

Hennhöfer, D., Götz, S. & Mitchell, S.F. 2012: Palaeobiology of a Biradiolites mooretownensis rudist lithosome: seasonality, reproductive cyclicity and population dynamics. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 450–461. During the Cretaceous, rudist bivalves were among the most important benthic carbonate producers on tropical to sub-tropical carbonate platforms....

This paper describes twenty-five new species and three new genera of marine ostracodes from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) deposits of Jamaica. The new species include Amphicytherura grandicribra, Amphicytherura occulta, Asciocythere cabbagehillensis, Aysegulina chapeltonensis, Aysegulina riominhoensis, Aysegulina sagitta, Aysegulina ventrocur...

The lithostratigraphy of the Coastal Group (Neogene) in the southeastern part of the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica, is formally described based on detailed geological mapping. Four formations and two members are recognised: August Town Formation (including the Leith Hall Member [new member]); Layton Formation (reintroduced name) (including the Bowd...

The lithostratigraphy of the late Cretaceous succession (mid Campanian to early Maastrichtian) exposed in the Grange Inlier of western Jamaica is formally described based on detailed geological mapping at a scale of 1:12,500. Five new formations are recognised: Cabartia Formation, a succession of poorly sorted conglomerates interbedded with sandsto...

The following classification summarizes the suprageneric taxonomy of the Bivalvia for the upcoming revision of the Bivalvia volumes of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part N. The development of this classification began with Carter (1990), Campbell, Hoekstra, and Carter (1995, 1998), Campbell (2000, 2003), and Carter, Campbell, and Campb...

Compositionally, high-Nb basalts are similar to HIMU (high U/Pb) ocean island basalts, continental alkaline basalts and alkaline lavas formed above slab windows. Tertiary alkaline basaltic lavas from eastern Jamaica, West Indies, known as the Halberstadt Volcanic Formation have compositions similar to high-Nb basalts (Nb > 20 ppm). The Halberstadt...

The new antillocaprinid rudist bivalve Parasarcolites sohli sp. nov. is described from the Maastrichtian rocks of Puerto Rico (El Rayo Formation) and Jamaica (Sunderland Inlier). The species shows that all tubes, one of the diagnostic features of the genus, arise by the development of flanges on costae to roof over the intercostal space between adj...

The geology of the St. Ann's Great River Inlier is revised. A new map of the inlier showing the faults is presented as a base to understand the succession. The lithostratigraphy is described and eight formations are recognised: Windsor Formation (Coniacian: 230+ m thick), Clamstead Formation (Santonian, divided into five members: Lower Clamstead Mu...

The rudist bivalve Thyrastylon is redescribed based on extensive material collected from Jamaica. The new material shows that the left valve contains slits, and that this is the diagnostic feature of the genus. The genus is redefined as follows: a radiolitid rudist with no ligamental infold, stretched cellular microstructure and compact layers in t...

The antillocaprinid rudist bivalve Antillosarcolites Chubb is revised based on abundant specimens from the Campanian of Jamaica. Two genera are recognised: Antillosarcolites, type species Antillosarcolites macgillavryi Chubb, and Parantillosarcolites nov. gen., type species Parantillosarcolites lenticularis nov. gen., nov. sp. These two genera are...

Rhyodacite lavas (Newcastle Volcanic Formation) from the Wagwater Basin in eastern Jamaica dated at 52.74 ± 0.34 Ma (2σ) have adakitic-like major element compositions, low Y and heavy rare Earth element (REE) concentrations and negative Nb and Ta anomalies on a normal mid-ocean ridge basalt normalised multi-element diagram. They also have lower Sr...

The Cretaceous Blue Mountain Inlier of eastern Jamaica contains the Bellevue lavas, which represent a Mid-to Late Campanian back-arc basin succession of tholeiitic volcanic rocks. The lavas are composed of basic/intermediate and intermediate/acidic subgroups that can be related by intraformation fractional crystallization. Trace element and Hf radi...

The lithostratigraphy of the Cretaceous rocks of the Benbow Inlier is described based on new geological mapping. The succession is some 6,500 m thick and includes rocks ranging in age from Valanginian or Hauterivian to Cenomanian or Turonian. Ages are determined based on previous macrofossil and nanofossil reports and the relationships between unit...

Archean continental crust largely comprises the trondhjemite, tonalite, and granodiorite/dacite (TTG/D) suite of igneous rocks. Formation of the earliest Archean (>3.5 Ga) TTG/Ds is controversial, being attributed to either subduction zone processes with active plate tectonics or thermochemical mantle convection with no plate tectonic processes. A...

The rudist bivalve Durania aguilae Adkins was described from the Méndez Formation in Mexico and originally attributed to the Santonian. We revise this species and show that it belongs to the genus Chiapasella Müllerried. We also recognize that Chiapasella aguilae (Adkins) is a senior synonym of Chiapasella trechmanni Mitchell and Gunter, an importa...

The Cretaceous Blue Mountain Inlier of eastern Jamaica contains the Bellevue lavas, which represent a Mid- to Late Campanian back-arc basin succession of tholeiitic volcanic rocks. The lavas are composed of basic/intermediate and intermediate/acidic subgroups that can be related by intraformation fractional crystallization. Trace element and Hf rad...

The Benbow Inlier in Jamaica contains the Devils Racecourse Formation, which is composed of a Hauterivian to Aptian island arc succession. The lavas can be split into a lower succession of basaltic andesites and dacites/rhyolites, which have an island arc tholeiite (IAT) composition and an upper basaltic and basaltic andesite sequence with a calc-a...

The late Cretaceous crinoid Uintacrinus socialis Grinnell, which is a potential marker for the base of the Upper Santonian Substage, is reported from the Inoceramus Shales of St Ann's Great River Inlier on the north coast of Jamaica. This is the first record of this species from the Caribbean region and marks its lowest latitudinal distribution rep...

In the Lower Maastrichtian Cardenas Formation exposed at La Luz (State of San Luis Potosí, east-central Mexico), a shallowing-upwards mixed-clastic-carbonate sequence is exposed. The sequence passes from marls with thin siltstones, through lower and upper hippuritid-rudist-dominated intervals, and into a Durania-dominated interval. This succession...

Portell and Donovan (Campanile trevorjacksoni sp.nov. (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from the Eocene of Jamaica: at last, a name for the first fossil used in intercontinental biostratigraphic correlation (de la Beche 1827). Geological Journal43: 542–551) described the gastropod Campanile trevorjacksoni from the Eocene of Jamaica suggesting it was equivalen...

From the oldest Cretaceous marine sediments of Jamaica, the Copper Limestone within the Devils Racecourse Formation (Benbow Inlier, Clarendon Block), the oldest known coral fauna of the Caribbean is described. The small but diverse fauna encompasses 18 species in 17 genera of the suborders Amphiastraeina, Archeocaeniina, Heterocoeniina, Faviina, Fu...

The lithostratigraphy of the Back Rio Grande Formation (Campanian) in the Blue Mountains of eastern Jamaica is described. Six informal members are recognised; three limestone and three volcaniclastic units. The rudist assemblages from the three limestone members are described, and the occurrence of larger foraminifers is discussed. The lower limest...

Basaltic lavas of Turonian to Coniacian age belonging to the Bath–Dunrobin Formation occur with intercalated island arc tuffs in the south of the Blue Mountain inlier, have been interpreted as being derived from the Caribbean oceanic plateau. This study presents new major and trace element and Sr–Pb–Nd–Hf isotopic data for these igneous rocks. The...

Stephen K. Donovan, Depart-ment of Geology, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Postbus 9517, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Nether-lands (donovan@naturalis.nnm.nl). Terrestrial arthropods are poorly known from the Cenozoic of Jamaica. A probably Late Pleistocene land crab, Sesarma primigenium sp. nov., is described from the Western Cement Company Cave, par...

A section in the Late Pleistocene Port Morant Formation of Jamaica shows a progradational deltaic succession passing from offshore muddy sands, through shoreface to foreshore deposits. The transition zone/lower shoreface has abundant Ophiomorpha burrows and contains common examples of the echinoid Leodia cf. sexiesperforata (Leske). Modern Leodia o...

Many diagrams conventionally used to classify igneous rocks utilize mobile elements, which commonly renders them unreliable for classifying rocks from the geological record. The K2O–SiO2 diagram, used to subdivide volcanic arc rocks into rock type (basalts, basaltic andesites, andesites, dacites and rhyolites) and volcanic series (tholeiitic, calc-...