Lower Cretaceous Strata and Fossil Assemblages from Northern Australia

Australian Ocean Data Network provides a geological record of Lower Cretaceous strata from the Katherine and Fergusson River 1:250,000 map sheets. The dataset includes field observations on lithology and palaeogeography, with fossil identifications from thirteen collected assemblages. Data originates from field seasons conducted in 1960 and 1961, documented in historical records.

Use Cases

• Classify fossil assemblages as marine or plant-based using the documented thirteen collections.
• Map lithological units and palaeogeography based on field observations from the 1960-1961 surveys.
• Date sedimentary strata from Neocomian to uppermost Albian using the identified fossil assemblages.
• Analyze the distribution of nine marine versus four plant fossil assemblages within the study area.

Strengths

• Documents thirteen distinct fossil assemblages from a defined geological survey.
• Covers a specific temporal range within the Lower Cretaceous (Neocomian to uppermost Albian).
• Based on field observations collected over two dedicated field seasons (1960, 1961).

Limitations

• Data is historically static, collected over 60 years ago with no recent updates.
• Sample size is limited to the fossils and observations from the original survey area.
• Primary data formats are PDF and HTML reports, not structured tabular data.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, based on field work and records by Skwarko (1961a,b).

Collection Method

Field observations on lithology and palaeogeography, followed by fossil collection and identification.

Time Range

Lower Cretaceous (Neocomian to uppermost Albian). Fieldwork conducted in 1960 and 1961.

Freshness

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Geography

Katherine and Fergusson River 1:250,000 map sheet areas, Northern Territory, Australia.