Tick Canyon Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Miocene (Hemingfordian-Barstovian)
~20–16 Ma
↓
TypeGeologic formation
UnderliesMint Canyon Formation
OverliesVasquez Formation
Thickness0–1,000 ft (0–305 m) (average)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone, conglomerate
OtherClaystone
Location
Coordinates34°25′56″N 118°23′32″W / 34.43222°N 118.39222°W / 34.43222; -118.39222[1]
Approximate paleocoordinates33°18′N 111°12′W / 33.3°N 111.2°W / 33.3; -111.2
RegionLos Angeles County, California
Country United States
ExtentSierra Pelona Ridge
Type section
Named forTick Canyon
Tick Canyon Formation is located in the United States
Tick Canyon Formation
Tick Canyon Formation (the United States)
Tick Canyon Formation is located in California
Tick Canyon Formation
Tick Canyon Formation (California)

The Tick Canyon Formation (Tt) or Tick Canyon strata, is an Early Miocene geologic formation in the Sierra Pelona Ridge of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, California.[2]

The Tick Canyon Basin drains into the Santa Clara River.[3]

Geology

The formation overlies the Oligocene to Lower Miocene Vasquez Formation, and underlies the Upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation.[2][4]

The Tick Canyon strata was deposited on land mostly by streams and consists of green sandstones, coarse-grained conglomerates, and red claystones.[2][4][5] The Tick Canyon strata also contain abundant volcanic clasts, most of which resemble volcanic rocks of the Vasquez Formation.[6] It has an average thickness of 600 feet (180 m).[4]

North of the Tick Canyon Fault, the beds are almost vertical.[2]

Fossil content

It preserves vertebrate fossils of the Lower Miocene subperiod of the Miocene epoch, in the Neogene Period of the Cenozoic Era.[2][7]

Mammals

Birds

See also

References

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tick Canyon Formation
  2. ^ a b c d e Elsmerecanyon.com: "Tick Canyon Geology"
  3. ^ "Geologic Map of the Mint Canyon Quadrangle" (DF-57) by Thomas W. Dibblee, Jr., 1996
  4. ^ a b c Caltech.edu: THESIS - "Geology of the Upper Tick Canyon area, California"; Birman, Joseph Harold; 1950.
  5. ^ Caltech.edu: THESIS - "Geology of the Mint Canyon area, Los Angeles County, California"; Holser, William T.; 1946
  6. ^ Coffey et al., 2019, p.481
  7. ^ Tick Canyon at Fossilworks.org
  8. ^ a b Maxson, 1930
  9. ^ a b Jahns, 1940
  10. ^ Lander & Lindsay, 2011
  11. ^ Whistler, 1967
  12. ^ Dawson, 1958
  13. ^ Reeder, 1960
  14. ^ Howard, 1944

Bibliography

Further reading

Categories