Ammonoid faunas from the Cardium Formation (Turonian-Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous) and contiguous units, Alberta, Canada: I. Scaphitidae

While the Cardium Formation (Turonian-Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous) is one o f the major hydrocarbon sources, and consequently one of the most intensely studied siliciclastic formations in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, it remains one of the more controversial units in terms of understanding th e depositional environments and processes it represents, and correlations b etween subsurface and outcrop. Proposed subsurface subdivisions based on se quence stratigraphic concepts, and relation of these allomembers to long-es tablished members of the outcrop belt, have provoked further disagreements. The general lack of biostratigraphic data within the Cardium Formation mak es it difficult to test different models and to resolve conflicting proposa ls. This paper provides stratigraphic and taxonomic information on all know n scaphitid ammonoids from the Cardium Formation and correlation of these f aunas with the Turonian and Coniacian zonal scheme established in the Unite d States Western Interior; future publications will provide similar treatme nts of the collignoniceratid ammonites and inoceramid bivalves.