UPPER TRIASSIC RADIOLARIA FROM EASTERN OREGON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA

Detailed radiolarian zonations established for the Cretaceous and part of the Upper Jurassic indicate that Radiolaria show great promise for interpreting the stratigraphy overlying the oceanic crust as well as within complex orogenic belts. In order to extend the range of this biostratigraphic tool, Upper Triassic units from western North America were collected and the radiolarian fauna described.; Two different geologic terranes containing Radiolaria-bearing strata were selected for study: east-central Oregon (Suplee-Izee area), and the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. Sampling from these geologic terranes included the Brisbois and Rail Cabin Formations (Oregon), as well as the middle member of the Kunga Formation (Queen Charlotte Islands). Ninety-two new species and thirteen new genera are described herein.; A preliminary system of radiolarian zonation (two zones, five sub-zones) is proposed herein for the Upper Triassic (Norian) of western North America. This system of zonation has been correlated as closely as possible with biostratigraphic data offered by ammonites as well as pectenacid bivalves.