327 Paleoecology of late Pleistocene marine sediments of S. Virginia

The fauna and paleoecology of the late Pleistocene marine sediments of southern Virginia - BAP #327 The late Pleistocene faunas of southeastern Virginia are essentially modern in character, with approximately 97 percent of the 332 species extant. The fossils are contained in two transgressive-regressive depositional cycles, assigned here to the Acredale and Powells Crossroads formations, two new stratigraphic units. One new species of gastropod, Cingula norfolkensis, is described.  Paleoecologic analyses of Acredale assemblages and sediments indicate a cyclic event beginning with estuarine conditions and comparatively cool temperatures during the deposition of the basal Great Bridge Member. More open bay or inlet conditions and warmer temperatures were established during deposition of the superjacent lower part of the Norfolk Member, giving way to a sublittoral shelf environment and warm water temperatures at peak transgression during deposition of the upper part of the Norfolk Member