Palliser Formation
The Palliser Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Late Devonian age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It is a thick sequence of limestone and dolomitic limestone that is present in the Canadian Rockies and foothills of western Alberta. Tall cliffs formed of the Palliser Formation can be seen throughout Banff [National Park|Banff] and Jasper National Parks.
The formation was named for the Palliser Range in Banff National Park, by H.H. Beach in 1943. The type locality was defined in 1994 in the "Devil's Gap" section south of Mount Costigan of the Palliser Range, north of Lake Minnewanka.
Lithology and paleontology
The Palliser Formation was deposited in a marine environment as an extensive carbonate shelf. It is subdivided into the Morro Member and the Costigan Member. The Morro Member consists of massive, fine-grained limestone and dolomitic limestone. It contains remains of brachiopods, crinoids, gastropods, ostracods and conodont elements. The Costigan Member is less dolomitic, more argillaceous, and more fossiliferous than the Morro. It contains remains of brachiopods, crinoids, conodont elements, nautiloids, bryozoans, stromatoporoids and stromatolites.Anhydrite beds can be present in both members.