Palliser Formation

Palliser Formation Stratigraphic range: Famennian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type section near Lake Minnewanka
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Moro Member, Costigan Member
Underlies	Exshaw Formation
Overlies	Alexo Formation
Thickness	up to 580 metres (1,900 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Limestone, dolostone
Other	Anhydrite
Location
Coordinates	51°16′08″N 115°16′30″W / 51.26877°N 115.27490°W / 51.26877; -115.27490 (Palliser Formation)Coordinates: 51°16′08″N 115°16′30″W / 51.26877°N 115.27490°W / 51.26877; -115.27490 (Palliser Formation)
Region	Alberta
Country	Canada
Type section
Named for	Palliser Range
Named by	H.H. Beach, 1943

The Palliser Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Late Devonian (Famennian) 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 and Jasper National Parks.

The formation was named for the Palliser Range in Banff National Park (which in turn took its name from John Palliser, the leader of the 1850s Palliser Expedition), by H.H. Beach in 1943. The type locality was defined in 1994 by Meijer Drees and Johnston in the "Devil's Gap" section south of Mount Costigan of the Palliser Range, north of Lake Minnewanka.

The Palliser Formation was deposited in a marine environment as an extensive carbonate shelf. It is subdivided into the Morro Member (the lower part) and the Costigan Member (the upper part). 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 is less dolomitic, more argillaceous, and more fossiliferous than the Morro. It contains remains of brachiopods, crinoids, conodont elements, nautiloids, bryozoans, stromatoporiods and stromatolites.Anhydrite beds can occur in both members.