An inventory of paleontological resources from Katmai National Park and Preserve, southwest Alaska

Blodgett, Robert; Santucci, Vincent; Tweet, Justin

We present a preliminary framework of a paleontological inventory of Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM), which is situated at the northeastern end of the Alaska Peninsula, southwest Alaska. The park was originally established as Katmai National Monument in 1918 to protect the region surrounding the stratovolcano Mount Katmai and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, which was the site of the largest volcanic eruption experienced globally in the 20th century. In addition to the spectacular modern volcanic features, the park is also rich in paleontological resources consisting primarily of Mesozoic invertebrates and Cenozoic terrestrial plants. The principle fossil-producing units include the Talkeetna and Naknek formations (Jurassic), Staniukovich, Herendeen, Pedmar and Kaguyak formations (Cretaceous), non-marine units of Paleogene (Paleocene?, Eocene and Oligocene) age (Copper Lake Formation, Hemlock Conglomerate, and Ketavik Formation) and Quaternary lake sediments. One of the earliest reports of fossils from Alaska is associated with collections made near the abandoned Katmai Village (destroyed in the 1912 eruption) and described by Grewingk (1850). Our current locality compilation shows approximately 1000 locality records from within the boundaries of KATM. The park presents many opportunities for future paleontological research, including the study of the Upper Jurassic Naknek Formation, whose paleontological content and sedimentological features suggest evidence of a major episode of climatic cooling during an otherwise generally Mesozoic “greenhouse” world. The potential for vertebrate fossils in the Naknek Formation at KATM is suggested by the occurrence of pliosaur remains and a dinosaur trackway in this formation south of the park.