Palynology, age, and correlation of the Wanship Formation and their implications for the tectonic history of northeastern Utah

Although never formally introduced, the stratigraphic name Wanship Formation has become entrenched in the literature; recently, misunderstanding of its age and correlation has led to invalid interpretations of the structural evolution of northeastern Utah. The basal Wanship conglomerate has been erroneously correlated with a conglomerate within the Frontier Formation at Coalville. The Coalville section has been dated as Cenomanian-Coniacian. The Wanship Formation at its "type locality" is Campanian-Maestrichtian in age, as determined by its palynomorph content, and is not correlative with the Coalville section. The Wanship is correlative with the lower Evanston Formation. Recognition of these relationships obviates the need for a hypothesized episode of folding and faulting during middle Cretaceous time in northeastern Utah.