VENTURA, Shale

TERTIARY (Miocene ?)

State of Falcón, Venezuela

Author of name: unknown.

Original reference: R. A. Liddle, 1928, correlation table.

Original description: none.

The name Ventura shale appears in the correlation table of Liddle (1928), in the column headed "District of Acosta and Zamora, north parts". The "Curamichate beds and Ventura shale" appear as representing the entire Oligocene and lower Miocene combined, correlating with everything from Paují (there referred to the "Oligocene") through the Socorro formation. The name Ventura does not appear in the index; but the locality "Boca de Ventura" is cited (p. 267-322-323). In these contexts, Liddle discusses the 'Agua Clara" outcrops between Boca de Ventura and Boca de Don Diego, mentioning the names Curamichate beds and Boca de Don Diego beds, which he sees no reason to separate (p. 267-268). On page 322-323, he discusses "uppermost Miocene beds" found in the region of Boca de Ventura, but according to the age indicated in the correlation table, these young beds could not be the Ventura shale. It seems probable, therefore, that Ventura shale is menat as an alternative name for Curamichate beds.

This Ventura shale is evidently not the same as the "Casa Ventura beds" (see article). Liddle´s name is obviously undesirable.

Frances de Rivero