Discovery of Ainoceras (Ammonoidea) from the Upper Cretaceous Futakawa Formation in the Aridagawa area, Wakayama, southwestern Japan

Late Cretaceous heteromorph ammonoids, Ainoceras kamuy and Ainoceras paucicostatum, were discovered for the first time from the Futakawa Formation in the Aridagawa area, Wakayama, southwestern Japan. Other molluscan fossils such as Eupachydiscus sp., Gaudryceras aff. striatum, "Gigantocapulus" trans-formis, Sphenoceramus nagaoi, Sphenoceramus orientalis and Inoceramus balticus also cooccur with Ainoceras, and together they indicate the lower Campanian Stage. Recently, the middle Turonian-Santonian and upper lower Campanian-Maastrichtian litho- and biostratigraphy in the A ridagawa area was established. Therefore, the lower Campanian strata in the study area fill the gap between them and supplement the Upper Cretaceous stratigraphy in the Aridagawa area. The results of this study advance the biostratigraphy and correlation of the marine Cretaceous strata in the northwestern Pacific region.