The sample database includes surface samples from outcrops on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Nootka Sound area, 92E), one Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) vibrocore from offshore Flores Island (END-76B-6), and sample cuttings from six Shell Canada wells in the offshore Tofino Basin (Figure 1). About 1,025 Cenozoic surface samples are included from the Hesquiat Peninsula, Nootka Island, Flores Island, and Tatchu Point. They were collected from 1969 to 1974 by B.E.B. Cameron (GSC, retired) and processed for foraminifer studies. The samples are mainly from shale, siltstone, and mudstone lithologies, however, some are from sandstone and conglomerate.

Six Shell Canada Limited wildcat exploratory wells were drilled from 1967 to 1969 in the offshore Tofino Basin: Prometheus H-68 (7,662 ft; 2,335 m), Pluto I-87 (12,225 ft; 3,726 m), Zeus I-65 (9,981 ft; 3,078 m), Zeus D-14 (7,984 ft; 2,433 m), Apollo J-14 (10,170 ft; 3,100 m), and Cygnet J-100 (8,072 ft; 2,460 m) (Figure 1). Reports on each of the wells (including sidewall core and cuttings lithological descriptions, hydrocarbon mud analyses, well logs, microfossil reports, and other data) were released by Shell Canada and are available for viewing at the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources, Victoria. Shouldice 1971 compiled and interpreted geophysical, geological, and paleontological data and correlated Tofino Basin Shell Canada well units. In this study, over 2,145 subsamples were taken from drill cuttings and processed for microfossil recovery. Sidewall core subsamples were not located.

One vibrocore, END-76B-6, was taken by the GSC from offshore Flores Island at a water depth of about 135 m. Excellent specimens of angled cone and bulbous base ichthyoliths were found in some of the subsamples and used to illustrate a new ichthyolith subtype.

Subsamples of a minimum 200 grams each from the outcrops and up to 200 grams each from the Shell Canada wells were processed in the 1970s at the GSC, Sidney, using Quaternary O (a strong soap solution that disaggregates mudstones), oscillation, washing, sieving, and other techniques. Residues were dried and microfossils extracted and mounted onto cardboard slides for three-dimensional viewing and identification. The samples were originally mainly picked for foraminifers. Other microfossils were picked to give a representation of the different fossil groups present. Recently, additional outcrop materials from five samples at ichthyolith-rich levels in the Oligocene were reprocessed and picked resulting in twice the number of ichthyoliths. The remainders of the outcrop sample residues were not repicked because of the low numbers of ichthyoliths originally recovered. Over 1,100 of the 1,407 subsample residues from the Zeus D-14, Prometheus H-68, Pluto I-87, Cygnet J-100, and Apollo J-14 wells were repicked for ichthyoliths at regular intervals to obtain a better representation of the faunas. Approximately double the original number of specimens were recovered. The 745 subsamples from the Zeus I-65 well were not repicked because of the low ichthyolith recovery from the first picks. Samples, fossils, field notebooks, and stratigraphic data are archived at the Geological Survey of Canada, Sidney, BC.

Additional previously processed and picked ichthyolith materials were reviewed from Cretaceous Queen Charlotte Group (Queen Charlotte Islands) and Nanaimo Group (Vancouver Island) strata to identify transported or reworked older materials in the Tofino Basin. The database includes ichthyoliths from 200 to 300 Cretaceous samples from the Queen Charlotte Group, and 33 samples from the Upper Cretaceous Nanaimo Group. The samples were originally collected for foraminifer studies. Most are from shale, and some are from sandstones.

To accomplish identification of the majority of ichthyoliths in this study, taxa from all 31 of the known CUIIS Cenozoic and Mesozoic papers (e.g., Table 1, Appendix 1) were digitally scanned and organized into a catalogue that included each ichthyolith type and subtype. Similarly, an updated version of the coded identification system was compiled, based on previous reported revisions. A digitized version of the CUIIS relevant to Tofino Basin taxa was prepared in Microsoft Word. Modifications to CUIIS were added to accommodate the new Tofino Basin subtypes.

The process of ichthyolith identification involved using the CUIIS because Tofino Basin ichthyoliths are similarly disarticulated and most only could be identified using the System. Tofino Basin specimens were compared using the code, descriptions, and illustrations of known subtypes. In some cases, a subtype differed slightly from a previously identified and described ichthyolith but also had many similarities to the subtype. To acknowledge this similarity, "cf." is used ahead of the colloquial name and differences and similarities to the original identified subtype are compared and discussed in the systematics "Remarks" section. Any new subtype is designated with a code and assigned a new colloquial name. If five or more specimens are available, new characters are described and specimens illustrated. In many cases, ichthyoliths are quite rare in samples, perhaps due to dilution by high sedimentation rates, small samples sizes, or other causes. Rare new ichthyoliths (less than five specimens/subtypes) are identified using the CUIIS but a colloquial name is not assigned and a detailed description not completed. Important characteristics of previously identified deep-sea ichthyoliths also found in Tofino Basin strata are discussed in "Remarks."

Some Tofino Basin ichthyoliths (elasmobranch teeth) can be identified to family and some to genus. The classification system outlined in Cappetta 1987 is followed. If a species is uncertain, then an informal designation of sp. A, sp. B, etc. is applied. To maintain consistency, the CUIIS code is provided for each species.

Grouping certain types of Tofino Basin ichthyoliths assisted with the identification process. The groupings are maintained in the catalogue systematics section and Table 2 and include: 1) elasmobranch teeth [ET]; 2) elasmobranch dermal denticles [EDD]; 3) triangular teeth with canals [canals]; 4) triangular flanged teeth [flange]; 5) triangular flexed teeth [flex]; 6) cone teeth [cone]; and 7) other Tofino Basin ichthyoliths [odds]. These groups have not been tested with faunas from other regions or ages and therefore may be only significant in the Tofino Basin region.

Each group has a header page/pages where group characteristics are briefly outlined and figures illustrating ichthyolith terms are included. A list of the identified, illustrated, and/or described taxa within the group is provided. Within each group and when binomial systematics are not used, the taxa are organized in sequence according to the CUIIS code.

A taxon page contains several components.

• Binomial systematics are provided when identification is possible (e.g., some elasmobranch teeth).
• The CUIIS code is provided for all taxa. Links back to the CUIIS key can be made by choosing the appendix listed below the code. To return back to the taxon from the key, “back” can be selectred or its group name can be chosen from the Appendix (list) or the navigation bar at left.
• Characters: include a descriptive format and diagnostic characteristics of a new subtype or species. Readers can refer to the CUIIS code and key for other characters (Appendix 1).
• Remarks: include comments about the Tofino Basin subtype and comparisons to other similar taxa or subtypes.
• Occurrence: includes the number of specimens identified, section location or Shell Canada well, ichthyolith provisional zone or interval, and stratigraphic interval.
• Digital microscopic, photographic, or scanned images were imported into Adobe Photoshop or Corel Draw.
• Specimen backgrounds and brightness/contrast levels may have been altered to improve specimen imagery.
• Figure numbers are in three parts (e.g., 10.1.1). The first number assigned (10.) is unique to the taxon page. The second number (10.1.) is assigned to the first specimen illustrated (e.g., 2 would be the second specimen). The third number (10.1.1.) is the first illustrated view of specimen one (e.g., with 10.1.2. for the second view of that specimen).
• Figure captions include the 3-part figure number, comments on the illustration, a GSC number for each different specimen illustrated, and a scale bar for measurement (# mm = millimeter).

All archived and identified ichthyoliths are mounted with water-soluble glue on cardboard slides and can be viewed in three dimensions. Most images of ichthyoliths were captured either using a binocular microscope, transmitted light, and digital camera or a Hitachi S-3500N scanning electron microscope at the University of Victoria. Specimens for transmitted light image capture were mounted in a drop of water on a glass slide. SEM specimens were mounted on carbon tape on aluminum stubs and sputter coated with gold. Some images were captured using an HP ScanJet ADF scanner. Larger ichthyoliths were digitally photographed. Digital images may have the background of the specimen altered or the brightness/contrast levels adjusted to enhance imagery. All illustrated specimens are assigned a GSC type number and archived at the GSC, Ottawa (National Type Collections).

Provisional Tofino Basin ichthyolith zones and intervals are provided (Figure 2.1, Table 2, Appendix 2, and the systematics "Occurrences" sections). Formal definition of ichthyolith zones and intervals are in Johns et al. (in press). Ichthyolith zones and intervals are determined by: 1) correlation of ichthyolith ranges and occurrences with foraminifer zones in the Hesquiat and Escalante Formations established by Cameron (1980) and a Tofino Basin foraminifer zonation developed by Narayan et al. (2005) which were compared to other foraminifer zones in the Pacific Northwest and Arctic; 2) correlation with strontium isotope ages at certain levels in the Shell Canada wells (Narayan 2003); and 3) comparison to deep-sea core ichthyoliths (age control from correlation to nannofossil, radiolarian, and other fossil zones assigned in deep-sea cores) mainly summarized by Doyle and Riedel 1979a and the many original publications (e.g., Table 1, Appendix 1).

An "ichthyolith zone" is determined by in situ taxa occurrences and range tops. Ichthyolith range-tops are noted: 1) during the Oligocene; 2) near the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, 3) during the lower and middle Miocene; and 4) at two levels in the Pliocene (Figure 2.1-2.2). An "ichthyolith interval" is defined on the occurrence of one or more transported/reworked ichthyoliths that were deposited by certain geological processes resulting in a specific Tofino Basin geological structure or feature. Within each ichthyolith interval, the taxa are distinct, were deposited in a specific stratigraphic interval (Figure 2.1-2.2), and can be used to interpret the potential scale, source(s) and cause(s) of the sediment transport/reworking and/or other geological processes.

A PDF version of the ichthyolith database (Appendix 2) contains a list of each ichthyolith identified (colloquial or other name and abbreviated code); sample location, position and GSC locality number; provisional ichthyolith zone or interval, stratigraphic intervals according to various reports; GSC specimen type number, and PE figure number.