Abstract
Lance Hodges has reported evidence indicating that the use of the term "reef" is inappropriate as applied to some ancient (Paleozoic level) facies in the Great Lakes region. A similar conclusion apparently applies to Mesozoic level "reefs" here in the northwest U.S.A. Orr and Orr in Handbook of Oregon Plant and Animal Fossils (1981, p. 82) say: "The tendency in the geologic literature in the past has been to call rich accumulations of fossils 'reefs'. More often than not what is called a bioherm (reef) is in fact a 'biostrome' or fossil rich lense without form or internal structure." Two examples from early 20th century geologic literature (second and fourth decades) of stuctureless accumulations mislabeled reefs are then cited. The reef discussion's concluding sentence states, "Although biostromes are not uncommon in the State [of Oregon] true bioherms or reefs are unknown."