TECHNICAL FILE
Graphic design: Marzena Stempień-Sałek, Andrzej Łaptaś
Edition: Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS)
Date: September 2010
Number of copies: 70
ORGANIZING INSTITUTIONS
The Committee on Geological Sciences PAS
Institute of Geological Sciences PAS
Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute
Institute of Geological Sciences Wrocław University
SPONSORS
Ministry of Science and Higher Education
CIMP - Commission Internationale de Microflore du Paléozoique
Carl Zeiss Sp. z o. o.
Precoptic Co.
INFOMAX Kielce
Welcome to CIMP Warsaw 2010
During the previous CIMP General Meeting in Prague, several delegates have suggested
that the next General Meeting should be organized in Poland for the first time. A group of the
Polish palynologists working in the Palaeozoic decided to accept this challenge and via mail
correspondence with CIMP authorities proposed to organize the CIMP 2010 General Meeting
in Warsaw, Poland. The CIMP President John Marshall and CIMP secretary Mike
Stephenson had accepted our proposal. During the Joint Meeting on Spores/Pollen and
Acritarchs Subcommisions in Lisbon, 2007 the representative of the Organizing Committee –
dr Marzena Oliwkiewicz-Miklasińska had invited Palaeozoic palynologists to Poland and
presented some important information about the organizers and post-conference field trip in
the Holy Cross Mountains.
The CIMP General Meeting is organized by the Institute of Geological Sciences of Polish
Academy of Sciences, Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Institute of
Geological Sciences of Wrocław University, in Warsaw, Poland, from the 13th to the 16th of
September 2010. All persons interested in any aspect of the Palaeozoic palynology are
welcome.The program includes a scientific meeting consisting of three days of technical and
scientific sessions, a poster session, a microscopic workshop sponsored by Precoptic Co.,
and will be followed by a post-conference field trip of three days in the Holy Cross Mountains.
The main organizer - Institute of Geological Sciences of Polish Academy of Sciences was
established in 1956 as the Research Centre of Geological Sciences in Warsaw.The
Palaeozoic palynology is one of the most important research activities carried out over the
past decades as a part of geological investigations conducted in the Institute. This activity is
demonstrade by publications, issued in the foreign and Polish scientific journals as well as
regular participation in palynological and palaeobotanical conferences and scientific
collaboration within International projects, like IGCP 469 or IGCP 575. The palynological staff
of the Institute is often invited to
consulting jobs for the oil industry.
A special thanks are due to conference guests Prof. Józef Kaźmierczak, dr Barbara Kremer
and dr Øyvind Hammer that accepted to collaborate, preparing web presentations of invitated
talks that greatly improve the CIMP General Meeting Warsaw 2010 programme.
And, last but not least, a word to the CIMP General Meeting Warsaw 2010 participants. We
express out thanks to all the authors for their invaluable contributions that are now published
in this Abstracts volume.
The Editors
September 2010
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
1
INDEX
Mutasam Al-Ghammari - ORDOVICIAN-SILURIAN PALYNOLOGY OF OMAN - 4
Jiří Bek , Tania Dimitrova - TAXONOMY AND STRATIGRAPHIC IMPORTANCE OF THE
CARBONIFEROUS MIOSPORE GENUS VESTISPORA - 6
Jenny Brittain - PALYNOLOGICAL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND CORRELATION OF TOURNAISIAN
(MISSISSIPPIAN) SYNSEDIMENTARY DEFORMATION AND REWORKING EVENTS IN
SOUTHERN IRELAND AND SOUTH WALES - 8
Ewa Durska, Monika Jachowicz-Zdanowska, Wojciech Kozłowski - LATE LUDLOWIAN
PALYNOMORPHS FROM THE ŁYSOGÓRY REGION, HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS, CENTRAL
POLAND – PRELIMINARY RESULTS - 10
Paulo Fernandes, Joaquim Luís, Sandra Rodrigues, Manuela Marques, Bruno Valentim, Deolinda
Flores - THE MEASUREMENT OF VITRINITE REFLECTANCE USING MATLAB - 11
Anna Fijałkowska-Mader - PALYNOLOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER PRAGIAN (SIEGENIAN)
AND EMSIAN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS (POLAND) - 14
Patricia G. Gensel,Charles H. Wellman, Wilson A. Taylor - ULTRASTRUCTURE OF IN SITU
SPORES OF EARLY DEVONIAN LYCOPHYTINA - 16
Mohammad Ghavidel-syooki - BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF ORDOVICIAN
STRATA, IN KABIRKUH WELL#1, IN LURESTAN AREA, SOUTHWESTERN IRAN - 18
Anna Górecka-Nowak, Jolanta Muszer - PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER VISÉAN
PAPROTNIA SERIES (BARDO UNIT, POLISH SUDETES) - 21
K. T. Higgs, B.P.J. Williams - PALYNOLOGY AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTS OF THE SILURIAN
ROCKS OF THE DUNQUIN INLIER, DINGLE PENINSULA, CO. KERRY - 23
Monika Jachowicz-Zdanowska - PALYNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PROTEROZOICCAMBRIAN SUCCESSION IN THE MAŁOPOLSKA BLOK (SOUTHERN POLAND) - 24
Irfan U. Jan, Michael H. Stephenson - PALYNOLOGY OF THE ?GLACIGENIC CARBONIFEROUS
TOBRA FORMATION OF PAKISTAN - 26
Hartmut Jäger, Guy H. Spence, Thilo Bechstädt - PALYNOLOGY OF GLACIAL INTERVALS IN THE
NEOPROTEROZOIC OF NAMIBIA – NEW FACTS ON ‘SNOWBALL EARTH’ - 29
Gilda Lopes, Nuno Vaz, António J.D. Sequeira, José M. Piçarra, Paulo Fernandes, Zélia Pereira PALYNOMORPHS FROM THE GORSTIAN (SILURIAN) OF SAZES FORMATION (BUÇACO
SYNCLINE), CENTRAL IBERIAN ZONE, PORTUGAL – PRELIMINARY RESULTS - 31
Gil Machado - STRATIGRAPHY AND PALYNOLOGY OF THE FRASNIAN TO SERPUKOVIAN
METASEDIMENTARY ALBERGARIA-A-VELHA UNIT, OSSA-MORENA ZONE, W PORTUGAL - 34
J.E.A. Marshall, Huaicheng Zhu, C.H. Wellman, Yi Wang, C.M. Berry – ARCHAEOPERISACCUS - 37
Sören Meisel - VASCULAR PLANT RESIDUALS (?) INSTEAD ACRITARCHS - OBSERVATIONS
FROM A LATE SILURIAN MARINE CARBONATE (OCKERKALK) IN SE-GERMANY (THURINGIA) 40
Małgorzata Moczydłowska-Vidal - PROTEROZOIC ACRITARCHS AND DIVERGENCES OF GREEN
MICROALGAE - 42
Jan Mortier, Jacques Verniers - THE RAVINE 700 M EAST SECTION OF NEUVILLE-SOUS-HUY
(UPPER LLANDOVERY TO MIDDLE WENLOCK): LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY WITH CHITINOZOANS - 45
Marzena Oliwkiewicz-Miklasińska, Kinga Filipowska-Jeziorek - PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF
CARBONIFEROUS DEPOSITS IN BOREHOLE M-1 NEAR PUŁAWY (LUBLIN BASIN) - 48
Teodoro Palacios - MIDDLE-UPPER CAMBRIAN ACRITARCHS FROM THE OVILLE AND
BARRIOS FORMATIONS, CANTABRIAN MOUNTAINS, NORTHERN SPAIN - 50
Brian E. Pedder - LARGE SPINOSE ACRITARCHS (LSAS) FROM CAMBRIAN LAURENTIAN
SEDIMENTS IN THE U.S.A. - 54
Janine Pendleton - PALAEOBOTANICAL INVESTIGATION OF A NEGLECTED COALFIELD: THE
COALPIT HEATH BASIN OF THE BRISTOL COALFIELD - 56
2
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Z. Pereira, J. X. Matos, P. Fernandes, J. T. Oliveira - PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHIC STUDY OF THE
CAVEIRA MINE (NW SECTOR OF THE IBERIAN PYRITE BELT, PORTUGAL- 57
H. N. Sinha, Jacques Verniers, Thijs R. A. Vandenbroucke - FIRST REPORT OF ORDOVICIAN
CHITINOZOANS FROM THE SHIALA FORMATION OF TETHYS HIMALAYA, INDIA - 60
Philippe Steemans, Kevin Lepot, Craig P. Marshall, Alain Le Hérissé, Emmanuelle J. Javaux - FTIR
CHARACTERISATION OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SILURIAN MIOSPORES
(CRYPTOSPORES AND TRILETE SPORES) FROM GOTLAND, SWEDEN - 61
Marzena Stempień-Sałek - PALYNOMORPHS FROM PRINCE CHARLES MOUNTAINS, EAST
ANTARCTICA: CARBONIFEROUS, CARBONIFEROUS-PERMIAN OR PERMIAN? - 63
Ellen Stolle - BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION OF PERMIAN STRATA FROM SE TURKEY
AND AUSTRALIA - 65
Ellen Stolle, Tania Dimitrova - TORISPORA (BALME) DOUBINGER AND HORST FROM
PENNSYLVANIAN AND PERMIAN OF TURKEY AND BULGARIA - 68
Zbigniew Szczepanik - SUCCESSION OF THE ACRITARCHS ASSEMBLAGES IN CAMBRIAN OF
THE HOLY CROSS MTS. (CENTRAL POLAND) - 70
Zbigniew Szczepanik, Wiesław Trela - EXOTIC ACRITARCHS IN THE HIRNANTIAN
MICROPHYTOPLANKTON ASSEMBLAGE OF THE HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS (POLAND) - 76
Wilson A. Taylor, Charles H. Wellman, Patricia G. Gensel - WHAT CAN SPORE WALL
ULTRASTRUCTURE TELL US ABOUT AFFINITY AND EVOLUTION OF THE DEVONIAN FORM
GENERA EMPHANISPORITES AND CAMAROZONOTRILETES? - 78
Claudia Trampisch - TEM STUDY OF THE MELANOSCLERITE MIRACHITINA QUADRUPEDIS
EISENACK, 1932 - 81
Thijs R. A. Vandenbroucke, Howard A. Armstrong, Mark Williams, Florentin Paris, Jan A. Zalasiewicz,
Koen Sabbe, Jaak Nõlvak, Thomas J.Challands – ZOOPLANKTON BIOTOPES, CLIMATE BELT
CONTRACTION AND POLAR FRONT SHIFT TOWARDS THE GLACIAL MAXIMUM OF THE EARLY
PALAEOZOIC ICEHOUSE - 84
13
Thijs R.A. Vandenbroucke, Darren Gröcke, Howard A. Armstrong - CHITINOZOANS IN Δ CORG
STUDIES: A REVISION OF METHODOLOGY - 86
Nuno Vaz, Florentin Paris, J. Tomás Oliveira - CHITINOZOANS OF UPPER SILURIAN OF
AMÊNDOA - MAÇÃO SYNCLINE - 88
Jacques Verniers, Monika Masiak - SILURIAN CHITINOZOANS FROM THE PRAGOWIEC RAVINE,
HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS, POLAND AND CALIBRATION WITH THE GRAPTOLITE
BIOZONATION - 91
Wenhui Wang, Jacques Verniers - CHITINOZOANS IN ADELOGRAPTUS TENELLUS GRAPTOLITE
ZONE OF THE LATE TREMADOCIAN (EARLY ORDOVICIAN) FROM YIYANG, SOUTH CHINA - 94
Charles H. Wellman, Patricia G. Gensel, Wilson A. Taylor - LATE SILURIAN-EARLY DEVONIAN
PALAEOPHYTOGEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENTIATION: THE FRENCH/SPANISH CONNECTION - 97
Kui Yan, Jun Li, Thomas Servais - THE ORDOVICIAN ACRITARCHS ASSEMBLAGES IN SOUTH
CHINA AND ITS BIOSTRATIGRAPHICAL IMPLICATIONS - 100
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
3
ORDOVICIAN-SILURIAN PALYNOLOGY OF OMAN
Mutasam Al-Ghammari1,2
1
Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building,
Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; [email protected]
2
Petroleum Development Oman LLC, P.O. Box 81, Muscat 100, Sultanate of Oman
Detailed palynological analysis of the Middle Ordovician-Early Silurian (Llandovery)
Safiq Group of Oman enables precise dating, correlation, and facilitates
palaeoenvironmental and sequence stratigraphic interpretations. Most of the studied
245 subsurface sample of the Saih Nihayda, Hasirah and Sahmah formations proved
palyniferous, yielding abundant, moderately to well-preserved acritarchs (51
species), chitinozoans (33 species) and cryptospores (13 species). Four new
chitinozoan
species,
Euconochitina
sheridani,
Belonechitina
ghabaensis,
Desmochitina omanensis and Desmochitina mortoni, were proposed and described
by Al-Ghammari et al. (2010) from Darriwilian core samples in the Saih Nihayda
Formation. Three acritarch assemblage zones are recognised and informally
designated: Ac1 (middle-late Darriwilian), Ac2 (early-middle Katian) and Ac3 (early
Rhuddanian).
These
zones
stratigraphically
coincide
with
four
chitinozoan
assemblage zones which are also informally designated: Ch1 (middle Darriwilian),
Ch2 (late Darriwilian), Ch3 (early-middle Katian) and Ch4 (early Rhuddanian).
Chronostratigraphic assignments are based principally on comparison with previously
established acritarch and chitinozoan zones in the Arabian Plate and Gondwana. The
present palynozonation scheme confirms and refines previous palynological datings
proposed for the Safiq Group (e.g. Droste, 1997; Molyneux et al., 2006). The three
formations of the Safiq Group represent three major transgressive-regressive cycles
separated by two unconformities, corresponding to the Sandbian and the late KatianHirnantian. The shales with diverse and abundant acritarchs and chitinozoans at the
bases of the Saih Nihayda and the Hasirah formations were deposited in relatively
deep-marine environments and are, respectively, correlated with the middle
Darriwilian O30 and the early Katian O40 maximum flooding surfaces of Sharland et
al. (2001). These horizons are overlain by generally coarsening upward sequences of
4
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
siltstones and fine-grained sandstones, representing highstand systems tracts in an
up-section regressive shallowing facies reflected by decreasing abundance and
diversity of marine palynomorphs and increasing abundance and diversity of
cryptospores. In accordance with Molyneux et al. (2006), the early Rhuddanian
shales of the Sahmah Formation is related to a marine flooding event that predates
the middle Aeronian S10 maximum flooding surface of Sharland et al. (2001).
Stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and maximum flooding surfaces
(MFS) of the Safiq Group.
REFERENCES
AL-GHAMMARI, M., BOOTH, A.G., PARIS, F., 2010. New chitinozoan species from the
Saih Nihayda Formation, Middle Ordovician of the Sultanate of Oman. Review of
Palaeobotany and Palynology, 158: 250-261.
DROSTE, H.H.J., 1997. Stratigraphy of the Lower Paleozoic Haima Supergroup of
Oman. GeoArabia, 2: 419-492.
MOLYNEUX, S., OSTERLOFF, P., PENNEY, R., SPAAK, P., 2006. Biostratigraphy of the
Lower Palaeozoic Haima Supergroup, Oman; its application in sequence
stratigraphy and hydrocarbon exploration. GeoArabia, 11: 17-48.
SHARLAND, P.R., ARCHER, R., CASEY, D.M., DAVIES, R.B., HALL, S.H., HEWARD, A.P.,
HORBURY, A.D., SIMMONS, M.D., 2001. Arabian Plate sequence stratigraphy.
GeoArabia Special Publication 2: 1-371.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
5
TAXONOMY AND STRATIGRAPHIC IMPORTANCE OF THE CARBONIFEROUS
MIOSPORE GENUS VESTISPORA
Jiří Bek1 , Tania Dimitrova2
1
Department of Palaeobiology and Palaeoecology, Institute of Geology v.v.i., Academy of
Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic, [email protected]
2
Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
[email protected]
Authors revised stratigraphical ranges of the miospore genus Vestispora from USA,
Canada, UK, Poland, Belgium, France, Germany, Turkey, Netherlands, Spain,
Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Palynologists regard vestispores as useful
biostratigraphic indicators (e.g. Smith and Butterworth 1967, Clayton et al. 1977).
Special focus was concentrated on stratigraphical occurrences of vestispores and
their parent plants.
Now the genus consists of about 25 species. It is possible to divide
vestispores into a few morphological groups according to the sculpture of outer
perisporial layer which can be laevigate, costate, reticulate to foveolate.
The first group is represented by laevigate vestispores of the Vestispora
laevigata-type. The second group consists of vestispores with simple primary costae
of the Vestispora costata-type. The third group is characteristic by primary reticulum
(e.g. Vestispora profunda-type). Vestispores of the fourth group possesses primary
and secondary reticulum like e.g. Vestispora magna or V. pseudoreticulata. The fifth
group is typical by simply foveolate exine, e.g. Vestispora fenestrata-type. The last,
sixth group consists by vestispores with the combination of costate and foveolate
sculpture (Vestispora tortuosa-type).
Stratigraphically oldest occurrence of vestispores is Vestispora lucida reported
by Smith and Butterworth (1967) from Namurian A of UK. The latest record is
represented by Vestispora fenestrata from the Stephanian B of France (Alpern et al.
1969).
Majority of vestispores were produced by one group of sphenophyllalean
cones of the Bowmanites-type.
6
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Morphologically similar spore type is represented by operculate genus
Pteroretis which was produced also by sphenopyhllalean cones of the Bowmanitestype. The gross morphology of Pteroretis is very similar to vestispores. The genera
Glomospora,
Cancellatisporites,
Novisporites,
Foveolatisporites
(part)
and
Reticulatasporites can be considered as synonymous.
The only non-sphenophyllalean in situ record of vestispores is from
noeggerathialean cones of the Discinites-type (Bek and Šimůnek 2005) that may
suggest hypothetical relationships of some shenophylls and some noeggerathialens.
Authors proved the role of vestispores in the coal seems for the first time. The
distribution of microfloristic species is partly based on our observations of
palynological collections. These new data confirm that taphonomical effect has been
taken into account of the species when interpreting in coal seams. There is
significant difference in the species diversity between ecological conditions and the
levels in the coal.
The analysis of the dynamics of the change of the species destitutions and
quantitative changes provides a basis for a detailed stratigraphy and also each type
of the spore species is the source in concrete facies setting. The individual
taphomicrofloras in the level of coals have been influenced by different depositional
setting of the taphonomic histories of the petrographic of the individual coal seem.
Despite taphonomic differences between the individual localities considered by the
study, possible reasons for the position of the species of the genus Vestispora in the
coal seems and clastic material.
REFERENCES
ALPERN, B.,
ET AL.,
1969. Synthése des zonations palynologiques des bassins
houillers de Lorraine et de Saar. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 11, 4: 217-221.
BEK, J., ŠIMŮNEK, Z., 2005. Revision of the cone genus Discinites from the
Carboniferous continental basins of Bohemia. Palaeontology, 48, 6: 1377-1397.
CLAYTON, G., et al., 1977. Carboniferous miospores of western Europe: Illustration
and zonation. Meded. Rijks. Geol. Dienst, 29: 1-71.
SMITH, A.H.V., BUTTERWORTH, M.A., 1967. Miospores in the coal seams of the
Carboniferous of Great Britain, Special Papers in Palaeontology, 1: 1-324.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
7
PALYNOLOGICAL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND CORRELATION OF TOURNAISIAN
(MISSISSIPPIAN) SYNSEDIMENTARY DEFORMATION AND REWORKING
EVENTS IN SOUTHERN IRELAND AND SOUTH WALES
Jenny Brittain
PetroStrat Ltd, Tan-y-Graig, Parc Caer Seion, Conwy LL32 8FA, Wales, United Kingdom.
[email protected]
Tournaisian successions of southern Ireland and South Wales were deposited in
transgressive shallow marine, tempestitic shelf environments, undergoing constant
palaeoenvironmental change. Palynological samples from eight locations across the
region (a palaeogeographic area of ~300km²) were analysed. A detailed
palynological study found that the successions range in age from the Cristatisporites
hibernicus - Umbonatisporites distinctus to the Spelaeotriletes pretiosus - Raistrickia
clavata (HD - PC) Miospore Biozones. As part of this study, comprehensive biometric
analysis of the biostratigraphically important Spelaeotriletes balteatus - S. pretiosus
complex was undertaken resulting in the description of one new species Spelaeotriletes galearis Brittain & Higgs 2007, and one new name combination,
Indotriradites faciatus (Higgs) comb. nov.
As a result of the detailed miospore biostratigraphy of the successions, the
occurrence of major synsedimentary deformation events across the region were, in
some cases, found to have occurred simultaneously. In the sections studied, four
separate levels of regional deformation were identified. These are (in stratigraphic
order): within in the HD Biozone in South Wales; close to the HD-BP Biozonal
boundry in both southern Ireland and South Wales; within the BP Biozone in South
Wales; and at the BP-PC Biozonal boundary in both Southern Ireland and South
Wales. The sedimentology of these simultaneous events was documented and
analysed in detail, and compared to modern analogues. As a result, these events are
thought to be associated with the effects of seismic shock waves on unconsolidated
storm-deposited sediments on a regional scale at specific times in the Tournaisian
and a particularly major, regional deformation event was found to have occurred at
the BP - PC Miospore Biozone boundary.
8
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
A reworked Ordovician-Silurian acritarch assemblage was also discovered in
the lower PC Biozone towards the top of the Houseland Sandstone Member of the
Porter’s Gate Formation (at Hook Head, Co. Wexford, Ireland), and proven, by
means of the detailed miospore biostratigraphy of the successions, to be much older
than previously recorded Lower Palaeozoic reworking events from the Irish
Tournaisian, such as that in the upper PC Biozone Ballyvergin Shale Formation.
Further investigation of the systematic palynology of the acritarch assemblage found
is ongoing.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
9
LATE LUDLOWIAN PALYNOMORPHS FROM THE ŁYSOGÓRY REGION, HOLY
CROSS MOUNTAINS, CENTRAL POLAND – PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Ewa Durska1, Monika Jachowicz-Zdanowska2, Wojciech Kozłowski1
1
University of Warsaw, Faculty of Geology, al. Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warszawa, Poland,
[email protected], [email protected]
2
Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Upper Silesian Branch, ul. Królowej
Jadwigi 1, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland, [email protected]
The Palaeozoic inlier of the Holy Cross Mountains (Central Poland) is the only
outcrop area of the Silurian rocks in the southern part of the Trans-European Suture
Zone. Silurian sediments are the infill of the Caledonian foreland basin that
developed on the Baltica shelf area. Investigated Late Silurian marginal marine
sediments are composed of limestones intercalated by clastic deposits rich in organic
particles.
Examined samples represent Jadowniki Member of Winnica Formation. The
Winnica Formation lies above the spot findings of the graptolite Bohemograptus
bohemicus (in the Trzcianka Formation) and below Sarnia Zwola Formation, the
Pridolian age of which is documented by graptolite Istrograptus transgrediens sp. l,
and trilobite Acaste dayiana. The rocks of the Jadowniki Member of the Winnica
Formation yield the following trilobites: Proetus signatus, Acastella spinosa,
Homalonotus knighti, Calymene beyieri, that indicate upper Ludlowian age. The
distinct regressive facial record, along with C isotope excursion in the Jadowniki
Member indicate that the studied sediments have been deposited during N.
kozlowskii - M. latilobus interzone (i.e. middle part of the upper Ludfordian).
Examined samples yield rather poorly diversified organic microremains
assemblage. It is dominated by dark brown and black AOM particles. The dominant
palynomorphs are acritarchs with diacrodians showing Uppermost Cambrian - Lower
Ordovician age. This feature, along with the regressive character of the sediments,
clearly shows redeposition. Among other palynomorphs the most frequent are
nematophyte cuticles. Less frequent are cryptospores, fungal hyphae and
invertebrate cuticles. Very rare are trilete spores. As a matter of fact, only two were
found by now. No higher land plant cuticles, stomata or tracheids were found.
10
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
THE MEASUREMENT OF VITRINITE REFLECTANCE USING MATLAB
Paulo Fernandes1, Joaquim Luís2, Sandra Rodrigues3, Manuela Marques3, Bruno
Valentim3, Deolinda Flores3
1
University of Algarve, CIMA - Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Ed. 7, Campus
de Gambelas 8005-139 Faro, Portugal, [email protected]
2
University of Algarve, Instituto Dom Luiz, Ed. 7, Campus de Gambelas 8005-139 Faro,
Portugal, [email protected]
3
University of Porto - Centro de Geologia, Faculty of Sciences, Rua do Campo Alegre, Porto,
Portugal, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
The measurement of vitrinite reflectance is widely used as an indicator of coal rank
and organic maturation in source-rock studies. This is due to the regular change in
reflectance properties of the vitrinite group during coalification. Traditional coal
petrographic
studies’,
including
rank
determination,
uses
transmitted
light
microscopy. Vitrinite is differentiated from other macerals microscopically under an oil
immersion lens using incident light on polished surfaces and taking into account
properties, such as, colour, shape, relief, hardness and principally, reflectivity. The
accurate measurements of vitrinite reflectance are achieved with the calibration of
the microscope with, at least, two standards of known reflectance. The values of
vitrinite reflectance are then registered analogically in a photo-multiplier apparatus or
more recently in software packages that deal with image analysis treatment.
In this work we propose a method for vitrinite reflectance measurement that
uses the techniques of image processing ready available in Matlab . We developed a
dedicated graphical tool that runs within the Mirone suite (also written in Matlab, Luis,
2007), that calibrates a scale of 256 grey levels with standards of known reflectivity.
The black and white images of the vitrinite particles are imported to this routine and
its reflectance values are measured. In order to test the reliability of this method,
several coal samples with a known rank, ranging from lignite to meta-anthracite
(Flores, 2002; Marques 1993; Suarez et al., 2006; Marques et al., 2009), were restudied and its vitrinite reflectance were measured using the new tool . The results of
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
11
this test (table 1 and figure 1) show that there is a very good correlation between the
vitrinite reflectance measurements made with traditional methods (%Rm Literature)
and the new Vitrinite tool . Although more tests are needed to ascertain the
consistency of this new method, these results show that this method can be a more
affordable alternative to the commercial vitrinite reflectance software packages.
No.
Table 1. Values attained for the coal samples.
Coal
%Rm
%Rm
Sample Ref.
Literature
MatLab
SD
Points
1707/1719
0.19
0.21
0.03
50
reflectance values for the coals measured
950/954
1375
0.30
0.55
0.29
0.56
0.05
0.02
50
50
with traditional methods; %Rm MatLab the
1501/1502
136/140
0.74
0.90
0.68
0.82
0.05
0.03
50
50
new Vitrinite tool routine; SD – standard
3156
1.14
1.18
0.05
50
3152
3182
1.41
1.63
1.46
1.66
0.07
0.09
50
50
2844
3160
1.73
1.96
1.78
1.9
0.25
0.15
50
50
1429/1431
742/745
2.30
2.47
2.38
2.53
0.16
0.17
50
50
1/47
219
3.20
3.39
3.16
3.19
0.19
0.16
50
50
3153
4.28
4.15
0.25
50
20
4.68
4.67
0.21
50
16/18
286/289
4.90
5.28
4.85
5.33
0.24
0.26
50
50
97/99
5.52
5.55
0.46
50
266/273
168/181
6.16
6.25
6.06
6.21
0.33
0.36
50
50
%Rm
Literature
indicates
the
vitrinite
vitrinite reflectance values measured with the
deviation and the number of points measured.
Figure 1. Correlation chart between the
vitrinite reflectance values measured with the
traditional methods and with the new Vitrinite
tool. Note the very good correlation between
the two sets of values with a regression line of
R2 = 0.9988.
REFERENCES
FLORES, D., 2002. Organic facies and depositional palaeoenvironment of lignites from
Rio Maior Basin (Portugal). Internat. J. Coal Geol., 48: 181-195.
LUIS, J. F., 2007. Mirone: A multi-purpose tool for exploring grid data. Computers &
Geosciences, 33, pp. 31-41.
MARQUES, M., 1993. Contribuição para o conhecimento da petrología dos carvões da
Bacia de Peñarroya–Belmez–Espiel (Córdova–Espanha). PhD Thesis, University
of Porto. 157p.
12
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
MARQUES, M., SUÁREZ-RUIZ, I., FLORES, D., GUEDES, A.
AND
RODRIGUES, S., 2009.
Correlation between optical, chemical and micro-structural parameters of highrank coals and graphite. Internat. J. Coal Geol. 77: 377-382.
SUÁREZ-RUIZ, I., FLORES, D., MARQUES, M.M., MARTINEZ-TARAZONA, M.R., PIS, J.
AND
RUBIERA. F., 2006. Geochemistry, mineralogy and technological properties of coals
from Rio Maior (Portugal) and Peñarroya (Spain) basins. Internat. J. Coal Geol.,
67: 171-190.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
13
PALYNOLOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER PRAGIAN (SIEGENIAN) AND
EMSIAN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS
(POLAND)
Anna Fijałkowska-Mader
Polish Geological Institute, Holy Cross Branch, Zgoda 21, 25-953 Kielce, Poland,
[email protected]
Examined material is derived from the 10 boreholes located in the Kielce region of
the Holy Cross Mountains. Productive samples were mainly obtained from grey
claystones and mudstones as well as fine-grained sandstones representing the
nearshore and rarely continental, alluvial sedimentation (Tarnowska, 1996).
The palynostrigraphic scheme introduced by Streel et. al. (1987) has been applied
here. The succession of four palynological assemblages belong to the Oppel Zones:
polygonalis – wetteldorfenis (PW), annulatus – bellatulus (AB), foveolatus – dubia
(FD) and apiculatus – protea (AP) has been recognized. Presence of the interval
Zones: subgranifer (Su and corystus (Cor.) .) was also ascertained in the upper part
of PW Zone and the lower part of AP Zone respectively. The assemblages of Su. and
AB Zones occur within the Haliszka Formation whereas the assemblage of FD zone
– in the top of the Haliszka Formation and within the Winna Formation. The
assemblage of Cor. Zone was found in the top of the Winna Formation. Therefore the
Upper Pragian (Siegenian) – Lower Emsian boundary can be placed in the lower part
of the Haliszka Formation, between the Su. and AB Zone assemblages (see Turnau
et al., 2003). The Lower - Upper Emsian boundary, however, is more problematic. It
is diachronous to the lithostratigraphical units and can be drawn in the lower part of
FD Zone. For that reason, it can be only generally accepted that the Lower – Upper
Emsian boundary lies in the lower part of the Winna Formation. The Cor. Zone
assemblage confirms the late Emsian age of the upper part of the Winna Formation.
This succession of palynospectra corresponds to palynological assemblages
presented by Turnau (Turnau & Tarnowska, 1997, Turnau et al., 2003).
All the assemblages are strongly dominated by apiculate spores, mostly
representatives of Rhyniophyta, Trimerophyta and Pteridophyta. They can be well
14
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
compared to the contemporaneous spectra from the West and East Europe. Thus the
Holy Cross Mts. build a natural platform in floristic correlation between these areas.
Relative strong similarity between the late Pragian (Siegenian) and Emsian
palynoassemblages suggests that flora of the “Old Red” continent was poorly
differentiated.
REFERENCES
STREEL M., HIGGS K., LOBOZIAK S., RIEGEL W., STEEMANS PH., 1987. Spore
stratigraphy and correlation with faunas and floras in the type marine Devonian of
the Ardenne-Rhenish regions. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 50: 211-229.
TARNOWSKA M., 1996. Lithostratigraphical units of Lower Devonian in the Holy Cross
Mts. and their correlation. (in Polish, unpulished).
TURNAU E., TARNOWSKA M., 1997. Presence of the Siegenian (Pragian) and Emsian
near Kielce. Posiedzenia Naukowe PIG 53, 5: 154-155 (in Polish).
TURNAU E., FIJAŁKOWSKA-MADER A., FILIPIAK P., STEMPIEŃ-SAŁEK M., 2003. Miospores.
[In: ] Geology of Poland vol. III. Atlas of guide and characteristic fossils. Part 1b,
Devonian (No. 1, No. 2): 623-678 (in Polish).
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
15
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF IN SITU SPORES OF EARLY DEVONIAN
LYCOPHYTINA
Patricia G. Gensel1 ,Charles H. Wellman2, Wilson A. Taylor3
1
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,
[email protected]
2
Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building,
Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK, [email protected]
3
Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA,
[email protected]
Studies of the wall ultrastructure of extant and fossil spores illustrate features that
might be diagnostic of major plant lineages as well as improved understanding of wall
organization. We specifically are examining the ultrastructure of in situ spores of
selected Early Devonian (Emsian) vascular plants in order to understand the
organization of their walls and to investigate if there are any features that might be
distinctive for the lineages they represent. We report here on TEM studies of spore
walls for the following Early Devonian taxa currently classified as Lycophytina sensu
Kenrick and Crane (1997): 1) the stem taxon Renalia hueberi; 2) the
zosterophyllopsid Zosterophyllum divaricatum; and 3) the lycophyte Leclercqia (Early
Devonian L. complexa and L. andrewsii). Basic features of spore walls in these taxa
are compared to what is known among extant lycopsida and other extant and extinct
plant groups.
Renalia hueberi spores, comparable to the sporae dispersae taxon
Retusotriletes, exhibit a mostly homogeneous wall, sometimes with tiny voids or faint
lamellae scattered throughout. Sections through the trilete aperture demonstrate that
the inner wall may be more granular in that region. Abundant globules, possibly
representing tapetal residue, are present over the surfaces of spores, being densest
on those still in spore masses or sporangia.
Zosterophyllum divaricatum spores also are comparable to Retusotriletes or if
faintly granular, perhaps Apiculiretusispora. TEM sections show that these spore
walls are very strongly lamellate, particularly in the inner wall region, and covered
16
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
with globules. The globules often are ornamented. Again the inner wall below and
adjacent to the aperture appears more strongly granular.
Spore wall ultrastructure of the Emsian Leclercqia species is more complex in
having two distinct layers, interpreted as a homogeneous to laminate inner exospore
(evident as an “inner body” by LM and SEM) and outer paraexospore which forms
the ornament. A region below and adjacent to the proximal aperture forms a
multilamellated zone. Features of this wall are reminiscent of ultrastructure in
microspores of fossil and extant heterosporous lycopsids such as extinct
Cirratriradites and extant Selaginella microspores. Their presence in homosporous
Leclercqia might indicate stepwise acquisition of characters during evolution of
heterospory.
One feature present in all of these taxa, and also in extant lycopsids, is a
differentiation of the inner wall beneath apertures, either as a granular or
multilamellate region. The presence of laminae in mature exospores is frequent in
both the fossils and in extant Lycopodiaceae. Such features are not common if at all
present in extant ferns or horsetails. To determine if these might be distinctive for
lycopsids and not generally present in all early plants, more studies of spore
ultrastructure from extinct basal euphyllophytes are needed.
Spore sections of Early Devonian Renalia hueberi (left) and Zosterophyllum
divaricatum (right)
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
17
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF ORDOVICIAN STRATA, IN
KABIRKUH WELL#1, IN LURESTAN AREA, SOUTHWESTERN IRAN
Mohammad Ghavidel-syooki
Institute of Petroleum Engineering of Tehran University, P.O. Box: 11365-4563, Tehran, Iran,
[email protected]
The Kabirkuh well #1 is located on the crest of Kabirkuh anticline which is the largest
structure in the Lurestan area (Fig.1).The Kabirkuh anticline is 220km long and 1012km wide with more than 2438m closure. The Kabirkuh well #1 is an exploration
well which was sppudded on the Lower Cretaceous Garau Formation in 1972 and
completed in the Ordovician strata (= Seyahou Formation) by Oil Service Company
of Iran in 1973. The purpose of drilling was to test the hydrocarbon potential of the
Permian-Triassic strata in the Lurestan area and to ascertian the nature of
subsurface stratigraphic column for further regional exploration requirements.The
relationships of the drilled rock units from the Garau Formation (Lower Cretaceous)
down to Dalan Formation (Permian) can be determined by diagnostic microfauna,
whereas from depth of 2963m to 3157m are without foraminifers. Therefore, fifty
three core and cutting samples were treated for palynomorph entities in order to
determine the precise age of this interval. All samples contain well-preserved
acritarch and chitinozoan assemblages. The acritarchs include 25 genera and 42
species.
The
diagnostic
acritarch
taxa
consist
of
Cristallinium
dentatum,
Cymatiogalea granulata, Cymatiogalea deunffii, Cymatiogalea philippotii, Pirea
ornata, Dactylofusa velifera, Aureotesta clathrata var.simplex, Dasydiacrodium
ancoriforme, Coryphidium bohemicum, Coryphidium persianense, Veryhachium
trispinosum, Frankea sartbernardensis, Arbusculidium filamentosum, Arbusculidium
iranensis,
Striatotheca
transformata, Striatotheca
triangulata,
quieta,
Striatotheca
trapziformis,
Striatotheca
Striatotheca
principalis, Stellechinatum
uncinatum, Aremoricanium deflandrei, Orthosphaeridium ternatum, Orthosphaeridium
bispinum,
Orthosphaeridium
inflatum,
Orthosphaeridium
insculptum,
Gorgonisphaeridium antiquum, Ordovicidium elegantulum, Multiplicisphaeridium
bifurcatum, Multilicisphaeridium irregulare, Diexapllophasis denticulata denticulata,
18
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Dactylofusa spinata, Rhopaliophora palmata,Voglandia flosmaris, Balisphaeridium
christoferi, Polygonium gracile, Balisphaeridum perclarum, Veryhachium hamii,
Tunisphaeridium
eisenackii,
Leiofusa
fusiformis,
Aremoricanium
squarrosum,
Actinotodissus crassus and Batisphaeridium constrictum. The chitinozoan taxa
comprise of 17 genera, and 20 species including of Eremochitina brevis, Linochitina
pissotensis, Siphonochitina formosa, Cyathochitina campanulaeformis, Cyathochitina
kukersiana,
Laufeldochitina
Acanthochitina
barbata,
clavata,
Eisenackitina
Desmochitina
minor,
sp.,
Hercochitina
Belenochitina
sp.,
micracantha,
Lagenochitina baltica, Euconochitina lepta, Armoricochitina fistulosa, Rhabdochitina
usitata, Rhabodochitina gracilis, Armoricochitina nigerica, Pogonochitina spinifera,
Ancyrochitina merga and Tanuchitina elongata. So far the above-mentioned acritarch
and chitinozoan taxa have been recorded from Early (Floan), Middle (DapingianDarriwillian) and Late Ordovician (Sandbian-Hirnantian) strata elsewhere. Therefore,
the drilled Ordovician interval of depth 2963m to 3157m in Kabirkuk well #1 is
assigned to Early-Late Ordovician. Based on chitinozoan and acritarch taxa, the
Lurestan area looks like Khuzestan and Fars areas can be assigned to North
Gondwana Domain. Likewise, the Ordovician strata were investigated as source
rock. As a result, 85-90% of organic matter is amorphous with TOC 1-1.5 % values.
The acritarch taxa are also brown to gray with thermal alteration index 3.5-3.9 levels,
suggesting generation of wet gas and condensates for Permian reservoirs (Faraghan
and Dalan formations) which disconfomably rest on Ordovician strata. Likewise, the
presence of acritarch and chitinozoan taxonomically diverse assemblages, suggests
a relatively shallow marine, platformal depositional environment, locating in mediumhigh palaeolatitudes.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
19
Fig. 1. Location map of studied area.
20
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER VISÉAN PAPROTNIA SERIES
(BARDO UNIT, POLISH SUDETES)
Anna Górecka-Nowak, Jolanta Muszer
University of Wrocław, Institute of Geological Sciences, 50 205 Wrocław, ul. Cybulskiego 30,
Poland, [email protected]
The siliciclastic rocks of the Paprotnia Series from the vicinity of Czerwieńczyce
village were palynologically studied. These Upper Viséan rocks belong to the
autochthonous/parautochtonous succession of the Bardo Unit (Polish Sudetes) and
are interpreted as a shallower-water equivalent of the pelagic crenistria Limestone
(Haydukiewicz & Muszer, 2002).
The palynological studies provided diverse miospore assemblages and
abundant palynological material, in which the amorphous organic matter was not
observed. The preservation of miospores was rather poor and the main destructive
factor was pyrite.
The miospore assemblages found in 15 m thick rock section allow to distinguish two
miospore zones. The miospore assemblage found in the lower and middle part of the
section contains Waltzispora planiangulata, Raistrickia nigra, Microreticulatisporites
concavus, Rotaspora knoxi, Triquitrites marginatus, Savitrisporites nux, Crassispora
maculosa, Kraeuselisporites echinatus, Remysporites magnificus and Schulzospora
spp. This assemblage is characteristic to the T. vetustus-R. fracta (VF) miospore
biozone.
In the upper part of the section some important taxa appear: Bellispores
nitidus, Reticulatisporites carnosus and Cingulizonates capistratus. Their occurrence
indicate that this part of the section should be included to the B. nitidus - R. carnosus
(NC) miospore biozone.
The boundary between these two zones was established on the base of the IV
taphocoenose distinguished by Haydukiewicz & Muszer (2002).
Above results confirm Asbian age of the lower and middle part of the section,
which was supported on the micro- and macrofaunistic studies and suggested for
whole section of the Paprotnia Series (Haydukiewicz & Muszer, 2002). The Asbian
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
21
age was suggested also by the radiometric dating on 334±3 Ma of the bentonite level
from the lower part of the section (Kryza et al., 2010).
The palynological data indicate that the upper part of the Paprotnia Series
belongs to Brigantian. These rocks had not provided any faunistic fossils and they
appeared to be younger than it was believed earlier.
REFERENCES
HAYDUKIEWICZ J., MUSZER J., 2002. Offshore to onshore transition in the Upper
Viséan paleontological record from the Paprotnia section (Bardo Mts., West
Sudetes). Geologia Sudetica, 34: 17-38.
KRYZA R., MUSZER J., HAYDUKIEWICZ J., AUGUST C., JURASIK M., RODIONOV N., 2010. A
SIMS zircon age for a biostratigraphically dated Upper Viséan (Asbian) bentonite
in the Central-European Variscides (Bardo Unit, Polish Sudetes). Int. J. Earth Sci.
(Geol. Rundsch.) DOI 10.1007/s00531-010-0529-y
22
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
PALYNOLOGY AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTS OF THE SILURIAN ROCKS OF
THE DUNQUIN INLIER, DINGLE PENINSULA, CO. KERRY
K. T. Higgs, B.P.J. Williams
Department of Geology, University College Cork, Ireland, [email protected]
The Silurian rocks of the Dunquin inlier comprise a 1500m thick succession of
shallow marine and minor coastal plain sediments interbedded with a range of
volcaniclastic deposits and lavas. The lower part of the Silurian succession
(Coosglass and Foilnamahagh Formations) was previously undated, however the
middle and upper parts of the succession (Ferriter’s Cove to Croaghmarhin
Formations) have yielded Wenlock and Ludlow macrofaunas. An ongoing
palynological study of the Dunquin Group succession has recovered a variety of
palynomorph groups, such as, acritarchs, prasinophyte cysts, chitinozoans,
scolecodonts, miospores and cryptospores. Preliminary palynological results indicate
the biostratigraphic age of the Coosglass Formation is now considered to be late
Llandovery to early Wenlock. Palynological data from the overlying formations are
consistent with the Wenlock-Ludlow ages given by the macrofaunal evidence. The
diversity and distribution of actitarchs and spores within the Ferriter’s Cove Formation
is very variable and is considered to be palaeoenvironmentally controlled. The
different palynological assemblages are closely correlated with regressive shallowing
upward cycles that range from siliciclastic shallow shelf, shoreface, back barrier
intertidal and lagoonal depositional environments. The sediments of the Ferriter’s
Cove Formation were repeatedly affected by sea level change, variable rates of
sediment supply and volcano-tectonic activity.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
23
PALYNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PROTEROZOIC-CAMBRIAN
SUCCESSION IN THE MAŁOPOLSKA BLOK (SOUTHERN POLAND)
Monika Jachowicz-Zdanowska
Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Upper Silesian Branch
Królowej Jadwigi 1, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland, [email protected]
The Małopolska Block definition is not easy. It borders as well as the age of the
consolidation have not been so far defined. The Małopolska Block is situated near
the southwestern boundary of the Eastern European Platform where together with
other units form Teisseyre-Tornquist Terrane Assemblages (TTA) (Nawrocki &
Poprawa, 2006). The Małopolska Block from the southwest border of the Upper
Silesian Block, the northeastern boundary is drawn along the Holy Cross Dislocation
(Pożaryski et al., 1992; Pożaryski & Tomczyk, 1993). The anchimetamorphic clastic
rocks of flysch character are the oldest rocks recognized in the Małopolska block.
Results of palynological investigations in several boreholes from the Małopolska
Block indicate that they are Ediacaran in age (Moryc & Jachowicz, 2000).
The Cambrian clastic complex of Małopolska Block is known from outcrops
and drillings in northern and eastern part of the Małopolska Block. Its stratigraphy in
the Kielce region of Holy Cross Mts. based on trilobites and acritarchs (Żylińska &
Szczepanik, 2009). These rocks continues within the basement into Carpathian
Foredeep where were penetrated by deep drillings (Dziadzio & Jachowicz, 1996).
The detailed palynological analyses allow to document microflora assemblages
typical of the Lower, Middle and Upper Cambrian.
The Lower Cambrian deposits contain characteristic acritarch associations
predominated with Skiagia genus represented by some species and accompanied by
representatives of other, typical Lower Cambrian genera and species such as:
Archeodiscina
umbonulata,
Estiastra
minima,
Heliosphaeridium
dissimilare,
Michrystridium xianum and Granomarginata. The typical Middle Cambrian genus Adara and species of Cristallinium cambriense, Eliasum llaniscum, Heliosphaeridium
notatum i Comasphaeridium longispinosum are particularly numerously represented
among the obtained Middle Cambrian microflora assemblages. Microflora with
24
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
characteristic members of Herkomorphitae and Diacromorphitae subgroups has been
recognized in the Upper Cambrian deposits. The obtained data show that Cambrian
rocks recognized in the Kielce region of Holy Cross Mts., continue within the
Carpathian Foredeep basement.
REFERENCES
DZIADZIO P., JACHOWICZ M., 1996. Budowa podłoża utworów mioceńskich na SW od
wyniesienia Lubaczowa. Przegląd Geologiczny 44: 1124-1130.
MORYC W., JACHOWICZ M., 2000. Utwory prekambryjskie w rejonie Bochnia-TarnówDębica. Przegląd Geologiczny 48: 601-606.
NAWROCKI J., POPRAWA P., 2006. Development of Trans-European Suture Zone in
Poland: from Ediacaran lifting to Early Palaeozoic accrecion. Geological Quarterly
50: 59-76.
POŻARYSKI W., GROCHOLSKI A., TOMCZYK H., KARNKOWSKI F., MORYC W., 1992. Mapa
tektoniczna Polski w epoce waryscyjskiej. Przegląd Geologiczny 11: 643-651.
POŻARYSKI W., TOMCZYK H., 1993. Przekrój Geologiczny przez Polskę południowowschodnią. Przegląd Geologiczny 41: 683-694.
ŻYLIŃSKA A., SZCZEPANIK Z., 2009. Trilobite and acritarch assemblages from the
Lower-Middle Cambrian boundary in the Holy Cross Mountains (Poland). Acta
Geologica Polonica 59: 413-458.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
25
PALYNOLOGY OF THE ?GLACIGENIC CARBONIFEROUS TOBRA
FORMATION OF PAKISTAN
Irfan U. Jan1&2, Michael H. Stephenson3
1
Department of Geology, University of Leicester, University Road Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK,
[email protected]
2
National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan
3
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK, [email protected]
Until now the precise age and nature of the ?glacigene Tobra Formation (Salt Range,
Pakistan), and its relationship to palaeogeographically-nearby sequences in Arabia
and the Middle East have been uncertain. Samples from a 125 metre-thick section of
the Tobra Formation at Zaluch Nala, western Salt Range, Pakistan yielded 38
palynomorph taxa including the spores Horriditriletes spp., and Microbaculispora
tentula;
abundant
monosaccate
pollen
including
Barakarites
cf.
rotatus,
Cannanoropollis janakii and Plicatipollenites malabarensis, and rare taeniate and
non-taeniate bisaccate pollen. Converrucosisporites grandegranulatus, Cycadopites
cymbatus,
Horriditriletes
ramosus,
Horriditriletes
tereteangulatus
and
Microbaculispora tentula indicate the south Oman 2165B Biozone (Pennsylvanian),
suggesting that the Tobra Formation in Zaluch Nala is equivalent to the middle part of
the Al Khlata Formation of Oman (PDO production unit P1). Brevitriletes leptoacaina,
Brevitriletes parmatus, Horriditriletes ramosus and Microbaculispora tentula indicate
the lower part of the Oman Saudi Arabia Palynological Zone 2 (OSPZ2). The Tobra
Formation assemblages are also correlated to western Australian Stage 2 (sensu
Backhouse 1991) and the eastern Australian Microbaculispora tentula Oppel-zone,
based on the occurrence of Brevitriletes cornutus, Brevitriletes parmatus,
Cycadopites cymabtus, Horriditriletes ramosus, Horriditriletes tereteangulatus and
Microbaculispora tentula. The Tobra Formation in Zaluch Nala lacks the deglaciation
sequence that is present in several other palaeogeographically-nearby basins such
as those of south Arabia and Western Australia indicating either non-deposition
during the deglaciation period, or erosion associated with the unconformity between
the Tobra Formation and the overlying Warchha Formation.
26
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
The Carboniferous-Permian succession of Pakistan comprises approximately 610m
thick sedimentary strata and crops out in the Salt Range and Trans-Indus Khisor and
Marwat ranges and partly in the Surghar Range (Fig. 1). The succession is divided
into two groups: the lower largely terrestrial Gondwana succession, represented by
the Nilwahan Group, and the upper shallow marine Tethyan succession, represented
by the Zaluch Group (Wardlaw and Pogue, 1995; Jan el al., 2009). The oldest of the
Carboniferous-Permian units of the Nilawahan Group in the Salt Range is the Tobra
Formation, the type locality of which is located near the Tobra Village in the eastern
Salt Range (Fig. 1).
For present investigation, forty samples were studied for palynology from the Tobra
Formation at Zaluch Nala, Western Salt Range, Pakistan (Fig. 1), which yielded
significant palynomorph taxa, including Microbaculispora tentula, Horriditriletes
tereteangulatus, Horriditriletes ramosus, Horriditriletes uruguaiensis, Brevitriletes
parmatus, Brevitriletes cornutus and Brevitriletes leptoacaina. The monosaccate
pollen represented, are Plicatipollenites malabarensis, Barakarites cf. rotatus and
Cannanoropollis janakii.
Figure1.Geological map of the Salt Range, Pakistan, showing sampled location.
The assemblage also represented considerable numbers of taeniate and nontaeniate bisaccate pollen. The palynological assemblages from the Tobra Formation
show close similarity with the assemblage of the OSPZ2 biozone of Arabian
Peninsula (Stephenson et al., 2003) and 2165B biozone of south Oman (Penney et
al., 2008). The Tobra Formation which is correlative with the middle part of the Al-
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
27
khlata Formation of Oman and Unayzah B of central Saudi Arabia, based on the
palynological assemblages from these sections, hence can be dated as
Pennsylvanian; Gzhelian,equivalent to the PDO production units P1.
REFERENCES
JAN, I. U., STEPHENSON, M. H., AND KHAN, F. R., 2009. Palynostratigraphic correlation
of the Sardhai Formation (Permian) of Pakistan. Review of Palaebotany and
Palynology, 158: 72-82.
PENNEY, R. A., AL BARRAM, I.,
AND
STEPHENSON, M. H., 2008. A high resolution
palynozonation for the Al Khlata Formation (Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian),
South Oman. Palynology 32: 213-231.
STEPHENSON, M. H., OSTERLOFF, P. L.,
AND
FILATOFF, J., 2003. Palynological
biozonation of the Permian of Oman and Saudi Arabia; progress and challenges.
GeoArabia, 8: 467-496.
WARDLAW, B. R., AND POGUE, K. R., 1995. The Permian of Pakistan. In: Scholle, P. A.,
Peryt, T. M., and Ulmer-Scholle, P. M. (eds.), The Permian of Northern Pangea
vol. 1. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimates, Stratigraphy. Springer Verlag, New
York, pp. 215-224.
28
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
PALYNOLOGY OF GLACIAL INTERVALS IN THE NEOPROTEROZOIC OF
NAMIBIA – NEW FACTS ON ‘SNOWBALL EARTH’
Hartmut Jäger1, Guy H. Spence2, Thilo Bechstädt1
1
GeoResources Steinbeis-TransferCentre at the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg,
Germany, [email protected]
2
North African Research Group, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
The Neoproterozoic is seen as a time of extreme climatic changes. At least two
global glaciations, known as ‘Snowball Earth’, are proposed for the Neoproterozoic.
Evidence for low latitude glaciations is based on widespread palaeogeographic
distribution of diamictites reaching out to low palaeolatitudes, overlain by Cap
Carbonates showing negative δ13C excursions. The negative δ13C excursion is
interpreted as a result of the collapse in organic productivity in the ocean, due to the
decoupling of global oceans from the atmosphere by a global ice cover. Cap
Carbonates are interpreted as anorganic precipitates produced by the switch from
‘Snowball Earth’ into a super hot green-house – the Neoproterozoic climatic paradox.
In opposite, the waxing and waning of glaciers and the coexistence of open oceans
with low latitude sea-ice is proposed based on sedimentary evidence, contradicting
essential requirements of 'Snowball Earth'. The controversial debate on 'Snowball
Earth' is focussed mainly on geochemical data and secondarily on sedimentological
analyses. The input from palaeontology is very marginal, because macro- and
microfossils are not recorded from these intervals until now.
Palynological studies of the late Neoproterozoic Ghaub glaciation (Marinoan)
in NE-Namibia show a continuous microfossil record throughout this interval for the
first time. Therefore palynology presents essential new data for the analysis of
palaeoenvironments during Neoproterozoic glaciations and the debate on 'Snowball
Earth'.
(1) A continuous record of life is observed from pre-glacial carbonate platform
deposits throughout the glacial diamictites and Cap Carbonates into post-glacial
highstand platform deposits. The microbial assemblages in the Cap Carbonates are
dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria / algae accompained by coccoidal bacteria /
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
29
algae and few acritarchs. In pre- and post-glacial strata filamentous microbiota
disappear and partially highly carbonized organic debris and acritarchs become more
frequent. The decrease of the total organic matter in the Cap Carbonates in some
sections is most probably related to the facies change towards extremely shallow,
marginal marine conditions of a proximal carbonate platform and not to less organic
productivity in the ocean. The continuous biogenic productivity shown by palynology
gives clear evidence for areas of open oceans and ice-free shelves during this glacial
interval, which contradicts a crucial requirement for 'Snowball Earth'.
(2) Palynology also proves, that Marinoan Cap Carbonates are mainly biogenic, with
microbial assemblages typical for very shallow marine algal mat deposits. Microbial
life during the glaciation shows no major differences to pre- and postglacial
assemblages, questioning a rapid change to extremely high temperatures, proposed
by 'Snowball Earth' hypothesis. Dolomitization of Cap Carbonates seems to be at
least partially biomediated, leading to changes in δ13C as observed in Cap
Carbonates.
(3) Palynofacies analysis shows rhythmical changes in the proportions of benthic
organisms like filamentous cyanobacteria / algae just as coccoidal bacteria / algae
and planctonic organisms like acritarchs. It gives clear evidence for changes in water
depth and therefore sea-level variations within the generally very shallow, marginal
marine environment of the Cap Carbonates. Therefore palynofacies shows continued
climatic variability during Cap Carbonate deposition, contradicting its interpretation as
a deposit of a continuous marine transgression at the end of the global glaciation,
proposed by the ‘Snowball Earth’.
The continuous record of fluctuations in relative sea-level from pre- to postglacial deposits indicated by palynofacies analysis contradicts the rapid change from
a ‘Snowball Earth’ to an extremely hot green-house during the Cap Carbonate
deposition, but supports a model of long term waxing and waning of glaciers within a
relatively slow escape from a widely glaciated Neoproterozoic world. Latest
palynological studies of the Chuos glacial interval (Sturtian) in NE-Namibia show very
similar results to the Ghaub glaciation. This hardly questions the existence of global
glaciations in the Neoproterozoic as proposed by ’Snowball Earth’ and supports an
alternative model of widespread glaciations merged with open oceans in between.
30
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
PALYNOMORPHS FROM THE GORSTIAN (SILURIAN) OF SAZES FORMATION
(BUÇACO SYNCLINE), CENTRAL IBERIAN ZONE, PORTUGAL – PRELIMINARY
RESULTS
Gilda Lopes1, Nuno Vaz2, António J.D. Sequeira3, José M. Piçarra4, Paulo
Fernandes5, Zélia Pereira6
1
Universidade do Algarve, CIMA, Faro, Portugal, [email protected]
2
Universidade de Trás os Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal, [email protected]
3
Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Coimbra, Portugal, [email protected]
4
Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Beja, Portugal, [email protected]
5
Universidade do Algarve, CIMA, Faro, Portugal, [email protected]
6
Lab. Nac. Energia e Geologia, S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal, [email protected]
Occuring in a complex syncline that extends from Buçaco to Penedo de Góis, the
studied area is located in the Central Iberian Zone of the Iberian Massif. In this region
outcrops a well-preserved and complete stratigraphic succession of Lower Paleozoic
age. At the top of the Buçaco Syncline stratigraphic succession, the Silurian Sazes
Formation (Paris, 1981), is currently being studied at a palynological (miospores and
chitinozoans) and macrofossil (graptolites) level, allowing a preliminary revision and
completion of the initial biostratigraphy of
this area. This studies will also provide
information
to
support
the
undergoing
surveying mapping project (1:50 000) that is
being
undertaken
Nacional
de
by
Energia
the
“Laboratório
e
Geologia”
(Portuguese Geological Survey) (Sequeira,
in prep). The Silurian age of the Sazes
Formation was provided by graptolites
faunas (e.g. Piçarra & Sequeira, in press),
Figure 1 – Simplified geological map of the
and consists of highly deformed dark
Sazes area (N Buçaco Syncline) showing the
carbonaceous
studies trench (A). Adapt . Piçarra & Sequeira
shales
with
nodules
intercalated with quartzites beds. The
(in press) from original geology of N. Delgado
published by Costa (1950).
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
31
samples for the present work were collected in the road cuts of EN 235 (km 51.6 –
km 51.7) where the Sazes Formation contacts by fault with the Upper Ordovician
Porto de Santa Ana Formation (Fig. 1) (Young, 1988).
From the seven samples that were studied, six of them were barren in miospores and
acritarchs and only sample BU.H/S7 yielded a very poor preserved miospore
assemblage, which allowed the identification of the Synorisporites libycus –
Lophozonotriletes? poecilomorphus Miospore Biozone
(Richardson & McGregor,
1986), and Chelinospora obscura Sub-zone of Burgess & Richardson (1995), that
indicates an upper Gorstian age. In this study no index species of chitinozoans were
recovered, but it was identified a species that first occurs in the Gorstian (Verniers et
al., 1995), Angochitina echinata Eisenack, 1931. For the first time cryptospores were
identified in this section. The graptolites samples collected at base of the
stratigraphic succession, allowed the confirmation of the Monograptus belophorus,
Gothograptus nassa and Colonograptus praedeubeli - Colonograptus deubeli
Biozones of Wenlock age. A more detailed palynostratigraphic study from this road
cut and other sections of Ordovician and Silurian ages of the Buçaco region is
currently in progress.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
This
study
was
supported
by
the
Ph.D.
grant
SFRH/BD/48534/2008 of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).
REFERENCES
BURGESS, N.D. & RICHARDSON, J.B., 1995. Late Wenlock to Early Pridoli cryptospores
and
miospores
from
south
and
south-west
Wales
–
Great
Britain.
Palaeontographica, Abt. B, 236.
COSTA, J.C., 1950. Notícia sobre uma carta geológica do Buçaco, de Nery Delgado.
Serv. Geol. de Portugal, 27 p., 2 pl..
EISENACK, A., 1931. Neue Mikrofossilien des baltischen Silurs 1. Palaeontologische
Zeitschrift, 13, 74-118.
PARIS, F., 1981. Les chitinozoaires dans le Paléozoique du sud-ouest de l’Europe.
Mémoire de la Société Geologique et Mineralogique de Bretagne, 26.
PIÇARRA, J. & SEQUEIRA, A.J.D. (in press). Graptólitos do Silúrico do sinclinal de
Buçaco: Paleontologia e Bioestratigrafia. Book of Abstracts of the VIII Congresso
Nacional de Geologia, Braga, Portugal.
32
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
RICHARDSON, J.B. & MCGREGOR, D.C., 1986. Silurian and Devonian spores zones of
the Old Red Sandstone Continent and adjacent regions. Geological Survey of
Canada, 364, 1-79.
SEQUEIRA, A.J.D. (in prep). Carta Geológica de Portugal à escala 1:50 000. Folha 19B (Coimbra-Penacova), Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia. Lisboa.
VERNIERS, J., NESTOR, V, PARIS, F., DUFKA, P., SUTHERLAND, S. & VAN GROOTEL, G.,
1995. A global Chitinozoa biozonation for the Silurian. Geological Magazine, 132
(6), 651-666.
YOUNG, T., 1988. The lithostratigraphy of the Upper Ordovician of central Portugal.
Journal of the Geological Society of London, 145, 377-392.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
33
STRATIGRAPHY AND PALYNOLOGY OF THE FRASNIAN TO SERPUKOVIAN
METASEDIMENTARY ALBERGARIA-A-VELHA UNIT, OSSA-MORENA ZONE,
W PORTUGAL
Gil Machado
GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro,
Portugal, [email protected]
INTRODUCTION
The Albergaria-a-Velha Unit (AVU)
constitutes one of the several
tectonostratigraphic
sequence
units
out-ofof
the
metamorphic belt along the PortoTomar shear zone (Ossa-Morena
Zone, Iberian Massif, W Portugal)
(Chaminé et al., 2003). It is
imbricated in the Late Proterozoic
(Beetsma, 1995) black-greenish
phyllites of this metamorphic belt
(Arada
Unit).
The
AVU
is
a
metasedimentary unit composed
by shales, siltstones and rare
sandstones.
The
metamorphic
degree is low to very low, as
indicated
by
Illite
crystallinity
analysis (Chaminé et al., 2003;
Vazquez et al., 2007).
Fig. 1 – Simplified Geological map
of the Espinho-Miranda do Corvo
sector of the Porto-Tomar shear
zone and associated metamorphic
belt. Sampled localities are shown
34
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
STRATIGRAPHY AND PALYNOLOGY
Continuous stratigraphic sequences are very rare and restricted to coarser
sediments (siltstones and sandstones). Most known outcrops are heavily deformed
and standard stratigraphical procedure is not applicable. Palynology is one of the few
methods that allows the paleoenvironmental interpretation of the unit and the only
providing some biostratigraphical control.
The coarser sediments represent, in vast majority of the observed outcrops,
low density turbidites. Bouma sequences are incomplete, but the dm- to m-thick beds
often present a massive coarser base, a laminated (occasionally with cross
lamination) siltstone interval and finely laminated shally top. This lithotype is
restricted to the Serpukhovian. Other siltstone-dominated lithotypes include cm- to
dm- thick beds of finely laminated pelitic sediments. These are commonly
Serpukhovian in age, but Viséan spore assemblages have been found in this
lithotype. Other lithotypes include black shales with few or none lighter or coarser
sediment intercalations. These are mostly Famenian-Early Tournaisian in age, but a
few localities also provided Viséan and Serpukhovian miospore assemblages. This
data, together with detrital framework analysis and palynofacies indicate that a
significantly large basin persisted from the Frasnian to at least the Serpukhovian
where sedimentation was controlled by a generally prograding turbidite system close
to the fine-grained end member (sensu Bouma, 2000). The post-sedimentary tectonic
evolution of the area, clearly associated with the Porto-Tomar shear zone (Chaminé
et al., 2003), destroyed most of the sedimentary record and preserved only a few
discrete portions of a much larger basin, as nappes over older rocks.
REFERENCES
BEETSMA, J.J., 1995. The late Proterozoic/Paleozoic and Hercynian crustal evolution
of the Iberian Massif, N Portugal, as traced by geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope
systematics of pre-Hercynian terrigenous sediments and Hercynian granitoids.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (unpublished PhD thesis).
BOUMA, A. H., 2000. Coarse-grained and fine-grained turbidite systems as end
member models: applicability and dangers. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 17
137-143.
CHAMINÉ , H. I., GAMA PEREIRA L. C., FONSECA P. E., MOÇO L. P., FERNANDES J. P.,
ROCHA F T., FLORES D., PINTO
DE
JESUS A., GOMES C., SOARES
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
DE
ANDRADE A. A.
35
AND
ARAÚJO, A., 2003. Tectonostratigraphy of middle and upper Palaeozoic black
shales from the Porto–Tomar–Ferreira do Alentejo shear zone (W Portugal): new
perspectives on the Iberian Massif. Geobios, 36 (6): 649-663.
VÁZQUEZ, M., ABAD, I., JIMÉNEZ-MILLÁN, J., ROCHA, F. T., FONSECA, P. E. & CHAMNIÉ, H.
I., 2007. Prograde epizonal clay mineral assemblages and retrograde alteration in
tectonic basins controlled by major strike-slip zones (W Iberian Variscan chain).
Clay Minerals, 42 (1): 109-128.
36
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
ARCHAEOPERISACCUS
J.E.A. Marshall1,2, Huaicheng Zhu1, C.H. Wellman3, Yi Wang1, C.M. Berry4
1
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and
Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China, [email protected]
2
School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography
Centre, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK, [email protected]
3
Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
4
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3YE, UK.
Archaeoperisaccus is a distinctive Devonian monolete spore. It was first described
from the northern hemisphere and was notable for being found only in the Frasnian
of northern Laurasia. Archaeoperisaccus is the microspore of the heterosporous
lycopod Kryshtofovichia (McGregor, 1969). The megaspore is Nikitinsporites which is
very different from Archaeoperisaccus in being trilete with prominent labra and long
processes surmounted by small bifurcate tips.
This
unity
of
the
biogeographic
and
stratigraphic
distribution
of
Archaeoperisaccus was questioned by the discovery in the Givetian of Yunnan,
China (Lu, 1980) of both Archaeoperisaccus and Nikitinsporites. Further records from
China then extended both its geographical extent and its age (Eifelian - Famennian).
In addition, similar spores were reported from Australia (Grey, 1992; McGregor &
Playford, 1993) including a new species A. rhacodes Hashemi & Playford 2005.
These southern hemisphere Archaeoperisaccus species differ in possessing a
‘camerate’ structure with scattered small processes that is more similar to
Grandispora whereas the ‘northern’ Laurasian forms generally have more in common
with Cristatisporites. A significant question is whether the similarity between these
two groups is fortuitous and a consequence of a morphological system or has the
potential to reveal much about Devonian plant evolution and palaeogeography
The records of the different species of Archaeoperisaccus from China have
been
reviewed
and
species
redescribed
made
using
new
material
from
Longhuashan, Yunnan. This locality (Lu, 1980) is a direct correlative of the now
covered type locality for Archaeoperisaccus indistinctus Lu 1988. We can report here
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
37
that most of the species of Archaeoperisaccus described from China can be
accommodated within A. indistinctus. In addition, the range of sculptural variation
includes the scattered coni and folds used to define A. rhacodes. A review of the
independent age evidence of the records from China indicates that the oldest
specimens are Givetian.
The specimens described by Grey (1992) as cf. Calyptosporites and
?Rhabdosporites from the Canning Basin we place within A. indistinctus as
populations from China show individual specimens with a circular amb with both, or
either, a monolete mark and a modified or vestigal trilete mark. If unaware of A.
indistinctus we would regard these as aberrant Grandispora.
Also present within the Longhuashan assemblages are specimens we can
confidently attribute to A. scabratus and A. opiparus. Hence, we have the cooccurrence of both groups.
Importantly, we have also discovered many specimens of unequivocal A.
indistinctus in several samples within a 200 m thick section of Frasnian age Kap
Kolthoff
Group
sediments
from
Ymer
Ø,
East
Greenland.
This
is
palaeogeographically within the interior of the ORS continent. These forms are, as
yet, unknown within European Russia.
The significant question is whether the distribution of Archaeoperisaccus
simply represents the co-occurrences of a morphologically similar spore or whether
there is a phylogenetic relationship between the two groups. Clearly both groups of
Archaeoperisaccus are independently associated with the megaspore Nikitinsporites.
In addition, the populations within East Greenland show significant morphological
variation between A. indistinctus and northern hemisphere Archaeoperisaccus
indicating transitional populations.
The age evidence shows a Givetian origin within the area of China and
Australasia followed by migration between continents, despite the encumbrance of a
large megaspore. The key palaeogeographic record (Zhu et al., 2008) is that from the
Junggar Basin, Xinjiang that during the Devonian moved towards Siberia. Hence,
migration could have been via the chain of moving microcontinents present within the
Panthalassic Ocean.
REFERENCES
GREY, K., 1992. Geological Survey of Western Australia Bulletin, 140: 1-139.
38
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
HASHEMI, H. & PLAYFORD, G., 2005. Revista Española de Micropaleontologiá, 37: 317417.
LU, L., 1980. Memoirs of the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, 14: 162.
LU, L., 1988. Memoirs of the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, 24: 109234.
MCGREGOR, D.C., 1969. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin, 182: 91-106.
MCGREGOR, D.C., & PLAYFORD, G., 1992. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin, 438:
1-84.
ZHU, H., WICANDER R. & MARSHALL, J.E.A., 2008. Review Palaeobotany Palynology,
152: 141-157.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
39
VASCULAR PLANT RESIDUALS (?) INSTEAD ACRITARCHS - OBSERVATIONS
FROM A LATE SILURIAN MARINE CARBONATE (OCKERKALK) IN SEGERMANY (THURINGIA)
Sören Meisel
Fa. GEO-LOGX, Schönbrunnstr. 1, 01097 Dresden, Germany, [email protected]
The discovery of palynomorphs within the older Palaeozoic of the Saxothuringian
zone (SE-Germany) is commonly hindered by the bad preservation of its organic
interior. Tectonic shear [1] and thermal overprint at temperatures corresponding to a
CAI of up to 6, as specified for the Silurian Ockerkalk limestone [2], often restrict
successful identification of taxa to thin-sections of their source rocks. Ignoring this
fact, samples from 14 thin marl slate layers intercalated in the Ockerkalk taken from a
24 m thick section of the well Lippelsdorf 17/64 located in the Schwarzburg anticline
were solved and processed in conventional manner. Strong coalification and
pyritisation of the macerates throughout the whole collection of sample preparations
and the yield of only two (!) poorly preserved achritarcs from more than 100
preparations seem to confirm the above-mentioned problem. Instead acritarchs,
several apparently ligneous fragments were found in one single layer around 1,2 m
below the supraregional spread “Scyphocrinus-Horizont” marker bed, which
separates the Silurian Ockerkalk from the overlying Upper Graptolite shale which is,
for the most part, early Devonian in age. The dark brown opaque fragments reach
100 μm extension. Their surface is characterised by patterns of more ore less parallel
arranged fibres resembling the pyritised xylem strands with tracheids illustrated by
Edwards [3]. In some places this fibres additionally enclosure spindle shaped
depressions or openings. Nevertheless, with 2..3 μm the width of these fibres is two
orders of magnitude lesser than tracheids usually should be. Whether they still
represent residua from early vascular plants, as guessed by the author, shall be
matter of a discussion. The biostratigraphic position of the Ockerkalk section
examined has been determined by conodonts to the interval from the latest Ludlow to
the latest Přidolí [2], corresponding to the epoch, when the first higher plants
(Tracheophyta) appeared on land. The interpretation of the Ockerkalk as a
40
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
succession of limestone-clay-turbidites [4], however, is not in conflict with this guess.
The marl layer bearing the ligneous fragments is also rich in well-rounded bioclastic
carbonate pebbles, shell detritus and crinoid stem fragments underlining its
provenance from a shallow marine, probably land-proximal environment which could
serve as its source area. The transport of this debris to the depositional realm of the
Ockerkalk could be associated with a regressive regime triggered by the sea-level fall
postulated for the period of the Silurian-Devonian transition.
REFERENCES
[1] BURMANN G., 1973. Chitinozoen aus dem Arenig. Abh. Zentr. Geol. Inst. 18,
Berlin: 129-159.
[2] SARMIENTO G.N. & MEISEL S., 2004. Silurian conodonts from the Ockerkalk
Formation of the well 'Lippelsdorf 17/64' (Saxothuringian zone). Res. report, Reg.Nr. I3-5433-503/2004, TLUG Jena (Germany), Archive Weimar: 6 pp.
[3] EDWARDS D., 1981. Studies on lower Devonian petrefactions from Britain. 2.
Sennicaulis, a new form genus for sterile axes base on pyrite an limonite
petrifactions from the Senni beds. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 32: 207-226.
[4] LANGBEIN
ET AL.,
1986. Zur Petrologie und Genese des Thüringer Ockerkalkes
(Silur). Hall. Jb. Geowiss. 11: 49 – 63.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
41
PROTEROZOIC ACRITARCHS AND DIVERGENCES OF GREEN MICROALGAE
Małgorzata Moczydłowska-Vidal
Uppsala University, Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Villavägen 16, SE 752 36
Uppsala, Sweden, [email protected]
The morphology of microfossils with resistant cell walls, their ornamentation and
functionally identifiable structures are the first source of information used to assess
their biological affinities. Difficulties in relying on morphology alone due to the
problem of convergent morphology may be resolved by the ultrastructure of the cell
wall and its biochemistry.
The cell walls of microfossils, which are acid-resistant and thus extractable by
chemical processing from the host rocks, are composed of biopolymers that show the
properties of the sporopollenin/algaenan classes of biomolecules synthesized by
green algae, the green lineages of dinoflagellates, and the reproductive cells of
higher plants (spores and pollen). These biota share primary biochemical pathways
of organic synthesis of biopolymers for constructing cell walls, and show a common
early lineage in their phylogeny. The geochronologic sequence of appearance of
microfossils with diagnostic traits of phycoma-like cysts, zygotic cysts with
ornamentation, pylomes, double-walled vesicles and endocysts, and spheroidal
vegetative cells and /or aplanospores with trilaminar sheath structure (TLS), which
are interpreted to be green microalgae, is aligned on the phylogenetic tree of the
Viridiplantae. The radiometric datings of the first appearance datum of these taxa
provide the minimum age of the origin of the classes to which they are assigned.
According to the affinities of microfossils inferred herein, the sequence of
evolutionary events is as it follows.
The stem-group of the Viridiplantae extends in time prior to c. 1800 Ma, and the
major branching nodes in a common lineage are at c. 1800 Ma for the Chlorophytes,
c. 1650 Ma for the Prasinophyceae, and at c. 1450 Ma for the ChlorophyceaeUlvophyceae lineage. The divergence of the Ulvophyceae might have occurred
before c. 950 Ma. The origin of the Chlorophytes is constrained by the earliest record
of the Leiosphaeridia-type microfossils from the Changzhougou Formation. The
42
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
“leiosphaerid” morphology, which is recognized among the prasinophyceaen or
chlorophyceaen microalgae, has deep roots in their common ancestral group and it is
not only the result of a convergent morphology expressed later on.
The prasinophyceaen lineage is recognized by Tasmanites rifejicus and cooccurring species with phycoma-like, double-walled cysts: Pterospermella, Simia,
Pterospermopsimorpha, and striated Valeria. Valeria appears at c. 1650 Ma in the
Mallapunyah Formation, and it marks the minimum age at which the Prasinophyceae
lineage
split
from
the
basal
Chlorophytes.
Phycoma-like
microfossils
are
subsequently recorded at c. 950 Ma (Octoedryxium), c. 580 Ma (Tasmanites, Simia,
Octoedryxium, Pterospermopsimorpha), and since c. 540 Ma through the Cambrian
(Tasmanites, Granomarginata, Pterospermella, Cymatiosphaera).
The chlorophyceaen lineage is recognized by various species of Leiosphaeridia
showing the TLS in their cell walls, which are likely the early members of the orders
Volvocales and/or Chlorococcales. Leiosphaerids with such traits are present at c.
1450 Ma, 650 Ma and 520 Ma. The divergence of the Ulvophyceae prior to c. 950 Ma
is suggested by the dasycladacean Archaeoclada and Variaclada in the Lakhanda
Group, and the siphonocladacean Proterocladus from the c. 700-750 Ma
Svanbergfjellet Formation.
The presented minimum ages of the origin of the Viridiplantae and the
divergence of the major microalgal clades differ from the molecular clocks estimates.
They also suggest that previously inferred time of the origin of Chlorophytes at c. 1
Ga or 1.5 Ga is too young. The molecular clocks estimates of these events are in
conflict with microfossil records, and the interpretation of some of them as being
photosynthesizing biota, and seem to be delayed in time.
Following the Great Oxygenation Event at c. 2.2 Ga, the oxygen pressure in the
ocean-atmosphere system has been apparently increasing although with significant
fluctuations through time. This was due to the variation in carbon cycles and
carbonate formation, assembly and breaking off the supercontinents and weathering
rate change, and hydrological cycle and stratification of the oceans. The PalaeoMesoproterozoic oceans were stratified with deep layers anoxic and only the surface
layer oxygenated by photosynthesis within the photic zone. The late Neoproterozoic
oxygenation event resulted in full oxygenation of the oceans and deep currents
circulation.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
43
The increasing pressure of oxygen in marine environments is argued to have
played a decisive role in the evolution of metazoans in the Ediacaran and Cambrian,
yet the cause-effect relationships may be in reverse as it comes to photosynthetic
organisms diversification and growing abundance observed through the Proterozoic.
The recorded diversification of green microalgae (acritarchs) must have enhanced
the rates of primary productivity in the surface ocean layers and organic carbon burial
in shelf sediments. Photosynthesis most profoundly increased the oxygen pressure in
the global ocean. Precise correlation in time of the geochemical signatures and
radiations of photosynthetic biota may reveal critical relationships between biotic and
environmental evolution.
44
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
THE RAVINE 700 M EAST SECTION OF NEUVILLE-SOUS-HUY (UPPER
LLANDOVERY TO MIDDLE WENLOCK): LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY WITH CHITINOZOANS
Jan Mortier1, Jacques Verniers 2
1
Department of Geology and Soil Science, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 Gebouw S8, B9000 Ghent, Belgium, [email protected]
2
Department of Geology and Soil Science, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 Gebouw S8, B9000 Ghent, Belgium, [email protected]
In Neuville-sous-Huy, central Condroz Inlier, Belgium there are three long, parallel
sections through Silurian sediments: the Parc de la Neuville, the ravine 700 m east
(of the Parc de la Neuville) and the ravine 1200 m east. These sections were first
described by Michot (1932, 1934) as blackish, bluish and greenish shales with
graptolites and levels with red shales. He found also four volcanic beds. Maes et al.
(1978) restudied the sections and collected and described graptolites from 17 levels.
They have shown that the three sections contain a larger part of the Silurian as
previously accepted and probably form together a nearly continuous composite
section covering the Telychian, Sheinwoodian and parts of the Homerian and
Gorstian. In total 12 volcanic layers were described by them, but the detailed
correlation of the three sections failed.
We restudied in detail these sections starting with the ravine 700 m east of the
Parc de la Neuville. Lithostratigraphically this section could be divided by us into 6
units (from top to base):
Unit 6: Grey shales to fine siltstones.
Unit 5: Dark grey, finely laminated shales with some calcareous levels similar as unit
3.
Unit 4: Alternation of red fine siltstones and olive green, greenish grey to dark grey,
sometimes laminated fine siltstones. Higher up the red fine siltstones disappear and
passes into green to greyish green fine shales.
Unit 3: Dark grey, finely laminated shales with some calcareous levels.
Unit 2: Olive green, greenish grey to grey and dark grey fine siltstones intercalated
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
45
with grey medium-grained to coarse siltstones. Red fine siltstones occur only in the
finer part of the section.
Unit 1: Grey, greenish grey to olive green, compact fine siltstones alternating with
dark grey and greenish grey, laminated fine siltstones. At the base these fine
siltstones are hard and quartzitic. Higher up red fine siltstones appear. The transition
to unit 2 is gradual.
In between the sedimentary layers there are 11 volcanic or volcanoclastic layers.
Almost each of them has his own characteristics that distinguish them from the other
volcanic layers.
Chitinozoans were sampled from 54 samples. Although some beds contain
only badly preserved chitinozoans, other beds contain a diverse and moderately to
sometimes well preserved chitinozoan assemblages. The biostratigraphical results of
the chitinozoans and calibration with the graptolite biozonation will be presented.
Fig. 1: Simplified geological map of Belgium with
localisation of the study area. Adapted from Fielitz
& Mansy, 1999.
Fig. 2: Topographic map of Neuville-sousHuy with the location of the three sections.
REFERENCES
FIELITZ, W., MANSY, J.-L., 1999. Pre- and synorogenic burial metamorphism in the
Ardenne and neighbouring areas (Rhenohercynian zone, central European
Variscides). Tectonophysics 309: 227-256.
MICHOT, P., 1932. La tectonique de la bande silurienne de Sambre-et-Meuse entre
Huy et Ombret. Annales de la Société géologique de Belgique 55, M : 73-94.
46
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
MICHOT, P., 1934. La stratigraphie du Silurien de la bande Sambre-et-Meuse.
Académie royale Belge, Classe Sciences, Mémoires in -8, 2e série, 13 (2): 1-108.
MAES, G., RICKARDS, B., ROMBOUTS, L., VANDEVELDE, N., 1978. Silurian formations
between Neuville-sous-Huy and Ombret: their correlation, age and structure.
Annales de la Société Géologique de Belgique 101: 31-36.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
47
PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CARBONIFEROUS DEPOSITS IN BOREHOLE M-1
NEAR PUŁAWY (LUBLIN BASIN)
Marzena Oliwkiewicz-Miklasińska1, Kinga Filipowska-Jeziorek2
1
Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków Research Centre,
Senacka 1, 31-002 Kraków, Poland, [email protected]
2
Polish Oil & Gas Company, Sanok Branch, Regional Analyses Section, Lubicz 25, 31-503
Kraków
Prospecting borehole M-1 of 4500m depth was drilled in NW part of Lublin Basin in
order to recognize the lithological-facial development of Devonian and Carboniferous
deposits and their hydrocarbon potential. 11 samples from the interval 2724-3809m
were collected for the palynological analysis. Preliminary stratigraphy based on
comparisons with data from surrounding area indicate the Fammenian – Upper
Carbonifeous age of this interval.
All the samples contain organic matter, but two of them lack palynomorphs.
The sample from the deepest examined interval (3800-3809m, V) contain abundant
carbonised phytoclasts (melanogen) and rare palynomorphs with evidence of
pyritization. In the depth interval 3586-3595m three examined samples contain
miospores indicating Arnsbergian palynozone Stenozonotriletes triangulus –
Rotaspora knoxi TK (Clayton et al., 1977) or revised Mooreisporites trigallerus –
Rotaspora knoxi TK (Owens et al., 2004) with index species Rotaspora knoxi and
Stenozonotriletes
Schulzospora.
triangulus?
The
and
succeeding
numerous
specimens
palynozone
of
Lycospora
Tripartites
subtriquetra
and
–
Kraeuselisporites ornatus SO was distinguished in the depth interval 3482-3491m,
VIII based on the occurrence of index species Kraeuselisporites ornatus and K.
echinatus, Remysporites magnificus, Crassispora kosankei.
Higher in profile (depth interval 2855-2865m, II) such specimens like
Cirratriradites saturni, Reticulatisporites reticulatus and Crassispora kosankei indicate
younger age of the miospore assemblage, but the state of preservation and
frequence of spores didn’t allow to establish palynozone. The highest examined
48
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
depth interval (2724-2734m) contain rare, badly preserved Upper Carboniferous
miospores or only overmature organic matter.
REFERENCES
CLAYTON, G., COQUEL, R., DOUBINGER, J., GUEINN, K.J., LOBOZIAK, S., OWENS, B.,
STREEL, M., 1977. Carboniferous miospores of western Europe - illustration and
zonation. Meded. Rijks Geolog. Dienst, 29: 72 pp.
OWENS, B., MCLEAN, D., BODMAN, D., 2004. A revised palynozonation of British
Namurian deposits and comparisons with eastern Europe. Micropaleontology, vol.
50, no. 1: 89-103.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
49
MIDDLE-UPPER CAMBRIAN ACRITARCHS FROM THE OVILLE AND BARRIOS
FORMATIONS, CANTABRIAN MOUNTAINS, NORTHERN SPAIN
Teodoro Palacios
Área de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz (Spain)
[email protected]
Cambrian rocks of the Cantabrian Mountains contain a great diversity of acritarchs
that were the subject of pioneering studies on Middle Cambrian acritarchs (Cramer &
Diez, 1972; Fombella, 1978), although their calibration has been controversial (e.g.
Vanguestaine & Van Loy, 1983). Recent studies of acritarchs in the sections
previously calibrated with trilobites, and new data on acritarchs and trilobites in the
sections studied by Palacios (2008) confirm that the Oville Formation and lower
levels of the Barrios Formation (La Matosa Mb.) yields the basis for the most detailed
Middle Cambrian acritarch zonation in northwestern Gondwana known to date. Six
acritarchs zones (IMC1-IMC6) are recognized in the Middle Cambrian and one Lower
Furongian acritarch assemblage is identified in the middle part of the Matosa Mb. of
the Barrios Formation in the Barrios de Luna Section. The co-occurrence of
acritarchs and trilobites makes it possible to correlate, in part, the two types of
biozones.
A detailed outline of the acritarch zones with the stratigraphic distribution of
species and a new correlation schema is shown in Figure 1. Of particular interest is
comparison to the Middle Cambrian acritarch studies realized in Newfoundland
(Martin & Dean 1988) and EEP (Volkova & Kirjanov 1995). The IMC1-IMC3 zones
and their correlations is described in Palacios (2008). Here three new zones are
recognized in the Cantabrian Mountains, two of these (IMC4 and IMC5) have no
comparisons in the zonations erected in Newfoundland and EEP, likely as results of
important hiatus in those areas. This explains the absence of Eliasum llaniscum in
the lower A2 zone in Newfoundland, while in IMC4 and lower IMC5 this species is
very abundant, decreasing sharply in abundance in the upper part of IMC5, to
disappear at the base of IMC6. The upper part of the IMC5 zone wich record the first
appearance of Cristallinium dubium is equivalent to the VK2 zone of Volkova &
50
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Kirjanov (1995). An important problem to the correlation is the incorrect identification
of species diagnostic of the Middle Cambrian, as is the case of Timofeevia lancarae,
or species of Cristallinium (Palacios et al 2009). For example, the diagnostic
characters of the specimens assigned to T. lancarae in the Lower A2 zone in Martin
& Dean (1988), do not correspond to T. lancarae sensu Cramer & Díaz de Cramer
(1972), whose first appearance defines the IMC4 zone. Palacios et al. (2009)
includes most of the specimens of T. lancarae illustrated in Martin & Dean (1988) in
the synonymy of Stelliferidium magnum, a form that appears in the younger IMC6
Zone. The IMC6 zone is characterized by the first appearance of Stelliferidium
magnum, Timofeevia microretis and T. phosphoritica. In Newfoundland T. microretis
appears near the base of the Elliot Cove Fm., in levels with Agnostus pisiformis
(Martin & Dean, 1988). In the Mira area, Nova Scotia, the first appearance of S.
magnum occurs in levels that contains Paradoxides forchhammeri (Palacios et al.
2009 and personal observations). The base of this zone is located in Barrios the
Luna section at the top of the La Barca Mb of the Oville Fm. This assemblage is
correlated (Fig. 1) with the Lower A2 zone of Martin & Dean (1988) and part of SK2
of Volkova & Kirjanov (1995).
Upper Cambrian (Furongian) assemblages. The uppermost positive sample of
the La Matosa Mb. of the Barrios Formation contains a diverse assemblage that
includes several diagnostic acritarchs (Fig. 1). The presence of Stelliferidium
cortinulum, Stelliferidium pingiculum and Leiofusa staumonensis allows to correlate
this assemblage with the A3 Zone of Martin & Dean (1988) and VK2a of Volkova &
Kirjanov (1995). In Barrios de Luna section this association appears below levels with
Skolithos, which at the top includes a K-bentonite, dated in other areas of the
Cantabrian Mountains as latest Tremadoc-basal Floian (477,47 ± 0,93 Ma, Gutiérrez
Alonso et al, 2007). This probably means that the base of Skolithos level include a
major hiatus that represent the Sardic unconformity.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
51
Figure 1. Stratigraphical ranges of acritarchs in Oville and Barrios formations and
correlations with Eastern Newfoundland and East European Platform.
REFERENCES
CRAMER, F.N., DIEZ, M.C.R, 1972. Acritarchs from the upper Middle Cambrian Oville
Formation of Léon, northwestern Spain. Revista Española de Micropaleontología,
número extraordinario: 39–50.
FOMBELLA, M.A., 1978. Acritarcos de la Formación Oville, edad Cámbrico MedioTremadoc, Provincia de León, España. Palinología, número extraordinario 1: 245261.
GOZALO, R., LIÑÁN, E., PALACIOS, T., GÁMEZ VINTANED, J. A.
AND
MAYORAL, E., 2003.
The Cambrian of the Iberian Peninsula: an overview. Geologica Acta, 1: 103–112.
GUTIERREZ-ALONSO, G., FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ, J., GUTIÉRREZ-MARCOS, J.C., CORFU, F.,
MURPHY, J.B. & SUAREZ, M., 2007. U-Pb depositional age for the upper Barrios
Formation (Armorican Quartzite facies) in the Cantabrian zone of Iberia:
Implications for stratigraphic correlation and paleogeography. In LINNEMANN, U.,
NANCE, R.D., KRAFT, P. & ZULAUF, G. (eds). The evolution of the Rheic Oceans
52
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
From Avalonian-Cadomian active margin to Alleghenian-Varsican collosion.
Geological Society of America Special Paper 423: 287-296.
MARTIN, F., DEAN, W.T., 1988. Middle and Upper Cambrian acritarch and trilobite
Zonation at Manuels River and Random Island, eastern Newfoundland. Geological
Survey of Canada Bulletin 381: 1–91.
PALACIOS, T., 2008. Middle Cambrian acritarchs zones in the Oville Formation and
their correlation with trilobite zones in the Cantabrian Mountains, Northern Spain.
In: RABANO, I., GOZALO, R.
AND
GARCÍA BELLIDO, D. (Eds.), Advances in trilobite
researchs.Cuadernos del Museo Geominero, nº 9. Instituto Geologico y Minero de
España, Madrid: 289-295.
PALACIOS, T., JENSEN, S., . BARR, S. M., WHITE, C. E., 2009. Acritarchs from the
MacLean Brook Formation, southeastern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia,
Canada: New data on Middle Cambrian–Lower Furongian acritarch zonation.
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 273: 123–141.
VANGUESTAINE, M., VAN LOOY, J., 1983. Acritarches du Cambrien moyen de la Vallee
de Tacheddirt (Haut – Atlas, Maroc) dans le cadre d'une nouvelle zonation de
Cambrien. Annales de la Société Géologique de Belgique 106 : 69-85.
VOLKOVA, N.A., KIRYANOV, V.V., 1995. Regional Middle-Upper Cambrian stratigraphic
scheme of the East European Platform. Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation 3:
484-492.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
53
LARGE SPINOSE ACRITARCHS (LSAS) FROM CAMBRIAN LAURENTIAN
SEDIMENTS IN THE U.S.A.
Brian E. Pedder
University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. [email protected]
The palynology of Cambrian sediments from the USA has been largely, and sadly,
overlooked with only four papers having been published on the subject. In each of
these papers, however, new species and genera have been described suggesting
the possibility that the coastal waters of Cambrian Laurentia harboured communities
of plankton distinct from those found elsewhere in the Cambrian world. Recently
collected Upper Cambrian samples from the Nolichucky Shale in Tennessee and the
Upper Gros Ventre Formation in Wyoming, USA, have not disappointed and have
yielded a widely varying array of palynomorphs. These include the more familiar
arthropod spines, sphaeromorphs, small acanthomorphs (spiny acritarchs) and
filaments. However, alongside these are a group of unknown (to the Cambrian) and
anomalously large spinose acritarchs (LSAs) (Figure 1).
LSA 1
50μ
LSA 3
(Figure 1. Two large spinose acritarchs from the USA: LSA 1 from the Nolichucky
Shale in Tennessee; LSA 3 from the Gros Ventre Formation in Wyoming.)
Four new LSA species (LSAs 1-4) have come to light, possibly representing three
genera. They all range in size from 90μ-140μ, which is large for the Cambrian; most
54
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Cambrian acanthomorphs are <50μ. And although very well preserved they occur in
low numbers of roughly <0.5 specimens per gram. Whole specimens are rare.
The determination of their provenance is ongoing and their presence prompts a
number of questions: Why have LSAs not been found previously in the Cambrian?
Are they phytoplankton or something else? One LSA species, in size and general
morphology, more resembles the diapause eggs of a modern copepod than any
Palaeozoic acritarch. Are they related to the large ornamented acritarchs of the
Ediacaran which seemingly disappeared at the end of that period? This talk will
address all these questions and discuss the possible origins of these seemingly rare
and enigmatic microfossils.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
55
PALAEOBOTANICAL INVESTIGATION OF A NEGLECTED COALFIELD: THE
COALPIT HEATH BASIN OF THE BRISTOL COALFIELD
Janine Pendleton
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield,
S10 2TN, England, [email protected]
At the Late Carboniferous (Westphalian-Stephanian) boundary a dramatic turnover
event is evident in the floral record of the tropical Euramerica peat mires. Lycopsid
diversity and abundance is severely reduced, and the more tolerant tree ferns
became dominant. This is believed to coincide with the mires contracting to nearly
half their pre-Stephanian size. The causes of this floral event are uncertain, but
probably relate to substrates drying out due to tectonic uplift, that possibly also
coincided with a period of global climate change.
This study focuses on the palynology and palaeobotany of the much
overlooked Upper Coal Measures of the Bristol coal field. The Bristol coal measures
have so far yielded well preserved examples of some very rare and unusual
palynomorphs, some of which have never before been recorded in Britain. Cyclicity in
the dominant flora is seen in the sequence, likely driven by fluctuations in the
moisture levels in the mires. Superimposed onto these “humid-dry” cycles, a
progressive switch to a more dry-tolerant flora can be seen. Well preserved conifer
and pteridosperms pollen in the Westphalian coal seams indicate that the coal
swamps of Bristol were dominated by a more xerophytic flora than the surrounding
coal fields. The thin and sporadic nature of most of the coal seams and rare
associated Lycopsid megafossils are also strong indicators that this relatively small
area of the Westphalian aged Euramerica forest may have been drier than previously
thought.
56
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHIC STUDY OF THE CAVEIRA MINE
(NW SECTOR OF THE IBERIAN PYRITE BELT, PORTUGAL)
Z. Pereira1, J. X. Matos2, P. Fernandes3, J. T. Oliveira4
1
LNEG, LGM, Unidade de Geologia e Cartografia Geológica, S. Mamede Infesta, Portugal,
[email protected]
2
LNEG, LGM, Unidade de Recursos Minerais e Geofísica, Beja, Portugal,
[email protected]
3
UALG, CIMA Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Faro, Portugal,
[email protected]
4
LNEG, LGM, Unidade de Recursos Minerais e Geofísica, Alfragide, Portugal,
[email protected]
In the NW sector of Iberian Pyrite Belt, the geology is dominated by complex
antiformal structures, as we can observe in the Lousal and Caveira old massive
sulphide mines, both located at the Azinheira de Barros region. The age of the
lithostratigraphic units of these structures is still poorly constrained and subsequently
palynostratigraphy revisions are being undertaken. The Caveira mine is located in a
complex N-S trending antiformal structure, with a core composed of shales and
quartzites belonging to the Phyllite-Quartzite Group (PQG), surrounded by felsic
volcanics and volcanoclastics of the Volcano-Sedimentary Complex (VSC) (Oliveira
et al. 2006, Matos, 2006, Figure 1). Several massive sulphides, <10m thick lenses,
occur near the PQG/VSC boundary, forming two main ore horizons: the Helena Shaft
and the Luísa Shaft. The structure is affected by N-S and NE-SW late Variscan
reverse faults. The Grândola Fault limits the Palaeozoic basement in the northern
sector of the Caveira mine. The borehole CAV 02 (SMRA 2001 exploration project,
301 m length, 60º,Az 270º, M= -32042, P= -172321) was selected to illustrate the
lithological succession and support the palynostratigraphic study.
The following units were identified in the CAV 02 hole from the top to the base: dark
shales with thin-bedded siltstones and quartzites (Xn1); felsic porphyritic volcanics
(Va); black shales (Xn2) with massive sulphide intercalations (Luisa Shaft orebodies);
dark shales with siltstones and quartzitic beds (PQG). The Unit Xn1, interpreted as a
PQG equivalent, is thrusted over the felsic volcanics Va and the contact between unit
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
57
Xn2 and the PQG lithologies is faulted (probable shear zone). The black shales of
unit Xn1 and also those intercalated in the massive sulphides (Xn2), both gave rich
miospore associations of the LN Biozone, of upper Strunnian age, characterized by
abundant
specimens
Densosporites
of
Auroraspora
spitsbergensis,
macra,
Dictyotriletes
Cristatisporites
fimbriatus,
triangulatus,
Discernisporites
sp.,
Geminospora spongiata, Grandispora cornuta, G. echinata, Knoxisporites literatus,
Punctatisporites irrasus, Retispora lepidophyta, Retusotriletes incohatus, Rugospora
flexuosa, Vallatisporites pusillites and Vallatisporites verrucosus together with the
index species Verrucosisporites niditus. Maranhites spp. are also present.
Figure 1 Simplified Caveira mine
geology (adapt. Matos, 2006): FBA Mértola Fm. Flysch; VSC - VolcanoSedimentary Complex; PQG - PhylliteQuartzite Group; T - Tertiary sediments;
E - Mine waste tailings. Hayford-Gauss
coordenates in km
The black shales interbedded in the PQG quartzites revealed the presence of
moderately preserved miospores indicating the AD miospore Biozone, subzone Lem,
of Lower Givetian age. This biozone shows moderately preserved species of
Cristatisporites sp., Geminospora lemurata, Cymbosporites magnificus, Aneurospora
greggsii, Emphanisporites annulatus, Grandispora sp., Retusotriletes rugulatus,
Verrucosisporites premnus and V. scurrus. Reworked older miospores of Lower
Devonian make part of the assemblage (e.g. Camarozonotrilestes sextantii and
Diatomozonotriletes sp.).
The time gap between unit Xn2 and the PQG covering the Famennian, the Frasnian
and part of the Givetian is probably due to the effect of the extensional fault between
58
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
the two units. Recent U-Pb geochronology data in zircons recovered from felsic
volcanics ca. 300m SSE of Luisa Shaft indicates an age of 361±4Ma (Rosa et al.,
2008), e.g. upper Famennian. Available palynological data suggest that the age of
the Caveira massive sulphides is upper Strunian. This new age achieved, together
with the same age determined for the PQG lithologies in the near São Francisco
Anticline, located 14 km westward (Pereira et al., 2009; 2010) indicates that these
are the oldest sediments of the PQG, ever found at the South Portuguese Zone,
were the Iberian Pyrite Belt is included. Other sedimentary units can be older but no
fossil record was found until now.
REFERENCES
MATOS, J. X., 2006. Carta geológica e mineira da Mina de Caveira, esc. 1/5000,
INETI.
OLIVEIRA
ET
AL.,
estratigrafia,
2006. O Complexo Vulcano-Sedimentar da Faixa Piritosa:
vulcanismo,
mineralizações
associadas
e
evolução
tectonoestratigráfica no contexto da Zona Sul Portugesa. in Dias R, Araújo A.,
Terrinha P, e Kulberg JC ( eds.), Geologia Portugal na Ibéria, VII Cong. Nac.
Geologia, Un. Évora, Portugal: 207-244.
PEREIRA
ET AL.,
2009. A new Lower Givetian age Miospores of the Phyllite Quartzite
Group (S. Francisco da Serra Anticline, Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portugal). In: Abstracts
CIMP FARO’09.
R. (eds).,
FERNANDES, P., PEREIRA, Z., OLIVEIRA, J.T., CLAYTON, C
& WICANDER,
pp. 75-78.
PEREIRA ET AL., 2010. Which is the oldest age for the Pyrite Belt? New lower Givetian
age of the Phyllite - Quartzite Group (São Francisco da Serra Anticline, Pyrite
Belt), CNG, E- terra,17, 13, 2010.
ROSA
ET AL.,
2008. U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotope ratios of magmatic zircons
from the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Miner Petrol., 95: 47-69.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
59
FIRST REPORT OF ORDOVICIAN CHITINOZOANS FROM THE SHIALA
FORMATION OF TETHYS HIMALAYA, INDIA
H. N. Sinha1, Jacques Verniers2 and Thijs R. A. Vandenbroucke3
1
Department of Geology, Vinnoba Bhave University, Hazaribag-825301, India,
[email protected]
2
Research Unit Palaeontology, Department of Geology and Soil Science WE 13, Ghent
University, Krijgslaan 281 building S8, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
3
FRE 3298 du CNRS, Géosystèmes, Université Lille 1, Avenue Paul Langevin, Bât. SN5,
59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France
The Lower Palaeozoic sedimentary basins of India occur mainly in the Tethyan
Himalayan region. These sedimentary basins are divided into several sub basins,
between the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ) in the north and the South Tibetan
Detachment Zone (STDZ) in the south. The present study is confined to the GarhwalKumaon Tethyan Himalaya of the Chamoli district of Uttrakhand, India. The Lower
Palaeozoic rocks are well-exposed close to the boundary with Tibet. The geological
formations of interest are, in an ascending order, the Garbyang (PrecambrianCambrian), Shiala (Ordovician-Silurian), Yong Limestone (Silurian), Variegated
(Silurian) and Muth Quartzite (Silurian-Devonian) formations. The Shiala Formation
consists of shales, sandstones and limestones and has been extensively sampled for
chitinozoans. The greenish-grey silty shale at the lower horizon of the Shiala
Formation yielded an abundant but low-diverse assemblage of relatively wellpreserved chitinozoans. The assemblage is dominated by two species, i.e.
Belonechitina capitata and Belonechitina micracantha. These have a rather long
range in the Middle and Upper Ordovician. This is consistent with available conodont
evidence, and with the inferred position of the Ordovician-Silurian boundary higher in
the same formation, as suggested by an earlier acritarch study. We thus document
the first undisputable evidence for the occurrence of Ordovician chitinozoans in India
and, as far as we are aware of, in low-latitudinal Gondwana.
60
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
FTIR CHARACTERISATION OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SILURIAN
MIOSPORES (CRYPTOSPORES AND TRILETE SPORES) FROM GOTLAND,
SWEDEN
Philippe Steemans1, Kevin Lepot 1, Craig P. Marshall 2, Alain Le Hérissé 3,
Emmanuelle J. Javaux 1
1
Paléobotanique, Paléopalynologie, Micropaléontologie (PPM), University of Liège, Bâtiment
B-18, allée du 6-Août, 4000 Liège-1, Belgium, [email protected] (Philippe Steemans);
[email protected] (Kevin Lepot) ; [email protected] (Emmanuelle J. Javaux)
2
Department of Geology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7613 USA,
[email protected]
3
Université de Brest, CNRS UMR6538, Domaines Océaniques, Institut Universitaire
Européen de la Mer, Bâtiment G, 6 Avenue Le Gorgeu 29238 Brest cedex 3, France,
[email protected]
To better understand the biological affinities of cryptospores, micro-FTIR (Fourier
transform infrared) spectroscopy analysis has been carried out on isolated
specimens from the Late Silurian of Gotland. The geobiochemical results have been
compared to spectra of trilete spores, chitinozoans and leiospheres from the same
sample. The palynomorphs are all very well preserved as attested by their pale
yellow to orange colour indicative of a low thermal maturity. Micro-FTIR spectroscopy
indicates that cryptospores display very similar spectra to those of the trilete spores,
which are composed of sporopollenin characterised by absorption bands from
aliphatic C-H in methylene (CH2) and methyl (CH3) groups, aromatic (C=C and C-H)
groups and C=O groups of carboxylic acids. The sporopollenin composition of the
cryptospore
wall
observed
here
is
additional
evidence
demonstrating
the
embryophytic affinity of the cryptospores. In addition, several variations in other
bands in the spectra of the different miospore morphospecies are evidenced and
may be linked to their biological affinity or palaeoecological history.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
61
62
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
PALYNOMORPHS FROM PRINCE CHARLES MOUNTAINS, EAST ANTARCTICA:
CARBONIFEROUS, CARBONIFEROUS-PERMIAN OR PERMIAN?
MARZENA STEMPIEŃ-SAŁEK
Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geological Sciences, Twarda 51/55,
00-18Warszawa, Poland, [email protected]
The main purpose of this study was to determine, using palynological
methods, the stratigraphical position of the Radok Conglomerate - the lowest
accessible unit of the Amery Group exposed in Prince Charles Mountains (East
Antarctica). The existence of late Paleozoic rock in that area is recognized by Ravich
(1974 as Early Permian) and Fielding & Webb (1995 as Middle to Late Permian).
Radok Conglomerate is composed of olive green and brown, fine to medium grained
conglomerates and coarse sandstones. Minor intercalations of finer sediments are
present and lenses of coal and coal shales are occurring in the section (Ostrowski &
Gola, 2008). This unit is intruded by two anolit sills of Cretaceous age (McKelvey &
Stephenson, 1990). Sediments bellow and above these sills is thermally alternated.
Palynological results from Prince Charles Mountains, from sediments bellow
the Radok Conglomerate were presented by Lingström in McLoughlin et al., (1997).
Her work deals with the palynomorphs of the Permian - Triassic transition (Amery
Group, Uppermost Bainmedart Coal Measures and overlying Flagstone Bench
Formation).
The palynological samples from the Radoc Conglomerate were from black,
dark grey and grey shales, mudstones, coals and coal shales, which were
intercalations within sandstones and conglomerate.
Identifiable palynomorphs are present in seventeen from twenty four analyzed
samples. The samples yielded a relatively rich, but very poorly preserved palynoflora
dominated by spores and pollen grains, among which eighty palynomorph taxa have
been recognized. Fifty taxa are placed in open nomenclature. Twenty four spore
species and six pollen are illustrated. Three palynological assemblages, new in this
region, have been temporarily distinguished (Assemblage I, Assemblage II and
Assemblage III).
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
63
The Assemblage I contains probably Upper Carboniferous palynomorphs and
does not contain palynomorphs typical for Autunian. The Assemblage II may indicate
the transition between the Upper Carboniferous and the Autunian, and Assemblage
III contains probably Lower Permian palynomorphs and does not contain
palynomorphs typical for Upper Carboniferous.
REFERENCES
FIELDING C.R., WEBB J.A., 1995. Sedimentology of the Permian Radok Conglomerate
in the Beaver Lake area of the McRobertson Land, East Antarctica. Geological
Magasine, 132: 51-63.
OSTROWSKI SZ., GOLA, M., 2008. Russian Polish joint geologic and geomorphologic
expedition. Prince Charles Mountains, Mac Robertson Land, East Antarctica. 53
RAE.
MCKELVEY B.C., STEPHENSON N.C.N., 1990. A geological reconnaissance of the
Radok Lake area. Amery Oasis, Prince Charles Mountains. Antarctic Science,
2(1): 53-66.
MCLOUGHLIN S., LINGSTRÖM, S., DRINNAN A.N. , 1997. Gondwana floristic and
sedimentological trends during the Permian-Triassic transition: new evidence from
the Amery Group, Northern Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica. Antarctic
Science 9(3): 281-298.
RAVICH M.G., 1974. The cross section of Permian coal bearing strata in the Beaver
Lake area (Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica. The Antarctic). Soviet
Committee of Antarctic Research, report 13: 19-35.
64
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION OF PERMIAN STRATA FROM SE TURKEY
AND AUSTRALIA
Ellen Stolle1
1
EP Research, Ennigerloh-Westkirchen, Germany, [email protected]
Permian mixed clastics and carbonates of SE Anatolia (SE Turkey, northern Arabian
Plate margin, Fig. 1) were dated by foraminifers in previous studies and also the
palynological record can be chronostratigraphically related to the geological
timescale (e.g. Stolle 2010). The deposits are in this study correlated over a long
distance with Australian strata, the latter dated by brachiopod zonations (details in
Fig.2). The palynological assemblages from the Kas Formation (SE Turkey) can be
correlated with those of the upper D. ericianus Zone of Western Australia. Pollen and
spores of around 20 species were dispersed and embedded approximately at the
same time in rocks of the Kas Formation and of the upper Collieburn Member
(Western Australia). A similar LOD in the late Wordian and earliest Capitanian of the
distinct miospore Corisaccites alutas Venkatachala and Kar has been observed in SE
Anatolia (earliest Capitanian) and in Western Australia (late Wordian).
Figure 1: Location map
with global overview
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
65
REFERENCES (SELECTED)
AL-HADIDY AH., 2007. Paleozoic stratigraphic lexicon and hydrocarbon habitat of Iraq.
GeoArabia 12: 63-130.
AL-JUBOURY A, AL-HADIDY AH., 2008. Facies and depositional environments of the
Devonian-Carboniferous succession of Iraq. Geological Journal 43: 383-396. DOI:
10.1002/gj.1108.
ALTINER D, ÖZKAN-ALTINER S, KOCYIGIT A., 2000. Late Permian foraminiferal biofacies
belts in Turkey: palaeogeographic and tectonic implications. In Tectonics and
Magmatism in Turkey and the Surrounding Area, Bozkurt E, Winchester JA, Piper
JDA (eds), Geological Society, Special Publications 173: London; 83-96.
ARCHBOLD NW., 2003. The Permian of Gondwana and correlation with the global
stratigraphic scale. Permophiles 42: 4-6.
BACKHOUSE J., 1991. Permian palynostratigraphy of the Collie Basin, Western
Australia. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 67: 237-314.
KÖYLÜOGLU
M,
ALTINER
D.,
1989.
Micropaleontologie
(Foraminiferes)
et
biostratigraphie du Permien superieur de la region d’Hakkari (SE Turquie). Revue
de Paléobiologie 8: 467-503.
STEPHENSON MH, OSTERLOFF PL, FILATOFF J., 2003. Palynological biozonation of the
Permian of Oman and Saudi Arabia: progress and challenges. GeoArabia 8: 467496.
STOLLE E., 2007. Regional Permian palynological correlations: Southeast Turkey –
Northern Iraq. Comunicacoes Geológicas 94: 125-143.
STOLLE E., 2010. Recognition of southern Gondwanan palynomorphs at Gondwana’s
northern margin – and biostratigraphic correlation of Permian strata from SE
Turkey and Australia. Geological Journal 45: 336-349.
66
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Figure 2: Modified from Stolle 2010. The correlation of stratigraphical units and biozones of SE Turkey, the Arabian area and Australia.
Australia: The western Australian brachiopod zones (Archbold 2003) were already related to the Permian international subdivisions (IUGS - International Union of Geological Sciences Global Chronostratigraphy and ICS – International
Commission on Stratigraphy). The western and eastern Australian palynozones (= APP, Australian Permian palynostratigraphic units) were well correlated with the same brachiopod zones of former studies, but before Archbold (2003) the
brachiopod zones were only erected with relation to the Russian regional stages. In this chart the Australian palynozones are correlated to the brachiopod zones of Archbold (2003) – and each palynozone in relation to the respective
brachiopod zones.
Central and southern Arabian Plate: The OSPZ biozones (Oman and Saudi Arabia Palynological Zone) were already related to the Permian international subdivisions (IUGS, ICS) (e.g. Stephenson et al. 2003).
Iraq: Strata and palynozones were already related to the Permian international subdivisions (IUGS, ICS) (Al-Hadidy 2007; Al-Juboury and Al-Hadidy 2008; Stolle 2007).
SE Turkey: Foraminifer zones (Köylüoglu and Altiner 1989) have originally been erected in relation to the Tethyan stage division. Altiner et al. (2000) and Stolle (2007; unpublished data) related SE Turkey strata and biozones to the
Permian international subdivisions (IUGS, ICS).
The boundary between the Eopolydiexodina and the Chusenella zones could not be defined exactly (Köylüoglu and Altiner 1989). The boundary is related to the earliest or early Capitanian.
The Last Occurrence Datum of Corisaccites alutas is in SE Turkey therefore an approximate datum. The LOD of C. alutas in SE Turkey lies somewhere between the latest Wordian and earliest Capitanian (IUGS, ICS, chronostratigraphic
framework of GTS 2004). The LOD of C. alutas in the Collie Basin of West Australia (Backhouse 1991) may also range stratigraphically a little higher (into the latest Wordian) because the zones equivalent to the D. ericianus and P.
rugatus zones (APP4.2 and APP4.3, see in Backhouse 1991) have not clearly defined boundaries.
67
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
TORISPORA (BALME) DOUBINGER AND HORST
FROM PENNSYLVANIAN AND PERMIAN OF TURKEY AND BULGARIA
Ellen Stolle1, Tania Dimitrova 2
1
EP Research, Ennigerloh-Westkirchen, Germany, [email protected]
2
Department of Palaeontology, Stratigraphy and Sedimentology, Bulgarian Academy of
Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria, [email protected]
In coal-bearing subsurface and surface samples from the Zonguldak Basin of
northwestern Turkey and the Dobrudzha Basin, northeastern Bulgaria, well
preserved specimens of the species Torispora securis (Balme) Alpern, Doubinger &
Horst 1965, T. laevigata Bhardwaj 1957 and T. verrucosa Alpern 1959 occur. The
appearance of Torispora is related to wet areas, for example to the huge coal swamp
forests of the Pennsylvanian. For Moscovian strata, T. securis and T. laevigata are
used as index fossils over wide areas in Western Europe (Clayton et al. 1977, and
updates). Both species form a palynozone (SL Zone, Clayton et al. 1977), which is
assigned today to the early Moscovian. The established zonal scheme is now also
applicable in the southeastern European coal basins of Dobrudzha and Zonguldak,
among other spores due to the occurrence of these Torispora species. Torispora is
according to our re-investigations recorded in Turkey up to the Kasimovian.
Afterwards a hiatus follows.
In Southeast Anatolia (northern margin of the Arabian Plate), deposition began
after a hiatus again in the mid-Permian (Wordian, Guadalupian). Because of the
frequent occurrence of spores such as Torispora, the Guadalupian deposits were in
the past in most studies palynostratigraphically assigned to be older (e.g. Cisuralian,
Early Permian). Torispora was considered for a long time only as characteristic for
the Pennsylvanian. Torispora is present in Southeast Anatolia with the species T.
securis, T. laevigata, T. verrucosa.
Torispora verrucosa, related verrucate forms, and other ornamented forms of
Torispora show distinctive morphological changes during the period from
Pennsylvanian to Lopingian (Late Permian). T. verrucosa has in Pennsylvanian times
an equatorial total diameter of 20 µm - 30 µm (average). The exine is relatively
uniformly ornamented with low verrucae, rounded at the ends. In the Guadalupian, T.
verrucosa and related verrucate forms have in all the palynological assemblages
68
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
(from core material of five wells and outcrops) an average equatorial total diameter of
up to around 50 µm. The verrucae are in width and height more prominent and the
exine can bear some spinose elements (spinules and spines, Fig. 1). Towards the
Lopingian (Late Permian) forms can have a constant spinose ornamentation. Spines
are long tapering elements exceeding 1 µm. On the basis of these morphological
features, a new species can be defined. Close to the end of the Permian Period,
shortly before the last appearance of the genus, verrucate and spinose forms of
Torispora reach in SE Turkey an average size of up to 65 µm.
Reference
Clayton G., Coquel R., Doubinger J., Gueinn K. J., Loboziak S., Owens B. and Streel
M., 1977. Carboniferous miospores of Western Europe: illustration and zonation.
Meded. Rijks.Geol. Dienst., 29: 1–72.
SPINULE
Verruca
Spine: long tapering element
exceeding 1 µm
Fig. 1: A specimen of Torispora from the Guadalupian of Southeast Anatolia (Turkey)
bearing verrucae, spinules and spines.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
69
SUCCESSION OF THE ACRITARCHS ASSEMBLAGES IN CAMBRIAN OF THE
HOLY CROSS MTS. (CENTRAL POLAND)
ZBIGNIEW SZCZEPANIK
Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Holy Cross Mts. Branch,
Zgoda 21, 25-953 Kielce, Poland, [email protected]
The age of the oldest Cambrian rocks in the Holy Cross Mountains (HCM) is the
matter of discussion. The dark shale succession of the Czarna Formation in the
southern HCM were regarded as the oldest Cambrian rock in the HCM, correlated
with Terreneuvian Series (Orłowski, 1992). However, Moczydłowska (in Lendzion at
al., 1982 and Kowalczewski at al., 1987) basing on the acritarch data postulated that
these rocks belong to the Cambrian Series II, i.e., the Holmia and Protolenus zones
in the Baltic subdivision.
The oldest Cambrian acritarch zone, i.e., Asteridium – Comasphaeridium
(Moczydłowska, 1991) correlated with Terreneuvian Series is represented by simple
acritarchs without processes. This assemblages is difficult to unequivocal
identification, especially in the case of not numerous and badly preserved
assemblages because this kind of microflora can be very similar to the poor
assemblages of the younger rocks. Unfortunately this zone has not been
unequivocally identified in the Holy Cross Mountains. It seems possible that the part
of very poor palynological assemblages reported in some boreholes of southern east
margins of HCM (Szczepanik 2009) belongs to the Terreneuvian Series.
The occurrence of acritarchs showing diversified morphology (e.g. characteristic
Skiagia species) appears to be related to the next stage in development of the
Cambrian microflora in the HCM. This worldwide noted microflora is common in the
sedimentary record of the Cambrian Series II (e.g. Downie 1982; Volkova et al.,
1983; Hagenfeldt 1989; Moczydłowska 1991, 1998; Szczepanik 2000). In the HCM
this assemblage was reported in the Lower Cambrian rocks of the Kielce Region, i.e.,
the Kamieniec, Czarna and Ociesęki Formations (Lendzion at al., 1982;
Kowalczewski at al., 1987; Żylińska and Szczepanik, 2009). The recognized
specimens may be related to the Skiagia - Fimbriaglomerella, Heliosphaeridium -
70
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Skiagia and Volkovia - Liepaina zones proposed by Moczydłowska (1991).
It is noteworthy that in samples from HCM assemblages in which
Lophosphaeridium dubium and Globosphaeridium cerinum without acritarchs
belonging to Skiagia genera are present (Szczepanik 2009). Moreover, it is
interesting that acritarchs of S. ornata and S. orbiculare always occur together with S.
ciliosa indexed for Heliosphaeridium- Skiagia zone. Those information can be useful
for more precise acritarch subdivision in the future (Szczepanik 2008).
It is noteworthy that in the HCM numerous Volkovia dentifera, Liepaina plana
and Skiagia insigne are detected in outcrops and boreholes. All of those forms are
characteristic for upper part of Cambrian Series II (acritarch zone Volkovia - Liepaina)
but rare in the other areas of the world (Żylińska, Szczepanik 2009). The conspicuous
acritarch extinction recognized at the Series II/III boundary is manifested by
replacement of characteristic Lower Cambrian forms by a new specimens
represented by: Eliasum, Adara, Cristallinium and Timofeevia. Their gradual
appearing allowed to distinguish dozen of acritarchs zones (M-I - M-XII).
The M-I zone is characterized by co-occurrence of acritarchs from the
transition between Series II and III: Liepaina plana, Skiagia insigne, Heliosphaeridium
notatum, Eliasum llaniscum, Volkovia dentifera together with forms which until
present
day
were
considered
to
be
typical
for
the
Middle
Cambrian:
Comasphaeridium silesiense, Adara alea and Adara cf. undulate. This assemblage
lacks of Cristallinium which is very numerous in the younger parts of the Middle
Cambrian. The assemblage M-I can be probably correlated with lower part of trilobite
zone A. oelandicus.
The M-II zone was distinguished due to numerous forms of Cristallinium
cambriense as well as first appearances of Cymatiosphaera cramerii. In microfloral
assemblages, spherical forms of Leiosphaeridia dominate. Acritarchs from informal
assemblage Herkomorhitae (genera: Cristallinium, Cymatiosphaera, Dictyotidium,
Retisphaeridium and Eliasum) are also very numerous. Acanthomorphitae are
represented by taxonomically diversified genera Heliosphaeridium. In the considered
zone the most popular are: C. cambriense, C. cramerii, Eliasum llaniscum and
Eliasum sp. It’s noteworthy that microflora of M-II zone, is devoided of Timofeevia.
This zone may be correlated with the A. oelandicus trilobite zone up to middle part of
the P. paradoxissimus zone.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
71
The next microfloral M-III zone is defined by the appearance of Timofeevia sp.,
T. phosphoritica and less common T. cf. lancarae, accompanied by Cristallinium
cambriense, Cymatiosphaera, Dictyotidium, Retisphaeridium, Acanthomorphitae. The
last group is represented by Heliosphaeridium and Multiplicisphaeridium. The latter
form occurs first time in the Cambrian section. The considered acritarch zone
appears to be correlated with the P. paradoxissimus and middle (?upper) part of P.
forchhammeri trilobite zone.
The M-IV zone is defined by the first appearance of acritarch with completely
new type of morphology. Acritarchs from the „galeate” (informal group) were found for
the first time in the Cambrian sections and they are represented by: Cymatiogalea cf.
C. cristata, Cymatiogalea velifera and Stelliferidium glabrum, accompanied by
numerous Vulcanisphaera. The latter form is represented only by specimens with
short processes belonging to Vulcanisphaera spinulifera. Numerous acritarchs of the
older zones were found in the assemblage of this zone as well, mostly species of
Timofeevia (T. phosphoritica and T. lancarae) and Multiplicisphaeridium. The first
occurrence of Pirea orbicularis was also noticed in this zone. The chronostratigraphic
position of this microfloral zone can be related to the lowermost Furongian what is
supported by comparisons of acritarch and trilobite data from the borehole Narol PIG
2 nearby Lublin (SE Poland). This comparison indicates that the M-IV acritarch zone
is coeval to the Homagnostus obesus trilobites zone (Lendzion in: JendrykaFuglewicz 1995) which correlates with the lowermost Furongian Glyptagnostus
reticulatus zone.
The acritarch assemblage of the M-V zone is represented by Vulcanisphaera
turbata, Cymatogalea bellicose, V. spinulifera and morphologically diversified
Multiplicisphaeridium. The gradual decreasing of acritarch specimens and final
disappearance of Timofeevia lancarae was reported in this zone. The lack of precise
trilobite data impedes the correlation of the M-V zone with trilobite subdivision,
however, scarce data suggest that this acritarch zone may correspond to the
Scandinavian Olenus zone.
The M-VI zone was recognized in the Narol PIG 2 borehole. In the HCM it was
found only in few samples from the Wiśniówka quarry and it is characterized by
presence of Vulcanisphaera africana. Rocks of this zone are dated by trilobites of
Protopeltura aciculata (Żylińska et al., 2006). This trilobite taxa proves the presence
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
of the Parabolina brevispina subzone in the lower part of the Parabolina spinulosa
superzone.
The M-VII and M-VIII zones are present only in the Narol PIG 2 borehole
whereas in the HCM they were not identified.
The assemblage of the next M-IX zone, is completely different from the
mentioned above assemblages. This zone reveals the co-occurrence of numerous
Polygonium, and Diacromorphitae forms which have equal number of processes on
the poles. The type forms of this community are: Actinotodissus achrasii,
Dasydiacrodium
obsonum,
Lusatia
and
less
common
Stelliferidium
and
Solisphaeridium. Acritarchs belonging to Diacromorphitae, which have unequal
number of processes on the poles, are rare and are represented by Ladogella
rommelaerei. Rocks yielding the considered microfloral assemblage are dated by
trilobites of the Protopeltura praecursor zone, however, partially it may correspond to
the Leptoplastus trilobite zone.
The M-X acritarch assemblage is characterized by the presence of a numerous
and large forms, represented by Solisphaeridium sp. 1, Solisphaeridium sp. 2 and
Veryhachium mutabile. The first appearances of Calyxiella izhoriensis and Ellenia
armilata were also noticed. Other palynological features of this assemblage remain
the same as in the M-IX zone. Perhaps this presence of the microflora is not
stratigraphically conditioned, nevertheless it is the effect of good environmental
conditions. The M-X assemblage is accompanied by numerous trilobites of the
Ctenopyge tumida and C. affinis zones (Żylińska 2002).
The M-XI zone was defined by the first occurrence of Ladogella rotundiformis
that appears together with Acanthodiacrodium snookense, Arbusculidium sp. cf. A.
polypus, Ooidium div. sp. and Vogtlandia notabilis. The most of acritarch taxa
reported in these asemblages belong to the species and genera existing in older
zones. It seems that the high taxonomic diversity and significant dynamic of changes
in taxonomical composition of assemblages may in future be the basis for more
precise biostratigraphic subdivision of this zone. Nowadays, it is possible to notice
two characteristic acritarch populations in the disscussed microflora. They may be
the basis for distinction of two sub-zones: M-XIa and M-XIb. The former is
characterised by the first appearance and numerous presence of Acanthodiacrodium
snookense, whereas the latter sub-zone is defined by the first appearance of
Arbusculidium sp. cf. A. polypus and A. polypus. Acritachs from sub-zone M-XIa are
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
73
present in rocks dated by trilobites of the Ctenopyge linnarssoni zone (Żylińska
2002). The sub-zone M-XIb is not precisely dated and can be related to trilobte
superzone Peltura s.l.
The M-XII zone is the last distinguished microfloral assemblage characteristic
for the Cambrian/Ordovician boundary. It is defined by the presence of Arbusculidium
destombesii, Acanthodiacrodium cf. angustum, Nellia sukatschevii, Cymatiogalea
cristata, Poikilofusa sp. 1, Trichosphaeridium div. sp., ?Baltisphaeridium sp.,
Vogtlandia notabilis. This assemblage is accompanied by trilobites of the uppermost
Cambrian Acerocare zone but it can not be excluded that the considered acritarch
community represents the lowermost Tremadocian. The latter seems highly plausible
since the M-XII assemblage is commonly reported worldwide in sections of the
Cambrian/Ordovician boundary.
REFERENCES
DOWNIE C., 1982. Lower Cambrian acritarchs from Scotland, Norway, Greenland and
Canada. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences 72 (4):
257-285.
HAGENFELDT S.E., 1989. Lower Cambrian acritarchs from the Baltic Depression and
south-central Sweden, taxonomy, stratigraphy. Stockholm Contributions in
Geology 41: 1-176.
JENDRYKA-FUGLEWICZ B., 1995. Wyniki badań brachiopodów z profilu kambru otworu
Narol PIG 2 i Dyle IG 1 (południowa Lubelszczyzna). Pos. Nauk. PIG 51: 4-6.
KOWALCZEWSKI Z., KULETA M., MOCZYDŁOWSKA M., 1987. Nowe dane o dolnym
kambrze okolic Kotuszowa i Korytnicy w Górach Świętokrzyskich. Kwart. Geol.
31(1): 225-226.
LENDZION K., MOCZYDŁOWSKA M., ŻAKOWA H., 1982. A new look at the Bazow
Cambrian Sequence (southern Holy Cross Mts). Bulletin of the Polish Academy of
Sciences Earth Sciences 30, (1-2): 67-75.
MOCZYDŁOWSKA M., 1991. Acritarch biostratigraphy of the Lower Cambrian and the
Precambrian-Cambrian boundary in southeastern Poland. Fossils and Strata no.
29: 1-127, pl. 1-15.
MOCZYDŁOWSKA M., 1998. Cambrian acritarchs from Upper Silesia, Poland;
biochronology and tectonic implications. Fossils and Strata 46: 121 p.
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
ORŁOWSKI S., 1992. Cambrian stratigraphy and stage subdivision in the Holy Cross
Mountains, Poland. Geol. Magazine 129: 471-474.
SZCZEPANIK Z., 2000. The Cambrian of the western part of the Pomeranian
Caledonides foreland, Peribaltic Syneclise; microfloral evidence. Geol. Quarterly
44(3): 261-273.
SZCZEPANIK Z., 2008. Akritarchy kambru w podłożu miocenu SE obrzeżenia Gór
Świętokrzyskich. Posiedzenia Naukowe PIG 65(17): 28-31.
VOLKOVA N.A., KIRYANOV V.V., PISKUN L.V., PASKEVICIENE L.T., JANAUSKAS T.V., 1983.
Plant microfossils. Upper Precambian and Cambrian Palaeontology of the East European Platform (Urbanek A., Rozanov A.Yu eds) Wydawnictwa Geologiczne,
Warszawa,
ŻYLIŃSKA A., 2002. Stratigraphic and biogeographic significance of Late Cambrian
trilobites from the (Holy Cross Mountains, Central Poland). Acta Geol. Polon.
52(2): 217-238.
ŻYLINSKA A., SZCZEPANIK Z., 2009. Trilobite and acritarch assemblages from the
Lower- Middle Cambrian boundary interval in the Holy Cross Mountains (Poland).
Acta Geol. Polon. 59(4): 413-458
ŻYLINSKA A., SZCZEPANIK Z., SALWA S., 2006. Cambrian of the Holy Cross Mountains,
Poland; biostratigraphy of the Wiśniówka Hill succession. Acta Geol. Polon. 56:
443-461.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
75
EXOTIC ACRITARCHS IN THE HIRNANTIAN MICROPHYTOPLANKTON
ASSEMBLAGE OF THE HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS (POLAND)
Zbigniew Szczepanik, Wiesław Trela
Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Holy Cross Mts. Branch,
Zgoda 21, 25-953 Kielce, Poland, [email protected]
Sandy mudstones and sandstones of the Zalesie Formation (up to 6 m thick)
intercalated by thin shales and marls delineate the top of the Ordovician succession
in some localities of the Holy Cross Mountains (HCM, SE Poland). These deposits
are dated by trilobite species of Mucronaspis and brachiopods of the Hirnantia fauna
(Kielan, 1959; Temple, 1965). The sedimentary record indicates that reworking and
redeposition were important processes during the deposition of the Zalesie
Formation. It is enhanced by the textural and compositional immature of mudstones
and sandstones. This formation records the final stage in the upward progradation of
the Upper Ordovician mudrock facies, related to the early Hirnantian glacio-eustatic
regressive event (Trela, 2007).
In the southern margin of the HCM (Zbrza and the Szumsko Kolonia 2 well)
the sandy mudstones of the Zalesie Formation yielded the acritarch assemblage
displaying predominance of Veryhachium (more than 70%) accompanied by
Domasia, Deunfia, Leiofusa, Polygonium, Cheleutochroa, Multiplicisphaeridium and
Polygonium. It is noteworthy that these forms occur together with Acanthodiacrodium
angustum, Timofevia phosphoritica, Vulcanisphaera africana, V. turbata and species
of Frankea, Cymatiogalea, Actinotodissus. The latter forms are commonly reported in
the Furongian to Lower Ordovician deposits apart from Frankea that was recognized
hitherto only in the Middle Ordovician of the peri-Gondvanan provinces (Servais,
1993).
The pre-Hirnantian acritarch community in the Holy Cross Mountains consists
of
Baltisphaeridium,
Exculibranchium,
Multiplicisphaeridium,
Ordovicidium,
Orthosphaeridium, Peteinosphaeridium, Polygonium with subordinate Veryhachium
detected in the lower Katian mudstones/shales of the Stawy Formation in the
Szumsko Kolonia 2 well. The increasing frequency of Veryhachium was reported in
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
the upper Katian mudstones/claystones of the Wólka Formation in Zbrza. This form is
accompanied by Baltisphaeridium cf. pseudocalicispinum Górka, Baltisphaeridium cf.
Calicispinae
Górka,
Peteinosphaeridium
cf.
trifurcatum,
Ordovicidium
cf.
heteromorphicum (Kjelstroem).
The Middle Ordovician acritarch community in the HCM is of the Baltic type
(Szczepanik, unpublished data) since in Ordovician the HCM area was positioned at
the margin of Baltica. Thus, the occurrence of the Middle Ordovician periGondwanan exotic acritarchs in the Hirnantian microphytoplankton assemblage of
the Zalesie Formation appears to be associated with their redeposition from an area
located outside the HCM. Basing on the palaeogeographic reconstruction of Baltica
in Late Ordovician it seems feasible that the most plausible source area for Frankea
in the Zalesie Formation was Avalonia that collided with Baltica during the considered
time interval. The Furongian – Lower Ordovician acritarchs in the Hirnantian
community might have been delivered from the HCM localities subjected to erosion in
Late Ordovician.
REFERENCES
KIELAN Z., 1959. Upper Ordovician trilobites from Poland and some related forms
from Bohemia and Scandinavia. Paleontologia Polonica, 11: 1–198.
SERVAIS T., 1993. The Ordovician acritarch Frankea. In: Molynoeux S.G., Dorning
K.J. (eds.), Contributions to acritarch and chitinozoan research. Special Papers in
Palaeontology, 48: 79–95.
TEMPLE J.T., 1965. Upper Ordovician brachiopods from Poland and Britain. Acta
Paleontologica Polonica, 10: 379–450.
TRELA W., 2007. UPPER ORDOVICIAN MUDROCK FACIES AND TRACE
FOSSILS IN THE NORTHERN HOLY CROSS MOUNTAINS, POLAND, AND
THEIR
RELATION
TO
OXYGEN-
AND
SEA-LEVEL
DYNAMICS.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY, PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY, PALAEOECOLOGY, 246: 488–
501.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
77
WHAT CAN SPORE WALL ULTRASTRUCTURE TELL US ABOUT AFFINITY AND
EVOLUTION OF THE DEVONIAN FORM GENERA EMPHANISPORITES AND
CAMAROZONOTRILETES?
Wilson A. Taylor1, Charles H. Wellman2, Patricia G. Gensel3
1
Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
[email protected]
2
Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building,
Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK, [email protected]
3
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
[email protected]
Prior to the evolution of extensive recalcitrant tissue in the bodies of land dwelling
plants, spores represent the most widespread evidence of plant biodiversity. In some
cases, a particular type of spore may be widespread and distinctive, but the
organism(s)
that
produced
it
may
be
completely
obscure.
The
genus
Emphanisporites is one such type, its members possessing radiating sculptural
patterns on their proximal surfaces. We used transmission electron microscopy
(TEM) to examine several species in an attempt to assess variability within the
genus. The species examined include E. rotatus, E. annulatus, and E. schultzii, all
obtained from the Emsian of Gaspé, Canada. One specimen is also morphologically
very similar to E. erraticus. A certain degree of ultrastructural variability exists both
between taxa and within taxa. This is unexpected, and suggests that different plant
groups may have produced these spores, seemingly converging on a common
structural theme that is apparent when viewed under light microscopy. It is possible
that some of the differences seen may be attributable to natural variation,
developmental stage, or preservational vagaries, but we discount these as the only
agents. Two characteristic ultrastructural features were noted in specimens of E.
rotatus and E. schultzii that are found among extant plants only in the hornworts.
This small group of extant bryophytes produces very little in the way of decay
resistant tissues, which is consistent with its absence in the fossil record. These two
Devonian spores would represent the earliest record of this group by several
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
geologic periods. Some specimens exhibit aperture and wall features similar to
spores of fossil and extant lycophytes, again suggesting the possibility these spores
were produced by more than one parent plant taxon.
Camarozonotriletes sextantii has a two-layered wall (based on staining reactions),
and a well-developed cingulum. There is some suggestion of lamellae and spaces
within the wall, including within the cingulum. Possible affinities suggested by
ultrastructure in this spore type are less certain, though parallel research suggests an
association with the enigmatic Lower Devonian genus Chaleuria.
Left: Light micrograph of two specimens of Emphanisporites rotatus. White lines
show locations of cross sections shown in middle (white line in upper left) and right
(white line at lower left) of page. Size bar = 10µm.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
79
Middle: TEM cross-section at upper left white line in light micrograph (at left).
Right: TEM cross section at lower right white line in light micrograph.
Size bar = 100nm for both TEM images.
80
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
TEM STUDY OF THE MELANOSCLERITE MIRACHITINA QUADRUPEDIS
EISENACK, 1932
CLAUDIA TRAMPISCH
University of Greifswald, Institute of Geography and Geology. Dept. of Paleontology and
Historical Geology, F.- L.- Jahnstraße 17a, 17487 Greifswald, Germany,
[email protected]
The term ‘melanosclerite’, coming from Greek meaning ‘dark’ and ‘hard’, was
introduced by Eisenack (1942) for specimens he described as ‘black rodlets of
uncertain origin’ and refers to an artificial group of palynomorphs. The group includes
any small (mostly 50-1500 microns), organic-walled microfossils that cannot be
assigned to any natural group. Previously, Eisenack (1932) had conducted analysis
of microtome slices of melanosclerites, stating that the internal structures in ‘all
Melanoskleritoiden show no cell construction in cuts’. Eisenack (1942) published the
first picture of a melanosclerite cross section from a 2x2 cm microtome slice of
Melanocladus sp., though this did not reveal any internal structure. He recognized a
concentric construction on appositionelles wax. The absence of a typical cell
structure was proof for Eisenack (1942) that the melanosclerites were not animal
fossils, though the illustration is not of a high quality and may therefore be
misleading. Górka (1971) also examined microtome slices of melanosclerites and
likewise did not find any cellular structures, but she did observe an internal concentric
nature to the specimens. Górka (1971) also observed an axially eccentric canal in
some specimens of Melanoskleritoites anceptiferus Eisenack though these
illustrations are also not particularly clear. Interestingly, the specimens of Eisenack
(1942) also show canals that occur off-axis. Schallreuter (1981) illustrated
transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies of melanosclerites. He described the
internal construction as being similar to bone and distinguished two layers: a
condensed, thick and relatively even outside layer which he termed ‘kompakta’, and
a less stable, spongy inside layer, termed as ‘spongiosa’. The spongiosa layer can
be penetrated by a central hollow canal shown by reflection electron microscope
(REM) images of Menola os Schallreuter, 1981 and Melanoporella clava Schallreuter,
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
81
1981. The material for the present work exclusively comes from the unweatherbeaten Gotländer type. For the processing 120gs of the material were chopped up
and laid in 40 % hydrofluoric acid for 3 days. The indissoluble remains were washed
out with water and sieved afterwards. The fossils were isolated individually from the
floating by means of pipettes. Additionally, special ergonomically crooked short
pipettes were used. With those pipettes the desired objects can be drawn with
relatively low loss rate (<5%) and then be blown out in a Peter´s bowl. The TEM
admissions of Mirachitina quadrupedis Eisenack, 1932 were made in the Institute of
Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Germany. After a fixation step (2 hours in 3 %
glutaraldehyde), samples were treated with 1 % osmium tetroxide for 3 hours and 2
% uranyl acetate for 2 hours with washing steps in between. The samples were
dehydrated in a graded series of aqueous ethanol solutions (10 – 100 %) and then
embedded in Spurr’s resin. Ultra-thin sections were stained with 4 % uranyl acetate
and Reynold’s lead citrate, and examined using a Zeiss EM 906 electron microscope
(Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany). Mirachitina quadrupedis is a long rod-shaped
melanosclerite with a distal end displaying four rounded prongs (the proximal end
being broken off), and sections were made through both the distal and the damaged
proximal ends. In the cross section of the distal area the four prongs can be
distinguished, although they are weakly separated. The internal area of the distal end
is filled with a large-pored spongy material. This spongy mass is also apparent in the
interior of the proximal end, though it is finer-pored and more compact. The centre of
the proximal end shows a more or less hollow central canal that runs through the
specimen but stops before the distal part with the four prongs begins and the
proximal parts closes. In contrast to Eisenack (1942), Górka (1971) and Schallreuter
(1981) could not clearly observe a concentric internal structure. Therefore, the new
TEM images produced for this study do not provide unequivocal data concerning the
internal structure of the melanosclerites, though they do reveal a difference between
different genera and species.
REFERENCES
EISENACK, A., 1932. Mikrofossilien aus dem baltischen Silur II Gotlands, Chitinozoa.
Paläonologische Zeitschrift, 14: 257 –277.
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
EISENACK, A., 1942. Die
Melanoscleritoide,
eine
neue
Gruppe
silurischer
Mirkofossilien aus dem Unterstamm der Nesseltiere. Paläontologische Zeitschrift,
23 (1/2): 157 –180.
GÓRKA, H., 1971. Sur les Melanosclerites extraits des galets erratique Ordoviciens de
Pologne. – Bulletin Societe Geologique Mineral, Bretagne (C) 3 : 29 –40.
SCHALLREUTER, R., 1981. Mikrofossilien aus dem Geschiebe, I Melanosclerite. – Der
Geschiebesammler, 15 (3): 107 –130.
A: distal part of Mirachitina quadrupedis
B: proximal part of Mirachitina quadrupedis
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
83
ZOOPLANKTON BIOTOPES, CLIMATE BELT CONTRACTION AND POLAR
FRONT SHIFT TOWARDS THE GLACIAL MAXIMUM OF THE EARLY
PALAEOZOIC ICEHOUSE
Thijs R. A. Vandenbroucke1, Howard A. Armstrong2, Mark Williams3, 4, Florentin
Paris5, Jan A. Zalasiewicz3, Koen Sabbe6, Jaak Nõlvak7, Thomas J.Challands2, 8
1
Géosystèmes, Université Lille 1, FRE 3298 du CNRS, Avenue Paul Langevin, bâtiment
SN5, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France, [email protected]
2
PalaeoClimate Group, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Science Labs,
Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
3
Department of Geology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
4
British Geological Survey, Kingsley Dunham Centre, Keyworth, NG12 5GG, UK
5
Géosciences, Université de Rennes I, UMR 6118 du CNRS, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042
Rennes-cedex, France
6
Protistology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
7
Institute of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
8
Total E&P UK Limited, Geoscience Research Centre, Crawpeel Road, Aberdeen AB12
3FG, UK
Recently, it has been shown that Ordovician chitinozoans, like graptolites, were
“mixed layer” marine zooplankton and that their global distribution was primarily
controlled by variations in Sea Surface Temperature. Here, we present new data on
the palaeobiogeographical distribution of chitinozoan biotopes during the endOrdovician Hirnantian glacial maximum (440Ma). These are compared to those from
the Sandbian (460Ma). We demonstrate that severe cooling towards the Hirnantian
glacial maximum resulted in (i) a steeper latitudinal temperature gradient and (ii) an
equator-ward shift in the position of the Hirnantian austral Polar Front from 55-70°S
to 40°S. This is deduced from an expansion and diversification of the Polar fauna.
These changes are equivalent to those in Pleistocene glacial maxima. Our data show
that Late Ordovician surface ocean temperature gradients, and their response to
climatological changes, may have been much more similar to modern oceans than
hypothesized before. This information critically affects how we conceptualize Late
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Ordovician climate change and how we should define boundary conditions for
numerical climate models. Significantly, our data suggest that a disruption of marine
habitats and net reduction in ecospace in mid-latitude biotopes, in front of the
advancing Polar Front and as a consequence of rapid climate change, resolves as a
likely cause of the mass extinction in the zooplankton at the end of the Ordovician.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
85
CHITINOZOANS IN Δ13CORG STUDIES: A REVISION OF METHODOLOGY
Thijs R.A. Vandenbroucke1, Darren Gröcke2, Howard A. Armstrong2
1
Géosystèmes, Université Lille 1, FRE 3298 du CNRS, Avenue Paul Langevin, bâtiment
SN5, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France, [email protected]
2
PalaeoClimate Group, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Science Labs,
Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
δ13C isotope-event stratigraphy is of growing importance for correlation in the Early
Palaeozoic. Paris et al. (2008) criticized δ13Corg analyses on Early Palaeozoic bulk
whole-rock samples, because reworked organic compounds, undetected in the bulk
sample, can alter the δ13Corg signal. On the other hand, δ13C analyses on selected
chitinozoans were thought to require 1000 to 1500 hand-picked and cleaned
specimens per analysis, which was considered too labour intensive for routine
analyses.
We have conducted a series of experiments, aimed at developing and refining
a protocol for δ13C analyses on selected chitinozoan species and specimens.
Chitinozoan samples were analysed using a Costech EA connected to a
ThermoFinnigan Delta V Advantage isotope-ratio mass-spectrometer. Isotopic
analyses (13C/12C and
15
N/14N) were performed on chitinozoan samples in tin cups,
based on the number of specimens within each sample and species. The newly
established protocol allows the analysis of 10 to 300 specimens, depending on size
(which is species specific). This means that δ13C on selected (medium-sized)
chitinozoan species can become a routine technique. We consider this an important
advancement in using chitinozoan-specific δ13Corg for isotope stratigraphy purposes.
A second aspect of our work involves a test of the hypothesis that fine fraction
(<53 microns) organic residues from palynological samples can be used as carbon
sources for δ13Corg analyses, and that these results can be used as a proxy for
whole-rock samples (Vanmeirhaeghe et al. 2005). Here, we present and compare
δ13Corg curves from whole-rock samples and palynological fine fraction residues from
key Upper Ordovician sections in the Anglo-Welsh Basin (UK) and the Scottish
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
Southern Uplands (UK). This also results in the first comprehensive δ13Corg isotopeevent stratigraphic framework for the Caradoc and Ashgill in their historic type areas.
REFERENCES
PARIS, F., VIDET, B., GHIENNE, J.F., TANG. P. & DE LA PUENTE, S., 2008. Factors
susceptible to alter the original δ13Corg signal in Early Palaeozoic marine
sediments. Palaeozoic Climates International Congress. Closing Meeting of the
International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) n° 503 ‘Ordovician Palaeogeography
and Palaeoclimate’, Lille, August 23-31, 2008, France, Abstract: 74.
VANMEIRHAEGHE, J., YANS, J., PREAT, A., GRASSINEAU, N. & VERNIERS, J., 2005. New
evidence for the Hirnantian (Upper Ordovician) in Belgium? An integrated
isotopical, biostratigraphic and sedimentologic approach. In: Pre-Cambrian to
Palaeozoic Palaeopalynology and Palaeobotany (P. STEEMANS & E. JAVAUX, eds),
Carnets de Géologie - Notebooks on Geology. Memoir 2005/02 (CG2005_M02):
63-68.
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
87
CHITINOZOANS OF UPPER SILURIAN OF AMÊNDOA - MAÇÃO SYNCLINE
Nuno Vaz1, Florentin Paris2, J. Tomás Oliveira3
1
2
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal, [email protected]
Géosciences Rennes, CNRS: UMR6118 – INSU – Centre Armoricain de Recherches en
Envirennement– Université de Rennes I, France, [email protected]
3
LGM/LNEG, Departamento de Geologia, Lisboa, Portugal, [email protected]
The sequence of Silurian age of central Portugal outcropping in Amêndoa-Mação
Syncline (figure 1) comprises four formations: Vale da Ursa, Aboboreira, Castelo and
Chão Lopes (Cooper, 1980, Romão et al., 1998 and Romão, 2000).
Vale da Ursa Formation was characterized by dark, pyritic and micaceous
quartzites and sandstones, a age Rhuddanian to Aeronian is accept for the top of
formation based in graptolites (Piçarra, 2007).
The Aboboreira Formation is a micaceous black shale sequence with
sandstone intercalations, that grade upwards into dark silstones, a age Aeronian to
basal Homerian is accept based in graptolites (Piçarra, 2007).
The Castelo Formation was characterized by shales and siltstones
intercalated with grey quartzites,an age upper Wenlock to Ludlow is accepted
because the stratigraphical position.
The Chão Lopes Formation was characterized by shales with nodules
intercalated with centimetric levels of shales and micaceous siltstones, an age upper
Ludlow to lower Pridoli is accepted by lateral correlation with Foz da Sertã Formation
(Cooper, 1980) in Dornes sector.
We collected 10 samples in Castelo Formation and 6 in Chão Lopes
Formation. These formations yield moderately well-preserved chitinozoans.
The samples from Castelo Formation yield a chitinozoan association with
Cingulochitina convexa (Laufeld, 1974) and Angochitina echinata Eisenack, 1931,
suggesting the elongata and philipi Biozones of Ludlow age (upper Gorstian to early
Ludfordian). The samples of Chão Lopes Formation yield a chitinozoan association
with Urnochitina urna Eisenack 1934, which is the chitinozoan index of the Pridoli.
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CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
That data indicating a Ludlow age for the Castelo Formation and a Pridoli age
for the Chão Lopes Formation. These biostratigraphic results are in agreement with
the age of the graptolites recovered by Piçarra (2007) in the underlying Vale da Ursa
and Aboboreira Formations.
Fig. 1 – Localization of samples and Amêndoa – Mação Syncline (Adapt. Geological
Map of Portugal, 1/50 000 (28-A Mação), IGM, 2000, (Romão, 2000a)).
REFERENCES
COOPER, A. H., 1980. The stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Ordovician to
Devonian rocks of the area north of Dornes (near Figueiró dos Vinhos), Central
Portugal. Unpubl. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Geology, University of Sheffield,
Sheffield, 225p.
EISENACK, A., 1931. Neue Mikrofossilien des baltischen Silurs 1. Palaeontologische
Zeitschrift, 13: 74-118.
EISENACK, A., 1934. Neue Mikrofossilien des baltischen Silurs 3 und neue
Mikrofossilien des bohmischen silurs I. Palaeontologische Zeitschrift, 16: 52-76.
LAUFELD, S., 1974. Silurian Chitinozoa from Gotland. Fossils and Strata, 51: 130 p.
PIÇARRA, J. M., 2007. Silurian stratigraphy and fauna (Graptolites) of the southern
part of the Central Iberian Zone (Portugal). Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, 46
(suppl.): 393-396.
ROMÃO, J., OLIVEIRA, J. T., SILVA J. B. & RIBEIRO, A., 1998. Nota sobre a sequência
estratigráfica silúricodevónica no sinforma de Amêndoa-Carvoeiro, bordo SW da
Zona Centro-Ibérica, Portugal. V Congr. Nacional de Geologia, Lisboa
(Comunicações), 84 (1).
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
89
ROMÃO, J., 2000a. Carta Geológica de Portugal na Escala 1:50.000 Folha 28-A
(Mação), Instituto Geológico e Mineiro.
ROMÃO, J.M.C., 2000. Estudo Tectono-Estratigráfico de um segmento do bordo SW
da Zona Centro-Ibérica, e as suas relações com a Zona de Ossa-Morena. Tese
de Doutoramento n. publ., Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 323 p.
90
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
SILURIAN CHITINOZOANS FROM THE PRAGOWIEC RAVINE, HOLY CROSS
MOUNTAINS, POLAND AND CALIBRATION WITH THE GRAPTOLITE
BIOZONATION
Jacques Verniers1, Monika Masiak2
1
Ghent University, Research Unit Palaeontology, Department Geology and Soil Sciences,
Krijgslaan 281 building S 8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium, [email protected]
2
Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818
Warszawa, Poland, [email protected]
The Pragowiec Ravine in Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, is considered a
standard section for the Silurian of southern Baltica in its deeper shelf facies with
black graptolithic mudstones. The well preserved graptolites have attracted since
long many researchers as well as collectors. They were studied and Tomczyk (1962),
Tomczykowa & Tomczyk (1981) and Kowalczewski & Tomczyk (1981) established a
stratigraphical division. Recently, graptolites were recollected and restudied in more
detail by Porębska (in Masiak 2007). Masiak (2007) has studied the acritarchs of the
section and she found an assemblage, that diversification and frequency varies
during the interval from lundgreni-testis biozone to nilssoni biozone. Samples from
younger zones are moderate frequent, but more diversified.
Because the ravine is a standard section for a part of the Silurian succession
in southern Baltica and the graptolite biozonation is now well established, especially
for the entire interval from the Homerian to lower Ludfordian (upper Wenlock to
Ludlow), we conducted a preliminary study of the chitinozoans of this section in order
to calibrate the three biozonations versus one another.
Chitinozoans have been extracted in this preliminary study from 20 samples
collected by one of the authors (M.M.) and prepared according to the standard
palynological techniques. One sample comes from the Ludfordian leintwardinensis
biozone (PR27/1), ten samples from the Gorstian: hemiaversus biozone ( PR26/1,
PR26/5), scanicus biozone (PR25/4), nilssoni biozone (PR23/3, PR22/3, PR21/3,
PR20/3, PR19/4, PR17/4, PR16/2); nine from the Homerian: gerhardi biozone
(PR15/3); ludensis biozone (PR13/2 ); deubeli biozone (PR11/1); praedeubeli
CIMP 2010 Warsaw Abstracts
91
(PR10/2); dubius-nassa (PR6/2); parvus-nassa biozone (PR7); dubius biozone
(PR2); lundgreni-testis biozone (PR4 and PR 1).
The recovered chitinozoans from the 20 samples are rather moderately
preserved and often broken. The assemblages are dominated by Eisenackitina spp.,
Conochitina spp. and Sphaerochitina spp. and furthermore Ancyrochitininae with
often broken appendices. In some levels the index species or other characteristic
species for certain biozones as Cingulochitina cingulata, C. serrata and C. convexa is
observed.
The chitinozoan biozonation in this newly studied section will be compared
with the global biozonation of the Silurian (Verniers et al. 1995) and with regional
biozonations as in Gotland situated in a shallower facies of Baltica (Laufeld 1974;
Nestor 1994), with the type area of the Wenlock and Ludlow in the Wales and the
Welsh Borderland (Sutherland 1994; Verniers 1999), and with the Silurian section in
the Brabant Massif and Condroz Inlier (Verniers 1983) (all areas belonging to
Avalonia and with other sections in other palaeocontinents.
REFERENCES
KOWALCZEWSKI, Z., TOMCZYK, H., 1981. Punkt 4b. Wąwóz Prągowiec koło Barda. W:
ŻAKOWA H. (ed.) Przewodnik LIII Zjazdu Polskiego Towarzystwa Geologicznego,
Kielce 6-8 września 1981, 143-151. (in Polish)
LAUFELD, S., 1974. Silurian Chitinozoa from Gotland. Fossils and strata, 5, 1-130.
MASIAK, M., 2007. Sylur synkliny bardziańskiej. In: ŻYLIŃSKA A. (ed.), Granice
Paleontologii. XX Konferencja Naukowa Paleobiologów I Biostratygrafów PTG,
Św. Katarzyna pod Łysicą, 10-13 września 2007. Materiały konferencyjne, 149–
157. (in Polish)
NESTOR, V., 1994. Early Silurian chitinozoans of Estonia and North Latvia. Academia
(Estonian Academy Publishers), 4.
PORĘBSKA, E. (in MASIAK M., 2007). Sylur synkliny bardziańskiej. In: Ż A. (ed.),
Granice Paleontologii. XX Konferencja Naukowa Paleobiologów I Biostratygrafów
PTG, Św. Katarzyna pod Łysicą, 10-13 września 2007. Materiały konferencyjne,
149–157 (in Polish)
SUTHERLAND, S., 1994. Ludlow chitinozoans from the type area and adjacent regions.
Palaeontographical Society Monograph, London, 148: 1-104.
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TOMCZYK, H., 1962. Problem of Ordovician and Silurian stratigraphy in Poland in the
light of recent research. Prace Instytutu Geologicznego, 35: 1-135. (in Polish)
TOMCZYKOWA, E., TOMCZYK, H., 1981. Development of studies on the Silurian and
lowermost Devonian in the Holy Cross Mountains. In: ŻAKOWA H. (ed.)
Przewodnik LIII Zjazdu Polskiego Towarzystwa Geologicznego, Kielce 6-8
września 1981, 42-57. (in Polish)
VERNIERS, J., 1983. The Silurian of the Mehaigne area (Brabant Massif, Belgium);
Lithostratigraphy and features of the sedimentary basin. Professional Paper of the
Belgian Geological Survey, 203: 1-117
VERNIERS, J., 1999. Calibration of Wenlock Chitinozoa versus graptolite biozonation
in the Wenlock of Builth Wells district (Wales, U. K.), compared with other areas in
Avalonia and Baltica. Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 38(2-3): 359380.
VERNIERS, J., NESTOR, V., PARIS, F., DUFKA, P., SUTHERLAND, S., VAN GROOTEL, G., 1995.
A global Chitinozoa biozonation for the Silurian. Geological Magazine 132 (6): 651666.
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CHITINOZOANS IN ADELOGRAPTUS TENELLUS GRAPTOLITE ZONE OF THE
LATE TREMADOCIAN (EARLY ORDOVICIAN) FROM YIYANG, SOUTH CHINA
Wenhui Wang1,2, Jacques Verniers2
1
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R.
China, [email protected]
2
Department of Geology and Soil Science, Ghent University, Gent, 9000, Belgium.
[email protected]
The Lower Ordovician argillaceous succession of Nanba Section, Yiyang area,
Hunan Province, South China (South China terrene) belongs to the Jiangnan Region,
which is characteristic of slope facies sediments (Fig.1). A rich assemblage of
chitinozoans is recorded from the Adelograptus tenellus Graptolite Zone which is the
lowest graptolite biozone of the Upper Tremadocian (Fig.1). This chitinozoan
assemblage occurs in the lowest level discovered in China so far.
Figure 1 - Location map of Nanba
area (according to Feng et
al.,2009); Legend: Q=Quaternary;
K=Cretaceous; C=Carboniferous;
D=Devonian; S=Silurian;
O=Ordovician; Cam.=Cambrian;
Z=Neo-Proterozoic; Pt2=Mesoproterozoic; Pt3= NeoProterozoic; α, andesite; β,
basalt; γ, granite. Inset: location
of study area within larger
structural units of South China.
From west to east shows an
increasing depth of water.
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The chitinozoans are moderately well preserved, in low abundance (between 0.1 and
3.3 chitinozoans per gram of rock) but the assemblage is characterized by high
diversity. Two genera and ten species at five different stratigraphical levels were
identified (the other 15 samples were found to be barren). They include five
Lagenochitina species and five Conochitina species (Fig. 2). For global correlation
purpose, the important Ordovician chitinozoan index species Lagenochitina
esthonica Eisenack, 1955 has its FAD in the Adelograptus tenellus Graptolite Zone
(Fig.2). L. esthonica is also the index species of the third chitinozoan biozone in
Laurentia. However, the systematic position of our specimens need further study,
because in literature three different forms have been determined in L. esthonica.
Figure 2- Chitinozoans from the Yinzhubu Formation, Nanba section(L-Dp-Dc).
1. Conochitina sp. (300-150-120µm). No. 9YYR5-2. 2. Conochitina normalis Umnova, 1969
(218-152-84µm). No.12YYN5-184. 3. Lagenochitina obeligis Paris, 1981 (350-182-84µm).
No. 12YYN5-187. 4. Lagenochitina cf. longiformis Obut, 1995 (305-145-90µm). No. 12YYN5164. 5. Lagenochitina ventriosa Achab, 1980 (315-132-80µm). No.18YYN11-17. 6.
Lagenochitina sp. (228-138-75µm). No. 12YYN5-139. 7. Conochitina insueta Umnova, 1969
(390-195-108µm). No. 12YYN5-185. 8. Lagenochitina esthonica Eisenack, 1955 (400-190-
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78µm) No. 13YYN6-42. 9. Conochitina havliceki Paris & Mergl, 1984 (254-117-85µm).
No.18YYN11-12. 10. Conochitina decipiens Taugourdeau & Jekhowsky, 1960 (430-160130µm). No.18YYN11-18.
The new South China material allows calibrating the lowest chitinozoan
assemblage versus the lowest Upper Tremadocian graptolite biozone in South
China. The finding that chitinozoan assemblage of Nanba includes several taxa in
common with coeval ones in Baltoscandia during the late Tremadocian is also
significant with respect to palaeobiogeography of early chitinozoans and the early
start of the chitinozoan diversification.
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LATE SILURIAN-EARLY DEVONIAN PALAEOPHYTOGEOGRAPHICAL
DIFFERENTIATION: THE FRENCH/SPANISH CONNECTION
Charles H. Wellman1, Patricia G. Gensel2, Wilson A. Taylor3
1
Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building,
Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; [email protected]
2
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
[email protected]
3
Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA;
[email protected]
Analysis of dispersed spore assemblages from the Late Silurian-Early Devonian
indicates pronounced palaeophytogeographical differentiation between dispersed
spore assemblages from Euramerica (‘Old Red Sandstone Continent’) and
Gondwana. Recently these differences have been quantified in terms of dispersed
spore assemblage taxonomic composition, taxon diversity and morphological
disparity (e.g. Steemans et al. 2010, in press). A striking difference is the presence of
a highly distinctive group of spores reported from PeriGondwana (Cantabrian
Mountains of Spain and Massif Armoricain of France) (e.g. Cramer & Diez 1975; Le
Herisse 1983; Rodriguez 1983; Richardson et al. 2000) with occasional reports
extending south into Northern Gondwana (e.g. Jardine & Yapaudjian 1968). These
highly distinctive spores are characterized by a combination of the following
morphological features: (i) cingulate structure; (ii) crenulation associated with the
trilete mark; (iii) interradial papillae and/or various inspissations of the proximal wall;
(iv) distal annuli or similar prominent constructions. Unfortunately few land plant
megafossils have been described from Late Silurian-Early Devonian deposits of
PeriGondwana and Gondwana. Consequently nothing is known of the plant group(s)
that produced these spores and their palaeophytogeographical significance. In an
attempt to shed light on their affinities we have undertaken an analysis of spore wall
ultrastucture in a selection of these characteristic spore types. In this talk we will
discuss our findings and their implications. A further enigma is the report of typical
‘Cantabrian/Armoricain’ spores in South China (Gao Lianda 1978). We will explore
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the intriguing possibility that their occurrence is a consequence of tectonic assembly
rather than palaeophytogeographical distribution.
A typical Cantabrian/Armoricain spore (Iberoespora cantabrica Cramer & Diez 1975)
from the Lochkovian (Early Devonian) of the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain (spore
diameter = 35 μm)
REFERENCES
CRAMER, F. H. & DIEZ, M.
DEL
C. R., 1975. Earliest Devonian miospores from the
province of Leon, Spain. Pollen et Spores XVII: 331-344.
GAO LIANDA, 1978. Early Devonian spores and acritarchs from the Nakaoling Stage of
Liujiang, Kwangsi. In: Symposium on the Devonian System of South China, 1974:
346-358.
JARDINÉ, S. & YAPAUDJIAN, L., 1968. Lithostratigraphie et palynologie du DévonienGothlandien gréseux du Bassin de Polignac (Sahara). Revue de l'Institut Français du
Pétrole, 23: 439-469.
LE HERISSE, A., 1983. Les spores du Devonien Inferieur du synclinorium de Laval
(Massif Armoricain). Palaeontographica 188: 1-88.
RICHARDSON, J. B., RODRIGUEZ, R. M. & SUTHERLAND, S. J., 2001. Palynological
zonation of Mid-Palaeozoic sequences from the Cantabrian Mountains, NW Spain.
Implications for inter-regional and interfacies correlation of the Ludforf/Pridoli and
Silurian/Devonian boundaries, and plant dispersal patterns. Bulletin of the Natural
History Museum, London (Geology) 57: 115-162.
RODRÍGUEZ, R. M., 1983. Palinologia de las Formaciones del Silúrico superior Devonico inferior de la Cordillera Cantabrica. Servicio de Publicaciones,
Universidad de Leon: 1 - 231.
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STEEMANS, P., WELLMAN, C. H. & GERRIENNE, P., 2010. Palaeogeographic and
palaeoclimatic considerations based on Ordovician to Lochkovian vegetation.
Geological Society Special Publication 339.
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THE ORDOVICIAN ACRITARCHS ASSEMBLAGES IN SOUTH CHINA AND ITS
BIOSTRATIGRAPHICAL IMPLICATIONS
Kui Yan 1,2, Jun Li 1, Thomas Servais 3
1
Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39#, East
Bejing Road, 210008 Nanjing, China
2. State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing 210008, China
3
FRE 3298 du CNRS, Géosystèmes, Université de Lille1, SN5, USTL, F-59655 Villeneuve
d’Ascq, France
Three Ordovician Global Stratotype Section and Points (GSSPs) have been defined
in South China. The divisions of graptolite biozones provide a precise frame for
biostratigraphical correlation in South China. Six Lower - Middle Ordovician sections
and four Middle - Upper Ordovician sections were investigated with the aim of
discussing the biostratigraphical of acritarch assemblages for the recognition of the
acritarch biostratigraphical sequence in South China.
Based on their First Appearance Datum (FAD), some of the taxa recorded might
be useful for recognition of the boundary of Ordovician Series in sections where
conodonts, graptolites or other fossils are absent. The genera Barakella and
Liliosphaeridium would be indicators of the base of the Dapingian. Ampullula,
Orthosphaeridium and Dicrodiacrodium are useful for Early - Middle Ordovician
stratigraphical correlation, while Baltisphaeridium dispar, Gyalorhethium chondrodes,
Leprotolypa evexa, Lophosphaeridium edenense, and Navifusa ancepsipuncta are
useful for Upper Ordovician stratigraphical correlation. Several of the stratigraphically
significant taxa are typical of the peri-Gondwanan palaeobioprovince, while others
also occur outside of the Gondwana palaeocontinent. The acritarch successions
recovered from the South China Plate can therefore be correlated with sequences
observed from other peri-Gondwanan areas. In addition, correlations are also
possible with other palaeocontinents, in particular with Baltica.
Six acritarch Assemblage Zones (A-F) are established based on the FAD of
characteristic acritarch species. The Assemblage Zone A corresponding to the
approximatus graptolite biozone is characterized by the FADs of Pachysphaeridium
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rhabdocladium, Petaloferidium bulliferum, P. florigerum, Striatotheca pricipalis parva,
Veryhachium lairdii, and V. trispinosum. The Assemblage Zone B corresponding to
filiformis graptolite biozone is characterized by the FADs of Coryphidium bohemicum,
Sacculidium. The Assemblage Zone C corresponding to the eobifidus graptolite
biozone is characterized by the FADs of Arbusculidium filamentosum, Dasydorus
cirritus, Liliosphaeridium, Pirea sinensis, Ampullula, and Tongzia meitana. The
Assemblage Zone D corresponding to deflexus graptolite biozone is characterized by
the FADs of Arkonia tenuata, Barakella rara, and Loeblichia heterorhabda. The
Assemblage Zone E corresponding to the suecicus - intersitus graptolite biozone is
characterized by the FADs of Coryphidium elegans, Dasydorus microcephalus, and
Dicrodiacrodium ancoriforme. The Assemblage Zone F corresponding to the
linnarssoni - gracilis graptolite biozone is characterized by the FADs of
Baltisphaeridium dispar, B. onniense, Gyalorhethium chondrodes, Leiosphaeridia
caradocensis, Lophosphaeridium edenense, Navifusa ancepsipuncta. Four of six
acritarch biostratigraphic zones appear in the Floian Stage, reflecting the rapid
evolution of acritarchs in the Early Ordovician.
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