Some aspects of life strategies of Early Palaeozoic rugose corals

Examination of some well-preserved specimens of Silurian rugose corals from Gotland reveals that the following categories of life strategies can be distinguished: ambitopic, liberosessile, fixosessile, rhizosessile and possibly limited vagile. Most solitary rugose corals appear to have been liberosessile and are characterized by initial attachment to a small sediment grain but subsequently becoming recumbent on a soft substrate. Detailed studies of Phaulactis angelini, Holophragma calceoloides, Laccophyllum lindstroemi, Rhegmaphyllum conulus and Rhabdocyclus ocksaroensis n. sp., and comparison with earlier described species, provide some new aspects on different life strategies for solitary corals.     

New data (smaller foraminifers and correlation with depositional sequences) on the Las Llacerias section (Late Pennsylvanian,Cantabrian Mountains,NW Spain)

New sedimentological and paleontological information on the uppermost Moscovian and Kasimovian strata of the Las Llacerias section, a succession exposed in the Picos de Europa region (Cantabrian Mountains) that is considered to bear interest for the global correlation of the Upper Pennsylvanian subsystem, are presented. Based on sedimentological studies, three stratigraphic intervals can be established which record three successive episodes in the evolution of the carbonate platform. The study of the environmental evolution and sea-level fluctuations, as well as biostratigraphic fusulinoidean information, allow the correlation of this section with the synorogenic deposits of the Gamonedo-Cabrales area (northern Picos de Europa region). It is recognized that in the Las Llacerias strata, 7 of the 11 depositional sequences of the latter area are represented. The taxonomy and distribution of smaller foraminifers, a fossil group never studied before in this section, have been analysed. Data obtained show the presence of, at least, 30 genera. In some cases (Syzrania aff. bulbosa, Tezaquina, Mesolasiodiscus, Pseudotaxis and Hemidiscus), their record in the Las Llacerias section significantly extends the stratigraphic genus or species range. The potential role of Protonodosaria and Nodosinelloides species, as well as the acme of Hemigordius schlumbergeri for the correlation of the Kasimovian deposits is reinforced within this study.     

Thesium hispanicum sp. nova,a new plant for spain

Thesium hispanicum is a newly described species, stenoendemic for the area of the mountains Picos de Europa in north Spain. It is the westernmost representative of the seriesMicrantha, distributed in several species from beyond Transcaucasian and Turkish Kurdistan over the whole northern portion of the Mediterranean.     

Paleoecology of Middle Ordovician stromatoporoid mounds in Vermont

Fossiliferous mounds of carbonate mud are a distinctive facies in the middle Chazy Group (Crown Point Formation) at Isle La Motte, Lake Champlain. The mounds are surrounded by bedded calcarenite of spar-cemented pelmatozoan debris. Channels which cut into the mounds during mound growth are filled with the same calcarenite. The mud-free intermound rocks and the mound biota suggest agitated, normal marine shallow-water environments. The principal lime-secreting organisms within the mounds are stromatoporoids, calcareous algae, tabulate corals, sponges, and bryozoans. Each mound is dominated in terms of biomass by one of three groups: stromatoporoids, calcareous algae, and bryozoans. Most of the mound biota first appear at the base of the Crown Point Formation. In the lower Crown Point Formation the organisms increase in number and species. Both changes in the biota are related to periods of shallowing of the Chazy sea which are also reflected in the character of the carbonate sands.     

Conodontos carboníferos de la sección del río Cares (Unidad de Picos de Europa, Zona Cantábrica, NO de España)

The first Carboniferous conodonts studied from the Cares river section correspond to fifteen species and one subspecies from seven genera, some of them reported from the Picos de Europa Unit for the first time. The conodonts belong to several zones between the upper Tournaisian and the upper Serpukhovian-lower Bashkirian. Furthermore, the species Idiognathodus incurvus Dunn is reported for the first time in the Cantabrian Mountains and southern Europe, from upper Bashkirian or lower Moscovian beds.     

A new endemic species of Saxifraga L. from Spain

A recently erected species of Saxifraga (section Porphyrion ) endemic to the Picos de Europa (Cordillera Cantábrica) is described and illustrated. S. felineri P. Vargas resembles S. aretioides and S. ferdinandi-coburgi , although the habit and leaf shape are the main characters which support its identity. The taxonomic relationships of the three species are discussed, as well as aspects of the distribution and ecology of S. felineri.     

Corals reef of the Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene, of Turrialba, Costa Rica

The outcrops at Jesús Maria (Turrialba, Cartago Province, Costa Rica) present limestone sequences 12 to 30 m thick (packstones: biolithites, biomicrites; and wackstones: biosparites, biomicrosparites), sandstones and conglomerates of Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene age, correlated to the Punta Pelada Formation. The limestones are characterized by patch reefs with an irregular distribution and a reduced lateral extension (50 m), composed of corals (40%), calcareous algae and foraminiferans (30%), mollusks (20%), and in minor amounts fragments of barnacles, decapods, echinoderms and bryozoans. They consisted of low diversity communities possibly due to diverse geographical, geological and tectonic factors: a narrow continental shelf, very shallow and isolated environments, sea level fluctuations, and exposure to clastic sedimentation associated with intermitent volcanic activity. Equity was also low, with corals making up 40% of all macrofossils, and one species, Antiguastrea cellulosa, as predominant (80% of the corals present). These bioconstructions were developed in an open circulation lagoon environment with transitions, in several occasions, to shallower environments represented by elastic sediments.     

Importance of historical factors on species richness and composition of butterfly assemblages (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in a northern Iberian mountain range

ABSTRACT. The butterfly assemblages of three vegetation types (pasture, heathland and rocky outcrop with Genista spp.) and two geographical orientations (a northern slope and a sheltered gorge) were studied along an altitudinal gradient in the Picos de Europa in northern Spain. In order to study the effects or historical climatic changes on current butterfly assemblages, it was examined if changes in richness and faunal composition of assemblages were joined with changes in their biogeographical composition. The three vegetation types showed characteristic butterfly assemblages, but no difference in species richness and biogeographical composition was found. Species richness in the sheltered gorge was higher than in the northern slope. Faunal composition also varied between orientations and there were more widespread and Mediterranean species in the sheltered gorge than in the northern slope. Species richness declined with increasing altitude, though a midaltitudinal peak was observed. There was a faunal segregation between high and low localities. Species richness of widespread and Mediterranean butterflies decreased as altitude increased, whereas the reverse was true for montane species. Moreover, biogeographical elements differed in their climatic tolerances measured as altitudinal ranges. Therefore, changes in richness and composition of butterfly assemblages between both slopes and along the altitudinal gradient were joined in part with variation in their biogeographical composition. These results suggest that current species richness and composition of butterfly assemblages in the Picos de Europa might be the consequence of differential colonization of refuges during the past climatic changes.     

塔中隆起上奥陶统凯迪阶良里塔格组生物群及其古生态特征

塔中隆起区的良里塔格组含菌藻类微生物岩、植物类的钙藻、原生动物中的有孔虫、后生动物中的海绵、珊瑚、苔藓虫、介形类、三叶虫、腹足类、腕足动物、棘皮动物等化石门类。根据其生物成分的埋葬学特征,分为原地或近源成分占优势的群落和远源异地成分占优势的组合,群落和组合的类型展布受水深、水动力、坡折带地貌等因素控制。     

新疆塔里木塔中井区上奥陶统良里塔格组的生物绑结岩

塔里木板块塔中井区上奥陶统凯迪阶良里塔格组灰岩中底栖固着型的钙质微生物、钙藻以及动物苔藓虫、珊瑚、层孔虫,可通过障积、盖覆和粘结等方式形成多种类型的生物绑结岩。对15口井部分岩芯以常用的绑结岩分类方案作岩石学微相分析,并描记底栖固着型生物颗粒的形成特征。菌藻类可在内碎屑表面以包结方式形成粘结岩;钙藻,特别是分枝状钙藻可形成障积岩;层孔虫可被隐藻层纹包结,也可单独形成小型盖覆岩;床板珊瑚格架岩可大量障积生屑和灰泥基质;苔藓虫在动物格架岩比例上占优,可与菌藻类粘结岩互相包结生长,也可独立形成局部小型障积岩。对比巴楚露头区同期藻丘中的绑结岩特征,显示塔中良里塔格组代表晚奥陶世由高生物多样性形成的礁滩复合体生态群落。     

Establishment and development of patch reefs in the intracratonic Ordovician sequence near Chicoutimi, Quebec

Patch reefs occur near the top of the transgressive sequence of Ordovician Trenton Group limestones in the Chicoutimi area of Quebec, eastern Canada. Despite their small sue, these reefs comprise diverse assemblages dominated by bryozoans, corals, stromatoporoids and receptaculitid algae. Pelmatozoans and gastropods are also conspicuous. The reefs were initiated and grew in a fully marine, open shelf setting. Available substrates varied from loose skeletal lenses to soft, firm or hardened bioturbated wackestones, and the earliest stages of reef growth reflect this heterogeneity. Loose or less firm substrates were colonised by bryozoans and pelmatozoans and/or by receptaculitids, which, together with accessory organisms, stabilised the sediments and provided the basis for further reef development. The resultant firmer, slightly elevated substrates provided sites for attachment of stromatoporoids and colonial corals which spread over earlier reef organisms and sediments and dominated the later stages of reef growth. On hardened areas of sediment, stromatoporoids and corals colonised the surface directly and the early stabilising stage of reef growth is absent. The compositions and developmental stages of these Trenton Group reefs are comparable with those seen in broadly contemporaneous and often larger reefs elsewhere, and are among the earliest in which corals played an important role.     

Bryozoans, corals, and microfacies of Lower Eifelian (Middle Devonian) limestones at Kierspe, Germany

The Lower Eifelian Meinerzhagener Korallenkalk (= upper Cultrijugatus Beds) at Kierspe, Sauerland, contains a rich reefal fauna. Eight bryozoan species are described, two of them are new: the cystoporate Fistuliporella kierspensis n. sp. and the trepostome Leptotrypella sophiae n. sp. The bryozoans from the Meinerzhagener Korallenkalk shows distinct similarities to the Lower–Middle Devonian of Spain (Santa Lucía Formation, Emsian–Eifelian), and to the Middle Devonian (Eifelian) of Transcaucasia. The coral fauna comprises five tabulate corals and one rugose coral that document a paleobiogeographic relationship between Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The associated fauna is represented by brachiopods, ostracods, and echinoderms. The studied limestones also commonly contain calcimicrobes represented by three species. The faunal and microfacial characteristics indicate a shallow marine depositional environment just above the storm wave base, with a supposed depth of 20 m, within the photic zone. The nutrient regime was at least a mesotrophic. The upper boundary of the Cultrijugatus Beds coincides with the Chote?-Event that strongly affected brachiopods, whereas corals and bryozoans were insensitive to this event.     

Calcified epibionts as palaeoecological tools: examples from the Recent and Pleistocene reefs of Barbados

Calcified epibionts (crustose coralline algae, bryozoans, foraminiferans and serpulid worms) which colinize primary framebuilders of Recent Barbados reefs exhibit a well-defined zonation of species and morphological growth forms in response to environmental factors such as water turbulence and light. Exposed environments are characterized by thick crusts of coralline algae whereas cryptic environments are dominated by thin crusts of algae, bryozoans, foraminiferans and serpulid worms. A model, based on this zonation, was used to decipher the environments of growth and early burial of Pleistocene reefs. Lagoonal corals possess an assemblage of encrusters which document prolonged growth in a uniform environment. Reef crest corals support a mixed succession of shallow water encrusters which record a gradual decrease in light as substrates are smothered by accumulating debris. Sequences such as these represent growth under stable conditions. The model can also be used to interpret sequences formed by catastrophic events and fluctuations in sea level.     

Contribution to the scleractinian corals of Hanifa Formation,Upper Jurassic,Jabal Al-Abakkayn,central Saudi Arabia

Eighteen scleractinian coral species belonging to 13 genera, 8 families and 4 suborders have been identified from the lower and upper parts of the Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian) Hanifa Formation at Jabal Al-Abakkayn, central Saudi Arabia. Actinastrea bernensis, A. crassoramosa, Coenastraea hyatti, Stylina kachensis, Cryptocoenia slovenica, C. wegeneri, Isastrea hemisphaerica, I. bernensis, Montlivaltia cornutiformis, M. frustriformis, Collignonastraea jumarensis, Ovalastrea michelini and Vallimeandropsis davidsoni are believed to be recorded for the first time from the Jurassic rocks of central Arabia. Most corals have massive hemispherical and globular forms, and few corals have dendroid and conical growth forms. They occur as small, isolated patches, about 0.5 m thick and about 10–30 m wide, in argillaceous reefal limestones. The identified corals show Africa, north America, northern, southern and western Europe, and southern or eastern Asia corals. The low diversity and abundance as well as the small size of colonies are attributed to inimical palaeoecological factors throughout the reefoids formation such as muddy substratum, water turbidity, high rate of sedimentation.     

新疆西准噶尔晚泥盆世法门期的苔藓虫动物群及其形态特异性和古环境意义*

本文重新研究了产自新疆西准噶尔晚泥盆世法门期洪古勒楞组和铁列克提组的苔藓虫动物群, 重点关注其形态学特征和古生态学意义。该苔藓虫动物群由隐口目(Cryptostomata)、窗格苔藓虫目(Fenestrata), 变口目 (Trepostomata)和泡孔目(Cystoporata)组成。优势类群隐口目苔藓虫是具有中轴或中板的细枝状和双叶状群体。 它们的虫室具有加厚的外区体壁, 弯曲强烈的自虫室, 数量众多的大虫室(metazooecia)或隐蔽虫室(tectizooecia), 以及径向刺突和/或棘状刺突。多样化的异虫室、刺突、自虫室等结构, 以及不同生长环境中的不同生态组合是新疆西准噶尔法门期苔藓虫成功演化的基础。洪古勒楞组下段和铁列克提组下部的苔藓虫动物群可以划分为三类生态组合(即: No. 1, No. 2和No. 3), 代表前滨—近岸—远岸的沉积环境。其中, 近岸环境的枝状—双叶状—网状苔藓虫组合的属种丰度、分异度最高。     

新疆西准噶尔晚泥盆世法门期的苔藓虫动物群及其形态特异性和古环境意义*

本文重新研究了产自新疆西准噶尔晚泥盆世法门期洪古勒楞组和铁列克提组的苔藓虫动物群, 重点关注其形态学特征和古生态学意义。该苔藓虫动物群由隐口目(Cryptostomata)、窗格苔藓虫目(Fenestrata), 变口目 (Trepostomata)和泡孔目(Cystoporata)组成。优势类群隐口目苔藓虫是具有中轴或中板的细枝状和双叶状群体。 它们的虫室具有加厚的外区体壁, 弯曲强烈的自虫室, 数量众多的大虫室(metazooecia)或隐蔽虫室(tectizooecia), 以及径向刺突和/或棘状刺突。多样化的异虫室、刺突、自虫室等结构, 以及不同生长环境中的不同生态组合是新疆西准噶尔法门期苔藓虫成功演化的基础。洪古勒楞组下段和铁列克提组下部的苔藓虫动物群可以划分为三类生态组合(即: No. 1, No. 2和No. 3), 代表前滨—近岸—远岸的沉积环境。其中, 近岸环境的枝状—双叶状—网状苔藓虫组合的属种丰度、分异度最高。     

腕足动物Planovatirostrum Sartenaer,1970的古生态特征

小嘴贝类腕足动物Planovatirostrum形态奇特,在我国,目前仅在新疆北部和布克赛尔蒙古族自治县和什托洛盖镇北10余公里处七里沟剖面洪古勒楞组中段底部层位中发现,化石大致呈簇状密集或花斑状分布。经过对产Planovatirostrum planoovale岩性、岩相和生物相的综合分析得知,这段地层是一套深水相沉积,P.pla-noovale生活在水体宁静、海水较深的软质基底上。     

Fusulinoidean characterization of the uppermost Moscovian-Gzhelian (upper Pennsylvanian) synorogenic depositional sequences from northern Picos de Europa Unit (Spain)

Late Pennsylvanian succession of the Picos de Europa Unit (Cantabrian Mountains, NW Spain) constitutes one of the few exposed marine strata of this age in Western Europe. It consists of synorogenic deposits that accumulated in piggy-back basins developed during the latest stages of the Variscan orogeny. The 11 mappable 3rd, 4th–5th order depositional sequences that form the succession were subdivided in higher-order cycles (5th order) and grouped into two sequence sets. Fusulinoidean faunas have allowed dating of these strata (late Myachkovian-Gzhelian) and to characterize each depositional sequence. Sequence stratigraphy, coupled with sedimentological and paleontological analysis have enabled the reconstruction of a sea level curve that may shed light on Late Pennsylvanian global events and faunal migrations. These studies suggest potential correlations between late Moscovian cycles recognized both in the Cantabrian Mountains and in the Moscow Basin. Sudden appearances of early Dorogomilovian and early Gzhelian fusulinoideans could indicate migrations within the Paleotethys, probably favoured by global sea level rises and highstands.     

Epizoic bryozoans and corals as indicators of life and post-mortem orientations of the Devonian brachiopod Meristella

The in-life and post-mortem orientations of the Lower Devonian brachiopod Meristella atoka from the Haragan Formation (Lower Devonian; south-central Oklahoma) are inferred from the distribution of epizoic bryozoans and the orientations of base plates of epizoic corals. Three bryozoans, Cyphotrypa corrugata, Fistuliporella maynardi and Leioclema pulchellum, and one coral, Favosites conicus, are considered. Most zoaria that contact the commissure terminate at the commissurc, and a few zoaria terminate at growth lines. This suggests that the bryozoans were primarily life associates of Meristella atoka. Collectively, these three bryozoan species most extensively encrusted marginal sectors of the brachial valve and are very rare on the posteromedian sector (the umbo) of the pedicle valve. This distributional pattern indicates that the preferred living orientation of Meristella atoka was umbo-down (posteromedian sector of the pedicle valve resting on or buried in the substratum) with the commissure steeply inclined to the sediment water interface. Most coralla of Favosites conicus that contacted the commissure encrusted over the commissure. This indicates that Favosites conicus either preferentially encrusted Meristella atoka post-mortem or colonized living brachiopods but subsequently caused them to die. Furthermore, Favosites conicus most extensively encrusted anterior sectors of the brachial valve, especially the fold. The lateral and anterior orientations of the commissure with respect to the base plates (holothecae) of Favosites conicus indicates that the brachiopods were oriented approximately horizontal with respect to the base plates. This suggests that the preferred post-mortem orientation of Meristella atoka was resting nearly horizontally on the substratum. These data and interpretations confirm previously inferred in-life orientations of Meristella atoka and are consistent with post-mortem orientations hypothesized for elongate-oval athyrid brachiopods. □Brachiopoda, Athyridacea, Meristella atoka , palaeoecology, autecology, epizoans, bryozoans, corals, sedimentology, Lower Devonian, North America, Oklahoma.