The Permian fusulinoidean faunas of the Sibumasu and Baoshan blocks: their implications for the paleogeographic and paleoclimatologic reconstruction of the Cimmerian Continent

Permian fusulinoidean faunas occur in mainly four stratigraphic levels in the Baoshan Block of West Yunnan and the Sibumasu Block of Southeast Asia, which constituted part of the eastern Cimmerian Continent. The oldest fauna, from the upper part of the Dingjiazhai Formation in the Baoshan Block, consists of Pseudofusulina, Eoparafusulina, and a new boultoniid genus, and is assignable to the Yakhtashian (=Artinskian). The second one, which occurs in the basal part of the Ratburi Limestone and its equivalent strata in the Sibumasu Block, is represented by Monodiexodina, and is probably referable to the Bolorian (=Kungurian). The third fauna, composed of Eopolydiexodina, Rugososchwagerina, Yangchienia, Chusenella, Jinzhangia, and several other genera, is dated to the Murgabian (=Wordian), and occurs in the lower part of the Shazipo and Daaozi formations in the Baoshan Block and the main part of the Ratburi Limestone in the Sibumasu Block. The youngest fauna of probably Dzhulfian (=Wuchiapingian) age is found in the upper part of the Ratburi Limestone, and contains Nanlingella, Reichelina, Codonofusiella?, and a few staffellid genera. A smaller foraminiferal genus, Shanita, found from the upper part of the Ratburi Limestone and the upper part of the Shazipo Formation is also an important element of the foraminiferal assemblage near the Midian-Dzhulfian (=Capitanian-Wuchiapingian) boundary in the Baoshan and Sibumasu blocks.In the eastern Cimmerian Continent, low generic diversity throughout the Permian and the paucity of Tethys-characterizing neoschwagerinid and verbeekinid genera during Middle Permian time are two remarkable features of the Permian fusulinoidean faunas. In the Cimmerian Continent, the generic diversity of Permian fusulinoidean faunas in space and time gradually increases from the Early Permian to late Middle Permian as well as from the eastern Cimmerian areas to western ones. The temporal increase of the generic diversity can be explained by the northward drift of the Cimmerian Continent during Permian time. In contrast, the lower generic diversity of the eastern Cimmerian Permian fusulinoidean faunas against western ones is possibly due to an oblique arrangement of the continent to paleolatitude. Thus, the western Cimmerian Continent was more proximal to the tropical Tethyan domain than its eastern part. In addition, the Middle Permian Cimmerian paleobiogeographic region is likely to be subdivided into two subregions, the western Tethyan Cimmerian and the eastern Gondwanan Cimmerian, based on the distribution pattern of verbeekinid and neoschwagerinid fusulinoideans and overall generic diversity. The scarce occurrence or total absence of these essentially Tethys-indicating fusulinoideans in the Baoshan and Sibumasu blocks suggests that the eastern Cimmerian Continent was still far from the equatoro-tropical Cathaysian domain and was probably in a warm temperate or subtropical zone until the end of the Permian. The eastern Cimmerian areas finally migrated into a tropical zone by the Late Triassic judging from well-developed Carnian sponge-coral buildups in the Chaiburi Formation in the Sibumasu Block.     

Late Viséan foraminifers and algae from the Cataloturan Nappe, Aladag Mountains, eastern Taurides, southern Turkey

The Aladag Mountains at the western end of the eastern Taurides, southern Turkey, are composed of nappe structures imbricated in the Late Cretaceous by ophiolite emplacement. The Cataloturan Nappe contains Mississippian (i.e., Early Carboniferous) deep-water (basinal-lower slope) facies in the lower part and shallow-water (shelf edge) facies in the upper part. These Mississippian strata belong to the Nohutluk Formation. The main outcrop occurs at Nohutluktepe where it is 460 m thick. Eighty taxa of algae, foraminifers, and calcareous microproblematica permit dividing the upper part of the formation into three informal assemblage biozones: (1) Howchinia bradyana longa - Lituotubella magna - Koktjubina (?) sp. biozone (late Viséan Cf6γ1), (2) Bradyina rotula - Euxinita tauridiana biozone (Cf6γ2), (3) Janischewskina typica - Biseriella aff. parva biozone (upper Cf6δ). The genus Euxinita is discussed and a new species E. tauridiana nov. sp. is described. A paleobiogeography, based on Euxinita, Koktjubina (?), Vissarionovella, Janischewskina and Hortonella, is reconstructed, where the Taurides are juxtaposed to the northwestern border of the Paleotethys, with possible direct connections with Russia, Kazakhstan, western Europe, and Morocco.     

Découverte d’une nouvelle faune d’âge cénomanien dans la région de Forthassa (Atlas saharien occidental,Algérie) : Implications biostratigraphiques et paléoenvironnementales

The upper Cretaceous of the eastern part of the Ksour Mountains (Western Saharan Atlas, Algeria) is classically subdivided into three fossiliferous lithostratigraphic formations: El Rhelida (lower Cenomanian), Mdaouer (lower-middle Cenomanian) and Rhoundjaïa (upper Cenomanian-lower Turonian). The western part of the Ksour Mountains, which is less documented and poorly known, is here the subject of a detailed sedimentological and palaeontological study. Near Hassi Djeifa locality (Forthassa) the upper Cretaceous is represented by the upper part of Mdaouer Formation and by the lowermost part of Rhoundjaïa Formation. The deposits attributed to the Mdaouer Formation are composed of reddish or green marlstone intercalated by biolaminated limestone, bioclastic limestone with gastropods and bivalves, and sandstone. The selachians (Mafdetia tibniensis, Baharipristis bastetiae), pycnodontiform fishes, and ostracod fauna (Damonella spp., Ilyocypris? sp., Cypridea sp., Paracypria? sp.) coming from marly beds are studied in detail. The two selachian species (Order of Rajiformes) were so far restricted to the Early Cenomanian of Egypt. Our sedimentological and palaeontological data support a probable Early Cenomanian age of the studied deposits and indicate a coastal plain palaeoenvironment continually influenced by the action of tide.     

Integrated biostratigraphy and carbon isotopes from the Cambrian Tangwangzhai section,North China

The Tangwangzhai section, western Shandong Province, North China, the type section for the Cambrian Kushan and Chaomitian formations, yielded a diverse and relatively well-preserved conodont fauna, in which we recognize the Westergaardodina orygma, Westergaardodina matsushitai, Muellerodus? erectus, and Westergaardodina aff. fossa–Prooneotodus rotundatus zones of the North China conodont zonation. The Tangwangzhai conodont succession can be correlated not only with the polymerid trilobites occurring in the section but also with the conodont zones established for South China. The first occurrence of Furnishina longibasis and Furnishina quadrata in the upper part of the Westergaardodina matsushitai Zone allows the recognition of the base of the Paibian Stage and Furongian Series in the upper part of the Kushan Formation. The base of the Jiangshanian Stage, in the uppermost Muellerodus? erectus Zone, can be recognized by the presence of Westergaardodina cf. calix close to the base of the Chaomitian Formation. Chemostratigraphic analyses of the Tangwangzhai section show the onset of a positive carbon isotope excursion, referred to the SPICE event, in the upper part of the Kushan Formation at a level corresponding to the first occurrence of F. longibasis and F. quadrata. The base of the Jiangshanian Stage in the section is close to the demise of the SPICE positive excursion.     

Lower Bashkirian conodonts from the Iraty Formation in the Alduides-Quinto Real Massif (Pyrenees,Spain)

The stratigraphy of the Carboniferous Iraty Formation is described in several sections from the southwestern Alduides-Quinto Real Massif (western Pyrenees), and biostratigraphy is updated based on conodont occurrences. The Ochaverri Member yields upper Serpukhovian conodonts, whereas the lower part of the overlying Asturreta Member is assigned to the lower Bashkirian, according to the occurrences of Declinognathodus noduliferus bernesgae and D. n. noduliferus, respectively. The upper beds of the formation (Baserdi Member) are correlated with the Kinderscoutian to lowermost Marsdenian English substages (lower Bashkirian), and new conodont occurrences are the oldest species of Neognathodus and Idiognathodus known in Spain. We discuss the status of Idiognathoides macer, several species related to I. sinuatus, I. sulcatus and Lochriea glaber. Conodont diversity is related to stratigraphic distribution of species and conodont biofacies. Finally, the lowermost Marsdenian to upper Bashkirian age of the siliciclastic rocks overlying the Iraty Formation is also discussed and compared with known data from localities in the western Pyrenees.     

Upper Moscovian-middle Kasimovian conodonts (Pennsylvanian, Carboniferous) from the Las LLacerias Section (Cantabrian Zone, north Spain)

Las LLacerias Section in the western part of the Picos de Europa Unit (Cantabrian Zone) in northern Spain offers the best (essentially continuous) Upper Moscovian-Kasimovian succession in the Pennsylvanian of the Cantabrian Zone. The section consists almost entirely of limestones, and conodonts are scarce in general, but some Myachkovian levels are significantly more productive. Most specimens recovered are Pa pectiniform elements, and are generally well preserved. Idiognathodus, Streptognathodus, Gondolella, and Neognathodus are the most significant genera and Ubinates and Hindeodus are present. Idiognathodus is the dominant genus. Most of the idiognathodids differ morphologically from those elsewhere, and one, Idiognathodus covadongae, is formally recognized a new species. The presence of Idiognathodus eccentricus in the upper part of the Kreviakinian levels suggests a correlation with the lower Missourian of the United States. Neognathodus disappears in the upper part of the Myachkovian beds. Gondolella pohli was recovered from a short interval in the upper portion of the Myachkovian beds. Paleoecological conditions representing shallow, open, normal marine offshore deposits of the Idiognathodus-biofacies are interpreted for the lower portion of the Myachkovian interval.     

New chondrichthyan fauna from the Palaeogene deposits of Barmer district,Rajasthan, western India: Age,palaeoenvironment and intercontinental affinities

Field investigations of the Palaeogene sections exposed in Barmer district, Rajasthan (India) led to the discovery of a new fossiliferous horizon in the Padma Rao Open Cast Bentonitic Clay Quarry. The bentonitic clay sequence of this quarry is considered as representing the upper part of the shale, carbonaceous shale, lignite and bentonitic clay succession of the Akli Formation exposed in the Giral Lignite Mine, 2.5 km to its north. Screen-washing of the sediments from a fossiliferous level within the bentonitic clay of the new site has yielded nine taxa of sharks and batoids: Squatiscyllium nigeriensis White, 1934, Ginglymostoma sokotoense White, 1934, Ginglymostomatidae gen. et sp. indet., Brachycarcharias sp., Abdounia recticona Winkler, 1873, Premontreia (Oxyscyllium) peypouqueti Noubhani et Cappetta, 1997, Eotorpedo hilgendorfi Jaekel, 1904, Coupatezia sp. cf. C. danica, and Myliobatidae gen. et sp. indet. The fauna recovered is mainly represented by nearshore shallow marine forms. This fauna is quite different from that of Palaeocene Fatehgarh Formation, the Lower Eocene Kapurdi Formation (Barmer Basin), the Khuiala Formation (Jaisalmer Basin) and the Cambay Shale (Cambay Basin), and favours a late Palaeocene (Thanetian) age for the upper part of the Akli Formation. A nearshore shallow marine palaeoenvironment is favored for the investigated stratigraphic horizon on the basis of the selachian fauna. Majority of the fossil shark species described from the Padma Rao quarry section are known from a number of sites in Africa, western Europe, Asia and southeastern USA, suggesting that free faunal interchanges were possible between the western Tethys and Indo-Madagascan faunal provinces during the late Palaeocene.     

The Madenli (Central Taurides) Upper Cretaceous platform carbonate succession: Benthic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and platform evolution

The Upper Cretaceous succession in the Madenli area (western Central Taurides, Southern Turkey) consists of platform carbonate rocks deposited in entirely peritidal environments, which are sensitive to sea level changes driven by global eustasy, but also strongly affected by local and regional tectonics. It includes economically important bauxite deposits. Previous works suggest different ages for bauxite formation ranging from the Albian to the Santonian. Benthic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and facies analysis of the Madenli and Doğankuzu outcrop sections allow for a more precise dating of the platform emersion periods. The footwall limestones of the bauxite deposits consist of well-bedded limestones (Unit-1), which contain a benthic foraminiferal assemblage (BFA) including mainly Biconcava bentori and Pastrikella biplana, Chrysalidina gradata (BFA I), assigned to the middle-upper Cenomanian. In the Madenli section, the first bauxite deposit occurs in the upper part of Unit-1 as a layer interbedded with pinkish sparitic and dolomitic beds (subunit-1a) deposited in supratidal environment. Subunit-1a is stratigraphically equivalent to the Doğankuzu and Mortaş bauxite deposits considered as karst-related, unconformity-type deposits. The hanging-wall limestones of the bauxite are represented by the massive limestones (Unit-2) starting locally with either the upper Cenomanian characterized mainly by the presence of Pseudolituonella reicheli or upper Campanian comprising mainly Murciella cuvillieri and Moncharmontia apenninica (BFA II). There is no field evidence of a discontinuity surface at the contact between the lower part of Unit-2, including BFA I, and the upper part of Unit-2, including BFA II. This contact is defined as a paraconformity indicating a stratigraphic gap from the Turonian to the early Campanian. The top of Unit-2 is truncated by another discontinuity surface associated with a minor bauxite deposit. The overlying Unit-3 is characterized by well-bedded, rudist-bearing limestones topped by laminated and dolomitized limestones organized in shallowing upward cycles. It is assigned to the upper Maastrichtian based on the presence of Rhapydionina liburnica (BFA III) and rudist assemblage. A third emersion period of the platform corresponds to the early Maastrichtian.     

A teleosaurid (Crocodylia,Mesosuchia) from the Toarcian of Madagascar and its palaeobiogeographical significance

A fragment of the upper jaw of a crocodilian from the Toarcian of NW Madagascar is referred toSteneosaurus sp. (family Teleosauridae). It is the earliest known crocodilian from Madagascar. It indicates faunal relationships with western Europe and South America. The distribution of late Liassic marine crocodilians, similar to that of the ammoniteBouleiceras, suggests the existence of an epicontinental seaway from the Tethyan region to the southern part of Africa via the Transerythrean Province, which provided a marine connection between western Europe and South America.     

Range-habitat relationships of vascular plant species at the taiga forest-steppe borderline in the western Khentey Mountains,northern Mongolia

World distribution of 488 out of 619 vascular plant species known from an area of 500 km² within the western Khentey Mountains, northern Mongolia is analyzed. Most species belong to Eastern Asian (29%) or Asian, Eurasian, or circumpolar temperate species (24%) supporting the classification of the Khentey Mountains as part of the temperate zone of Eurasia. Seventeen percent of species are boreal plants. Circumpolar temperate-boreal (9%), Central (-Eastern) Asian (9%), Continental mountain species (5%), Middle-Central Asian (3%), arctic-alpine (3%) as well as Western Eurasian and western Siberian species are of lower significance for the flora of the western Khentey Mountains. Eastern Asian species occur in all types of habitats, whereas plants of other distribution types are focused on certain habitats. Boreal species preferably grow in the dark taiga, which prevails in the upper montane belt and on northern and eastern slopes of the most humid parts of the lower montane belt. Temperate and temperate-boreal species prefer subtaiga forests, which are found on northern and eastern slopes in drier parts of the lower montane belt as well as in upper parts of sun-exposed, southern and western slopes of the lower montane belt. Central (-Eastern) Asian and Middle-Central Asian species primarily inhabit forest steppe habitats, such as meadow and mountain steppes, Ulmus pumila open woodlands and dry Pinus sylvestris forests on steep, southern slopes.     

New Middle Jurassic record of fern genus Eboracia (Dicksoniaceae,Filicales) and its spatio-temporal distribution in China

As an important component of the Mesozoic flora, the extinct fern genus Eboracia Thomas (Dicksoniaceae, Filicales) is widely reported in China with diverse fossil records. New material of Eboracia lobifolia, represented by a nearly intactly preserved fossil frond, is described herein from the Middle Jurassic Haifanggou Formation in Beipiao of western Liaoning, Northeast China. The frond is lanceolate in gross outline, at least 38.0 cm long, and can be divided into the basal sterile part, the upper fertile part and a transitional part in between. The new discovery confirms for the first time that the frond of E. lobifolia is hemidimorphic rather than holodimorphic. Many in-situ spores were detached from the sori of the fertile pinnae, which are characterized by rounded-tetrahedral shape, smooth surface, distinct border, and a wide, long triradiate crack almost reaching the equator. Comparing with dispersed spores in the same horizon, these in-situ spores seem to be most similar to Cyathidites minor Couper in morphology. A spatio-temporal analysis of Eboracia in China shows that Eboracia with totally four species occurred in a time interval ranging from the Late Triassic to the Early Cretaceous in China, and mostly flourished in the Middle Jurassic; the genus was widely distributed in both the Northern and Southern Phytofloristic Provinces of China, particularly in southern China during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, while more abundant and diverse in northern China during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous.     

Late Devonian and early Carboniferous microfloras from the Hakkarı Province of southeastern Turkey

Late Devonian and early Carboniferous miospore and microphytoplankton assemblages are described for the first time from southeastern Turkey. The preliminary data show that assemblages recorded from the upper part of the Yiginli Formation are late Famennian in age and can be correlated with the VH, LL, LE Miospore biozones of western Europe, whilst assemblages from the overlying Köprülü Formation are considered to be middle to late Tournaisian in age and are tentatively assigned to the PC Miospore biozone of western Europe. Regional palynological correlations with other sections in North Africa and the Middle East are proposed. A new species, Verruciretusispora loboziakii is described.     

Oldhamia radiata: the trace of an undermat miner from the Cambrian Series 2 Xinji Formation,western Henan,North China

Oldhamia trace fossils represent a complex horizontal burrow system usually associated with microbial mats, occurring in the upper part of the Cambrian Stage 2 of the Terreneuvian Series, with a peak in abundance during Stage 3 and 4 of Series 2, and then rapidly disappearing in the Wuliuan Stage of the Miaolingian Series. We here report Oldhamia radiata from the Cambrian Series 2 Xinji Formation in western Henan of North China, associated with microbial mats, as evidenced by the presence of wrinkle structures. The distinctive patterns indicate the exploitation of microbial mats by the tracemakers of O. radiata, featuring a specific feeding strategy under the mats where possibly anoxic and sulfidic conditions prevailed during the early Cambrian.     

Prasinophyte green algae <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tasmanites</Emphasis> and problematic fossils in the Upper Vendian Biota of the Zavkhan Basin,western Mongolia

A new species of spheromorphic microfossils of Tasmanites with a characteristically thick cover is established in the Zavkhan association of algae, microfossils, and problematic Upper Vendian organisms from the upper part of the siliciclastic–carbonate section of the Tsagaanolom Formation (632 ± 14 Ma) of the Zavkhan Basin in western Mongolia. Representatives of this genus are widespread in the Phanerozoic beds and their accumulations are recorded in the Domanik facies and near hydrocarbon deposits.     

Eocene fossil rodent assemblages from the Erlian Basin (Inner Mongolia,China): Biochronological implications

Rodents from the Nuhetingboerhe-Huheboerhe area in the Erlian Basin, Inner Mongolia, differ stratigraphically: primitive ctenodactyloids such as Chenomys and Yuanomys are dominant in the upper part of the Nomogen Formation; Tamquammys dominates in the Arshanto Formation; Asiomys, Pappocricetodon, and Yuomys appear in the lower part of the Irdin Manha Formation and Tamquammys is rarer in this formation than in the Arshanto Formation. The assemblage of the upper part of the Nomogen Formation is similar to that of the Lingcha Formation of Hunan, the Wutu Formation of Shandong, the Yuhuangding Formation of Hubei, and the Bumban Member of the Nara-Bulak Formation of Mongolia. The assemblage in the upper part of the Arshanto Formation is correlated with that from the locality Andarak 2 in Kyrgyzstan. The assemblage from the lower part of the Irdin Manha Formation resembles that of the lower part of the Hetaoyuan Formation of Henan.On the basis of the comparison of the rodent assemblages, I consider that the age of upper part of the Nomogen Formation corresponds to the Bumbanian land mammal age. The Bumbanian, Arshantan, and Irdinmanhan land mammal ages are correlated respectively to the early Ypresian, the middle–late Ypresian, and the early Lutetian of the Geological Time Scale. The Bumbanian and Irdinmanhan land mammal ages are also correlated to the early Wasatchian and the early Uintan (or the later Bridgerian) of the North American Land Mammal Ages.     

Late Tithonian nannofossils from Dejen area,the Blue Nile Basin,central western Ethiopia

The Jurassic rocks exposed in the Blue Nile Basin (central western Ethiopia), particularly the thick, fossiliferous and widely distributed Antalo Limestone Formation (ALF) has recently been dated between early Callovian and late Tithonian based on the occurrence of calcareous nannofossils from the Mugher section near Dejen, Ethiopia. However, the top part of the ALF is not well exposed at Mugher; in this study, the top part of the ALF was sampled at the Kurar section (150 km north of Mugher). It yielded a nannofossil assemblage containing Helenea chiastia, whose first occurrence (FO) marks the base of the Tithonian NJT16a calcareous nannofossil subzone, and Faviconus multicolumnatus, whose FO is near the base of the NJ15b subzone and corresponds with the FO of the Tithonian zonal marker Polycostella beckmannii recorded at the Mugher section. This age is also corroborated by the presence of recently recorded calpionellids (Bonetinae subzone) and the presence of late Tithonian ammonites, Djurjuriceras cf. sinuosum Tavera and Oxylenticeras Spath from the Kurar section. Hence, the upper part of the ALF exposed at the Kurar and Mugher sections are of late Tithonian age, although at the Mertule Mariam section (60 km northwest of the Kurar section), late Berriasian calpionellids were recently found from the top part of the ALF.     

Pollen and spore assemblages in the Luwumbu Coal Formation (Lower Karroo) of the North Luangwa Valley,Zambia, and their biostratigraphic significance

Pollen and spore assemblages from the Luwumbu Coal Formation (Lower Karroo) of the northern part of the Luangwa Valley, Zambia, are described. Two assemblages have been recognised, one from banded siltstones and mudstones in the lower part of the formation, and the other from the overlying carbonaceous sediments of the upper part of the formation. The older assemblage is dominated quantitatively by monosaccate forms (Cannanoropollis and Plicatipollenites), and is generally similar to assemblages recorded by other workers from the Lower Karroo glacial and peri-glacial rocks of Zaire.The younger assemblages comprises a variety of supra-generic groups; the most common forms are disaccate (striate and non-striate) and trilete, but monosaccate, polyplicate, colpate, monolete and alete forms all occur. Genera which are especially common include Protohaploxypinus, Vesicaspora and Acanthotriletes. Cannanoropollis is abundant in the lower part of the younger assemblage. In general, the assemblage is similar to that recorded from the upper part of the Lower Coal Measures of the Ketewaka/Mchuchuma coalfield of Tanzania.     

Late Viséan–Serpukhovian foraminifers in the Montagne Noire (France): Biostratigraphic revision and correlation with the Russian substages

The “calcaires à Productus” of the Montagne Noire (Aude-Hérault, southern France) are carbonate lenses embedded within a thick Carboniferous siliciclastic complex. Foraminiferal assemblages in some of the larger carbonate lenses are typically representative of the late Viséan and Serpukhovian. Eleven new species of foraminifers are described: Hemidiscopsis variabilis, H. pilleae, Planohowchinia rara, P. redondensis, Spireitlina minima, Rectoendothyra japhetensis, Mikhailovella enormis, Cribrospira? perretae, Pojarkovella occidentalis, Parabiseriella vailhanensis, and Biseriella delicata. Eight foraminiferal biozones are defined; they are based on the first occurrence of some taxa, and could be used for other regions of southern France (e.g., Mouthoumet and the Pyrenees). These biozones are informally named as A to H. Due to the problems with classical biozonations and substages in northern England as well as Belgium and northern France, the biozones established herein are mostly compared with the Russian standard substages. Thus, biozones A and B are correlated with the Mikhailovian, corresponding to the latest Asbian and earliest Brigantian in western Europe; biozones C, D and E are correlated with the Venevian, equivalent to the upper part of the early Brigantian in western Europe. Therefore, biozones A–E form part of the late and latest Viséan. The stratigraphically younger biozones F, G and H contain foraminiferal assemblages correlated with the Tarusian, Steshevian and Protvian, respectively.