Kubergandian (Roadian,Middle Permian) of the Lycian and Aladağ Nappes (Southern Turkey)

The Ni?angahtepe Formation (Teke Dere unit) in the Lycian Nappes, and reworked pebbles and blocks from the Late Triassic Gevne Formation in the Alada? unit (both in Southern Turkey), present a well-developed Kubergandian microfauna and microflora found for the first time in this area. The following cyanobacterial and algal taxa are newly established: Clinortonella nov. gen., Ramovsia lyciana nov. sp., and Kantia? guevenci nov. sp.; some Cancellina and Armenina are revised. These Kubergandian faunas and floras present strong palaeobiogeographical affinities with the Eurasian southern margin (northern Palaeotethyan border). The Teke Dere unit represents an accretionary prism/fore-arc sequence containing different parts of the Palaeotethyan succession. The Late Triassic Gevne Formation marks the Eo-Cimmerian unconformity related to the closure of the Palaeotethys between the Taurus and Anatolian terranes.     

Tolerance, optimum ranges, and ecological requirements of freshwater Ostracoda (Crustacea) in Lake Aladağ (Bolu, Turkey)

During monthly sampling from Lake Alada (Bolu, Turkey) between April 2003 and June 2004, nine ostracod taxa (Candona candida, Cypridopsis vidua, Darwinula stevensoni, Eucypris virens, Eucypris sp., Heterocypris sp., Limnocythere inopinata, Physocypria kraepelini, and Tonnacypris lutaria) were recorded from seven stations. Physocypria kraepelini was commonly found in the lake while the others were recorded in particular months. UPGMA analyses clustered three groups based on their occurrence. Accordingly, the occurrence of species (C. candida, E. virens, and T. lutaria) was positive and significantly related to each other. Two species, P. kraepelini and D. stevensoni, showed a significant positive relationship with electrical conductivity. A significant negative correlation was found between the occurrence of P. kraepelini and dissolved oxygen, while there was a significant positive correlation between the occurrence of P. kraepelini and turbidity. About 76% of the relationship between species and environmental factors was explained by the first two axes of canonical correspondence analyses (CCA). Temperature and dissolved oxygen were the two most important influences on the species assemblages. All species showed different but high optima and tolerance ranges, corresponding with their cosmopolitan characteristics. These responses may be related to unstable ecological characteristics of Lake Alada, which is often subjected to human activity.     

Taxonomic study of the tetrahedral, pentagonal and hexagonal spongy spumellarian Radiolaria from the middle Carnian (Late Triassic) of the Köseyahya nappe (Elbistan, SE Turkey) and other Triassic localities

This article is a taxonomic study of all spongy radiolarian taxa with five to six coplanar and four tetrahedrally disposed spines or spongy arms occurring in the middle Carnian from the Köseyahya section, near the town of Elbistan, SE Turkey. This fauna is characteristic of the Tetraporobrachia haeckeli radiolarian Zone, and comes from an 8 m thick succession of clayey–cherty limestones occurring at the lower part of the section. In addition, a few species from the Middle and Upper Triassic from other areas have been also included in this study to improve some generic diagnoses and to better understand the diversity and evolutionary trends of some genera, subfamilies and families. The taxonomy at the generic and suprageneric levels is based primarily on the types of microsphere. This new approach allowed new taxonomic arrangements of genera and suprageneric units, and suggested new and unexpected phylogenetic relationships among these radiolarians and between them and younger radiolarians. The authors discuss and describe 42 species, of which 36 are new, and 12 genera of which three are new (Charlottalum, Pentaspongodisculus, and Trimiducaella). The genera Pseudohagiastrum Pessagno, Natraglia Pessagno, Cantalum Pessagno and others are reinterpreted. All the genera studied, except Charlottalum, are assigned to three subfamilies, of which two (Pseudohagiastrinae and Trimiducinae) are new, and to two families (Angulobracchiidae and Relindellidae). The genus Charlottalum is described to replace the genus Cantalum, which has been erroneously used until present for Late Triassic pantanelliids with four tetrahedrally disposed three-bladed spines.     

Trilobites from the Silurian “Lower Red Beds” of Wuhan,South China: stratigraphic and paleogeographic implications

The age of the Silurian “Lower Red Beds” (LRBs), which occur widely in South China, has long been controversial because of the scarcity of index fossils. Here, we report a fauna with abundant trilobites from the LRBs in Wuhan, Middle Yangtze region, consisting of Aulacopleura (Paraaulacopleura) pijiazhaiensis, ‘Encrinuroides’ yichangensis, Gaotania hubeiensis, Hyrokybe gaotanensis, Japonoscutellum yichangense, Latiproetus latilimbatus, and Ptilillaenus lojopingensis. These trilobites are common in the Leijiatun, upper Xiangshuyuan, Shihniulan, and Lojoping formations in the Upper Yangtze region, and belong to the middle to upper Aeronian Ptilillaenus or ‘Encrinuroides’–Ptilillaenus–Latiproetus assemblages. The discovery of this trilobite assemblage suggests that the LRBs are probably partly of middle–late Aeronian age in the Middle Yangtze region. Thus, the lower boundary of the LRBs is likely diachronous in the Yangtze region, ranging from the middle–late Aeronian to the early Telychian. The discovery of the Ptilillaenus assemblage in the Wuhan LRBs expands the paleogeographic distribution of this assemblage and provides evidence of deeper depositional environment of the LRBs in the study area versus shallow waters in other areas of the Yangtze region.     

Biostratigraphy of Lower Permian foraminiferal assemblages from platform-slope carbonate blocks within the Mersin Mélange,southern Turkey: Paleogeographical implications

The Mersin Mélange (MM) as a part of the Mersin Ophiolitic Complex in southern Turkey is a sedimentary complex including blocks and tectonic slices within a Late Cretaceous matrix. Two blocks (Keven and Cingeypinari) within the MM originated from the northern branch of Neotethys (Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan Ocean) and have been studied in detail using foraminiferal assemblages to correlate them with coeval successions in the Taurides and to approach the Early Permian evolution of the northern branch of the Neotethys. The Keven block includes mainly slope deposits (poorly-sorted carbonate breccia and fossiliferous calcarenite) and dated as late Asselian-Sakmarian, whereas the Cingeypinari block consists of platform deposits (fossiliferous platform carbonate and quartz sandstone alternation) assigned to the Sakmarian-early Artinskian. These Early Permian Cingeypinari and Keven blocks from the Beysehir-Hoyran Nappes are biostratigraphically well correlated to the northerly originated Hadim nappe and its equivalents in the Tauride Belt. Considering recent studies on the Mersin Mélange, a possible mantle plume existed during the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian time interval along the northern Gondwanan margin. This event led to the opening of the northern Neotethys and deposition of the pelagic “Karincali” sequence with volcanic material in the basinal conditions. The data presented suggest that the Keven block relates to the slope and the Cingeypinari block to platform conditions deposited as a lateral equivalent of the Karincali sequences during the Early Permian.     

New species and stratigraphic data on Lower Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) lytoceratids (Ammonoidea) from Lókút, Bakony Mts, Hungary

From exceptionally rich and mostly well-preserved Lower Bajocian ammonite assemblages, eight lytoceratid species are described and discussed in detail. They belong to four genera (Lytoceras, Megalytoceras, Alocolytoceras and Nannolytoceras) and include some stratigraphically important forms. Thus the material yielded the hitherto known youngest (Lower Bajocian Otoites sauzei Zone) representative of genus Alocolytoceras (A.?isztimeri n. sp.). On the basis of here-identified forms, the range of Lytoceras subfrancisci could be extended up into the Otoites sauzei Zone. A new species (Nannolytoceras gibbosum n. sp.) from the Witchellia laeviuscula/Otoites sauzei zonal boundary interval suggests that the origin of Nannolytoceras could have been earlier than previously recorded. The faunal compositions of the assemblages reflect a typical Tethyan character, with lytoceratids representing only the third most numerous ammonite group behind Phylloceratina and Ammonitina.     

Hypercalcified segmented sponges (“sphinctozoans”) from the Upper Triassic (Norian) reef boulders of Taurus Mountains (southern Turkey)

Upper Triassic Norian reef boulders, exposed in a locality near the fountain “Tavuk Cesme” (“Chicken Fountain”) in Taurus Mountains, southern Turkey yielded a large number of hypercalcified sponges, including “sphinctozoans”, “inozoans”, “spongiomorphids”, and “chaetetids”. The sphinctozoans from this locality are described in this paper. Geologically, this locality belongs to the Anamas-Akseki autochthonous. The reef boulders of this locality are exposed near the “Tavuk Cesme” fountain, located at the road, leading from the town of Aksu to Yenisarbademli. The following taxa are described: Amblysiphonella taurica nov. sp., Anthalythalamia riedeli Senowbari-Daryan, Calabrisiphonella sphaerica nov. sp., Calabrisiphonella cuifi nov. sp., Cinnabaria minima Senowbari-Daryan, Colospongia recta nov. sp., Colospongia sp. 1, Colospongia sp. 2, Colospongia sp. 3, Cryptocoelia compacta nov. sp., Cryptocoelia? sp., Deningeria crassireticulata Senowbari-Daryan, Zühlke, Bechstädt and Flügel, Discosiphonella minima Senowbari-Daryan and Link, Gigantothalamia ovoidalis Senowbari-Daryan, Hajarispongia dipoyrazensis nov. sp., Hajarispongia cortexifera nov. sp., Kashanella irregularis Senowbari-Daryan, Kashanella cylindrica nov. sp., Parauvanella ferdowsensis Senowbari-Daryan, Parastylothalamia cylindrica nov. gen., nov. sp., Asiphothalamia polyosculata nov. gen, nov. sp., Sollasia norica nov. sp., and Thaumastocoelia sphaeroida Senowbari-Daryan. The most abundant sponge is Amblysiphonella taurica nov. sp. followed by Hajarispongia dipoyrazensis nov. sp., Colospongia and Discosiphonella minima Senowbari-Daryan and Link are also relatively abundant. The stylothalamid sponge Parastylothalamia nov. gen. is an abundant sponge genus in other Norian reefs of the Taurus Mountains, but is rare at the “Tavuk Cesme” locality.     

New record of a sauropod in the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition of the Iberian Peninsular (Spain): palaeobiogeographical implications

In recent decades a unique association of basal neosauropod and turiasaur sauropods has been described from the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition of Spain. In this context, a sauropod femur from the Tithonian–Berriasian is studied for the first time. The femur in question is an isolated specimen, recovered from the Tera Group in Tera (Soria). It displays a unique mosaic of derived characters as yet undescribed in femora of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Spain. A prominent lateral bulge, high eccentricity, and a lateromedially flattened proximal end link the femur from Tera with Titanosauriformes. Moreover, it presents a significant distal projection of the tibial condyle, a character observed in Asiatic Titanosauriformes of the Lower Cretaceous. The femur from Tera adds a fifth sauropod taxon to the Tithonian–Berriasian of Spain, and, for the first time, a representative of Titanosauriformes.     

First record of late middle Miocene Moschidae from Turkey: Micromeryx and Hispanomeryx from Catakbağyaka (Muğla,SW Turkey)

Here, we describe remains of Micromeryx sp. and Hispanomeryx sp. from the middle Miocene locality Catakbağyaka (MN 7/8). This is the first record for Miocene Moschidae for the late middle Miocene in Turkey and verifies the importance of Turkey as a corridor for the dispersal of Eurasian mammals. Furthermore, the record from Catakbağyaka confirms that the sympatric co-occurrence of two Miocene moschid taxa in one locality appears to be a common phenomenon.     

Sauropod and Small Theropod Tracks from the Lower Jurassic Ziliujing Formation of Zigong City,Sichuan, China,with an Overview of Triassic–Jurassic Dinosaur Fossils and Footprints of the Sichuan Basin

A dinosaur footprint assemblage from the Lower Jurassic Ziliujing Formation of Zigong City, Sichuan, China, comprises about 300 tracks of small tridactyl theropods and large sauropods preserved as concave epireliefs (natural molds). The theropod footprints show similarities with both the ichnogenera Grallator and Jialingpus. Three different morphotypes are present, probably related to different substrate conditions and extramorphological variation. A peculiar preservational feature in a morphotype that reflects a gracile trackmaker with extremely slender digits, is the presence of a convex epirelief that occurs at the bottom of the concave digit impressions. It is possibly the result of sediment compaction underweight load when the pes penetrated the substrate, being a resistant residue during exhumation and weathering. The sauropod tracks belong to a trackway with eight imprints consisting of poorly preserved pes and manus tracks and a better preserved set, probably all undertracks. The narrow-gauge trackway pattern resembles the ichnogenus Parabrontopodus well known from the Jurassic but other features such as the minor heteropody are different. The assemblage enriches the dinosaur record from the famous Zigong locality and the evidence from the Lower Jurassic in this area that was restricted to a few skeletal remains and footprints. Furthermore it proves the presence of small theropods, whereas skeletons of the group, well- known from the Middle-Upper Jurassic of Zigong, are of medium to large size only. Remarkable is the dominance of saurischians in these assemblages, which is characteristic of Jurassic dinosaur communities whereas the Cretaceous record shows an increase of ornithopod groups. An overview of the dinosaur trace and body fossil record of the Sichuan Basin supports this view. The paleoenvironment can be designated as a low-latitude tropical freshwater lake as it is indicated by bivalve shells.     

Dinosaur remains from the ‘Botucaraí Hill’ (Caturrita Formation), Late Triassic of south Brazil,and their stratigraphic context

Vertebrate fossils recovered from sites nearby the Botucaraí Hill and Candelária (Caturrita Formation) depict a diverse Late Triassic tetrapod fauna from south Brazil. These records are of key importance to the biostratigraphy of the upper sections of the Rosario do Sul Group. A lithological and biostratigraphic survey on the main fossil localities of the Botucaraí Hill area confirms the occurrence of the lower Hyperodapedon and the upper Riograndia Assemblage Zones in the region, the latter yielding early saurischians. In this paper, three incomplete dinosaur specimens, an isolated sacral vertebra, an articulated left pubis–ischium and an isolated right ischium, from the ‘Botucaraí Hill’ site are described. A comparative survey suggests that these specimens have sauropodomorph affinities, but probably more primitive than typical ‘prosauropods’ from the Norian-Early Jurassic. Regardless of the phylogenetic position of Guaibasaurus as theropod or sauropodomorph, their occurrence in the Caturrita Formation, which also yielded ‘core prosauropods’ from the Santa Maria region, suggests either the survival of early members of the clade with more derived ‘prosauropods’ or that heterochronous faunas are sampled from that stratigraphic unit.     

Transgressive–regressive sequences on the slope of an isolated carbonate platform (Middle–Late Permian, Laibin, South China)

From the Middle to Late Permian, the Laibin area in Guangxi, South China, was situated on the slope of an isolated carbonate platform, on which continuous marine successions were deposited. Two global stratotype sections for the boundary between the Guadalupian (Middle Permian) and Lopingian (Late Permian) are located at Penglaitan and Tieqiao in the Laibin area, respectively, and thus are chosen for study. At the two locations, 14 facies are recognized in the Maokou and Heshan Formations, and they are further grouped into four facies associations (basin, lower slope, upper slope, and platform margin). Six main transgressive–regressive (TR) sequences are identified in strata from the Roadian (Middle Permian) to the Wuchiapingian (Late Permian). They are conformable marine sequences that were little influenced by regional uplift (Dongwu Movement) and so provide a good record of the sea-level changes in South China at this time. Based on the significant taxonomic selection and controversial marine faunal loss in the end-Guadalupian mass extinction, and the Middle-Late Permian sea-level changes recorded by the TR sequences in the Laibin area, it is suggested that this extinction event might have been triggered by the reduction and loss of shallow-marine habitat area caused by the end-Guadalupian regression. The global cooling and Emeishan volcanism also occurring at this time could have further enhanced this extinction event.     

Taxonomic study of spongy spumellarian Radiolaria with three and four coplanar spines or arms from the middle Carnian (Late Triassic) of the Köseyahya nappe (Elbistan, SE Turkey) and other Triassic localities

The present article is a taxonomic study of all spongy spumellarian radiolarian taxa with three and four coplanar spines or spongy arms occurring in the middle Carnian from the Köseyahya section, near the town of Elbistan, SE Turkey. This fauna is characteristic of the Tetraporobrachia haeckeli radiolarian Zone, and comes from an 8 m thick succession of clayey-cherty limestones occurring at the lower part of the section. In addition, a few species from the Middle and Upper Triassic from other areas have been also included in this study to improve some generic diagnoses, and to better comprehend the diversity and evolutionary trends of some genera, subfamilies and families. The taxonomy at the generic and suprageneric levels is based primarily on the types of microsphere. This new approach allowed new taxonomic arrangements of genera and suprageneric units, and suggested new phylogenetic relationships among these radiolarians and between them and younger radiolarians. The authors discuss and describe 69 species, of which 37 are new, and 14 genera, of which three are new (Paraparonaella, Pseudangulobracchia, and Ropanaella). The genus Triassoastrum and others are reinterpreted. All genera studied are assigned to five subfamilies, of which two are new (Tetrapaurinellinae and Triassocrucellinae), and two families (Tritrabidae and Veghicycliidae). Nine species in open nomenclature are also illustrated.     

Late Norian (Triassic) Radiolaria from the Kotel’nyi Island (New Siberian Islands,Arctic, Russia)

Two radiolarian assemblages were recovered from upper Norian strata of the Kotel’nyi Island (Russia); the first assemblage, from the Monotis zabaikalica Subzone (lower part of Upper Norian), is represented by Betraccium inornatum Blome, Dumitricaella (?) parva Sugiyama, Ferresium titulense Blome and 24 other species; the second assemblage, from the Monotis subcircularis Subzone (upper part of Upper Norian), is represented by Crucella sp. cf. C. angulosa Carter, Kahlerosphaera acris Bragin, K. sp. cf. K. parvispinosa Kozur & Mostler, Pseudohagiastrum crassum (Carter) and 11 other species. Both assemblages have common taxa with Upper Norian and Rhaetian radiolarian assemblages of British Columbia and they display clear Boreal features: low taxonomic diversity, abundance of taxa known from high-latitude regions, absence or rare presence of taxa known from low-latitude areas. The presence of early representatives of nassellarian genera Droltus and Parahsuum is very distinctive. Six new species are described: Pseudohagiastrum spinosum nov. sp., Cantalum boreale nov. sp., Plafkerium carteri nov. sp., Droltus guttaeformis nov. sp., Laxtorum blomei nov. sp., L. glacialis nov. sp.     

A juvenile plesiosaur (Plesiosauria: Reptilia) from the Lower Lias (Hettangian: Lower Jurassic) of Lyme Regis, England: a pliosauroid-plesiosauroid intermediate?

A partial skull and skeleton of a small, juvenile plesiosaur, part of the historically important Philpot Collection from Lyme Regis, England, is described. It is assigned tentatively to EwycMdus arcuatus (Owen, 1840) and has a mosaic of features which make it difficult to place in a superfamily. The characters of the posterior elements of the skull and post-dentary bones are close to those expected in a plesiosauroid, whereas the anterior dentition and symphysis of the lower jaw are more typical of a pliosauroid. The specimen is placed in the Pliosauroidea pending a phylogenetic revision of the Lower Jurassic Plesiosauria. From a reconstruction of the dentition and jaw-closing muscles, it is thought to have been a predator on soft-bodied or lighdy armoured prey, such as belemnoids, ammonites or small fish.     

New Late Viséan and Early Serpukhovian ammonoids in the Verkhnyaya Kardailovka section (Eastern Slope of the South Urals)

New Late Viséan and Early Serpukhovian ammonoids are described from the Verkhnyaya Kardailovka section (South Urals, Bashkortostan). The ammonoid assemblages allow the recognition of the Hypergoniatites?Ferganoceras Genozone and a correlation with the synchronous zonations of North Africa, Spain, and China. The new species Ferganoceras constrictum sp. nov., Dombarites clemens sp. nov., and Hypergoniatites kardailovkensis sp. nov. are described.     

Palaeontology of the Purbeck-type (Tithonian,Late Jurassic) bonebeds of Chassiron (Oléron Island,western France)

The paralic flora and fauna from the Late Jurassic of Chassiron (Oléron Island, western France) are described. The Tithonian-aged bonebeds of Purbeck facies of this locality have yielded a rich and diverse vertebrate assemblage including fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, alongside numerous plant and invertebrate remains. The Chassiron locality thus appears as a peculiar Konzentrat-Lagerstätte in which most of the palaeoecosystem's biological components (both aquatic and terrestrial) have been preserved. The depositional environment was probably subject to salinity fluctuations, as indicated by the co-occurrence of freshwater and euryhaline organisms. This is one of the richest localities and the first mammal-bearing site known from the Jurassic of France.