Cambrian-Ordovician lingulate brachiopods from Scandinavia, Kazakhstan, and South Ural Mountains

Lingulate brachiopods are described from the Upper Cambrian - Lower Ordovician (Tremadoc-Arenig) of Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, and Norway), South Ural Mountains, northeastern Central Kazakhstan, and the southern Kendyktas Range in southern Kazakhstan. The faunas comprise a total of 56 species of which 20 are new these are assigned to 40 genera, of which the lingulids Agalatassia and Keskentassia , the siphonotretid Siphonotrerella. and the acrotretids Galinella, Longipegma, Ottenbyella, Akmolina, Mamatia, Sasyksoria , and Otariella are new. The new Subfamily Elliptoglossinae is proposed. The poorly known Cambrianardovician stratigraphy of the South Urals. northeastern Central Kazakhstan, and the southern Kendyktas Range is reviewed. Many sequences in these areas that were previously referred to the Upper Cambrian and Tremadoc can now be correlated with the lower Arenig Hunneberg Stage in Baltoscandia. Three main types of faunal assemblages can be distinguished: (1) the Broeggeria assemblage; (2) several microbrachiopod assemblages; and (3) the Leptembolon-Thysanotos assemblage. The Broeggeria assemblage is distributed world-wide in the Tremadoc of the southern Kendyktas Range, Scandinavia, Belgium, Great Britain, Canada, and Argentina, while the Leptembolon-Thysanotos assemblage is confined to the Arenig of an area surrounding the East European platform, including northern Estonia, Poland, Germany, Bohemia, Serbia, and the South Urals. The microbrachiopod assemblages are known mainly from the Upper Cambrian - Arenig of Scandinavia, South Ural Mountains, northeastern Central Kazakhstan, and the southern Kendyktas Range.     

华南特马豆克期笔石地层分带及全球对比

特马豆克阶是奥陶系底部第一个阶,笔石是特马豆克阶高分辨率地层划分与对比的重要化石类群。江南斜坡带是我国早奥陶世特马豆克期漂浮笔石分异度和丰度最高的相区之一,位于该区的湖南益阳南坝剖面,发育有完整的上特马豆克阶笔石地层,特马豆克阶-弗洛阶界线附近地层连续,上特马豆克阶笔石地层研究已取得较大进展,但下特马豆克阶地层缺乏系统研究。近年来,通过对该剖面笔石标本的不间断采集,新识别出下特马豆克阶笔石带Rhabdinopora flabelliformis parabola带。到目前为止,湖南益阳南坝剖面特马豆克阶可以识别出5个笔石带,自下而上依次为:Rhabdinopora flabelliformis parabola带、Adelograptus tenellus带、Aorograptus victoriae带、Araneograptus murrayi带以及Hunnegraptus copiosus带。基于目前已识别出的笔石带,参考国内外同期笔石地层资料,本文详细讨论华南特马豆克期笔石带序列,并与国内外同期地层进行精确对比。     

‘Cambrian’ demosponges in the Ordovician of Morocco: Insights into the early evolutionary history of sponges

Cambrian spicular sponge faunas are dominated by a distinctive assemblage of demosponges and hexactinellids that are known from Burgess shale-type faunas worldwide. Most of these are previously unknown outside the Lower-Middle Cambrian (and perhaps Tremadoc) and have no obvious close relatives in later sequences. This paper describes examples of Choia sp., Pirania auraeum sp. nov. and Hamptonia christi sp. nov. from the Arenig of Morocco, associated with isolated hexactinellid spicules. A summary of the stratigraphic ranges of the major Cambrian sponge lineages is provided. These indicate an environmental contrast in the Lower Palaeozoic evolution of hexactinellids and non-lithistid demosponges, with demosponges probably undergoing cryptic diversification in nearshore environments during the Upper Ordovician.     

Billingen (Lower Arenig/Lower Ordovician) acritarchs from the East European Platform and their palaeobiogeographic significance

Billingen (Lower Arenig/Lower Ordovician) sediments of the St. Petersburg region, northwest Russia and the Leba area, northern Poland of the East European Craton yield acritarch assemblages, which are largely homogenous though displaying minor compositional differences that probably reflect a gradient from inner to outer shelf environments. Comparison with coeval acritarch microflora from the Yangtze Platform, South China, shows an overall similarity between Baltoscandian and South Chinese phytoplankton. The widespread uniformity in the fossil microphytoplankton may be related to the extensive global 'evae' sea-level transgression, which characterized the Billingen time. This suggests that during the Tremadoc through early Arenig times, acritarch assemblages displayed essentially an undifferentiated cold-water and oceanic character along the whole margin of Perigondwana in the South, as well as on the South Chinese and Baltic platforms, at middle latitudes (Mediterranean oceanic Realm). Despite this overall similarity, however, some typical taxa of the high-latitude Mediterranean Province (Arbusculidium, Coryphidium and Striatotheca) occur in South China, but are absent in Baltica. This discrepancy is explained as caused by differences in climatic and physiographic conditions that prevailed at the two palaeocontinents at this time. The inferred pattern of oceanic circulation during the Lower Ordovician is consistent with the palynological evidence of a prevailing warmer climate in Baltica than in South China, although the two palaeocontinents occupied the same palaeolatitudinal position.     

Structure and Secretion of the Graptolite Prosicula, and its Application for Biostratigraphical and Evolutionary Studies

Studies on graptolite taxonomy and phylogeny in recent years have placed great emphasis on the proximal development of the rhabdosome, particularly the presence or absence of a virgella and early thecal growth patterns. As the prosicula was the earliest part of the graptolite skeleton to be secreted, it may also reveal fundamental information about evolutionary relationships within the Graptoloidea. The prosiculae from a variety of Ordovician taxa ranging in age from Tremadoc to Caradoc have been examined using a combination of light microscopy, SEM and TEM. Parameters investigated include the overall morphology, transition into the nema, pattern of longitudinal ridges and spiral line. Taxa show a change from early Tremadoc graptoloids which have a low diaphragm, prominent spiral line and lack longitudinal ridges, through late Tremadoc and early Arenig taxa which have longitudinal cortical bandages or spiralled, paired longitudinal ridges, into later Arenig and Llanvirn forms which have simple longitudinal ridges and indistinct spiral line and diaphragm. With additional work at higher stratigraphical levels, graptolite prosiculae may prove to be useful biostratigraphically when more complete material is absent, such as in palynomorph preparations from subsurface studies.     

Decouverte du genre Phyllograptus (Graptolites) dans l'Ordoviciendes Pyrenees Atlantiques: Consequences stratigraphiques

For the first time in the Pyrenees Atlantiques, three species of the genus Phyllograptus have been observed in slates of the Saint-Martin d'Arrossa region. This discovery has made it possible to date more precisely these beds which were previously considered to be Upper Ordovician on Brachiopod evidence. It is now possible to place these slates in the Lower Ordovician and more precisely in the Arenig.     

Trace fossils from arenig flysch sediments of eire and their bearing on the early colonisation of the deep seas

A sequence of Lower Ordovician (Arenig) turbidites in Co. Wexford, Eire, has yielded one of the earliest diverse ichnofaunas yet recorded from deep water sediments comprising: Chondrites, Glockerichnus, Gordia, Helminthopsis, Lorenzinia, Neonereites, Palaeophycus, Paleodictyon, Planolites, Sublorenzinia, Taenidium, Taphrhelminthopsis, Teichichnus and Tomaculum. This ichnofauna is critical in any analysis of the colonisation of the deep seas by trace fossil‐producing animals.

A world‐wide review shows that the earliest trace fossils are mainly from Late Precambrian shelf sea environments, but many more evolved during very rapid diversification in the pre‐trilobite Lower Cambrian.

There was little increase in diversity in shallow water after the Lower Cambrian but a progressive colonisation of the deep ocean took place and this accelerated during the Ordovician, when the main lineages of deep sea trace fossils were established there. Rosetted, patterned, meandering and simple spiral forms evolved in shallow water in the Upper Precambrian and pre‐trilobite Lower Cambrian and only later migrated into the deep sea, whereas complex, closely programmed, spiral traces may have evolved there.     

The changing face of the deep: Colonization of the Early Ordovician deep-sea floor, Puna, northwest Argentina

An Upper Tremadocian deep-sea ichnofauna from the Chiquero Formation of Puna, northwest Argentina, represents a link between Ediacaran and Cambrian microbial-mat dominated ecosystems and younger Ordovician deep-marine trace-fossil assemblages. This ichnofauna is preserved at the base of thin-bedded turbidites formed in the lobe fringe of a back-arc deep-sea fan. While Ediacaran–Cambrian deep-marine trace fossils are typically linked to matground grazing and feeding, microbial textures in the Chiquero Formation are rare and not associated with trace fossils. Morphologic patterns (e.g. radial trace fossils and networks) of the Chiquero ichnofauna indicate the onset of novel trophic types, recording trapping of microorganisms and bacterial farming. However, in comparison with younger Ordovician deep-sea ichnofaunas, graphoglyptids are relatively rare, poorly diverse, and geometrically simpler. This study indicates that the Early Ordovician was a pivotal point in the ecology of deep-sea infaunal communities. This Upper Tremadocian ichnofauna records the arrival of the Agronomic Revolution to the deep sea. Comparisons with slightly older and younger deep-sea ichnofaunas demonstrate that the colonization of the deep sea was a protracted process spanning the Early Paleozoic, lagging behind colonization of nearshore and offshore substrates.     

Lipanorthis Benedetto from the Tremadocian of NW Argentina reidentified as a dalmanellidine: Significance for the origin and early radiation of the punctate orthide brachiopods

The dalmanellidine brachiopods formed a diverse, abundant and long-lived group of Palaeozoic benthos, reaching their acme during the later Ordovician. The oldest members of the suborder occur in Arenig rocks, where both superfamilies, the Enteletoidea and Dalmanelloidea, are represented by relatively simple morphotypes. The reidentification of Lipanorthis Benedetto from the Tremadocian rocks of Argentina as a linoporellid significantly extends the record of the dalmanellidines into older strata. The relatively complex morphology of the recently described taxon and its marked morphological divergence from other Arenig dalmanellidine taxa suggest a significant pre-Ordovician record for the punctate orthide brachiopods.     

Phylogenetic relationships of Early–Middle Ordovician ostracods of Baltoscandia

Phylogenetic analysis of the Early and early Middle Ordovician (Tremadoc and Arenig) ostracod species of Baltoscandia suggests a polyphyletic origin for the suborder Beyrichiocopa. Binodicopes, leiocopes and eridostracans are excluded from the beyrichiocopide clade. An independent origin from the basal ostracods is suggested for the binodicopes and eridostracans. The palaeocopes form a strongly supported monophyletic clade. Within this suborder, the ctenonotellid and the tetradellid families together form a monophyletic clade. The tetradellids are paraphyletic, being a stem-group for the ctenonotellids. Nanopsis nanella , the earliest known ostracod from the Tremadoc, is a basal palaeocope. The early eridostracans Conchoprimitia and Incisua , with their uncomplicated carapace morphology, might be the most primitive ostracods.     

Échinodermes de l'Ordovicien supérieur (Ashgill) de Sardaigne et d'Algérie

Research on the influence of sea level variations on the benthic faunas have been carried out in the Upper Ordovician of Sardinia. Study of the depositional facies and sequence analysis of the upper part (Lower Ashgill) of the Portixeddu Formation led to the identification of the sedimentary environments. Cystoids and crinoids are associated to bryozoans and brachiopods in most levels. The numerical analysis of associations and megaguilds shows that crinoids and cystoids have a higher frequency in the proximal and median facies of the upper offshore. The columnal association characterized by Conspectocrinus celticus and the coronoid Mespilocystites tregarvanicus has been discovered in the upper part of the formation. This material and complementary samples from Upper Ordovician of Sardinia and Kabylia (Algeria) bring additional data on the systematic and show the wide distribution of this fauna outside of the Ibero-armorican domain. The distribution of this echinoderm association supports a palaeogeographical position of the Ibero-armorican domain and Sardinia within the north gondwanan margin during the Lower Palaeozoic.     

Ecostratigraphy, zonation and global correlation of earliest Ordovician planktic graptolites

The succession of earliest Ordovician planktic graptolites (graptoloids) in 11 key sequences around the world is reviewed and used to assess their distribution in depth facies, in paleolatitude and in time. An ecostratigraphic model shows the pattern of distribution of species across the shore-to-ocean profile in time. Fluctuations in this pattern are related to eustatic change; the Acerocare, Black Mountain, Ceratopyge and possibly, the Peltocare Regressive events are recognized. Surface-water temperature is found to have had little significant effect on distribution of Early Tremadoc species, and once the effects of facies is allowed for, their biostratigraphic utility can be assessed. A global suite of four chronozones is proposed for the Early Tremadoc and a further five zones comprise a provisional suite for the Late Tremadoc. The nine zones enable precise correlation of Tremadoc graptolitic sequences. The zones replace the previously used graptolite assemblages, are correlated with key conodont horizons and are, in upward sequence, the Zones of Rhabdinopora praeparabola, R. flabelliformis parabola, Anisograptus matanensis, R. f. anglica, Adelograptus, Paradelograptus antiquus, Kiaerograptus, Araneograptus murrayi-Araneograptus pulchellus , and Hunnegraptus copiosus.     

Palynological correlation of the upper devonian and lower carboniferous in central Ireland

Miospore assemblages assigned to the PL, NV, CM and Pu Zones have been recorded from a number of boreholes which penetrated Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian and early Visean) rocks in central Ireland. The palynomorphs occur in both marine and non-marine successions, permitting correlation between these two facies. The boundary between the PC and CM Zones has been located within three sections. The palynological data suggest that the base of the marine sequence is of mid-Tournaisian (Tn2) age at Ballyvergin in the south of the area described and of uppermost Tournaisian (Tn3) or earliest Visean age around Clew Bay in the northwest.     

华南贵州早奥陶世红花园组的镰箭类牙形刺

本文描述了产自华南贵州下奥陶统红花园组(桐梓红花园标准剖面,沿河甘溪剖面和贵阳黄花冲剖面)的四个镰箭类牙形刺种:Drepanoistodus sp.cf.nowlani,Paltodus sp.cf.P.subaequalis,Paltodus sp.A和Paroisto-dus sp.。D.sp.cf.nowlani为红花园组常见种,但另三种则相对稀少。在红花园组标准剖面,Paltodus sp.cf.P.subaequalis最低出现于该组底部,证实此层位为晚特马豆克期。文中详细图示了产于瑞典下奥陶统的两个带化石种:Paltodus deltifer和Paroistodus proteus,以及瑞典镰箭刺属的三个常见种:Drepanoistodus forceps,D.basiovalis和D.sp.cf.D.suberectus。通过与瑞典材料的详细对比,我们认为华南以前关于P.proteus和P.deltifer两种的记述多有误,须重新厘定。     

The messaoudensis-trifidum acritarch assemblage (Ordovician: late Tremadoc-early Arenig) of the Barriga Shale Formation, Sierra Morena (SW-Spain)

The "messaoudensis-trifidum acritarch assemblage" is currently considered to be characteristic of latest Tremadoc-earliest Arenig cold-water environments on the periphery of Gondwana, at high latitudes in the southern hemisphere. An integrated biostratigraphical study on both acritarchs and graptolites was until now only available for localities in northwest England. Reinvestigation of the "messaoudensis-trifidum acritarch assemblage" from the Barriga Formation (Sierra Morena, southwestern Spain), which contains some graptolite horizons that can be attributed to the latest Tremadoc (pre-phyllograptoides and pre-approximatus graptolite biozones), strengthens the biostratigraphical potential of the "messaoudensis-trifidum assemblage", and the importance of some of the acritarch taxa recovered from these levels. It is concluded that the acritarch genera Coryphidium Vavrdová, 1972, Peteinosphaeridium Staplin et al., 1965 emend. Playford et al., 1995, Striatotheca, Burmann, 1970, and the Veryhachium lairdii group (rectangular veryhachiids) appear in the latest Tremadoc, and should not be considered as indicators of the base of the Arenig, as previously suggested.     

Apparatus structure of the Ordovician conodontDecoriconus peselephantis (Lindström 1955)

The Lower Ordovician conodont species first described asScolopodusl peselephantis Lindström 1955, has a seximembrate apparatus of laterally compressed, variously curved and flexed coniform elements. These are very small and invariably striated or multicostate. The taxon is reassigned toDecoriconus Cooper 1975, a genus hitherto known by species from Upper Ordovician and Silurian strata. These younger species share several characteristic morphological features with the older species investigated in this work. When studied in detail, it was discovered thatD. peselephantis was the first species in a lineage which also included two successive new species. Of these,D. mercurius n. sp. occurs in the middle Arenig, whileD. pesequus n. sp. ranges from the late middle Arenig and at least through the Llanvirn, possibly even into the Caradoc. These new species, which were previously included intoS.? peselephantis, are described and their geographic distribution investigated. In addition, a probable homeomorphic form ofD. peselephantis, Toxotodus? gabriellae n. sp., is diagnosed.     

黔西北桐梓水坝塘下奥陶统桐梓组碳酸盐岩微相

黔西北桐梓水坝塘剖面下奥陶统特马豆克阶桐梓组沉积时位于上扬子区陆表海极浅水区,抑或部分时段存在盐度异常的云坪,与下伏寒武系第四统娄山关群和上覆下奥陶统红花园组均呈整合接触。桐梓组岩性多为灰色、深灰色灰岩,后生动物大化石和陆源碎屑岩含量显然偏低。常见内碎屑滩相堆积,偶见含砾屑滩,砾屑边缘弱磨圆,属非强水流的近源搬运颗粒类型;少许鲕粒灰岩层。微生物岩颗粒丰富并作为碳酸盐岩的主要供物来源,部分微生物群落形成的细纹层粘结岩属小型叠层石礁相单元,表明在贵阳乌当和桐梓红花园剖面的叠层石可北延超过100km到达水坝塘地区,构建了狭长的叠层石礁相带。黔西北桐梓组部分碳酸盐岩层中出现单一而广适性的钙质微生物造礁群落,与特马豆克阶全球生物礁演化发展阶段相吻合,在奥陶纪生物大辐射的初期,生物礁具有地理分布局限、低生物多样性以及钙质微生物占主导地位的特征。     

Sediment dynamics during the Cenomanian-Turonian (cretaceous) oceanic anoxic event in Northwestern Germany

Summary The epicontinental pelagic to hemipelagic Upper Cenomanian and Lower Turonian successons of the Lower Saxony Basin (northwestern Germany) are represented by the Rotpl?ner facies on swells (multicolored marls and marly limestones) and the basinal Black Shales facies (marly limestones (Turbidites), black shales) in the local basins. Facies units are described with their lateral and vertical variation from both depositional environments and their correlation is discussed. The distinct Cenomanian-Turonian boundary facies is due to dilution of pelagic carbonate by siliciclastic material, volcanic ashfall, and substantial changes in carbonate, sedimentation rates by about an order of magnitude. The observed sediment geometries origin from preservation of sediments in areas where normal faults occur and erosion of the formerly deposited units in unfaulted areas (preservation of relicts). Erosion and redeposition on swells occurs in thin (<50 cm thick) debris flow and mud flow channels (1–100 m wide), sheet flows, and by turbidity currents. During the Upper Cenomanian the sediment transport is governed by gravity flow which is increasingly superimposed by storm deposition during the Lower Turonian. Lense-shaped tempestites (probably below average storm wave base) occur at the base of the Turonian (entry ofMytiloides hattini) in morphologically highest swell positions and migrate across the entire basin until the late Lower Turonian. The basinal facies is characterised by laminated and biotrubated black shales and mud turbidites that vary over short distances. Laminae show graded bedding and erosive contacts and were deposited by turbidity currents. Intercalated marly limestones are mud turbidities (some mudflows) that are coarsening upwards until the early Lower Turonian. Larger slides occurred predominantly in the late Upper Cenomanian. The sediment distribution is closely related to sea level changes and reflects short- and long-term fluctuations generating comparable stratigraphic trend in the sections, although basin and swell facies are always clearly distinguished. Lokal basin margins (e.g. primary fordeeps of sal domes) were probably limited by larger normal faults that prevented facies gradation between both depositional environments.     

扬子区中奥陶统大湾阶底界精细生物地层分带与对比

系统研究湖北宜昌黄花场大湾组下段和重庆城口翁溪沟湄潭组下部笔石、牙形石和几丁虫生物分带及其对比关系。精细的生物地层学研究结果证明,在我国大湾阶底界界线层型剖面上的生物群组合存在冷水型分子与暖水型分子共生的特点,以牙形石Baltoniodus triangularis首现所确定的中奥陶统底界较nipodus laevis的首现低0．2m,位于笔石Didymograptus protobifidus／Corymbograptus deflexus带或几丁虫Conochitina langei／C．brevis带中部。中奥陶统底界上述牙形石、笔石和几丁虫的对比关系不受沉积相限制,在重庆城口翁溪沟含笔石碎屑岩相的湄潭组下部同样存在。宜昌黄花场剖面和该剖面上Baltoniodus triangularis的最初出现应是理想的全球中奥陶统底界线层型剖面和点。