Paleocene-Early Eocene ostracodes from the Southern Galala Plateau (Eastern Desert, Egypt): Taxonomy, impact of paleobathymetric changes

Ostracode faunas obtained from nine sections spanning the Paleocene-Early Eocene interval from a platform-basin transect in the Southern Galala Plateau area (Eastern Desert, Egypt) have been investigated. The study focuses on taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the ostracode assemblages across the P/E boundary, with supporting comments on paleoecology and paleobiogeography. The studied nine sections yielded 60 taxa belonging to 39 genera. Five species are new. The P/E transition is characterized by the appearance of new taxa rather than extinctions. During the Early and early Late Paleocene, the ostracode assemblages throughout the study area are largely similar, being dominated by middle-outer neritic taxa. In the late Late Paleocene and Early Eocene, changes in the paleobathymetry from deeper marine environments in the distal area in the south to shallower marine environments in the proximal area in the north become pronounced. Many of the recorded taxa have a wide geographic distribution throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Similarities with basins of West Africa are also found, reflecting faunal exchanges between this area and southern Tethys during the Paleocene and Early Eocene.     

Artinskian–Wordian antitropical rugose coral associations: A palaeogeographical approach

Recent investigations in the Urals and East-European Platform as well as study of corals collections from South Primorye (Russian Far East) and South-Eastern Pamirs have been undertaken. Antitropical rugose associations include taxa that are bounded in their distribution by the temperate zones of the Boreal and Perigondwanan realms. They occur sporadically in tropical latitudes but never form abundant and diverse communities. Antitropical associations are represented by the so-called ‘Cyathaxonia fauna’ (sensu lato), predominating in two selected stratigraphic intervals. The abrupt change of taxonomic composition from colonial to ‘Cyathaxonia fauna’ allows the separation of two assemblages: (i) mid Artinskian–Kungurian and (ii) Roadian–Wordian. The key regions for comparison are the Urals (mid Artinskian–Kungurian), Spitsbergen (Kungurian–Wordian), East-European Platform (Roadian), Texas (mid Artinskian–Kungurian), South Primorye (Wordian–Capitanian), South-Eastern Pamirs (Upper Artinskian), and the Sverdrup Basin (Wordian). The Late Artinskian fauna of the South-Eastern Pamirs and Wordian faunas of South Primorye bear features of mixed assemblages. A few models of the origination of antitropical assemblages are acceptable: (i) the convergent parallel evolution of Lophophyllidium in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, (ii) a similar evolution trend developed in parallel in three geographically distant regions: Verbeekiella, Pseudowannerophyllum, and “Pseudoverbeekiella”, and (iii) immigration of some species within temperate zones caused by current circulation changes both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as well as northward spreading of terranes in the Perigondwanan Realm.     

Reproducibility and reliability of the Pliensbachian calcareous nannofossil biohorizons from the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (Northern Spain)

Based on calcareous nannofossil assemblages identified in four expanded and well-dated sections from the Basque-Cantabrian Basin, the main objective of this paper is to improve the knowledge of the Pliensbachian calcareous nannofossil events, and to calibrate these events to the ammonite zones established for this area. The semiquantitative analysis of more than 140 smear slides from the Tudanca and Santotis sections, and the re-analysis of more than 200 smear slides from the Camino and San Andrés sections, have been carried out in order to describe the succession of calcareous nannofossil assemblages. Related to their composition changes, we have recognized and calibrated to the ammonite zones two main events: the first occurrences (FOs) of Similiscutum cruciulus and Lotharingius hauffii, and six secondary events: the FOs of Biscutum novum, Biscutum grande, Biscutum finchii, Lotharingius barozii and the FCOs (first common occurrences) of Calcivascularis jansae and L. hauffii. In the Camino and San Andrés sections, we also identify the FOs of Biscutum dubium, Bussonius prinsii and Lotharingius sigillatus. The obtained data allow us to assess the degree of reproducibility of the Pliensbachian calcareous nannofossil events in the studied area. The biohorizon succession recognized in the Basque-Cantabrian Basin are compared to those proposed for NW Europe, Lusitanian Basin, Italy and Southern France.     

Refinements of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy at the Miocene/Pliocene Boundary in the Mediterranean region

The high-resolution quantitative study of the calcareous nannofossil assemblages in two Mediterranean deep-sea successions (ODP Sites 969B and 975B) encompassing the Miocene/Pliocene boundary allows the recognition of a set of reliable bioevents useful to detecting the base of the Zanclean stage. The results have been successfully compared with two on-land sections (Cava Serredi, Tuscany, and Montepetra borehole, Marche Region, Central Italy). This study confirms that Ceratolithus acutus and Triquetrorhabdulus rugosus, the markers traditionally used for identifying the Miocene/Pliocene Boundary are very rare in the Mediterranean area and cannot be used for biostratigraphic correlation. Conversely, the absence interval (paracme) of Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilicus and the distribution range of a new species belonging to the Reticulofenestra genus (Reticulofenestra zancleana nov. sp.) show high biostratigraphical potential. The position of the new biohorizons has been compared to those of the planktonic foraminifers events, and correlated to the CaCO₃ cycles reconstructed for the two sections. On the basis of these new nannofossil bioevents, Rio et al.’s (1990) MNN12 biozone is subdivided into three subzones, thus improving the biostratigraphic resolution of the Early Pliocene.     

Smithian (Early Triassic) ammonoids from Tulong, South Tibet

Intensive sampling of the Tulong Formation in South Tibet has facilitated the construction of a highly-resolved middle and late Smithian ammonoid succession. The new biostratigraphical sequence comprises the middle Smithian Brayardites compressus beds, Nammalites pilatoides beds, and the Nyalamites angustecostatus beds followed by the late Smithian Wasatchites distractus beds and Glyptophiceras sinuatum beds. This faunal succession correlates very well with that of other Tethyan sequences such as the Salt Range (Pakistan), Spiti (India), Oman and South China. The Smithian faunal sequence from Tulong contains several taxa with broad geographic distribution (e.g., Owenites, Paranannites spathi, Shigetaceras, Wasatchites), thus enabling correlation with faunal successions from areas outside the Tethys (e.g., USA, British Columbia, Arctic Canada, South Primorye, Siberia). Early Smithian ammonoid faunas are almost absent in Tulong because of a preservation bias (absence of carbonate rocks). Five new ammonoid genera (Brayardites, Nammalites, Nyalamites, Shigetaceras, Tulongites) and six new species (Brayardites crassus, Brayardites compressus, Prionites involutus, ?Subflemingites compressus, Tulongites xiaoqiaoi, Urdyceras tulongensis) are described.     

High-resolution biostratigraphy of the Tournaisian-Visean (Carboniferous) boundary interval, Mokrá quarry, Czech Republic

This paper summarizes the results of investigations carried out in the Mokrá quarry since 2006 on the biostratigraphy of the Tournaisian-Visean (T-V) boundary interval. It also integrates previous results obtained by J. Kalvoda and collaborators. The main focus is on the boundary itself, but stratigraphically lower and higher levels have been investigated as well to provide a biostratigraphical context spanning the late Tournaisian to early Visean. This stratigraphical level has been the focus of intense international research in the recent years under the auspices of the Subcommission on Carboniferous Stratigraphy (SCCS) in order to find a new criterion and reference section (Global Stratotype Section and Point, GSSP) for the base of the Visean Stage. The appearance of Eoparastaffella simplex from its ancestor E. “ovalis” and the Pengchong section (Guangxi, southern China) have recently been proposed by the Task Group on the Tournaisian-Visean Boundary and ratified by the SCCS as the new biostratigraphic criterion and GSSP for the base of the Visean, respectively. The sequence exposed in Mokrá is not suitable as a GSSP, notably because it is an active quarry, but it contains most of the foraminifer and conodont guides allowing a high-resolution biostratigraphy of the boundary interval. In addition, it contains abundant trilobites. For these reasons, it constitutes one of the best sections across the T-V boundary in Europe and can serve as a useful additional reference.     

The Early Cambrian acritarch Skiagia and its significance for global correlation

Global records of Early Cambrian acritarchs from the Skiagia plexus reveal that they are stratigraphically significant and can be used as biostratigraphic markers. Skiagia ornata and Skiagia ciliosa have a cosmopolitan distribution and the levels of their first appearance datums are proposed to serve as biostratigraphic horizons for interregional correlation. These levels are close to the lower boundary of the undefined Cambrian Stage 3, and within the Stage 3, respectively. The acritarch assemblage diagnostic of the Heliosphaeridium dissimilare-S. ciliosa Zone of Baltica is recorded worldwide and some species are traced on four of the Cambrian continents that include South Australia, South China and Laurentia. This supports the intercontinental correlation of certain Lower Cambrian strata and establishes the time equivalence between the regional trilobite zones to which these strata are attributed. The regional zonation is briefly reviewed for the purpose of comparing and evaluating the acritarch ranges. The biostratigraphic correlation of the Lower Cambrian strata, belonging to different faunal provinces, is based for the first time on the same fossil species, which have a cosmopolitan distribution and well-defined first appearance datums, and on the entire diagnostic acritarch assemblages.     

Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) microfossils from the Chios Mélange (Chios Island, Greece)

The Chios Mélange is a thick Paleozoic wildflysch sequence that crops out on the Greek island Chios. It is composed of chert, limestone and volcanic blocks floating in a siliciclastic turbiditic matrix. New data suggest that the youngest blocks within the Chios Mélange are clasts of a breccia from the Kouramia-Nenitouria area that contain conodonts of late Visean or early Serpukovian age. The conodont fauna from the breccias is characterized by the genera Gnathodus and Lochriea, which favored deeper-water, open-marine facies. Elsewhere on the island, in the Papalia-Nagos area, calcareous microfossils of middle to late Visean age have been recovered from lime grainstone beds within the Chios Mélange. Allochems making up the grainstones are interpreted to have been transported into deeper-water turbiditic facies, but there is no evidence of stratigraphic reworking. Age-diagnostic calcareous microfossils include the alga Koninckopora inflata and foraminifers in the genus Paraarchaediscus. In situ Mississippian microfossils indicate that the Chios Mélange is older than Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) - Permian, as previously thought. The revised age suggests that the origin of the Chios Mélange may be related to the development of an accretionary prism during the Hercynian Orogeny.© 2003 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.     

A new species of Tococladidae CARPENTER, 1966 from the Permian of France (Insecta: Archaeorthoptera)

A new forewing venation pattern of the Tococladidae is proposed and the phylogenetic affinities of this family are discussed, based on Tococladus garrici nov. sp. This fossil comes from the Salagou Formation (Permian, Saxonian Group, Lodève basin, France). The Tococladidae is assigned to the Archaeorthoptera BÉTHOUX and NEL, 2002. The biostratigraphic implications of this discovery are briefly discussed, but it is still not possible to infer any definite conclusion about the age of this formation.     

Chitinozoaires ashgilliens de l'Anti-Atlas (Maroc)

Thirty three species of Chitinozoans are recorded inthe Upper Ktaoua and in the Lower Deuxième Bani Formations (Anti-Atlas, Morocco). These two lithological units have been refered to the upper part of the Ashgill Series on Trilobite, Brachiopod and Echinoderm evidence. This age assignment is well supported by the present study of the Chitinozoans. Strong affinities with North american Chitinozoan assemblages (Anticosti Island, Québec; Oklahoma, U.S.A.) are pointed out. The Upper Ktaoua Formation can be correlated with part of the Vaureal Formation (Richmodian of Quebec); the Lower Deuxième Bani Formation seems to be of the same age as the lower part of the Ellis-Bay Formation (Gamachian of Quebec).