Redkinian Biota of Macroscopic Fossils from the Northwestern East European Platform (South Ladoga Region)

The stratigraphic distribution of microfossils and macroscopic fossil biota in Vendian deposits of the South Ladoga region (northwestern East European Platform) is analyzed. In the sequence of the Shotkusa- 1 well, three taxonomically heterogeneous microfossil assemblages are distinguished: two of them refer to the Redkinian age (Starorusskaya Fm.) and one to the Kotlinian age (Vasileostrovskaya Fm.). Deposits of the Starorusskaya Fm. contain Redkinian biota of macroscopic fossils, of which the most characteristic representatives are Chuaria circularis, Doushantuophyton lineare, Morania zinkovi, Orbisiana simplex, and Redkinia spinosa. These new findings expand the paleontological characteristics of Upper Vendian deposits, also providing additional criteria for distinguishing the Redkinian horizon in the northwestern East European Platform.     

The biostratigraphic and paleoecological importance of the subsurface Carboniferous microfossil assemblages from Faghur-1x well,Western Desert of Egypt

The microfossil assemblages of subsurface Carboniferous rocks from Faghur-1x were examined and identified. Their biostratigraphical and paleoenvironmental importance were investigated. The assemblage included well-preserved foraminifera like Omphalotis omphalota, Omphalotis sp. 2, Omphalotis sp. 3, Paraarchaediscus stilus, Paraarchaediscus koktjubensis, Archaediscus krestovnikovi, Archaediscus complanatus, Archaediscus inflatus, Archaediscus karreri, Diplosphearina inequalis, Eotubertina sp., Tetrataxis conica, Cribrostomum lecomptei, Palaeotextularia angulata, and Palaeotextularia longiseptata. This foraminiferal association indicates the late Viséan-early Serpukhovian. The other microfossils are gastropods, brachiopods, ostracods, crinoidal ossicles, frond-like fenestrate bryozoan types and stick-like colonies, echinoderms, microproblematica like Draffania biloba and algal Calcisphaera and the dasyclad Koninckopora. This microfossils assemblage points to the deposition in a restricted to open platform in a lagoonal framework environment. The Tehenu Basin is the eastern segment of northern African Sahara basins that provided refuge for the foraminiferal genera through the mass extinction events during the glacial Viséan-Serpukhovian times. However, its foraminiferal associations have lower diversities than the western basins, which indicate that it was more readily affected by the mass extinction event.     

Finds of Ediacaran-type fossils in Vendian deposits of the Yudoma Group,Eastern Siberia

It has been established that terrigenous units of mainly carbonate deposits of the Yudoma Group in the Uchur–Maya Region of the Siberian Platform contain an assemblage of Late Vendian Ediacaran-type macrofossils. The assemblage contains species such as Aspidella terranovica, Beltanelliformis brunsae, Nenoxites curvus, and Palaeopascichnus sp., which had widespread geographic distribution. Finds of Ediacaran fossils in fossil-rich deposits of the Yudoma Group have expanded the possibilities of using the classic biostratigraphic approach applied for subdivision and global correlation of carbonate deposits in Late Precambrian paleobasins.     

New record of coralline algae from the Holocene sediments of Agatti Island,Lakshadweep, India

The present paper examines the coralline algal assemblage recovered from the Holocene sediments of Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, India. The assemblage comprises nine species of coralline algae which include Amphiroa fragilisma, Lithophyllum nitorum, Lithophyllum incrustans, Lithoporella melobesioids, Spongites sp., Porolithon craspedium, Aethesolithon problematicum, Clathromorphum parcum, Melobesoideae gen. et spec. indet. Clathromorphum parcumis an endophytic coralline alga reported for the first time from the Indian subcontinent. Out of these, seven species belong to the family Corallinaceae and the two represent the family Hapalidiaceae of the class Rhodophyceae. Coralline algal association of this area is dominated by Lithophylloideae, Melobesioideae and Mastophoroideae which include encrusting to fragmented growth forms. The associated branching corals are well developed and adapted to shallow, warm water, low turbid, protected lagoonal environment.     

New biostratigraphical data for the Burdigalian Montchaibeux Member at the locality Courrendlin-Solé (Canton of Jura,Switzerland)

Geological surveys were carried out in the Miocene deposits at the place known as “En Solé” east of the village Courrendlin (Delémont Basin, Canton of Jura, Switzerland). This resulted in the discovery of new Miocene small mammal assemblages. The association of the rodents Megacricetodon aff. collongensis and Melissiodon sp. allows to biochronostratigraphically correlate for the first time the so-called “Rote Mergel des Mont Chaibeux” representing the lower part of the Montchaibeux Member of the Bois de Raube Formation to the regional M. collongensis–Keramidomys interval zone (MN 4; early Miocene).     

Microbiostratigraphy of the Upper Paleocene to Middle Eocene Jahrum Formation in the Folded Zagros Zone,SW Iran

The Jahrum Formation (Upper Paleocene to Middle Eocene) is composed of carbonate and dolomitic carbonate rocks in the Zagros Basin. The Zagros is located at the boundary between the Arabian and Eurasian lithosphere plates and represent the orogenic response to a collision between Eurasia and advancing Arabia during the Cenozoic. The study area is located in the northern part of Kuh-E-Tudej, ~175 km southeast of Shiraz in the Folded Zagros Zone. The Jahrum Formation at Kuh-E-Tudej, with a thickness of 190 m, consists of medium to massive bedded limestone. The following foraminiferal index species are identified in the studied section: Fallotella alavensis, Kathina sp., Miscellanea sp., Lockhartia sp.,Orbitolites shirazeinsis, Nummulites sp., Opertorbitolites sp., Dictyoconus cf. egyptiensis, Orbitolites cf. complanatus, Dictyoconus sp., Coskinolina sp., Somalina stefaninii, Discocyclina sp., Praerhapydionina sp., Coskinolina cf. liburnica, Nummulites cf. globulus, Nummulites cf. aturicus, and Alveolina sp. The age of the studied sediments ranges from Upper Paleocene to Middle Eocene. The microbiostratigraphic studies revealed four biozones based on the foraminifers identified in the studied section.     

Early Triassic palynomorphs from Kuraloi Block,Belphar area,Ib-River coalfield,Mahanadi basin,Odisha

A rich assemblage of palynomorphs including miospores and megaspores has been recorded from the bore core no. IBKAN-2 drilled at a depth of 17.80m in Kuraloi Block-A, south-west part of the Ib-River Coalfield, Jharsuguda district, Odisha. The miofloral assemblage recovered shows prominence of cingulate, zonate, taeniate, non-striate and non saccate palynotaxa which indicate an early Triassic age and is comparable with the palynoassemblages of the same age known from the Damodar basin, India. The megaspore assemblage includes eight genera and fifteen species namely, Banksisporites karanpuraensis, B. indicus, B. utkalensis, Banksisporites sp., Barakarella pantii, Barakarella sp., Biharisporites spinosus, Biharisporites sp., Erlansonisporites triassicus, Erlansonisporites cf. erlansonii, Erlansonisporites sp. Jhariatriletes sp., Singhisporites sp., Ramispinatispora sp. and Talchirella trivedii. Records of megaspores are sparse in the early Triassic of Gondwana basins of India. The present study records the first occurrence of miospores and megaspores from the early Triassic of Mahanadi basin besides substantiating the earlier data.     

The Bajocian–Bathonian plant fossil from the Hojedk formation,Lenjan section,Kerman, Iran

The Jurassic successions represent a wide distribution in North of the Kerman province. These successions include Ab-Haji, Badamu, and Hojedk formations. The Hojedk Formation contains the plant fossils. The Lenjan section is one of the suitable areas for paleontological studies on the Hojedk Formation. The study section is mostly composed of green sandstone and shale with several interbedded coal veins with different thicknesses. The thickness of the Hojedk Formation is about 200 m in the Lenjan section. In this study, seven genera and 13 species of macro plant fossils were identified and described, including Nilssonia undulata, Nilssonia bozorga, Nilssonia berriesi, Nilssonia sp., Klukia cf. exilis, Klukia exilis, Cladophlebis antarctica, Coniopteris lobata, Coniopteris murrayana, Elatocladus confertus, Podozamites sp., Equisetites sp., and Coniopteris sp. The Bajocian–Bathonian can be attributed to the Lenjan section based on the recognized flora.     

New Riphean microbiotas of the Billyakh Group,the north Anabar region (Fomich River basin): To Riphean biostratigraphy of the Siberian platform

Excellently preserved organic-walled and silicified microfossils are first found in the Lower Riphean Ust-Il’ya and Kotuikan formations of the Billyakh Group in the northern slope of the Anabar Uplift (the Fomich River basin). Similar assemblages were previously known only from sections located southward in the Kotuikan River basin, and taxonomic composition of organic-walled microbiotas from the Ust-Il’ya and Kotuikan formations became a corner stone in competitive microphytological models that are based on different approaches. In their composition and general appearance, microbiotas from the Kotuikan and Ust-Il’ya formations in the Fomich River basin are similar to microbiotas reported from the Kotuikan River basin, although northern sections of the above formations characterize deeper sedimentation settings than in localities known before. The Ust-Il’ya and Kotuikan assemblages of organic-walled microfossils include sphaeromorphic Chuaria circularis and Leiosphaeridia, two-layer vesicles the genus Simia, filamentous Plicatidium and Taenitrichoides, and some others. The silicified microbiota from the lower Kotuikan Subformation is largely composed of akinetes of Anabaena-like cyanobacteria Archaeoellipsoides, spherical Myxococcoides grandis, and short trichomes Filiconstrictosus and Orculiphycus representing initial germination stages of Anabaena-like cyanobacterial spores. Acanthomorphic acritarchs known from lithology-similar Lower and Middle Riphean (Mesoproterozoic) formations of Australia and China have not been observed in the Ust-Il’ya and Kotuikan microbiotas, which are probably of older age. The found microbiotas outline substantially wider distribution area of organic-walled and silicified microfossils, supplement microphytological characteristics of Riphean sediments in the Anabar Uplift, provide information on taxonomic composition of microbiotas from a wider spectrum of facies, and specify relationships between Early and Middle Riphean assemblages of microorganisms from different continents.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizopalmoxylon nypoides</Emphasis> – a new palm root from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Sagar,Madhya Pradesh,India

A new species of fossil palm rhizome having root-mat under the organ genus Rhizopalamoxylon (Rhizopalmoxylon nypoides sp. nov.) is reported. The specimen shows the closest resemblance with the modern monotypic genus Nypa Wurmb of the Arecaceae. The specimen was collected from the late Maastrichtian–early Danian sediments of Deccan Intertrappean beds, Mothi, Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh, India. Nypa is a mangrove palm naturally found in estuaries and swamps of the tropical region and represents one of the oldest records of the genus from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of central India. The abundance of palms, including Nypa and previously recorded coastal and mangrove elements such as Acrostichum, Barringtonia, Cocos, Sonneratia and marine algae (Distichoplax and Peyssonellia) from the Deccan Intertrappean beds indicate marine influence and existence of tropical rainforest ecosystem in the vicinity of fossil locality in contrast to the deciduous forests occurring there at present.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Suraqalatia brasieri</Emphasis> n.gen., n.sp. (larger foraminifera) from the Maastrichtian of Sulaimani area in northern Iraq

Suraqalatia brasieri n.gen., n.sp. from the family Dicyclinidae Loeblich and Tappan 1964 occurs on the Maastrichtian carbonate platform of northern Iraq. The new genus is recognizable by its large very compressed conical test, up to 55–70 mm in diameter, to 0.3–1.6 mm in thickness, planspiral cooling having very small proloculus in the initial part and later circular chambers including numerous chamberlets with an agglutinated wall. Suraqalatia brasieri n.gen., n.sp. is associated with textulariids, miliolids and rotaliids as Loftusia elongata Cox, L. morgani Douvillé, Orbitoides medius d’Archiac, O. megaloformis Papp & Kupper, O. gruenbachensis Papp, O. apiculatus Schlumberger, Omphalocyclus macroporus (Lamarck), Siderolites calcitrapoides Lamarck, Sirtina orbitoidiformis Brönnimann & Wirz. The associated macrofauna comprises large and rich giant rudists (Preradiolites sp.), other bivalves (Gryphaea sp. and Glycymeris sp.), gastropods (Acteonella sp.), echinoderms and corals. The fauna indicates shallow marine carbonate platform conditions within the Maastrichtian green house. It is also worth mentioning that the new genus has only been recorded from the Maastrichtian age.     

Facies analysis of Pleistocene limestones from Neil West Coast Formation,Neil Island,Ritchie’s archipelago of South Andaman,India

Petrographic thin section analysis of the samples collected from the type section of Neil West Coast Formation, situated in the west coast of Neil Island yielded moderately preserved coralline red algae, benthic and planktic foraminifers, coral fragments, echinoid spines and gastropod shells. The coralline red algae are represented by both non-geniculate and geniculate forms. The non-geniculate forms belong to melobesids, lithophylloids and mastophoroides. The geniculate forms are represented by species of Amphiroa, Corallina, and Jania. However, the diversity and abundance of coralline algal forms are less in comparison to the benthic foraminifers those are represented by Amphistegina, Neorotalia, Ammonia, Elphidium, Operculina, Assilina, Amphisorus and texularids. Planktic foraminifers like Globigerinoides and other biogenic components viz., gastropod shells, echinoid spines and coral fragments are also common. A foraminiferal-algal grainstone facies has been recognized as observed in the field as well as in thin section analysis. The overall assemblage of the biogenic components and facies analysis indicate intertidal to near shore environment of deposition with high energy condition and increased hydrodynamic activity.     

Smaller foraminifers from type sections of the Bolorian stage,the Lower Permian of Darvaz

Smaller foraminifers from Upper Yakhtashian and Bolorian deposits of the stratotype area (Pamir, Darvaz, Tajikistan) are investigated. Four assemblages are defined. The first assemblage is from Chalaroschwagerina vulgaris-Pamirina darvasica Zone. The second assemblage found in the transitional Yakhtashian-Bolorian beds includes Globivalvulina, Palaeotextulariidae, Hemigordiidae, and Glomospira, associated with the first Pachyphloia and Langella forms. Characteristic taxa of third assemblage from the Misellina (Brevaxina) dyhrenfurthi Zone are Geinitzinidae, Globivalvulina, Palaeotextulariidae, Glomospira, and rare Pachyphloia. The forth assemblage of Hemigordiidae, Pachyphloia, Palaeotextulariidae, Geinitzinidae, Pseudoagathammina is identified in the M. (Misellina) parvicostata Zone. The assemblages were compared with concurrent analogs from China, Japan, and Russia. New species and subspecies Glomospira paleograndis sp. nov., G. darvasica sp. nov., Agathammina darvasica sp. nov., Pachyphloia darvasica sp. nov., Nodosinelloides cubanicus elongatus subsp. nov., and Hemigordius saranensis darvasicus subsp. nov. are described.     

Permian Calcareous algae from the Khachik Formation at the Ali Bashi Mountains,NW of Iran

Micropaleontological investigations on Permian successions in the NW of Iran based on algae led to the determination of taxa belonging to some families such as Ungdarellaceae (Ungdarella uralica), Gymnocodiaceae (Gymnocodium bellerophontis and Permocalculus sp.), Dasycladales (Mizzia cf. M. yabei), and some microproblematics (Vermiporella nipponica and Pseudovermiporella sodalica). These investigations are mainly focused on the Khachik Formation at the Ali Bashi Mountains. According to the algal community, a lagoon environment is offered for the studied successions.     

Cosmological tests based on the abundance of galaxy clusters

We present a new normalization for the linear density-perturbation spectrum in a multi-parameter model of the Universe. Using the differential mass function for the nearly galaxy clusters obtained from optical data, we have constructed a functional relation between the dispersion of the density contrast σ ₈ on the scale 8h ^?1 Mpc and the cosmological parameters Ω _m , Ω_Λ, h, n, f _v for each of three theoretical approximations of the mass function: Press-Schechter, Sheth-Tormen and Jenkins. An extended class of models of the Universe with general spatial curvature include four parameters for the matter components: baryons (Ω _b ), “cold” dark matter (Ω _c ), “hot” dark matter (Ω _v ), and the vacuum energy (Ω_Λ). It is shown that the most accurate normalization of the power spectrum is achieved with the Sheth-Tormen approximation.     

Biosorption of Rare-Earth Elements and Yttrium by Heterotrophic Bacteria in an Aqueous Environment

This paper reports the results of the experimental determination of the coefficient of sorption of rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY) under conditions of acidic pH using several strains of heterotrophic bacteria (Microbacterium sp., Curtobacterium sp., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and Bacillus pumilis) that are widespread in natural and technogenic waters of the Far East (Russia). Insignificant fractionation between heavy and light rare-earth elements, negative cerium and dysprosium anomalies, and a positive europium anomaly were revealed. The selectivity of REY biosorption by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as inertia of the biosorption process under more acidic conditions of the medium, were shown.     

Campanian-Lower Paleogene gastropods from the Kharga Oasis,south Western Desert,Egypt

The Campanian-Lower Paleogene successions exposed at the Kharga Oasis contain well-preserved gastropods. Nineteen gastropod species are identified and described in detail. Two new species are established: Gisortia khargaensis from the lower Eocene El Rufuf Formation and Ornopsis? barisensis from the lower Paleocene Kurkur Formation. In addition to, Turritella (Torquesia) derbesi Coquand is recorded herein for the first time from Egypt. The studied gastropods belonging to four clades: Sorbeoconcha (Metacerithium abictiforme (Wanner), Mesalia hofana Mayer-Eymar, Mesalia sp., Turritella (Torquesia) derbesi Coquand, Turritella (Torquesia) forgemoli Coquand, Turritella kaserensis Hewaidy and Azab, Turritella sp.), Littorinimorpha (Cypraedia bullina Oppenheim, Gisortia khargaensis nov. sp., Natica farafrensis Wanner, Aporrhais schweinfurthi (Quaas), Drepanocheilus bicarinatus Abbass, Drepanocheilus? sp., Anchura? unicarinatus (Abbass), Epitonium sp.), Neogastropoda (Ornopsis? barisensis nov. sp., Rostellana daniensis (Quaas), Vouta sp.), and Heterobranchia (Avellana cretacea Quaas).     

Stability and phase relations of nonstoichiometric clinopyroxenes in the join diopside-Ca-Eskola component at high pressures

The stability of nonstoichiometric clinopyroxenes in the Di-CaEsk join was experimentally studied, and phase diagrams were constructed for this join at pressures of 2.0 and 3.0 GPa. It was found that melting in the diopside part of the join occurs at anomalously low temperatures, and nonstoichiometric clinopyroxene coexists with a phase approaching diopside in composition. Phase relations along the Di-CaEsk join can be described and consistently interpreted only assuming that the diopside phase (α-diopside) is thermodynamically stable. The following phase volumes were observed along the solidus of the join at a pressure of 3.0 GPa: Cpx, αDi+Cpx, αDi+Cpx+Qtz, αDi+Cpx+Grt+Qtz, Cpx+Grt+Qtz, Cpx+Grt+Ky+Qtz, Grt+Ky+Qtz. Melting occurs via the eutectic reaction αDi+Cpx+Grt+Qtz=L at a temperature of about 1200°C in the diopside part of the system and via the eutectic reaction Cpx+Grt+Ky+Qtz=L at a temperature of 1400°C in the calcium-rich part of the system. At a pressure of 2.0 GPa, melting occurs at temperatures of 1200–1300°C via the eutectic reaction αDi+Cpx+ An + Qtz=L. The invariant equilibrium (L, An, Cpx, Grt, αDi, Qtz) lies within the pressure range 2.0–3.0 GPa. Nonstoichiometric clinopyroxenes form complex solid solutions, the compositions of which are not strictly confined to the Di-CaEsk join and depend on temperature, pressure, and phase association. Grossular garnets coexist with nonstoichiometric clinopyroxenes and α-diopside.     

Peri-Gondwana Late Early–Middle Cambrian trilobites from the Kuhbanan Formation in Dahu section,Kerman Province,Iran

Outcropped of the Kuhbanan Formation at Dahu, near Zarand, about 63 km north of Kerman, Iran contains peri-Gondwana trilobites. In this study, 185 trilobite samples including six species and genera were identified and described from Dahu section. This trilobite’s assemblage including Redlichia noetlingi, Redlichia sp., Kermanella kuhbananensis, Kermanella lata lata, Kermanella lata minuta, Iranoleesia pisiformis, and Iranaspis sp. based on occurrence of the trilobite fauna a late Early to Middle Cambrian (Series 2–3) is suggested for this strata. These trilobite fauna help confirm conclusions from recent geological studies that place the Kerman Basin of Iran during the Cambrian.