Palynostratigraphy of the Chapada Group and its significance in the Devonian stratigraphy of the Paraná Basin,south Brazil

The Alto Garças Sub-basin in the northern part of the Paraná Basin evolved differently from the Apucarana Sub-basin in the south. The marine environment was shallower in the Alto Garças Sub-basin, which contains proportionately more silty and arenaceous rocks. The formations and members defined in the Apucarana Sub-basin are therefore difficult to apply in the Alto Garças Sub-basin, where the Chapada Group (units 1–4) is more applicable. An integrated miospore and chitinozoan biozonation of the Chapada Group facilitates direct correlation between the Chapada Group’s units and the classical formations of the Paraná Basin as defined in the Apucarana Sub-basin. The Furnas Formation and Chapada unit 1 constitute the same lithostratigraphic unit. Beds with rhyniophytes in the uppermost part of the Furnas Formation contain palynomorphs representative of the Si phylozone within the MN spore Zone (late Lochkovian), and the rhyniophyte beds occupy the same stratigraphic interval within Chapada unit 1 (the Lochkovian of the Paraná Basin lacks chitinozoans). The lower part of Chapada unit 2 contains spores of the PoW Su spore Zone and chitinozoans of the Ramochitina magnifica and Ancyrochitina pachycerata zones, together indicating a late Pragian–early Emsian age-span. The upper part of Chapada unit 2 corresponds to the GS (AP) and Per (AD pre-Lem) spore Zones, and chitinozoans of the Ancyrochitina parisi, the informal Ancyrochitina varispinosa and Alpenachitina eisenacki chitinozoan zones, thus suggestive of a late Emsian – earliest Givetian age-span. Unit 3 is a proximal and lateral facies equivalent of the upper part of unit 2. The lower part of unit 4 includes spores typical of the early Givetian Lli (AD Lem) spore Zone and chitinozoans of the Ramochitina stiphrospinata chitinozoan Zone; the uppermost (early late Frasnian) part contains spores of the lower BMu (IV) spore Zone and chitinozoans of the Lagenochitina avelinoi chitinozoan Zone. The sandstones of unit 3 were inundated during the earliest Givetian, and the resultant flooding surface marks the base of unit 4 basin-wide. Clearly, the two sub-basins were distinct depositional centers during the Devonian.     

Leaiid conchostracans from the uppermost Permian strata of the Paraná Basin,Brazil: Chronostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications

Conchostracan fossils are abundant and relatively diversified in the Rio do Rasto Formation (Passa Dois Group, Paraná Basin, southern Brazil), but leaiids (‘Leaia pruvosti’ [Reed, F.R.C., 1929. Novos Phyllopodos Fósseis do Brasil. Boletim do Serviço Geológico e Mineralógico do Brasil 34, 2–16]) were previously found at only one locality of the formation in the northern Santa Catarina State. New specimens of the Family Leaiidae, collected from two outcrops in central Paraná State near the top of the formation, stimulated a revision of related taxa. Both the new and the previously known leaiids are herein assigned to Hemicycloleaia mitchelli [Etheridge Jr., R., 1892. On Leaia mitchelli Etheridge. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 7, 307–310] based on the presence of three carinae and subovate shape. This species was originally recorded in the upper Tatarian (Wuchiapingian, Late Permian) of Sydney Basin, eastern Australia and therefore corroborates the interpretation that the leaiid bearing strata of the Rio do Rasto Formation cannot be younger than Permian. H. mitchelli possibly was one of the most widespread, eurytopic and conservative Late Paleozoic conchostracans of Gondwana (although records from Africa, India and Antarctica must still be confirmed) and it was also found in the Tatarian of Russia. The sudden disappearance of leaiids after their apparent success is consistent with the hypothesis about the biotic crisis around the Permo-Triassic boundary.     

Absolute Dating of Permian Ash-Fall in the Rio Bonito Formation,Paraná Basin,Brazil

The Rio Bonito Formation in southern Paraná basin contains a set of tonsteins interbedded with coal-seams. These tonsteins are composed mainly of kaolinite with zircon, apatite and beta-quartz paramorphs as accessory minerals, and were interpreted as volcanic ashes deposited by ash falls over pits protected by barrier islands in a barrier-lagoon system. A U-Pb dating of zircons in the tonstein A, which furnished an age of 267.1 ± 3.4 Ma (Early Permian) confirming previous age-dates based on palynology and correlating them with one of the main periods of volcanic activity in the Gondwana.The source of the pyroclastic material was attributed to the early Permian Choiyoi magmatic arc in Argentina, developed during the Sanrafaelic orogeny, and with a main peak of volcanic activity between 260 and 272 Ma.     

Lithologic and structural controls on fluvial knickzones in basalts of the Paraná Basin,Brazil

Knickzones are common features along rivers on the basaltic plateaus of the Paraná Basin. According to current conceptual models, knickpoints are formed in massive basalts that have a high density of vertical joints. Vesicular–amygdaloidal basalts and those with horizontal joints tend to form reaches of low slope due to their lower resistance to erosion. However, field surveys revealed complexities in this general relationship. The research presented here sought to verify the controls on the genesis of knickzones in this type of geological environment. We studied a 61 km-long mixed bedrock–alluvial river. The longitudinal profile of the river was surveyed on a topographic map with 5 m contour intervals. Tectonic lineaments oriented transverse to the channel and longitudinal lineaments in which the river lies were identified from maps. A detailed field survey of the lithologic characteristics of the riverbed was also performed. The results show that knickzones may form in any litho-structural zone in the flood basalts. On the other hand, low slope zones are predominantly sculpted into vesicular–amygdaloidal basalts, which are less resistant to erosion. The fracture densities of vesicular–amygdaloidal basalts are similar in low slope zones and in knickzones (4.86 and 4.93 m/m², respectively). This indicates that knickzones in this type of basalt are not caused by higher resistance to erosion. Approximately 60% of the 18 knickzones identified are associated with tectonic lineaments, irrespective of the structural characteristics of the basalts. Vesicular–amygdaloidal basalt and/or basalt with horizontal joints allow the fastest knickzone migration and aid in the formation of convexities. Knickpoints in these basalts do not migrate, but erosion in the pools advances downstream and breaks the bedrock steps, thus increasing the slope. Massive basalt with vertical joints causes slower migration, and its presence at convexities indicates local uplift. Convex segments are only formed upstream of faults.     

Open carbonate ramp facies,microfacies and paleoenvironments of the Gramame Formation (Maastrichtian), Pernambuco–Paraı́ba Basin,Northeastern Brazil

The monotonous carbonates of the Maastrichtian Gramame Formation can be divided into 11 microfacies, but these do not correspond with the five major facies distinguished in the field. The microfacies were grouped into six composite microfacies which were used to construct a depositional model. In this model, tectonic disturbances of a relatively steeply sloping carbonate ramp caused apparently random occurrences of coarser and sandier bioclastics and influx of clastic material into generally mid-outer-ramp environments. Only the central section of the carbonate ramp is exposed in a strike section. Shallower and deeper facies must be inferred from the transgressive nature of the sequence. Dolomitization is ubiquitous but apparently random. The closest modern analogy of the Gramame Formation is the relatively steep West Florida ramp. However this does not have fault-bounded shallows, for which analogies can be found on the shelf of the Arabian Gulf. Combining features from both of these allows a plausible reconstruction to be made of Gramame Formation environments. We envisage a steeply sloping ramp cut by horsts and grabens related to the opening of the south Atlantic ocean.     

Invertebrate traces in pseudo–coprolites from the upper Cretaceous Marília Formation (Bauru Group), Minas Gerais State,Brazil

Pseudo–coprolites are inorganic structures often confused with fossil faeces. The absence of some diagnostic features, such as inclusions, coprofabrics, grain adhesion, and defined shape, suffices to disregard these structures as coprolites. Herein we revise the so–called “coprolites” from the Serra da Galga Member of the Marília Formation (Maastrichtian of Bauru Group, Paraná Basin), at “Ponto 1 do Price” locality near the town of Peirópolis (Uberaba municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and conclude that they are, in fact, pseudo–coprolites related to calcretes. These data also agree with the geological setting of “Ponto 1 do Price”, composed mainly of coarse sandstones and conglomerates, in which these pseudo–coprolites were found. In addition, some of these specimens exhibit superficial traces, here described as a new boring ichnospecies, Asthenopodichnium fallax isp. nov., produced by invertebrates in Late Cretaceous fresh–water settings of Brazil.     

First record of petrified Permian pecopterids from the Paraná Basin,Brazil (Corumbataí Formation,Passa Dois Group,northeastern State of São Paulo): Morphology,anatomy and paleoecological implications

Petrified pecopterids are described for the first time in the Paraná Basin. They were collected at an outcrop of the Corumbataí Formation (Passa Dois Group, Middle Permian) in the Municipality of Piracicaba (State of São Paulo, Brazil). The assemblage is composed of Pecopteris taguaiensis Rohn and Rösler, 1986, Pecopteris sp. 1, Pecopteris sp. 2 and Pecopteris sp. 3. An emendation to the diagnosis of P. taguaiensis is proposed on the basis of the characteristics shown by the preserved three-dimensional external leaf morphology and partially by the epidermis (not available in the previously described impressions). The small size of the pinnules, the thick, downward-rolled leaf lamina, the thick veins, the straight walls of the epidermal cells, and the trichomes of the four pecopterid taxa may be interpreted as xeromorphic features developed in response to relatively dry climatic conditions and/or direct incidence of the sunlight. The leaves were impregnated with silica before the final burial, considering that they are fragmented, not deformed and associated with angular breccia clasts.     

Connectivity processes and riparian vegetation of the upper Paraná River,Brazil

In fluvial systems, the relationship between a dominant variable (e.g. flood pulse) and its dependent ones (e.g. riparian vegetation) is called connectivity. This paper analyzes the connectivity elements and processes controlling riparian vegetation for a reach of the upper Paraná River (Brazil) and estimates the future changes in channel-vegetation relationship as a consequence of the managing of a large dam. The studied reach is situated 30 km downstream from the Porto Primavera Dam (construction finished in 1999). Through aerial photography (1:25,000, 1996), RGB-CBERS satellite imagery and a previous field botany survey it was possible to elaborate a map with the five major morpho-vegetation units: 1) Tree-dominated natural levee, 2) Shrubby upper floodplain, 3) Shrub-herbaceous mid floodplain, 4) Grass-herbaceous lower floodplain and 5) Shrub-herbaceous flood runoff channel units. By use of a detailed topographic survey and statistical tools each morpho-vegetation type was analyzed according to its connectivity parameters (frequency, recurrence, permanence, seasonality, potamophase, limnophase and FCQ index) in the pre- and post-dam closure periods of the historical series. Data showed that most of the morpho-vegetation units were predicted to present changes in connectivity parameters values after dam closing and the new regime could affect, in different intensity, the river ecology and particularly the riparian vegetation. The methods used in this study can be useful for dam impact studies in other South American tropical rivers.     

Early Permian post-glacial bivalve faunas of the Itararé Group,Paraná Basin,Brazil: Paleoecology and biocorrelations with South American intraplate basins

The uppermost portion of the Taciba Formation, Itararé Group, Paraná Basin, Brazil, records a succession of depositional environments tied to the demise of late Paleozoic glaciation. In the study area, Teixeira Soares county, state of Paraná, the unit is dominated by massive to laminated diamictites with inclusions of sandstones and other coarse-grained lithotypes, representing re-sedimented material in proximal areas. These are succeeded by fine to medium-grained sandstones with tabular cross-stratification and pectinid-rich shell pavements, interpreted as nearshore deposits. Above this, laminated and intensely bioturbated siltstones with closed articulated bivalve shells are recorded, probably deposited in inner shelf settings. Fine to very fine sandstones/siltstones with hummocky cross-stratification and intercalated mudstones, including infaunal in situ shells, are interpreted as stacked storm deposits, generated in distal shoreface environments. These are succeeded by fossil-poor, massive to laminated siltstones/mudstones or gray shales (=Passinho shale) that are inferred to be outer shelf deposits, generated in organic-rich, oxygen-deficient muddy bottoms. In this sedimentary succession dropstones or ice-rafted debris are missing and locally the Passinho shale marks the maximum flooding surface of the Itararé succession. These are capped by the fluvio-deltaic deposits of the Rio Bonito Formation (Sakmarian–Artinskian). Six facies-controlled, bivalve-dominated assemblages are recognized, representing faunal associations that thrived in aerobic to extreme dysaerobic bottoms along a nearshore–offshore trend. Within these assemblages, nineteen bivalve species (three of them new) were recorded and described in detail. The presence of Myonia argentinensis (Harrington), Atomodesma (Aphanaia) orbirugata (Harrington) and Heteropecten paranaensis Neves et al. suggests correlation with bivalve assemblages of the Eurydesma-bearing Bonete Formation, Pillahuincó Group, Sauce Grande-Colorado Basin (Buenos Aires Province), Argentina, indicating a possible Asselian age for this diverse post-glacial bivalve fauna. Despite that, typical members of the icehouse-style Eurydesma–Trigonotreta biota (stricto sensu) have not yet been found in the studied bivalve assemblages.     

A titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) osteoderm from the Alcântara Formation (Cenomanian), São Luís Basin,Northeastern Brazil

Among titanosaurs, osteoderms are morphologically diverse and have been reported from deposits in South America, Africa, Madagascar, Eurasia and Oceania. In Brazil, titanosaur osteoderms are rare and have only been recorded from Bauru Basin sedimentary rocks. Here, we describe a keeled titanosaur osteoderm, which is the first occurrence of an osteoderm specimen in the São Luís Basin, Northeastern Brazil. This osteoderm is characterized by an external bulb, an internal root, and a very rugose cingulum limiting the external and internal surfaces. These characteristics are typical of Titanosauria dermal bones, and this specimen strengthens the idea that the armored sauropods were present during the early Late Cretaceous of Northeastern Brazil, extending their distribution in the northernmost portion of South America.     

Remarks on sequence stratigraphy and taphonomy of the Malvinokaffric shelly fauna during the KAČÁK Event in the Apucarana Sub-basin (Paraná Basin), Brazil

The Eifelian–Givetian (Middle Devonian) transition constituted an important paleoenvironmental event for the Malvinokaffric Realm in the Apucarana Sub-basin (Paraná Basin). This study highlights integration between taphonomy and sequence stratigraphy, and four depositional sequences are identified during the transition. In Sequence 1, the presence of a typical normal-sized Malvinokaffric fauna is recorded. In the transgressive systems tract (TST) of Sequence 2, no benthic fossils are present, and this is interpreted as a stratigraphic marker of an event of significant paleoenvironmental change (KA?ÁK Event). In Sequence 3, the TST has abundant bioclasts, which become rarer toward the top of the section, i.e., within the transgressive systems tract. The original habitat of this autochthonous to parautochthonous fauna was a low-energy environment between the fair weather wave base and the storm wave base of the Devonian epicontinental sea. In the highstand systems tract of this sequence, the presence of normal-sized Pennaia paulianna and lingulids demonstrates the return of more ambient conditions. Sequence 4 is of Carboniferous age. Its limit is a second-order sequence boundary recording a lowstand systems tract formed by a fluvial depositional system. The low diversity and the disappearance of taxa are not the result of a taphonomic bias, but reflect the post-KA?ÁK Event.     

Facies and depositional architecture according to a jet efflux model of a late Paleozoic tidewater grounding-line system from the Itararé Group (Paraná Basin), southern Brazil

During the Late Paleozoic, the Gondwana supercontinent was affected by multiple glacial and deglacial episodes known as “The Late Paleozoic Ice Age” (LPIA). In Brazil, the evidence of this episode is recorded mainly by widespread glacial deposits preserved in the Paraná Basin that contain the most extensive record of glaciation (Itararé Group) in Gondwana. The Pennsylvanian to early Permian glaciogenic deposits of the Itararé Group (Paraná Basin) are widely known and cover an extensive area in southern Brazil. In the Doutor Pedrinho area (Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil), three glacial cycles of glacier advance and retreat were described. The focus of this article is to detail the base of the second glacial episodes or Sequence II. The entire sequence records a deglacial system tract that is represented by a proximal glacial grounding-line system covered by marine mudstones and shales associated with a rapid flooding of the proglacial area. This study deals with the ice proximal grounding-line systems herein interpreted according to lab model named plane-wall jet with jump. Detailed facies analysis allowed the identification of several facies ranging from boulder-rich conglomerates to fine-grained sandstones. No fine-grained deposits such as siltstone or shale were recorded. According to this model, the deposits are a product of a supercritical plane-wall outflow jet that changes to a subcritical jet downflow from a hydraulic jump. The hydraulic jump forms an important energy boundary that is indicated by an abrupt change in grain size and cut-and-fill structures that occur at the middle-fan. The sedimentary facies and facies associations show a downflow trend that can be subdivided into three distinct stages of flow development: (1) a zone of flow establishment (ZFE), (2) a zone of transition (ZFT), and (3) an established zone (ZEF). The proximal discharge is characterized by hyperconcentrated-to-concentrated flow due to the high energy and sediment-laden nature of the flows. At the transitional zone, a hydraulic jump produces a rapid shift of conglomeratic to sandy facies with associated scour features. Towards the distal zones, the jet detaches to originate a vertical turbulent jet characterized by more diluted flows. Discussion of fan facies and architecture within a framework of jet-efflux dynamics provides an improved understanding of grounding-line fans systems that produce coarse-grained strata commonly enclosed by fine-grained rocks. The results have clear implication in terms of prediction of facies tract and geometry of oil and gas reservoirs deposited under similar conditions. And also can be useful to identifying the position of a glacial terminus through time.     

First occurrence of the Salvador Formation in the Jatobá Basin (Pernambuco,Northeast Brazil): Facies characterization and depositional systems

Fan deltas, constituting proximal depositional systems adjacent to boundary faults, are common features associated with rift basins. The Cretaceous fan delta systems of the Salvador Formation, deposited during the rift phase of the Recôncavo-Tucano-Jatobá Basin, were first reported in the Recôncavo Basin and later discovered in the Tucano Basin. Because of the absence of any outcrops in the Jatobá Basin until now, these alluvial fans were interpreted solely through seismic analysis. We report the first revealed outcrops of the Salvador Formation in that basin and characterize their depositional systems as interlayered with the lacustrine Candeias Formation. Based on facies and architecture, the alluvial system can be subdivided into three associations: (1) proximal fan delta, characterized by meter-scale conglomerate bodies with a predominance of boulders and cobbles with thin sandstone layers; (2) distal fan delta, characterized by sheet-like pebble conglomerate and sandstone layers with flame and load structures; and (3) lacustrine, further subdivided into shallow lake facies reddish shales and mudstones with oolitic limestones and deep lake facies grey to green shales with pyrite. Paleocurrent measurements for the proximal fan association show paleoflow direction varying from SW to SE, which is expected for the rift phase alluvial system. The Recôncavo-Tucano-Jatobá rift system has two conglomeratic units, namely the Salvador and Marizal Formations, the former a syn-rift and the latter a post-rift unit. The absence of sedimentary clasts in the conglomerates, very low maturity, the presence of giant clasts, and a visible relationship between boundary faults in the outcrop, define the syn-rift Salvador Formation characteristics. Based on the facies and paleocurrent analyses, the Salvador Formation deposits in Jatobá Basin were interpreted as a deposition of a debris flow-dominated fan delta, indicating the lacustrine setting represented by the Candeias Formation.     

Palynostratigraphy of two Neogene boreholes from the northwestern portion of the Solimões Basin,Brazil

Palynological studies in large basins yield the most significant results for understanding basinal and continental evolution. We selected the Solimões Basin in the upper reaches of the Amazon River as our study site due to the availability of drill cores in this jungle-covered terrain. The purpose of this paper is contribute to the palynological knowledge and to evaluate the palynostratigraphic schemes of Venezuelan (LM sheme) and Colombia (Jea sheme) applied for large basin situated in the Amazon jungle. Taxonomic studies of the analysed samples indicate a significant presence of Grimsdalea magnaclavata, suggesting both cores represent the Mio-Pleistocene Solimões and Iça Formations. These results are integrated and correlated with previously collected data for the entire basin, Venezuelan and Colombia. The ages attributed to the Miocene intervals of the boreholes studied vary according to the palynostratigraphic scheme. According to the biostratigraphy based on data from Venezuelan (LM sheme), the borehole 1AS-51-AM presents range in Early Miocene–Early Pliocene and from Middle Miocene–Early Pliocene in 1AS-52-AM. When the data from Colombia (Jea sheme) is used, the ages range from the Middle Miocene–Late Miocene in both boreholes. The differences between the results of two biostratigraphic schemes indicate the existence of distinct stratigraphic arrangements recorded in palynoflora of the Brazilian Amazon.     

The Early Cretaceous Jacuí Group,a newly discovered volcaniclastic–epiclastic accumulation at the top of the Paraná Basin,southern Brazil

The presence of volcaniclastic rocks related to the silicic magmatism within the Serra Geral Formation has been a matter of long-standing debate. In this paper, we present extensive documentation that supports the presence and abundance of these rocks in the Jacuí Group, a newly discovered volcaniclastic and epiclastic accumulation in southern Brazil. The Jacuí Group is composed of two interfingered stratigraphic units, the Volta Alegre and Tupanciretã formations, and it represents the uppermost stratigraphic unit of the Paraná Basin. The Volta Alegre Formation is primarily composed of resedimented volcaniclastic tuffites, the pyroclasts which were sourced from the Santa Maria subgroup of the Palmas-type of the Serra Geral Formation. The Tupanciretã Formation is composed of fluvial and aeolian deposits transported towards the north–northwest. Deposition of the Jacuí Group began in the Early Cretaceous (∼132 Ma) and was coeval with the acidic volcanism of the Santa Maria subgroup. This group was deposited in a probable interior sag basin that represents either the beginning of the extension in the inner part of the continent that subsequently migrated to the east or the far-field impact of extensional processes that preceded the break-up of Gondwana and the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean.     

Palynological and sedimentary analysis of the Igarapé Ipiranga and Querru 1 outcrops of the Itapecuru Formation (Lower Cretaceous,Parnaíba Basin), Brazil

The siliciclastic sediments of the Itapecuru Formation occur in a large area of the Parnaíba Basin and its deposits crop out along the Itapecuru River, in Maranhão State, northern Brazil. The palynological analysis of the Igarapé Ipiranga and Querru 1 outcrops strata yields a rich and diversified data. The presence of index-palynofloras in assemblages allows the identification of the Complicatisaccus cearensis Zone, of Late Aptian-Early Albian age. Terrestrial palynomorphs are abundant in the assemblages, being represented by bryophytes and pteridophytes, especially perisporate trilete spores (Crybelosporites and Perotrilites), and gymnosperms and angiosperms (Afropollis and Elaterosporites). The composition of palynological assemblages suggests the presence of moist soils for both outcrops. Acritarchs were recovered in the Querru 1 outcrop, which suggest a marine setting supporting a tidal flat environment indicated by facies associations. Furthermore, reworked Paleozoic palynomorphs were observed in the Querru 1 outcrop. The microflora from Igarapé Ipiranga outcrop suggests terrestrial environment corroborating with floodplain environment indicated by facies association.     

Multicusped crocodyliform teeth from the Upper Cretaceous (São José do Rio Preto Formation,Bauru Group) of São Paulo,Brazil

The six peculiar multicusped teeth described here were collected from sediments of the Upper Cretaceous of São José do Rio Preto Formation, near Ibirá (northeastern São Paulo, Brazil). Their bulbous crowns are slightly labio-lingual compressed, and bear a main plus two accessory cusps, which conceal a well developed cingulum. Wear facets are seen on the main and distal accessory cusps. Comparison to the known Crocodyliformes with multicusped teeth show that the new material is not referable to “protosuchians” or eusuchians, nor related to two unnamed forms from Morocco and “notosuchians” such as Uruguaysuchus, Chiamaerasuchus, and Simosuchus. On the other hand, possible affinities with Candidodon and Malawisuchus were maintained based on shared traits. This includes teeth with the main cusp and some accessory cusps arranged in more than one axis, a previously defined unambiguous apomorphy of the putative clade composed of Candidodon plus Malawisuchus. The term Candidodontidae can be applied to this group, and defined as all taxa closer to Candidodon itapecuruensis than to Notosuchus terrestris, Uruguaysuchus aznarezi, Comahuesuchus brachybuccalis, Sphagesaurus huenei, Baurusuchus pachecoi, and Crocodylus niloticus.