Foraminiferal biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy of peritidal carbonates at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary (Karaburun Peninsula,Western Turkey)

Continuous shallow marine carbonates spanning the Triassic–Jurassic boundary are exposed in the Karaburun Peninsula, Western Turkey. The studied section (Tahtaiskele section) consists of Upper Triassic cyclic shallow marine carbonates intercalated with clastics overlain by Lower Liassic carbonates. Based on the microfacies stacking patterns, three main types of shallowing-upward cycles have been recognized. Cycles are mostly composed of subtidal facies at the bottom, intertidal/supratidal facies and/or subaerial exposure structures at the top. The duration of the cycles suggests that cycles were driven by the precessional Milankovitch rhytmicity. In the sequence stratigraphic frame of the Tahtaiskele section 4 sequence boundaries were detected and globally correlated. The first sequence boundary is located at the Alaunian–Sevatian boundary nearly coinciding with the first appearance of Triasina hantkeni. The second falls in the Rhaetian corresponding to a major sea level fall which led to the invasion of forced regressive siliciclastic deposits over the peritidal carbonates. The third occurs close to the T/J boundary and the fourth lies slightly above the base of the Jurassic. In the studied section, extinction, survival and recovery intervals have been recognized based on the stratigraphic occurrence patterns of benthic foraminifera and algae. Foraminifers became nearly totally extinct in the inner carbonate shelves at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary and an interval of approximately 0.5 my passed before the begining of the recovery of Jurassic foraminifera.     

New Genus and Species of Rhyacophilidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

One new genus with a new fossil species,Declinimodus setulosus gen.et sp.nov.which was found in the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou,Inner Mongolia,China,are described and illustrated.The new species is assigned to the Rhyacophilidae according to buttonshaped of the 2nd segment of maxillary palp,and the forked R1 （in the forewing,located near apex）.These new discovery are the earliest fossil records of Rhyacophilidae,which providing important evident for the study of the origin and early evolution of Trichoptera.     

Two New Fossil Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Xyelidae, Xyelinae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Two new genera with two new species of sawflies, Cathayxyela extensa gen. et sp. nov. and Aequixyela immensa gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of southeastern Inner Mongolia, China, are assigned to the subfamily Xyelinae （Hymenoptera, Xyelidae）. Cathayxyela gen. nov. can be distinguished by the third antennal article longer than the head; mesoprescutum and mesoscutellum nearly equal in length; the forewing with Sc meeting C before the junction of 1-M and 1- Rs; a weak and narrow pterostigma; and 3-Cu at least 1.5 times longer than the lm-cu. Aequixyela gen. nov. is characterized by the third antennal article nearly as long as the head; the forewing with Rs＋M approximately equal to 2-Rs in length; 2m-cu inclined toward the wing base and nearly reaching the middle of cell 3rm; lm-cu as long as the 2-Cu and 3-Cu; and the cell 2cua of regular hexagonal shape.     

Toarcian–Aalenian (Early–Middle Jurassic) radiolarian fauna from the Los Molles Formation,Neuquén Basin,Argentina: Taxonomy and paleobiogeographic affinities

This paper reports the occurrence of a Toarcian–Aalenian (Early–Middle Jurassic) radiolarian fauna in the Los Molles Formation, Neuquén Basin, Argentina, as well as comments on its paleobiogeographic affinities. The micropaleontologic analysis was carried out in fine-grained rocks from a turbiditic section of the Los Molles Formation. These samples were first chemically processed using only hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and afterward treated with acetic (CH₃COOH) and hydrofluoric (HF) acids. The first chemical procedure permitted the recovery of only few spongy spumellarians, while the second one enabled to recover more diversified radiolarian assemblages. In general, the studied fauna presents low diversity and abundance, with a strong dominance of spumellarians over nassellarians. The fauna is composed by the genera Paronaella, Homoeoparonaella, Praeconocaryomma, Archaeocenosphaera, Orbiculiformella, Praeparvicingula, and some unidentified spumellarians and nassellarians. According to paleobiogeographic models, the studied Toarcian–Aalenian fauna presents a mid to high latitude affinity. It is possible to infer from those data a bipolar distribution of some taxa, such as Praeparvicingula and probably Praeconocaryomma, between the Northern and Southern hemispheres since the Early Jurassic (Toarcian).     

Stratigraphy and ammonite fauna of the upper Shemshak Formation (Toarcian–Aalenian) at Tazareh,eastern Alborz,Iran

With a thickness of 3900 m, the Tazareh section is one of the thickest developments of the Shemshak Formation in the Alborz range. It overlies with sharp and disconformable contact the limestones and dolomites of the Lower–Middle Triassic Elikah Formation and is topped, again with a disconformable contact, by the marls and limestones of the Middle Jurassic Dalichai Formation. The nearly exclusively siliciclastic succession represents a range of environments, from fluvial channels, flood plains, swamps and lake systems to storm-dominated shelf, and a comparatively deep marine and partly dysoxic basin. The segment of the section between 2300 and 3500 m is exclusively marine and contains a moderately diverse ammonite fauna, ranging from the Middle Toarcian to the Upper Aalenian. The ammonite fauna comprises 21 taxa, among them the new genus Shahrudites with two new species, Shahrudites asseretoi and S. stoecklini from the Middle Aalenian Bradfordensis Zone. The other ammonites from the Shemshak Formation at Tazareh (as elsewhere in North and Central Iran) are exclusively Tethyan in character and closely related to faunas from western and central Europe. An ammonite-based correlation of Toarcian–Aalenian successions of the eastern Alborz with time-equivalent strata of the Lut Block, part of the Central-East Iranian Microcontinent (ca. 500 km to the south), suggests a strong influence of synsedimentary tectonics during the deposition of the upper Shemshak Formation.     

The Albian–Cenomanian boundary at Eggardon Hill,Dorset (England): an anomaly resolved?

Re-examination of the classic exposures of the Eggardon Grit (topmost Upper Greensand Formation) at Eggardon Hill, Dorset shows that the upper part of this unit has a more complex stratigraphy than has been previously recognised. The Eggardon Grit Member, as described herein, is capped by a hardground and associated conglomerate, and is entirely of Late Albian age. The hardground is probably the lateral equivalent of the Small Cove Hardground, which marks the top of the Upper Greensand succession in southeast Devon. The conglomerate is overlain by a thin sandy limestone containing Early Cenomanian ammonites. This limestone is almost certainly the horizon of the Early Cenomanian ammonite fauna that has previously been attributed to the top of the Eggardon Grit. The limestone is regarded as a thin lateral equivalent of the Beer Head Limestone Formation (formerly Cenomanian Limestone) exposed on the southeast Devon coast. The fauna of the limestone at Eggardon suggests that it is probably the age equivalent to the two lowest subdivisions of the Beer Head Limestone in southeast Devon, with a remanié fauna of the Pounds Pool Sandy Limestone Member combined with indigenous macrofossils of the Hooken Nodular Limestone Member. The next highest subdivision of the Beer Head Limestone in southeast Devon (Little Beach Bioclastic Limestone Member), equates with the ammonite-rich phosphatic conglomerate of the ‘Chalk Basement Bed’, which caps the Beer Head Limestone at Eggardon, and which was previously regarded as the base of the Chalk Group on Eggardon Hill.Petrographic analysis of the Eggardon Grit shows that lithologically it should more correctly be described as a sandy limestone rather than sandstone. The original stratigraphical definition of the unit should probably be modified to exclude the softer, nodular calcareous sandstones that have traditionally been included in the lower part of the member.Without the apparently clear evidence of unbroken sedimentation across the Albian–Cenomanian boundary, suggested by the previous interpretation of the Eggardon succession, it is harder to argue for this being a prevalent feature of Upper Greensand stratigraphy in southwest England. Correlation of the Eggardon succession with successions in Dorset and southeast Devon reveals a widespread regional break in sedimentation at the Albian–Cenomanian boundary. The sand-rich facies above this unconformity represent the true base of the Chalk Group, rather than the ‘Chalk Basement Bed’ of previous interpretations.Selected elements of regionally important Upper Greensand ammonite faunas previously reported from Shapwick Quarry, near Lyme Regis, and Babcombe Copse, near Newton Abbot, are newly figured herein.     

The submarine landscape of the ‘Jurassic Coast’ World Heritage Site,Dorset, UK and its Setting

This paper reviews recent studies of the seabed offshore from the Jurassic Coast and discusses their significance for understanding landforms of the World Heritage Site’s Setting as well as adding to understanding of the structures exposed in the cliffs. The processes of coastal formation as sea-levels rose and fell during the Pleistocene and in the recent post-glacial period are critical for this as they reveal the landforms which preserve former shorelines. Detailed surveys of the seabed provide evidence of the low slope of much of this seabed and so enhance the potential to interpret older terrestrial landforms which have been attributed to uplift of former sea beds. Considering both the seabed and the coast from the Pleistocene to the Anthropocene means that it is possible to assess the human impact on these landforms and processes, as well as the natural timescale within which changes occur. The paper describes the seabed geomorphology, relating this, where appropriate, to both the coastal landforms and the exposed structures. Current interpretations of the seabed features and their implications for our understanding of the recent evolution of the Site and Setting are explored. The features of the coast and adjacent sea bed at different phases of the changing coastal environment are discussed to the extent that the available evidence makes this possible, but for much of the area this remains speculative.     

Paleoecology and paleoenvironment of the Middle–Upper Jurassic sedimentary succession,central Saudi Arabia

Four Middle–Upper Jurassic sections from central Saudi Arabia have been investigated to evaluate microfacies types and macro-invertebrate paleocommunities and to interpret their paleoecology and paleoenvironments. The studied Jurassic successions are part of the Middle–Upper Callovian Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone and the Middle–Upper Oxfordian Hanifa Formation. Three main facies were recorded, including mud-supported microfacies, grain-supported microfacies and boundstones. A data matrix comprising 48 macrobenthic species in 35 samples collected from four sections were grouped into fifteen assemblages and one poorly fossiliferous interval by means of a Q-mode cluster analysis. The recorded macrofaunal assemblages have been subdivided into low-stress and high-stress on the basis of hydrodynamic conditions, substrate type, nutrient supply and hypoxia. The low-stress assemblages occur in (a) high-energy paleoenvironments with firm substrates; (b) high-energy shoals with unstable substrates of low cohesion and in (c) low-energy open marine environments with soft-substrates. The moderate- to high-stress assemblages occur in (a) oligotrophic environments with reduced terrigenous input in shelf lagoonal or in restricted inner ramp settings; (b) low-energy, soft substrate environments with hypoxia below the sediment–water interface; and, in (c) high-energy shoals and shelf lagoonal environments. The temporal distribution patterns of epifaunal and infaunal bivalve taxa are controlled by variations in water energy, substrate characteristics and productivity level. The reported litho- and biofacies confirmed that the Callovian Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone and the Oxfordian Hanifa Formation were deposited across wide spectrum of depositional environments, ranging from restricted lagoon to moderately deeper open marine basin, and providing the perfect conditions for macrofossils.     

Lower–Middle Jurassic foraminiferal and ostracode biostratigraphy of the Barents Sea shelf

The Barents Sea shelf is an attractive target as a prospective large petroleum province. Further development of geological and geophysical exploration in the area requires high-resolution biostratigraphic constraints and update stratigraphic charts. The zonal succession of Lower and Middle Jurassic assemblages of foraminifers and ostracodes of the Barents Sea fits well the division for northern Siberia based on correlated independent Jurassic and Cretaceous zonal scales on all main microfossil groups, of which some scales were suggested as the Boreal Zonal Standard. The stratigraphic range of the Barents Sea microfossil assemblages has been updated through correlation with their counterparts from northern Siberia constrained by ammonite and bivalve data. Joint analysis of foraminiferal and ostracode biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy of the sections allowed a revision to the stratigraphic position and extent of lithological and seismic units. The discovered similarity in the Lower and Middle Jurassic lithostratigraphy in the sections of the Barents Sea shelf and northern Siberia, along with their almost identical microfossil taxonomy, prompts similarity in the Early and Middle Jurassic deposition and geological histories of the two areas.     

Two New Wasps (Hymenoptera: Stephanoidea: Ephialtitidae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Two new species of wasps belonging to the family Ephialtitidae,Praeproapocritusflexus sp.nov.and Proapocritus parallelus sp.nov.,from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of southeastern Inner Mongolia,China,are described and illustrated.Praeproapocritus vulgates Rasnitsyn ＆ Zhang,2010 and six species of Proapocritus,P.densipediculus,P.sculptus,P.longantennatus,P.formosus,P.atropus,and P.elegans,all described by Rasnitsyn and Zhang in 2010,are first record from the Middle Jurassic of China.These two new findings supplement the morphological understanding of ephialtitids in the Middle Jurassic of China and broaden the diversity of ephialtitids in their by-gone ecosystems.     

Facies Analysis and Sequence Stratigraphy of the Qal’eh Dokhtar Formation (Middle–Upper Jurassic) in the West of Boshrouyeh, East Central Iran

The study area is located in the east Tabas Block in Central Iran. Facies analysis of the Qal’eh Dokhtar Formation (middle Callovian to late Oxfordian) was carried out on two stratigraphic sections and applied to depositional environment and sequence stratigraphy interpretation. This formation conformably overlies and underlies the marly-silty Baghamshah and the calcareous Esfandiar formations, respectively. Lateral and vertical facies changes documents low- to high energy environments, including tidal-flat, beach to intertidal, lagoon, barrier, and open-marine. According to these facies associations and absence of resedimentation deposits a depositional model of a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic ramp was proposed for the Qal’eh Dokhtar Formation. Seven third-order depositional sequences were identified in each two measured stratigraphic sections. Transgressive systems tracts (TSTs) show deepening upward trends, i.e. shallow water beach to intertidal and lagoonal facies, while highstand systems tracts (HST) show shallowing upward trends in which deep water facies are overlain by shallow water facies. All sequence boundaries (except at the base of the stratigraphic column) are of the no erosional (SB2) types. We conclude eustatic rather than tectonic factors played a dominant role in controlling carbonate depositional environments in the study area.     

Biostratigraphy,sequence stratigraphy,and paleoecology of the Lower–Middle Miocene of Northern Bandar Abbas,Southeast Zagros basin in south of Iran

The Guri Member is a limestone interval at the base of the calcareous marls of the Mishan Formation. It is the youngest hydrocarbon reservoir of the southeast part of the Zagros sedimentary basin. This Member overlaid siliciclastic rocks of Razak Formation and is overlain by green and gray marls of the Mishan Formation. In order to consider the paleoecology and paleoenvironments of the Lower–Middle Miocene (Guri Member), we have studied biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy of the Guri Member based on foraminifer and microfacies in two stratigraphic sections including Dorahi–Homag and Chahestan. A total of 33 genera and 56 species of benthic and planktonic foraminifera were identified in two studied stratigraphic sections. Benthic and planktonic foraminifera demonstrate Aquitanian to Langhian age (Early–Middle Miocene) for this Member at the study area. Studied interval has deposited in four facies association including supratidal, lagoon, coral reef, and open sea on a carbonate ramp. Carbonate rocks of the Guri Member have precipitated in two and three depositional sequences at Chahestan and Dorahi–Homag sections, respectively. Sedimentation of marine carbonates of the Guri Member on siliciclastic deposits reflects a major transgression of sea level at Lower to Middle Miocene that led to creating a new sea in the Zagros basin at that age. Increasing siliciclastic influx along with a sea level fall finally caused burying of the carbonate ramp. Except for the beginning of sedimentation of carbonate at the base of both stratigraphic sections (depositional sequence 1), most of the system tracts are not matched to global sea level curve that reflect local effects of the basin. Distribution of foraminifera suggests precipitation in tropical to subtropical in mesotrophic to oligotrophic and eutrophic to oligotrophic conditions. Based on large benthic foraminifera (porcelaneous large benthic foraminifera and hyaline larger benthic foraminifera), water temperature average was determined between 25 and 30 °C that was confirmed by analyzing oxygen and carbon stable isotopes. Finally, we have utilized achieved data to reconstruction and modeling of paleoecology, paleoenvironments, and sea level changes in the southeast part of the Zagros basin.     

New Isophlebioid Dragonflies from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China (Insecta: Odonata: Isophlebioptera: Campterophlebiidae)

Three new species of fossil dragonflies assigned to Sinokaratawia Nel, Huang and Lin in family Campterophlebiidae, i.e.S, daohugouica sp. nov., S. magica sp. nov. and S. gloriosa sp. nov., and new materials of male S. prokopi Nel, Huang and Lin, 2007 are described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. An emended diagnosis of genus Sinokaratawia was proposed.     

Geomorphology and geomorphological heritage of the Ifrane–Azrou region (Middle Atlas,Morocco)

Geomorphological heritage is a widely used term in European and North-American countries, but is still scarcely mentioned in Africa. Nevertheless, the attractiveness of the African countries is often intimately connected to its breathtaking and endless geological landscapes. Morocco is one of those countries that has the widest diversity in landscapes and landforms, ranging from the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts over the Rif, Middle Atlas, High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountain chains to the great rocky and sandy deserts in the South. A wide variety of geological units hosting different types of important economic mineral deposits cover a temporal range from Late Precambrian to Quaternary. A detailed geomorphological study has been carried out in the region of Ifrane and Azrou (Middle Atlas, Central Morocco) using a combination of high resolution satellite data and direct field observations integrated by geological maps and scientific literature. In order to describe and evaluate the geomorphological heritage of this area, 40 geomorphosites have been selected comprising springs, karst landforms (polje, dolines, caves, sinkholes, stone forests, cryptokarstic dolines), carbonate depositional landforms (travertines and waterfalls), fluvial landforms (meanders, canyons, palaeo-valleys, etc.), structural landforms (triangular facets, hogbacks, cuestas, residual outcrops, etc.) and volcanic landforms (volcanoes, caldeira, pyroclastic cones, lava tube). The results of this research have been summarised in a thematic map, representing the geomorphosites related to various landscape units.