Dinoflagellate cysts from the Upper Bajocian–Lower Oxfordian of the Dalichai Formation in Binalud Mountains (NE Iran): their biostratigraphical and biogeographical significance

The Binalud Mountains of NE Iran represent the easternmost extension of the Alborz Range. After the Mid-Cimmerian orogenic event and rapid subsidence, the deep marine sediments of the Dalichai Formation were deposited. A well-preserved section of the formation was sampled for palynological purposes. The study revealed diverse and nearly well-preserved dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. Thirty-six dinoflagellate cyst species identified lead to identification of four biozones: Cribroperidinium crispum (Late Bajocian), Dichadogonyaulax sellwoodii (Bathonian to Early Callovian), Ctenidodinium continuum (Early to Late Callovian), and Ctenidodinium tenellum (Early Oxfordian) biozones. The close similarities of dinoflagellate cyst assemblages between Binalud Mountains, NE Iran, with those of Alborz Mountains (Northern Iran) during Middle Jurassic confirm the connection between two sedimentary basins during this time in Iran. Meanwhile, this biozonation corresponds largely to that established in Northwest Europe and reveals the marine connection between NE and North of Iran with Northwest Europe and the Northwestern Tethys during the Late Bajocian to Early Oxfordian.     

New Permian Aliyak and Kariz Now formations,Alborz Basin,NE Iran: correlation with the Zagros Mountains and Oman

Two new Permian‐aged formations ‘Kariz Now Formation’ and ‘Aliyak Formation’ are proposed for a 65–150 m‐thick succession in the Kariz Now area, with the type section for both (79.5 m thick) located 9 km northeast of Aliyak village ca. 100 km southeast of Mashhad city, northeastern Iran. The lower Kariz Now Formation is composed of siliciclastics. The age of this Formation is poorly constrained but its correlation with the Shah Zeid Formation in the Central Alborz suggests a possible Asselian‐Hermagorian age for the Kariz Now Formation, which implies a hiatus of Yakhtashian–mid Midian (Artinskian–mid Capitanian) age between the siliciclastics of the Kariz Now Formation and carbonates of the disconformably overlying Aliyak Formation. There is also the possibility of a potential correlation of this Formation with the Kungurian Faraghan Formation in the Zagros area. The succeeding Aliyak Formation is mostly composed of carbonate rocks capped by a thin basaltic lava flow. The Aliyak Formation is unconformably overlain by dolostones that are correlated with the Middle Triassic Shotori Formation. Samples were collected from the Kariz Now and Aliyak formations, but fossils were only recovered from the Aliyak Formation. These include calcareous algae, small foraminiferans, fusulinids, crinoid stems and brachiopods. The recovered fusulinid assemblage from the Aliyak Formation is consistent with that of the upper Capitanian Monodiexodina kattaensis–Codonofusiella erki and Afghanella schencki–Sumatrina brevis zones of the Zagros Mountains and with the upper part of the Ruteh Fm in the Alborz Mountains. Although not radiometrically dated, the basaltic lava flow most probably corresponds to similar basaltic lava flows occurring in the uppermost part of the Ruteh Formation in Central Alborz. Thus, the Permian in the studied region developed in a basin that extended westward as far as the Central Alborz. A late Capitanian age for the Aliyak Formation implies it correlates with the Capitanian KS5 in Al Jabal Al‐Akhdar in Oman, with Aliyak Unit 5 potentially representing the Permian maximum flooding surface MFS P25. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

山东济南下寒武统朱砂洞组软沉积变形中燧石的Sm-Nd年龄测定及其意义

在济南南部下寒武统朱砂洞组丁家庄段硅质白云岩中,发育地震引起的硅质触变脉、硅质触变沉陷构造和触变楔等软沉积变形构造。从同一地震触变沉陷构造中,采得一组灰黑色燧石样品。使用英国VG354同位素质谱仪和同位素质谱分析方法,测得每个样品的 ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd 和 ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd 同位素值。采用Sm-Nd 等时线法,对燧石进行了测年。获得燧石的成岩年龄为530.8±6.1 Ma,由于软燧石(硅胶体)成岩至少经历了0.1 Ma的时间,所以,地震沉积事件发生在530.7±6.1 Ma,属早寒武世早期。由于测年结果与沧浪铺阶的下界年龄接近,山东朱砂洞组丁家庄段无化石且河南省标准地层剖面中的整个朱砂洞组属沧浪铺阶,这暗示济南地区朱砂洞组丁家庄段属沧浪铺阶。本次测年得到了鲁西地区第1个下寒武统的同位素年龄值,这对确定该地区早寒武世地震沉积事件发生的时间具有参考价值和意义,也为深入研究鲁西地区寒武纪地层提供了新资料。     

早寒武世初期沂沭断裂带地震效应

早寒武世初期,随着从古沂沭海峡向西海侵的发展,鲁西地区沉积了厚度不等的主要由砂岩、泥岩和碳酸盐岩组成的滨海、潟湖及浅海相沉积,其层位属下寒武统底部的李官组和朱砂洞组.在它们沉积过程中,沂沭断裂带正发生着伴有频繁海底地震的构造裂陷活动,使海底沉积物在自沂沭断裂带向西200 km范围内产生了不同的地震效应,形成了各种地震成...     

湘西花垣排碧寒武系花桥组上段—车夫组沉积环境的探讨

湘西排碧位于中上扬子陆块的东南缘,前人认为在寒武纪第三世时期该地区位于以各种类型的"碳酸盐重力流沉积"发育为显著特征的"台缘斜坡相带"内,其主要岩石类型为泥质条带灰岩及砾屑灰岩。本文通过对花桥组上段—车夫组典型沉积物的岩石组分及沉积构造进行详细研究,发现条带灰岩并非泥质条带灰岩,而是由灰岩条带——颗粒灰岩、泥晶灰岩与粉砂质条带——粉砂质灰岩、纹层状含炭质粉砂质灰岩互层组成,表现出内源碳酸盐沉积物与陆源碎屑沉积物混积以及陆棚环境沉积物的典型特征。砾屑灰岩及伴生岩石组合发育丘状(洼状)交错层理等众多风暴成因的沉积构造,为具有不同风暴沉积序列的风暴沉积物。此外,花桥组上段—车夫组沉积物中含各种藻类等浅水生物及大量三叶虫骨刺。因此,认为花桥组上段—车夫组的沉积环境应为正常浪基面以下、风暴浪基面以上,受周期性强风浪作用影响的混积陆棚环境。     

Organic-walled Microfossils from the Early Middle Cambrian sediments of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland: Possible Implications for Sedimentary Environment in the SE Margin of the Baltica

An association of organic-walled microfossils consisting of filamentous cyanobacteria, algal coenobia and acanthomorphic acritarch have been documented from non-calcareous claystones and mudstones of the Pepper Mountains Shale Formation(PMSF), located in its stratotype area in the Pepper Mountains, which are part of the Holy Cross Mountains in Poland. These sediments represent the oldest strata of the ?ysogóry Unit, deposited on the edge of the East European Craton(Baltica). Non-branched, ribbon-like and thread-like cyanobacteria trichomes exhibit morphological similarities to families Nostocaceae and Oscillatoriaceae. Cells assembled in rounded to irregular clusters of monospecific agglomerations represent multicellular algal coenobia, attributed to the family Scenedesmaceae. The co-occurrence of acritarchs belonging to species as Eliasum llaniscum, Cristallinium ovillense and Estiastra minima indicates that the studied material corresponds to the lower Middle Cambrian. Deposition of the PMSF took place in shallow marine environment, influenced by periodical freshwater inputs. The varying degree of coloration of organic-walled microfossils is interpreted in this study as factor indication of possible different source of their derivation. Dark brown walls of cells assembled in algal coenobia might have sustained previous humification in humid, terrestrial environments, which preceded their river transport into the sea together with nutrients, causing occasional blooms of cyanobacteria in the coastal environment and the final deposition of both groups of organisms in marine deposits.     

Reefs in the Early Paleozoic Taebaek Group, Korea: A Review

Various early Paleozoic (Cambrian Series 3–Middle Ordovician) reefs are found in the Taebaek Group, eastern Korea, located in the eastern margin of the Sino-Korean Block. They occur in every carbonate-dominant lithostratigraphic unit of the group, but their morphology and composition differ markedly. The Daegi Formation (middle Cambrian: Cambrian Series 3) contains siliceous sponge-Epiphyton reefs formed in a shallow subtidal environment, which is one of the earliest metazoan-bearing microbial reefs after the archaeocyath extinction. The Hwajeol Formation (upper Cambrian: Furongian) encloses sporadic dendrolites consisting of Angulocellularia, which developed in a relatively deep subtidal environment, representing a rare deeper water example. The onset of the Ordovician radiation resulted in the formation of microbialite–Archaeoscyphia–calathiid patch reefs in shallow subtidal deposits of the Lower Ordovician Dumugol Formation. Subsequent late Early Ordovician relative sea-level fall established extensive peritidal environments, forming microbial mats and stromatolites of the Lower–Middle Ordovician Makgol Formation. Ensuing Ordovician radiation resulted in one of the earliest metazoan skeletal reefs of the Middle Ordovician Duwibong Formation, constructed by stromatoporoid Cystostroma and bryozoan Nicholsonella, and developed around shallow shoals. These reefs reflect ongoing evolution and sea-level change during the early Paleozoic, and exemplify a rare glimpse of peri-Gondwanan records of reef evolution, which warrant detailed investigations and comparison with their counterparts in other regions.     

Earthquake prediction activities and Damavand earthquake precursor test site in Iran

Iran has long been known as one of the most seismically active areas of the world, and it frequently suffers destructive and catastrophic earthquakes that cause heavy loss of human life and widespread damage. The Alborz region in the northern part of Iran is an active EW trending mountain belt of 100 km wide and 600 km long. The Alborz range is bounded by the Talesh Mountains to the west and the Kopet Dagh Mountains to the east and consists of several sedimentary and volcanic layers of Cambrian to Eocene ages that were deformed during the late Cenozoic collision. Several active faults affect the central Alborz. The main active faults are the North Tehran and Mosha faults. The Mosha fault is one of the major active faults in the central Alborz as shown by its strong historical seismicity and its clear morphological signature. Situated in the vicinity of Tehran city, this 150-km-long N100° E trending fault represents an important potential seismic source. For earthquake monitoring and possible future prediction/precursory purposes, a test site has been established in the Alborz mountain region. The proximity to the capital of Iran with its high population density, low frequency but high magnitude earthquake occurrence, and active faults with their historical earthquake events have been considered as the main criteria for this selection. In addition, within the test site, there are hot springs and deep water wells that can be used for physico-chemical and radon gas analysis for earthquake precursory studies. The present activities include magnetic measurements; application of methodology for identification of seismogenic nodes for earthquakes of M ≥ 6.0 in the Alborz region developed by International Institute of Earthquake Prediction Theory and Mathematical Geophysics, IIEPT RAS, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow (IIEPT&MG RAS); a feasibility study using a dense seismic network for identification of future locations of seismic monitoring stations and application of short-term prediction of medium- and large-size earthquakes is based on Markov and extended self-similarity analysis of seismic data. The establishment of the test site is ongoing, and the methodology has been selected based on the IASPEI evaluation report on the most important precursors with installation of (i) a local dense seismic network consisting of 25 short-period seismometers, (ii) a GPS network consisting of eight instruments with 70 stations, (iii) magnetic network with four instruments, and (iv) radon gas and a physico-chemical study on the springs and deep water wells.     

Additional late Middle Cambrian trilobites from Karsha Formation (Haimanta Group) Zanskar region of Zanskar-Spiti basin, Northwest Himalaya

Additional latest Middle Cambrian polymerid trilobites are recorded from the Teta Member (Karsha Formation) along the Tangze-Yogma-Kuru section, Kurgiakh Valley, southeastern Zanskar, Northwest Himalaya. It includes record of a new genus Pianspis Saito & Sakakuru, 1936 of family Lisianiidae and others associated fauna comprises of Neoanomocarella asiatica (Lisianiidae), Parablackwelderia sp., (Damesellidae) and two undetermined pygidium and one unidentified cranidia. All these specimens are collected from the level representing the Lejopyge acantha Zone of Guzhangian Stage (Cambrian Series 3) of the Middle Cambrian. The fauna is mainly correlated with the South China, North Korea, Kazakhastan, Uzbekistan, Siberia and Australia.     

Jurassic sediments in the Irkut basin and southwestern Transbaikalia: correlations based on paleobotanical and geochronological data

The Jurassic growth of mountain ranges along the southern edge of the Siberian platform occurred in an active tectonic setting related to the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean. The oceanic subduction and subsequent continent collision events induced compressive deformations at the platform boundary. Understanding the paleogeography related to the Mesozoic closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean requires dating and correlation of the Jurassic Prisayan Formation in the Irkut basin and Tugnuyskaya Formation in southwestern Transbaikalia. This work presents structural and paleobotanic results within both formations. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of underlying volcanics from the upper member of the Ichetuyskaya Formation is used to refine the age of the sediment series and provide probable correlation. The results show that the Tugnuyskaya Formation initiated at the end of the Middle Jurassic-beginning of the Late Jurassic and was not coeval with the Prisayan Formation, whose upper fine-grained members were deposited in the early Middle Jurassic. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of volcanics from the upper member of the Ichetuyskaya Formation yielded a Middle Jurassic age of 167.7 ± 1.2 Ma (Bajocian to Bathonian). The paleogeographic data analysis based on facies and mineralogical composition of sediments and on a study of source areas from Sm-Nd data and the U-Pb ages of detrital zircons from the deposits in the southern Irkut basin indicates that the deposition of the Prisayan Formation was followed by the intensification of relief building along the southern edge of the Siberian Platform. Our geochronological data show that active tectonic deformations in southwestern Transbaikalia evidenced in the volcanoclastic Ichetuyskaya Formation in the Tugnuy basin also occurred during the Middle Jurassic. The uppermost sediments of the Tugnuy basin were deposited at the end of the Middle Jurassic-Late Jurassic in a quiet tectonic setting with low relief and lacustrine-boggy depositional environments.     

峡东寒武纪三叶虫化石新材料

三峡东部中寒武统化石稀少。本文对在宜昌三斗坪中寒武世覃家庙组二段下部含鲕粒灰岩、细晶灰岩中所采获的三叶虫Xingrenaspis sp.进行了研究和描述,并对含化石地层时代进行了讨论。此次发现,丰富了峡东中寒武世的化石资料,也为本区中寒武世地层划分对比提供了新的依据。     

贵州独山中深盆统不整合的发现及其意义

黔南中泥盆统独山组鸡窝寨段底部存在的古风化壳层和其之上的底砾岩,为一次地亮相对上升、海平面下降的上升运动（独山抬升）,表明独山组内存在着沉积间断。建议将此古风化壳之上的原＂独山组鸡窝寨段＂修订为＂鸡窝寨组＂,代表中泥盆世晚期较独山组更大海侵的以碳酸盐岩为主的沉积。     

Protoconodont fossils for refining the Cambrian bottom and the contribution to shale gas formation along the southwest margin of Yangtze Block

It has been an intense debate on the exact boundary between Ediacaran and Cambrian in the southwest Yangtze Block. The calibration of this critical boundary has a remarkable influence on the further investigation of the break-up of the Rodinia Supercontinent, the early life evolution, and the mechanism of the phosphorite deposit. Ediacaran and Cambrian strata and fossils are widely distributed in Anning, Yunnan Province in China. In recent years, the Xiaowaitoushan Member from the Lower Yuhucun Formation has been studied. Through this interval with continuous collections, the first appearance datums (FADs) of the protoconodont (Fomitchella cf. inchoate Yang et He, Protohertzina cf. anabarica Missarzhevsky) and globular embryos fossil (Olivooides sp.) earlier than these in the Lower Cambrian strata of the Meishucun Formation were discovered. This discovery indicates that the Xiaowaitoushan Member has included more FADs than the previously discovered single FAD of Anabarites primitivus Qian et Jiang, and the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary in southwest China should be replaced below the Point “A” of the Meishucun Formation in Yunnan Province. The Point “B” of the Meishucun Formation is younger than the suggested age 541 Ma of the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary and can no longer reference the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) correlation in southwest China. It can be suggested based on the previous stratigraphy and palaeontology studies from northern Sichuan and southern Shaanxi and the FAD of the globular embryos fossils that the Ediacaran−Cambrian boundary in the southwest Yangtze Block should be placed at the base of the Xiaowaitoushan Member; other phosphorite strata refer to Xiaowaitoushan Member. The discovery of the FADs of the shelly fossils in the Xiaowaitoushan Member provides new evidence for the global correlation of the Ediacaran –Cambrian boundary in the southwest Yangtze Block. The conodont discoloration index (CAI) of the specimens in Anning is between 2 and 3, which indicates that the organic matter in Xiaowaitoushan Member is matured and has high potential to form a shale gas reservoir.     

湘西王村剖面寒武系花桥组浊积岩特征及其大地构造意义

湘西王村地区的寒武系代表江南斜坡相沉积序列,传统的下寒武统划分为杷榔组、清虚洞组;中寒武统划分为敖溪组、花桥组（下部）;上寒武统划分为花桥组（上部）、追屯组。其中,花桥组中浊流沉积发育,可识别出7次规模较大的浊流活动期,第一期浊积岩包括69个浊积序列,分别归属于11个副层序;第二期浊积岩包括37个浊积序列,分别归属于7个副层序。每个副层序的下部表现为近源浊积岩,上部表现为远源浊积岩,所代表的海水深度变化由浅变深。第一期浊流活动发生在海平面上升时期,形成三级层序的海侵体系域;第二期浊流活动发生在海平面较低、斜坡较陡时期,形成三级层序的低水位体系域。江南斜坡带中—上寒武世浊积岩频繁出现反映台地边缘深大断裂周期性活动强,断裂两盘升降差异运动显著。     

豫西登封地区寒武系第二统朱砂洞组古气候演变记录*

河南登封地区发育完整的早寒武世朱砂洞组地层,记录了该地区气候演变的重要信息。本文通过岩石学、元素地球化学、沉积学和古生物学综合方法对关口剖面早寒武世朱砂洞组碳酸盐岩古气候和沉积特征进行了详细分析。研究表明,研究区朱砂洞组可分为下部的纹层状白云岩段、上部的豹斑灰岩段和顶部的纹层状白云岩段3个岩性段。纹层状白云岩中的顺层溶孔、燧石团块和石膏矿物,豹斑灰岩中的强烈生物扰动构造以及Mn含量、Sr/Cu值、Rb/Sr值、MgO/CaO值均反映出研究区朱砂洞组古气候从下部纹层状白云岩段的炎热干旱,到上部豹斑灰岩段的温暖潮湿,再到顶部纹层状白云岩段的炎热干旱,具有明显的阶段性变化。华北地区同期沉积物也显示出与研究区朱砂洞组具有相似的古气候变化特征。     

Paleoclimate evolution recorded in the Cambrian Epoch 2 Zhushadong Formation from Dengfeng area,western Henan Province

The complete early Cambrian Zhushadong Formation is developed in Dengfeng area,Henan Province,which record important information of paleoclimate variation. The lithology,element geochemistry,sedimentology and palaeontology are investigated to have a closer insight into the paleoclimate and environmental variations during deposition of the early Cambrian Zhushadong Formation of the western Henan. The results show that the Zhushadong Formation can be divided into three lithological members: Lower laminated dolomite Member,the upper leopard limestone Member and the top laminated dolomite Member. The paleoclimate variations are reflected by stratified dissolved pores,chert and gypsum in the laminated dolomites,intensive bioturbation in leopard limestones and multiple geochemical parameters,including Mn concentration,and the ratios of Sr/Cu,Rb/Sr and MgO/CaO. It displays a clear change from hot and arid climate of the lower laminated dolomite Member,to warm and humid climate of the upper leopard limestone Member,and back to hot and arid climate of the top laminated dolomite Member. The contemporaneous sediments in North China show the similar paleoclimate variations to the Zhushadong Formation in western Henan Province.     

鄂尔多斯盆地马家沟组四段岩相古地理新认识及勘探区带优选

准确的岩相古地理恢复对鄂尔多斯盆地奥陶系马家沟组四段有利储集层预测及勘探选区选带具有重要意义。依据野外露头剖面勘查、大量新钻井岩心和岩石薄片观察、单因素图分析、测井岩石结构组分解释和地震资料解译,建立了马家沟组四段台地—台缘—盆地的沉积模式,认为台地边缘带主要沿中央古隆起展布,同时受继承性发育的寒武纪乌审旗古隆起控制,台地内发育近北东向展布的榆林—志丹次级低隆带,低隆带两侧发育台内洼地,进而形成台地内部隆洼相间的沉积格局。重磁及地震资料解释表明,鄂尔多斯盆地中晚元古代发育沿北东向展布的裂陷槽,结合怀远运动构造背景,认为该裂陷槽对马家沟期沉积格局具有重要影响。受古地貌和古裂陷槽的共同作用,马家沟组四段颗粒滩主要发育在中央古隆起和榆林—志丹低隆带,总体呈北东向近似雁列式分布,藻丘发育在盆地东部神木—米脂盐隆地区。综合构造、沉积、储集层特征及勘探实践,优选出榆林—志丹次级低隆带和神木—米脂藻丘发育带是马家沟组四段天然气大规模成藏的有利勘探区。研究结果可为鄂尔多斯盆地马家沟组四段有利储集层的预测及勘探区带优选提供重要依据。     

地质名山馒头山及其附近早寒武世古地震沉积事件研究

蜚声中外的地质名山馒头山处在济南南部山区。通过野外调查和室内研究,从馒头山及其附近的青杨村东山、红叶谷、滚球山等地的下寒武统中,鉴别出了许多地震引起的同沉积变形构造（震积岩）,主要有卷曲变形（震褶岩）、粒序微断层、滑移构造、滑塌褶曲、负载构造、枕状体、混插沉积、软硅质脉、软硅质层底辟构造、硅藻叠层石变形、沉陷构造、触变楔、布丁、震裂缝、震裂角砾岩及震碎角砾岩等。本文较详细地阐述了它们的特征和形成机理。触变楔属国内首次发现。触变楔和沉陷构造发育在夹软硅质层的白云岩中,其原始沉积物是含软硅质层的白云质灰泥。受强震触动,因软硅质沉积物(SiO2·nH2O)的粘度变小,软硅质层的粘度变小而变得更软,灰泥同时发生液化;在竖向震动力作用下,软硅质层被断开、继而沉陷形成了沉陷构造;沉陷构造向下延伸,结果使断开的硅质层汇聚,形成了触变楔。根据早寒武世古构造板块与地震带的分布,认为这些地震沉积遗迹是早寒武世板内地震记录,推测由古郯庐带的构造活动的响应。这些古地震事件记录的发现,丰富了济南南部山区、尤其是馒头山的地质科学内涵。      

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.     

Integrated ichnological and sedimentological studies of the Parahio Formation (Cambrian) of the Zanskar region (Zanskar-Spiti Basin), Northwest Himalaya

Lower-Middle Cambrian (Lungwangmiaoan-Hsuchuangian stage) Parahio Formation (Kunzam La Formation) exposed at Purni Village, Niri-Tsarap Chu Valley of Zanskar region of Tethyan Himalaya has yielded a high diversity and abundant ichnofossils with myriapod trackways. It includes Cruziana isp., Phycodes palmatum, Diplocraterion isp., Diplichnites isp., Dimorphichnus isp., Tapherhelminthopsis cf. circularis, Teichichnus isp., Monomorphicnus isp., Lockeia isp., Skolithos isp., Planolites isp., Palaeophycus isp., Isopodichnus isp., and arthropod appendage marks. Integration of ichnological and sedimentological studies for measured part of the Parahio Formation (Cambrian) reveals that alternating energy conditions due to recurring storm events were superimposed on low energy fair-weather sediments. The post-depositional Arenicolites ichnofacies, preserved within the high-energy storm beds of shoreface deposits, commonly overlies the fair-weather assemblage of pre-depositional Cruziana ichnofacies of relatively more offshore deposits, which contains more diverse and varied behavioral signatures of various deposit feeders. The traces of the Cruziana ichnofacies are abruptly replaced by traces of Arenicolites ichnofacies and show reiteration throughout the measured part of the Parahio Formation. The ichnofabric indices in these deposits range from ii3–ii5. No discrete sets of tiers are observed; perhaps there were two coeval communities. Ichnologically, an idealized wave-dominated progradational cycle in the Parahio Formation is characterized, from base to top, by a Cruziana ichnofacies (lower-upper offshore to offshore transition) and storm related Arenicolites ichnofacies (shoreface). Each progradational cycle reflects a progressive increase in sand content, degree of oxygenation, hydrodynamic energy and dearth of food. These environmental factors controlled the vertical distribution of trace fossils in Parahio Formation. The occurrence of Cruziana ichnoassociation much below the Middle Cambrian trilobite horizon in the Parahio Formation restricts the age of this part of the formation to the pre-Middle Cambrian, probably series 2 of Cambrian system.