Biostratigraphy of Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary sediments in the Eastern Crimea

The Dvuyakornaya Formation section in the eastern Crimea is described and subdivided into biostratigraphic units based on ammonites, foraminifers, and ostracodes. The lower part of the formation contains first discovered ammonites of the upper Kimmeridgian (Lingulaticears cf. procurvum (Ziegler), Pseudowaagenia gemmellariana Olóriz, Euvirgalithacoceras cf. tantalus (Herbich), Subplanites sp.) and Tithonian (?(Lingulaticeras efimovi (Rogov), Phylloceras consaguineum Gemmellaro, Oloriziceras cf. schneidi Tavera, and Paraulacosphinctes cf. transitorius (Oppel)). Based on the assemblage of characteristic ammonite species, the upper part of the formation is attributed to the Berriasian Jacobi Zone. Five biostratigraphic units (zones and beds with fauna) distinguished based on foraminifers are the Epistomina ventriosa-Melathrokerion eospirialis Beds and Anchispirocyclina lusitanica-Melathrokerion spirialis Zone in the upper Kimmeridgian-Tithonian, the Protopeneroplis ultragranulatus-Siphoninella antiqua, Frondicularia cuspidiata-Saracenaria inflanta zones, and Textularia crimica Beds in the Berriasian. The Cyrherelloidea tortuosa-Palaeocytheridea grossi Beds of the Upper Jurassic and Raymoorea peculiaris-Eucytherura ardescae-Protocythere revili Beds of the Berriasian are defined based on ostracodes. A new biostratigraphic scale is proposed for the upper Kimmeridgian-Berriasian of the eastern Crimea. The Dvyyakornaya Formation sediments are considered as deepwater facies accumulated on the continental slope.     

Geologic correlation between the Neoproterozoic Sergipano belt (NE Brazil) and the Yaoundé belt (Cameroon, Africa)

The Yaoundé belt (Cameroon) and the Sergipano belt (NE Brazil) belonged to a major and continuous Neoproterozoic orogen at the northern margin of the ancient Congo-São Francisco craton. The Yaoundé belt comprises schists, quartzites, gneisses and migmatitic gneisses grouped into three domains; the low-grade Mbalmayo Group in south and the medium- to high-grade Yaoundé and Bafia Group in north. The Sergipano belt is divided into six domains, the three southernmost of which are mostly made up of clastic and chemical metasedimentary rocks whereas the others are more diverse with a migmatite–gneiss complex, and two metavolcanicplutonic complexes. In general, the two belts show structural vergence and decrease of metamorphic grade towards the craton; three main deformation phases are recognized in the Sergipano belt in contrast with two described in the Yaoundé belt. The minimum age of Pan-African-Brasiliano collision in the Sergipano belt is constrained at 628 ± 12 Ma on syn-collision granites, whereas in the Yaoundé belt collision took place between 620 and 610 Ma, i.e. the age of granulite facies metamorphism. Sm–Nd isotope geochemistry and U–Pb age dating indicate that most clastic metasedimentary rocks in both belts were derived from sources to the north and, to a lesser degree, from the cratons to the south.     

First record of a Cretaceous cheilostome bryozoan from Hokkaido, Japan

A small collection of recrystallised, encrusting colonies of a single species from the Mikasa Formation (lower Middle Cenomanian), represents the first record of cheilostome (malacostegan or anascan) bryozoans from Hokkaido, Japan.