Sequences and biofacies packages in the mid‐Cenozoic Gambier Limestone,South Australia: Reappraisal of foraminiferal evidence

The mid to outer neritic carbonates of the Gambier Limestone (Upper Eocene to lower Middle Miocene) can be divided into seven units by using criteria of sequence stratigraphy and foraminiferal biofacies. The boundaries fall mainly on erosional surfaces, even though the temporal duration of these surfaces appears to be largely beyond the resolution of foraminiferal biostratigraphy. The Eocene/Oligocene contact is distinctively unconformable in several sections, with at least part of the Upper Eocene sediments missing. Chert nodules, common to abundant in most sections, are associated with deep‐ or cool‐water benthic assemblages (> 100–200 m and <15°C), indicating cool, nutrient‐rich bottom conditions probably influenced by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current beginning during the Early Oligocene. The mid‐Oligocene fall in sea‐level was probably coupled with a major local uplift that removed at least part of the Lower Oligocene, an event widely recorded in the Australian‐New Zealand region. In areas weakly affected, this glacioeustatic lowstand is represented by chert‐free limestone and grey to pink dolomites in some sections, with a poorly preserved assemblage comprising few planktonic and deep‐water benthic species. Local unconformities separate regional unconformity‐bounded or allostratigraphic packages of strata to represent third‐order sequences. Although variations in local subsidence might have influenced accumulation space and sediment thickness, glacioeustatic influence on the packaging of the sequences and units of the Gambier Limestone was easily the more effective and concordant with the global patterns.     

The latest Carboniferous–Early Permian Dorud Group of the eastern Alborz (Iran): biostratigraphy and taxonomy of smaller foraminifers

The latest Carboniferous–Early Permian Dorud Group in the Chaman‐Saver area of eastern Alborz, Iran is more than 222 m thick and includes thick sequences of oncolitic limestone, sandy limestone, sandstones and shales. The Emarat and Ghosnavi formations of this Group are dated here as latest Gzhelian to early Sakmarian Stages. During the Asselian Stage, the sea level fell abruptly and epeirogenic episodes occurred. These events generated a broad, shallow carbonate platform suitable for the growth and diversity of smaller foraminifers in the Chaman‐Saver area which, consequently, displays faunal differences with the rest of the Alborz Mountains. Three foraminiferal biozones are proposed: Nodosinelloides potievskayae–Vervilleina bradyi Zone (latest Gzhelian), Calcitornella heathi–Nodosinelloides sp. Zone (latest Gzhelian–Asselian), and Rectogordius iranicus n. gen. n. sp.–Hemigordius schlumbergeri Zone (early Sakmarian). The new taxa described herein include: Pseudovidalina iranica n. sp., P. damghanica n. sp., Rectogordius iranicus n. gen. n. sp. and Tezaquina sp. 1. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大兴安岭中段龙江盆地热河生物群化石组合及生存时限——来自生物地层、年代地层新证据

龙江盆地光华组层型剖面出露完整,沉积连续,含丰富的热河生物群化石,是大兴安岭中段研究热河生物群起源、演化及辐射的重点剖面之一。本文对光华组层型剖面进行了重新精细测制,认为光华组整合于龙江组安山质角砾熔结凝灰岩之上,被甘河组玄武岩局部不整合覆盖,自下而上可识别出下、中、上3个岩性段;对该组所产动植物化石进行了系统的采集和鉴定,丰富了大兴安岭中段热河生物群的生物类别,并依据新采集化石和前人资料,尝试建立了叶肢介、介形虫、植物化石、昆虫等组合,探讨了各生物组合特征。根据对光华组剖面中段顶底岩层进行了LA-ICP-MS U-Pb锆石年代学研究,揭示龙江盆地热河生物生存的时代为125.4±1.4Ma至120.1±1.1Ma,大致跨越500万年,反映龙江盆地热河生物群繁盛于从阿普特期早期至阿普特期中期。结合古生物特点和笔者前期研究成果,认为龙江盆地热河生物群生存的古环境可能是间歇性或季节性的湖泊;古气候应处于温暖湿润的季节性变化的暖温带,并伴有短暂的半干旱气候。     

藏北色哇地区索布查组、曲色组岩石地层、层序地层、生物地层特征及三叠系与侏罗系界线

对藏北羌塘盆地南缘色哇地区的三叠纪与侏罗纪地层进行研究,在下侏罗统曲色组之下发现了一套以灰岩为主的地层,建立了索布查组,该组下部产晚三叠世腕足类、双壳类、六射珊瑚,上部产早侏罗世菊石,因此确定索布查组地质时代为晚三叠世—早侏罗世。三叠系-侏罗系界线应在索布查组之内,三叠系与侏罗系可能为整合接触。     

Vines 1 revisited: are older Neoproterozoic glacial deposits preserved in Western Australia?

The stratigraphy in Vines 1, a 2017.5 m-deep cored stratigraphic hole drilled by the Geological Survey of Western Australia in 2001 near the Western Australian – South Australian border, has been reinterpreted with implications for the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian geological history of the Officer Basin. A previous interpretation considered the intersected succession as a conformable stratigraphic package, the Vines Formation. An assemblage of palynomorphs, found throughout the hole and previously used to infer an age of no older than earliest Cambrian, is now thought to consist of contaminants. An older assemblage, which is considered to be reworked and inherited from underlying rocks, provides a new maximum age constraint of mid-Neoproterozoic. Based on sedimentological interpretations and comparisons with other drillholes in the western Officer Basin, and the succession in the eastern Officer Basin, the Vines 1 succession is reinterpreted as four discrete sedimentary packages, the Pirrilyungka (new name), Wahlgu, Lungkarta and Vines (redefined) Formations, in ascending order. The Pirrilyungka and Wahlgu Formations include glacigenic sediments and may correlate with similar glacial successions in Supersequences 2 and 3 (mid to late Cryogenian) of the Centralian Superbasin, and the Sturt Tillite and Elatina Formation and their equivalents in the Adelaide Rift Complex of South Australia, respectively. The eolian Lungkarta Formation and fluvial Vines Formation are considered, on regional evidence, to be most likely of Ediacaran to earliest Cambrian age.     

贵州紫云扁平剖面早二叠世非筵有孔虫动物群

贵州紫云扁平剖面紫松阶上部一罗甸阶非筵有孔虫动物群由25属82种（含相似种、亚种而不含未定种）构成，其中7属（Cribrogenerina、Nodosaria、Glomospira、Tetrataxis、Palaeotextularia、Climacammina及Globival-vulina）的物种分异度最高，合计占总种数的71％；该动物群自紫松期开始发育，在隆林期类群构成发生显著变化并繁盛至罗甸早期，在罗甸中晚期明显衰落。研究剖面由下至上可划分为Cr拍rogPnP-nncelebrata-C．hemispaera间隔带、Glomospira-Nodosaria富集带（又可进而分为Geinitzina postcarbonica-Globivalvulina cyprica间隔亚带、Climacammina elegantula延限亚带）、Lasiodiscus-Eotuberitina间隔带。     

贵州桐梓红花园奥陶系湄潭组疑源类生物地层

桐梓红花园剖面奥陶纪地层出露完整,化石丰富,层序清楚。该剖面湄潭组5个笔石带中有疑源类化石31属49种,根据其组成和相对丰度不同划分为5个疑源类组合带:组合带的属、种较为单调,且丰度不高;组合带中Polygonium占优势,伴有Arbusculidium;组合带以大量Stelliferidium的出现为特征;组合带与组合带相似;组合带中Leiosphaeridia的含量比Polygonium高,产特征分子Coryphidiumelegans。桐梓红花园湄潭组疑源类组合与中欧、北非、中东、南亚、北美纽芬兰东部、南美等环冈瓦纳地区同期疑源类组合相似,证实华南地区属于环冈瓦纳疑源类古地理分区。部分奥陶纪疑源类分子,如Ampullulaerchunensis、Arkonia、Dicrodiacrodium和Leprotolypaevexa等在桐梓红花园剖面的首现(FAD)较全球其他地区早。     

Calcareous Nannoplankton Biostratigraphy of the Bartin Province,Western Black Sea,Turkey

Calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy has been performed on five sedimentary sections through the marine Akveren Formation from the Bartin region of northern Turkey, on the southern Black Sea coast. This new biostratigraphy provides an age for the formation of the Early Campanian (nannofossil zone UC15aTP) to Early Selandian (nannofossil zone NP5), and highlights the presence of the Campanian/Maastrichtian, Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T), and Danian/Selandian boundaries in this intermediate palaeolatitude location. Micula murus was identified below the K/T boundary, but Micula prinsii and Nephrolithus frequens were not, which implies that the K/T boundary interval is not complete in the study area. These dates are in agreement with previous micropaleontological studies.     

Discovery of Iapetognathus fauna from far western New South Wales: towards a more precisely defined Cambrian–Ordovician boundary in Australia

Conodont species Iapetognathus fluctivagus and Iapetonudus ibexensis are documented for the first time from Australia. The former is the primary marker internationally defining the base of the Ordovician, and the latter is also a distinctive species previously recorded only from the base of the Ordovician in North America. Both species were recovered from a single sample in the Kandie Tank Limestone of the Kayrunnera Group, located about 50 km west of White Cliffs in far western New South Wales. Other species recovered from this sample include Prooneotodus spp., Cordylodus lindstromi, Cordylodus proavus, Hirsutodontus simplex, Teridontus nakamurai and Variabiloconus sp. Recognition of the Iapetognathus fluctivagus Biozone in the Kandie Tank Limestone supports its correlation with the Green Point section (Global Stratigraphic Section and Point for the base of the Ordovician) in western Newfoundland and the Lawson Cove section of Utah (Auxiliary Stratigraphic Section and Point), as well as sections in Asia and South America. Review of other sections in Australia and elsewhere spanning the Cambrian–Ordovician boundary confirms that, in the absence of I. fluctivagus, the presence of C. lindstromi is a good proxy for this level.