Revision of the ammonite index species Berriasella jacobi Mazenot, 1939 and its consequences for the biostratigraphy of the Berriasian Stage

Berriasella jacobi is a key ammonite taxon that has been widely used for the definition of the Tithonian/Berriasian boundary and has been widely quoted in the literature as the index species for the lowest zone of the Berriasian Stage. The taxonomic revision of B. jacobi shows that it should be excluded from the genus Berriasella and transferred to the genus Strambergella. Analysis of the literature has convinced us that most specimens illustrated as B. jacobi have been misidentified. New collection at Le Font de Saint Bertrand (Les Combes, Glandage, Drôme, France) shows us the type series corresponds to the microconch form of a dimorphic pair. New integrated data on its stratigraphic distribution causes us to question its value as an index species for the base of the Berriasian.     

Calibration of the Albian/Cenomanian Boundary by Ammonite Biostratigraphy: U.S. Western Interior

Calibration of numerical ages to the geological time scale is a long scientific pursuit that requires the integration of multiple data sets. A case study of the Albian/Cenomanian stage boundary, also the Lower/Upper Cretaceous series boundary, illustrates the calibration process. The numerical age of this boundary has shifted from 96 Ma to 99 Ma over a time span of nearly fifty years. Re-calibration resulted first from improvements in radiometric dating, and later from inferences about ammonite phylogeny, and most recently from radiometric dates of newly discovered volcanic beds interbedded with diagnostic guide fossils. However, the calibration process continues with study of cosmopolitan dinoflagellates.     

中国白垩纪叶肢介生物地层学

叶肢介是一种淡水甲壳类动物,个体不大,一般在几毫米到两厘米之间,软体有点像虾,具有很多附肢,雌雄异体,外裹一对几丁质壳瓣,形似蚌壳,但不如后者的钙质壳那么厚实坚硬。叶肢介从泥盆纪开始出现,中生代时其演化中心从欧洲迁移到了东亚,白垩纪它们的分异和演化达到顶峰,到了新生代则进入衰亡阶段。叶肢介化石一般出现在陆相地层中,由于它数量多、演化快、分布广泛,近年来已成为中国和邻近地区中生代非海相生物地层划分和对比研究的重要手段之一。中国大陆白垩系主要是陆相沉积,按古地理和生物地理区系,早白垩世可以划分为西南湖群和东北、东南、西北两个大区,前者出现的是直线叶肢介(Orthestheria)动物群,后者则是东方叶肢介(Eosestheria)和延吉叶肢介(Yanjiestheria)动物群;晚白垩世在西南湖群出现的是华美叶肢介(Aglestheria)动物群,在东北松花湖水系出现的是真瘤模叶肢介(Euestherites)动物群,在华中和东南沿海云梦泽水系出现的是薄壳叶肢介(Tenuestheria)动物群。链叶肢介(Halysestheria)是联系它们相互对比的共同分子;晚白垩世早期的线叶肢介(Nemestheria)动物群则在上述3个区系都有分布,甚至在西北喀什地区的塞诺曼期海陆交互相沉积和美国德克萨斯州同期海相地层的陆相夹层中都有发现的记录,它是将中国陆相白垩系与国际海相标准划分联系起来的重要证据。关于中国白垩纪的叶肢介动物群和有关陆相地层的划分对比,产东方叶肢介的义县组以前放在上侏罗统顶部或做为侏罗系-白垩系过渡层处理,这次按全国地层表将东方叶肢介群归入早白垩世。     

贵州紫云四大寨早三叠世地层初步研究

贵州紫云四大寨剖面下三叠统发育较齐全,化石较丰富。在此剖面上发现了大量牙形石、双壳类、菊石等生物化石,其中牙形石在该剖面上为首次发现,并识别出了早三叠世Neospathodusdieneri带、Neospathoduscrista-galli带、Neospathoduswaageni带和Neospathodushomeri-Neospathodustriangularis带的重要牙形石分子或带化石,可与国际同期地层中相应的牙形石化石带进行较好的对比;同时还发现了Claraiagriesbachi-C.concentrica组合和Claraiastachei-Claraiaaurita组合带的双壳类代表性分子。通过对这些化石综合分析,大致拟定了本剖面下三叠统格里斯巴赫亚阶(Griesbachian)、亭纳尔亚阶(Dienerian)、斯密斯亚阶(Smithian)和斯派斯亚阶(Spathian)的年代地层单位界线。     

藏南吉隆地区二叠纪生物地层

藏南吉隆地区二叠系主要为一套中厚层状碳酸盐岩、石英砂岩夹泥质岩岩性组合,产丰富的腕足类、珊瑚、苔藓虫、菊石及海百合茎、遗迹化石等多门类化石,包括5个腕足动物组合、1个菊石带、2个珊瑚组合、1个海百合化石层、1个遗迹化石层。根据岩性二叠系划分为基龙组和曲布日嘎组。基龙组时代相当于早二叠世阿丁斯克期—萨克马尔期。曲布日嘎组时代以栖霞期—茅口期为主,顶部可能包括部分吴家坪期。     

从生物地层学到大地构造学——以华南奥陶系和志留系为例

生物地层学是地层学中最基本的也是应用最广泛的一个分支学科。通过多年来对华南扬子区、江南过渡带到珠江区奥陶纪和志留纪生物地层学的研究 ,不但完善了地层的精确对比 ,而且结合岩相、生物相的研究 ,还对广西运动的始末提供了准确的时限 ,从而延伸到大地构造学的研究领域中 ,把区域性的构造问题和全球构造联系起来     

贵州安顺长兴阶顶部三叶虫化石

三叶虫是二叠纪末生物集群灭绝中消失的生物门类之一,但是关于该门类生物化石在中国消失的确切层位未见报道。贵州安顺新民剖面大隆组顶部的三叶虫化石Pseudophillipsia sp.产于火山成因的黏土岩之炭质泥岩夹层中,相邻的泥灰岩结核中产牙形石化石Clarkina meishanensis。该黏土岩及炭质泥岩夹层可以与浙江长兴煤山D剖面的第25层对比,这说明三叶虫延续到了主灭绝事件层位,对研究二叠纪末生物集群灭绝的原因具有一定的意义。     

Trilobite Biostratigraphy of the lower Paleozoic (Cambrian–Ordovician) Joseon Supergroup, Taebaeksan Basin, Korea

In Korea,trilobites are among the most intensively studied fossil groups in the past century and provide invaluable information about lower Paleozoic stratigraphy,paleogeography,and tectonics of the Korean Peninsula. Trilobites occur in the lower Paleozoic Joseon Supergroup of the Taebaeksan Basin which was part of the Sino-Korean Craton in the Paleozoic. The Joseon Supergroup is divided into the Taebaek,Yeongwol,and Mungyeong groups. The Taebaek and Yeongwol groups are richly fossiliferous,while the Mungyeong Group is poorly fossiliferous. Contrasting trilobite faunal contents of the Taebaek and Yeongwol groups resulted in two separate biostratigraphic schemes for the Cambrian–Ordovician of the Taebaeksan Basin. A total of 22 biozones or fossiliferous horizons were recognized in the Taebaek Group; 19 zones were established in the Yeongwol Group; and four biozones were known from the Mungyeong Group. These trilobite biozones of the Taebaeksan Basin indicate the Joseon Supergroup ranges in age from the Cambrian Series 2 to Middle Ordovician and can be correlated well with the formations of North China,South China,and Australia.     

第三纪年代地层研究和中国第三纪年代地层表

主要介绍国际上第三纪年代地层和年代学研究最新简况 ,显示几个重要的年代地层表或年代表 ,并报道全国地层委员会 1999年 12月断代专业组工作会议关于建立中国年代地层表中第三纪年代地层构架讨论的初步方案。     

High-resolution magnetostratigraphy and micropalaeontology across the J/K boundary strata at Brodno near ilina, western Slovakia: summary of results

This study summarizes the final results of magnetostratigraphic and micropalaeontological investigations of the Tithonian/Berriasian boundary (J/K) limestones at the locality of Brodno near ilina, Western Carpathians, West Slovakia. The aim is to prepare the background for correlation of a Late Tithonian and Early Berriasian biostratigraphic zonation with global magnetoevents (manifested in detailed magnetostratigraphic profiles) between the Tethyan realm and other regions, particularly the Boreal and Pacific realms. Suitable physical properties of the limestones studied, a favourable geological setting and rich microfossil assemblages (calpionellids) at Brodno (magnetozones M21r to M18r) allowed a systematic collection of new data on the original synoptic section, which now has the character of a high-resolution profile across the J/K boundary. Two reverse subzones detected within magnetozones M20n and M19n are named ‘Kysuca Subzone’ and ‘Brodno Subzone’, respectively. Both can be correlated with analogous subzones in the M-sequence of marine anomalies. Their existence can also be confirmed in the Bosso Valley section in Umbria, central Italy. A detailed study of the interval between magnetozones M20n and M17r in the Bosso Valley profile is presently in its final stage. Both magnetostratigraphic profiles, from the Brodno and Bosso Valley localities, were thoroughly investigated in the intervals close to the J/K boundary and are still unique among continent-based profiles in the detection and precise definition of both reverse subzones within M20n and M19n. Samples collected from the boundary strata of the reverse Kysuca Subzone at Brodno indicated a transition from N (R) to R (N) polarity of the Earth's palaeomagnetic field within a time interval of c. ±5 ka. Limestone samples (total number N=368) were subjected to progressive thermal demagnetization in 10–12 thermal fields and to subsequent multi-component analysis of remanence. The C-component, as the carrier of palaeomagnetic directions, was determined in the temperature interval of 300° to 540°, or possibly 580°C. Magnetomineralogical analyses of pilot samples and unblocking temperatures determined for all samples showed that magnetite is the carrier of remanent magnetization. The positions of the individual events of calpionellid stratigraphy relative to the global magnetic polarity timescale are precisely defined. The base of the Calpionella Standard Zone, which is considered a provisional J/K boundary indicator in ammonite-free sections in the Tethyan realm, lies within magnetozone M19n at the level of 35% of its local thickness. None of the boundaries in the calpionellid zonation coincides precisely with any of those in the palaeomagnetic zonation, but the first appearance ofCalpionella grandalpina , indicating the base of the Intermedia Subzone, lies in close proximity to the base of magnetozone M19r.