Acritarchs from the Buen Formation (Lower Cambrian), North Greenland

G Vidal,J.S Peel

doi:10.34194/rapggu.v137.8014

Abstract

Siliciclastic sediments of the Buen Formation of North Greenland yield the earliest Cambrian fossils known from North Greenland, with the exception of cyanobacteria described from dolomites of the underlying Portfjeld Formation (see Peel, this report). The fauna is dominated by olenellid and nevadiid trilobites indicating an Early Cambrian age (Poulsen, 1974; Blaker, this report) but hyolithids, bradoriids, sponges and other fossils also occur. Bergstrom & Peel (this report) described trace fossils from the Buen Formation. Of particular interest is the recent discovery of lightly skeletised arthropods comprising an assemblage similar to that of the Middle Cambrian Burgess shale of Canada (Conway Morris et al., 1987).

Highlights

Siliciclastic sediments of the Buen Formation of North Greenland yield the earliest Cambrian fossils known from North Greenland, with the exception of cyanobacteria described from dolomites of the underlying Portfjeld Formation
Of particular interest is the recent discovery of lightly skeletised arthropods comprising an assemblage similar to that of the Middle Cambrian Burgess shale of Canada (Conway Morris et al, 1987)
Fossiliferous black shales occurring near the middle of the formation at Jørgen Brønlund Fjord, southern Peary Land, near the type section of the formation, have been processed for acritarchs using methods described by Vidal (1976)

Summary

Introduction

Siliciclastic sediments of the Buen Formation of North Greenland yield the earliest Cambrian fossils known from North Greenland, with the exception of cyanobacteria described from dolomites of the underlying Portfjeld Formation (see Peel, this report). G. V., Micropalaeontological Laboratory, Box 124, Lund University, S-220 07 Lund, Sweden. P., Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse, øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 København K, Denmark. The fauna is dominated by olenellid and nevadiid trilobites indicating an Early Cambrian age (Poulsen, 1974; Blaker, this report) but hyolithids, bradoriids, sponges and other fossils occur.

Results

Conclusion