Bathyal sponges from the late Early Miocene of the Vienna Basin (central Paratethys, Slovakia)

Magdalena Łukowiak,Ján Schlögl,Andrzej Pisera

doi:10.1007/s12542-013-0197-x

Magdalena Łukowiak, Ján Schlögl + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-013-0197-x

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Abstract

Here we report, for the first time, a very rich and diversified sponge assemblage from late Early Miocene deposits of a central part of the Vienna Basin (Paratethys) in Slovakia. Bodily preserved sponges are described as a new genus and species Paracinachyrella fossilis (Tetiliidae, Demospongiae). Dissociated spicules reveal the presence of the “soft” demosponges that belong to families Tetillidae, Theneidae, Geodiidae, Samidae, Thrombidae, Thoosidae, Agelasidae, Myxillidae, Bubaridae, and Tedaniidae, the lithistid family Pleromidae, and an undetermined rhizoclone-bearing lithistid. Fragments of dictyonal skeleton indicate the presence of hexactinellid sponges that belong to the families Farreidae and Euretidae, and lychniscosan sponges. We estimate that at least 16–19 different species of siliceous sponges inhabited this region of the Central Paratethys during the latest Burdigalian. Most of these sponges are reported for the first time from the Miocene of the Paratethys. This sponge fauna has clear Tethyan affinities and indicates the existence of connection between Paratethys and Tethys during the latest Burdigalian, as well as the presence of open marine, deep-water, bathyal conditions in this part of the Vienna Basin.

Highlights

Geographical and geological settingSponges are rarely reported from the Miocene of the Paratethys, and usually only as loose spicules (Alexandrowicz and Tomas 1975; Alexandrowicz 1978; Riha 1982, 1983; Hurcewicz 1991; Pisera and Hladilova 2003)
Here we report, for the first time, a very rich and diversified sponge assemblage from late Early Miocene deposits of a central part of the Vienna Basin (Paratethys) in Slovakia
We report a rich assemblage of siliceous sponges from the Lower Miocene deposits of the Slovakian sector of the Vienna Basin

Summary

Introduction

Sponges are rarely reported from the Miocene of the Paratethys, and usually only as loose (dissociated) spicules (Alexandrowicz and Tomas 1975; Alexandrowicz 1978; Riha 1982, 1983; Hurcewicz 1991; Pisera and Hladilova 2003) This rarity is not real but caused rather by lack of studies and nonpreservation (in shallow-water carbonate deposits). Microfossil suites include benthic and planktonic foraminifera, radiolarians, sponge spicules, ostracods, crinoid ossicles, coleoid statoliths, fish otoliths, shark teeth (Underwood and Schlogl, in press), and extremely abundant diatoms Age assignment of these deposits relies on the cooccurrence of the foraminifera Uvigerina graciliformis Papp and Turnovsky, 1953 and Globigerinoides bisphericus Todd in Todd, Cloud, Low and Schmidt, 1954 and the absence of the genus Praeorbulina Olsson, 1964. The regional Paratethyan ‘‘Karpatian’’ stage has consistently been considered to be the timeequivalent of the latest Burdigalian (Rogl et al 2003; Piller et al 2007)

Materials and methods

Findings

Conclusions