Abstract
The Aquidauana Formation is a Permo-Carboniferous sedimentary unit, widely stratigraphicaly distributed in the northwestern and northern portions of the Paraná Basin. However, little paleontological data is available from this formation, preventing accurate biostratigraphic and paleoecological interpretations. An abundant, diversified and well preserved assemblage of palynomorphs was recognized from sampling conducted in an outcrop section in Cipolândia District of Aquidauana Municipality, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A total of 35 indigenous palynomorph taxa was recognized, comprising 6 species of spores (related to 5 genera), 28 species of pollen grains (14 genera) and 1 species of chlorophycean algae. Monosaccate pollen grains are exceptionally dominant, representing 90.38% of the association, particularly constituted by species of the genera Cannanoropollis (30.41% of the total assemblage), Potonieisporites (28.14%) and Plicatipollenites (19.52%). This quantitative overrepresentation is not usual from Gondwana deposits, revealing a particular plant dominance of Cordaitales in the terrestrial flora. These results are interpreted as an upland ecology characterized by plants with a moisture-independent reproduction strategy, under a glacial climate influence. Certain species of pollen allow assignment of this assemblage to the Crucisaccites monoletus Zone (Late Pennsylvanian), which had been recognized only in the middle portion of the Itararé Group at the northeastern margin of the basin.
Highlights
The northwestern margin of the Paraná Basin exhibits a thick section of sedimentary outcrops, related to the Furnas, Ponta Grossa and the Aquidauana (Permo-Carboniferous) formations
This paper presents new palynological records from the Aquidauana Formation derived from an outcrop section located at Cipolândia, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from an expressive and unusual layer of shale, once this lithology is rare or absent in the Aquidauana Formation
All palynomorphs recorded from the AQ-87 outcrop were considered in the quantitative analysis, Figure 1 - Location of study area. (a) Paraná and Chacoparaná Basins in South America, with indication of area in b; (b) Location of area and boreholes previously study by Daemon and Quadros (1970) in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil; (c) Outcrops studied nearby Cipolândia, based on Google Earth Image
Summary
The northwestern margin of the Paraná Basin exhibits a thick section of sedimentary outcrops, related to the Furnas, Ponta Grossa (both of Devonian age) and the Aquidauana (Permo-Carboniferous) formations. The Aquidauana Formation is mainly composed of sandstones and diamictites, and it is laterally. ARAÚJO biostratigraphic and paleoecological contributions (see summary in Holz et al 2010). Paleontological records from the Aquidauana Formation are very scarce and when present, they describe sporadic isolated few fossil specimens
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