Environmental distribution of calcareous algae in Upper Devonian reef complexes

Abstract

Calcareous algae are important constituents in reef complexes of Frasnian and Famennian ages in the Canning Basin of Western Australia and in reef and bank developments of Frasnian age in western Canada. At least 17 genera of skeletal calcareous algae occur in Upper Devonian carbonate facies in these two regions. Many algae are quantitatively significant constituents in various facies and some forms functioned as framebuilders in reef facies. Algae in back-reef facies includeGirvanella nodules and crusts, dasycladacean (Vermiporella) segments, radiosphaerid calcispheres, and solenoporacean red algae (Parachaetetes andSolenopora). Reef facies are characterized by encrusting forms, such asRenalcis (a problematic alga),Sphaerocodium (=Rothpletzella) (a green or blue-green alga), andKeega (an “ancestral coralline“ red alga).Renalcis andSphaerocodium are principal framebuilders in Western Australia reef complexes, but are subordinate to stromatoporoids in most western Canada occurrences. Fore-reef facies contain deeperwater species ofSphaerocodium andParachaetetes. A similar distribution of Upper Devonian skeletal calcareous algae has been reported from the USSR; this same pattern probably occurs in carbonate complexes of this age in other regions of the world where diagenetic processes have not destroyed the fossil evidence.