New U-Pb zircon dates reveal a late Norian age for the upper part of the Red Cliff Coal Measures, New South Wales, Australia—implications for biostratigraphy

Prof. Arthur Looss (1861-1923) was a prolific German parasitologist, who, among other things, authored descriptions of 22 new species of nematodes and 115 new species of trematodes. After his death, his collection (including type material) was split between several institutions: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington (USA), Natural History Museum in Berlin and the Natural History Museum in Leipzig (Germany), Gothenburg Museum of Natural History and Swedish Museum of Natural History (Sweden). Here we revise all type specimens of nematodes from the A. Looss collection that are currently preserved in the Swedish Museum of Natural History (Strongylus subtilis, Sclerostomum edentatum, S. vulgare, Cyathostomum labratum, C. coronatum, C. bicoronatum, C. calicatum, C. alveatum, C. catinatum, C. nassatum, C. radiatum, C. elongatum, C. auriculatum, Triodontus minor, T. serratus, C. labiatum and Uncinaria polaris), designate and describe lectotypes wherever deemed necessary and provide catalogue access numbers to all type materials. We also revise all notes and drawings associated with new species that A. Looss described and provide previously unpublished pencilled sketches and ink print-ready drawings of some of these species (Strongylus subtilis, Cyathostomum poculatum, C. radiatum, C. elongatum, C. calicatum, C. auriculatum, Triodontus serratus, Trichostrongylus vitrinus and possibly Necator africanus).

Zoologica ScriptaVolume 52, Issue 3 p. 185-186 EDITORIAL Lutz Bachmann, Corresponding Author Lutz Bachmann [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0001-7451-2074 Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Correspondence Lutz Bachmann, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172 Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorPer G. P. Ericson, Per G. P. Ericson orcid.org/0000-0002-4143-9998 The Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, SwedenSearch for more papers by this authorHege Vårdal, Hege Vårdal orcid.org/0000-0001-8711-6177 The Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, SwedenSearch for more papers by this author Lutz Bachmann, Corresponding Author Lutz Bachmann [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0001-7451-2074 Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Correspondence Lutz Bachmann, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172 Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorPer G. P. Ericson, Per G. P. Ericson orcid.org/0000-0002-4143-9998 The Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, SwedenSearch for more papers by this authorHege Vårdal, Hege Vårdal orcid.org/0000-0001-8711-6177 The Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, SwedenSearch for more papers by this author First published: 03 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/zsc.12594Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume52, Issue3May 2023Pages 185-186 RelatedInformation

On the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of Else Marie Friis, an international symposium, ‘‘In Search of the Earliest Flowers,’’ was held at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, on June 2–3, 2007. Else Marie Friis has made classic, innovative, and groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of angiosperm evolution through her work on Cretaceous angiosperm reproductive structures. Her discovery of a major mesofossil flora from the Late Cretaceous at the Asen locality in Scania, southern Sweden, in the 1980s is a milestone in paleobotanical research. The Asen Flora includes thousands of flowers, fruits, and seeds that are mostly preserved as charcoal and show great diversity in floral organization and structure. In the wake of this discovery, numerous other Cretaceous mesofossil floras around the globe have been described, and our knowledge about the early evolutionary history of the angiosperms has massively increased. Mesofossil studies have documented the presence of numerous lineages of extant angiosperms in the Cretaceous and have strongly influenced our view of early floral evolution. Prevailing ideas on the floral structure of earliest angiosperms at the time of the discovery of the first mesofossil floras usually assumed that flowers were relatively large with numerous floral parts. The fact that Cretaceous floras comprise almost exclusively tiny flowers, with a limited number of floral organs, came as a surprise. Now it is widely accepted that the earliest angiosperms most likely had small flowers. The symposium brought together paleobotanists and neobotanists whose research focuses on the evolution of angiosperms. The goal was to provide a platform for discussions on various aspects of early angiosperms, including such issues as early floral morphologies and the geological context for understanding interactions between vegetation and environmental changes during the emergence of early angiosperms. In this special section, the origin of the angiosperm flower is addressed by J. A. Doyle, who demonstrates that inferences on its origin require consideration of other seed plants and particularly of fossil taxa. He emphasizes analytical difficulties caused by uncertainties in phylogenetic relationships among living and fossil seed plant lineages and by insufficient understanding of critical fossils. A complementary study by P. K. Endress presents the perianth structure and behavior of basalmost extant angiosperms. His findings lead to a better understanding of the perianth of extant angiosperms and help in the correct interpretation of fossil floral structures. O. Eriksson explores the evolution of seed size and biotic seed dispersal in angiosperms using paleoand neoecological evidence. His findings indicate that changes in vegetation structure (open vs. closed) were probably a primary driving force for the evolution of seed size and dispersal mechanisms. Based on their studies of fossils from a newly discovered mid-Cretaceous locality in Germany, A. Viehofen, C. HartkopfFroder, and E. M. Friis describe a new species of the extinct genus Mauldinia (Lauraceae). Mauldinia is now known from several localities in the Northern Hemisphere, indicating that the genus was an important element in Cretaceous vegetation. From the Early Cretaceous of Virginia, USA, M. von Balthazar, K. R. Pedersen, P. R. Crane, and E. M. Friis describe Carpestella lacunata, a fossil flower with affinities to both Nymphaeaceae and Illicium (Illiciaceae); this fossil may represent an extinct lineage among basal angiosperms. M. Takahashi, E. M. Friis, P. R. Herendeen, and P. R. Crane describe Late Cretaceous flowers and fruits from Japan as Archaefagacea. These fossils’ structure links them to extant and fossil Fagales. They seem to fall outside the core fagalean group and provide a link between the earliest occurrence of the group and extant basal Fagales. Another taxon from Late Cretaceous Japan, Futabanthus asamigawaensis, is described by M. Takahashi, E. M. Friis, K. Uesugi, Y. Suzuki, and P. R. Crane. The multipartite construction of Futabanthus and the form of the stamens indicate placement near the base of Annonaceae (Magnoliales). The fossil provides the earliest record of the family and documents the presence of Annonaceae in eastern Eurasia during the early Late Cretaceous. New reconstructions of complete plants based on fossil foliage, fruits, seeds, flowers, in situ pollen, and wood are presented by Z. Kva cek. He discusses the difficulty of whole plant reconstructions but explains the importance of this approach for paleoecological, phytostratigraphic, and paleobiogeographical studies.

Research Article| February 01, 2012 Fossilized fungi in subseafloor Eocene basalts Magnus Ivarsson; Magnus Ivarsson * 1Department of Palaeozoology and Nordic Center for Earth Evolution, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden *E-mail: magnus.ivarsson@nrm.se. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Stefan Bengtson; Stefan Bengtson 1Department of Palaeozoology and Nordic Center for Earth Evolution, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Veneta Belivanova; Veneta Belivanova 2Department of Palaeozoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Marco Stampanoni; Marco Stampanoni 3Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland4Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Federica Marone; Federica Marone 3Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Anders Tehler Anders Tehler 5Department of Cryptogamic Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2012) 40 (2): 163–166. https://doi.org/10.1130/G32590.1 Article history received: 28 Jun 2011 rev-recd: 09 Sep 2011 accepted: 19 Sep 2011 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Magnus Ivarsson, Stefan Bengtson, Veneta Belivanova, Marco Stampanoni, Federica Marone, Anders Tehler; Fossilized fungi in subseafloor Eocene basalts. Geology 2012;; 40 (2): 163–166. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G32590.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The deep biosphere of subseafloor basalts is thought to consist of mainly prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea). Here we report fossilized filamentous microorganisms from subseafloor basalts interpreted as fossilized fungal hyphae, probably Dikarya, rather than fossilized prokaryotes. The basalts were collected during the Ocean Drilling Program Leg 197 at the Emperor Seamounts, North Pacific Ocean, and the fossilized fungi are observed in carbonate-filled veins and vesicles in samples that represent a depth of ∼150 m below the seafloor. Three-dimensional visualizations using synchrotron-radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy show characteristic fungal morphology of the mycelium-like network, such as frequent branching, anastomosis, and septa. Possible presence of chitin in the hypha walls was detected by staining with Wheat Germ Agglutinin conjugated with Fluorescein Isothiocyanate and examination using fluorescence microscopy. The presence of fungi in subseafloor basalts challenges the present understanding of the deep subseafloor biosphere as being exclusively prokaryotic. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

TAXONVolume 62, Issue 3 p. 629-629 Proposals to Conserve or Reject NamesFree Access (2143) Proposal to conserve the name Fuscopannaria against Moelleropsis (lichenized Ascomycota) Per M. Jørgensen, Per M. Jørgensen per.jorgensen@um.uib.no Museum of Natural History, University of Bergen, Allégt. 41, Box 7800, 5020 Bergen, NorwaySearch for more papers by this authorStefan Ekman, Stefan Ekman Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 16, 75236 Uppsala, SwedenSearch for more papers by this authorMats Wedin, Mats Wedin The Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 5007, 10405 Stockholm, SwedenSearch for more papers by this author Per M. Jørgensen, Per M. Jørgensen per.jorgensen@um.uib.no Museum of Natural History, University of Bergen, Allégt. 41, Box 7800, 5020 Bergen, NorwaySearch for more papers by this authorStefan Ekman, Stefan Ekman Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 16, 75236 Uppsala, SwedenSearch for more papers by this authorMats Wedin, Mats Wedin The Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 5007, 10405 Stockholm, SwedenSearch for more papers by this author First published: 28 December 2018 https://doi.org/10.12705/623.21Citations: 1AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume62, Issue3June 2013Pages 629-629 RelatedInformation

The Turbellaria Acoela in the collection of slides in the Swedish Museum of Natural History have been subject to reexamination considering new taxonomic principles. In a list of 101 species contributions are given to the anatomy, taxonomy, distribution and habitats of the species. The list is at the same time a catalogue of the types in the collection. The main part of the species have been described in several papers by Einar Westblad and Ernst Marcus.

This special issue aims to highlight the value of historical paleontological collections at museums in general, and at Swedish Museum of Natural History (NRM) in particular, providing a glimpse int...

In the course of our examination of samples of Cladocera from South America and subantarctic islands in the collection of the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, we found some type material of Sven Ekman, unrecognized earlier, as well as other samples described in his publications (Ekman 1900, 1905). A single specimen of Pleuroxus scopuliferus Ekman, 1900, apparently seen by its author, is re‐deposited as the lectotype, while the neotype of this taxon earlier selected by Frey (1993) must be rejected according to ICZN (2000). Daphnia cavicervix Ekman, 1900 is redescribed based on numerous parthenogenetic, ephippial females and males, and lectotype and paralectotypes are selected. Some recent problems of systematics of Daphnia in South America are discussed.

The zoological dry collection of the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm includes an important, historical bryozoan section that is rich in species and specimens and also diverse from a geographical point of view. This collection also contains the type specimens of the type species of some cheilostome bryozoan genera introduced by several naturalists and bryozoologists between the mid-1800s and 1900s. With a few exceptions, these have not been revised since the advent of scanning electron microscopy as a standard tool for bryozoan taxonomy. Here, the type specimen(s) of the type species of the following six cheilostome genera are described and illustrated using SEM micrographs for the first time: Cheilopora Levinsen, 1909; Fedorella Siln, 1947; Floridina Jullien, 1882; Lepraliella Levinsen, 1917; Smittipora Jullien, 1882; and Stenopsella Bassler, 1952. The type specimen(s) of the type species of the recently introduced Terwasipora Reverter-Gil Souto, 2019 and the relatively recently revised Doryporella Norman, 1903 are also illustrated for the first time. This revision has identified some erroneous geographical records for some of the species/genera examined, and has led to the proposed synonymy of Stenopsella with Gigantopora Ridley, 1881. Lectotypes have also been selected. All of the images produced will also be publicly available through the SMNH online catalogue. The digitisation of natural history museum collections, with prioritisation of historical type specimens, is of paramount importance to facilitate access to the fundamental taxonomic units for scientists worldwide.

Research Article| October 01, 2009 Contribution of pre Pan-African crust to formation of the Arabian Nubian Shield: New secondary ionization mass spectrometry U-Pb and O studies of zircon Yaron Be'eri-Shlevin; Yaron Be'eri-Shlevin * 1Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel 2Laboratory for Isotope Geology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden *E-mail: yaron.beeri@nrm.se. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yaron Katzir; Yaron Katzir 1Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Martin J. Whitehouse; Martin J. Whitehouse 2Laboratory for Isotope Geology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ilka C. Kleinhanns Ilka C. Kleinhanns 3Geowissenschaftliches Zentrum der Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2009) 37 (10): 899–902. https://doi.org/10.1130/G30206A.1 Article history received: 09 Mar 2009 rev-recd: 12 May 2009 accepted: 19 May 2009 first online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Yaron Be'eri-Shlevin, Yaron Katzir, Martin J. Whitehouse, Ilka C. Kleinhanns; Contribution of pre Pan-African crust to formation of the Arabian Nubian Shield: New secondary ionization mass spectrometry U-Pb and O studies of zircon. Geology 2009;; 37 (10): 899–902. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G30206A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract New secondary ionization mass spectrometry U-Pb and O isotope analyses of detrital zircons from the Sa'al schist in Sinai coupled with whole-rock Nd isotopic analyses provide new evidence of pre- Neoproterozoic crust in the northernmost Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). The detrital zircon age population is bimodal, with concordia ages of 1029 ± 7 Ma and 1110 ± 8 Ma. The whole-rock ϵNd(t = 1.0 Ga) value of +2 is significantly lower than found for juvenile Neoproterozoic rocks in the region. Thus, the Sa'al schist is interpreted to represent Kibaran (Grenville) age crust incorporated into the northernmost ANS. The δ18O (zircon) values (6.1‰–9.4‰) imply that supracrustal recycling was involved in the formation of this ca. 1.0–1.1 Ga crust. A compilation of reported xenocrystic and detrital pre-ANS zircons and the variability of Nd, Sr, Pb, and O isotopic compositions within the shield suggests that its northernmost and eastern margins were more strongly contaminated by older crust ca. 0.9–3.0 Ga old. The distribution of 0.9–1.1 Ga xenocrystic and detrital zircons mainly in the east and north of the ANS suggests that such crust characterized parts of the northeastern margin of western Gondwana prior to ANS formation, and that 0.9–1.1 Ga old zircons detected in lower Paleozoic sandstone cover may have a proximal provenance. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

TAXONVolume 55, Issue 1 p. 219-222 Nomenclatures A clarification of the type of Nilssoniopteris Nathorst (fossil Gymnospermophyta, Bennettitales) Christopher J. Cleal, Christopher J. Cleal Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NP U.K.Search for more papers by this authorP. McAllister Rees, P. McAllister Rees Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721 U.S.A.Search for more papers by this authorGea Zijlstra, Gea Zijlstra Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Utrecht University branch, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorDavid J. Cantrill, David J. Cantrill Department of Palaeobotany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, Stockholm, 104 05 SwedenSearch for more papers by this author Christopher J. Cleal, Christopher J. Cleal Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NP U.K.Search for more papers by this authorP. McAllister Rees, P. McAllister Rees Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721 U.S.A.Search for more papers by this authorGea Zijlstra, Gea Zijlstra Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Utrecht University branch, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorDavid J. Cantrill, David J. Cantrill Department of Palaeobotany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, Stockholm, 104 05 SwedenSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 February 2006 https://doi.org/10.2307/25065546Citations: 15AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Citing Literature Volume55, Issue1February 2006Pages 219-222 RelatedInformation

Pan, B., Skovsted, C.B., Sun, H.J. & Li, G.X., 18 June 2019. Biostratigraphical and palaeogeographical implications of Early Cambrian hyoliths from the North China Platform. Alcheringa 43, 351–380. ISSN 0311-5518.A succession of diverse hyolith assemblages comprising 10 genera and 14 species are reported from the lower Cambrian Shangwan and Sanjianfang sections of the Xinji Formation, and Xiaomeiyao section of the Houjiashan Formation, which crop out along the southern margin of the North China Platform. Most of the specimens are represented by both conchs and opercula. The identified orthothecids include Conotheca australiensis, Cupitheca holocyclata, C. costellata, Neogloborilus applanatus, N. spinatus, Tegminites hymenodes, Triplicatella disdoma, T. xinjia sp. nov. and Paratriplicatella shangwanensis gen. et sp. nov. The hyolithids comprise Protomicrocornus triplicensis gen. et sp. nov., Microcornus eximius, M. petilus, Parkula bounites and Parakorilithes mammillatus. Some anomalous taxa possess characteristics of both Hyolithida and Orthothecida, such as C. australiensis, Neogloborilus and P. triplicensis. Protomicrocornus may constitute a sister group of other hyolithids. The teeth of Parkula bounites and clavicles of Parakorilithes mammillatus are documented for the first time. The hyolith assemblages from North China are probably coeval, and can be correlated with the Cambrian upper Stage 3–lower Stage 4. Many taxa are also globally distributed and have significant potential for biostratigraphical correlations. In accordance, the hyoliths from North China reveal closest compositional similarities to faunas from eastern Gondwana, and especially South Australia. However, some taxa are shared with Laurentian assemblages suggesting cosmopolitanism, and possibly planktonic larval dispersal.Bing Pan* [bpan@nigpas.ac.cn], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Christian B. Skovsted [christian.skovsted@nrm.se], Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; Haijing Sun [hjsun1987@163.com], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Guoxiang Li [gxli@nigpas.ac.cn], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China. *Also affiliated with: University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China and Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.

Epiclastic sedimentation and stratigraphy in the North Spirit Lake and Rainy Lake areas: A comparison

The late Cambrian–Early Ordovician siliciclastic sequence in central northern Tasmania represents an excellent case study to document the transition from an active rifting succession to a post-rift system. Initial rifting created a complex system of half-graben, providing accommodation space for large volumes of basement-derived material. These half-graben were initially filled with coarse-grained alluvial fan sediments and a thick, syn-rift, low-sinuosity, multiple-channel braided fluvial succession. The uppermost sequence comprises a post-rift, regional, shallow marine, transgressive sandstone and mudstone package. Six broad lithofacies have been recognised in the late Cambrian–Early Ordovician siliciclastic sequence: Four lithofacies are interpreted to represent terrestrial alluvial fan (displaying debris flow, sheet-flow and channel-flow geometries) and braided fluvial deposits (transitioning between proximal and distal sedimentological characteristics upsection), while two represent marginal-marine (tidal) to shallow marine environments (dominated by heterolithic bedding, and varying degrees and styles of bioturbation). Adjacent lithofacies often display marked lateral variations in both thickness and grain-size, suggesting accelerated changes in the volume of sediment flux and/or the rate of tectonic subsidence, particularly of the basal, coarse-grained, conglomerate-rich sequences where the varying composition and texture suggests considerable relief on hinterland palaeotopography. A revised stratigraphic framework for the late Cambrian–Early Ordovician siliciclastics of central northern Tasmania is presented based on lithofacies and lithofacies associations. The Roland Formation forms the lower stratigraphic unit and comprises generally fining-up, conglomerate-dominated alluvial fan and proximal, low-sinuosity, multiple-channel braided river successions associated with syn-rift sedimentation. A hiatus in the extensional tectonics is recorded by a regionally extensive unconformity between the Roland Formation and the overlying Moina Formation, named the intra-Owen Group Unconformity. The Moina Formation marks a transition from high energy, terrestrial, conglomerate-rich sequences of the Roland Formation, to more moderate energy sandstone-dominated sequences that typically display an increasing marine signature towards the top of the unit. Three distinct sedimentary successions are recognised within the Moina Formation, and member status has been given to each of these since the distribution and relationships between these stratal packages is fundamental in understanding the mature phase of the late Cambrian–Early Ordovician extensional event, and the post-rift transgressive system. The terrestrial braided fluvial, channelised sandstone and minor conglomerate of the Badgers Range Member are superseded by interbedded, fine- to medium-grained sandstone deposited in a tidal regime (Deloraine Member) that is in turn overlain by thinly bedded, heavily bioturbated, shallow marine mudstone and fine-grained sandstone (Caroline Creek Member). Sedimentological principles, including provenance studies and palaeocurrent analysis, are used to document the basin configuration and structural framework of the rift system. The spatial and temporal migration of depocentres can be documented such as in the Badgers Range where two fining-up successions are separated by the intra-Owen Group Unconformity with the lower quartzite-dominated Roland Formation being succeeded by the chert lithic-rich Moina Formation. It is apparent that depocentres were compartmentalised by topographic highs, and the sedimentary fill of these depocentres reflects the lithological composition of these highs. In addition, the observed general decrease in grain-size is not uniform, and there are numerous changes in sedimentation as a consequence of fluxes in uplift and subsidence in the source and basinal areas. The distribution of thickly-bedded, coarse-grained conglomerate sequences, the juxtaposition of differing lithological successions, and the construction of geological cross-sections give insights to the location and position of several major bounding faults. These faults were subsequently reactivated during the Early–Middle Devonian Tabberabberan Orogeny, and a significant amount of reverse movement is recorded on the basis of structural restorations. Regional palaeogeographic reconstructions of the Early Ordovician (Tremadocian; 480 Ma) (Cocks, 2001) demonstrate that Tasmania was located outboard of the eastern margin of Gondwana, situated north of the palaeoequator between latitudes 10° and 20°. The late Cambrian through Ordovician tropical climate was dominated by the influence of a strong, extended greenhouse effect. The lack of sediment stabilisation by plants and rootlets in this Early Palaeozoic, vegetation-free, terrestrial landscape resulted in alluvial and fluvial depositional processes being markedly different from their present day counterparts, since vegetation exerts significant influence on a variety of environmental factors. In particular, energy levels and run-off rates would have been greater, fluctuations in energy levels more extreme, and high energy events more frequent. These conditions would likely have been amplified by the relatively high precipitation rates associated with the tropical palaeogeographic position of Tasmania. Likewise, wind processes would have played a far greater role than present with regards to the removal of clay- and silt-sized particles from the depositional setting, and this may explain the paucity of claystone and siltstone in these terrestrial environments.

Comments on the paper by Pleijel et al. (2008): Vouching for GenBank