Stratigraphic Range Research Articles

Early Pleistocene Caniformia from Palan-Tyukan (Azerbaijan)

The Early Pleistocene site of Palan-Tyukan (MNQ18, ca 1.85 Mya) is located in Transcaucasia, northwestern Azerbaijan. In total, more than 300 mammalian bones were collected there by M.V. Sablin in 1986 and 1990. The remains were laid close to each other in a 25 m2 lens-like accumulation, in a stratum of normally magnetized (the upper part of the Olduvai subchron) yellowish-grey Lower Apsheron loams. No any excavations have been carried here out since. The present study is based on the analysis of the Caniformia remains. The occurrence of raccoon dog in Palan-Tyukan provides knowledge about the Eurasian stratigraphic range of this taxon: it represents one of the latiest records of the species Nyctereutes megamastoides (Pomel, 1842) in all of Europe. The bear tooth (was found earlear by N.A. Lebedeva nearby) is ascribed here to the species Ursus etruscus Cuvier, 1823. The taxonomic scenario of the Plio-Pleistocene tribe Galictini of Eurasia is intricate and has been debated since the beginning of the last century. The dispute arose mainly due to the scantiness and the sparse nature of their fossil record. The main conclusion about the Pannonictis nestii (Martelli, 1906) remains from Palan-Tyukan was reached after a detailed morphological and metrical analysis. Palearctic badger remains were assigned to the species Meles thorali Viret, 1950 – the ancestor of the European and Asian badgers. The occurrence of M. thorali in Palan-Tyukan represents one of the latiest records of the species. The otter material from Palan-Tyukan is here referred to Lutraeximia cf. umbra Cherin et al., 2016. A Caniformia community of the Palan-Tyukan presents evidence of the wider variety of environments ranging from wooded areas with bodies of water to scrub and even savanna landscape in a relatively humid subtropical climate. The fauna of Palan-Tyukan is an important biostratigrafic reference fauna for mammal zonation in Europe. New discoveries can also help to clarify the taxonomic status of many of these extinct forms.

Integrated study of the Doushantuo Formation in northwestern Hunan Province: Implications for Ediacaran chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy in South China

The Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in South China documents profound biological and environmental changes after the Neoproterozoic global glaciations. However, since the geological records of these changes are scattered in various lithofacies, the establishment of the co-evolutionary pattern of life and environment largely relies on regional stratigraphic correlation. A negative δ13C excursion in the upper Doushantuo Formation in the shelf-margin facies has been correlated with different δ13C chemostratigraphic features in the Doushantuo Formation in the shelf-lagoon facies: either with EN3 (widely regarded as equivalent to the Shuram excursion in Oman) or with EN2, which occur respectively in the upper and middle Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area of South China. Here we report new litho-, chemo-, and biostratigraphic data of the Douoshantuo Formation at the Caojunba section in shelf-margin facies, where the lithostratigraphic sequence and carbon isotopic profile resemble those at other shelf-margin sections, e.g., the Yangjiaping and Zhongling sections. Diverse microfossils including nine genera and eighteen species of acanthomorphic acritarchs are found from the upper Doushantuo Formation at Caojunba, which represent to date the first report of the upper Doushantuo acritarch assemblage from the shelf-margin facies in South China. The newly recovered microfossil assemblage includes Hocosphaeridium anozos, H. scaberfacium, Tanarium conoideum, and clustered leiospheres, and these taxa support the stratigraphic correlation of upper Doushantuo Formation between shelf-margin and shelf-lagoon facies. This correlation indicates that the interval with negative δ13C values in the upper Doushantuo Formation of shelf-margin facies is likely equivalent to EN3. This correlation also suggests that the δ13C profiles of the EN3/Shuram excursion interval in different facies in South China have various expressions (e.g., stratigraphic range, magnitude), making its regional and continental correlations more challenging. On the other hand, the discovery of acritarch assemblage characteristic of the upper Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area from shelf-margin facies confirms their potential as an independent stratigraphic tool in the subdivision and correlation of Ediacaran strata.

Different types of void space and quality of unconventional reservoirs in the Upper Devonian domanic high-carbon deposits of Mukhanovo-Erokhovsky trough (Volga-Ural basin)

Domanic deposits have already been studied in sufficient details. Various aspects of their study were described previosly in many works, but so far, these deposits have been considered mainly as source rocks. Domanic deposits are distributed in a wide stratigraphic range from the Middle Frasnian of the Late Devonian to the Tournaisian of the Early Carboniferous. In this paper, domanic formation is considered as an unconventional reservoir. Due to the complex and heterogeneous structure of rocks, their uneven saturation with organic matter and low porosity values, the methodology for assessing reservoir properties is at a low stage of production. An integrated study of the void space in such deposits, including macro- and microdescription of the core, analytical studies, makes it possible to predict zones with best quality of reservoirs and helped successfullу produce such deposits. In the section of domanic formation were identified the main lithotypes and characterized of each of them. Comparison of the types of void space identified in thin sections and reservoir properties made it possible to classify the main types of reservoirs and assess their quality.

Amphibian and reptilian fauna from the early Miocene of Echzell, Germany

The present study describes a rich amphibian and reptilian assemblage from the early Miocene locality Echzell, Germany. It consists of one allocaudate, five salamander, five frog, one gecko, chamaeleonids, anguine lizards, one lacertid, one skink and five snake taxa. The entire herpetofauna of Echzell is represented by genera and/or families very broadly known from the early Miocene of Europe. Contrary to other early Miocene herpetofaunas, the Echzell assemblage includes surprisingly only one form of crocodile-newts (Chelotriton). The EchzellPalaeobatrachus robustusrepresents the youngest record of the species and extends its stratigraphic range to the late early Miocene. Regarding chameleons, the frontal is partly preserved, but represents the first described frontal of the extinct speciesChamaeleo andrusovi. The only anguine lizard that can be identified in the assemblage is represented by a new genus and speciesSmithosaurus echzellensis.Our phylogenetic analyses consistently recovered it as the sister taxon to either [Ophisauriscus quadrupes+Ophisaurus holeci] + [Anguis+Ophisaurus] (in the first analysis) or [Anguis+Ophisaurus] (in the second analysis). However, the results are based on limited fossil material – the parietal – and the support for the clade is very low. Thus, the interpretation of theSmithosaurusrelationship among anguines needs to be taken with caution and has to be tested in further studies. Among snakes,Natrix longivertebratarepresents the oldest record of the species and extends the stratigraphic range of this fossil snake back to the early Miocene. In addition, we provide here a broader comparison of the Echzell amphibian and reptilian assemblage with their European records for the MN3 and MN4 biostratigraphical units. Besides that, the entire herpetofauna of Echzell includes very broadly known early Miocene European forms. Remains of other groups of the same period such as Bufonidae, Hylidae, Pelodytidae, Amphisbaenia, Varanidae, Cordylidae,Pseudopus, are not found in the material available to us. We also conclude that the amphibian and reptilian fossil record across MN3–MN4 is significantly biased by taphonomic and/or environmental conditions. The amphibian and reptilian assemblage of Echzell is rich in forms living in humid and warm environments with forested areas, permanent water bodies and also some open habitats. The following climatic parameters can be reconstructed based on the herpetofauna: a mean annual temperature of 17.4–28.8 °C, minimal warm month temperature 18–28.3 °C, minimal cold month temperature 8–22.2 °C, and mean annual precipitation with a value of 791±254 mm.

The Ordovician trilobiteOenonellaand the new family Oenonellidae, with new species from western Newfoundland, Canada

AbstractThe tiny Ordovician trilobiteOenonellaFortey, 1980 has previously been known only from cranidia and pygidia of its Middle Ordovician type species. Two new species,Oenonella wasisnameiandO. otherfellersorum, from the Darriwilian Table Cove Formation, western Newfoundland, Canada, are known from silicified material that provides new information on the librigena, ventral morphology, and intraspecific variation within the group. The stratigraphic range of the genus is extended downward by an occurrence in the Floian of the Shallow Bay Formation, western Newfoundland. New knowledge ofOenonellaconfirms its likely phylogenetic relationship withProscharyiaPeng, 1990, known from the Tremadocian of South China. In addition, the overlookedAmechilusRoss, 1951, seems to belong to the same group. BothOenonellaandProscharyiahave in the past been assigned to the aulacopleuride family Scharyiidae Osmólska, 1957. New silicified material effectively rules out this possibility. The broader affinity of the group remains obscure, but together the three genera are assigned to the new family Oenonellidae.UUID:http://zoobank.org/ee3ce7ed-3d9b-4730-a5cb-cf680df418ec

A late Asbian (Mississippian) stratotype for England: Trowbarrow Quarry, Cumbria, UK

AbstractA detailed biostratigraphy is established, using the high foraminiferal abundance and diversity at Trowbarrow Quarry, which is also proposed as a stratotype section for the late Asbian (late Visean), a substage not previously formally subdivided. The foraminiferal assemblages suggest that the early Asbian has to be revised, which has implications for the chronostratigraphy of many late Visean outcrops in Britain, which are probably erroneously interpreted. From the upper part of the Park Limestone Formation at Trowbarrow Quarry, near the base of the section, the transition between foraminifers assigned to the early and late Asbian (Cf6α–β to Cf6γ subzones) is identified. The Urswick Limestone Formation contains excellent biostratigraphic records of many important taxa, enabling the subdivision of the formation into five foraminiferal assemblage zones for the late Asbian, namely Cf6γ1a, Cf6γ1b, Cf6γ2a, Cf6γ2b and Cf6γ2c. The last assemblage is currently recognized only in the North Pennines and at Trowbarrow. These assemblages enable revision of the stratigraphic range of many taxa used as biostratigraphic markers in Britain and Ireland. Owing to its excellent foraminiferal record, the late Asbian subdivisions will significantly facilitate the reinterpretation of other well‐known Asbian platform carbonate successions in Britain. Although there are some faunal differences, the base of the late Asbian can be confidently correlated to other European zonal schemes, with its base being equivalent to the base of the former V3bγ or more recent MFZ14 foraminiferal zones of Belgium, and the base of the Mikhailovian Substage in Russia.

The aberrant hamster Melissiodon (Cricetidae, Rodentia) from the early Miocene of Echzell and other German and French localities

ABSTRACT Melissiodon is a rare cricetid with a long stratigraphic range, present from the Oligocene until the Miocene, only found in western and central Europe except some specimens recovered in Anatolia. What makes Melissiodon special is its unique dental and mandible morphology that has led to many questions regarding its relationship to other cricetid genera and its type of diet. In this work, we have studied new material attributed to Melissiodon from the German localities Echzell (MN4) and Petersbuch (MN3 and MN4), and from the French locality Beaulieu (MN3). Moreover, we compared these specimens with the already published material from other localities across western and central Europe during the early Miocene (MN3 and MN4). In conclusion, the studied specimens and the comparison with other material from different European localities allow us to ascribe this new material as Melissiodon dominans, a widely dispersed species across Europe during the early Miocene

New data on the geographic and stratigraphic range of the Mesozoic fossil wood genera Protocedroxylon and Xenoxylon in the Arctic region

Protocedroxylon Gothan and Xenoxylon Gothan are two biogeographically important Mesozoic fossil wood genera. They are the witnesses of a boreal flora whose periodic extensions towards the south characterize Mesozoic climatic oscillations. However, previously documented Arctic records of these taxa are known mostly by poorly dated specimens. A new well-preserved and well-dated fossil wood material is described from the Upper Jurassic deposits of Franz Josef Land Archipelago (Russian Arctic). We studied this new material and evidenced two taxa, Protocedroxylon araucarioides Gothan and Xenoxylon phyllocladoides Gothan. We re-examined the fossil woods of Xenoxylon with the same provenance described by Shilkina (1967) as X. barberi (Seward) Kräusel and re-assigned them to the X. phyllocladoides-group. A review of Protocedroxylon and Xenoxylon from northern high palaeolatitudes allows us to better understand the spatial and temporal extension of the flora that yielded to the Protocedroxylon and Xenoxylon fossil wood assemblage.

Revised late Cenozoic foraminifer biostratigraphy of the Eskiköy Formation (Aksu Basin), SW Turkey and its paleoenvironmental conditions

The Aksu Basin, near Antalya, is an important area from many aspects of the geology as it hosts the youngest marine deposits of the western Taurides in southwestern Turkey. These marine deposits play an important role in revealing the response of the Eastern Mediterranean coasts to the post-Zanclean transgression following the Messinian Salinity Crisis and provide a chronological record for detailing the late Cenozoic regional tectonic and sedimentary features. Therefore, biostratigraphic reconstruction of this basin is essential to enhance our understanding of the late Cenozoic evolution of the region and the response of the Eastern Mediterranean realm to climatic shifts. Here, we present an updated foraminifer biostratigraphy of the topmost part of the Eskiköy Formation in the Aksu Basin, a member of the Neogene Antalya basins. The studied Kargı section, located in the northern part of the Aksu Basin, contains planktic foraminifer species such as Neogloboquadrina pachyderma , Globigerinoides tenellus , Globigerinoides obliquus obliquus, and Globoturborotalita rubescens, and benthic foraminifers Bulimina marginata and Saidovina karreriana. These species are important bioevent markers in the Mediterranean Region. Accordingly, we update the stratigraphic range of the Eskiköy Formation found in southwestern Turkey extending it to the Pleistocene falling in MPle1a Neogloboquadrina spp. sx Interval Subzone, more specifically between 1.54 and 1.36 Ma, which previously was considered to be of Pliocene age. This age interval is also in agreement with the previous studies that reported Calabrian-Chibanian aged marine deposits in the Mut Basin, southern Turkey. • Pleistocene bioevent marker planktic and benthic foraminifers were identified. • The sedimentation of the Aksu Basin in southwestern Turkey did not end in the Late Pliocene but continued during the Calabrian. • The Aksu Basin marks a period of low temperatures and lowered sea-level stands during the Calabrian.

THE PALEOGENE SEDIMENT IN SOUTH SUMATRA - WHERE HAS IT GONE?

It has been widely known that South Sumatra Basin yields Paleogene successions (Ferdiyanto et al., 2003). These successions consist of Lemat and Talang Akar Formations (De Coster, 1974) or Lahat and Lower Talang Akar Formations (Clure et al., 2002). The regional stratigraphy of the South Sumatra Basin is shown in Figure 1. The Paleogene sediment is interpreted to form within the occurrence of horst and graben which was caused by the formation of Semangko dextral fault as a result of Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary tectonism (Suwidiyanto, 2003). In its study, LEMIGAS (2001) classified these successions as the synrift deposit because they were deposited during rifting phase which presumably occurred in Oligo-Miocene age. In fact, finding the Paleogene synrift sediment in South Sumatra is a serious matter. Most studied wells provided by the client lacks biostratigraphic evidences of Paleogene age. The author contributed to this study by investigating the fossil contents of the studied sediment. The result of the biostratigraphic analysis of this sediment encourages the author to publish it as presented in this paper. Therefore, this paper is intended to disclose a comprehensive biostratigraphic data which is obtained from three different disciplines including foraminifer, nannoplankton and palynology. The Early Tertiary sediment in South Sumatra was generally deposited in the non-marine to transition (deltaic) environment (De Coster, 1973). The previous investigators show that this type of sediment contains rich palynomorph (Hasjim, 1993, Morley, 1995 and Lelono, 2003). Apparently, the age determination mostly referred to the occurrence of age diagnostic pollen. In this case, the appearance of peat swamp element of Meyeripollis naharkotensis is used to indicate the Oligocene sedi- ment (LEMIGAS, 1998). Unfortunately, it was lack of support from other microfossil study such as foraminifer and nannoplankton which resulted in least confidence to this interpretation. The occurrence of M. naharkotensis has been widely used to designate the Late Paleogene over the Southeast Asian Region (Morley, 1991 and Rahardjo et al., 1994). However, the stratigraphic range of M. naharkotensis is somewhat ambiguous as this pollen associates with the occurrence of coals indicating the ever-wet warm climate (Morley, 1991). In fact, this pollen ranges up as far as basal Late Miocene as recorded in the coaly succession of East Kalimantan (Lelono, 2003). On the other hand, in East Java, well section with least coal development shows the distribution of M. naharkotensis along the Oligocene section (Lelono, 2003). Nichols (1999) stated that the age indicators strongly controlled by facies reduce their stratigraphic value. This means that the occurrence of M. naharkotensis does not necessarily indicate the Late Paleogene. Therefore, it is suggested to consider the existence of coal lithology in applying M. naharkotensis for age interpretation. The occurrence of (?Late Oligocene)-Early Miocene rift sediments led to the conclusion that the rifting phase triggered by Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary tectonism occurred slightly later in South Sumatra than that in Central Sumatra (LEMIGAS, 2001). Meanwhile, In Central Sumatra, rift deposit occurred during Eocene-Oligocene time (Williams et al., 1985 and Longley et al., 1990). Although De Coster (1974) assumed that South and Central Sumatra Basins had very similar and related history and could be considered as one large basin with many troughs and grabens, the recent biostratigraphic data suggest distinct period of basin development between South and Central Sumatra. This interpretation may not be obtained without accurate biostratigraphic data. Therefore, this paper is published to provide biostratigraphic information which allows explorationists to possess better understanding of the South Sumatra Basin.

EOCENE-OLIGOCENE CLIMATE BASED ON PALYNOLOGICAL RECORDS

This study is a part of the investigation on Tertiary paleoclimate conducted by LEMIGAS Stratigraphy Group. The paleoclimate reconstruction covers most area of western Indonesia including South Sumatra Basin, Sunda-Asri Basin, Northeast Java Basin South Kalimantan and Northeast Java Basin, West Natuna and South Sulawesi (Figure 1). This paper is aimed to figure out the regional paleoclimate of western Indonesia which occurred during Eocene-Oligocene. In fact, the knowledge of paleoclimate is useful to define sea level changes which are believed to have relationship with stratigraphy and sedimentology of these areas. The paleoclimate interpretation can be approached using different tools such as biostratigraphy and geochemistry. In this study, paleoclimate is interpretated based on biostratigraphy (microfossil evidences) including palynomorph and foraminifer. Palynomorphs were mainly applied on the non-marine to transitional sections, whilst foraminifers were used in interpreting shallow to deep marine sediments. In fact, most interpretations rely on palynological evidences as these simply provide suitable data for paleoclimate analysis. In case of both microfossils appear in the same section, the paleoclimate interpretation based on palynomorph can be placed in a certain stratigraphic level which is defined based on the occurrence of the age-restricted foraminifer. The paleoclimate interpretation of certain strati- graphic level is based on the compilation of palynological and foraminiferal data deriving from different areas. This method is used to obtain representative picture of paleoclimate which occurs in the selected stratigraphic range of the western Indonesia

Sporoderm ultrastructure of some Devonian and Permian representatives of Biharisporites and their botanical affinity

The megaspore genus Biharisporites has a very wide stratigraphic range, being recorded from the Devonian to the Cretaceous. However, in situ these megaspores are known only from the Middle–Upper Devonian, from archaeopteridalean sporangia. Post-Devonian producers of Biharisporites are so far unknown; the parent group can only be hypothesized from the spore morphology and ultrastructure, and from the composition of contemporaneous assemblages of macroremains. To contribute to the understanding of the botanical affinity of dispersed megaspores of the genus, we undertook a comparative ultrastructural study of several Biharisporites species from the Middle Devonian of Russia and the Lower Permian of India. Surprisingly, we found exclusively lycopsid variants of the sporoderm ultrastructure not only in the Permian spores, but also in the Devonian. Therefore, some megaspores of Biharisporites were produced by lycopsids even in the Middle Devonian. Megaspores of Biharisporites morphology have been produced by different groups of spore-bearing plants since the Middle Devonian, and the genus Biharisporites is heterogeneous.

Placodus (Placodontia, Sauropterygia) dentaries from Winterswijk, The Netherlands (middle Anisian) and Hünfeld, Hesse, Germany (late Anisian) with comments on ontogenetic changes

Two recently found dentaries from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk (The Netherlands) and from the Upper Muschelkalk of an outcrop in the vicinity of Hünfeld (Hesse, Germany) are studied and compared to lower jaws of placodonts. As a result, the here described specimens can be assigned to Placodus cf. gigas. However, this assignment should be regarded as preliminary due to the isolated nature of the material. More diagnostic material is necessary to validate this affiliation. A certain morphological variability in P. gigas dentaries that had been pointed out before is also obvious among the new material. Placodus gigas has a wide paleogeography and stratigraphic range and a revision of the material assigned to P. gigas with new methods is overdue but beyond the scope of the current paper. The dentary from Hünfeld is with about 4 cm preserved length the smallest so far known dentary of a Placodus. It provides interesting insights in morphological changes during ontogeny and reveals differences in trajectories when compared to dentaries of different ontogenetic stages of Cyamodus hildegardis.

Bryozoans Associated with Gastropod Shells in the Early Miocene of Patagonia (Argentina)

This study describes two new species of cheilostome bryozoans associated with gastropod shells from the Monte León Formation (Burdigalian, early Miocene), Argentine Patagonia. Burdwoodipora griffini sp. nov. is the second known species and the first fossil representative of the genus, whose geographic distribution is so far restricted to the Magellan region in the southern Southwest Atlantic. It differs from the type species, B. paguricola, in lacking suboral adventitious avicularia in most autozooids. Odontoporella miocenica sp. nov. is morphologically very close to the type species, the Recent O. adpressa, from which it differs in having smaller zooids with fewer areolae and relatively wider orifices. The stratigraphic range of Odontoporella is here extended from the Pleistocene to the early Miocene. Its geographic distribution includes southern South America, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, suggesting an austral origin of the genus in the Paleogene of former Gondwana. The possible association of these two species with paguroid crabs is discussed.

Mercury isotope evidence for regional volcanism during the Frasnian-Famennian transition

Mercury (Hg) concentrations and isotopes are widely used as proxies for volcanic inputs to paleodepositional systems. Enhanced volcanism during the Late Devonian was previously mainly inferred in the western Paleo-Tethys Ocean region from high Hg enrichments around the Upper Kellwasser horizon (UKW) and Frasnian-Famennian Boundary (FFB). In this study, we generated high-resolution Hg concentration data for four UKW-FFB sections (Walnut Creek and Dupont-GHS in the U.S.A., and Yangdi and Nandong in South China) and Hg isotope data for two of them (Walnut Creek and Nandong) in order to test the geographic distribution and stratigraphic range of volcanic inputs during the Frasnian-Famennian transition. Within the uppermost Frasnian Palmatolepis linguiformis Zone and the lowermost Famennian Lower Pa. triangularis Zone, Nandong (Paleo-Tethys Ocean) exhibits enrichment factors (HgEF > 2) and mass independent fractionations (MIF) of odd isotopes (Δ199Hg ∼0 ‰) that are consistent with significant volcanic inputs. Positive Δ199Hg values and an absence of Hg enrichments in the equivalent stratigraphic intervals at Walnut Creek and Dupont-GHS (peri-Panthalassic region) indicate that Late Devonian volcanism was a regional rather than a global phenomenon, and that it may have been associated with subduction zones and/or a large igneous province (LIP) of limited size in the Paleo-Tethyan region rather than with a major continental LIP of potentially global significance.

Astrochronologic calibration of the Shuram carbon isotope excursion with new data from South China

The Shuram carbon isotope excursion (CIE) is the largest negative CIE in geological history that may have recorded dramatic changes in Earth's surface environments, yet its time, duration, and global synchroneity have been debated. In South China, the Shuram CIE has been correlated with the negative CIE of the upper Doushantuo Formation (named as EN3 or DOUNCE). It is previously suggested that the Shuram CIE in South China stratigraphically consists of the upper Member 3 and Member 4, with an ending age of ca. 551 Ma. Recent studies, however, demonstrated that the EN3 or DOUNCE shifts to near zero or positive carbon isotope (δ13C) values within carbonate rocks of the Doushantuo Member 3. To better understand the duration of this CIE and its spatial variability, we have conducted a high-resolution cyclostratigraphic study using magnetic susceptibility (MS) in two sections: the Zhengjiatang section that preserves a complete EN3 in carbonate rocks of the Doushantuo Member 3 and the Wuhe-Gaojiaxi (WG) drillcore in which the EN3 does not shift to positive δ13C values until the end of the Member 4 black shales. In both sections, power spectral analyses of the MS series of the carbonate rocks reveal periodicities that match well with those of the Milankovitch cycles at 570 Ma. The duration of the Shuram CIE is estimated to be 6.1 ± 0.2 Myr by counting the interpreted 405-kyr sedimentary cycles observed in the Zhengjiatang section. Taking the newly reported ReOs age of 567.3 ± 3.0 Ma as the approximate termination age, the Shuram CIE in the best-preserved section in South China is constrained between ca. 573.4 and 567.3 Ma. Regional correlation, however, shows a ≥ 1 Myr stratigraphic hiatus or unconformity at the top of the Doushantuo Member 3 that separates the Shuram CIE from overlying post-Shuram ẟ13C “excursions”. Similar phenomena may exist in the Shuram CIE documented from stratigraphic successions in Oman, Australia, and the Death Valley region of western United States. The results invoke a reevaluation of the stratigraphic range of the Shuram CIE and suggest that the geochemical records documented from the black shales of the Doushantuo Member 4 and its globally correlative intervals may record paleoceanographic conditions millions of years after the Shuram CIE. Comparison of astrochronologically calibrated δ13C profiles reveals significant difference in the shape and amplitude of the Shuram CIE among the sections in South China and globally, which may have been caused by isotopic departure in local depositional environments and/or diagenetic overprints.

Type I kerogen in the Bazhenov formation rocks of the West Siberian petroleum basin

The Bazhenov Formation rocks contain thin luminescent layers enriched in type I kerogen, which is unique for the bulk of the organic matter of the Bazhenov Formation of the West Siberian petroleum basin. The article provides a detailed characterization of the mineral and organic parts and proposed origin of these layers, called by the authors “alginite-rich layers”. The wide distribution of the luminescent alginite-rich layers over the central part of Western Siberia in a single stratigraphic range allows them to be used as marking horizons, as well as for assessing the thermal maturity of kerogen. This study contributes to understanding the diversity of processes that form the organic-rich deposits of the Bazhenov Formation.

The first protopsyllidiid (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) from the Upper Jurassic of Australia

The Protopsyllidiidae are an extinct group of plant-sucking hemipterans that were distributed worldwide. However, Jurassic and Cretaceous taxa have only been reported from the Northern Hemisphere. Here we describe and illustrate a new protopsylliidid, Talbragaropsyllidium averyi gen. et sp. nov., based on 11 well-preserved specimens from the Upper Jurassic Talbragar Fish Bed of New South Wales, Australia. These specimens represent the first Jurassic protopsyllidiid documented from both the Southern Hemisphere and Gondwana, which significantly extends the distributional and stratigraphical range of the family. Yuling Li [yulingli@connect.hku.hk] and Su-Chin Chang [suchin@hku.hk], Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Michael Frese [michael.frese@canberra.edu.au], Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2601, Australia; Robert Beattie [rgbeattie@bigpond.com], Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; Jun Chen [rubiscada@sina.com], Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Shuangling Road, Linyi 276000, China; Yuling Li and Jun Chen also affiliated with 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, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Albian-Maastrichtian planispiral planktonic foraminifera traditionally assigned to Globigerinelloides

We propose a considerably revised taxonomy and phylogeny for Albian-Maastrichtian planispiral planktonic foraminiferal species that have traditionally been included in Globigerinelloides. The revised taxonomy is necessary because of a ~6 m.y. gap between the extinction of planispiral species during the late Aptian and the next younger occurrence of planispiral species in the middle Albian. Our stratophenetic taxonomic groupings utilize ontogenetic morphometric data, shell wall ultrastructure, and general morphologic features observed from Scanning Electron Microscope and X-radiograph images of primary type specimens and globally distributed hypotype specimens. The planispiral lineage Laeviella n. gen., whose type species is La. bentonensis (Morrow), first appeared in the middle Albian and is postulated to have evolved from the evolutionary series Ticinella primula Luterbacher-Laviella primuloides n. sp. Laeviella is characterized as having a smooth to finely pustulose wall texture and a moderate chamber size increase rate. Two additional species, La. tururensis (Bronnimann) and La. bollii (Pessagno), are included in Laeviella with the youngest species of the genus, La. bollii, becoming extinct during the late Campanian. Planohedbergella, with Plh. aspera (Ehrenberg) as its type species, is revised to include 10 species that show a wide variation in chamber arrangement, wall microstructure and test morphology, but all have a moderately to coarsely pustulose wall texture on some or most final whorl chambers. Its stratigraphic range is from the late Albian-Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary. The oldest species is Plh. ultramicra (Subbotina), which evolved from Planomalina pulchella Todd and Low during the late Albian. Planohedbergella circularis n. sp. is described as a new late Campanian-Maastrichtian species representing forms with evolute coiling, a large number of final whorl chambers, and a slow chamber size increase rate. Polycamerella n. gen. is described as a monospecific genus, with Po. tardata n. sp. as the type species. It is a small, biapertural form with a very slow chamber expansion rate and a stratigraphic range from the late Campanian-Maastrichtian. The ancestor of Po. tardata, is tentatively identified as Plh. ultramicra.

Early Oligocene brachiopods from the rocky-shore deposits at Mammendorf, central Germany

Thirteen species, belonging to eleven genera, i.e., Discinisca Dall, Novocrania Lee and Brunton, Lacazella Munier-Chalmas, Pliothyrina van Roy, Terebratulina d’Orbigny, Megathiris d’Orbigny, Argyrotheca Dall, Bronnothyris Popiel-Barczyk and Smirnova, Joania Álvarez, Brunton and Long, Platidia Costa and Megerlia King, have been identified in the lower Oligocene rocky-shore deposits at Mammendorf, central Germany. The occurrence of the species Discinisca fallens (Wood), Argyrotheca bitnerae Dulai and Megerlia truncate (Linnaeus) extends their stratigraphic range back to the early Oligocene. The affinity to the early Oligocene brachiopod fauna of the Mainz Basin is noted.