First record of the Hirnantian (Upper Ordovician) δ13C excursion in the North American Midcontinent and its regional implications

2006 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
pp. 657-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
STIG M. BERGSTRÖM ◽  
MATTHEW M. SALTZMAN ◽  
BIRGER SCHMITZ

The most prominent of the two major global δ13C excursions in the Ordovician, the Hirnantian δ13C excursion (HICE), which is previously recorded from the uppermost Ordovician in a few sections in Nevada, Quebec, Arctic Canada, Baltoscandia, Scotland and China, is documented for the first time from the North American Midcontinent. Samples through the Girardeau Limestone and Leemon Formation in Missouri and Illinois show elevated δ13C values of +4‰ to +5‰. Although not determined precisely, the beginning of the HICE is likely to be in the upper part of the Orchard Creek Shale, and it ends in the upper Leemon Formation. Being extraordinarily useful chronostratigraphically, the presence of the HICE makes it possible to provide a firm dating of the study interval, whose age has long been controversial. Comparison between the study sections and coeval HICE sequences in North America and Europe show striking similarities, especially in sea-level history, indicating that major local lowstands reflect eustatic sea-level changes. A comparison with Hirnantian diamictite successions in North and South Africa and Argentina suggests that these lowstands correspond to two major Gondwanan glacial episodes.

1992 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 149-149
Author(s):  
Jisuo Jin

Three rhynchonellid brachiopod genera, Hiscobeccus, Lepidocyclus, and Hypsiptycha, are the most diagnostic elements of the Lepidocyclus fauna of North America in Late Ordovician time. These are characterized by relatively large, strongly biconvex to globular shells with coarse imbricating growth lamellae and, internally, with septiform cardinal processes in brachial valves. Among the three genera, Hiscobeccus appears the earliest, now known from rocks of late Trentonian-Edenian age in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and Mackenzie Mountains. Morphologically, Hiscobeccus is distinguished from the other two genera by its open delthyrium in the pedicle valve. Early forms of Hiscobeccus show close morphological similarity to Rhynchotrema in their non-globular biconvex shells covered by strong growth lamellae only in the anterior portions. It has been suggested that Hiscobeccus evolved from the Rhynchotrema wisconsinense stock through increase in shell size, globosity, and strength of growth lamellae. Earliest species of Rhynchotrema has been documented convincingly from rocks of early Trentonian age, and the derivation of Hiscobeccus most likely took place during the mid-Trentonian. Lepidocyclus and Hypsiptycha evolved from either Rhynchotrema or Hiscobeccus by developing a pair of deltidial plates covering the delthyrium.Rhynchotrema and other rhynchonellids that evolved before mid-Trentonian time are common to the North American (Laurentian) and the Siberia-Kazakhstan paleocontinents. In contrast, Hiscobeccus, Lepidocyclus, and Hypsiptycha that evolved after the mid-Trentonian are virtually restricted to Laurentia. Therefore, Rhynchotrema marked the last successful intercontinental migration of rhynchonellids during their Llandeilian-Caradocian cosmopolitanism. The pronounced provincialism of the North American Lepidocyclus fauna may have been caused by a number of factors. Facies control is not likely the explanation because these rhynchonellids occur in nearly all the inland and marginal platform seas of Laurentia and commonly are found together in the same types of rocks. Plate tectonics and sea-level changes are considered major causes. The Ordovician rhynchonellids lived in shallow marine (intertidal-subtidal) environments and were incapable of crossing vast, deep oceanic barriers because of their sedentary mode of life and short-lived motile larval stages. The widening of the ocean between North America and Siberia, coupled with high sea-level stand, may have created a sufficiently wide oceanic barrier to interrupt faunal mixing between the two paleocontinents by late Trentonian time. Moreover, the rise in sea level would have resulted in the disappearance of island faunas, which could have served as stepping stones for intercontinental migration of shallow-water benthic faunas during low sea-level stand.


2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (12) ◽  
pp. 2053-2066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuchun Jing ◽  
Svend Stouge ◽  
Yufeng Tian ◽  
Xunlian Wang ◽  
Hongrui Zhou

AbstractThe Katian (Upper Ordovician) Shiyanhe Formation at the Sigang section, Neixiang area, Henan Province, central China, has been investigated for carbon isotope (δ13Ccarb) chemostratigraphy. The carbon isotopic data document signal between the two major Ordovician positive shifts in δ13C, the early Katian Guttenberg and the Hirnantian excursions. The Kope (Ka1/2), Fairview (Ka2/3), Waynesville (Ka3/4), Whitewater (Ka4) excursions and a doubtful Elkhorn (Ka4) excursion are identified herein. The continuous and well-defined conodont zonal succession of the Sigang section provides a secure biostratigraphic framework for the mid-late Katian carbon isotope chemostratigraphy in China. Correlation between carbon-isotope data curve and the relative sea-level changes shows no clear correspondence, and hence the sea-level change is probably not the main driver of δ13C excursions during the Katian. Intercontinentally, the mid–late Katian carbon isotope excursions, identified mainly in the North American and Baltoscandian successions, are useful for improving long-distance stratigraphic correlations. This further suggests that these excursions represent global perturbations in the carbon cycle.


Author(s):  
Melanya Stan

The sap beetle, Stelidota geminata (Say, 1825) originates from the North American continent and was introduced in Europe, Oriental Region and in the Near East. It is recorded from Romania for the first time.


1997 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 193-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heli Valkama ◽  
Petri Martikainen ◽  
Mika Räty

The North American ambrosia beetle Gnathotrichus materiarius is reported for the first time in Finland. One specimen was caught by a Ips typographus pheromone trap in Vantaa in 1996. The species was introduced to Europe from North Americain 1933, and since then it has spread to many Middle European countries. It is possible that this species has already become established in Fennoscandia, because of repeated introductions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 4585-4594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuo Suzuki ◽  
Masayoshi Ishii

Abstract Using historical ocean hydrographic observations, decadal to multidecadal sea level changes from 1951 to 2007 in the North Pacific were investigated focusing on vertical density structures. Hydrographically, the sea level changes could reflect the following: changes in the depth of the main pycnocline, density gradient changes across the pycnocline, and modification of the water mass density structure within the pycnocline. The first two processes are characterized as the first baroclinic mode. The changes in density stratification across the pycnocline are sufficiently small to maintain the vertical profile of the first baroclinic mode in this analysis period. Therefore, the first mode should represent mainly the dynamical response to the wind stress forcing. Meanwhile, changes in the composite of all modes of order greater than 1 (remaining baroclinic mode) can be attributed to water mass modifications above the pycnocline. The first baroclinic mode is associated with 40–60-yr fluctuations in the subtropical gyre and bidecadal fluctuations of the Kuroshio Extension (KE) in response to basin-scale wind stress changes. In addition to this, the remaining baroclinic mode exhibits strong variability around the recirculation region south of the KE and regions downstream of the KE, accompanied by 40–60-yr and bidecadal fluctuations, respectively. These fluctuations follow spinup/spindown of the subtropical gyre and meridional shifts of the KE shown in the first mode, respectively. A lag correlation analysis suggests that interdecadal sea level changes due to water mass density changes are a secondary consequence of changes in basin-scale wind stress forcing related to the ocean circulation changes associated with the first mode.


2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Marrone ◽  
Murtada D. Naser ◽  
Gh. Yasser Amaal ◽  
Francesco Sacco ◽  
Marco Arculeo

1906 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 301-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. R. Cowper Reed

A Small collection of fossils from the Bokkeveld Beds has recently been sent to me for identification by the South African Museum, and some of them have been generously presented to the Sedgwick Museum. Amongst this material it is interesting to find some genera not previously recorded from the Cape and some new species. The majority of the specimens are in the condition of internal casts, and hence present especial difficulties in their determination, so that in a few cases some uncertainty must remain as to the generic position of the fossils. However, I am able to record for the first time from these beds the occurrence of the well-known lamellibranchiate genus Buchiola, and of a shell which may be identified with Nyussa arguta, Hall, of the North American Devonian. The genus Buchiola occurs in argillaceous nodules from the Zwartberg Pass crowded with individuals of the species which I have named B. subpalmata and with a few examples of an undetermined species. No other associated fossils can be recognised in these nodules, but I am informed that an abundant fauna is found in the beds at this locality.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4952 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-522
Author(s):  
OLEKSIY BIDZILYA

First and additional host-plant records for 38 species of Gelechiidae from South Africa and Kenya are presented. An annotated list with brief descriptions of larval biology and known geographical distributions is presented. Three species are described as new: Mesophleps kruegeri sp. nov. (Namibia: Kavango Region and South Africa: Limpopo Province), Istrianis inquilinus sp. nov. (South Africa: North West Province), and Teleiopsis sharporum sp. nov. (South Africa: Limpopo Province). The new combination Istrianis epacria (Bradley, 1965) comb. nov. is proposed. The male genitalia of Hypatima melanecta (Meyrick, 1914) is described for the first time. It is noticed that male hitherto associated with T. commaculata (Meyrick, 1918) in fact refers to T. pundamilia Bidzilya & Mey, 2018. Hypatima stasimodes (Meyrick, 1931), Dichomeris coenulenta (Meyrick, 1927), Dichomeris eustacta Meyrick, 1921, Neotelphusa similella Janse, 1958 and Argophara epaxia Janse, 1963 are recorded for the first time from South Africa, and Istrianis epacria is new for Kenya. The adults, male and female genitalia are illustrated for some species mentioned in paper. The first record of the genus Teleiopsis Sattler, 1960 from South Africa is briefly discussed. 


2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 444-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueping Ma ◽  
Jed Day

The cyrtospiriferid brachiopod genus Tenticospirifer Tien, 1938, is revised based on restudy of the type species from the Frasnian (Late Devonian) of the Russian Platform. As revised the genus includes cyrtospiriferid species with pyramidal ventral valves, catacline ventral interareas, a narrow delthyrium, few sinal plications, and lack a median dorsal septum and pseudodeltidium. All species retained in the genus are of Givetian and Frasnian age. All Famennian age species described from South China and North America are rejected from the genus. It appears that Tenticospirifer evolved during the early Givetian in western Europe and remained endemic to that region during the remainder of the Givetian. Successive migrations of Tenticospirifer from eastern Laurussia to North America, then to South China and possibly Australia, coincided with middle and late Frasnian eustatic sea level rises, respectively. The North American species Spirifera cyrtinaformis Hall and Whitfield, 1872, and related species identified as Tenticospirifer by North American workers, are reassigned to Conispirifer Lyashenko, 1985. Its immigration to and widespread dispersal in carbonate platforms of western Laurussia, northern Gondwana and tropical island arcs (?) coincided with a major late Frasnian eustatic sea level rise. The new family Conispiriferidae is proposed with Conispirifer Lyashenko, 1985, selected as the type genus. The new family also includes the new genus Pyramidaspirifer with Platyrachella alta Fenton and Fenton, 1924, proposed as the type species. The affinity of the new family remains uncertain pending restudy of key genera currently included in the Superfamily Cyrtospiriferoidea. Available data from the Devonian brachiopod literature indicate that species of Pyramidaspirifer are restricted to late Frasnian deposits of central and western North America.


1992 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 324-324
Author(s):  
Keith Young

In northeastern Chihuahua and Trans-Pecos Texas, in the early Late Albian zone of Hysteroceras varicosum occurs the Boeseites romeri (Haas) fauna with B. romeri (Hass), B. perarmata (Hass), B. aff. barbouri (Haas), B. cf. howelli (Haas), B.proteus (Haas), Prohysteroceras cf. P. hanhaense Haas, Elobiceras sp., and Dipoloceras (?) sp. B. perarmata has also been collected at Cerro Mercado, near Monclova, Coahuila. Haas originally described this fauna from Angola. Now, from rocks in the same zone in the Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico, there is a form related to if not identical with Hysteroceras famelicum Van Hoepen, also originally described from Angola and also from the zone of Hysteroceras varicosum.These fossils are known only from southern North America and Angola; they have not been described from the European Tethys. In 1984 I suggested that during the highstand of sea level of the early Late Albian (Hysteroceras varicosum zone) these ammonites migrated from Angola to Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas via an epeiric seaway extending across the sag between South America and Africa proposed by Kennedy and Cooper. This would be twelve to fifteen million years prior to an oceanic connection between the North and South Atlantic.I would now ask, can similar epeiric seas and highstands of sea level explain the migration of successive European, Tethyan, Jurassic ammonite faunas down the Mozambique Channel and around the horn of Africa into the Neuquen Basin of Argentina before Africa and Antarctica separated, as proposed by Spath.


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