Maclurina manitobensis(Whiteaves) (Ordovician Gastropoda): the largest known Paleozoic gastropod

1992 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 880-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Rohr ◽  
Robert B. Blodgett ◽  
William M. Furnish

The concept of the Ordovician gastropod genusMacluritesLe Sueur, 1818, at present includes much variation.MaclurinaUlrichinUlrich and Scofield, 1897, is removed as a subjective synonym ofMacluritesand reestablished as a separate genus. Species ofMacluriteswith spiral grooves on the outer whorl surface and a relatively small umbilicus are transferred toMaclurina. Maclurina manitobensis(Whiteaves, 1890) forms a distinctive part of the Late Ordovician-age “Arctic Ordovician fauna.” An unusually large specimen (25 cm in diameter) from the Bighorn Dolomite (Upper Ordovician), Wyoming, is illustrated; this Wyoming specimen is the volumetrically largest Paleozoic gastropod ever reported.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Zhihua Yang ◽  
Xiuchun Jing ◽  
Hongrui Zhou ◽  
Xunlian Wang ◽  
Hui Ren ◽  
...  

Abstract Upper Ordovician strata exposed from the Baiyanhuashan section is the most representative Late Ordovician unit in the northwestern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). In total, 1,215 conodont specimens were obtained from 24 samples through the Wulanhudong and Baiyanhuashan formations at the Baiyanhuashan section. Thirty-six species belonging to 17 genera, including Tasmanognathus coronatus new species, are present. Based on this material, three conodont biozones—the Belodina confluens Biozone, the Yaoxianognathus neimengguensis Biozone, and the Yaoxianognathus yaoxianensis Biozone—have been documented, suggesting that the Baiyanhuashan conodont fauna has a stratigraphic range spanning the early to middle Katian. The Baiyanhuashan conodont fauna includes species both endemic to North China and widespread in tropical zones, allowing a reassessment of the previous correlations of the Katian conodont zonal successions proposed for North China with those established for shallow-water carbonate platforms at low latitudes. UUID: http://zoobank.org/7cedbd4a-4f7a-4be6-912f-a27fd041b586


2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1479-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Pojeta Jr. ◽  
Christopher A Stott

The new Ordovician palaeotaxodont family Nucularcidae and the new genus Nucularca are described. Included in Nucularca are four previously described species that have taxodont dentition: N. cingulata (Ulrich) (the type species), N. pectunculoides (Hall), N. lorrainensis (Foerste), and N. gorensis (Foerste). All four species are of Late Ordovician (Cincinnatian Katian) age and occur in eastern Canada and the northeastern USA. Ctenodonta borealis Foerste is regarded as a subjective synonym of Nucularca lorrainensis. No new species names are proposed. The Nucularcidae includes the genera Nucularca and Sthenodonta Pojeta and Gilbert-Tomlinson (1977). Sthenodonta occurs in central Australia in rocks of Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) age. The 12 family group names previously proposed for Ordovician palaeotaxodonts having taxodont dentition are reviewed and evaluated in the Appendix.


Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yizhou Huang ◽  
Zhenxue Jiang ◽  
Kun Zhang ◽  
Yan Song ◽  
Shu Jiang ◽  
...  

The effect of organic matter on hydrocarbon potential, storage space, and gas content of shale is well-known. Additionally, present-day content of sedimentary organic matter in shale is controlled by depositional and preservation processes. Therefore, a study of the enrichment mechanisms of sedimentary organic matter provides a scientific basis for the determination of favorable areas of shale gas. In this study the Upper Ordovician Xinkailing Fm. and the first member of the Lower Silurian Lishuwo Fm. were examined. Stratigraphic sequences were identified through conventional logs and elemental capture spectrum data. Oxygen isotope analysis was applied to recover paleotemperature of seawater in the study area. The excess silicon content was calculated and the origin of the silica was determined by the Fe-Al-Mn ternary plot. The enrichment mechanism of organic matter was analyzed by two aspects: redox conditions and paleoproductivity. As a result, the stratigraphic interval was divided into two 3rd-order sequences. Through oxygen isotope, the paleotemperature of seawater was 62.7–79.2 °C, providing evidence of the development of hydrothermal activity. Analysis of excess siliceous minerals identified two siliceous mineral origins: terrigenous and hydrothermal. It also revealed an upwards decreasing tendency in hydrothermal activity intensity. Strong hydrothermal activity during the Late Ordovician, recognized as TST1, formed a weak-oxidizing to poor-oxygen environment with high paleoproductivity, which promoted organic matter enrichment. During the Late Ordovician to the Early Silurian, identified as RST1, TST2, and RST2, weakening hydrothermal activity caused the decline of paleoproductivity and increased oxidation of bottom waters, leading to a relative decrease of organic matter content in the shale. Therefore, favorable areas of shale gas accumulation in the Upper Ordovician and Lower Silurian are determined stratigraphically as the TST1, with a high total organic carbonate content. Geographically, the hydrothermally-active area near the plate connection of the Yangtze and the Cathaysian is most favorable.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Shmeleva ◽  

The study of the spatial-temporal and paleoecological structures of the paleocenoses of the Bolshaya Kosyu reef showed that the sphinctozoic sponges Amblysiphonelloides reticulata Rigby & Potter, 1986 and Corymbospongia sp. starting from the late Ordovician could settle in sublittoral environments with active hydrodynamics in close connection with cyanobacteria, which played a leading role in the functioning of the trophic structure of this ecosystem. Fossilized biofilms and glycocalyx, tubular and worm-like bacteriomorphs found on the surface of sponges are evidence of active participation of microbial organisms in the life of sphinctozoal sponges.


1987 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 191-202
Author(s):  
M. J. Melchin

Ashgill age graptolites have been collected from seven sections of the Cape Phillips Formation across most of its outcrop belt. The earliest graptolite zone recognisable is that of Orthograptus fastigatus. It is correla­ted with the Dicellograptus ornatus · Zone of the northern Canadian Cordilllera and the Dicellograptus complexus Subzone of the Dicel/ograptus anceps Zone of Great Britain although no dicellograptids have been found at any of the present sections. The overlying zone is that of Paraorthograptus pacificus, an ea­sily recognisable zone around much of the world. Graptolites of the C/imacograptus extraordinarius and Glyptograptus persculptus zones appear to be en­tirely absent from this formation. This is attributed to the Late Ordovician glaciation which has induced regression and submarine erosion in many areas worldwide. The earliest recognisable Silurian zone varies from section to section due to buried or barren intervals and/or hiatuses of varying length. The Parakidograptus acuminatus Zone has been recognised at only one section. At the others, the Atavograptus atavus, the Lagarograptus acinaces-Coronograptus gregarius, the Monograptus convolutus or the Monograptus spiralis Zone (s.1.) are the earliest recognisable Silurian fau­nas. Relatively low fauna! diversities in the Ashgill and lowest Llandovery portion of the section and the to­tal lack of dicellograptids are interpreted to be due to relatively shallow water, outer shelf or carbonate ramp depositional environment.


Author(s):  
Linda Hints ◽  
David A. T. Harper

ABSTRACTTwo Ordovician plectambonitoid genera, Alwynella and Grorudia, occur in drill core sections of Latvia in the East Baltic, and in exposures and loose blocks on the Swedish Island of Öland in the Baltic Sea. The new material confirms differences between the two taxa that are assigned herein to separate families, Alwynellidae fam. nov. and Grorudiidae Cocks & Rong, 1989. In particular, the undercut cardinalia separates Alwynella from Grorudia and indicates its proximity to the sowerbyellids. The genus Grorudia, which is externally similar to Alwynella, is more closely related to the palaeostrophomenines. A new species Grorudia morrisoni sp. nov. is established in the East Baltic. The specimens from Öland are included tentatively within the genus Grorudia due to lack of interiors. Both Alwynella and Grorudia were confined to deeper-water facies in the Baltic palaeobasin, within successions ranging in age from latest Mid (late Llanvirn) to earliest Late Ordovician (mid Caradoc).


2010 ◽  
Vol 148 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATS E. ERIKSSON ◽  
ÅSA M. FRISK

AbstractThe post-impact Dalby Limestone (Kukruse; Upper Ordovician) of the Tvären crater, southeastern Sweden, has been analysed with regards to polychaetes, as represented by scolecodonts. A palaeoecological succession is observed in the Tvären-2 drill core sequence, as the vacant ecospace was successively filled by a range of benthonic, nektonic and planktonic organisms. Scolecodonts belong to the first non-planktonic groups to appear and constitute one of the most abundant fossil elements. The polychaete assemblage recorded has an overall composition characteristic of that of the Upper Ordovician of Baltoscandia. Oenonites, Vistulella, Mochtyella and the enigmatic ‘Xanioprion’ represent the most common genera, whereas Pteropelta, Protarabellites?, Atraktoprion and Xanioprion are considerably more rare. The assemblage differs from coeval ones particularly in its poorly represented ramphoprionid fauna and the relatively high frequency of ‘Xanioprion’. A taxonomic succession and changes in abundance and relative frequency of different taxa is observed from the deepest part of the crater and upwards towards more shallow water environments. The initial post-impact assemblage does not, however, necessarily represent a benthonic colonization of the crater floor. Instead it seems to be a taphocoenosis, as indicated by its taxonomic correspondence to the rim facies fauna recovered from Dalby Limestone erratics of the Ringsön island. The Tvären succession has yielded considerably richer scolecodont assemblages than hitherto recorded from the approximately coeval Lockne crater, possibly as a consequence of shallower water settings in the former area.


2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
James C. Brower

Three flexible crinoids occur in the Upper Ordovician Maquoketa Formation of Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota:Protaxocrinus girvanensisRamsbottom, 1961,Clidochirus anebosnew species, andProanisocrinus oswegoensis(Miller and Gurley, 1894).Protaxocrinus girvanensisis also found in the Upper Ordovician of Scotland which indicates that the ocean was narrow enough to allow at least one crinoid species to cross the barrier. The Upper Ordovician of North America and Scotland also share many common crinoid genera. Both phenetic and cladistic methods result in similar phylogenies of flexible crinoids.Protaxocrinuswas derived from a cupulocrinid ancestor during the Middle Ordovician.Clidochirusevolved fromProtaxocrinusor its ancestral stock prior to the Richmondian of the Late Ordovician. The RichmondianProanisocrinusand later anisocrinids are most closely related toClidochirusor its immediate predecessor. Thus, three major lineages of flexible crinoids,Protaxocrinus(taxocrinid group),Clidochirus(icthyocrinid), andProanisocrinus(anisocrinids and homalocrinids), appeared during the Ordovician. Despite their rarity during the Ordovician, all three flexible lineages survived the Latest Ordovician extinction, whereas their more abundant and successful cupulocrinid ancestors were eliminated.


2004 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 939-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Keith Rigby ◽  
Paul A Johnston

An unusually large specimen of the rare digitate to bladed Aulocopella winnipegensis Rauff and three relatively normal sized specimens of ashtray-shaped Hudsonospongia? sp. constitute the first record of demosponges from the Upper Ordovician Beaverfoot Formation in southeastern British Columbia and the first record of these taxa from western Canada. Gross form and canal structure are well preserved, but dolomitization and (or) coarse microsphaeroidal silicification have obliterated spicules and other structural details. We interpret these sponges as epifaunal recliners, without means of attachment to the substrate, a life mode rarely encountered in the modern sponge biota.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 815-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane Castagner ◽  
André Desrochers ◽  
Denis Lavoie

A large, resistant buildup at the top of the Upper Ordovician (Hirnantian?) Red Head Rapids Formation on Southampton Island (Nunavut, Arctic Canada) is dominated by massive boundstone and cementstone facies. These massive facies have more in common with the sponge–microbial reefs that dominated worldwide in the Early Ordovician, including the following primary components: early calcified sponge material, microbial elements, and synsedimentary cement. A close spatial relationship between sponge and microbial framework elements suggests that a poorly preserved decaying sponge framework provided substrates for the attachment and development of microbes and that the microbes played essential roles as reef consolidators. Centimetre-scale colonial metazoans are present and locally intergrown with the sponge and microbial components. Other mound-dwelling invertebrates or calcareous algae are rare. Although altered now to calcite, cement fabrics suggest that aragonite was ubiquitous as seafloor precipitate. Prior to its subaerial exposure in the latest Ordovician, the Red Head Rapids Formation buildup developed on the margin of a shallow-marine evaporative epicratonic basin where a diverse community of reef-building metazoans was unable to flourish.


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