Kimmeridgian and early Tithonian cephalopods from the Kisújbánya Limestone Formation, Zengővárkony (Mecsek Mountains, southern Hungary), their faunal composition, palaeobiogeographic affinities, and taphonomic character

A new collection at Zengővárkony (Mecsek Mountains, Hungary) provided a rich and diverse but poorly preserved cephalopod-dominated fossil assemblage representing the Kimmeridgian and the lower Tithonian. The material came from mixed scree, soil, and amongst roots affected by weathering processes having been exposed to the elements for a long time. The nautiloid Pseudaganides strambergensis is the first record from the Mecsek Mountains. Due to the weathering, the ammonite fauna consists of mainly fragmentary and dissolved individuals that comprises 528 specimens belonging to 34 species and 30 genera out of which 20 species and 15 genera are reported for the first time from the Mecsek Mountains. The fauna includes specimens of known taxa. No new taxa are introduced. Based on the comparison with other faunas, this assemblage most closely resembles the fauna of the Venetian Alps (Italy). Additional faunal elements include aptychi (Laevaptychus latus, Lamellaptychus murocostatus), belemnites (Hibolithes semisulcatus), and an indetermined brachiopod. The first record of Spiraserpula spirolinites, an encrusting fossil polychaete preserved on the internal mould of a Taramelliceras shell fragment indicates favourable bottom conditions for the epifauna. The presence of Aspidoceras caletanum, Gravesia aff. gigas, and Pseudowaagenia inerme indicates faunal connections with the Submediterranean Province of the Tethys, which is in line with the tectonic and palaeogeographical position of the Mecsek Zone during the Late Jurassic. The ammonite assemblage represents elements of five Tethysian ammonite zones of the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian. The lower Kimmeridgian Herbichi Zone is indicated by Streblites tenuilobatus and Praesimoceras herbichi. The upper Kimmeridgian Acanthicum Zone is indicated by Aspidoceras acanthicum, and the Cavouri Zone by Mesosimoceras cavouri and Aspidoceras caletanum. The upper Kimmeridgian Beckeri Zone is suggested by Hybonoticeras pressulum and Pseudowaagenia inerme. Whereas Gravesia aff. gigas, Lithacoceras aff. siliceum, and Malagasites? denseplicatus are faunal elements characterising the Early Tithonian Hybonotum Zone. Phylloceratid and lytoceratid specimens account only for 12% of the fauna, while the majority of the specimens belong to the Oppeliidae and Ataxioceratidae (60%).

New biostratigraphical data (calcareous nannofossils, ammonites) and Early to Late Barremian transition in the Urgonien Jaune facies and Marnes de la Russille complex of the Swiss Jura Mountains

In the central Jura Mountains (Western Switzerland), the Urgonien Jaune (UJ) facies with the Marnes de la Russille beds (MRu) have provided very rich nannofloras associated with very rare Tethyan ammonites. A late Early Barremian nannoflora of the Mid-Barremian Event (MBE, following a regional tectonic event of an earliest Barremian synsedimentary tectonic crisis) was found in MRu of the lower UJ and includes 42 genera with 90 species. Among them, Biscutum jurensis De Kaenel, n. sp., Flabellites eclepensensis De Kaenel, n. sp., Palaeopontosphaera giraudii De Kaenel, n. sp., Rhagodiscus buisensis De Kaenel, n. sp., and Vagalapilla rutledgei De Kaenel, n. sp., are recognized as five new species. This nannoflora is a mixture of Boreal and Tethyan taxa with 20 nannofossil markers (Assipetra terebrodentarius, Broinsonia galloisii, Calcicalathina oblongata, Cyclagelosphaera rotaclypeata, Diloma placinum, Ethmorhabdus hauterivianus, Flabellites eclepensensis, Gorkaea pseudoanthophorus, Nannoconus abundans, Nannoconus pseudoseptentrionalis, Palaeopontosphaera giraudii, Palaeopontosphaera pinnata, Placozygus howei, Placozygus reticulatus, Reinhardtites scutula, Rhagodiscus buisensis, Rhagodiscus eboracensis, Tegulalithus septentrionalis, Tubodiscus jurapelagicus, Zeugrhabdotus moulladei) indicating very precisely the nannofossil Zones LK19 (Boreal)–NC5D (Tethyan) as well as the Elegans (Boreal) and Moutonianum (Tethyan) ammonite Zones of the latest Early Barremian. The ammonites in the basal UJ facies of Early Barremian age are reworked Lyticoceras claveli (Nodosoplicatum Zone, Early Hauterivian) and reworked Cruasiceras cf. cruasense (Sayni Zone, early Late Hauterivian), and Pseudometahoplites sp. juv. (Compressissima to Vandenheckii Zones, Early to Late Barremian transition) from the basal MRu. The new palaeontological and sequential results of this study allow a revision of previous data from Godet et al. (2010) precisely assigning a Barremian age to the MRu of the central Jura Mountains (Tethyan Compressissima to lower Sartousiana and Boreal uppermost Fissicostatum to middle Denckmanii ammonite Zones, Boreal LK20B-LK19-LK18 and Tethyan NC5D nannofossil Zones), within the Early to Late Barremian UJ (Tethyan Hugii to lower Sartousiana and Boreal Rarocinctum to middle Denckmanii ammonite Zones, Boreal LK20C to LK18 and Tethyan NC5C-NC5D nannofossil Zones) and below the Late Barremian Urgonien Blanc facies (Tethyan Sartousiana ammonite Zone).

The driving mechanisms of the carbon cycle perturbations in the late Pliensbachian (Early Jurassic)

The Early Jurassic (late Pliensbachian to early Toarcian) was a period marked by extinctions, climate fluctuations, and oceanic anoxia. Although the causes of the early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxia Event (OAE) have been fairly well studied, the events that lead to the Toarcian OAE, i.e. the events in the late Pliensbachian, have not been well constrained. Scenarios of the driving mechanism of biotic and environmental changes of the late Pliensbachian have ranged from LIP volcanism (the Karoo-Ferrar LIP), ocean stagnation, and changing ocean circulation, to orbital forcing. The temporal relationship between the Karoo LIP and the late Pliensbachian (Kunae-Carlottense ammonite Zones) are investigated in an effort to evaluate a causal relationship. We present the first absolute timescale on the Kunae and Carlottense Zones based on precise high-precision U-Pb geochronology, and additional geochemical proxies, for a range of environmental proxies such as bulk organic carbon isotope compositions, Hg concentration, and Hg/TOC ratios, and Re-Os isotopes to further explore their causal relationship. The data presented here show that causality between the Karoo LIP and the late Pliensbachian events cannot be maintained.

Cenomanian and lower Turonian relative chronology and palaeoenvironmental framework of the Nouader site (Aures Basin, Northeastern Algeria)

The lower–upper Cenomanian boundaries interval of the Nouader site in the Aures Basin (NE Algeria) has been studied for the first time using the association of two particularly effective taxonomic groups, one macrofossil (ammonites), and the other microfossil (foraminifera). The study section is divided into two formations (Fahdene and Bahloul) and one member (Annaba). Biostratigraphicaly, six ammonite biozones and five foraminiferan biozones were identified and calibrated. The ammonite fauna allows recognition of the lower CenomanianMantelliceras mantelliZone, the upper lower CenomanianMantelliceras dixoniZone, the succeeding lower middle CenomanianCunningtoniceras inermeZone, theAcanthoceras rhotomagenseZone and its subzones ofTurrilites costatusandTurrilites acutus, followed by the upper middle CenomanianAcanthoceras amphibolumZone, the lower upper CenomanianEucalycoceras pentagonumZone and finally the lower TuronianPseudaspidoceras flexuosumZone. The foraminiferan biozones are respectively:Thalmanninella brotzeniZone,Thalmanninella reicheliZone,Rotalipora cushmaniZone,Whiteinella archaeocretaceaZone andHelvetoglobotruncana helveticaZone. Among 14 ammonite zones in the Tethyan domain versus 11 in the Boreal domain, seven are common to both domains. For the planktonic foraminifera the Tethyan domain has five zones, the Boreal domain also has five, with five in common. The succession of index species occurs in the same order in both Tethyan (NE Algeria and Central Tunisia) and Boreal realms (East and NW Europe). Furthermore, the supposed depositional setting is interpreted as a calm and relatively deep environment which can be located around the middle to the external platform.

Detailed biostratigraphic scales as based on the palaeobiogenetical approach (an example of the Upper Bajocian – Lower Bathonian ostracod scale of the Russian Platform)

Two new species of ostracods of the family Progonocytheridae Sylvester-Bradley Camptocythere (C.) lateres Tesakova et Shurupova, sp. nov. and C. (C.) angustius Tesakova et Shurupova, sp. nov. from the Michalskii and Besnosovi ammonite zones (Upper Bajocian – Lower Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of the Sokur section (Saratov) are described. The changes in ontogenesis in the phylogeny of Camptocythere (C.) lateres Tesakova et Shurupova in the stratigraphical interval corresponding to the Palaeocytheridea kalandadzei ostracod Zone, and especially to the beds with C. (C.) lateres, have been studied. The levels of the change in the predominant type of sculpture (corresponding to evolutionary boundaries) are recognized in the sculpture development among the adult representatives of the species in its phylogeny. This palaeobiogenetic (heterochrony) approach allows subdivision of the beds with C. (C.) lateres into three stratigrapical intervals characterized by changes in the type of sculpture.

The ammonite zones of the Bathonian in Bulgaria

A scheme of nine ammonite zones for the Bathonian in Bulgaria is described herein. The stratigraphical distribution of the Bathonian ammonites has been revised through new collecting and re-examination of older collections and fields. It has become evident that the criteria for zonal discrimination applied in NW Europe are relevant for Bulgaria to a limited extent, and we cannot compare directly our successions with those from the NW European areas as done in earlier work. Also, many traits of typically Submediterranean dispersal have been found to take a considerable part of the ammonite associations. Therefore, a composite Submediterranean–NW European zonation seems to be applicable to the Bathonian ammonite successions in Bulgaria. The ammonite zonal scale used in previous Bulgarian accounts has been retained, but several changes have been made to attain a more balanced sequence. This scale can be subject to further confirmation and modification, as not enough biostratigraphically well-constrained specimens have yet become available to characterize the ranges and variability of the zones.

Microbiostratigraphy of the Berriasian–Valanginian boundary in eastern Crimea: foraminifers, ostracods, organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts

Thorough study of foraminifers, ostracods and dinoflagellate remnants from the Zavodskaya Balka and Koklyuk sections helps to characterize the detailed biostratigraphic division of the Berriasian / Valanginian boundary sequence in the Feodosiya district of eastern Crimea. The foraminifer and dinocyst associations from the lower part of the sequence are clearly comparable with common Berriasian associations throughout all Mountain Crimea. On the other hand, foraminifer, ostracod and dinocyst associations from its upper part have been recorded only in eastern Crimea. The upper foraminifer level corresponds to the boreal ammonite zones from the Tauricum-Verrucosum (Upper Berriasian-Valanginian). Most of the ostracod species are endemic. The base of the uppermost dinocyst level correlates with the Lower Valanginian Paratollia zone from north-western Europe.

Biostratigraphy of the Bajocian-Bathonian boundary interval in northern Siberia: new data on belemnites from the Yuryung-Tumus peninsula

This paper presents a refined belemnite based biostratigraphy for the Bajocian-Bathonian transition in the Yuryung-Tumus peninsula (northern Siberia, Russia). A revision of the Siberian belemnite zonation is proposed. Herein two new belemnite biostratigraphic units are introduced: the Paramegateuthis subishmensis Zone (upper part of the Lower Bajocian) and the Paramegateuthis ishmensis Zone (Lower-Middle Bathonian boundary interval). Paramegateuthis subishmensis STOYANOVA-VERGILOVA, recorded for the first time in Siberia and previously only known from Bulgaria (Sub-Mediterranean domain), provides evidence for correlation of both the Boreal Boreiocephalites borealis and Cranocephalites gracilis ammonite zones with the standard Stephanoceras humphriesianum Zone. The new biostratigraphic data also result in an improved correlation based on belemnites for the Lower-Middle Bathonian of the Boreal (Siberia, North European Russia) and Subboreal (Central Russia) regions.