Spatial and temporal facies evolution of a Lower Jurassic carbonate platform, NW Tethyan margin (Mallorca, Spain)

The variety of depositional facies of a Lower Jurassic carbonate platform has been investigated on the island of Mallorca along a transect comprising six stratigraphic profiles. Twenty-nine facies and sub-facies have been recognized, grouped into seven facies associations, ranging in depositional environment from supratidal/terrestrial and peritidal to outer platform. Spatial and temporal (2D) facies distribution along the transect reflects the evolution of the carbonate platform with time showing different facies associations, from a broad peritidal platform (stage 1) to a muddy open platform (stage 2), and finally to a peritidal to outer carbonate platform (stage 3). Stage 1 (early Sinemurian to earliest late Sinemurian) corresponds to a nearly-flat peritidal-shallow subtidal epicontinental platform with facies belts that shifted far and fast over the whole study area. The evolution from stage 1 to stage 2 (late Sinemurian) represents a rapid flooding of the epicontinental shallow platform, with more open-marine conditions, and the onset of differential subsidence. During stage 3 (latest Sinemurian), peritidal and shallow-platform environments preferentially developed to the northeast (Llevant Mountains domain) with a rapid transition to middle-outer platform environments toward the northwest (Tramuntana Range domain). Stages 1 and 3 present facies associations typical of Bahamian-type carbonates, whereas stage 2 represents the demise of the Bahamian-type carbonate factory and proliferation of muddy substrates with suspension-feeders. The described platform evolution responded to the interplay between the initial extensional tectonic phases related to Early Jurassic Tethyan rifting, contemporaneous environmental perturbations, and progressive platform flooding related to the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic worldwide marine transgression and associated accommodation changes

5th Regional Symposium of the International Fossil Algae Association. Abstract volume.

Abstract book of the 5th Regional Symposium of the IFAA published in the volume 1 of the Museologia Scientifica e Naturalistica (ISSN 1824-2707)

Triassic Dasycladalean algae from the Dolomites (northern Italy): stratigraphic assessment

A complete inventory of Triassic dasycladalean green algae found so far in the Dolomitic area was performed. This group of fossil algae has been so far used as biostratigraphic tool in the Triassic successions. The paper lists all the species identified in the DOlomitic area and discuss their importance and validity in biostratigraph

Middle Triassic (Anisian) benthic Foraminifera from the Monte Prà della Vacca / Kühwiesenkopf section (Dont Formation, Braies Dolomites, Northern Italy).

The recent discovery at Monte Pra' della Vacca/Kuhwiesenkopf (Braies Dolomites) of a significant plant deposit in the lower part of the Dont Formation, a basinal unit consisting of hemipelagic terrigenous-carbonate sediments, prompted an investigation of the benthic foraminiferal assemblage to provide a better chronostratigraphic definition of the deposit. The Anisian benthic foraminifera discovered in this section are widely distributed in the Tethys domain, and have been studied from the Dolomites region by several authors. The foraminiferal assemblage from Monte Pra' della Vacca/Kuhwiesenkopf has never been previously described or illustrated; it consists mainly of Ammodiscidae, Cornuspiridae and Duostominidae which are concentrated in the carbonate banks, while these are lacking in the stratigraphic interval corresponding to the plant deposit. The Pilammina densa, Meandrospira dinarica and Pilamminella semiplana association, typically Pelsonian in age, characterizes most of the section; towards the topmost layers the Paulbronnimannia judicariensis-Paulbronnimannella whirrakeri association occurs, which is referred to the upper Pelsonian. It is worth noting the occurrence of Paulbronnimannia judicariensis before the appearance of Meandrospira dinarica, and its co-existence with this latter. According to the foraminiferal association and distribution, the plant deposit can be referred to the Pelsonian

Conference review: 5th Regional Symposium of the International Fossil Algae Association

The 5th Regional Symposium of the International Fossil Algae Association was principally organised by Davide Bassi and Anna Fugagnoli of theDipartimento delle Risorse Naturali of the University of Ferrara. This symposium follows the tradition of successful regional meetings previously held in Granada (1989), Munich- Vienna (1993), Cracow (1997) and Cluj-Napoca (2001) (http://www.ku.edu/~ifaa/). Presentations were offered in threesessions: general themes, calcareous red algae and calcareous green algae. A total of 31 presentations were made over two days. Delegates from several countries (Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia,Croatia, Israel, China, U.S.) attended the symposium

Taxonomic and biostratigraphic reassessment of Lituosepta recoarensis Cati, 1959 (Foraminifera, Lituolacea)

The large lituolid foraminifer, Lituosepta recoarensis Cati, 1959, is recorded from Lower Jurassic shallow-water carbonate deposits of the Southern Tethyan area. This species is usually not abundant and its taxonomic status, as well as its stratigraphic distribution, have not always been well defined. The analysis of Cati’s stratigraphic section (Monti Lessini area, Monte Scandolara, north-eastern Italy, Southern Alps), from which the type material originates, yielded numerous well-preserved topotypes and permitted a detailed structural and morphological assessment of Lituosepta recoarensis. Microspheric and megalospheric generations are herein described and illustrated. Two generations of megalospheric forms, A1 and A2, are distinguished on the basis of morphological features. Comparing the Lituosepta species, the genus Planisepta (type species Lituosepta compressa Hottinger) is considered invalid and the original nomenclature Lituosepta compressa is retained. In the southern Tethyan margin the stratigraphic occurrence of L. recoarensis spans the upper Sinemurian–Toarcian interval

I foraminiferi della successione anisica del Monte Pra della Vacca/ Kühwiesenkopf (Dolomiti di Braies, Bolzano)

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Exoskeleton and endoskeleton, fundamental elements of architectural design in larger imperforate foraminifera

Several types of exo- and endo-skeletal structures in larger foraminifers are presented, described and discussed

A guide to the collections of Vladimir Maslov (Rhodophyta, Corallinales)

Triassic dasycladalen green algae were discussed in terms of biostratigraphy. An inventory of the species so far indentified in the Dolomites (Italy) is provided