Paleoecologie et interpretation sedimentologique du "marbre noir" de Denée (Viseen inferieur, Belgique)

Paleoecology and sedimentological interpretation of the "black marble" of Denée (Lower Visean; Belgium). The paleoecology of the "black marble" of Denée (Dinant sedimentation area (DSA), Belgium) is reviewed in light of recent paleoecological, taphonomic and sedimentological investigations. This "conservation-Lagerstätte" is famous for its very well preserved fossils (echinoderms, fish, graptolites, etc.). During the Lower Visean, the "black marble" deposited in a confined basin bordered to the south by the Waulsortian mud mounds, and progressively filled by calcareous sediments, probably turbiditic, coming from the transition area between the DSA to the south and the Condroz sedimentation area to the north. During lowstand periods, the paleoenvironment was submitted to anoxic/dysoxic conditions which developed due to confinement by the Waulsortian buildups. The poor oxygenation of deep waters permitted the installation of a particular benthic fauna (graptolites, bivalves ("paper pectens"), echinoderms,…) and, combined with rapid sedimentation, favoured excellent preservation conditions by excluding the development of necrophagous and saprophagous organisms

Revision of the brachiopod <i>Cyrtina rigauxi</i> MAILLIEUX, 1909 and description of a new ambocoeliid genus (<i>Dionacoelia</i> n. gen.) from the Frasnian of southern Belgium

Cyrtina rigauxi MAILLIEUX, 1909 is transferred to the genus Acutatheca STAINBROOK, 1945 thus mentioned for the first time in the Frasnian of the Dinant Synclinorium and Roly "Massif (Neuville Formation, Lower Palmatolepis rhenana Zone). MAILLIEUX (1940, 1941) included Acutatheca rigauxi in Cyrtina demarlei BOUCHARD (nomen nudum) and C. heteroclita (DEFRANCE, 1824). The specimens identified as Martiniopsis (Elivella) rigauxi by MAILLIEUX (1940, 1941) [= Echinocoelia rigauxi sensu VANDERCAMMEN (1956)] do not belong to C. rigauxi MAILLIEUX, 1909. They are redescribed as Dionacoelia secessus n. gen., n. sp., a species occurring with certainty in the Ermitage Member of the Moulin Liénaux Formation (Palmatolepis punctata Zone)

COMMENTS ON SOME SYRINGOTHYRIDOIDEA (BRACHIOPODA) FROM THE CARBONIFEROUS OF NORTH AFRICA

The type species of the spiriferinide genus Histosyrinx Termier &amp; Termier (Brachiopoda), namely Histosyrinx vautrini Termier &amp; Termier, is re-investigated in detail on the basis of its type material from the Tournaisian Marar Formation (Serdeles area, Murzuq Basin, Libya), including additional specimens from the same region, and from the Tournaisian of Algeria (Reggane Basin). The internal morphology of the ventral valve of Histosyrinx vautrini is particularly variable, notably concerning the development of the septal pillow, the subdelthyrial plate and the median septum. Histosyrinx can be easily distinguished from the genus Septosyringothyris Vandercammen by the absence of a true delthyrial plate and the lesser development of the median septum. Histosyrinx is also close to Syringopleura Schuchert, which is generally considered as a synonym of Syringothyris Winchell, by its ventral internal features (e.g. development of a septal pillow), but the dorsal internal morphology of the type species of Schuchert’s genus remains unknown. Thus, the relationships between both genera need to be investigated further. Specimens from the southern margin of the Tindouf Basin (Algeria), previously identified as Septosyringothyridinae? gen. indet. by Legrand-Blain in the 1970s, are fully illustrated here for the first time and referred to an unidentified genus of the subfamily Permasyrinxinae on the basis of the absence of syrinx. &nbsp

Introduction to the geology of the Heid des Gattes at Sougné-Remouchamps (Liège province, Belgium)

Introduction à la géologie du site de la Heid des Gattes à Sougné-Remouchamps (province de Liège, Belgique) où sont exposées les formations de la Famenne, d'Esneux, de Souverain-Pré, de Comblain-la-Tour, de Montfort et d'Evieux (Dévonien supérieur (Famennien).Introduction to the geology of the Heid des Gattes at Sougné-Remouchamps (Liège province, Belgium) where the Famenne, Esneux, Souverain-Pré, Comblain-la-Tour, Montfort and Evieux formations (Upper Devonian, Famennian) are exposed

The red crinoidal limestone of Baelen (late Upper Devonian), a particular historical building stone with an unusual depositional setting, global geological importance and local use

Peer reviewe

A new representative of the lichid genus Ohleum (Trilobita) from the Eifelian (Middle Devonian) of southern Belgium

Trilobites of the family Lichidae are relatively poorly diversified within the Eifelian mixed siliciclastic-carbonate succession of the southern margin of the Dinant Synclinorium (Belgium). Until now, they were only represented by species belonging to the genera Ceratarges and Eifliarges. The recent discovery of a well-preserved specimen within the Eifelian-aged Jemelle Formation in the Couvin area led us to propose the first detailed description of a representative of the genus Ohleum (O. magreani sp. nov.) in the Ardenne