Ypresian

The historical Ypresian stage concept or Ypresian Synthem, on which this paper focuses, was introduced by A. Dumont in 1849 (minutes of the meeting published in 1850) to specify marine clays and overlying glauconitic sands occurring in the Ieper area (W Belgium), although without mentioning stratotype or type locality. This concept, which clearly evolved in the course of the 19th and 20th century, fundamentally differs from the GSSP-defined Standard Global Ypresian Stage (GSSP ratified in 2003 at Dababiya, Egypt). The latter ranges from 55.8 (± 0.2) to 48.6 (± 0.2) Ma and represents the lowermost Eocene Standard Stage. Here, we briefly discuss the different geological aspects of the Ypresian sensu Dumont, currently equated with the Ieper Group, including its stratigraphy and its sedimentological and palaeontological characteristics. The structural context and palaeogeography of the Belgian Basin during the Ypresian are outlined. The major scientific contributions are thematically listed

The boundary between the middle Eocene Brussel sand and the Lede sand formations in the Zaventem-Nederokkerzeel area (northeast of Brussels, Belgium)

In the Zaventem airport railway cutting, to the north-east of Brussels, the upper part of the Brussel Sand Formation consists of two major units, both attributable to calcareous nannofossil zone NP14a. The lower predomi­nantly sandy unit ZB1 (including subunits A, B and C, belonging to NP14al) is built up of sparsely glauconitic, relatively coarse tidal current deposits with nodule levels cemented by carbonate and silica, of which one shows slump­ing structures and is interpreted as a seismite. The uppermost unit ZB2 (also labelled D, belonging to NP14a2), com­posed of alternating thin fine sandstone bands and silty marls, represents the fill of a large channel. In the Berg-Nederokkerzeel sandpit the carbonate-rich Brussel Sand Formation is finer grained and more homogeneous. Here, the basal sand (unit A) is attributable to NP14a3 and consequently, younger than the section exposed at Zaventem. It is incised at its the top by a rather narrow erosive gully, filled in with well-sorted fine sand rich in washed-in molluscs (unit B), some of which seem to point to a brackish influence. The extreme top is made up of half a meter of sand with abundant Callianassa burrows and echinid fragments (unit C). From the nannofossil data it appears that, east of Brus­sels, at least two generations of tidal channel systems seem to have occurred within the Brussel Sand Formation, followed by a partial emersion at the end of the filling of the uppermost channel (Nederokkerzeel B). This was suc­ceeded by a relative sea-level rise, as shown by unit C and the remains of a completely eroded fully marine deposit, reworked in the base of the overlying Lede Sand Formation. The lowest relative sea level, with at least partial emer­gence of the Brussels area, occurred during middle to late Biochron NP14b. In both outcrops the Lede Sand Formation displays its characteristic pale grey relatively fine-grained homogeneous nature with a stone layer near its base. It can be concluded that, at the beginning of the "Lede transgression", an erosion of older deposits, containing already lifhified stone layers, occurred. This was, apparently, at least locally, caused by storms, which could redistribute, imbricate and turn over the stones, explaining their bio-perforation on both sides. Afterwards the stones have been above water for a relatively long time, enough to allow the dissolution of the perforating organisms and consequently an important oxidation of their surfaces. These stones have subsequently been colonised by a new marine fauna. Part of the shark teeth and calcareous nannofossil assemblages found in the coarse base of the Lede Sand is definitely older than the taxa normally found in the Lede Sand Formation. These fossils are the remains of a sediment package, believed to represent the formerly "Laekenian" stage

Biostratigraphy of the Danian/Selandian transition in the southern Tethys. Special reference to the Lowest Occurrence of planktic foraminifera Igorina albeari

The P3a/P3b subzonal boundary is delineated by the lowest occurrence of Igorina albeari. Using literature, identification of the first representatives of I. albeari appeared to be very confusing. In this study descriptions of I. albeari are compared and a consistent definition is proposed. Igorinid specimens with an incipient keel are considered to be I. albeari. Flattening of the last chambers and the fusion of muricae on the peripheral margin may indicate such a slight keel. This keel enables an unambiguous distinction between I. pusilla and the first form of I. albeari and is in keeping with the original descriptions without introducing an intermediate species. In the southern Tethys, the lowest occurrence of I. albeari occurs just prior to the pinkish-brown marl bed in Egypt and immediately overlies the glauconitic bed in Tunisia. Furthermore, the NTp7A/NTp7B subzonal boundary, delineated by the lowest occurrence of Chiasmolithus edentulus, is in close correlation with these marker beds. In Egypt C. edentulus appears 1 m below the entry of I. albeari, whereas in Tunisia they coappear. This implies significant erosion at the glauconitic bed in the studied parts of the Tunisian Trough and a more complete succession at the dark-brown marl bed in the Nile Valley. These marker beds can also be correlated to a level of minor lithologic change in the upper part of the Danian Limestone Formation in the Zumaia section through the lowest occurrence of Chiasmolithus edentulus. The distinct lithologic change in Zumaia, from the Danian Limestone to the Itzurun Formation, however, appears to be ~600 kyr younger than what we now call upper Danian event beds, in Tunisia and Egypt

Les otolithes de Téléostéens des Marnes de Saubrigues (Miocène d'Aquitane méridionale, France)

The Teleostean otolith fauna of the Marls of Saubrigues is considered to be one of the richest known. 82 species are recognised, representing 40 families. 14 new species are introduced: "genus aff. Lemkea" saubriguensis, "genus aff. Valenciennellus" kotthausi, Saurida rectilineata, Symbolophorus meridionalis, Diaphus cahuzaci, Diaphus poignantae, Adioryx ostialis, Myripristis verus, genus aff. Lepidotrigla” postdorsalis, "genus Triglidarum" parvulus, Neoscombrops flexosus, Dentex (Polysteganus) nolfi, Bembrops 'VandeVeldae and "genus Perciformorum" wheeleri. At least 16 species have persisted up to the present, or are very close to extant species. This deep neritic fauna, enrid1ed on one hand with littoral species, on the other hand with numerous mesopelagic fishes, resembles the extant fauna of the tropical and subtropical zones of the eastem Atlantic. The associations at the two sites sampled are obviously different, suggesting distinct stratigraphical levels, although their exact stratigraphical relationships couldn't be established. Both associations reflect deep neritic deposition, but a more precise interpretation can only be obtained by the examination of otolith associations from modern sea-floors with well known geographical and bathymetric locations.The deep neritic and mesopelagic components of the fauna will have little biostratigraphical value. On the contrary, the littoral component may acquire biostratigraphical significance, if compared with a biostratigraphical scale for littoral faunas, resulting from the study of otoliths of the underlying and overlying Aquitanian Miocene strata

Assessing paleotemperature and seasonality during the early Eocene climatic optimum (EECO) in the Belgian basin by means of fish otolith stable O and C isotopes

The Paleogene greenhouse world comprises variable paleoclimate conditions providing an indispensable deep-time perspective for the possible effects of human-induced climate change. In this paper, paleotemperature data of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) from the mid-latitude marginal marine Belgian Basin are discussed. They are derived from fish otolith d18O compositions of four non-migratory species belonging to the families Congridae and Ophidiidae. Otoliths from several levels and localities within the middle to late Ypresian were selected. After manual polishing, bulk and incremental microsamples were drilled and analyzed by a mass spectrometer. A cross-plot of bulk otolith d18O vs. d13C results shows a discrepancy between both families used. Ophidiid data probably represent true bottom water temperatures of the Belgian Basin. The mean annual temperature (MAT) of the EECO is calculated at 27.5 °C, which is in line with other proxy results. However, variations in MAT up to 6 °C occur, suggesting a pronounced expression of climate variability in mid-latitude marginal basins. Incremental analyses revealed a ~9.5 °C mean annual range of temperatures, similar to modern seasonality. These results show that marginal marine environments such as the Belgian Basin are well suited to infer high-resolution paleoclimate variability

Micropalaeontological dating of the Prémontré mammal fauna (MP10, Prémontré Sands, EECO, early late Ypresian, Paris Basin)

At their type locality the Prémontré Sands contain fairly well-diversified organic-walled microfossil assemblages attributable to the lower part of dinoflagellate cyst Zone D9 and indicating a transition from an estuarine to a lagoonal depositional regime, up-section as well as laterally. Identical assemblages have been recorded in the inner to mid-neritic Merelbeke Clay Member in Belgium, allowing the Prémontré Sands to be positioned within lower NP13 and early Chron C22r. The deposition of the MP10 Prémontré mammal fauna is estimated to postdate the onset of both NP13 and Chron C22r, which are nearly coincident, by about 200 to 300 kyr. The biostratigraphic dating refers this deposit to the early late Ypresian and to the final phase of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) at about 50.4 to 50.3 million years ago. The Prémontré Sands, as well as their distal equivalent the Merelbeke Clay Member, were deposited following a major sea-level rise, the highest of the late Ypresian in the southern North Sea Basin s.l. (including the Paris Basin). They are separated from the overlying “Glauconie grossière” (zone NP14; middle part of zone D9) by a hiatus of approximately 2.5 myr