Valvasoria carniolica n.gen. n.sp., a Triassic Worm from Slovenia

Carnian limestones exposed from Mojstrana to Triglav (the highest Slovenian mountain), are very important biostratigraphically, and especially for the palaeogeographic interpretation of the Upper Triassic. Outcrops can be traced in the Vrata Valley extending in a narrow belt several kilometres in a north-eastward - eastward direction. A very quiet depositional environment, with reducing conditions at the sea floor, permitted the preservation of soft-bodied animals. Valvasoria carniolica is a new genus and species. It has a cylindrical body with an expanded anteriormost portion. The systematic position of Valvasoria is unknown, however it might be related to Nematoda or Sipunculida

A Middle Jurassic Radiolarite-Clastic Succession from the Medvednica Mt. (NW Croatia

On the NW part of Medvednica Mt. radiolarites with carbonate olistoliths, shales and siltites, matrix-supported conglomerates and basic volcanic rocks were investigated. This facies association is informally named the Poljanica unit. Major element geochemical data indicate deposition of radiolarites in the vicinity of the middle oceanic ridge, while sedimentological data indicate deposition in an area closer to the continent. Shales and siltites, as well as matrix-supported conglomerates, were deposited in short periods characterised by increased input of terrigenous material. Matrix-supported polymict conglomerates are composed of silicified shales, lithic graywackes, cherts and metabasalts, and were deposited by debris flow mechanisms as a consequence of synsedimentary tectonic activity. Carbonate olistoliths are composed of biomicrosparite, and jointly with deformed radiolarian cherts compose an olistostrome. Basic volcanic rocks represent high-Ti tholeiitic basalts formed in the MORB realm. Micropalaeontological investigation of radiolarite samples proved the Middle Jurassic (latest Bajocian - early Bathonian to late Bathonian - early Callovian) age of the Poljanica unit. Additionally, a new radiolarian species Theocapsomma medvednicensis n.sp. has been described. Conodont analyses from carbonate olistoliths in radiolarites proved their Triassic age. The investigated radiolarite-clastic succession is the result of subduction processes. Further continuation of this process caused incorporation of these deposits into the accretionary prism, where they were brought in direct contact with Triassic volcanic rocks and radiolarites (in the form of a tectonic mélange). Based on the lithological similarities with the Middle Jurassic turbidite-olistostrome successions in the Western Carpathians and Northern Calcareous Alps, the study area is considered to be part of the Meliata-Hallstatt Ocean

Triassic Pelagic Limestones in Pillow Lavas in the Oresje Quarry near Gornja Bistra, Medvednica Mt. (Northwest Croatia)

Investigated outcrops in the Oresje quarry near Gornja Bistra on Medvednica Mt. contain pillow lavas and massive metabasalts with fragments of carbonate rocks between them. The effusive rocks were determined as high-Ti tholeiitic metabasalts, corresponding to those which originated in the MOR area, which today represent obducted, allochthonous parts of Triassic oceanic crust. Carbonate rock fragments are characterised by micrite, biomicrosparite, fossiliferous microsparite, biosparite and sparite types, all of which are more or less recrystallised. From their appearance between pillows, together with hyaloclasts they were determined as peperites. Micropalaeontological analysis of conodonts from the limestone samples indicated a Middle Triassic age, which is also the age of the effusive rocks discovered in the quarry

Valvasoria carniolica n.gen. n.sp., a Triassic Worm from Slovenia

Carnian limestones exposed from Mojstrana to Triglav (the highest Slovenian mountain), are very important biostratigraphically, and especially for the palaeogeographic interpretation of the Upper Triassic. Outcrops can be traced in the Vrata Valley extending in a narrow belt several kilometres in a north-eastward - eastward direction. A very quiet depositional environment, with reducing conditions at the sea floor, permitted the preservation of soft-bodied animals. Valvasoria carniolica is a new genus and species. It has a cylindrical body with an expanded anteriormost portion. The systematic position of Valvasoria is unknown, however it might be related to Nematoda or Sipunculida

Conodonts and foraminifera from the "Raibl Beds" (Carnian) of the Karavanke Mountains, Slovenia : stratigraphical and palaeobiological implications

Themicropalaeontology of the "Raibl Beds" of the Košuta Nappe in the western KaravankeMts., Slovenia, is described. The presence of the conodont apparatus of Nicoraella? budaensis Kozur and Mock is demonstrated and together with other fossils it confirms a Carnian age. A comparison of the Nicoraella skeletal apparatus with two other Triassic apparatuses is made. The benthic foraminifera Aulotortus sinuosus, A. tumidus, Prorakusia salaji, Pilamminella kuthani and Endothyra kuepperi are recognized. Their stratigraphical range corresponds to the foraminiferal Pilamminella kuthani Interval-Zone. Altogether the palaeontological content of an 85 m-thick section in the upper part of the "Raibl Beds" below Mt. Jepca is described. The diverse fossil content of this section contributes to the intercalibration of Upper Triassic conodont, foraminifer and dasyclad zonations

Triassic Pelagic Limestones in Pillow Lavas in the Oresje Quarry near Gornja Bistra, Medvednica Mt. (Northwest Croatia)

Investigated outcrops in the Oresje quarry near Gornja Bistra on Medvednica Mt. contain pillow lavas and massive metabasalts with fragments of carbonate rocks between them. The effusive rocks were determined as high-Ti tholeiitic metabasalts, corresponding to those which originated in the MOR area, which today represent obducted, allochthonous parts of Triassic oceanic crust. Carbonate rock fragments are characterised by micrite, biomicrosparite, fossiliferous microsparite, biosparite and sparite types, all of which are more or less recrystallised. From their appearance between pillows, together with hyaloclasts they were determined as peperites. Micropalaeontological analysis of conodonts from the limestone samples indicated a Middle Triassic age, which is also the age of the effusive rocks discovered in the quarry

Conodont biostratigraphy of the Early Triassic in eastern Slovenia

The Early Triassic is a critical interval for the study of recovery from the terminal Permian mass extinction, as there are small-scale extinction events, which may have contributed to the delayed recovery. The systematic measuring and sampling of a 12-m-thick section at the Mokrice locality in eastern Slovenia has resulted in the recovery of a conodont fauna from the Olenekian beds. Four conodont zones have been recognized. These zones are in ascending order as follows: the Hadrodontina aequabilis Zone, Platyvillosus corniger Zone, Platyvillosus regularis Zone, and Triassospathodus hungaricus Zone. These conodont zones confirm the proposed conodont biozonation sequence in western Slovenia and have correlation value especially for the western marginal Tethys. Multielement conodont apparatuses of Triassospathodus hungaricus and Platyvillosus regularis have been reconstructed based on conodont elements that were recently obtained from the Slovenian sections. Although the S2element was not found, the apparatus indicates that the conodont species “Spathognathodus” hungaricus should be assigned to the genus Triassospathodus