The Middle Cambrian Spence Shale Member of the Langston Formation of northern Utah and southern Idaho is a fossil-rich unit that exhibits distinct cyclicity at the parasequence (meter) scale. At least seven discrete, shallowing-upwards parasequences, or cycles, can be found at the Miners Hollow and Antimony Canyon localities, each composed of calcareous shale capped by limestone. Within each cycle and within the member as a whole, predictable patterns of faunal distribution are evident. Sampling and identification of fossils from two localities have revealed that observed changes in fauna track changes in sea level throughout the section. Through cluster and principal components analyses it has been determined that those rocks of the Spence Shale representing a transgressive systems tract are home to a particular community of organisms, while those rocks of the highstand systems tract are home to another. It logically follows that the rocks of the transgressive tract represent a distinct biofacies, while those of the highstand tract represent another. The transgressive biofacies is composed of species such as agnostid and oryctocephalid trilobites and inarticulate brachiopods that are commonly found in deeper ramp settings. The highstand biofacies is distinguished by such taxa as Zacanthoides and other larger trilobite genera such as Glossopleura and Kootenia, and the eocrinoid Gogia, among others. The difference in ramp position between the Miners Hollow and Antimony Canyon localities implies a water depth gradient, with Antimony Canyon representing shallower water and Miners Hollow representing deeper water. This relationship is also reflected in the biofacies and community assignments. The stratigraphic trends explored in this study may be applied to other Spence Shale localities and possibly other Cambrian fossil deposits, such as the Burgess Shale of British Columbia. (151 pages)

The Virginia Solite Quarry assemblage of Tanytrachelos ahynis, with its exceptionally abundant and uniquely preserved specimens, offers an opportunity to quantify multiple aspects of vertebrate taphonomy. The presence or absence of 128 skeletal elements (i.e., bones) as well as the presence or absence of 136 skeletal variables (i.e., morphometric dimensions) were recorded for 100 specimens collected from two distinct layers within the quarry (lake cycles 2 and 16). Anatomical specimen completeness (or the percent of bones/variables present in a specimen) is low (the median specimen preserves 14.5% of bones and 11.8% of measured variables) in spite of protection from high energy currents, predators, and scavengers afforded by anoxic bottom waters. Specimen size, as approximated by femur length, does not significantly impact specimen completeness. Also, post-exhumation weathering, duration of exposure before burial, and morphotype groupings do not appear to have significantly affected anatomical specimen completeness or articulation. Presence or absence of the enigmatic heterotopic bones represents a true biological signal as indicated by the lack of significant difference in anatomical specimen completeness between the two morphotypes as well as qualitative taphonomic evidence. When anatomical specimen completeness has been corrected for post-depositional faulting, lake cycles 2 and 16 differ from one another significantly in terms of articulation and anatomical completeness of specimens. Specimens with soft-bodied preservation are significantly more articulated, but not significantly more complete, than specimens without preserved soft tissues. Preservation frequency of bones/variables (or the percent of specimens in which a bone/variable is present) varies greatly, but is generally low (an average skeletal element is present in 19% of specimens and an average variable can be measured in 12% of specimens), with significant preferential removal of smaller skeletal elements. Hind limbs, specifically femora, are most commonly preserved. Low anatomical specimen completeness and positive correlation between bone size and frequency of preservation both indicate specimen disturbance by minor hydraulic currents. These taphonomic patterns suggest a moderate-depth depositional environment (slightly shallower than previously proposed). / Master of Science

No description available.

Este estudo apresenta os resultados de dados coletados em testemunhos de sondagem e afloramentos na sucessão aptiana-albiana da Bacia do Araripe, NE do Brasil. Carbonatos micríticos laminados se intercalam com rochas siliciclásticas, cujo índice de alteração química (CIA) é indicativo de um clima tipicamente árido a semi-árido. O Membro Crato foi formado sob regime hidrológico altamente variável, em uma laguna salina costeira sujeita a flutuações da profundidade da lâmina d´água, salinidade e grau de oxigenação. As condições ambientais estressantes favoreceram o desenvolvimento de extensos tapetes microbiais, responsáveis pela precipitação da maior parte dos carbonatos laminados. A origem microbial dos carbonatos é atestada por uma variedade de feições de esteiras microbiais, incluindo feições relativas ao crescimento (biolaminações, bioconstruções dômicas, padrões semelhantes a Kinneyia) e feições derivadas da destruição física das esteiras (estruturas “roll-up”, fissuras lineares incompletas, e fragmentos de esteiras oriundos da dessecação dos filmes microbiais). A presença de esteiras microbiais que recobriram os fósseis com EPS foi primordial na preservação extraordinária de tecidos moles. / This study presents the results on data collected in drill cores and outcrops in the Aptian-Albian succession in the Araripe Basin, NE Brazil. Laminated, micritic carbonates are interbedded with siliciclastic rocks that yielded CIA values typical of arid to semi-arid climate. The Crato Member was formed under a highly variable hydrologic regime (with fluctuating water depth, salinity and degree of oxygenation) in a coastal, saline lagoon. The stressful environmental conditions favored the development of extensive microbial mats, responsible for the precipitation of most laminated carbonates. The microbial origin of the carbonates is attested by a variety of microbial mat features, including growth-related features (biolaminations, domal buildups, patterns resembling Kinneyia) and features derived from physical mat destruction (roll-up structures, linear, incomplete fissures, and mat chips from desiccation of microbial films). The presence of microbial mats that covered the fossils with EPS was paramount for the extraordinary preservation of soft tissues.

Este estudo apresenta os resultados de dados coletados em testemunhos de sondagem e afloramentos na sucessão aptiana-albiana da Bacia do Araripe, NE do Brasil. Carbonatos micríticos laminados se intercalam com rochas siliciclásticas, cujo índice de alteração química (CIA) é indicativo de um clima tipicamente árido a semi-árido. O Membro Crato foi formado sob regime hidrológico altamente variável, em uma laguna salina costeira sujeita a flutuações da profundidade da lâmina d´água, salinidade e grau de oxigenação. As condições ambientais estressantes favoreceram o desenvolvimento de extensos tapetes microbiais, responsáveis pela precipitação da maior parte dos carbonatos laminados. A origem microbial dos carbonatos é atestada por uma variedade de feições de esteiras microbiais, incluindo feições relativas ao crescimento (biolaminações, bioconstruções dômicas, padrões semelhantes a Kinneyia) e feições derivadas da destruição física das esteiras (estruturas “roll-up”, fissuras lineares incompletas, e fragmentos de esteiras oriundos da dessecação dos filmes microbiais). A presença de esteiras microbiais que recobriram os fósseis com EPS foi primordial na preservação extraordinária de tecidos moles. / This study presents the results on data collected in drill cores and outcrops in the Aptian-Albian succession in the Araripe Basin, NE Brazil. Laminated, micritic carbonates are interbedded with siliciclastic rocks that yielded CIA values typical of arid to semi-arid climate. The Crato Member was formed under a highly variable hydrologic regime (with fluctuating water depth, salinity and degree of oxygenation) in a coastal, saline lagoon. The stressful environmental conditions favored the development of extensive microbial mats, responsible for the precipitation of most laminated carbonates. The microbial origin of the carbonates is attested by a variety of microbial mat features, including growth-related features (biolaminations, domal buildups, patterns resembling Kinneyia) and features derived from physical mat destruction (roll-up structures, linear, incomplete fissures, and mat chips from desiccation of microbial films). The presence of microbial mats that covered the fossils with EPS was paramount for the extraordinary preservation of soft tissues.

Este estudo apresenta os resultados de dados coletados em testemunhos de sondagem e afloramentos na sucessão aptiana-albiana da Bacia do Araripe, NE do Brasil. Carbonatos micríticos laminados se intercalam com rochas siliciclásticas, cujo índice de alteração química (CIA) é indicativo de um clima tipicamente árido a semi-árido. O Membro Crato foi formado sob regime hidrológico altamente variável, em uma laguna salina costeira sujeita a flutuações da profundidade da lâmina d´água, salinidade e grau de oxigenação. As condições ambientais estressantes favoreceram o desenvolvimento de extensos tapetes microbiais, responsáveis pela precipitação da maior parte dos carbonatos laminados. A origem microbial dos carbonatos é atestada por uma variedade de feições de esteiras microbiais, incluindo feições relativas ao crescimento (biolaminações, bioconstruções dômicas, padrões semelhantes a Kinneyia) e feições derivadas da destruição física das esteiras (estruturas “roll-up”, fissuras lineares incompletas, e fragmentos de esteiras oriundos da dessecação dos filmes microbiais). A presença de esteiras microbiais que recobriram os fósseis com EPS foi primordial na preservação extraordinária de tecidos moles. / This study presents the results on data collected in drill cores and outcrops in the Aptian-Albian succession in the Araripe Basin, NE Brazil. Laminated, micritic carbonates are interbedded with siliciclastic rocks that yielded CIA values typical of arid to semi-arid climate. The Crato Member was formed under a highly variable hydrologic regime (with fluctuating water depth, salinity and degree of oxygenation) in a coastal, saline lagoon. The stressful environmental conditions favored the development of extensive microbial mats, responsible for the precipitation of most laminated carbonates. The microbial origin of the carbonates is attested by a variety of microbial mat features, including growth-related features (biolaminations, domal buildups, patterns resembling Kinneyia) and features derived from physical mat destruction (roll-up structures, linear, incomplete fissures, and mat chips from desiccation of microbial films). The presence of microbial mats that covered the fossils with EPS was paramount for the extraordinary preservation of soft tissues.

No description available.

No description available.