Late Devonian Acritarchs from the Gneudna formation in the Western Carnarvon basin, Western Australia

LATE D E V O N I A N ACRITARCHS FROM THE G N E U D N A FORMATION IN THE WESTERN CARNARVON BASIN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA by GEOFFr~EY P L A Y F O R D *

ABSTRACT

The Gneudna Formation is a Late Devonian (Frasnian) sequence of marine calcareous sediments that occurs in the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia. The present palynological study is based upon subsurface silty strata from a borehole (Pelican Hill or Bibbawarra Bore) that was drilled early this century near the western coastal limit of the Carnarvon Basin. The subject strata have previously been attributed to the Gneudna Formation on lithostratigraphic grounds. They contain a rich and varied assemblage of marine microphytoplankton (acritarchs), associated with trilete miospores of which Geminospora lemurata BAt2~E, 1962 is the dominant form. Forty-seven species of acritarchs are

recognizable in the palynoflora, which corresponds very closely with that described recently (Playford & Dring, 1981) from the Gneudna Formation in the vicinity of its type section on the opposite (eastern) side of the Carnarvon Basin. The apparently parochial complexion of the Gneudna acritarch suite is probably illusory, insofar as early Late Devonian acritarchs have not been studied extensively or intensively from either the northern or southern hemispheres. The following new species of acritarchs are formally instituted herein: Elektoriskos villosa, Lophosphaeridium pelicanensis, and Pterosper-

mella tenellula.

MOTS-CLI~S: ACRITARCHA, FRASNIEN, TAXON NOtlVEAU, BIOSTRATIGRAPHIE, AUSTRALIE OCCIDENTALE {BASSIN CARNARVON). KEY-WORDS : ACRITARCHA, FRASNIAN, NEW TAXA, BIOSTRATIGRAPHY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA (CARNARVON BASIN). * Department of Geology ~ Mineralogy, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia 4067.

Geobios, n" 14, fasc. 2

p. 145-171, 2 fig., 1 tabl., 6 pl.

Lyon, avril 1981

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146

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R~SUMg Dans le Bassin de Carnarvon, en Australie Occidentale, la Formation Gneudna d'fige d~vonien sup~rieur (frasnien) est form~e de s~diments marins calcaires. La pr~sente 6tude palynologique concerne des d~p6ts silteux d'un sondage (<< Pelican Hill >> ou <>) for~ au d~but de ce si6c!e pros de la limite c6ti~re du Bassin de Carnarvon. D'apr~s des crit~res lithostratigraphiques, ces couches ont pr~c~demment ~t~ attribu6es fl la Formation Gneudna. Elles contiennent un assem~ blage riche et vari~ de microphytoplancton marin (acritarches) associ~ fi des miospores tril~tes parmi lesquelles Geminospora lemurata BALME, 1962 est

TABLE

I.

q

II.-Ill.

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Introduction

..................

Gneudna Formation . . . . . . . . . . . .

147

Previous palynological investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

148 148

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Material studied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

V.

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Techniques and repository specimens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I. - -

permeIla tenellula.

OF CONTENTS

146

IV.

une forme dominante. Quarante-sept esp~ces d'acritarches sont reconnues; elles sont proches de celles d~crites par G. Playford O R.S. Dring (1981) en provenance de la Formation Gneudna au voisinage de la section-type sur le c6t~ oppost~ et oriental du Bassin de Carnarvon. Le caract~re apparemment local des acritarches de la Formation Gneudna est probablement artificiel et dfi au peu d'~tudes consacr~es ~ leur sujet dans le D~vonien sup~rieur tant de l'H~misph~re N o r d que Sud. Les esp~ces suivantes sont c r ~ e s : Elektoriskos viltosa, Lophosphaeridium pelicanensis et Pteros-

VI. - - Composition of the palynoflora ..

150

VII.-

Systematic descriptions . . . . . . . . .

151

v'III.-

Discussion of the palynoflora . . .

155

IX. - - Acknowledgements

............

158

of 150

X. - - References

....................

158

INTRODUCTION

Located alonq a near-central part of Australia's west coast, the Carnarvon Basin (Playford ~ alii, 1975, pp. 269-318 ; fig. 1 herein) contains a varied sequence of sedimentary rocks that ranges in age from Silurian to Q u a t e r n a r y and aggregates 20 000 m or more in thickness. A number of depositional or structural subdivisions have been defined within the Carnarvon Basin (see Playford ~3 alii, op. cit., pp, 270-272; fig. 41). O f these, the onshore intrabasinal entities are shown on fig. 1 ; namely the Gascoyne, Exmouth, Merlinleigh, Bidgemia, and Byro Sub-basins and the Peedamullah

Shelf. T h e Carnarvon Basin is bounded onshore to the east by rocks of the W e s t e r n Australian Precambrian Shield; and to the south, across a shallow basement ridge, lie the sediments of the Perth Basin. T h e Devonian sequence of the Carnarvon Basin appears to be largely or entirely of marine origin and is known from surface exposures only in the easternmost Carnarvon Basin; i.e., along part of the eastern boundary of the Merlinleigh Sub-basin (see Balme, 1962, fig. 1 ; Playford O Dring, 1981, fig. 1). T h e r e the sediments overlie the Precam-

--

brian basement directly with simple sedimentary onlap. However, data from boreholes located to the west and north of the outcrop area attest to the appreciable subsurface extent of the Devonian sequence: it probably underlies most of the northern half of the Carnarvon Basin. The outcroppin 9 Devonian sequence has been divided into four conformable formations (Condon,

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1954; Playford ~ alii, 1975, pp. 274-276) which from bottom to top are: N a n n y a r r a G r e y w a c k e - - up to 80 m of feldspathic sandstone and conolomerate; G n e u d n a F o r m a t i o n - - a ca. 500 m unit of interbedded richly fossiliferous limestone, dolostone, shale, sandstone, and silt:stone; M u n a b i a S a n d s t o n e - - ca. 550 m of fine- to medium-f rained sandstone ; lgriltaraddie F o r m a t i o n - - a pebbly sandstone and siltstone unit, ca. 300 m thick.

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The age of this sequence in toto has yet to be determined precisely, because of the virtually unfossiliferous character of all but the Gneudna Formation. However, the biostratigraphic evidence afforded by the Gneudna (summarized below), taken together with the conformable and often transitional relationships of the four formations, suogest that the sequence's age-range probably spans the Late Devonian epoch and may perhaps commence a little earlier (i.e,, datin 9 from the Givetian). The aim of the present study is to provide a further characterization of the acritarch palynoflora of the Gneudna Formation; i.e., supplemental to the monographic coverage presented by G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring (1981) who examined subsurface material in the 9eneral vicinity of the Gneudna type section. Specifically, the present work is concerned with subsurface sediments that were intersected and cored in a borehole located at the opposit.e (western) margin of the onshore Carnarvon Basin, and that have been regarded as attributable to the Gneudna Formation.

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II. --

Fig. 1 -

Locality map : portion of the west coast of Australia, showing the Carnarvon Basin (immediately north of the Perth Basin) and its subdivisions, and the position of Pelican Hill (or Bibbawarra) bore in the Gascoyne Sub-basin. Carte de Iocalisation : pattie de la c6te occidentale d'Australie avec les subdivisions du Bassin de Carnarvon (imm&liatement au nord du Bassin de Perth); la position du sondage de "Pelican Hill" (ou "Bibbawarra") est indiqu6e dans le Sous-bassin de Gascoyne.

GNEUDNA

FORMATION

As exposed alon 9 part of the eastern margin of the Merlinleigh Sub-basin, the Gneudna Formation is a dominantly calcareous unit comprisin 9 up to 820 m (type section, 517 m) of abundantly [ossiliferous limestone, dolostone, siltstone, shale, and sandstone. Faunal 9roups represented are varied. Brachiopods, corals, crinoids, conodonts, and various molluscs are the most important, and biostratigraphic evaluation of these has in the past led to age determinations rangin 9 t~rom Givetian to Late Frasnian.

148

A reasonably detailed commentary on the stratigraphic significance of the known fauna of the Gneudna Formation has been given by G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring (1981). That discussion need not be reiterated here. Rather, it will suffice to simply restate their conclusion that the faunal evidence, especially that afforded by articulate brachiopods and conodonts, indicates that the

III.

--

PREVIOUS

Gneudna Formation is of Late Devonian {Frasnian) age, probably early Frasnian. Moreover, G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring (op. cit.) regarded their acritarcha data as being consonant with a Frasnian age determination, although the majority of the forms they described were allocated to new specific taxa.

PALYNOLOGICAL

Prior to the present study, two papers have been produced on the palynoflora of the Gneudna Formation; viz., B.E. Balme (1962) and G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring (1981). B,E. Balme's study was concerned with miospores that he extracted from two samples that came from the same drillhole studied here; i.e., Pelican Hill (or Bibbawarra) bore at nominal depths of 1446-1496 feet (440"7-456"0 m) and 2174-2186 feet (662"6-666"3 m). Apart from one problematical and apparently inaperturate form {Chomotriletes uedugensis NAUMOVA, 1953), B.E. Balme's described assemblage was restricted to trilete miospores of which he recorded seven species (three as new). Consequently, B.E, Balme (1962, 1964) considered the palynoflora to be 'poorly diversified' although quantitatively rich in miospores. The dominant form, Geminospora lemurata BALME, 1962 (which is abundantly repre-

IV.

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MATERIAL

All samples of the present palynolooical study are from a cored drillhole for which the original official name was Bibbawarra (Pelican Hill) bore (A.E. Cockbain, written communication, 22 April 1980). However, it is more customarily known simply as the Pelican Hill bore (e.g.. Thomas Dickins, 1954; M c W h a e ~ alii, 1958, p. 44; Balme, 1962) and will be so termed henceforth in the text of this paper. Pelican Hill bore was sited in the Carnarvon Basin at lat. 24 ° 45' 49" S, long. 113 ° 43' 41" E, near the western coastal limit of the Gascoyne Sub-

INVESTIGATIONS

sented in material of the present study), led to B.E. Balme (1964, p. 55) referring to the assemblage as the Geminospora iemurata Microflora. He accepted published faunal evidence of a Frasnian age for the host sediment (i.e., Thomas Dickins, 1954; Glenister, 1956). The G. Playford ~ R.S. Drino work (1981) presents a monographic treatment of Gneudna acritarch assemblages obtained from subsurface (core) samples in the vicinity of the formation's type section in the easternmost Carnarvon Basin (Merlinleigh Sub-basin). The samples, from shallow exploratory boreholes, yielded a well-preserved and diverse acritarch palynoflora comprising 56 species, 33 of them being instituted formally as new. As mentioned earlier, this palynoflora was found to be compatible with the Frasnian age of the formation as deduced from other palaeontological standpoints.

STUDIED

basin (fig. 1). The well was drilled by Davis, Hankinson O Company on behalf of the Mines Department of Western Australia during the period 27 March 1902 to 4 July 1903. The purpose was to investigate the possible subsurface occurrence of (a) coal seams and (b) <¢artesian water-bearing horizons >> (see Maitland, 1904). At the time of drilling, much of the sequence to be encountered was thought to be Carboniferous in age and of coal-bearing potential. It was not until half-a-century later that G.A. Thomas J.M. Dickins (1954) established a Late Devonian

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CRETACEOUS AND YOUNGER SEDIMENTS

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TUMBLAGOODA SANDSTONE (SILURIAN)

]~ Limestone R, ~ shaly limestone

Sandstone

[/I[~7/~/i//i Dol°stone ~ [ ~ i Shol' a shaly dolostone . limy shale palynological sampling level (dashed where approximate)

age for the core interval of 1446-1496 feet (440"7456"0 m) from the occurrence therein of the brachiopod Cyrtospirifer. Further palaeontological work (see M c W h a e ~ alii, 1958, p. 44) suggested a fairly substantial thickness of Late Devonian strata, correlative, as G.A. Thomas ~ J.M. Dickins had earlier suggested, with the Gneudna Formation as exposed, some 190 km to the northeast, on the opposite (eastern) side of the Carnarvon Basin. Detailed lithological logging of the Pelican Hill core by P.E. Playford (in Playford ~ Chase, 1956) indicated a sequence of Gneudna Formation (summarized in fig. 2) extending directly beneath Cretaceous strata at a depth of 1406 feet

Fig. 2 -

Generalized iithologicai sequence of Devonian sediments attributed to the Gneudna Formation in Pelican Hill (or Bibbawarra) bore, showing palynological sampling levels with sample numbers and palynologicai preparation numbers (prefixed 'A' and 'D' respectively). Notes : (a) Lithological data after P.E. Playford (in Playford & Chase, 1957, unpubl. report). (b) Borehole depths are shown in original units of measurement (feet); to obtain equivalent S.I. units (metres), multiply by 0.3048. Succession lithologique g6n6ralis6e des sediments d6voniens du sondage de "Pelican Hill" (ou "Bibbawarra") attribu6s ~i la Formation Gneudna ;les niveaux 6chahtillonn6s sont indiqu6s par les num6ros des 6chantillons et des pr6parations palynologiques, respectivement pr6cedds de 'A' et de 'D'. Notes : (a) Donndcs lithologiques d'apr4s P.E. Playford (dans Playford & Chase, 1957, rapport non publi6). (b) Les profondeurs sont indiqu6es dans les unitds originales des mensurations (pieds); multiplier par 0.3048 pour convertir en syst6me mdtrique.

(428"5 m) down to 2363 feet (720"2 m), below which the Tumblagooda Sandstone (of probable Silurian age) extends to total borehole depth of 3011 feet (917"8 m). This interpretation, which is supported by the results of the present study, gives a Gneudna formational thickness of 291'7 m in Pelican Hill bore. Fig. 2 also shows the palynological sampling levels pertaining to the present study. It will be evident that the coverage constitutes virtually the entire interval regarded as Gneudna equivalent: i.e., depths of between 1450 feet (442 m) and 2361 feet (719'6 m).

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V. - -

TECHNIQUES

AND

Lithologically, the samples consist mostly of pale grey to greenish grey calcareous siltstones and shaly siltstones devoid of megafossils. All samples but one (core at 2143-2174 feet or 653'2662"6 m) yielded abundant and well-preserved assemblages of plant microfossils (acritarchs and miospores), and essentially the same preparation techniques were employed in all cases. Briefly, the method involved mechanical disintegration of 5-10 grams of each (carefully cleaned) core sample to ca. 5 ram-sized lumps; then dissolution of carbonate with dilute hydrochloric acid, and of remaining mineral by boiling with 70 per cent hydrofluoric acid. Hot 50 per cent hydrochloric acid removed gel-like fluorides from the largely organic residue which was then macerated briefly with concentrated nitric acid (1-2 minutes' treatment normally sufficed). The thoroughly washed residue was then treated quickly with a very dilute solution of potassium hydroxide and the residue was again washed to neutrality. Heavy-liquid separations, using zinc bromide solutions (of specific gravity varying as appropriate between 2"0 and 1'6). enabled the removal of any remaining mineral or other non-palyniferous matter from the palynolo-

VI. - -

COMPOSITION

All of the samples but one (core interval of 2143-2174 feet) proved to be productive, palynologically speaking. Collectively. therefore, the six productive samples cover virtually the full interval of inferred Gneudna Formation in the Pelican Hill bore (1406 to 2363 feet: Playford in Playford 6 Chase, 1956). Their palynological contents (comprising both acritarchs and miospores) proved to be abundant and in a generally favourable state of preservation. The spore component is not discussed in this account, apart from noting here that: (a) the most conspicuous spore is Geminospora lemurat.a BALME, 1962 (p. 5 ; pl. 1, figs. 5-10), a distinctive, somewhat variably apiculate, and consistently cavate form; (b) the accompanying spores are also exclusively trilete but are morphologically (and taxonomically) more diverse than B.E. Balme (1962) reported in his Pelican Hill

150

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REPOSITORY OF SPECIMENS gical residues. The mountant used for all strew slides, and for slide-mounted specimens from scanning electron microscopy, was glycerine jelly. The acritarchs were examined and identified by means of both light microscope (Leitz Dialux, no. 469843, Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge) and scanning electron microscope (using Cambridge Stereoscan IIA at University of Queensland; and Philips 501B at Sedgwick Museum). Type specimens and all other illustrated specimens are housed permanently in the palaeontological type collection maintained by the Geological Survey of Western Australia, Perth. Registered specimen numbers (prefixed 'F') refer to the official catalogue of that repository. Also quoted in the text and plate explanations for each illustrated specimen are the preparation/slide number and the relevant stage co-ordinates ('east-west' followed by 'north-south' readings). The readings are derived from the Leitz microscope mentioned above; and the slide collection is accompanied, for purposes of convenient specimen-relocation, by a master slide bearing two clearly engraved crosses and their co-ordinates from the microscope.

OF THE PALYNOFLORA borehole material (i.e., core samples at 1446-1496 feet and 2174-2186 feet) ; and (c) in all but one productive sample (2350-2361 feet), the acritarchs very conspicuously outnumber the spores by ratios varyinq from 13:1 to 50:1 (see Table 1). An inventory of all species of acritarchs that have been identified in the subject Pelican Hill samples is provided by Table 1, which also details the taxonomic composition of the individual samples and the relative abundances therein of the various taxa. The total number of species identified is 47 ; these are distributed among 30 genera (one of which is tentatively and informally considered as new). Overall, therefore, it is evident that the acritarchs are both numerous and morphologically diverse. The majority of the forms, it will be seen, are assignable to previously established species, most

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particularly to those instituted by G. Playford (in Playford ~ Dring, 1981). Since the latter paper is a comprehensive systematic work, it is unnecessary to repeat here the descriptive coverage, and the reader is referred to the G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring account for morphological descriptions of the bulk of the species recorded. Thus, the systematics contained in the present paper are restricted to the description of (a) three new species (Pterospermclla tenellula, Elektoriskos villosa, and

VII.

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LophosphaerMium pelicanensis) ; (b) two distinctive forms, designated informally as Maranhites sp. B and Gen. nov. A, that are represented only by single specimens and, therefore, are unsuited to orthodox naming at present; and (c) two species instituted in G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring (1981), Histopalla capiltosa and Dictyotidium con[ragum, for which the provision of further morphological details are deemed appropriate on the basis of the present study material.

SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS

Group ACRITARCHA EVlTT, 1963

Genus Dictyotidium EISE,XACK, 1955 emend. STAPLIN, 1961 TYPE SPECIES

Dictyotidium dictgotum (EISENACK) EISENACK, 1955: by original designation.

Dictyotidium confragum PLAYFORD, 1981 (Plate 1, fig. 10-12) 1981.

151

Dictyotidium con[ragum PLAYFORDin Playford 0 Dring, p. 22, pl. 4, figs. 7-9.

DESCRIPTION Vesicle circular or subcircular in outline, originally spherical. Wall of vesicle 1-2 /xm thick; bearing imperfect to, occasionally, near-perfect reticulum that consists of muri showing both anastomoses and free terminations. Muri straight to curved or sinuous, more or less rigid, psilate, I-2 #m high, 0"2-0'6 !Am broad, with bhmt to slightly rounded crests. Lacunae of polygonal to rounded shape, diameter 1'5-7 /~m in longest dimension; floors psilate to scabrate under light microscope, irregularly microgranulate to microrugulate under scanning electron microscope. l~xcystment aperture: a simple split in vesicle wall.

DIMENSIONS (25 specimens) Diameter of vesicle 20 (26) 34 ,m. REMARKS

The present specimens are conspecific with those described originally (Playford in Playford Dring, 1981) from the Gneudna Formation in the eastern part of the Carnarvon Basin, although their average size is somewhat less. and their vesicle wails may reach 2 ~m in thickness. COMPARISON

Dictyotidium [air[ieldense, as described by G. Playford (1976, p. 48; pl. 11, figs. 10-14) from the Famennian-Tournaisian of the Canning Basin, Western Australia, is more regularly reticulate than D. con[raFlum, and its vesicle wall is normally appreciably thinner (average 0.7 #m). MeIikeriopalla venulosa PLAYFORD (in Playford 0 Dring, 1981, pp. 45-46, pl. 12, figs. 1-4; and Plate 6, figs. 10a-c herein) is readily distinguishable from D. con[ragum, chiefly by the nature of its lacuna floors and by its consistently very low muri (0"5 ~m or less in height).

Genus Elektoriskos LOEBLICH, 1970 TYPE SPECIES

Elektoriskos designation.

aurora

LOEBLICH,1970: by original

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152

- -

Elektoriskos villosa

Genus Histopalla

PLAYFORD sp. nov.

PLAYFORD, 1981

(Plate 2, fig. 10-16) TYPE SPECIES HOLOTYPE

Preparation D448/2, 46"0 95"2, F11437; Plate 2, fig. 14. Vesicle circular in outline, diameter 18 ,am, wall 2 ,urn thick, psilate ; numerous relatively long and slender, subcylindrical, solid processes, curved to straight, ca. 0"4 ,tm in basal width, 4-5 ~m long, and 0"5-2 ,~m apart; no excystment structure.

Histopalla capillosa PLAYI'ORD in Playford & Dring. 1981 ; by original designation (monotypic).

Histopalla capillosa PLAYFORD, 1981 (Plate 3, fig. 12-16)

TYPE LOCALITY

Western Australia, Carnarvon Basin; Gneudna Formation, Late Devonian (Frasnian); Pelican Hill bore, core, 2000-2050 feet (610-625 m).

1981.

Histopalla capillosa PLAYFORD in Playford Dring. pp. 39-40; pl. 9, figs. 8-12.

DESCRIPTION

NAME DERIVATION

Lat., uillosllS, hairy. DIAGNOSIS

Vesicle circular or subcircular in outline, originally spherical. Wall of vesicle 1"6-2"6 ~tm thick; between processes, wall is psilate to scabrate under light microscope, microrugulate to imperflectly microreticulate under scanning electron microscope. Processes themselves are psilate and are borne discretely, abundantly, and fairly evenly on the wall. Processes solid, homomorphic, hairlike (i.e., elongate-subcylindrical), with very gentle taper from circular bases (diameter ca. 0"4-0"5 /,.m) to blunted or slightly nodose distal ends; length of processes 3-5 t,.m, fairly uniform on a given specimen. Processes have straight or slightly curved proximal contacts (bases 0"3-2"5 /,m apart) and a straight to bent appearance in lateral profile. Excystment by simple splitting of vesicle wall. DIMENSIONS (30 specimens) Diameter of vesicle 14 (20) 27 :~m; overall diameter 21 (27) 35 :~m. COMPARISON

Another species from the Gneudna Formation, Elektoriskos tenuis PLAYFORD (in Playford O Dring, 1981, p. 28 ; pl. 6, figs. 10-12) differs from E. uillosa sp. nov. chiefly in being consistently thinner walled and in bearing processes that are normally more sparsely distributed and are up to 7"5 /tin long.

Wall originally spherical or nearly so; outline circular or subcircular. Vesicle wall 1"2-2"5 ,~m thick; with fine to very fine reticulate sculpture of +__ straight, very low, and narrow muri (ca. 0"10"2 /*m broad and high) delimiting triangular to pentagonal lacunae, that are 0.2-2.2 #m in longest dimension and typically form close-knit 'rosettelike' structures on vesicle wall. W h e r e three or more muri meet, e.g. at centres of rosettes, a cylindrical or slightly tapering, psilate, solid process projects; length of processes 1-2'5 p.m. basal diameter 0"2-0-5 /*m; processes spaced 0-52 ,ttm apart; processes essentially homomorphic, with blunted-acuminate, capitate, or slightly bulbous distal extremities. Proximal process contacts curved to slightly angular. Excystment by simple split in vesicle wall. DIMENSIONS (60 specimens) Diameter of vesicle 28 (39) 49 ttm. REMARKS The above description of Pelican Hill borehole specimens can be regarded as an amplification of the circumscription given by G. Playford (in Playford ~ Dring, 1981), which was based upon a lesser number of Gneudna specimens. In particular, the wall thickness is now seen to be of more variable thickness; and the distinctive retieulum sculpturing the vesicle wall shows greater variability in terms of the size, shape, and distribution pattern of the constituent lacunae.

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PREVIOUS RECORDS

This species was originally described (in Playford ~ Drin 9, 1981) as a rare component of the Gneudna Formation near its type section in the eastern part of the Carnarvon Basin (Merlinleigh Sub-basin).

153

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tubercles often form composite curving ridge-like elevations. Excystment by simple splitting of vesicle wall. DIMENSIONS (55 specimens) Diameter of vesicle 28 (40) 50 /tm. COMPARISON AND REMARKS

Genus Lophosphaeridium TIMOFEEV, 1959 ex DOWNIE, 1963 TYPE SPECIES

Lophosphaeridium subsequent p. 630).

TIMOFEEV, 1959; by

rarum

designation

of

C.

Downie

(1963,

Lophosphaeridium pelicanensis PLAYFORD sp. nov.

(Plate q, fig. 8-14; Plate 5, fig. 1-3) HOLOTYPE

Preparation D452/2, 25"1 113,7, F11467; Plate 4, fig. 12. Vesicle near-circular, diameter 37 ,am; wall somewhat deformed by secondary folding, and beset zL- evenly with numerous, solid, coni- or grana-like tubercles, ca. 0'4-0-7 ,am broad basally and high, and up to 1 /~m apart. TYPE LOCALITY

The vesicles of Lophosphaeridium segregum PLAYFORD (in Playford 5 Dring, 1981, pp. 44-45 ; pl. II, figs. 17-19; pl. 12, fig. 17) are generally much smaller and thinner walled than those of L. pelicanensis sp. nov., and the tuberculate processes are more conspicuous and tend to be parallel-sided. L. granulosum (STAPLIN) PLAYFORD, 1976, which was originally described from the Late Devonian of Alberta (Staplin, 1961, p. 406 ; pl. 48, fig. 1 ), embraces granulate vesicles that are smaller and thinner walled than in L. pelicanensis. "Protoleiosphaeridium" micro~rani[er, also instituted by F.L. Staplin (op. cit., p. 405; pl. 48, fig. 4), may be similar to the present species but the description and illustration of micrograni[er are insufficient to allow adequate comparison to be made. Although not recorded by G. Playford 6 R.S. Dring (1981) from their Gneudna material, this species has been observed subsequently as a strikingly abundant component of a further preparation (LIWA 5737) from one of the cored interPals originally studied by them in the eastern Carnarvon Basin (Aquitaine D D H 2, 58"5 m). Some of the illustrated specimens in the current account (i.e., Plate 4, figs. 13, 14; Plale 5. figs. 1-3) are from the latter core.

Western Australia, Carnarvon Basin; Gneudna Formation, Late Devonian (Frasnian); Pelican Hill bore, core, 1696-1746 feet (517-532 m).

Genus M a r a n h i t e s BRITO, 1965

NAME DERIVATION

After Pelican Hill bore.

TYPE SPECIES

Maranhites brasiliensis BRITO, 1965 : by original DIAGNOSIS

Vesicle originally spherical, outline circular to subcircular. Vesicle wall 1"5-2"9 t,.m thick, sometimes difficult to determine precisely, often with several large-scale compression folds. Wall bearing solid, densely distributed minute grana- and conilike tubercles that have circular bases (diameter 0"3-1 ,,Jm) and rounded to blunted-acute apices (height up to 1"2 ,am, usually 0"5-0"8 p.m). Tubercles separated proximally by as much as 2 /~m but usually closer spaced; where basally coalescent,

designation.

,Maranhites

sp.

B

(Plate 4, fig. 1) DESCRIPTION

Vesicle originally discoidal or flattened spheroidal; outline circular. Vesicle wall 2"5-3 /,m in thickness ; with fluted 'equatorial' periphery consis-

- -

154

- -

ting of numerous, fairly regular, subrounded projections of vesicle wall averaging 5-6 t*m broad at base and 2-4 ,tin long. Surface of vesicle wall very finely and densely wrinkled (oil immersion), rdndulant periphery also characterized by development of very thin, delicate, transparent membrane that is more or less continuous around the equator and is clearly evident in embayments between peripheral projections; maximum width of membrane 5 /,m. No excystment structure developed.

Preparation D451/2, 50'0 104-3, F l 1 4 5 7 ; Plate 4, fig. 2. Vesicle circular in outline, 13 l*m in diameter, with minutely granulate-echinate surface and concentric compression fold on one side: equatorial diaphanous membrane extends 7 ~m out from vesicle and is psilate apart from fine strutlike folds emanating radially from attachment with vesicle.

DIMENSIONS (1 specimen)

TYPE LOCALITY

Overall diameter 68 ,,m. COMPARISON

The single specimen described above is superficially similar to the type species, Moronhites brasiliensis BRITO, 1965 (p. 2, pl. 1, fig. 1; also Brito, 1967, p. 164, pl. 1, figs. 2-5) from the Middle and Late Devonian of Brazil. However the latter is considerably larger (average diameter, 150 is,m) and may not possess a peripheral membrane. Another South American (Paraguayan) form from the Middle Devonian, Maranhites ? sp. o~ E.D. P6the de Baldis (1974, pp. 376-377; pl. 3, fig. 4), differs from the Gneudna specimen chiefly in size (diameter 85 l~m) and in possessing a thinner vesicle wall. Maranhites britoii STOCKMANS ~ WILLIERE, 1969 (pp. 44-45; pl. 2, figs. 4, 7: Lower Famennian, Belgium) is about the same size as the present specimen, but differs in the 'cellular' structure of its periphery.

HOLOTYPE

Western Australia, Carnarvon Basin: Gneudna Formation, Late Devonian (Frasnian); Pelican Hill N ° . 1, core at 1450 feet (442 m). NAME DERIVATION Lat., tcneilulus (dim.), delicate, soft. DIAGNOSIS

Vesicle with approximately circular outline, originally spherical; wall 0-5-1"1 ivtm thick, bearing minute, discrete grana or echinae that are 0"6 p.m or less in basal width and height and 0"3-0"8 t*m apart. Vesicle is encompassed equatorially by very, thin, diaphanous membrane that usually exhibits fine radial wrinkling but is essentially psilate; membranous flange projects ca. 5-10 /,m beyond vesicle and has ___entire periphery that more or less conforms with vesicle outline. Excystment opening (rarely observed) consists of a +__ diametric linear split in vesicle wall. DkMENSIONS (15 specimens) Overall diameter 21 (32) 45 ,~m; diameter of vesicle 13 (18) 23 /,m.

Genus Pterospermella EISENACK, 1972 TYPE SPECIES

Pterospermetla aureolata (CooKsoN ~ EISENACK) EISENACI<, 1972: by original designation.

Pterospermella tenellula PLAYFORD sp. nov. (Plate 4, fig. 2-4)

1981.

Pterospermella sp. A of Playford in Playford 6 Dring, p. 52 ; pl. 13, figs. 12, 13.

COMPARISON

As noted by G. Playford (in Playford ~ Dring, 1981) this form is slightly similar to the northern hemisphere Emsian species Pterospermella hermosita (CRAMER,1964, p. 328; pl. 16, figs. 12, 18; fig. 35:5) EISENACK, CR.~ER ~9 DIEZ, 1973, but the latter is generally smaller than P. tenellula and its vesicles are thicker walled and more coarsely sculptured. "Pterospermopsis" [ragalis, as described by B. Thusu (1973, pp. 142, 144; pl. 2. fig. 16) from the New York Silurian, differs from P. tenellula by having a thick-walled vesicle that may be surfically foveolate, not granulate or echinate as in the present form.

155 - PREVIOUS RECORDS G. Playford ~ R.S. Dring (1981) have reported this species (as Pterospermella sp. A) in one Gneudna sample only from the eastern Carnarvon Basin.

ween muri, vesicle wall is psilate and ca. 1 ,am thick. No excystment aperture observed. DIMENSIONS (1 specimen) Diameter of vesicle 43 ~tm. REMARKS ]hND COMPARISON

This distinctive form appears to be unmatched Gen. nov. A

in existing literature, but of course its sing/e-

(Plate 3, fig. 1)

specimen representation precludes formal naming. Eupoikilo[usa cabottii CRAMER, 1971 (p. 87; pl. -}, figs. 66, 67; fig, 25h) from the Llandovery of Ontario, and its possible synonym Moyeria uticaensis THUSU, 1973 (p. 142; pl. 2, figs. 18-22; see E.R. Wicander & A.R. Loeblich Jr.. 1977, p. 151), differ from the present form in having an ellipsoidal to fusi[orm vesicle bearin 9 muri that, although longitudinally oriented, form a helicoid pattern and display no tendency towards either anastomosis (apart from polar conjunctions) or transverse segmentation. An Indiana Late Devonian form, Spurimoyeria [alcilaculata WICANDER ~ LOEBLICH, 1977 (p. 151 ; pl. 7, figs. 3-5), differs by having linear muri set in two parallel series, one being normal to the other on the opposing hemisphere.

DESCRIPTION

Vesicle spherical; ornamented with a series of relatively narrow, subparallel, longitudinally disposed muri that converge at poles and may also anastomose in pairs elsewhere in high-latitude regions of vesicle. Muri up to 4 !xm apart (i.e., maximum in equatorial regions), 0"8-1"5 !tm in total height and basal width. Muri have distinctly noded appearance due to development on their upper surfaces of longitudinally and uniserially arranged, close-spaced, rounded tubercles (mostly of granule proportions), up to 1'2 /tin in diameter. Tuberculate modification and size of muri become pro~tressively subdued towards polar regions. Bet-

VIII.

DISCUSSION

Inspection of the species distribution data in Table 1 will show that, by and large, the acritarchs from the six productive samples of Pelican Hill borehole can be bracketed as a reasonably cohesive and consistently occurring association. In other words, there appear to be no firm or obvious grounds for subdivision of the studied stratigraphic interval - - even aside from the sparse sampiing thereof - - on the basis of vertically restricted ranges of individual species. It is evident that some of the forms identified have been recorded from only one or two samples; e.g., Cymatiosphaera perimembrana STAPLIN, 1961, Dictyotidium prolatum PLAYPORD, 1981. Deltotosoma intonsum PLAYPORD, 1981, Helosphaeridium 9uttatum PLAVFOnD, 1981, Papulogabata annulata PI,AYFORD, 1981, Saharidia lusca PLAYFORD, 1981, Gem nov. A, L[nellium piri[orme RAUSCHER, 1969, and U. winslowae RAUSCHEn, 1969. Nonetheless, virtually all of these (with the exception of Delto-

OF THE

PALYNOFLORA

tosoma intonsum) are rare components of those samples in which they do occur, and thus their apparent absence from other samples could simply be a further reflection of this rarity. Some of the most characteristic forms of the association, in terms of actual numbers and/or frequencies of occurrence, include Elektoriskos tenuis, Gorgonisphaeridium carnaruonense, G. condensum, Histopalla capillosa (all described by G. Playford, 1981), and Lophosphaeridium pelicanensis sp. nov. Of the 47 species identified, the overwhelming majority (42 species) have been recorded by G. Playford ~ R.S. Drin 9 (1981) from the Gneudna Formation in the general area of its type section on the eastern side of the Carnarvon Basin (Playford ~ Drin 9, op. cit., fi 9. 1). The Pelican Hill species that were unrecorded from G. Playford R.S. Dring's material comprise Elektoriskos villosa sp. nov., Gen. nov. A. Maranhites sp. B, Polyedryxium pharaonis DEUNFF, 1961, and Very-

-

156

-

O ~SAM

PLE

NUMBERS SPECIES W

Alocemurus compactus PLAYFORD,

in press [P1. I, fig. I]

r

r

ChQmotriletes ved ugen~is NA~4OVA,

r

r

C,ymatiesphaera perimembrana STAPLIN,

•~

r

C.ymatiosphaera subtrite ~LAYI~-0RD, in press [P1. I, fig. 2]

r

C2matiosphaera sp. A of BLAY~ORD,

t~

Daill2idium pentaster

r

Deltotosoma

r

1953 1961

in press

(STAPLIN) PLAYFORD,

intonsum PLAYFORD,

in press [PI. I, fig. 8, 9]

in press [P1. I, fig° 3 , 4]

r

Dict~otidium confra~um PLATFORD,

I-

Dict2otidium granulatum PLAYFORD, Dictyotidium prolatLuT4 PLAYFORD,

in press [P1. I, fig. 10-12]* in press [P1. I, fig° 5-7]

in press

r

r

Dict2otidium torosum PLA.~-FORD, in press [P1. 2, fig° I-3]

r

r

Duvernaysphaera

tenuicingulata STAPLIN, 1961

Duvernaysphaera tessella DEUNFF,

r u

Elektoriskos

tenuis PLAYFORD,

[P1. 2, fig. 4]

1964 [P1. 2, fig. 5-7]

in press [Blo 2, fig. 8, 9]

r

u

Elek~griskos villosa PLAYFCRD Spo nov° [Plo 2, fig. 10-16]*

r

u

C-neudnaella psilata P!AYFORD,

in press

G p r ~ o n i s p h a e r i d i u m abstrusum PLAYFORD, u

u

GQr~onisphaerldium

V

a

Gorgonisphaeridium

r

in press [P1. 3, fig. 10]

carnarvo~vnse PLAY~_ORD, in press [Pl° 3, fig. 2] condensmn PLAYFORD,

in press [P1. 3, fig° 7, 8]

G o r K o n i s p h a e r i d i u m disclssum PLAtY-FORD, in press [P1. 3, fig. 9] Gen. nov° A [Pl° 3, fig. I]* Helos=haeridium g u t t a t u m PLAY'FORD, in press [Pl° 3, fig. 3] Helosphaeridium microclayatum PLAY-FORD, in press [P1. 3, fig° 4-6]

U V

His~ooalla c apillosa PLAY-FORD, in press [P1. 3, fig. 12-16]* Loma%olopas

cellulosa PLAY'FORD, in press [P1. 3, fig. 11]

r

Lcphosphaeridium deminuZum PLAY~ORD,

v

v

LoFhosphaeridium

r

bl

in press [Pl° 4, fig. 7]

pelicanensis PLAYFORD Spo nov. [Pl° 4, fig. 8-14; Plo 5, fig. I-3]*

Lophosphaeridi~un segreKum PLAYFORD,

in press

Maranhites SDo B ~PZ° 4, fig. I]* Melikeriopalla venulosa PLAYFORD, Micrhystridium

Multiolicisphaeridium

r

ramuseulosum

Navifusa exilis PI~YFORD,

teneilula PLAYFORD sp° nov° [Pl° 4, fig° 2-4]*

RuKaletes vietus YLAYFORD, r

Saharidia ]usca PLAYFORD,

u

r

r

Solisnhaeridi~

r

r

Steliinium micropol2~onale

r

Synsphaeridium cazenarium PLAYTFORD, in press

r

1

13 1

in press in press

r r

10

in Dress

Polyedryxium pharaonis DEUNFF, 1961 PterespermelLa

r

spinogLebosum

U n e l l i u m oiriforme R A U S C ~ R ,

(~TAPLIN) W I C A ~ E R ,

(STOC~tJ~NS & WILLIERE)

Veryhachium colemanii PLAYFORD, in press [Pl° 6, fig. 7-9]

r

"~

r

u

Veryhachium downiei STOCKNANS & WILLIERE,

r

r

u

Veryhachium pol2aster STAPLIN, 1961

30

19

1

1

5_0 1

acritarch / soore

ratio

1 977 [Plo 6, fig. 3]

1969

UneLlium winslowae ~tAUSCHER, 1969

r

1

1974 [Pl° 6, fig. I, 2] PLAYFORD,

r u

~

LISTER, 1970

Yolyedr2xium embudum C~AF~R, 1964 [P1. d, figo 63

r

r

1945 (DEFLANDRE)

in press [Plo 4, fig. 5]

Papulogabata ar~uLata PLAYFORD, T~

in Dress [Pl° 6, f!~. 10]

stellatum DEFLAh~P~,

1962 [P1. 6, fig. 6]

[Plo 6, fig° 4, 5]

--

hachium polyaster STAPLIN, 1961. No particular stratigraphic significance can be attached to any of these because the first three named are new (and previously unrecorded), and both P. pharaohis and V. pohjaster are known from the northern hemisphere to be rather long-rangin 9 in the Devonian (Playford, 1977). From the above it is clear that a strikingly close correspondence exists at specific level between the present acritarch suite and that described from subsurface sections that are laterally contiguous with the type Gneudna Formation. In other words, the acritarch evidence strongly supports P.E. Playford's (in P.E. Playford 0 R.L. Chase, 1956) correlation of the 1'~06-2363 feet interval in Pelican Hill bore with the Gneudna Formation, As noted previously herein, the age of the Gneudna Formation has been established with reasonable certainty as Late Devonian (Frasnian), principally from conodont and brachiopod evidence. This is supported to some extent by the acritarchs, although the apparently strongly parochial character of the palynoflora offers, at this stage, little independent testimony for international correlation. The reason for this, as noted by G. Playford ~ R.S. Drin 0 (1981), is that present

157 - -

knowledge of the acritarch content of Late Devonian sediments is meagre for both southern and northern hemispheres. Consequently, the undoubted potential of these essentially planktic microfossils for wide-ranging correlation has yet to be realized so far as this part of the stratigraphic column is concerned; and, indeed, the seemingly endemic character of the Gneudna assemblages may well be proven illusory when more work is done elsewhere. Nevertheless, when the known Devonian ranges are plotted of the few Gneudna acritarch species that have been recorded elsewhere (see G. Playford & R.S. Dring, 1981, table 2), a Frasnian age becomes the most likely interpretation. This is connoted particularly by the association of Chomotriletes uedagensis NAUMOVA, 1953, Daillyidium pentaster (STAPLIN) PLAYFORD, 1981, Unellium piri[orme, U. winslowae, and

Cymatiosphaera perimembrana. Lastly, it can be pointed out that the present work confirms the profusely palyniferous nature of the Gneudna Formation. This implies both a microplankton population of considerable productivity and diversity in the sea and, contemporaneously, a varied pteridophytic vegetation on the neighbouring land.

Tabl. 1 - List of acritarch species and their distribution in samples of Gneudna Formation from the Pelican Hill bore. Notes : (1) See text-fig. :2 for stratigraphic positions of samples. (2) The designation 'PLAYFORD, in press' following specific epithet indicates that the species concerned is described in the paper by G. Playford & R.S. Dring that is in press at the time of writing. (3) Parenthesized Plate/figure numbers refer to illustrations in the present paper. (4) An asterisk denotesthat the form is described in the systematic section of the present paper. (5) Relative abundances of species, based upon counts of 250 specimens per sample, are designated as follows : v, very abundant ( > 25 % of acritarch content); a, abundant ( > 10 - 25 % ); c, common ( > 5 10 % ); u, uncommon (1 - 5 %) ;r, rare ( < 1%). (6) The ratios between acritarch and spore contents derive from 100 - specimen counts from each sample's total assemblage. Liste des esp6ces d'acritarches et leur distribution clans les 6chantillons de la Formation Gneudna du sondage de "Pelican Hill". Notes : (1) Voir text-fig. 2 pour la position stratigraphique des 6chantillons. (2) L'indication 'PLAYFORD,

in press' suit certaines 6pith6tes sp6cifiques et signifie que ces esp6ces sont fond6es dans un travail de G. Playford & R.S. Dring 1981, qui 6tait sous presse au moment de la pr6sente rddaction. (3) Les num6ros des 'Planche/figure' entre parenth6ses concernent les illustrations du pr6sent article. (4) Un ast6risque indique que la forme est ddcrite dans la partie syst6matique du prdsent article. (5) Les abondances relatives des esp6ces d'apr6s les comptages de 250 acritarches par 6chantillon, sont indiqu6es comme suit : v, tr6s abondant ( > 25 % ); a, abondant ( > 10- 2 5 % ); c, commun ( > 5 - 10 %); u, peu commun (1 - 5 % ); r, rare (< 1 %).(6) Le rapport acritarches/spores est 6tabli d'apr6s les comptages de 100 sp6cimens par 6chantillon.

- -

IX.

158

- -

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For the provision of Gneudna sediment samples that form the basis of this study, grateful acknowledgement is extended to Mr. J.H. Lord (formerly Director, Geological Survey of Western Australia) and to Dr. B.E. Balme (Department of Geology, University of Western Australia). Helpful advice on the Pelican Hill bore was provided by Dr. A.E. Cockbain (Geological Survey of Western Australia). Dr. Francine Martin (Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Brussels) kindly translated reIevant parts of the text into French. Mesdames D. Phipps and E. Burdin (both of Department of Geolocly and Mineralogy, University of Queensland) were responsible, respectively, for palynological laboratory processing and draughting (figs. 1, 2).

X. ~

This study was begun at the University ot Queensland, and was largely prosecuted during the author's sabbatical leave at the Department of Earth Sciences (Sedgwick Museum), Cambridge, where Professor H.B. Whittington, F.R.S., and Dr. N.F. Hughes generously provided research facilities. Messrs. J.V. Hardy and D.T. Newling of, respectively, the Electron Microscope Centre. University of Queensland, and the Sedg~ick Museum, expertly aided the scannin 9 electron microscopy. Financial assistance is here acknowledged from University of Queensland research funds and from the Australian Research Grants Committee.

REFERENCES

BALME B.E. ( 1 9 6 2 ) . - Upper Devonian (Frasnian) spores from the Carnarvon Basin. Western Australia. The PaIaeobotanist, Lucknow, vol. 9, p. 1-10. BALME B.E. ( 1 9 6 4 ) . - The palynological record of Australian pre-Tertiary floras. In: Cranwell L.M. (Ed.), Ancient Pacific floras; the pollen story. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu, p. 49-80. BRITO I.M. ( 1 9 6 7 ) . - Novo subgrupo de Acritarcha do Devoniana do Maranhgo. An. Acad. Bras. Cienc., Rio de Janiero, vol. 39, p. 163-166. BRITO I.M. (1967). - - Novo subgrupo de Acritarcha do Devoniana do Maranhgo. An. Acad. Bras. Cienc., Rio de Janeiro, vol. 39, p. 163-166. CONDON M.A. (1954). - - Progress report on the stratigraphy and structure of the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia. Rept. Bur. Miner. Resour. Geol. Geophgs. Australia, Canberra, n ° 15, 163 p. CRAMER F.H. ( 1 9 6 4 ) . - Microplankton from three Paleozoic formations in the province of Le6n, NW-Spain. Leidse geol. Meded., Leiden, vol. 30, p. 253-361.

CRAMER F.H. ( 1 9 7 1 ) . - Distribution of selected Silurian acritarchs. Rev. EspaH. Micropaleontol., Num. extraord., Madrid, vol. 1, 203 p. DOWNIE C. ( 1 9 6 3 ) . - 'Hystrichospheres' (acritarchs) and spores of the Wenlock Shales (Silurian) of Wenlock, England. Palaeontotogy, London, vol. 6, p. 625-652. EISENACK A., CreAMER F.H. & DIEZ M. de C.R. ( 1 9 7 3 ) . - Katalog der fossilen Dinoflagellaten, Hystrichosphgren und verwandten Mikrofossilien. Band III, Acritarcha 1 Tell. E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 1104 p. GLENISTER B.F. ( 1 9 5 6 ) . - Devonian and Carboniferous spiriferids from the North-West Basin, Western Australia. J. Proc. R. Soc. West. Aust., Perth, vol. 39, p. 46-71. MAITLAND A.G. ( 1 9 0 4 ) . - Pelican Hill bore, Carnatron. Ann. Rept. Geol. Suru. West. Aust. for 1903, Perth, p. 34-35. McW~IAE J.R.H., PLAVFORDP.E., LINDNERA.W., GLF_.NmTER B.F. 6 BALME B.E. (1958). - - The stratigraphy of Western Australia. ]. geol. Soc. Aust., Adelaide, vol. 4, n ° 2, p. 1-161.

-

-

PLAYFORD G. ( 1 9 7 6 ) . - Plant microfossils from the Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous of the Cannin 9 Basin, Western Australia. Palaeontographica, Abt B, Stuttgart, vol. 158, p. 1-71.

159

-

-

POTHE DE BALDISE.D. ( 1 9 7 4 ) . - - El microplancton del Dev6nico medio de Paraguay. Rev. Espag. Micropaleontol., Madrid, vol. 6, p. 367-379. S'rAVHN F.L. ( 1 9 6 1 ) . - Reef-controlled distribution of Devonian microplankton in Alberta. Palaeontolog!t, London, vol. 4, p. 392-424.

PLAYFORD G. (1977). - - Lower to Middle Devonian acritarchs of the Moose River Basin, Ontario. Bull. Geol. Surv. Canada, Ottawa, n ° 279, 87 p.

STOCKMANS F. & WILLI~RE Y. ( 1 9 6 9 ) . - Acritarehes du Famennien inf~rieur. Mdm. Acad. t?. Belg., Cl. Sci., Brussels, n" 38, 63 p.

PLAYFORD G. 6 DRING R.S. (1981). - - Late Devonian acritarchs from the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia. Special Papers in Palaeontology, London, n" 27, 78 p.

THOMAS G.A. ~ DmmNS J.M. ( 1 9 5 4 ) . - Discovery of kipper Devonian rocks in the Pelican Hill bore. Aust. J. Sci., Sydney, vol. 17, n" 2, p. 4750.

PLAYFORD P.E. ~5 CHASE R.L. (1956). - - Carnarvon Basin water bores. W e s t Australian Petroleum Pty. Limited, Perth, unpubl, rept. PLAYFORD P.E., COpE R.N., COCKBAIN A.E., Low G.H. ~ Low~v D.C. (1975). - - Phanerozoic. In: The geology of Western Australia. Mem. Geol. Surv. West. Aust., Perth, n ° 2, p. 223-433.

THUSU B. (1973). - - Acritarches provenant de l'Ilion Shale (Wenlockien), Utica, New York. Rev. Micropaldontol., Paris, vol. 16, p. 137-146. WICANDER E.R. Z5 LOEBLICH A.R. Jr. (1977). - Organic-walled microphytoplankton and its stratigraphic significance from the Upper Devonian Antrim Shale, Indiana, U.S.A. Palaeontogra. phica, Abt B, Stuttgart, vol. 160, p. 129-165.

Manuscrit d~finitif requ le 5-01-1981

-

160

PLATE

Fig. 1 -

Alocomurus compactus PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x

-

1

500.

Prep. D452/2,27.0 99.9, F11412. Fig,

2 -

Cymatiosphaerasubtrita PLAYFORD, 1981 ; x

750.

2a, high focus; 2b, low focus. Prep. 13448,/1,28.0 113.6, F11413. Fig. 3 & 4 - Deltotosoma intonsum PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 750. 3 - Prep. I)451/2, 18.7 97.7, F11414. 4 - Prep. D451/1,56.5 100.2, F11415. Fig.

5 - 7 -

Dictyotidium granulatum PLAYFORD, 1981. 5 -Prep. D448/3, 40.9 96.0, F11416;x 500. 6 - Prep. D448/1,27.1 101.5,1=11417;x 500. 7 - Prep. D448/$2/21,42.2 103.2, F 11418; 7a, x 900; 7b, x 1750.

Fig. 8 & 9 - Daillyidium pentaster (STAPLIN) PLAYFORD, 1981. 8 -Prep. D448/1,34.1 106.9, F11419;x 750. 9 - Prep. D448/$2/7,41.2 101.5, F11420;x 1750. Fig. 10 - 12 - Dictyotidium confragum PLAYFORD, 1981. 10 - Prep. D451/2,34.6 108.0, F11421 ;x 750. 11 - Prep. D 451/S 1/3,42.6 102.7, F 11422; x 1750. 12 - Prep. D451/S1/16,42.2 104.6, F11423;x 3500.

PI. 1 G. Playford

G6obios N ° 14 - fasc. 2

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PLATE

Fig. 1 - 3 - Dictyotidium torosum PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 1 - Prep. D450/3,46.4 102.5, F11424. 2 - Prep. D452/1,29.4 95.8, F11425. 3 - Prep. D452/2,38.8 108.8, F11426. Fig. 4 -

-

2

500.

Duvernaysphaera tenuicingulata STAPLIN, 196 l ; x 750. Prep. D452/2,42.7 99.6, F11427.

Fig. 5 - 7 - Duvernaysphaera tesseilaDEUNFF, 1964; x 750. 5 - Prep. D450/1,24.0 108.2, F11428. 6 - Prep. D450/3, 34.1 99.7, F11429. 7 - Prep. D449/3, 24.2 113.0, F11430.

Elektoriskos tenuis PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 8 - Prep. D450/1,38.6 102.0, F11431. 9 - Prep. IM47/2,47.5 100.I, F11432.

Fig.

8 & 9 -

Fig.

10 - 16

750.

- Elektoriskos villosa PLAYFORD sp. nov. 10- Prep. D450/1,42.5 112.3, F l 1 4 3 3 , x 750. 11 - Prep. D451/1,34.9 99.4, F 1 1 4 3 4 ; x 750. 12a & 12b - High & median loci; prep. D448/1,34.5 107.3, F 11435 ; x 750. 13a & 13b .- High & median loci; prep. D448/1,23.5 105.0, F 1 1 4 3 6 ; x 750. 14 - Holotype; prep. D448/2,46.0 95.2, F11437; x 750. 15a & lSb - Prep. D448/S1/5,45.1 101.3, F 1 1 4 3 8 ; x 1750 & x 3500. 16 - Prep. D451/SI/10, 42.1 103.8, F11439;x 7000.

G6obios N ° 14 - fasc. 2

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Fig. l Fig. 2 -

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Gen. nov. A ; x 7 5 0 . Prep. D447/1,30.9 105.2, F11440.

Gorgonisphaeridium carnarvonense PLAYFORD, 1981 :x 750. Prep. D449/3, 21.0 101.6, F11441.

Fig. 3 -

Helosphaeridium guttatum PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 750. Prep. D450/2,47.0 112.5, F11442.

Fig. 4 - 6 -- Helosphaeridium microclavatum PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 750. 4 - Prep. D450/2, 26.7 106.7, F11443. 5 - Prep. D450/1,52.1 109.7, F11444. 6 - Prep. D450/1,16.6 95.8, F11445. Fig. 7 & 8 -Gorgonisphaeridium condensum PLAYFORD, 1981. 7 - Prep. D449/3, 51.6 100.6, F 1 1 4 4 6 ; x 750. 8 - Prep. D448/S 1/ 17, 46.7 102.4, F 11447 ; x 1750. Fig. 9 -

Gorgonisphaeridium discissum PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 750. Prep. D447/1,35.5 102.4, F11448.

Fig. 10 -- Gorgonisphaeridium abstrusum PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 750. Prep. D447/1,26.5 102.4, F11449. Fig. 11 - Lomatolopas cellulosa PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 750. Prep. D451/3, 48.5 100.6, F11450. Fig. 12- 16 -Histopalla capillosa PLAYFORD, 1981. 12 - Prep. D448/$2/4, 41.9 101.6, F11451 ;x 875. 13a & 13b - Prep. D450/SI/2,38.5 101.0, F 1 1 4 5 2 ; x 875 & x 3500. 14 - Prep. D448/S1/8,46.5 102.2, F11453, x 3500. 15 - Prep. D450/1,38.0 106.8, F11454, x 750. 16 - Prep. I)449/3,34.7 96.5, F11455, x 750.

PI. 3 G. Playford

G6obios NO 14 - fase. 2

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Fig. 1 -

4

Maranhites sp. B. Prep. D 4 4 8 / 3 , 2 2 . 9 103.3, F11456; l a , x 500; l b , x 750.

Fig. 2 - 4 - Pterospermella teneilula P L A Y F O R D sp. nov.; x 750. 2 - Holotype; prep. D451/2, 50.0 104.3, F11457. 3 - Prep. D447/1,22.2 102.3, F11458. 4 - Prep. D 4 4 7 / 1 , 3 5 . 0 97.0, F11459. Fig. 5 -

Navifusaexilis PLAYFORD, 1981 ;x 500. Prep. D451/3,33.5 104.5, F 11460.

Fig. 6 --

Polyedryxium embudum CRAMER, 1 9 6 4 ; x 500. Prep. D450/2,31.9 107.7, F11461.

Fig. 7 -

Lophosphaeridium deminutum PLAYFORD, 1 9 8 1 ; x 750. Prep. D451/1,20.1 96.7, F11462.

Fig. 8 - 14 - Lophosphaeridium pelicanensis P L A Y F O R D sp. nov. 8 - Prep. D452/2, 29.5 106.6, F 1 1 4 6 3 ; x 500. 9 - Prep. D 4 5 0 / 3 , 4 9 . 6 99.6, F11464; x 500. 10 - Prep. D450/2, 34.7 92.7, F11465 ; x 500. 11 -Prep. D450/1,16.3 98.3, F 1 1 4 6 6 ; x 500. 12 - Holot ype; prep. D452/2,25.1 113.7, F 11467 ; x 500. 13 - Prep. 5737/S1/6, F11468; x 1250. 14 - Prep. 5737/S1/18, F 1 1 4 6 9 ; x 1250.

G6obios NO 14 - fasc. 2

Pl. 4 G. Playford

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3-

G~obios NO 14 - fasc. 2

PI. 5 G. Playford

-

170

PLATE

--

6

Fig. 1 & 2 - Solisphaeridium spinoglobosum (STAPLIN) WICANDER, 1974; x 750. 1 - Prep. D452/3, 32.5 101.4, F11473. 2 - Prep. D451/2, 35.0 111.4, F11474. Fig. 3 -

Steilinium micropolygonale (STOCKMANS & WILLIERE) PLAYFORD, 1977;x 500. Prep. D449/3, 23.6 102.2, F11475.

Fig. 4 & 5 - Veryhachium polyaster STAPLIN, 1 9 6 1 4 - Prep. 15)450/1,40.5 109.3, F11476. 5 - Prep. D450/2, 46.6 102.7, F11477. Fig. 6 -

;x 750.

Veryhachium downiei STOCKMANS & WILLIERE, 1962; x 750. Prep. D449/3, 56.3 109.9, [=11478.

Fig. 7 - 9 - Veryhachium colemanii PLAYFORD, 1981. 7 - Prep. 13451/3, 29.1 113.0, F11479; x 750. 8 - Prep. D451/2, 47.6 94.3, F 1 1 4 8 0 ; x 750. 9 - Prep. D448/$2/11,42.9 102.5, F11481 ;x 875. Fig. 10 -- Melikeriopalla venulosa PLAYFORD, 1981. Prep. D451/S1/13., 42.3 104.7, F11482; 10a, x 1750; 10b, x 3500: 10c, x 7000.

PI. 6 G. Playford

G6obios NO 14- fasc. 2

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