Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
1966, Chennaux 1967; Devonian: Cuvillier and Sacal
1963; Viséan: Cuvillier and Barreyre 1964), elsewhere
in the Mesozoic (Eichler 1965; Borza 1972), and from
Tertiary limestones (Tappan and Loeblich 1968). Be-
cause of their considerably larger size and because of
different environmental settings, only a few of these
fossils are acknowledged to be true tintinnids.
10.2.3 Benthic Sessile Organisms
The first two major groups treated in the discussion of
thin-section fossils were cyanobacteria and calcareous
algae, and foraminifera and other protozoans (Sect.
10.2.1 and Sect. 10.2.2). The third major group com-
prises sponges, corals and bryozoans as well as some
hydrozoans. These groups have a common life-style:
They are benthic sessile organisms, that contribute
greatly to the production of marine carbonate rocks,
particularly by forming reefs and accumulating skel-
etal grains in shallow-marine and deep-marine deposi-
tional settings. The information provided by sponges,
corals and bryozoans greatly enhances our understand-
ing of paleoenvironmental controls and facies belts.
Basics: Calpionellids and other tintinnids
Boorova, D., Lobitzer, H., Skupien, P., Vasicek, Z. (1999):
Biostratigraphy and facies of Upper Jurassic-Lower Cre-
taceous pelagic sediments (Oberalm-, Schrambach- and
Rossfeld Formation) in the Northern Calcareous Alps,
south of Salzburg. - Abhandlungen der Geologischen
Bundesanstalt Wien,
56
, 273-318
Grün, B., Blau, J. (1996): Phylogenie, Systematik und Bio-
stratigraphie der Calpionellidae Bonet, 1956: Neue Daten
aus dem Rosso Ammonitico superiore und dem Biancone
(Oberjura/Unterkreide): Tithon-Valangin von Ra Stua (Prov.
Belluno, Italien). - Revue de Paléontologie,
15
, 571-595
Grün, B., Blau, J. (1997): New aspects of calpionellid bio-
chronology: proposal for revised calpionellid zonal and
subzonal division. - Revue de Paléobiologie,
16
, 197-214
Imbrie, J., Newell, N.D. (eds., 1964): Approaches in paleon-
tology. - 432 pp., New York (Wiley)
Rehakova, D., Michalik, J. (1993): Observations of ultrastruc-
ture of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous calpio-
nellid tests. - Geologica Carpathica,
44
, 75-79
Remane, J. (1964): Untersuchungen zur Systematik und
Stratigraphie der Calpionellen in den Jura-Kreide-Grenz-
schichten des Vocontischen Troges. - Palaeontographica
A,
123
, 1-127
Remane, J. (1985): Calpionellids. - In: Bolli, H.M., Saunders,
J.B., Perch-Nielsen, K. (eds.): Plankton stratigraphy. - 555-
572, Cambridge (University Press)
Tappan, H. (1993): Tintinnids. - In: Lipps, J.H. (ed.): Fossil
prokaryotes and protists. - 285-303, Oxford (Blackwell)
Further reading
: K113
10.2.3.1 Sponges
The paleoenvironmental interpretation of microfacies
data is often confronted with the need to differentiate
and evaluate sponge fossils. Limestones with abundant
sponges occur all over the Phanerozoic and in nearly
all depositional settings from intertidal to deep marine.
Sponges (Porifera) are benthic sessile metazoans
with a differentiated inhalant and exhalant aquiferous
system with external pores, in which flagellated cells
(choanocytes) pump a water current through the body.
The water is expelled by canals and the larger exhalant
osculum. The water flowing through sponges provides
food and oxygen, and also functions as waste removal.
The firmness of the sponge body is provided by spon-
gin fibres and a skeleton of silica or calcium carbonate.
Fig. 10.33.
Introduction to sponges
.
A:
Niphates digitalis
from the reef at 24 m depth in Chan Kanaab, Cozumel, Mexico.
Height of the pink sponge approximately 25 cm.
B:
Needles of
Agelas
cf.
conifera:
Slope in 51 m depths in Colombia,
Cozumel, Mexico.
C:
Leucetta
. Triactine and tetractine needles of a calcareous sponges. Cozumel, Mexico.
The sponges shown in A and B are Demospongiae characterized by siliceous spicules. C shows a sponge belonging to the
class Calcarea. The spicules consist of calcite. Courtesy of H. Lehnert (Oberottmarshausen).
