Palaeontology of the upper Turonian paralic deposits of the Sainte-Mondane Formation, Aquitaine Basin, France

Authors

  • D. NÉRADEAU UMR CNRS 6118 Géosciences, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France.
  • S. SAINT MARTIN UMR CNRS 6118 Géosciences, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France. Centre de recherche sur la paléobiodiversité et les paléoenvironnements (CR2P, UMR 7207) Sorbonne Universités-MNHN, CNRS UPMC-Paris 6, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 8 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
  • D.J. BATTEN School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DB, Wales, UK
  • J.-P. COLIN 3 impasse des Biroulayres, 33610 Cestas, France. Deceased
  • V. DAVIERO-GOMEZ UMR CNRS 5276, Université Lyon1, Campus de La Doua, 2 rue Raphaël Dubois, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
  • V. GIRARD UMR CNRS 5554 Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution-Montpellier, Université Montpellier. Place Eugène Bataillon, 34090 Montpellier, France.
  • B. GOMEZ Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University. Fanar-Matn, P.O.Box 26110217, Lebanon.
  • Y.A. NORHA UMR CNRS 6118 Géosciences, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France. Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar-Matn, P.O.Box 26110217, Lebanon. Doctoral School, PRASE Lebanese University, Campus Hadath-BP5 Beirut, Lebanon.
  • F. POLETTE UMR CNRS 6118 Géosciences, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France.
  • J.-P. PLATEL 9 allée des Tourterelles, 33610 Canéjan, France.
  • J.-P. SAINT MARTIN Centre de recherche sur la paléobiodiversité et les paléoenvironnements (CR2P, UMR 7207) Sorbonne Universités-MNHN, CNRS UPMC-Paris 6, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle. 8 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
  • R. VULLO UMR CNRS 6118 Géosciences, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France.

Keywords:

Amber, Plants, Palynomorphs, Turonian, Cretaceous, France

Abstract

The upper Turonian lignite deposits of Sainte-Mondane, Dordogne (Aquitaine Basin, SW France), consist of clays bearing translucent, orange to red, amber micrograins. The amber exhibits different types of microbial inclusions. The clays contain several conifers including the genera Brachyphyllum, Frenelopsis and Glenrosa, and a few leaf fragments of eudicot angiosperms. Among the plant meso-fossils the occurrence of Costatheca, Spermatites and abundant, diverse megaspores, including species of Ariadnaesporites, Bacutriletes, Echitriletes, Erlansonisporites, Maexisporites, Minerisporites and Verrutriletes, is noteworthy. Pollen grains of the Normapolles group are important components of the palynomorph assemblage. The clays were deposited in a calm, estuarine or lagoonal, muddy environment. The overlying lignitic sands contain large fossil wood pieces of the conifer Agathoxylon, small solitary corals, fragmentary oysters and pectinids, echinoid spines, a few teeth of marine selachians and bony fishes, but no amber is present. These sands were deposited in a high-energy coastal marine environment.

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Published

2016-02-24

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Articles

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