About the age of fossil flora of the Kygyltasian Regional Stage of the Upper Paleozoic in the Verkhoyansk Region, Northeastern Russia

L.G. Porokhovnichenko ^a*, R.V. Kutygin ^b**, A.N. Kilyasov ^b***

^aTomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050 Russia

^bDiamond and Precious Metal Geology Institute, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, 677000 Russia

E-mail: ^*plg@t-sk.ru, ^**rkutygin@mail.ru, ^***kilyasov1993@mail.ru

Received June 23, 2021

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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DOI: 10.26907/2542-064X.2021.3.430-443

For citation: Porokhovnichenko L.G., Kutygin R.V., Kilyasov A.N. About the age of fossil flora of the Kygyltasian Regional Stage of the Upper Paleozoic in the Verkhoyansk Region, Northeastern Russia. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Estestvennye Nauki, 2021, vol. 163, no. 3, pp. 430–443. doi: 10.26907/2542-064X.2021.3.430-443. (In Russian)

Abstract

The Kygyltasian Regional Stage is widespread throughout the Verkhoyansk Region, where it reflects a large transgressive-regressive cycle of the Verkhoyanian terrigenous sedimentation. Over the years, a huge amount of material has been accumulated on biostratigraphic division, facies features, and paleontological characteristics of this large stratigraphic unit, but its age is still debatable. The main fossils in the upper part of the Kygyltasian Regional Stage are higher plants, the remains of which were studied in the last century using outdated taxonomy. This study is devoted to revision of the collection of fossil plants from the type locality of the Kygyltasian Regional Stage (Western Verkhoyanie) in order to clarify the taxonomic composition and the age of the Upper Kygyltasian floristic association. The dominant cordaite leaves in the association were studied using the morphological and microstructural methods. This made it possible to clarify the previous paleontological definitions of the genus Noeggerathiopsis and bring them in line with modern taxonomy.

The species Noeggerathiopsis heteroclitus Tolstych and N. khorokytica Tolstych were validated for type specimens. The following species were identified from the Upper Kygyltas Subformation of the Levyi Khorokyt section: Cordaites heteroclitus (Tolstych), C. cf. neuburgae Gluchova, C. cf. zalesskyi Durante, C. krychtofovichii (Radczenko), Cordaites? khorokytica (Tolstych), Cordaites sp. 1, Cordaites sp. 2, Cordaites sp. 3, Cordaites sp. 4, Rufloria (Praerufloria) ex gr. theodorii (Tschirkova et Zalessky) S. Meyen, Samaropsis skokii Neuburg, S. cf. pauxilla Zalessky, S. aff. pumila Suchov, S. aff. auriculata Neuburg, Cordaicarpus baranovii Suchov, Crassinervia sp., Astrogaussia sp., Sphenophyllum cf. thonii Mahr, Sphenophyllum? sp., Sphenopteris sp., Paracalamites sp.

Based on the results of the study, the Upper Kygyltasian floristic association of the Western Verkhoyansk Region was compared with floristic associations of the Alykaeva Formation (Kuzbass) and the Upper Kata Subformation (Tunguska basin). From the above, the Late Carboniferous age of the upper part of the Kygyltasian Regional Stage follows. The results obtained are in good agreement with the correlation of the Verkhoyanian Carboniferous-Permian deposits for marine invertebrates.

Keywords: Upper Carboniferous, Lower Permian, biostratigraphy, paleobotany, fossil flora, Kygyltas Formation, Verkhoyansk Region

Acknowledgments. This study was performed as part of the state assignments to Tomsk State University (project no. 0721-2020-0041) and Diamond and Precious Metal Geology Institute, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (project no. 0381-2019-0002).

Figure Captions

Fig. 1. The flora location of the upper Kygyltas Formation in the Levyi Khorokyt Creek (sample 480/11) in the stratigraphic section (on the left) and on the topographic scheme (on the right). The stratigraphic column is based on handwritten field materials by P.P. Sleptsov, 1968.

Fig. 2. Cordaites heteroclitus (Tolstych): A – holotype IGABM 97/659, whole leaf without base tip,    B – IGABM 97/1000, lower part of the leaf; C – IGABM 97/1001, lower part of the leaf; D – IGABM 97/662, leaf without base. Western Verkhoyansk Region, upper reaches of the Tumara River, Dielendzha River, Khorokyt River, Levy Khorokyt Creek; upper part of the Kygyltas Formation; specimens collected by P.P. Sleptsov, sample 480/11-1968. Scale bar 5 mm.

Fig. 3. Upper surface of the Cordaites heteroclitus (Tolstych) leaves, fragments of the upper epidermis and imprints of the lower epidermis: A1, A2 – holotype IGABM 97/659, at the base and middle of the leaf; B1, B2 – IGABM 97/1000, at the base and middle of the leaf; C – IGABM 97/1001, in the middle of the leaf. Areas of vein junctions are marked with rectangles. The location is the same as in Fig. 2. Scale bar 5 mm.

Fig. 4. Cordaites? khorokytica (Tolstych): A – holotype IGABM 97/631: A1 – whole leaf, upper surface, A2 – leaf apex fragment, vein dichotomization, A3 – leaf base, A4 – leaf microstructure, upper epidermis; B – IGABM 97/633, holotype counterprint; C – IGABM 97/636, solid sheet. The area of vein connection is marked with a rectangle. The location is the same as in Fig. 2.

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