Devonian-Carboniferous boundary beds in the Vorkuta transverse uplift (Bolshaya Usa River)

A.V. Zhuravlev^*, A.N. Plotitsyn^**, Y.A. Vevel^***, A.V. Erofeevskiy^****

N.P. Yushkin Institute of Geology, Komi Scientific Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, 167982 Russia

E-mail: ^*micropalaeontology@gmail.com, ^**anplotitzyn@rambler.ru, ^***yadviga_vevel@mail.ru, ^****erofeevsky1@gmail.com

Received November 29, 2017

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Abstract

The paper contains multidisciplinary data on the lithology and palaeontology of the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary beds in the shallow-water facies in the Bolshaya Usa River section (Vorkuta Uplift). A recent discussion on the position and marker of the Devonian–Carboniferous GSSP shows that this study is highly relevant. In the Bolshaya Usa River section, the boundary almost coincides with the boundary of the Bakhromchataya Fm. and Vazhkhanovey Fm.

The upper part of the Famennian (upper part of the Bakhromchataya Fm.), which is mainly composed of microbial, algal, and bioclastic carbonates (wackestone), contains poor conodont and foraminifer associations. Prioniodinida dominates the conodont associations. Foraminifers are mainly represented by unilocular forms accompanied by the rare Eoendothyra and Quasiendothyra.

The lower part of the Tournaisian (basal beds of the Vazhkhanovey Fm.) is composed of clastic carbonates containing numerous brachiopod shells (Spinocarinifera). Conodont associations are represented by Prioniodinida of wide stratigraphic range, as well as by Pseudopolygnathus primus Branson et Mehl and Patrognathus crassus Kononova et Migdisova. Foraminifers are represented by just unilocular forms, namely: Parathuraminites, Parathuramina, Bisphaera, Vicinisphaera, and Earlandia.

The position of the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary in the study section is defined by the first occurrence of conodonts Patrognathus crassus, Pseudopolygnathus cf. primus and foraminifers Earlandia cf. minima and E. elegans. These taxa can be considered as markers of the boundary in shallow-water facies of the carbonate platform.

Keywords: conodonts, foraminifers, biostratigraphy, Devonian/Carboniferous boundary, Polar Urals

Figure Captions

Fig. 1. The scheme showing the location of Devonian–Carboniferous sections in the lower reaches of the Bolshaya Usa River. Key: 1 – fractures; 2 – geologic boundaries and indices of the local stratigraphic units; 3 – exposures and their numbers.

Fig. 2. The lithologic and stratigraphic column of boundary deposits of the Famennian and Tournaisian of Bu-6 exposure in the lower reaches of the Bolshaya Usa River. Key: 1 – limestone; 2 – recrystallized, dolomitic to a various degree, limestone; 3a – “patterned” limestone; 3b – limestone with the gently-undulating layered texture; 4 – detritic limestone; 5a – calcitic veins; 5b – cavities lined with calcite; 6 – siliceous-carbonate concretions; 7 – pelitomorphic structure; 8 – very fine detritic structure; 9 – fine detritic structure; 10 – medium detritic structure; 11 – calcispheres; 12 – conodonts; 13 – foraminifers; 14 – algae; 15 – ostracods; 16 – gastropods; 17 – brachiopods; 18 – crinoids; 19 – burrows of deposit eaters; 20 – corals; 21 – conodonts; 22 – foraminifers.

Fig. 3. Foraminifers and conodonts from the Famennian–Tournaisian boundary interval in Bu-6 exposure, Bolshaya Usa River. Foraminifers: 1 ‑ Bisphaera malevkensis Birina, 1948, sample 3, Bakhromchataya formation, Famennian layer; 2–4 ‑ Earlandia cf. minima (Birina, 1948), Vazhkhanovey formation, Tournaisian layer: 2 and 3 – sample 14, 4 – sample 16; 5 ‑  Earlandia elegans (Rauser et Reitlinger, 1940), sample 18, Vazhkhanovey formation, Tournaisian layer; 6‑8 ‑ Tournayella sp., sample 5, Bakhromchataya formation, Famennian layer; 9, 16 ‑ Eoendothyra ex gr. communis (Rauser, 1948), Bakhromchataya formation, Famennian layer: 9 – sample 2; 16 – sample 5; 10–14 ‑ Eoendothyra communis (Rauser, 1948), Bakhromchataya formation, Famennian layer: 10–12 – sample 3, 13–14 – sample. 11; 16, 17 ‑ Quasiendothyra konensis symmetrica Brazhnikova, 1962, sample 11, Bakhromchataya formation, Famennian layer. Conodonts: 18 ‑ Polygnathus communis communis Branson et Mehl 1943, sample 14, Vazhkhanovey formation, Tournaisian layer; 19 ‑ Ligonodina multidens Dzik 2006, sample 17, Vazhkhanovey formation, Tournaisian layer; 20 ‑ Polylophodonta cf. elongata Druce 1969, sample 12, Bakhromchataya formation, Famennian layer; 21 ‑ Patrognathus crassus Kononova et Migdisova 1984, sample 18, Vazhkhanovey formation, Tournaisian layer. 22 – Bispathodus aculeatus plumulus (Rhodes, Austin et Druce 1969), sample 18, Vazhkhanovey formation, Tournaisian layer.

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For citation: Zhuravlev A.V., Plotitsyn A.N., Vevel Y.A., Erofeevskiy A.V. Devonian-Carboniferous boundary beds in the Vorkuta transverse uplift (Bolshaya Usa River). Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Estestvennye Nauki, 2018, vol. 160, no. 3, pp. 467–483. (In Russian)

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