Gydo Formation (1st Shale), Prince Albert area (Devonian of South Africa)

Where: South Africa (33.3° S, 21.8° E)

• Paleocoordinates: 76.5° S, 161.8° E (Wright 2013)

• coordinate stated in text

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Gydo Formation (Bokkeveld Group), Emsian (407.6 - 393.3 Ma)

• Age call from ref. 9618

• formation-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: marine; bioturbated mudstone and bioturbated siltstone

• Ref. 9618 gives interpretation of Bokkeveld Group as a series of shallowing-upward packages, with argillaceous unit below and arenaceous unit above. Gydo Formation, as the "first shale", is the lowermost argillaceous unit. The shallowing upward sequence is interpreted as representing environments from the shelf up to deltaic systems. Most fossils come from lower mudstones, often in lenses.
• Ref. 9616 refers only to "shale". Ref. 9617, for formation as a whole, cites "Mudstones and siltstones and minor thin-bedded sandstone, scattered fossiliferous nodules and lenses, lenticular bedding, abundant bioturbation."

Collection methods: Author gives numbers from personal collections, which are said to have some bearing on actual abundances.

Primary reference: R. D. F. Oosthuizen. 1984. Preliminary catalogue and report on the biostratigraphy and palaeogeographic distribution of the Bokkeveld fauna. Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa 87:125-140 [M. Foote/M. Foote/M. Foote]more details

Purpose of describing collection: biostratigraphic analysis

PaleoDB collection 35578: authorized by Michael Foote, entered by Michael Foote on 29.12.2003, edited by Joseph Flannery-Sutherland

Creative Commons license: CC0 (CC0)

Taxonomic list

Show authors, comments, and common names
unclassified
  -
"Trigaria" cf. gydoensis
Stylophora
 Mitrata - Australocystidae
Placocystella capensis, Placocystella "sp. (a)", Placocystella "sp. (b)", Placocystella "sp. (c)"
Ophiuroidea
  - Cheiropterasteridae
Hexuraster weitzi n. gen.1
Hexuraster weitzi n. gen.1 Spencer 1950 brittle star
  - Encrinasteridae
"Encrinaster" "sp. (a)"
"Encrinaster" "sp. (a)" Haekel 1866 brittle star
Stenuroidea
 Proturina - Eophiuridae
Haughtonaster reedi1
Haughtonaster reedi1 Rilett 1971
Asterozoa
  -
"Stelleroidea indet." = Asterozoa
"Stelleroidea indet." = Asterozoa von Zittel 1895
Blastoidea
  -
Blastoidea indet.
Blastoidea indet. Say 1825 blastoid
 Fissiculata - Brachyschismatidae
Brachyschisma "sp. (a)", Brachyschisma oostheizeni
Brachyschisma "sp. (a)" Reimann 1945 blastoid
Brachyschisma oostheizeni Breimer and Macurda 1972 blastoid
Crinoidea
  -
Crinoidea indet.
Crinoidea indet. Miller 1821 Sea lily
 Dendrocrinida - Rutkowskicrinidae
Sacrinus gamkaensis n. gen. n. sp.1
Sacrinus gamkaensis n. gen. n. sp.1 Jell and Theron 1999 Sea lily
 Cyathocrinida - Gasterocomidae
Kopficrinus halbichi n. sp.1
Kopficrinus halbichi n. sp.1 Sea lily
 Diplobathrida - Rhodocrinitidae
Ophiocrinus stangeri
 Monobathrida - Hexacrinitidae
? Arthroacantha sp.1
? Arthroacantha sp.1 Wlliams 1883 Sea lily
 Monobathrida - Periechocrinidae
Corocrinus imbecillus1
Chondrichthyes
  - Pucapampellidae
cf. Pucapampella sp.2, Gydoselache oosthuizeni2
cf. Pucapampella sp.2 Janvier and Riglos 1986 cartilaginous fish
Gydoselache oosthuizeni2 Maisey et al. 2018 cartilaginous fish
Added nominally as the stratigraphy is correct, but the exact provenance of the specimen is stated in the original literature as unknown
Acanthodii
  -
Acanthodii indet.
Acanthodii indet. spiny fish
acanthodian spines
Chondrichthyes
 Climatiiformes - Gyracanthidae
Gyracanthus sp., "Gyracanthus" "sp. (b)"
Gyracanthus sp. Agassiz 1836 spiny fish
"Gyracanthus" "sp. (b)" Agassiz 1836 spiny fish
Placodermi
 Arthrodira - Coccosteidae
? Coccosteus sp.
? Coccosteus sp. Agassiz 1843 armour-plated fish
Deuteropoda
  -
Ostracoda indet.
Ostracoda indet. Latreille 1802 ostracod
Trilobita
  -
Trilobita indet.
Trilobita indet. Walch 1771 trilobite
 Proetida - Proetidae
Ormistoniella malaca
Ormistoniella malaca Lake 1904 trilobite
 Phacopida - Calmoniidae
Pennaia pupillus, "Bainella africana" = Anchiopella, "Bainella arbuteus" = Anchiopella, "Bainella ? baini" = Anchiopella, "Bainella cristagalli" = Anchiopella, "Bainella gamkaensis" = Anchiopella, "Metacryphaeus caffer" = Metacryphaeus (Metacryphaeus) caffer, Typhloniscus baini, Oosthuizenella ocellus, ? Phacopina hexensis, Phacopina lakei
"Bainella africana" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella arbuteus" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella ? baini" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella cristagalli" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella gamkaensis" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Metacryphaeus caffer" = Metacryphaeus (Metacryphaeus) caffer Salter 1856 trilobite
Phacopina lakei trilobite
 Phacopida - Dalmanitidae
Francovichia ? clarkei, Francovichia "sp. (a)"
Francovichia "sp. (a)" Branisa 1960 trilobite
 Phacopida - Homalonotidae
Burmeisteria herscheli, Burmeisteria quernus, "Burmeisteria notica" = Burmeisteria (Digonus) noticus
"Burmeisteria notica" = Burmeisteria (Digonus) noticus Clarke 1913 trilobite
Gastropoda
 Euomphalina - Platyceratidae
""Diaphorostoma" baini" = Platyostoma, ""Diaphorostoma" "sp. (a)"" = Platyostoma, ""Diaphorostoma" "sp. (b)"" = Platyostoma
""Diaphorostoma" baini" = Platyostoma snail
""Diaphorostoma" "sp. (a)"" = Platyostoma Conrad 1842 snail
""Diaphorostoma" "sp. (b)"" = Platyostoma Conrad 1842 snail
 Murchisoniina - Gosseletinidae
""Pleurotomaria" cf. kayseri" = Lahnospira kayseri
""Pleurotomaria" cf. kayseri" = Lahnospira kayseri Ulrich 1892 snail
 Murchisoniina - Palaeozygopleuridae
"Loxonema zwartbergense" = Pragozyga zwartbergense
"Loxonema zwartbergense" = Pragozyga zwartbergense Reed 1925 snail
 Murchisoniina - Loxonematidae
Loxonema "sp. (a)"
Loxonema "sp. (a)" Phillips 1841 snail
 Bellerophontida - Bellerophontidae
"Bellerophon cf. morganianus" = Sphaerocyclus morganianus
"Bellerophon cf. morganianus" = Sphaerocyclus morganianus Hartt and Rathbun 1875 snail
 Bellerophontida - Plectonotidae
"Bellerophon cf. fraternus" = Plectonotus derbyi, "Bellerophon quadrilobatus" = Plectonotus quadrilobatus
"Bellerophon cf. fraternus" = Plectonotus derbyi Clarke 1899 snail
"Bellerophon quadrilobatus" = Plectonotus quadrilobatus Reed 1904 snail
Tergomya
 Archinacellida - Metoptomatidae
"Metoptoma" capense
Bivalvia
  -
"Pelecypoda indet." = Bivalvia
"Pelecypoda indet." = Bivalvia Linnaeus 1758 clam
 Nuculanida - Malletiidae
Palaeoneilo cf. magnifica, Palaeoneilo cf. orbignyi
 Nuculanida - Nuculanidae
"Nuculana" viator, "Nuculana" "sp. (b)"
"Nuculana" viator pointed nut clam
"Nuculana" "sp. (b)" Link 1807 pointed nut clam
 Nuculanida - Cucullellidae
Nuculites abbreviatus, Nuculites capensis, Nuculites colonicus, Nuculites obtusus, Nuculites pacatus, Nuculites oblongatus
Nuculites oblongatus Conrad 1841 clam
 Solemyida - Ctenodontidae
"Ctenodonta" nigelli, "Ctenodonta" "sp. (a)"
"Ctenodonta" "sp. (a)" Salter 1852 clam
 Solemyida - Solemyidae
""Janeia" ? bokkeveldensis" = Solemya, ""Janeia" brazieliensis" = Solemya
""Janeia" ? bokkeveldensis" = Solemya Awning Clam
""Janeia" brazieliensis" = Solemya Awning Clam
 Cardiidia - Grammysiidae
"Cardiomorpha" "sp. (a)", Grammysia fontinalis, ? Grammysia "sp. (c)"
"Cardiomorpha" "sp. (a)" de Koninck 1844 clam
? Grammysia "sp. (c)" de Verneuil 1847 clam
 Cardiidia - Sanguinolitidae
"Sanguinolites" albanus
 Modiomorphida - Modiomorphidae
Sphenotomorpha bodenbenderi, Modiomorpha cf. minuta, Goniophora gydoensis
 Ostreida - Pterineidae
"Actinopteria" eschwegii
 Cyrtodontida - Praecardiidae
"Buchiola" subpalmata
Cephalopoda
  -
Cephalopoda indet.
Cephalopoda indet. Cuvier 1797
 Bactritida - Bactritidae
"Cyrtobactrites" "sp. (a)", ? Bactrites "sp. (a)"
? Bactrites "sp. (a)" Sandberger 1843
 Orthocerida - Orthoceratidae
"Orthoceras" bokkeveldense, Orthoceras constrictum, Orthoceras gamkaense, Orthoceras rex
Polychaeta
 Serpulimorpha -
Serpulites sica
Bryozoa
  -
Bryozoa indet.
Bryozoa indet. Ehrenberg 1831
Stenolaemata
 Trepostomata -
Trepostomata sp.
Trepostomata sp. Ulrich 1882
 Cryptostomata - Fenestellidae
Fenestella "sp. (a)"
Fenestella "sp. (a)" Lonsdale 1839
Brachiopoda
  -
Brachiopoda indet.
Brachiopoda indet. Cuvier 1805
Lingulata
 Lingulida - Discinidae
Orbiculoidea baini
Rhynchonellata
 Terebratulida - Centronellidae
"Rensselaeria" rotunda
 Terebratulida - Meganterididae
Pleurothyrella africana, Pleurothyrella "sp. (a)", Mutationella whitiorum, Derbyina "sp. (d)"
 Terebratulida - Cryptonellidae
Cryptonella baini, Cryptonella "sp. (a)"
 Spiriferida - Ambocoeliidae
Ambocoelia pseudoumbonata
 Spiriferida - Hysterolitidae
Australospirifer antarcticus, Australospirifer ceres
 Spiriferida - Acrospiriferidae
Acrospirifer iheringi
 Rhynchonellida - Leptocoeliidae
Australocoelia tourteloti
 Rhynchonellida - Eatoniidae
""Rhynchonella" bodenbenderi" = Clarkeia bodenbenderi
""Rhynchonella" bodenbenderi" = Clarkeia bodenbenderi Kayser 1897
 Athyridida - Anoplothecidae
"Coelospira" cf. conjungens
 Orthida - Orthidae
"Orthis" "sp. (a)", "Orthis" "sp. (b)"
"Orthis" "sp. (a)" Dalman 1828
"Orthis" "sp. (b)" Dalman 1828
Strophomenata
 Orthotetida - Pulsiidae
Schellwienella ? sancticrucis, Schellwienella sulivani
 Strophomenida - Chonetidae
Chonetes "sp. (a)", Notiochonetes falklandensis, Notiochonetes hallei, Notiochonetes stubeli
Chonetes "sp. (a)" Fischer de Waldheim 1830
 Strophomenida - Eodevonariidae
? Eodevonaria arcuatus
Lophophorata
 Tentaculitida - Tentaculitidae
Tentaculites desuetes
Hyolitha
 Hyolithida - Hyolithidae
Hyolithes subaequalis, Hyolithes "sp. (c)", Hyolithes sp., Hyolithes dorbignyi
Hyolithes "sp. (c)" d'Eichwald 1840
Hyolithes sp. d'Eichwald 1840
Hyolithes dorbignyi Kozlowski 1923
 Orthothecida - Orthothecidae
Orthotheca steinmanni, Orthotheca sp.
Orthotheca sp. Novak 1886
Scyphozoa
 Conulariida - Conulariidae
Conularia indet., Conularia gamkaensis
Conularia indet. Miller 1820 jellyfish
Anthozoa
 Stauriida - Zaphrentidae
""Zaphrentis" "sp. (a)"" = Zaphrenthis
""Zaphrentis" "sp. (a)"" = Zaphrenthis Rafinesque and Clifford 1820 horn coral
 Favositida - Micheliniidae
Pleurodictyum bokkeveldense, ? Pleurodictyum "sp. (a)"
? Pleurodictyum "sp. (a)" Goldfuss 1829 tabulate coral
1Jell and Theron 1999; 2Maisey et al. 2018