Crustose Algal Marl facies, Upper Coralline Limestone Fm. (Miocene of Malta)

Where: Malta (35.9° N, 14.4° E: paleocoordinates 35.7° N, 14.1° E)

• coordinate estimated from map

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Upper Coralline Limestone Formation, Messinian (7.2 - 5.3 Ma)

• Messinian or possibly late Tortonian in age

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: reef, buildup or bioherm; marl

• Crustose Algal Marl commonest in the basal parts of the biostrome and form 0.4 to 1.3 m thick units. The matrix is a kaolin-rich micrite in which are developed crust and boxwork growths of Mesophyllum commune (Lemoine). The majority of the algae and benthic macrofauna appear to be in a growth position. Planktonic foraminifera attain their highest percentages (1.1%) in this facies. Rotaliid foraminifera occur in similar percentages with encrusting discorbids recorded attached to the algal crusts. Other than occasional bivalve moulds (1.9%) and echinoid plates, bryozoan colonies are the only significant faunal contributors (1.5%). Coralline algal crusts (25.6%) are the dominant floral element and these are entombed in a pale-grey marl containing finely comminuted debris, mainly foraminiferal in nature.
• Crustose Algal Marl.

Size classes: mesofossils, microfossils

Primary reference: D. W. J. Bosence. 1983. Coralline algae from the Miocene of Malta. Palaeontology 26:147-173 [W. Kiessling/M. Krause]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 140979: authorized by Wolfgang Kiessling, entered by Mihaela Krause on 20.03.2013

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Show authors, comments, and common names
Echinoidea
 Echinolampadoida - Echinolampadidae
Echinolampas sp.
Echinolampas sp. Gray 1825 sea urchin
 Clypeasteroida - Clypeasteridae
Clypeaster sp.
Clypeaster sp. Lamarck 1801 sand dollar
 Spatangoida - Schizasteridae
Schizaster sp.
Schizaster sp. Agassiz 1835 heart urchin
 Spatangoida - Brissidae
Brissidae indet.
Brissidae indet. Gray 1855 heart urchin
Bivalvia
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
Chlamys multistriatus
Gymnolaemata
 Cheilostomata - Microporidae
Calpensia nobilis
Calpensia nobilis Esper 1796
 Cheilostomata - Lepraliellidae
Celleporaria cf. pumicosa
Rhynchonellata
 Terebratulida - Terebratulidae
Terebratula terebratula
 Terebratulida - Megathyrididae
"Megathyris sp." = Megathiris, Argyrotheca sp.
"Megathyris sp." = Megathiris d'Orbigny 1847
Argyrotheca sp. Dall 1900
 Rhynchonellida - Basiliolidae
Aphelesia bipartita
Aphelesia bipartita Brocchi 1814
Malacostraca
 Decapoda - Portunidae
Portunidae indet.
Portunidae indet. Rafinesque 1815 swimming crab
 Decapoda - Calappidae
Calappa sp.
Calappa sp. Weber 1795 box crab
 Decapoda - Majidae
Maja sp.
Maja sp. Lamarck 1801 spider crab
 Decapoda - Eriphiidae
Eriphia sp.
Eriphia sp. Latreille 1817 crab
 Decapoda - Xanthidae
Xantho sp.
Xantho sp. Leach 1804 stone crab
 Decapoda - Paguridae
Paguridae indet.
Paguridae indet. Latreille 1802 hermit crab
Florideophyceae
  - Corallinophycidae
"Lithothamnium "sp. A"" = Lithothamnion, Mesophyllum commune, Lithoporella melobesioides, Archaeolithothamnium cf. intermedium, Lithophyllum "sp. A", "Lithophyllum mgarrense" = Lithophyllum nitorum, Lithophyllum albanense
"Lithothamnium "sp. A"" = Lithothamnion Heydrich 1897
Mesophyllum commune Lemoine 1939
Lithophyllum "sp. A" Philippi 1837
"Lithophyllum mgarrense" = Lithophyllum nitorum Adey and Adey 1973
Lithophyllum albanense Lemoine 1924