Aulacopleura haueri Community in the Central Carnic Alps (Silurian of Italy)

Where: Italy (46.6° N, 12.9° E: paleocoordinates 46.6° N, 12.9° E)

• coordinate based on political unit

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Sheinwoodian (433.4 - 430.5 Ma)

• Upper amorphognathoides, patula, and lower sagitta condont zones (Walliser 1964). Type locality is Cocco = Kok Formation; not clear whether community extends outside this formation.

Environment/lithology: marine; condensed, hardground, shelly/skeletal limestone and marl

• "The community has the appearance of a mechanically concentrated assemblage, almost lacking in sessile benthos...A. haueri is usually found as disarticulated exuviae forming coquinas, which are strictly associated with rosso-ammoniticao-like, seamount-related, condensed, hardground-rich Volaia facies. Only a few articulated, complete A. specimens...found in the more basinal marly facies (Plockenpass) where the community has gradational, interfingering relations with marly, graptolitic shale facies and community. A position spanning depths extending from BA 3-5 is suggested. No obvious evidence for low oxygen conditions...The disarticulated fossils...can be related to bottom currents or extreme storm wave action..."
• Lithology stated only as limestone, with marl in more basinal areas. See geology comments for other information.

Collection methods: Despite geographic range of community, presentation suggests all elements listed are present at type locality.

Primary reference: G. B. Vai. 1999. Wenlockian to Emsian communities of the Carnic Alps (Austria and Italy). in A. J. Boucot and J. D. Lawson, eds. Paleocommunities--a case study from the Silurian and Lower Devonian. Cambridge University Press. 282-304 [M. Foote/M. Foote/M. Foote]more details

Purpose of describing collection: paleoecologic analysis

PaleoDB collection 14250: authorized by Michael Foote, entered by Michael Foote on 29.05.2002

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• Not all taxa listed to genus level.
Show authors, comments, and common names
Cephalopoda
 Nautiloidea -
Nautiloidea indet.
Nautiloidea indet. Agassiz 1847 nautiloid
orthocones
Gastropoda
 Euomphalina - Platyceratidae
Platyceras sp.
Platyceras sp. Conrad 1840 snail
Bivalvia
 Cyrtodontida - Cardiolidae
Cardiola sp.
Cardiola sp. Broderip 1839 clam
Rhynchonellata
 Atrypida - Atrypinidae
Spirigerina sp.
Spirigerina sp. d'Orbigny 1849
Trilobita
 Phacopida - Phacopidae
Phacopidella sp.
Phacopidella sp. Reed 1905 trilobite
 Phacopida - Encrinuridae
Encrinurus sp.
Encrinurus sp. Emmrich 1844 trilobite
 Proetida - Aulacopleuridae
Aulacopleura haueri
 Odontopleurida - Odontopleuridae
Ceratocephala sp.
Ceratocephala sp. Warder 1838 trilobite