Gydo Formation (1st Shale), Cockscomb Mts (Devonian of South Africa)

Where: South Africa (33.5° S, 24.7° E: paleocoordinates 58.2° S, 155.9° W)

• 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 35581: authorized by Michael Foote, entered by Michael Foote on 29.12.2003, edited by Phil Novack-Gottshall

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Show authors, comments, and common names
unclassified
  -
Porifera indet.
Porifera indet. Grant 1836
Anthozoa
  -
Anthozoa indet.
Anthozoa indet. Ehrenberg 1834
 Favositida - Micheliniidae
Pleurodictyum "sp. (c)"
Pleurodictyum "sp. (c)" Goldfuss 1829 tabulate coral
 Stauriida - Zaphrentidae
""Zaphrentis" zebra" = Zaphrenthis
""Zaphrentis" zebra" = Zaphrenthis horn coral
Scyphozoa
 Conulariida - Conulariidae
Conularia ? baini, Conularia quinchua, Conularia ? undulata, Conularia "sp. (a)", Mesoconularia cf. ulrichana
Conularia "sp. (a)" Miller 1820 jellyfish
Hyolitha
 Hyolithida - Hyolithidae
Hyolithes schenki, Hyolithes subaequalis, Hyolithes "sp. (b)", Hyolithes "sp. (e)"
Hyolithes "sp. (b)" d'Eichwald 1840
Hyolithes "sp. (e)" d'Eichwald 1840
 Orthothecida - Orthothecidae
Orthotheca steinmanni
Craniata
 Craniida - Craniidae
"Petrocrania" "sp. (a)"
Strophomenata
 Strophomenida - Strophodontidae
"Strophodonta ? argentina" = Strophomena (Strophodonta)
"Strophodonta ? argentina" = Strophomena (Strophodonta)
 Strophomenida - Chonetidae
Chonetes "sp. (a)", Chonetes "sp. (c)"
Chonetes "sp. (a)" Fischer de Waldheim 1830
Chonetes "sp. (c)" Fischer de Waldheim 1830
 Orthotetida - Pulsiidae
Schellwienella sulivani
Rhynchonellata
 Rhynchonellida - Leptocoeliidae
Australocoelia tourteloti
 Spiriferida - Ambocoeliidae
Ambocoelia pseudoumbonata
 Spiriferida - Hysterolitidae
Australospirifer antarcticus
 Terebratulida - Cryptonellidae
Cryptonella baini
 Terebratulida - Meganterididae
Scaphiocoelia "sp. (a)"
 Terebratulida - Centronellidae
"Rensselaeria" rotunda, "Centronella" "sp. (a)"
"Centronella" "sp. (a)" Billings 1859
 Orthida - Orthidae
"Orthis" "sp. (a)"
"Orthis" "sp. (a)" Dalman 1828
 Athyridida - Meristellidae
"Meristella" "sp. (a)"
Lingulata
 Lingulida - Discinidae
Orbiculoidea baini
Lophophorata
 Tentaculitida - Tentaculitidae
Tentaculites desuetes
Gastropoda
  -
Gastropoda indet.2
Gastropoda indet.2 Cuvier 1795 snail
 Murchisoniina - Palaeozygopleuridae
"Loxonema cf. glabrum" = Palaeozygopleura glabra, "Loxonema zwartbergense" = Pragozyga zwartbergense
"Loxonema cf. glabrum" = Palaeozygopleura glabra Clarke and Swartz 1913 snail
"Loxonema zwartbergense" = Pragozyga zwartbergense Reed 1925 snail
 Murchisoniina - Gosseletinidae
""Pleurotomaria" cf. kayseri" = Lahnospira kayseri
""Pleurotomaria" cf. kayseri" = Lahnospira kayseri Ulrich 1892 snail
 Euomphalina - Platyceratidae
""Diaphorostoma" baini" = Platyostoma, ? Platyceras "sp. (a)"
""Diaphorostoma" baini" = Platyostoma snail
? Platyceras "sp. (a)" Conrad 1840 snail
 Bellerophontida - Plectonotidae
"Bellerophon cf. dereimsi" = Plectonotus dereimsi, "Bellerophon cf. fraternus" = Plectonotus derbyi, "Bellerophon cf. laticarinatus" = Plectonotus laticarinata
"Bellerophon cf. dereimsi" = Plectonotus dereimsi Knod 1908 snail
[entered as Bellerophon dereimesi]
"Bellerophon cf. fraternus" = Plectonotus derbyi Clarke 1899 snail
"Bellerophon cf. laticarinatus" = Plectonotus laticarinata Knod 1908 snail
Cephalopoda
  -
Cephalopoda indet.
Cephalopoda indet. Cuvier 1797
 Orthocerida - Orthoceratidae
"Orthoceras" bokkeveldense, "Orthoceras" gamkaense, "Orthoceras" rex, "Orthoceras" "sp. (a)", "Orthoceras" "sp. (b)", "Orthoceras" "sp. (c)"
"Orthoceras" "sp. (a)" Breynius 1832
"Orthoceras" "sp. (b)" Breynius 1832
"Orthoceras" "sp. (c)" Breynius 1832
Bivalvia
 Ostreida - Pterineidae
"Actinopteria" eschwegii
 Pectinida - Pterinopectinidae
? Pterinopecten "sp. (a)", ? Pterinopecten "sp. (b)", ? Pterinopecten "sp. (c)"
? Pterinopecten "sp. (a)" Hall 1883 scallop
? Pterinopecten "sp. (b)" Hall 1883 scallop
? Pterinopecten "sp. (c)" Hall 1883 scallop
 Cyrtodontida - Praecardiidae
"Buchiola" subpalmata
 Cardiida - Kalenteridae
? Pleurodapis multicincta
 Modiomorphida - Modiomorphidae
Modiomorpha cf. minuta, Modiomorpha cf. scapula, Modiomorpha "sp. (a)"
Modiomorpha "sp. (a)" Hall and Whitfield 1869 clam
 Cardiidia - Sanguinolitidae
"Sanguinolites" albanus, Sanguinolites "sp. (a)", "Leptodomus" "sp. (a)"
Sanguinolites "sp. (a)" M'Coy 1844 clam
"Leptodomus" "sp. (a)" M'Coy 1844 clam
 Cardiidia - Grammysiidae
Grammysia corrugata, Grammysia cf. rara, Grammysia baini
 Solemyida - Ctenodontidae
"Ctenodonta" grahami, "Ctenodonta" "sp. (a)"
"Ctenodonta" "sp. (a)" Salter 1852 clam
 Solemyida - Solemyidae
""Janeia" "sp. (a)"" = Solemya
""Janeia" "sp. (a)"" = Solemya Children 1823 Awning Clam
 Nuculanida - Cucullellidae
Nuculites capensis, Nuculites colonicus, Nuculites obtusus, Nuculites "sp. (a)", Nuculites "sp. (d)", Nuculites "sp. (e)", Nuculites oblongatus
Nuculites "sp. (a)" Conrad 1841 clam
Nuculites "sp. (d)" Conrad 1841 clam
Nuculites "sp. (e)" Conrad 1841 clam
Nuculites oblongatus Conrad 1841 clam
 Nuculanida - Nuculanidae
"Nuculana" cf. inornata
"Nuculana" cf. inornata pointed nut clam
 Nuculanida - Malletiidae
Palaeoneilo arcuata, Palaeoneilo cf. magnifica, Palaeoneilo cf. orbignyi, Palaeoneilo rudis, Palaeoneilo "sp. (a)", Palaeoneilo "sp. (b)", Palaeoneilo "sp. (d)", Palaeoneilo "sp. (e)", Palaeoneilo "sp. (f)"
Palaeoneilo "sp. (a)" Hall and Whitfield 1869 clam
Palaeoneilo "sp. (b)" Hall and Whitfield 1869 clam
Palaeoneilo "sp. (d)" Hall and Whitfield 1869 clam
Palaeoneilo "sp. (e)" Hall and Whitfield 1869 clam
Palaeoneilo "sp. (f)" Hall and Whitfield 1869 clam
  -
"Pelecypoda indet." = Bivalvia
"Pelecypoda indet." = Bivalvia Linnaeus 1758 clam
Trilobita
 Phacopida - Homalonotidae
Burmeisteria herscheli, Burmeisteria quernus, "Burmeisteria notica" = Burmeisteria (Digonus) noticus
"Burmeisteria notica" = Burmeisteria (Digonus) noticus Clarke 1913 trilobite
 Phacopida - Dalmanitidae
Francovichia ? clarkei, Francovichia "sp. (a)"
Francovichia "sp. (a)" Branisa 1960 trilobite
 Phacopida - Calmoniidae
"Metacryphaeus caffer" = Metacryphaeus (Metacryphaeus) caffer, Oosthuizenella ocellus, Typhloniscus baini, Kozlowskiaspis ceres, "Bainella africana" = Anchiopella, "Bainella arbuteus" = Anchiopella, "Bainella cristagalli" = Anchiopella, "Bainella gamkaensis" = Anchiopella, Pennaia pupillus, ? Deltacephalaspis "sp. (a)"
"Metacryphaeus caffer" = Metacryphaeus (Metacryphaeus) caffer Salter 1856 trilobite
"Bainella africana" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella arbuteus" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella cristagalli" = Anchiopella trilobite
"Bainella gamkaensis" = Anchiopella trilobite
Pennaia pupillus trilobite
? Deltacephalaspis "sp. (a)" Eldredge and Ormiston 1979 trilobite
 Proetida - Proetidae
Ormistoniella "sp. (a)", Ormistoniella malaca
Ormistoniella "sp. (a)" Cooper 1982 trilobite
Ormistoniella malaca Lake 1904 trilobite
Deuteropoda
  -
Ostracoda indet.
Ostracoda indet. Latreille 1802 ostracod
Asterozoa
  -
"Stelleroidea indet." = Asterozoa
"Stelleroidea indet." = Asterozoa von Zittel 1895
Echinoidea
  -
Echinoidea indet.
Echinoidea indet. Leske 1778 sea urchin
Crinoidea
  -
Crinoidea indet.
Crinoidea indet. Miller 1821 Sea lily
 Diplobathrida - Rhodocrinitidae
Ophiocrinus cf. mariae1
 Monobathrida - Periechocrinidae
Mandelacrinus nelsoni n. gen. n. sp.1
Mandelacrinus nelsoni n. gen. n. sp.1 Sea lily
1Jell and Theron 1999; 2Wagner et al. 2021