Voorstehoek Formation (2nd Shale), Matroosberg (Devonian of South Africa)

Where: South Africa (33.5° S, 19.8° E: paleocoordinates 64.8° S, 154.4° W)

• coordinate stated in text

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Voorstehoek Formation (Bokkeveld Group), Eifelian (393.3 - 387.7 Ma)

• Lowest Eifelilan. Age call from ref. 9618.

• formation-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: marine; bioturbated siltstone and bioturbated, silty mudstone

• Ref. 9618 gives interpretation of Bokkeveld Group as a series of shallowing-upward packages, with argillaceous unit below and arenaceous unit above. Voorstehoek Formation is the "second shale", i.e. the second 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 "Siltstone, silty mudstone, parallel-laminated, massive, horizontal, ripple- and micro cross laminated, abundant ripple-marks, bioturbation, fossiliferous lenses."

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 35592: authorized by Michael Foote, entered by Michael Foote on 30.12.2003

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Show authors, comments, and common names
unclassified
  -
Eckidocrinus interbrachiatus n. gen. n. sp.
Scyphozoa
 Conulariida - Conulariidae
Conularia sp.
Conularia sp. jellyfish
Blastoidea
  -
Blastoidea indet.
Blastoidea indet. Say 1825 blastoid
 Fissiculata -
Pachyblastus dicki
Pachyblastus dicki Breimer and Macurda 1972 blastoid
Crinoidea
  -
Crinoidea indet.
Crinoidea indet. Miller 1821 Sea lily
 Dendrocrinida - Rutkowskicrinidae
Sacrinus gamkaensis n. gen. n. sp.
Sacrinus gamkaensis n. gen. n. sp. Jell and Theron 1999 Sea lily
Asteroidea
 Hadrosida - Urasterellidae
Ulrichaster macrodentatus n. sp.
Ulrichaster macrodentatus n. sp. Jell and Theron 1999 sea star
Stenuroidea
  -
"Echinasterella" sp.
"Echinasterella" sp. Stürtz 1890
Ophiuroidea
 Oegophiurida - Protasteridae
Strataster stuckenbergi, Eugasterella africana n. sp., "Drepanaster" sp.
Strataster stuckenbergi Rilett 1971 brittle star
Eugasterella africana n. sp. Jell and Theron 1999 brittle star
"Drepanaster" sp. Whidborne 1898 brittle star
Stylophora
 Mitrata - Australocystidae
Placocystella capensis
Lophophorata
 Tentaculitida - Tentaculitidae
Tentaculites desuetes, Tentaculites sp.
Tentaculites sp. von Schlotheim 1820
Rhynchonellata
 Spiriferida - Hysterolitidae
Australospirifer ceres, Australospirifer antarcticus, Australospirifer sp.
 Athyridida - Meristellidae
"Vitulina" pustulosa
 Terebratulida - Centronellidae
"Rensselaeria" relicta
Strophomenata
 Strophomenida - Chonetidae
? Notiochonetes sp., ? Notiochonetes hallei
? Notiochonetes sp.
listed as "Chonetes" sp. (a) (Notiochonetes)
? Notiochonetes hallei
listed as "Chonetes" hallei (Notiochonetes) Clarke
 Orthotetida - Pulsiidae
Schellwienella agassizi
Lingulata
 Lingulida - Discinidae
Orbiculoidea baini
 Lingulida - Lingulidae
"Lingula lepta" = Dignomia lepta, Lingula keideli, Lingula "sp. (a)"
"Lingula lepta" = Dignomia lepta Clarke 1912
Lingula "sp. (a)" Bruguiére 1797
Polychaeta
 Serpulimorpha -
"Serpulites" "sp. (a)"
Bivalvia
 Cardiida - Kalenteridae
Pleurodapis multicincta
 Cardiidia - Grammysiidae
Grammysia campestris, Grammysia scaphuloides
 Nuculanida - Malletiidae
Palaeoneilo subantiqua
Trilobita
 Phacopida - Calmoniidae
"Metacryphaeus caffer" = Metacryphaeus (Metacryphaeus) caffer, "Bainella ? cristagalli" = Anchiopella
"Metacryphaeus caffer" = Metacryphaeus (Metacryphaeus) caffer Salter 1856 trilobite
"Bainella ? cristagalli" = Anchiopella trilobite
 Phacopida - Homalonotidae
Burmeisteria herscheli