Profile 3; Layer 1 - Gazdzicki and Halina (1984) (Pliocene of Antarctica)

Also known as Profile 3; Layer 1

Where: Antarctica (62.3° S, 59.0° W: paleocoordinates 62.1° S, 58.4° W)

• coordinate estimated from map

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Low Head Member (Polonez Cove Formation), Pliocene (5.3 - 2.6 Ma)

• The sequence is about 1.5 m thick, comprises basalt conglomerate and sandstone. Glaciomarine strata of the Polonez Cover Formation rest on basalts of the Mazurek Point Formattion, and are overlain by porphyritic lavas alternating with tuffs and agglomerates of the Boy Point Fortmation. The Polonez Cover Formation comprises four lithostratigraphic members, of which the lowest, the Karakowiak Glacier Mbr, consists of non-marine tillites, while the succeeding three members, the Low Head Mbr, the Siklawa Mbr, and the Oberek Cliff Mbr, are glaciomarine strata. The Low Head Mbr is the richest fossil-bearing unit of the Polonez Cove Formation and is represented by up to 15 m of ungraded conglomerates, consisting mainly of angular and subrounded basalt fragments, with ice-rafted dropstones, with common Chlamys coquina. The Pliocene age is suggested on the basis of macrofaunal similarity with Antarctic mainland assemblages, and from microfossils

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: coastal; shelly/skeletal conglomerate and sandstone

• Glacio-marine strata, including ice-rafted dropstones.
• The Polonez Cove Formation is represented by up to 15 m of ungraded conglomerates, consisting mainly of angular and subrounded basalt fragments, with ice-rafted dropstones, with common Chlamys coquina.

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils, microfossils

Preservation: original aragonite, original calcite

Collection methods: quarrying,

• Collected by Gazdzicki and others in 1978-1979, 1980-1981

Primary reference: A. Gazdzicki and H. Pugaczewska. 1984. Biota of the "Pecten Conglomerate" (Polenez Cove Formation, Pliocene) of King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). Studia Geologica Polonica 79:59-120 [A. Miller/A. Hendy/M. Uhen]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 41576: authorized by Austin Hendy, entered by Austin Hendy on 16.07.2004

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• Includes all taxa mentioned in paper (coccoliths, diatoms, chrysomonads, foraminifers, worms, bryozoans, brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, ostracods, crinoids, ophiuroids, echinoids)
unclassified
  -
Bivalvia
 Nuculida - Nuculidae
"Pronucula sp." = Nucula (Pronucula)
"Pronucula sp." = Nucula (Pronucula) Hedley 1902 nut clam
 Nuculanida - Nuculanidae
Nuculana cf. oxyrhyncha Philippi 1887 pointed nut clam
 Mytilida - Mytilidae
Mytilus cf. magellanicus Chemntiz 1785 mussel
 Arcida - Limopsidae
 Ostreida - Ostreidae
Ostrea sp. Linnaeus 1758 oyster
 Pectinida - Propeamussiidae
Cyclopecten cf. guppyi Dall 1898 mud scallop
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
Eburneopecten sp. Conrad 1865 scallop
Chlamys (Swiftopecten) sp. Hertlein 1935 scallop
 Cardiida - Cyamiidae
Perrierina sp. Bernard 1897 clam
 Cardiida - Trapezidae
Trapezium sp. Mühlfeld 1811 clam
 Cardiida - Veneridae
Timoclea sp. Brown 1827 venus clam
 Cardiida - Psammobiidae
Gari (Psammobia) patagonica Philippi 1887 clam
 Cardiida - Cardiidae
Cardium cf. pisum Philippi 1887 cockle
"Cardium puelchum" = Trachycardium puelchum Sowerby 1846 cockle
 Carditida - Carditidae
"? Arcturellina sp." = Cyclocardia (Arcturellina) Chavan 1951 clam
 Carditida - Crassatellidae
Gastropoda
 Sorbeoconcha - Struthiolariidae
Struthiolaria sp. Lamarck 1816 snail
Struthiolaria cf. hatcheri Ortmann 1899 snail
 Neogastropoda - Buccinidae
Nassa sp. Röding 1798 true whelk
Nassa nordenskjoeldi true whelk
Subspecies: Nassa nordenskjoeldi antarctica
 Neogastropoda - Muricidae
Trophon cf. disparoides Wilckens 1912 murex snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Naticidae
Polinices cf. subtenuis Ihering 1907 moon snail
 Heterostropha - Acteonidae
Acteon cf. semilaevis Ortmann 1900 snail
Stenolaemata
 Cyclostomata - Tubuliporidae
Crisisina sp. d'Orbigny 1850
Gymnolaemata
 Cheilostomata - Poricellariidae
 Cheilostomata - Adeonellidae
 Cheilostomata - Cellariidae
 Cheilostomata - Adeonidae
 Cheilostomata - Porinidae
 Cheilostomata - Smittinidae
 Cheilostomata - Tessaradomidae
 Cheilostomata - Pasytheidae
 Cheilostomata - Lepraliellidae
"Holoporella cf. albirostris" = Celleporaria, "Holoporella cf. parvula" = Celleporaria
"Holoporella cf. albirostris" = Celleporaria
"Holoporella cf. parvula" = Celleporaria
 Cheilostomata - Romancheinidae