Crustose Algal Marl facies, Upper Coralline Limestone Fm.: Messinian, Malta
List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
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Florideophyceae
- Hapalidiales
- Mesophyllaceae
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Mesophyllum commune
Lemoine 1939
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43 %-specimens | ||||||
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Florideophyceae
- Hapalidiales
- Lithothamniacae
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Lithothamnium informal sp. A
Philippi
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
| replaced by Lithothamnion | |||||||
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Florideophyceae
- Corallinales
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Archaeolithothamnium cf. intermedium
Raineri 1924
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Florideophyceae
- Corallinales
- Lithophyllaceae
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Lithophyllum informal sp. A
Philippi 1837
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Lithophyllum albanense
Lemoine 1924
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19 %-specimens | ||||||
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Lithophyllum mgarrense
Bosence 1983
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19 %-specimens | ||||||
| synonym of Lithophyllum nitorum | |||||||
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Florideophyceae
- Corallinales
- Hydrolithaceae
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Lithoporella melobesioides
Foslie 1909
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19 %-specimens | ||||||
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Echinoidea
- Clypeasteroida
- Clypeasteridae
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Clypeaster sp.
Lamarck 1801
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Echinoidea
- Echinolampadoida
- Echinolampadidae
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Echinolampas sp.
Gray 1825
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Echinoidea
- Spatangoida
- Brissidae
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Brissidae indet.
Gray 1855
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Echinoidea
- Spatangoida
- Schizasteridae
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Schizaster sp.
Agassiz 1835
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Bivalvia
- Pectinida
- Pectinidae
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Chlamys multistriatus
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Rhynchonellata
- Terebratulida
- Terebratulidae
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Terebratula terebratula
(Linnaeus 1758)
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Rhynchonellata
- Terebratulida
- Megathyrididae
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Argyrotheca sp.
Dall 1900
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Megathyris sp.
(d'Orbigny 1847)
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
| original and current combination Megathiris | |||||||
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Rhynchonellata
- Rhynchonellida
- Basiliolidae
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Aphelesia bipartita
(Brocchi 1814)
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Gymnolaemata
- Cheilostomata
- Lepraliellidae
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Celleporaria cf. pumicosa
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Gymnolaemata
- Cheilostomata
- Microporidae
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Calpensia nobilis
(Esper 1796)
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Malacostraca
- Decapoda
- Paguridae
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Paguridae indet.
(Latreille 1802)
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
| original and current combination Pagurii | |||||||
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Malacostraca
- Decapoda
- Xanthidae
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Xantho sp.
Leach 1804
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Malacostraca
- Decapoda
- Eriphiidae
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Eriphia sp.
Latreille 1817
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Malacostraca
- Decapoda
- Calappidae
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Calappa sp.
Weber 1795
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Malacostraca
- Decapoda
- Portunidae
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Portunidae indet.
Rafinesque 1815
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
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Malacostraca
- Decapoda
- Majidae
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Maja sp.
Lamarck 1801
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Bosence and Pedley 1982 | ||||||
| see common names | |||||||
Geography
| Country: | Malta |
| Coordinates: | 35.9° North, 14.4° East (view map) |
| Paleocoordinates: | 35.7° North, 14.1° East |
| Basis of coordinate: | estimated from map |
| Geographic resolution: | local area |
Time
| Period: | Neogene | Epoch: | Miocene |
| Stage: | Messinian | 10 m.y. bin: | Cenozoic 6 |
| Key time interval: | Messinian | ||
| Age range of interval: | 7.24600 - 5.33300 m.y. ago |
Stratigraphy
| Formation: | Upper Coralline Limestone | ||||
| Stratigraphic resolution: | bed | ||||
| Stratigraphy comments: Messinian or possibly late Tortonian in age | |||||
Lithology and environment
| Primary lithology: | marl |
| Lithology description: Crustose Algal Marl. | |
| Environment: | reef, buildup or bioherm |
| Geology comments: 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. | |
Taphonomy
| Modes of preservation: | body |
| Size of fossils: | mesofossils,microfossils |
Collection methods and comments
| Reason for describing collection: | taxonomic analysis |
Metadata
| Database number: | 140979 | ||
| Authorizer: | W. Kiessling | Enterer: | M. Krause |
| Modifier: | M. Krause | Research group: | marine invertebrate |
| Created: | 2013-03-20 00:15:35 | Last modified: | 2013-03-28 05:55:02 |
| Access level: | authorizer only | Released: | 2013-06-20 00:15:35 |
| Creative Commons license: | CC BY |
Reference information
Primary reference:
| 45984. | D. W. J. Bosence. 1983. Coralline algae from the Miocene of Malta. Palaeontology 26:147-173 [W. Kiessling/M. Krause] |
Secondary references:
| 47766 | D. W. J. Bosence and H. M. Pedley. 1982. Sedimentology and palaeoecology of a Miocene coralline algal biostrome from the Maltese Islands. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (38)9-43 [W. Kiessling/M. Krause] |