Molluscan assemblages, Aldabra Atoll, Aldabra Limestone 6 (Pleistocene of Seychelles)

Also known as Reef 3806

Where: Seychelles (9.4° S, 46.4° E: paleocoordinates 9.4° S, 46.5° E)

• coordinate estimated from map

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Aldabra Limestone Formation, Late/Upper Pleistocene (0.1 - 0.0 Ma)

• 125 000 years (Thompson and Walton 1972)

Environment/lithology: perireef or subreef; limestone

• facies 6: Porites coral-knoll facies; coral knolls separated by patches of sand and coral debris

Size class: macrofossils

Collected in 1969; reposited in the BMNH

• June-September 1969, small additional quantity in 1973 m, altogether 300 specimens found in Aldabra Limestone

Primary reference: J. D. Taylor. 1978. Faunal response to the instability of reef habitats: Pleistocene molluscan assemblages of Aldabra Atoll. Palaeontology 21(1):1-30 [W. Kiessling/A. Girndt]more details

Purpose of describing collection: paleoecologic analysis

PaleoDB collection 81011: authorized by Wolfgang Kiessling, entered by Antje Girndt on 26.05.2008

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Ulvophyceae
 Bryopsidales - Halimedaceae
Halimeda sp. Lamouroux 1812
subordinate
Anthozoa
 Scleractinia - Acroporidae
"Acropora palifera" = Isopora palifera, Acropora hyacinthus, "Acropora corymbosa" = Acropora lamarcki
"Acropora palifera" = Isopora palifera Lamarck 1816 stony coral
common
Acropora hyacinthus Dana 1846 stony coral
"Acropora corymbosa" = Acropora lamarcki Veron 2000 stony coral
common
 Scleractinia - Pocilloporidae
Seriatopora sp. Lamarck 1816 stony coral
common
 Scleractinia - Poritidae
Porites nigrescens Dana 1846 stony coral
common
 Scleractinia - Fungiidae
Fungia sp. Lamarck 1801 stony coral
common
 Scleractinia - Merulinidae
Platygyra sp. Ehrenberg 1834 stony coral
common
 Scleractinia - Faviidae
Favia sp. Oken 1815 stony coral
common
 Scleractinia - Euphylliidae
Galaxea sp. Oken 1815 stony coral
common
Gastropoda
 Trochoidea - Trochidae
"Tectus mauritianus" = Tectus (Tectus) mauritianus
"Tectus mauritianus" = Tectus (Tectus) mauritianus Gmelin 1791 top snail
 Ptenoglossa - Thaididae
 Cerithioidea - Cerithiidae
Cerithium echinatum Lamarck 1822 cerith snail
dominant
Rhinoclavis asper cerith snail
dominant
 Sorbeoconcha - Strombidae
"Strombus gibberulus" = Strombus (Gibberulus) gibberulus
"Strombus gibberulus" = Strombus (Gibberulus) gibberulus Linnaeus 1758 conch
common
 Neogastropoda - Buccinidae
 Neogastropoda - Nassariidae
Nassarius sp. Duméril 1806 snail
 Neogastropoda - Fasciolariidae
 Neogastropoda - Columbellidae
"Columbella turturina" = Pyrene turturina
"Columbella turturina" = Pyrene turturina Lamarck 1822 snail
 Neogastropoda - Terebridae
Terebra sp. Bruguière 1789 auger snail
 Neogastropoda - Muricidae
 Sorbeoconcha - Cypraeidae
"Cypraea isabella" = Luria isabella, "Cypraea caurica" = Erronea caurica, "Cypraea fimbriata" = Cypraea (Purpuradusta) fimbriata, "Cypraea helvola" = Cypraea (Erosaria) helvola, "Cypraea scurra" = Mauritia scurra
"Cypraea isabella" = Luria isabella Linnaeus 1758 Isabell cowry
"Cypraea caurica" = Erronea caurica Linnaeus 1758 cowry
"Cypraea fimbriata" = Cypraea (Purpuradusta) fimbriata Gmelin 1791 cowry
"Cypraea helvola" = Cypraea (Erosaria) helvola Linnaeus 1758 cowry
"Cypraea scurra" = Mauritia scurra Gmelin 1791 cowry
 Sorbeoconcha - Naticidae
"Polynices tumidus" = Polinices
"Polynices tumidus" = Polinices moon snail
common
Bivalvia
 Arcida - Arcidae
"Barbatia fusca" = Barbatia (Ustularca) fusca Bruguiére 1792 clam
most abundant Bivalve
Barbatia helblingi Bruguière 1789 clam
common
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
Spondylus sp. Linnaeus 1758 scallop
 Ostreida - Ostreidae
Ostrea sp. Linnaeus 1758 oyster
 Cardiida - Chamidae
Chama sp. Linnaeus 1758 jewel box
 Cardiida - Veneridae
Amiantis grata venus clam
Pitar obliquata venus clam
Timoclea marica Linnaeus 1758 venus clam
 Cardiida - Tellinidae
Jactellina clathrata Deshayes 1835 tellin clam
Pinguitellina robusta Hanley 1844 tellin clam
Scissulina dispar Conrad 1837 tellin clam
 Cardiida - Semelidae