A Stratigraphic Index of Dinoflagellate Cysts

295 Pages·1992·11.09 MB·English

by  A. James Powell (auth.), A. J. Powell (eds.)

A Stratigraphic Index of
Dinoflagellate Cysts
British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series
This series, published on behalf of the British
Micropalaeontological Society by Chapman & Hall,
aims to provide a synthesis of the current state of
knowledge of all microfossil groups. The stratigraphic
indexes detail the distribution of these groups in British
sequences. Supported by notes on the systematics and
identification criteria of the various taxa, these volumes
are a unique compilation of data crucial to the work of
those geologists concerned with stratigraphic correlation.
The Series also includes the proceedings of selected
conferences and edited volumes on specialist themes.
Books in the series provide essential reading for all
micropalaeontologists and palaeontologists in academia
and in industry.
A Stratigraphic Index of
Dinoflagellate Cysts
Edited by
A.J. Powell
Millennia Ltd, Alton, Hampshire
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publieation data
A Stratigraphic index of dinoftagellate eysts I edited by A.J.
Powell. - Ist ed.
p. em. - (British Micropalaeontologieal Society series)
IncJudes bibliographical referenees and indexes.
ISBN 978-94-010-5052-4 ISBN 978-94-011-2386-0 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-2386-0
1. Dinoftagellates, Fossil-Great Britain. 2. Paleobotany-
Mesozoic. 3. Paleobotany-Cenozoic. 4. Paleontology,
Stratigraphie. 1. Powell, A.J. (Alister James), 1956-
II. Series.
QE955.S784 1992
561' .93-de20 91-29122
CIP
First edition 1992
© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1992
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover Ist edition 1992
Reprinted with corrections 1999 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Typeset in 10112pt Times by Graphicraft Typesetters Ltd., Hong Kong
ISBN 978-94-010-5052-4
Printed on acid-free paper
Contents
Contributors vii
Acknowledgements ix
Preface xi
1. Dinoflagellate cysts of the Triassic System 1
A. James Powell
2. Dinoflagellate cysts of the Jurassic System 7
James B, Riding and Joanna E. Thomas
3. Dinoflagellate cysts of the Cretaceous System 99
Lucy I. Costa and Roger J. Davey
4. Dinoflagellate cysts of the Tertiary System 155
A. James Powell
5. Dinoflagellate cysts of the Quaternary System 253
Rex Harland
Appendix A. Lithological legend 274
Appendix B. Species list 275
Index 281
Contributors
Dr Lucy I. Costa, Dr A. james Powell,
The Robertson Group pIc, Millennia Ltd,
Ty'n-y-Coed, Unit 3, Weyside Park,
Llanrhos, Newman Lane,
LLANDUDNO, UK. ALTON, UK.
Dr Roger j. Davey, Dr james B. Riding,
The Robertson Group pIc, British Geological Survey,
Ty'n-y-Coed, Nicker Hill,
Llanrhos, Keyworth,
LLANDUDNO, UK. NOITINGHAM, UK.
Dr Rex Harland, Dr joanna E. Thomas,
British Geological Survey, British Geological Survey,
Nicker Hill, Nicker Hill,
Keyworth, Keyworth,
NOITINGHAM, UK. NOITINGHAM, UK.
Acknowledgements
The assistance of the British Geological L.1.c. and R.J.D. gratefully acknowledge
Survey, the British Micropalaeontological the Robertson Group pIc for their support in
Society, the British Petroleum Company pIc, the production of, and permission to publish,
Chapman and Hall Ltd, Ellis Horwood Ltd, the Cretaceous chapter.
Millennia Ltd, and the Robertson Group pIc, J.B.R. and J.E.T. acknowledge the special
is gratefully acknowledged. Permission to use assistance of Beris Cox, Ian Penn and Geoff
the Mesozoic lithostratigraphical summaries, Warrington. R.H. 's acknowledgements appear
redrawn by BP, was kindly given by George at the end of Chapter 5.
Allen & Unwin. Special thanks are due to Simon Tull, who
A.J.P. is grateful to Rex Harland, Claus commissioned the book, and the staff at
Heilmann-Clausen and Geoff Eaton for pro- Chapman & Hall who produced it.
viding negatives and prints, and the latter for Rex Harland, Jim Riding and Joanna
reading through the Tertiary Chapter. Ian Thomas all publish with the permission of the
Harding is thanked for providing the SEM Director of the British Geological Survey,
photograph of Cribroperidinium sepimentum NERC.
which appears on the front cover. Ron Woollam
kindly read the Triassic Chapter, for which
Geoff Warrington provided the ranges.
Preface
The aim of this volume in the British Micro- was letting myself in for. During early 1987
palaeontological Society (BMS) Occasional my initial task was to invite various experts
Publication Series is to review the present to contribute to individual, stratigraphically
state of knowledge concerning the stratigraphic arranged chapters. Having finalized the list
distribution of dinoflagellate cysts in British of contributors, we were able to establish, not
sediments. only the objectives of the volume, but also a
I stress that this volume is one in the BMS preferred format.
Series and, as such, does not purport to repre- After initial negotiations with the then pub-
sent stratigraphic coverage of areas outside lisher of the BMS Series, Ellis Horwood
the territories of the British Isles. However, Limited, a contract was signed on 18th Janu-
in certain stratigraphic sections, applicability ary 1988 with a completion date of 31st July
to northwest Europe is appropriate. No global 1989. However, it soon became apparent that
scale is implied. this was a totally unrealistic goal and, as a
Since the BMS introduced its Occasional result, it was re-negotiated to 1st December
Publication Series in 1978, it has been obvious 1989. Since then, progress has been somewhat
that a large gap has existed in its range. There erratic; various contributors have either been
has been no single volume devoted to paly- abroad on operational assignments, or have
nology; stratigraphic indices of acritarchs, had little time to devote to such erudite pur-
dinoflagellate cysts and miospores, in particu- suits of low priority status. Personal circum-
lar, have long been overdue. The principal stances beyond our control necessitated a final
reason for the lack of a dinoflagellate cyst deadline of January 1991. So the volume took
volume is that the intensive study of these us almost exactly four years to complete from
microfossils is relatively new to geological inception.
science (relative to the levels of maturity We faced a number of difficulties from the
reached in foraminiferal and ostracod studies, outset. Should we restrict ourselves to sedi-
for example). ments onshore the British Isles? Should we
On becoming Secretary of the BMS Micro- consider material from offshore boreholes?
plankton Group in December 1986, Jim Should we fill stratigraphic gaps, or intervals
Riding, the retiring Secretary, suggested that I of poor recovery, with suitable substitute sec-
might be prepared to oversee the production tions from northwest Europe, or even further
of a stratigraphic index of dinoflagellate cysts. afield? Should emphasis be placed on first or
I thought it an excellent idea, but having little last appearance events?
editorial experience, I had no idea of what I We decided to aim for maximum strati-
XII Preface
graphic coverage, with emphasis on material We selected the 1987 Exxon timescale, pri-
from the public domain. For selected inter- marily because at the outset of our project it
vals, notably the Upper Cretaceous, Palaeo- was the most comprehensive one available
cene, Oligocene and Neogene successions, for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic interval. This
we have had to refer to offshore areas and to timescale has been calibrated with a sequence
sections in northwest Europe. For greatest chronostratigraphy and eustatic curve which
biostratigraphic reliability, and because we may be of use to some readers. Because of the
have primarily reviewed published informa- peculiarity of the Quaternary System, the
tion, we have placed emphasis on first appear- British stage nomenclature has been used.
ance events. Lithostratigraphic summaries for the Jurassic,
We felt that a maximum degree of con- Cretaceous and Tertiary British successions
sistency in style would be desirable for all have been compiled in diagrammatic form.
chapters so that the volume would stand alone Since we formulated our idealized vision of
as a useful reference text, and not appear as a this volume, we have had to make a number
series of disparate papers. We hoped to illus- of compromises. In particular, a comprehen-
trate as many taxa as possible and to produce sive biozonation has not been possible, and
a biozonation for the whole of the Mesozoic- the number of species illustrated has fallen
Cenozoic succession of the British Isles. short of our original intentions. Nevertheless,
We agreed to adopt a standard taxonomy it is hoped that this volume will be the first in
and timescale. As far as taxonomy is con- a series of editions; it should be improved and
cerned, we have followed the 1989 Index of updated through time as the study of British
Lentin and Williams as our guide wherever dinoflagellate cysts progresses. It will depend
possible, with a few exceptions. However, upon the vigour and enthusiasm of future
when this volume appears on the shelves, it is dinoflagellate cyst workers in Britain to ensure
inevitable that some aspects of the taxonomy that this becomes a worthwhile tradition.
will be out of date. For ease of reading, the
full citation for each taxon mentioned in the
text is given in Appendix B. A. James Powell
Alton, Hants
· .. lucidity and the calm rhythms of logic-
al thought. These he knew, depended upon
a continuing belief in one's grasp of every
issue relevant to one's subject . ..
Paul Scott, 'A Division of the Spoils'.