The Telbesmi Formation, at the northern margin of the Arabian Plate, Turkey, is composed of alternating darkbrown,
pinky-brown fluvial arkosic sandstone/mudstones with thin-bedded cherty limestones and channel
conglomerates. The formation contains rare and poorly diversified trace fossils. The siltstone/sandstone beds of
levels 1 and 2 of the formation yielded, however, a moderately diverse assemblage composed of: Cochlichnus
isp., Palaeophycus isp., Planolites beverleyensis, Teichichnus isp. and ?Treptichnus rectangularis. This assemblage,
made up of traces left by deposit feeding organisms, represents the Scoyenia ichnofacies. Treptichnus
rectangularis and Palaeophycus isp., of the assemblage, can be considered markers for the base of the Cambrian
in southeast Turkey.
The long-ranging Early to Middle Triassic coniform conodont form-genus Cornudina Hirschmann occurs
abundantly in the Anisian of NW Turkey, Northern Tethys. Although suggested to represent the P1 element
of an apparatus of the Order Ozarkodinida Dzik, questions concerning the apparatus of Cornudina remain.
A description of the probable phylogenetic trends in the P1 elements of Cornudina is attempted and the role
of the form-genera Ketinella Gedik and Kamuellerella Gedik, as the alternative ramiform skeletal elements in
the Cornudina multi-element apparatus, is investigated. The newly described, Gedikella quadrata gen. nov.,
sp. nov., is an S element, Kamuellerella rectangularis sp. nov., is either an S3 or an S4 element, and Ketinella
goermueshi sp. nov., is an M element.
The Upper Greensand Formation, mostly capped by the Chalk, crops out on the edges of a broad, dissected
plateau in Devon, west Dorset and south Somerset and has an almost continuous outcrop that runs from the Isle
of Purbeck to the Vale of Wardour in south Wiltshire. The Formation is well exposed in cliffs in east Devon and
the Isle of Purbeck, but is poorly exposed inland. It comprises sandstones and calcarenites with laterally and
stratigraphically variable amounts of carbonate cement, glauconite and chert. The sedimentology and palaeon-
tology indicate deposition in marginal marine-shelf environments that were at times subject to strong tidal and
wave-generated currents. The formation of the Upper Greensand successions in the region was influenced by
penecontemporaneous movements on major fault zones, some of which are sited over E-W trending Variscan
thrusts in the basement rocks and, locally, on minor faults. Comparison of the principal sedimentary breaks in
the succession with the sequence boundaries derived from world-wide sea-level curves suggests that local tec-
tonic events mask the effects of any eustatic changes in sea level. The preserved fauna is unevenly distributed,
both laterally and stratigraphically. Bivalves, gastropods and echinoids are common at some horizons but are
not age-diagnostic. Ammonites are common at a few stratigraphically narrowly defined horizons, but are rare
or absent throughout most of the succession. As a result, the age of parts of the succession is still poorly known
In the Polish sector of the Magura Nappe have long been known and exploited carbonate mineral waters, saturated
with carbon dioxide, known as the “shchava (szczawa)”. These waters occur mainly in the Krynica Subunit
of the Magura Nappe, between the Dunajec and Poprad rivers, close to the Pieniny Klippen Belt (PKB). The
origin of these waters is still not clear, this applies to both “volcanic” and “metamorphic” hypotheses. Bearing
in mind the case found in the Szczawa tectonic window and our geological and geochemical studies we suggest
that the origin of the carbon dioxide may be linked with the thermal/pressure alteration of organic matter of the
Oligocene deposits from the Grybów Unit. These deposits, exposed in several tectonic windows of the Magura
Nappe, are characterized by the presence of highly matured organic matter – the origin of the hydrocarbon accumulations.
This is supported by the present-day state of organic geochemistry studies of the Carpathian oil and
gas bed rocks. In our opinion origin of the carbon-dioxide was related to the southern, deep buried periphery of
the Carpathian Oil and Gas Province. The present day distribution of the carbonated mineral water springs has
been related to the post-orogenic uplift and erosion of the Outer (flysch) Carpathians.
The Maastrichtian sediments of northern Iraq are rich in larger benthic foraminifera. Among them, the genus
Loftusia is well-known one because of its significant palaeogeographic distribution across the Mediterranean
and Middle East. In this study, observations of abnormal test shapes, species recognition criteria and endoskeleton
characteristics of Loftusia are discussed, based on the new material from north-eastern Iraq. The following
species of Loftusia are described: Loftusia elongata Cox, L. persica Brady, Loftusia morgani Douvillé, L. anatolica
Meriç, L. matsumarui Meriç and Görmüs, L. minor B Cox, L. ketini B Meriç and L. kahtaensis Meriç,
Loftusia minor A Cox, L. oktayi Meriç and L. baykali Meriç. The predominant species are Loftusia elongata,
L. morgani and L. baykali. Skewed abnormal individuals and epidermal parts of the endoskeleton structure are
also interesting aspects to note. Quantitative data obtained for Loftusia allow us to better understand and interpret
species identification criteria, abnormal occurrences and the endoskeleton structure.
Early Palaeocene through early Eocene silicoflagellate assemblages were examined from five southern subtropical
through subpolar deep-sea sites: DSDP Holes 208 and 524, and ODP Holes 700B, 752A, and 1121B. For each
site, the taxonomic composition of the silicoflagellate assemblage is documented in detail; Pseudonaviculopsis
gen. nov., Dictyocha castellum sp. nov. and Stephanocha? fulbrightii sp. nov. are proposed, along with several
new combinations. More importantly, however, these observations enable a considerable refinement to the existing
Palaeocene–Eocene silicoflagellate biostratigraphic zonation that for the first time uses datums calibrated to
the Geomagnetic Polarity Timescale. The Corbisema aspera Interval Zone occurs immediately above the K/Pg
boundary and is here described from Seymour Island. The Corbisema hastata Partial Range Zone extends from
near the K/Pg boundary to late early Palaeocene and has been observed in Hole 208. The Pseudonaviculopsis disymmetrica
Acme Zone occurs in Holes 208 and 700B. The Dictyocha precarentis Partial Range Zone, observed
in Holes 208, 700B, 752A and 1121B, is subdivided into D. precarentis, Naviculopsis primativa, N. cruciata
and Pseudonaviculopsis constricta subzones. The Naviculopsis constricta Partial Range Zone occurs in Holes
524, 700B, 752A and 1121B. This study is also the first to consider syn- and/or diachroneity in Palaeogene
silicoflagellate biostratigraphy.
The S-7 borehole log from the Sumina area (USCB Poland) revealed the presence of three basaltic veins
originating from a basalt dyke. Coal interlayers in the rocks surrounding the basaltic veins have been coked to
form natural coke. Photometric measurements revealed that the optical properties of the studied natural coke
samples are characteristic of semi-graphite (Rmax > 9%). The natural coke matrix of all of the analyzed samples
has a biaxial negative optical character. Vitrinite in the examined natural coke samples is characterized by a
lower optical anisotropy than that of the natural matrix and it has a biaxial positive optical character. Vitrinite
in almost all samples taken at locations more distant from the intrusion has a biaxial positive optical character.
A reversal of the changes of the true maximum vitrinite reflectance and bireflectance with changing distance
from the second basaltic vein has been observed. The temperature regime that acted upon the dispersed organic
matter located in the immediate vicinity of the intrusion, estimated on the basis of the selected experimental
data, is suggested to be higher than 750 °C.
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