Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 www.elsevier.com/locate/CretRes

The age of the Cretaceous Santana Formation fossil Konservat Lagersta¨tte of north-east Brazil: a historical review and an appraisal of the biochronostratigraphic utility of its palaeobiota

David M. Martill

Palaeobiology Research Group, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth PO1 3QL, UK Received 10 April 2006; accepted in revised form 11 January 2007 Available online 10 July 2007

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the famous fossil-bearing carbonate concretions of the Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation Konservat Lagersta¨tten of north-east Brazil. This palaeontologically important horizon was first dated as Cretaceous by the French palaeoichthyologist Louis Agassiz on the basis of fish fossils obtained by Bavarian explorers Spix and Martius between 1817 and 1820 and Scottish botanist and explorer George Gardner between 1836 and 1841. Gardner equated the concretion level with the English Albian ‘Upper Greensands’ on the basis of an imagined similarity of stratigraphic sequence with that of the Isle of Wight, southern England. Since then high precision dating of this remarkable deposit has proved elusive and the concretion-bearing part of the Santana Formation has been variously dated as early Late Cretaceous or late Early Cretaceous. Attempts at greater precision over the last 30 years have cited its age variously as Aptian, Albian or possibly Cenomanian, but few reliable data have been presented to support these dates. Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Brazil; Araripe Basin; Santana Formation; Cretaceous; Konservat Lagersta¨tten; Geochronology

1. Introduction and understanding of Gondwanan Cretaceous palaeobiotas (Martill, 1988, 1993; Wenz and Brito, 1990; Maisey, 1991, The Santana Formation of north-east Brazil contains one of 1993; and many references herein). Only the age of the the most important Mesozoic fossil Konservat Lagersta¨tten on Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation, a dominantly Gondwana (Maisey, 1991; Martill, 1993, 1997, 2001; Kellner, silty shale sequence that includes the highly fossiliferous 2002; Fara et al., 2005). The formation crops out on the flanks carbonate concretion-bearing unit, is considered here. of the Chapada do Araripe in southern Ceara´, western Pernam- Although the Santana Formation concretions have been fa- buco and a small part of eastern Piaui in the north-eastern mous for their enclosed fossils, especially fishes (Fig. 2), for Brazilian Caatinga (Fig. 1). It forms part of a heterogenous over 150 years, in more recent times they have become known assemblage of spectacularly fossiliferous rocks of Cretaceous for a diversity of dinosaur and pterosaur remains in an excellent age (Gardner, 1841; Brito, 1984; Maisey, 1991; Martill, 1993). state of preservation (Martill, 1998; Martill and Unwin, 1989; In fact, two formations within the basin are well-known as Kellner, 1996a,b; Frey et al., 2003a,b) comparable with, and Konservat Lagerstatten; the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato sometimes exceeding, that of the Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone Formation lies a few tens of metres below the Santana Forma- of Bavaria (Barthel et al., 1990), especially in their three- tion, and both have contributed considerably to our knowledge dimensionality. The so-called ‘‘Lagersta¨tten effect’’ on palaeobiodiversity E-mail address: [email protected] patterns makes it vital that such deposits are precisely dated.

0195-6671/$ - see front matter Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2007.01.002 896 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920

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Fig. 1. A, location of the Chapada do Araripe in South America. B, the Chapada do Araripe lies on the borders of the Brazilian states of Ceara´, Piauı´ and Pernambuco. C, outline map of the Chapada do Araripe with the Santana Group (of Neumann and Cabrera, 1999) shaded grey. The dashed line indicates the route taken by George Gardner between 1839 and 1841.

Unfortunately, the Santana Formation, represented largely Formation sensu lato as Wealden; a term that should not be by non-marine or quasi-marine strata, lacks biostratigraphi- used in a chronostratigraphic context, but is often taken to be cally useful fossils for high precision biostratigraphy and has BerriasianeBarremian by European stratigraphers. The fossil- not been radiometrically dated owing to a lack of suitable iferous concretion-bearing part of the Santana Formation (the igneous rocks. Notwithstanding this, there have been a number Fossil Lagersta¨tte) has variously been cited as Aptian (Brito, of attempts to date the deposit more precisely, most of which 1984; Wellnhofer, 1985, 1991), Aptian/Albian (Arai et al., have favoured a late Early Cretaceous age (Braun, 1966; Mabe- 2000), Albian (Campos and Wenz, 1982; Berthou, 1990), pos- soone and Tinoco, 1973; Lima, 1978, 1979a,b, 1980; Berthou, sibly Cenomanian (Martill and Wilby, 1993) and Turonian 1990). Many of the dates applied have referred to the Santana (Beurlen, 1962); a range in the order of 30 million years. The Formation as a whole, or without defining the scope of the for- following is a review of the history of dating of the Santana mation, and with little attempt made to indicate from where Formation, the methods used, with statements on their accu- diagnostic fossils came from within the section. Furthermore, racy, and an evaluation of the various palaeontological groups at the time many of these studies were undertaken the name encountered in the formation with comments on their utility Santana Formation was applied to a wide range of strata within for dating. Finally, remarks on the possible utility of stable the Araripe Basin (Fig. 3). In addition, confusion was intro- isotope geochemistry, palaeomagnetism and sequence/event duced by the use of inappropriate terms as chronostratigraphic stratigraphy as potential, but as yet untried methods for dating labels. Krommelbein and Weber (1971) regarded the Santana the Santana Formation are provided. D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 897

a heterolithic sequence that lies above a series of evaporites (the Ipubi Formation) and beneath a series of prominent red beds (the Arajara and Exu formations) that form an extensive tableland that extends in places beyond the confines of the fault bounded basin. This paper follows Martill and Wilby (1993) and expressly excludes the Ipubi and Crato formations (previously considered as members of the Santana Formation) from the Santana Formation. Thus the definition of the San- tana Formation used here corresponds approximately with the Romualdo Member of Beurlen (1963) (Fig. 3). Martill and Wilby (1993) retained the term Romualdo Member for a series of concretion-bearing fissile shales ca. 4e20 m thick (Fig. 4) that lie approximately within the middle of the Santana Formation sequence at most localities around the Chapada do Araripe. Two major unconformities can be readily identified in the Araripe Basin infill. The oldest of these lies between the metamorphic basement and a series of probably Ordoviciane ?Devonian coarse clastic fluvial sediments of the Vale do Cariri Group (Brito, 1990). Ayounger unconformity between the Vale do Cariri Group and the metamorphic basement and the Meso- Fig. 2. Typical Romualdo Member concretions from the Santana Formation. A, zoic infill which comprises the Brejo Santo and Santana a ‘split’ concretion with a specimen of Notelops sp. in which extensive soft groups (Fig. 5) marks the initial stages of rift filling. This un- tissue (white) is preserved. B, a concretion prior to preparation outlines well conformity is complex, and comprises both onlap and overlap the enclosed fish, in this case a specimen of the pycnodont Neoproscinetes sp. relationships with the underlying strata and includes a buried topography of significant relief where it separates the Meso- zoic sequence from the pre-Mesozoic basement (Martill, 2. Brief geological overview 1993). Minor disconformities and non-sequences occur throughout The Santana Formation owes its name to Small (1913) who the Mesozoic sequence, reflecting eustatic as well as tectonic identified a series of variable strata between two prominent events within the basin (da Silva, 1986a,b; Berthou, 1994; sandstone sequences in the Val do Cariri, Ceara´; he called Ponte and Ponte Filho, 1996). Significantly, one of these dis- this sequence the Calca´reo de Sant’Anna, a name that presum- conformities appears within the Araripe Group, and its recog- ably alludes to the laminated limestone-bearing Crato Forma- nition led da Silva (1986a,b) to divide the Araripe Group tion of recent nomenclature. Small’s informal unit was sequence into two distinct formations. She removed the Crato subdivided by later workers and the Santana Formation is and Ipubi members from the Santana Formation, uniting them now just one of several formations recognised within an Ara- in a single Araripina Formation (see below for details). More ripe Group, a stratigraphic division erected by Gomez et al. recent workers have agreed with da Silva’s removal of these (1981) and reviewed by Ponte and Appi (1990) and Assine lithostratigraphic units from the Santana Formation, but have (1992). The Araripe Group forms part of the infill of a Mesozoic not accepted their unification as a single formation and as extensional rift basin developed between two major east-west such the term Araripina Formation is hardly ever used. trending megafault zones by reactivation of a transcurrent shear The most recent revision of the stratigraphy is that of Neu- zone in the Proterozoic basement of the Borborema Massif mann and Cabrera (1999) who proposed a new Santana Group (Corsini et al., 1991; Matos, 1992; Ponte, 1996; Neumann that includes the Rio de Batateira, Crato, Ipubi, Romualdo and and Cabrera, 1999). These shear zones, the Paraiba lineament Arajara formations (Fig. 3). There are benefits to this scheme as in the north and the Pernambuco lineament to the south, can it conserves much of the original stratigraphic nomenclature be traced from Piauı´ in the west of eastern Brazil to Central and reflects the tectono-sequential development of the basin Africa (Berthou, 1990) in the east. They appear to be expressed as well as major environmental changes. In this scheme the on the younger South Atlantic Ocean floor as the Ascencion fish-bearing concretions occur in the Romualdo Formation fracture zone (Berthou, 1990) and in Africa as the Ngoundere within the Santana Group. The concretion-bearing part of the fault zone (Matos, 1992). sequence is a readily mappable unit, traceable over more There is little consenus on a stratigraphic framework for the than 300 km of outcrop, and as such surely deserves at least Araripe Group; all of the contained formations are poorly de- member status. Currently, under the stratigraphic scheme of fined and poorly age constrained, and many lack stratotype Neumann and Cabrera (1999) this level is an unnamed part sections. Reviews have been provided by Ponte and Appi of the Romualdo Formation, and appears to be synonymous (1990), Martill and Wilby (1993) and Neumann and Cabrera with the Santana Formation of Martill and Wilby (1993).How- (1999). Here, the Santana Formation is considered to represent ever, to erect yet another new name would most likely just add Fig. 3. Chart showing the various lithostratigraphic schemes applied to the Mesozoic strata of the Araripe Basin. The scheme used here follows in part Martill and Wilby (1993), but recognises the usefulness of the term ‘Santana Group’ as employed by Neumann and Cabrera (1999). For strata below the Rio da Batateira Formation Ponte and Appi (1990) is followed. D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 899

By far the best known lithological unit within the Araripe Basin is that which yields the vertebrate-bearing carbonate con- cretions for which the region has become world famous. The fossiliferous carbonate concretion level has become known as the Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation, though in most authors’ definitions of this member it comprises an ex- tremely heterogenous unit representing numerous sedimentary environments (Fig. 7). In the scheme proposed by Martill and Wilby (1993) the term Romualdo Member was only applied to the concretion-bearing part of the sequence, whereas Neumann and Cabrera (1999) used the term Romualdo Formation for all of the strata above the Ipubi gypsum beds and below the red beds of the Arajara and Exu formations, i.e., their Romualdo Formation is equal to da Silva’s (1986b) and Martill and Wilby’s (1993) Santana Formation. In more recent years the laminated limestones of the Crato Formation have also begun to yield exceptionally well pre- served fossils. Because of a poor understanding of the sedimen- tary dynamics of the sequence, it has become common practise

Fig. 4. A typical stream exposure of the Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation. This photograph was taken at Sitio Estiva, ca. 2 km west of Ara- poranga, Ceara´. These laminated black shales with concretions are marginally more resistant to erosion than the overlying silty clays and may form a small waterfall. to the already confused situation. Here the name Romualdo Member is reserved for the concretion-bearing strata lying be- tween the evaporites of the Ipubi Formation and the overlying red bed siliciclastics of the Arajara and Exu formations (Fig. 6). It is regarded as a palaeontologically significant, distinctive and lithologically mappable part of the Santana Formation as de- limited by Martill and Wilby (1993). The nomenclature applied to the various units within the Araripe Basin has been in an almost constant state of flux as discussed above and has been reviewed by several workers (e.g., Brito, 1990; Martill and Wilby, 1993; Berthou, 1994; Neumann and Cabrera, 1999). There are advantages to the scheme of Neumann and Cabrera (1999) as mentioned above, but note that their Santana Group differs from the Araripe Group of Gomez et al. (1981) only in the exclusion of the Exu Formation. Here some of the lithostratigraphic proposals of Martill and Wilby (1993), a scheme that was developed in an attempt to conserve the most frequently used terminology in the extensive palaeontological literature (for a criticism of it, see Berthou et al., 1994a,b), as well as some of those pro- Fig. 5. Schematic stratigraphic log for the Araripe Basin with the main forma- posed by Neumann and Cabrera (1999), are considered. tions and unconformities and larger disconformities indicated. 900 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920

Fig. 6. A rare exposure that shows the relationship of the Santana Formation to the underlying Ipubi Formation gypsum beds and the overlying Arajara/Exu for- mations. The white rock exposed bottom right is the uppermost member of the Ipubi Formation, here tectonically disturbed. The junction between the Santana and Ipubi formations is seen in the far quarry face. This face is approximately parallel to the strike, with the Santana Formation here dipping away from the camera at about 10. The soft vegetated slopes beneath the escarpment are poorly exposed and probably comprise the upper part of the Santana Formation, the Arajara For- mation and a basal unit of the Exu Formation, which in this region comprises highly oxidised laminated silts that Martill and Wilby (1993) named the Simoes~ Member. The escarpment itself comprises typical Exu Formation sandstones and conglomerates. Photograph taken at Mina Gregorio, between Rancheria and Gergelim in western Pernambuco. for some palaeontologists to refer to both the Crato limestone distinctive styles of preservation, taphonomies and the relative and Romualdo concretion fossil assemblages as coming from abundance of the few taxa common to both assemblages. the Santana Formation. Such practise is far from helpful, as In summary, the term Santana Formation as used here applies these two fossil Konservat Lagersta¨tte may be separated by sev- to strata above a sedimentological discontinuity on top of eva- eral million years, although Maisey has discussed the possibil- porites of the Ipubi Formation and beneath a sequence of mas- ity that they could be separated by a considerably shorter period sive bedded sandstones and conglomerates termed the Arajara (Maisey, 1991, p. 35). In addition, the fossil assemblages of and Exu formations. There is probably a stratigraphic disconti- these two fossil Lagersta¨tten are notably different, as are their nuity between the Santana Formation and the Arajara/Exu D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 901

Fig. 7. Three composite sections for the Santana Formation using the contact with the underlying Ipubi Formation as a datum. A, the section seen at Mina Pedra Branca and several exposures in the Riacho Jacu and on adjacent hillsides between MPB and Santana do Cariri, Ceara´. B, section seen in abandoned gypsum mine at Mina Lagoa de Dentro between Araripina and Rancharia, western Pernambuco. C, section seen at Mina Gregorio between Rancharia and Gergelim, western Pernambuco. Localities can be seen in Fig. 1C. formations, but the contact is very rarely exposed (evidence cannot be ruled out. In most places it passes up into silty clays, of this is found near Simoes~ in the western Chapada where re- which in turn pass up into fine sandstones. The boundary with worked pterosaur bones and plant remains occur in the base of the overlying Arajara Formation is rarely seen, and where seen the Exu Formation, and appear to have been derived from the it appears to be gradational (e.g., highest parts of the stream Santana Formation). section at Estiva, near Araporanga). The Romualdo Member, as used here, comprises a sequence of sometimes slightly silty, laminated black shales that con- 3. Historical studies: the early period (1830s to 1911) tain many early diagenetic carbonate concretions with well- preserved fossils. The sequence is of variable thickness, but Johann Baptist von Spix and Carl Friedrich Phillip von appears to be traceable around most of the Chapada do Araripe Martius except where the Exu/Arajara formations rest directly on base- Although the fish-bearing concretions may have been ment. The Romualdo Member rests on a heterolithic sequence brought to Europe prior to 1807 (Telles Anyunes et al., 2005), of probably submerged deltaic/fan deposits in the east their discovery is often credited to Spix and Martius (1828e Chapada, but on red beds representing probably overbank 31), whose first mention of the fish concretions from the muds in the west Chapada. Nowhere is the member seen rest- Santana Formation is: ‘‘Fast an der su¨do¨stlichen Grenze der ing unconformably on basement, but such a relationship Provinz, bei der kleinen Villa do Bom Jardim, in dem Districte 902 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 von Cayriris Novos, tritt eine ziemlich ausgedehnte Mergel- known as the Neocomian. However, Agassiz’s comparisons kalkformation auf, in der sich zahlreiche Versteinerungen von were with fish remains from the chalk lithology (see below). Fischen befinden. Es sind dieselben sowohl in den tafelfo¨rmig Agassiz (1833e1844) erected several new taxa on the basis geschicteten Gesteinen, als in den abgesonderten und gerollten of Gardner’s specimens (Agassiz did not record if he worked Stu¨cken enthalten. Sie geho¨ren mancherlei Gattungen von on the Araripe fossil specimen obtained by Spix and Martius, Fischen, wie z. B Loricaria, Cichlia, Mugil u.s.f., vielleicht despite working for Martius as a student). In particular Agassiz auch Schlangen an.’’ noted a similarity between the Brazilian Aspidorhynchus These intrepid explorers and naturalists encountered the (¼Vintifer) comptoni and A. cinctus from the Kentish Chalk fish-bearing concretions of the Chapada do Araripe during (in this case ‘‘chalk’’ does indeed mean the friable white lime- their travels across the northeastern Brazilian caatinga and stone of the Upper Cretaceous). He also noted a similarity bet- were first to figure them in their atlas and three-volume treatise ween the scales of the Araripe Cladocyclus gardneri and an ‘‘Reise in Brasilien in den Jahren 1817 bis 1820’’. Their route isolated scale also from the Kentish Chalk. Thus for the first across Brazil skirted the Araripe tableland to the south in the time fossil fishes had been used to correlate strata between region of Piaui, and it is uncertain that they in fact reached continents. the Chapada itself (Jordan and Branner, 1908, p. 2). The fossils, Gardner was still travelling in Brazil when Bowman pre- including those figured by Spix and Martius (1828e31, pl. 22, sented Gardner’s (1841) paper on the occurrence of the Brazilian fig. 5) were presented to them by the Governer General of fishes in Edinburgh, and therefore had not had an opportunity to Ceara´ (for accounts of the early history of Araripe palaeoich- discuss his discoveries directly with Agassiz. However, on his thyology, see Maisey, 1986a, 1991; Telles Antunes et al., return to Scotland, he was quick to accept Agassiz’s dating of 2005), and it is unlikely that Spix and Martius saw the fish- the fish and proposed a stratigraphic scheme for the Chapada bearing strata for themselves because, although their route do Araripe that included all of the sedimentary rocks that he took them close to the southwest end of the Chapada do Ara- had encountered in the Araripe Basin within the ‘‘chalk forma- ripe, they crossed two outlying tabloeiras (tablelands) where tion’’. Indeed, Gardner even assigned some enigmatic ‘‘whitish only basement lithologies were present beneath the capping sandstones’’ at the top of the Araripe plateau and ‘‘an abundance sandstones. Spix and Martius certainly did not speculate on of flint and septaria’’ to the chalk lithology: ‘‘the circumstances the age of the fossil-bearing horizons, and passed very little that first led me to suspect this rock belonged to the chalk for- comment on the geological circumstances of their discovery, mation, was, an immense accumulation of flints and septaria, but this is hardly surprising as their main area of interest lay similar to those of the chalk of England’’ (Gardner, 1843,p. in the zoology and botany of Brazil. 149). It is difficult to reconcile this description with the geology on the ground but the whitish deposit may have been either a George Gardner and Louis Agassiz residual white clay or sand on the very top of the Chapada that George Gardner (1810e49) was a Scottish-born botanist accumulated as a result of leaching of the arkosic Exu Formation who undertook a three-year expedition to the northeast and that forms the plateau top, or it may have been gypsum of the interior of Brazil between 1836 and 1841. Louis Agassiz Ipubi Formation that crops out toward the upper flank of the (1807e73) was an eminent Swiss-born scientist, an opponent plateau in several places in Ceara´ and western Pernambuco. of Darwin, and the founder of both the study of ice ages and There are also white sands just below the fish-bearing concre- palaeoichthyology. Agassiz travelled to Ceara´ in 1866 as part tions in the northern and eastern parts of the Chapada that could, of the Thayer expedition to Brazil (Agassiz and Agassiz, to the inexperienced eye, be thought to resemble chalk. The 1888) but never reached the Chapada do Araripe. Gardner, flints and septaria noted by Gardner are also problematic. There on the other hand, undertook a mule trek from the Brazilian are certainly patches of gravel on some of the higher ground on north coast to the Chapada, and spent some time based in nearby metamorphic basement that are rich in chert, and occa- Crato. An account of his journey is well-documented (Gardner, sionally the carbonate concretions of the Romauldo Member 1841) and a number of important fossiliferous localities can be have been partly silicified, but nothing in any abundance is identified from his published notes. He dispatched a shipment comparable with the black flints of the European chalk. of fossil fishes collected at Barra do Jardim to his friend J. E. Gardner travelled across the Chapada do Araripe from north Bowman in Edinburgh, who passed them on to Agassiz for to south, from Crato to Jardim and back, and from east to west identification (Nudds et al., 2005; Nudds and Washington along its northern margin, and it is therefore surprising that he Evans, 2005). Agassiz suggested that the strata of the Araripe still clung to the idea that there was chalk at the top of the pla- Plateau were of Cretaceous age based on Gardner’s fossils, teau. Gardner also recorded large numbers of ‘‘flint nodules’’ at stating: ‘‘I have recognised seven distinct species, all new, a locality to the north of Crato, and once he had learnt that Agas- but which appear to me to identify not the less the deposit in siz had identified the fossil fishes collected at Barra do Jardim as which they are found as belonging to the chalk-formation’’ from the ‘‘chalk’’ Gardner was able to rationalise all that he had (Agassiz, 1841, p. 83). At this time it was common practice seen in terms of a ‘‘chalk’’ age and the Cretaceous stratigraphic for the term ‘‘chalk’’ to be used interchangeably with Creta- sequence found in southern England. Indeed, Gardner proposed ceous: it did not necessarily mean that the fossils came from that some of the stratigraphically lower lithological units seen at the chalk lithology, or that the fossils were from the Upper Crato had direct correlatives in England, including the Shanklin Cretaceous, as the ‘‘chalk’’ also encompassed that ‘‘period’’ Sandstone of the Isle of Wight and the Gault Clay of Kent and D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 903

Sussex (Gardner, 1843, p. 150). Observations of the sequence collecting concretions from field brash rather than in situ. A at Crato confirm that there are outcrops of sandstone that are visit to the locality described by Gardner near Jardim proved indeed reminiscent of Red Cliff near Sandown on the Isle of that large numbers of septarian concretions with enclosed Wight, but as for a Gault Clay correlative, there is nothing fishes are easy to find in the field brash alongside boulders remotely similar. of pinkish sandstone derived from the overlying Exu Forma- Gardner may have been a little disingenuous as he made no tion. Indeed, in many places around the Chapada landslips mention of the age of the fish-bearing horizons in his description of the overlying arenaceous Exu and Ararjara formations ob- of their occurrence in his paper of 1841, whereas Agassiz scure the outcrop of the concretion bearing levels. did (Agassiz, 1841, p. 83). It was only after Gardner had re- Gardner supposed a four-part stratigraphy for the Chapada turned and received the results of Agassiz’ observations on do Araripe, his highest level being his ‘‘white chalk with the fishes that he considered the age of the Araripe strata in flints’’. Such a lithology does not exist in the region, although print. Although Gardner and Agassiz were first to apply a Creta- Late Cretaceous white limestones do occur on the coastal strip ceous age to the Araripe Basin deposits, it is Agassiz who must between Joao Pessoa and Recife on the northeast coast of Bra- take the lions’ share of the credit. It is however, with a certain zil and in northwest Ceara´ (Brito and Campos, 1983). Beneath amount of pride that Gardner (1846: 1970 reprinting, p. 204) this Gardner described a thick deposit of fine sands containing recorded that he was first to discover evidence of the ‘‘chalk the ichthyoliths. This is taken to be the Romualdo Member of formation’’ in South America. the Santana Formation that he compared to the English Upper The Cretaceous Period as now defined endured for ca. Greensand. This comparison is presumably based on nothing 75 Ma; thus it became pertinent to discover which parts of more than the Greensand lying under the Chalk, rather than the Cretaceous system are represented by the Araripe sequence. on any similarity in lithology. Beneath he noted a deposit of Although Gardner (1843) proposed a stratigraphic scheme marl and compact limestones. By compact, he may have meant for the Araripe Basin, it was largely informal (Fig. 8 repro- that the limestones were well-bedded, and in this respect, this duces Gardner’s sketch) with little useful accompanying data. probably equates with the laminated Crato Formation lime- He equated some of the lithological units in the Araripe Basin stones. At the base are ferruginous sandstones that Gardner lik- with parts of the ‘‘chalk formation’’ (¼Neocomian þ chalk) of ened to the Lower Greensand of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. the Isle of Wight, southern England (Figs. 9, 10), equating the Apparently Gardner did not see the ‘‘white chalk’’ for him- concretion-bearing level (which he believed to be the basal part self, but instead was told of a ‘‘white deposit’’ at the top of the of the sandstone at the top of the plateau) with the Upper Chapada by locals. Some confusion could have ensued here Greensand of southern England, which is reliably dated as both in terms of lithology and location. Close to the top of Albian using ammonites (Rawson et al., 1978). There is an the Chapada are a number of gypsum mines in the Ipubi Forma- irony in that the methodology of Gardner is severely flawed tion. Perhaps, if Gardner attempted to describe chalk, people of and yet today many stratigraphers consider the concretion the region would have thought the white gypsum fitted his beds of the Santana Formation to be of Albian age (Maisey, description and thus, they might have suggested that chalk 1991). Gardner may have got it right, but for all the wrong rea- occurred towards the top of the Chapada. sons. Interestingly, some of his original specimens have re- Gardner mentioned numerous localities where flints occur, cently been rediscovered in the collections of Manchester although none occurring in situ in chalk lithologies. Thin Museum (Nudds et al., 2005). spreads of gravels over the metamorphic basement to the north Gardner noted an extensive distribution for this so-called of the Chapada do occasionally contain chert. Chert also occurs ‘‘chalk formation’’ describing the lithology as ‘‘a soft whitish, in the Crato Formation as small discrete concretions in the yellowish or reddish sandstone..and in this rock exist the limestones and as silicified stromatolite horizons within higher nodules which contain the fossil fishes’’ (Gardner, 1843 p. parts of the Crato Formation (Martill and Wilby, 1993). Thus it 205). In this respect he was wholly wrong. The fishes come is possible that Gardner did indeed see flint or chert. Chert may from a unit beneath the arenites that form the top of the Cha- have been highly sought after at the time as a material for light- pada do Araripe, but it is clear from his description that he was ing fires and was perhaps still used for hunting by indigenous

Fig. 8. A reproduction of George Gardner’s (1843) sketch section from the Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Glasgow, showing the strata of the Chapada do Araripe. In ascending order, s, Clay Slate; a, Lower Greensand or Shankland (sic) sand; b, marl, soft and compact (? ¼ bedded or laminated) and lignite equal to the English Galt (sic); c, soft, variously coloured sandstone with ichthyolites, equivalent to the English Upper Greensand; d, red diluvial clay; e, pits in which occur white chalk and flints. 904 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920

Fig. 9. The mid to late Cretaceous succession of Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England that so influenced Gardner’s interpretation of the stratigraphy of the Chapada do Araripe. A, view of the Shanklin cliff section and flat-topped Luccomb Down shrouded in fog. B, the Lower Greensand at sea level between Shanklin and San- down, which Gardner likened to strata in the Araripe Basin now called the Abaiara Formation and exposed in the sides of the road at Batateira near Crato. people. If this is reasonable speculation then local people concretions, and perhaps blocks of gastropod limestone; would have known of sources of flint. though there is no precise mention of this in his accounts, he It is difficult to reconcile Gardner’s perception of the strati- does record Turrilites (but see below). However, on the old graphic sequence with reality. Retracing in a general way his road to the south from Crato these slopes have retained their journey from his base in Crato to the top of the Chapada he forest cover and exposure is sparse. Perhaps Gardner did not would have certainly seen large bluffs of orange/brown, friable see these strata until he reached Jardim on the south side of sandstone in the banks of the various streams that drain the pla- the plateau. The top of the plateau is composed of a thick teau (Gardner’s lowest unit). As he ascended the plateau sides sequence of red and pink sandstones and conglomerates. It is he would have encountered the lowest limestone of the Crato highly unlikely that Gardner could have mistaken this for the Formation, his layer 3. This is a millimetre-laminated lime- chalk of southern England. stone that crops out prominently in all of the streams, and often If Gardner’s layer 4 is indeed the gypsum beds, then this is produces a waterfall. Plunge pools below the waterfalls are the Ipubi Formation. His layer 3 is the Romualdo Member of a well-known amenity, and the old road west out of Crato the Santana Formation and his layer 2 is the Crato Formation crossed the outcrop at a stream now called Cascata. Higher limestones. Gardner’s basal sandstone (layer 1) is well seen in still, Gardner would have crossed the outcrop of the Ipubi For- Crato and one can easily see why it reminded him of Shanklin. mation evaporites, but it is rare to see natural outcrops of this This unit is now considered one of the higher parts of the unit because of its solubility. It may also be absent in places Missao Velha Formation (Berthou, 1990). due to halokinetics. Approaching the steep escarpment he It seems that a similarity between the Shanklin Lower would have found fertile clay soils with a brash of carbonate Greensand and the Missoa Velha sandstone unit was all that D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 905

Fig. 10. A view of the Chapada do Araripe looking south from Angico towards the village of Araporanga (centre right). Did the topography of the Chapada and Luccomb Down on the Isle of Wight also influence Gardner’s thinking regarding the age of the Araripe succession?

Gardner needed to suppose an early Cretaceous age. Thus from as early as 1843 the seeds had been set, for no other palaeontol- ogist or stratigrapher subsequently offered any alternative age for the sequence.

Arthur Smith Woodward Arthur Smith Woodward was a great palaeoichthyologist, whose excellent reputation took a nosedive when he was duped in the now infamous ‘‘Piltdown man’’ forgery scandal. Woodward (1887) considered then that the Brazilian fossils were certainly of Cretaceous age, and accepted Gardner’s cor- relation between Araripe and southern England as valid. How- ever, Woodward considered that the fish fossils were from the Upper Cretaceous. Although this may be Woodward relying more on Agassiz’s interpretation of the age, in part it stems from Gardner’s (1841, p. 82) report of Turrilites as part of the fossil assemblage associated with the fossil fishes. Wood- ward knew Turrilites to be a Late Cretaceous heteromorph cephalopod (Fig. 11), and accepted Gardner’s identification in good faith, but Gardner was probably confusing the name Turrilites with the gastropod Turritella. Many small, high- spired, and therefore Turritella-like gastropods (¼ Paraglau- conia) occur occasionally within the fish-bearing concretions, and commonly in a thin limestone occurring just two or three metres above the concretion levels (see Martill, 1993, p. 48, Fig. 11. Gardner’s confusion between the name of the gastropod Turritella (B) fig. 3.16). and the heteromorph ammonoid (A) Turrilites was in part responsible for Ar- During the latter part of the 19th Century Arthur Smith thur Smith Woodward believing the Santana Formation fish concretions to be of Late Cretaceous age. A thin limestone just a few metres (ca. 3e6 m) above Woodward began to catalogue the extensive fossil fish collec- the fish nodules is dominated by Paraglauconia cf lyrica and Turritella-like tion held by the British Museum of Natural History. Later, in (sensu lato) gastropods. No ammonoids have been reported from the Araripe his ‘‘Catalogue of fossil fishes’’ he continued to cite an ‘‘Upper succession. 906 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920

Cretaceous age’’ for the fishes (Woodward, 1895, p. 435). Thus Beurlen (1962) was credited with first using the term San- by the end of the 19th Century it was generally accepted that tana Formation (Berthou, 1994), but infact it was in common the fish-bearing concretion level in the Araripe Basin was of usage previous to this (e.g., Silva Santos, 1950). However, Late Cretaceous age. The specimens in the NHM collections Beurlen was first to provide detailed discussion of the stratig- came from a number of disparate sources, including donations raphy of the unit, and he divided it into three members on from Robert Marsham, Sir John Lubbock, Lord Enniskillen, the basis of its lithological content. He recognised a basal Dixon, Sir Philip Malpas de Grey Egerton and the Duke of Crato Member encompassing a series of laminated limestones; Northampton, as well as a number of purchases directly from a middle Ipubi Member dominated by evaporites of mainly Gardner (Woodward, 1895). gypsum and anhydrite; and an upper Romualdo Member con- taining, among other rock types, shales with fossiliferous car- Jordan and Branner bonate concretions: the famous fish-bearing lagersta¨tte. Thus David Starr Jordan was an ichthyologist who, along with the name Romualdo Member is attributed to Beurlen (1962). geologist John Casper Branner, described several new species In the following year Beurlen (1963) re-evaluated the status of fossil fish from the Araripe Basin (Jordan and Branner, of the Crato Member, elevating it to a formation. 1908; Jordan, 1910, 1921, 1923). Besides describing numer- ous species of fish from the Santana Formation concretions Murilo Rodolfo de Lima they also published a stratigraphy of the basin based on an From the late 1970s to late 1980s Lima (1978, 1979a,b, amalgamation of notes gleaned from Gardner (1846) and 1980, 1989) presented a series of studies on the palynology Capanema (1862), and Branner’s own experience of Brazilian of the Santana Formation (in its broad definition). He sampled stratigraphy. Their published sequence bears little resemblance 12 localities around the Chapada from strata beneath the San- to reality, although a ‘‘thin-bedded limestone’’ is possibly a ref- tana Formation sensu Beurlen (1962) to strata above it (Lima, erence to part of the Crato Formation, and the various sand- 1978). He did not match his published profile with any ac- stones (‘‘740 feet’’ in total) are surely the Exu and Arajara cepted stratigraphic scheme (see Lima, 1978, fig. 2), nor did formations of later authors. There is no mention of a silty shale he attempt to define the age of the Santana Formation in this with concretions, and neither is there any mention of gypsum. series of papers. It is, however, possible to recognise several Clearly, by 1908 the stratigraphic sequence in the Araripe of the Araripe Group lithological units in his generalised pro- Basin had not really been elucidated. Notably, Jordan and file. From this, it appears that all but four of his localities (6, Branner (1908) did not address a precise age of the fish fauna, Simoes;~ 8, Ipubi; 9, Trindade; 11, Jardim) were sampled below other than regarding it as Cretaceous, but later Jordan (1910) the fossiliferous concretions of the Romualdo Member. He as- considered the fish Dastilbe crandalli, which comes from the signed each of the palynomorphs discovered to one of four underlying Crato Formation, to be of Early Cretaceous age ‘‘palynozones’’, but nowhere did he indicate how these zones (see also Arambourg, 1935). correlate with the stratigraphic section of the Araripe Group, nor did he demonstrate where the samples came from within H. Small each section. Thus, this work is essentially a description of Early stratigraphers working in the Araripe region, mainly the diversity of the Araripe Group palynological assemblage in the quest for water, improved considerably on the confused and is of little stratigraphic value. stratigraphic interpretation of Gardner. The first scheme to gain general acceptance was that of Small (1913) who recog- M. A. M. da Silva nised a basal series of conglomerates overlain by red beds fol- In a series of papers da Silva (1986a,b, 1988) re-evaluated lowed by a variable sequence of limestones, evaporites and the stratigraphic nomenclature of the Araripe Group, in part be- shales with concretions, which in turn, is overlain by a thick cause she recognised a significant, and basin-wide, disconfor- series of massive sandstones and conglomerates. Small mity between the evaporites of the Ipubi Formation and the (1913) applied the name Calcareo do Santa Ana to the variable overlying Santana Formation. Consequently, she erected sequence that lay between the basal and upper red beds. This a new stratigraphic unit, the Araripina Formation, for the com- simplistic, tripartite stratigraphic scheme held sway for more bined Crato and Ipubi stratigraphic units (SUs). Thus she re- than 50 years and is still the basis of the main stratigraphic duced the scope of the Santana Formation and in essence her units recognised today. ‘Santana Formation’ and other workers’ (e.g., Beurlen, 1962, 1963) ‘Romualdo Member’ became synonymous. There are, 4. Recent syntheses nevertheless, considerable merits to da Silva’s scheme. Firstly, the carbonate rich Crato SU and the evaporitic Ipubi SU both Karl Beurlen represent, at least in part, hypersaline lagoonal deposits. By the early 1960s and the advent of modern palaeontolog- Secondly, the recognition of a basin-wide disconformity would ical studies in the Araripe Basin, the term Santana Formation certainly be an obvious level to place a sequence boundary, and was in common usage, but was stratigraphically ill-defined thus formation boundary, especially considering the lithological and considered to be Early Cretaceous on account of its sup- disparity on either side of the disconformity. A contracted posed lithological similarity to Lower Cretaceous strata in Santana Formation poses few problems, provided that the southern England by earlier authors (see above). name Romualdo Member is either abandoned or, alternatively, D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 907 is reduced in scope. This latter suggestion was proposed by (¼ Ipubi Formation). An issue raised by Berthou (1994) is in Martill and Wilby (1993) for the purposes of preserving both identifying the boundary between the Crato and Ipubi forma- names (Santana Formation and Romualdo Member), which tions. Beurlen (1971) defined the base of the Ipubi Formation have become entrenched in the palaeontological literature. On as the base of the oldest evaporite horizon. This works well the down side, there appears to be little reason to erect a new where the evaporites are present, but Berthou (1994) noted formation name for the SUs below the disconformity, except that in several places they are absent. If this absence were to preserve the names Crato Member and Ipubi Member. How- real, then it would indeed pose problems for drawing a bound- ever, both of these SUs represent heterolithic assemblages and ary; however, in all of the sections logged around the Chapada can be easily subdivided into mappable members. There are, an evaporite unit has been present, though in some sections it is for example, two evaporitic units in most places where the Ipubi considerably reduced. In those places where evaporates have SU is exposed, and at least three laminated limestones can be not been located, their absence can be explained as a result recognised in the Crato SU (Martill and Wilby, 1993), two of of masking by landslips or a lack of exposure. It is quite likely which can easily be mapped in the Nova Olinda/Santana do that the gypsum has simply been removed by dissolution at sur- Cariri area. face outcrop and the overlying beds have collapsed into the so- lution cavity, as can be seen in several mines in the region of Martill and Wilby Ipubi. Thus Berthou’s (1994) attempt at a critical discussion Martill and Wilby (1993) considered that the simple division simply added to the nomenclatural confusion. Of interest how- of the Santana Formation into three members failed to reveal the ever, are the ‘‘dates’’ that he appended to the various units, complexity of the sedimentary sequences and palaeontological though without supplying supporting data. He suggested that distinctiveness of the various units. Consequently, they elevated the Crato SU is uppermost Aptian or Lower Albian; the Ipubi both the Crato Member and the Ipubi Member to formation sta- SU is LowereMiddle Albian, and the Romualdo Member tus and recognised several distinct members within them. They below the fish-bearing concretions is MiddleeUpper Albian. also noted that the dating of the various units was somewhat im- precise and considered that the age of the Romualdo Member 5. Biochronostratigraphy concretions could be as young as Cenomanian. A wide variety of fossil groups have been used to date the P.-Y. Berthou various formations within the Araripe Basin. As discussed Pierre-Yves Berthou devoted much time to the stratigraphy above, Agassiz used the fish fauna to assign a Cretaceous and sedimentology of the Araripe Basin, but was tragically age to the concretion-bearing part of the succession, while killed by an africanised bee attack while undertaking fieldwork Woodward, based on a misidentification of turrilitid cephalo- in the vicinity of Sitio Romualdo, near Crato, in 1994. Berthou pods, thought a Late Cretaceous age likely. (1994) disagreed strongly with the stratigraphic schemes The following is a review of the various fossil groups en- proposed by da Silva (1986a) and Martill and Wilby (1993). countered in the Santana Formation (sensu Martill and Wilby, He attempted a number of revisions of the stratigraphy of the 1993) with a discussion of their utility in biochronostratigra- basin and, with others, also tried to date parts of the sequence phy. Although both macro- and microfossils are abundant in using palynomorphs (Pons et al., 1990) and ostracods (Depeche the Araripe succession, spectacularly so at some levels, few et al., 1990). Here I try to present a dispassionate critique of of the fossil groups are routinely used as biostratigraphic indi- Berthou’s papers on the stratigraphy and dating of the Araripe cators, and no single part of the succession has yielded charac- Group (Berthou et al., 1988, 1994a,b; Berthou, 1994). teristic open-marine fossils such as ammonites or ‘‘normal’’ Berthou (1994) presented a discussion of the validity of salinity foraminiferans that can be used reliably in biostratigra- a number of stratigraphic units within the Araripe Basin and phy. Despite a shortage of attempts to date the succession, two made some comments on their probable or possible ages. works are particularly worthy of consideration (Lima, 1978; Firstly, he considered that Small’s (1913) definition of the Pons et al., 1990), both of which have utilised palynomorph Sant’Anna limestone is a valid stratigraphic unit. He noted assemblages and are discussed below. also that this is equivalent to the Santana Formation of Beurlen (1962) and Beurlen (1971). He rejected all propositions of Calcareous nannoplankton Martill (1993) (in reality those of Martill and Wilby, 1993) A nannofossil biozonal scheme has been established for the without offering any discussion. Furthermore, he ignored the marine Cretaceous marginal basins of Brazil (Antunes, 1987, stratigraphic scheme proposed by da Silva (1986a,b). 1994), including the Potiguar and Ceara´ basins that lie only Berthou (1994) retained the traditional Crato, Ipubi and a short distance from the Araripe Basin (Cunha, 1990; Ponte, Romualdo members, but incorporated the famous concretion- 1994). Unfortunately nannofossils have not been reported bearing level within the Ipubi Formation (Berthou, 1994,p. from the Santana Formation and thus a correlation with the 125, fig. 1). No apparent reason is given for this placement well-dated marginal basins is not currently possible. and it can only serve to confuse further the convoluted strati- graphic nomenclature of the Araripe sequence. If this scheme Foraminifera were accepted, then all the taxa described from the famous At least two forms of benthic foraminiferans have been concretions would now have to be referred to the Ipubi Member recorded from the Santana Formation, both occurring in clays 908 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 towards the top of the fish-bearing conretions of the Romualdo Of this assemblage Berthou et al. (1994a,b) noted that Ilyocypa- Member (Berthou et al., 1990, bed PBR5). Specific identifica- ris and Zonocypris are typically Late Cretaceous genera while tions were not provided but forms referable to Quinqueloculina Horcqia angulata is abundant in the Aptian of Gabon, Congo and a miliolid were recovered. Some unidentifiable hyalines and Angola. However, they also noted that Theriocynoecum were also recorded (Berthou, 1990). Unfortunately it is not ranges throughout the Early Cretaceous (this is only partly cor- possible to identify these foraminiferans from the published rect because Theriocynoecum ranges well down into the Juras- account owing to the poor quality of reproduction of the images sic; Torrens, 1968). Although three species of Theriocynoecum (Berthou et al., 1990, p. 189, pl. 4, figs 1e9). have been recorded from Araripe, Berthou et al. (1994a,b) made a case for a single species with three distinctive instars. The Arthropoda Araripe T. silvai is apparently present in the Chad Basin of Insects. There are rare occurrences of insects within the Ro- West Africa, while Cypridea araripensis is similar to C. ameri- mauldo Member concretions, but these have not been described. kana from the Aptian of Argentina. Berthou et al. (1994a,b) The Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation on the other concluded that the Crato Formation is therefore more likely hand, has yielded an extremely diverse assemblage of insects to be of Barremian-Aptian age rather than Late Cretaceous. (Grimaldi, 1990; Martill, 1993; Martins-Neto, some 30 or They consider that the two Late Cretaceous genera suggest more papers) and although many are endemic to the Araripe Ba- that the Crato Formation ostracod assemblage is younger than sin, a few genera have been reported from elsewhere, including other similar assemblages, and that the lowest part of the forma- Europe and China (Heads et al., 2005). However, none of the in- tion is therefore of late Aptianeearly Albian age. If this conclu- sects has so far proved useful biostratigraphically. Indeed, some sion is correct, then the age of the Santana Formation could be taxa represent the earliest known occurrences of well-known much younger than early Albian as it lies a considerable strati- groups, while others represent higher taxa better known from graphic distance above the Crato Formation, and is separated by the Palaeozoic (Lutz pers. comm., 2006). at least one basin-wide disconformity (da Silva, 1986a). Coimbra et al. (2002) also reviewed the stratigraphic utility Crustacea. Non-ostracod crustaceans have been reported from of the ostracods of the Araripe Basin and indicated a younger the Santana Formation (Martins-Neto and Mezzalira, 1991; than Late Aptian age for the Romualdo Member of the San- Maisey and Carvalho, 1995) and include crabs (Martins- tana Formation. Neto, 1987), crab larvae (Maisey and Carvalho, 1995) and other Decapoda. None of these crustaceans has been reported Conchostraca. Conchostracans were first documented from the from other deposits, and as such are currently of little use for Araripe Basin by Oliveira and Leonardos (1943) and Paes Leme biostratigraphy. (1943); however, the exact stratigraphic position was not given (Lima, 1979b). The biostratigraphic utility of conchostracans Ostracoda. The ostracods of the Araripe Basin, and of the remains to be determined in the South American Mesozoic, Romualdo Member in particular, have received considerable despite their abundance and widespread distribution on the attention in recent years, in part because of their exceptional continent (Tasch, 1987; Gallego and Caldas, 2001; Lana and preservation in the Romualdo Member concretions (Bate, Carvalho, 2002). Several levels in the Araripe Group are now 1972, 1973; Smith, 2000), and also because of their perceived known to yield conchostracans, and although these potentially value for biostratigraphic purposes (Depeche et al., 1990; useful fossils have received little attention regarding their use Silva-Telles and Vianna, 1990; Berthou et al., 1994a,b and in biostratigraphy, they are important palaeoenvironmental indi- references therein). Ostracods were first reported from the cators, especially with regard to palaeosalinity. In the Araripe Romualdo Member concretions by Gardner (1841, p. 82: ‘‘On Basin they occur in a series of red clays ca. 10e20 m below breaking these stones, some of them exhibit abundance of a the Nova Olinda Member laminated limestone at Nova Olinda, minute bivalve shell’’), and their presence was also noted by a unit that probably correlates with the Rio da Batateira Forma- Jordan and Branner (1908). Indeed, ostracods are so abundant tion of Ponte and Appi (1990); in profusion at Cascata, near at some levels that many of the Santana Formation concretions Crato, just 3 m below the Nova Olinda Member; and at Barbalha represent lithified ostracod shell beds. in non-laminated limestones ca. 4 m above the Nova Olinda No typical marine ostracods have been recovered from the Member. At Mina Lagoa de Dentro, near Araripina, they occur sequence, and most forms are smooth-valved members of the in black shale facies approximately 1 m beneath the lowest Cypridoidea, which pose problems for identification. Details gypsum unit of the Ipubi Formation (and thus within the Crato of the ostracod fauna of the Crato Formation have been re- Formation as defined by Beurlen, 1962) and in argillaceous ported by Berthou et al. (1994a,b), and although this analysis strata above the gypsum, and thus within the Santana Formation did not include the ostracods from the Romualdo Member sensu Martill and Wilby (1993). At Mina Pedra Branca, near concretions, the conclusions drawn have some bearing on Nova Olinda, they occur ca. 6 m above the top of the gypsum the maximum age for the Santana Formation. The Crato For- in the Santana Formation within a heterolithic fluviodeltaic mation fauna yielded Cultella sp., Cypridea araripensis, Dar- sequence. Beurlen (1963) recorded conchostracans from near winula sp., Hourcqia angulata, Ilyocyprimorpha sp., Ilyocypris Ipubi, Rancharia and Sitio Romualdo, near Crato. sp., Pattersoncypris micropapillosa, Theriocynoecum munizi, Chonchostracans are reported from the Potiguar Basin to T. quadrinodosa, T. silvai,?Vlakomia sp., and Zonocypris sp. the north of the Araripe Basin where distinct Early and Late D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 909

Cretaceous assemblages of Cyzicus and Estheriina respectively Echinoids have been recognised (Lana and Carvalho, 2002). In this basin Beurlen (1966) was first to document the occurrence of conchostracans from the Upper Cretaceous have been dated as echinoids in the Santana Formation, thus identifying an unam- TuronianeCampanian while those from the Lower Cretaceous biguously marine horizon. They occur in limestone boulders range from BerriasianeEarly Aptian in age. Cyzicus has been in field brash near to the town of Araripina, and at Casa de reported from the Cedro Basin just a few km to the south of Pedra near Ipubi, both in Pernambuco in the south-western the Araripe Basin (Carvalho, 2001), and cf. Cyzicus from the sector of the Chapada. Two species are recorded, Faujasia top of the Rio da Batateira Formation/base Crato Formation araripensis Beurlen, 1966 and Pygurus (Echinopygus) tinocoi (Carvalho, 1992). Unfortunately, the ranges of these genera Beurlen, 1966, and were placed in Pygidiolampas Clarke, are not yet well established and their utility for high precision 1923 by Brito (1981). The systematic status of P. araripenesis correlation remains to be tested, but they perhaps suggest an has recently been reviewed by Manso and Hessel (2005).At Aptian age for the base of the Crato Formation, as suggested Araripina the echinoids occur in association with small bi- by Berthou et al. (1994a,b). Conchostracans are not reported valves above the fish-bearing concretions. Currently there is from the Romauldo concretions, and those from other parts no natural in situ exposure of the echinoid-bearing stratum of the Santana Formation sensu Martill and Wilby (1993) at Araripina, although blocks rich in echinoids can still be remain to be precisely identified. found in the field, and several large blocks are stacked in a nearby hedge. Rare echinoids also occur in a thin bed of Mollusca limestone at approximately the same stratigraphic level at Molluscs are not diverse in the Araripe Basin, and are Porteiras in the eastern sector of the Chapada. Although echi- poorly studied. They occur most frequently in thin limestones noids have been used biostratigraphically with some success toward the top of the Santana Formation, and rarely within the in the Cretaceous of Europe, few attempts have been made fish-bearing concretions and in argillaceous strata within the to utilise them in South America. Crato Formation. Most species are small, though large union- ids occur occasionally. Vertebrates Bony fishes. Fishes were the first fossils to be reported from Gastropoda. A brief review of the gastropods of the Araripe the Araripe Basin (Spix and Martius, 1828e31; Agassiz, Basin was given by Lima (1979a). Several species have 1841, 1833e1844), and were first noted in detail by Agassiz been recognised, of which the cassiopid Paraglauconia is (1841, 1844). Now, the ichthyofauna of the fish-bearing con- especially common. Specimens of Paraglauconia from thin cretions of the Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation gastropod limestones above the Romualdo Member concretion is known to yield at least 20 genera (Maisey, 1991; Martill, beds of the Santana Formation are almost indistinguishable 1993; Wenz and Brito, 1990)(Table 1). from specimens of Paraglauconia from the late Barremiane The fishes have been utilised on several occasions in at- early Aptian Shephards Chine Member of the Vectis Formation tempts to determine the age of the deposits, commencing on the Isle of Wight (Barker pers. comm., 2006). Although this with Agassiz (1841, 1844), who noted the similarity between group of gastropods is long-ranging, some success has been his Aspidorhynchus comptoni from the Santana Formation made with using the cassiopid gastropods for biostratigraphic concretions and Belonostomus cinctus from the Kentish chalk. purposes. Lima listed Craginia, Gymentone, Turritella, Mesa- Agassiz (1841) also recorded that a single scale from the chalk lia, Glauconia (¼ Paraglauconia), Natica, Polinices, Epito- was identical to those of Cladocyclus gardneri from the nium, Lunatia, Ampullina, Turiscala, Scala, Cerithium, Santana Formation. Thus, the very first age attributed to the Hemicerithium, Aporrhais, and Neritoma from the Santana Santana Formation was based on fossil fishes. Since that early Formation, but nowhere is the stratigraphic position of these work, several reviews of the fish fauna of the Santana Forma- taxa documented. tion have been presented (Wenz and Brito, 1990; Maisey, 1991, 1994, 2000; Brito and Seret, 1996; Castro Leal and Bivalves. Bivalves are less diverse than gastropods according Brito, 2004) as well as a number of phylogenetic analyses of to Lima (1979a), who listed Eupteria, Pteria, Aguileria, the various fish groups present in the formation. Furthermore, Anomia, Brachydontes, Crassatella, Ostrea, Corbula, Venus several of the Araripe Basin fish genera have been reported and Unionidae and Cyrenidae. Unfortunately there are no de- from sedimentary basins elsewhere where they are associated tails regarding from which levels the various taxa come, and with marine assemblages that potentially could permit more there has been no recent revision of their taxonomic status. accurate dating (Maisey, 1991; Moody and Maisey, 1993; Most likely the marine taxa all come from the higher lime- Schultz and Sto¨hr, 1996). Consequently, it is now possible to stone beds in the Santana Formation sensu Martill and Wilby assess the value of the Santana Formation fish fossils for (1993) while the unionids are probably from mudstones over- biostratigraphy. lying the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation (pers. Agassiz’s Brazilian Aspidorhynchus comptoni is now obs.), though not from the Nova Olinda Member limestones placed in the genus Vinctifer Jordan, 1919. Moody and Maisey themselves. The long ranging nature of many of the genera (1993) identified the aspidorhynchid Vinctifer aff. comptoni renders them of little value for anything other than local from the Aptian of Venezuela, while Schultz and Sto¨hr biostratigraphy. (1996) noted Vinctifer sp. in the Upper Aptian of Colombia. 910 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920

Table 1 and its osteology, anatomy and phylogeny have been examined Fish genera recorded from the Romualdo Member of the Santana Formation in considerable detail (Grande and Bemis, 1998). Of all the Iansan Only certainly documented from the Santana Formation fish taxa from Araripe that are also known elsewhere, Calamo- Tribodus Although complete examples are known only from the pleurus appears to have the most restricted time range from Santana Formation, teeth assigned to Tribodus limae, ‘‘Neocomian’’ to Albian, and may therefore be the most useful T. achersoni and T. tunisiensis are reported from the Ain el Guetter Formation of Tunisia (Cuny et al., 2004) guide to the age of the Araripe sequence. However, caution Araripelepidotes Only certainly known from the Santana Formation must be urged as the latest occurrence of Calamopleurus outside Lepidotes Something of a waste-basket taxon. of the Araripe Basin (i.e., Morocco) is also poorly dated. Widely reported around the world from Lower Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous. Current knowledge of the ‘genus’ Araripichthys. This is a deep-bodied, somewhat problematic renders it of little stratigraphic value Neoproscinetes Known only from the Santana Formation taxon, that ranges from the Early Aptian in Venezuela (Maisey Iamanja Known only from the Santana Formation and Moody, 2001) to possible Albian in Brazil (Maisey, 2000; Obaichthys Known only from the Santana Formation Maisey and Blum, 1991) to Turonian in Morocco (Cavin, Calamopleurus This taxon has been reported from the Taouz region of 1997). In Venezuela and Morocco it is associated with a marine southeastern Morocco (Forey and Grande, 1998), fauna that includes ammonites, and as a consequence is well where its precise stratigraphic horizon and locality are in doubt. It is thought to come from the Gres Rouge dated. Araripichthys is an uncommon taxon in the Santana Infracenomanien, and may therefore be of Albian or Formation, though it is by no means rare, being known from Cenomanian age tens of specimens. While its occurrence in the formation is of Oshunia Known only from the Santana Formation little value for high-resolution biostratigraphy, its presence sug- Tharrhias Known only from the Santana Formation gests at least near-marine salinities for the concretion-bearing Vinctifer Widespread in Gondwanan Cretaceous Cladocyclus Known also from the Crato Formation and Marizal part of the Romualdo Member. Formation of the Tucano Basin Brannerion Known only from the Santana Formation Cladocyclus. This ichthyodectoid teleost is abundant in the Paraelops Known only from the Santana Formation concretions of the Santana Formation and also occurs fre- Rhacolepis Known only from the Santana Formation quently in the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation Notelops Known only from the Santana Formation Santanaclupea Known only from the Santana Formation (Castro Leal and Brito, 2004), where it is usually smaller than Araripichthys Reported also from the Aptian Apon Formation of examples from the Santana Formation. Although there have Venezuela (Maisey and Moody, 2001) and the Lower been claims for this taxon outside of South America, it is gen- Turonian of Goulmima, Morocco (Cavin, 1997) erally considered to be endemic to north-east Brazil (P.M. Brito, Axelrodichthys Known only from the Santana Formation pers. comm. 2005). Elsewhere in Brazil, e.g., in the Marizal Mawsonia Known from several localities in North and West Africa Formation of the Tucano Basin, Cladocyclus occurs in poorly dated deposits and is thus of limited biostratigraphic value. Vinctifer has also been reported from the Albian of Australia (Brito, 1997) and the Tithonian, Cenomanian and Campanian Coelacanths. Two latimeroid coelacanth genera have been of Argentina (Schultz and Sto¨hr, 1996; Brito, 1997), giving the described from the Santana Formation concretions: Axelrodich- genus a range of AptianeCampanian; a duration of ca. 40 Ma. thys Maisey, 1986b, and Mawsonia Woodward, 1908 (Maisey, Brito (1984) proposed a Vinctifer biozone as a marker horizon 1991). A single coelacanth has also been reported from the for part of the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil, but Martill (1993) Crato Formation, but as the specimen is a juvenile, it has only and Maisey (2000) doubted the usefulness of this taxon as been possible to refer it to Axelrodichthys sp. (Brito and Martill, a zone fossil, although it was an attractive idea, if only because 1999). The large Mawsonia is well known and widely distrib- of the highly distinctive flank scales of this taxon making it uted in North and Central Africa where it has been reported readily identifiable even from fragmentary remains. Unfortu- from the AlbianeCenomanian of Morocco (Wenz, 1980, nately its long range suggests that it should not be used as 1981), the Aptian of Niger (Wenz, 1975), Zaire, Congo (Casier, a zone fossil, and its presence in the Santana Formation has 1961) and Algeria, and the Albian of Egypt. Axelrodichthys has little bearing on the precise age of the deposit. not been reported outside of the Araripe Basin, while Yabumoto Agassiz (1841) named a large and abundant amiiform from (2002) has recently demonstrated that the Romualdo Mawsonia the Santana Formation as Calamopleurus cylindricus. At that belongs to a species, Mawsonia araripensis, distinct from both time the genus was unknown elsewhere, but recently an addi- its African counterparts and the South American Mawsonia tional species, C. mawsoni (Woodward) has been recognised gigas. It would appear that latimeroid coelacanths are of little in the ?Neocomian (¼ ValanginianeBarremian) of Bahia, biostratigraphic utility owing to their patchy fossil record, the Brazil, while C. africanus has been described from the ?Albian often incomplete nature of their remains outside of fossil lager- of Morocco (Forey and Grande, 1998). Calamopleurus is best statte, and the recent realisation that mawsoniids range through- known from the concretions of the Romualdo Member of the out the Cretaceous (Cavin et al., 2005). Santana Formation where it is very common, but Martill and Brito (2000) also reported a rare occurrence in the Crato For- Pterosaurs mation. In the Santana Formation concretions Calamopleurus Pterosaurs were first reported from the Santana Formation is usually very well preserved, reaches a large size (>1000 mm), concretions by Price (1971) and from the Crato Formation D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 911

Lagerta¨tte by Frey and Martill (1994). Since Price’s first record because the earliest occurrences of Tapejara and the oldest from the concretion beds, several highly distinctive genera of known neoazhdarchian are approximately coeval (both taxa pterodactyloid pterosaurs in at least four higher clades (Ornitho- occur in the Crato Formation, but the neoazhdarchian remains cheiridae, Ctenochasmatidae, Tapejaridae, Neoazhdarchidia) to be described: Frey et al., 2003b). In the phylogenetic model have been recorded from the Santana concretions (Wellnhofer, of Kellner (2003) Tapejaridae has a ghost lineage with its sis- 1985, 1987, 1991; Wellnhofer and Kellner, 1991; Martill and ter taxon, Azhdarchidae, that must extend back at least into the Frey, 1998; Unwin, 2002). For a review of Santana Formation Upper Jurassic. Only new data on the anatomy of these ptero- pterosaurs, see Kellner and Tomida (2000). saurs will resolve the current conflicting models of their phy- No species of Santana pterosaur has been recorded elsewhere, logeny. Currently Tapejaridae (sensu Unwin, 2003) range from but two genera are certainly known from other formations. the Barremian (China) to the Cenomanian (Wellnhofer and Coloborhynchus, an ornithocheirid reported from the Santana Buffetaut, 1999); consequently, tapejarids are of little value Formation by Fastnacht (2001), was first described from the for determining the age of the Santana Formation. Early Cretaceous Hastings Sand Formation (Valanginiane Hauterivian) of southern England (Owen, 1874, but see Dinosauria. Several theropod dinosaur species have been rec- Fastnacht, 2001) and from the Cenomanian of Texas (Lee, ognised in the Araripe Basin (Campos and Kellner, 1991; Frey 1994). Coloborhynchus may also be present in the Aptiane and Martill, 1995; Kellner, 1996a,b, 1999; Kellner and Cam- Albian of Hu¨ren Dukh, Mongolia (Unwin and Bakhurina, pos, 1996; Martill et al., 1996, 2000; Sues et al., 2002); all 2000). Unfortunately, the long range of Coloborhynchus (Valan- come from the concretions of the Romualdo Member. Irritator giniaeCenomanian) suggests that it is of little value for pre- challengeri Martill et al., 1996, and its probable junior syno- cision biostratigraphy. nym Angaturama limai Kellner, 1996b, represent spinosaurids, Similarly, the Anhangueridae of Campos and Kellner a distinctive group of theropods typified by Spinosaurus from (1985) (¼ part of Ornithocheiridae: see Unwin, 2003) that North Africa (Stromer, 1934). Spinosaurus is known from the was first recognised in the Santana Formation, is also recorded Aptian of Niger, the Albian of Algeria and Tunisia (Buffetaut from the Barremian of Argentina (Kellner et al., 2003) and the and Ouaja, 2002) and the Cenomanian of Egypt and Morocco AlbianeCenomanian of North Africa (Mader and Kellner, (Buffetaut, 1989; Taquet and Russell, 1998), while related 1999). Kellner and Tomida (2000, p. 124) suggested using An- Baryonyx (which probably includes Cristatusaurus and Sucho- hangueridae as an index taxon, but clearly this is impractical, mimus) is known from the BarremianeAptian of Europe and especially considering that doubt has been expressed over the Africa (Charig and Milner, 1997; Sereno et al., 1998). Possible validity of Anhangueridae (Unwin, 2001; Frey et al., 2003a). spinosaurids have also been reported from the Barremiane The azhdarchoid Tapejara, first reported from the Ro- Aptian of Japan (Hasegawa et al., 2003) and the Hauteriviane mualdo Member of the Santana Formation by Kellner Barremian and AptianeAlbian of Thailand (Siamosaurus) (1989), is also known from the Crato Formation in the same (Buffetaut and Ingavat, 1986). basin. Tapejarids are also known from the Early Cretaceous The small coelurosaur Santanaraptor (Kellner, 1999) and of China (Wang and Zhou, 2003). the compsognathid Mirischia (Naish et al., 2004) have Wellnhofer (1987) noted the occurrence in the Santana For- uniquely been reported from the Santana Formation concre- mation of ornithocheirid pterosaurs, which are also found in the tions. Compsognathid dinosaurs are known from the Tithonian Cambridge Greensand of eastern England. The Cambridge (Upper Jurassic) of Europe and the Lower Cretaceous of Greensand is a Cenomanian conglomerate containing derived China. The Santana Formation Mirischia probably represents phosphatic pebbles with bones of pterosaurs and other verte- the youngest compsognathid dinosaur yet reported. brates (Unwin, 2001). Among the derived vertebrate remains Frey and Martill (1995) tentatively referred a series of dino- are examples of ammonites indicating that at least some of saurian sacral vertebrae from the Santana Formation to the the bones are from Albian deposits (Unwin, 2001). Thus the Oviraptorosauria. Although this group is well known from Cambridge Greensand pterosaurs are probably of Albiane the upper Upper Cretaceous (SantonianeMaastrichtian) of early Cenomanian age. Presently, only the genera Anhanguera Asia and North America (Barsbold et al., 1990), there have and Coloborhynchus are thought to be common to both regions been a few reports of oviraptorosaurians, or their sister group and might, therefore, suggest similar ages. the Therizinosauroidea, in Lower Cretaceous strata (e.g. Naish Two Santana Formation pterosaurs are included within and Martill, 2002). Although no substantial remains of ovirap- Azhdarchoidea: Tapejara and Tupuxuara. In his cladistic anal- torosaurs and therizinosaurs have been recorded from South ysis Unwin (2003) argued that Tapejara is the sister taxon to America, Frankfurt and Chiappe (1999) tentatively assigned Neoazhdarchia (¼ Tupuxuara þ Azhdarchidae) while Kellner a cervical vertebra from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina (2003) placed Tapejara and Tupuxuara within their own fam- to Oviraptorosauria. Despite this, Naish et al. (2004) found ily, Tapejaridae, as the sister taxon to Azhdarchidae. This tax- no grounds for referring the Santana Formation vertebrae de- onomic confusion has some relevance to the ranges of the scribed by Frey and Martill (1995) to the oviraptorosauria. groups. In the phylogenetic model of Unwin (2003), the ghost Thus, this group of dinosaurs currently has no relevance to lineage of Tapejara could be very short on the basis of the cur- the age debate of the Santana Formation. rent knowledge of the stratigraphic ranges of Tapejara and its Overall, the dinosaur assemblage from the Santana Forma- sister taxon Neoazhdarchia (Tupuxuara þ Azhdarchidae), tion suggests a latest Jurassic (compsognathid) to early Late 912 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920

Cretaceous age (spinosaurid). If an oviraptorosaur is indeed Early Cenomanian (Ibrahim, 2002). However, with the possible present in the Santana Formation, then this temporal range exception of Classopollis brasiliensis (in Gondwana commonly would be greatly expanded to encompass the Maastrichtian. AlbianeCenomanian) those species common to both Araripe Thus the utility of dinosaurs for precise dating is impractical and Egypt are long ranging (e.g., Araucariacites australis ¼ at present owing to their generic endemism and the poor state Late TriassiceCenozoic) (E. Schrank pers. comm., 2006). It of knowledge of their anatomy and relationships. should also be noted that Gnetaceaepollenites and Crybelospor- ites found in Araripe are recorded from the Cenomanian Lower Plants Napo Formation of Ecuador (Vallejo et al., 2002). Thus a Ceno- The macroflora of the Araripe Basin has barely been stud- manian age is possible for the lowest part of the Crato Forma- ied, despite its exceptional quality of preservation and diver- tion. This is a considerably younger date than has previously sity, including many of the earliest angiosperms. Although been suggested for this part of the succession and, if correct, fossil macrophytes occur abundantly in the Nova Olinda would signify a considerably younger age for the Santana Member of the Crato Formation, where they include isolated Formation. A somewhat different palynological assemblage leaves, stems and fruiting bodies, as well as associated re- was reported by Pons et al. (1990). mains, with entire plants with their roots, stems and leaves Lima and Perinotto (1985a,b) described a palynomorph as- not uncommon (Mohr and Friis, 2000; Mohr and Rydin, semblage from the Missao Velha Formation. This formation is 2002; Mohr and Eklund, 2003; Rydin et al., 2003; Dilcher an ill-defined unit lacking a type section, and at the time of et al., 2005), studies are still at an early stage. Plant remains publication of their paper it included strata now known as occur less frequently in the Romualdo Member concretions the Rio da Batatiera Formation and it is now realised that their of the Santana Formation, where they are usually less well pre- analysis was on this part of the section (Arai et al., 2001). served and fragmentary. Early accounts of these floras by A number of palynomorph marker species have been re- Duarte (1965, 1985, 1989) did not deal with their age, and corded from the Araripe Basin, including Sergipea naviformis since then very little work has been undertaken on the macro- (Regali et al., 1974), ‘‘Reticulatasporites’’ jardinus (now Afro- flora of the Romualdo Member (however, see Crane and Mai- pollis jardinus)(Doyle et al., 1982), Galeacornea causea and sey, 1991 for illustrations of the concretion flora). the angiosperm pollens Tricolpopollenites micromunus,‘‘Reti- tricolpites’’ vulgaris,‘‘Retitricolpites’’ geraniodes (now Rou- Palynology: spores and pollen sea) and Pentetrapites mollis, which were recorded by Lima There have been a few attempts to elucidate the age of the (1989). Of these, Sergipea naviformis indicates an Aptiane strata of the Araripe Basin using palynomorphs. The earliest Albian age, ‘‘Reticulatasporites’’ jardinus is typically mid or studies are those of Lima (1978, 1979a,b, 1980) and Lima late Albian, while Galeacornea causea is typically Albiane and Perinotto (1985a,b), with subsequent analyses by Pons early Cenomanian. The angiosperm pollen reported by Lima et al. (1990, 1996), Regali (2001) and Brito and Quadros (1989) elsewhere occur in AlbianeCenomanian strata. Thus the (1995), the latter workers detecting diverse reworked Devo- pollen assemblage seems to indicate an AptianeCenomanian nian palynomorphs. More recently Coimbra et al. (2002) ex- age. However, owing to the lack of precision in the provenance amined the palynology in association with the Ostracoda. of these taxa, these dates are of little value except in asserting the Although the combined palynomorph lists of Lima (1978, presence of strata of these ages within the Araripe Basin. Until it 1979a,b, 1980, 1989) are extensive, a lack of detailed horizon demonstrated which levels these taxa are from, the age of the data for the taxa makes their utility for palynostratigraphy prob- Santana concretion levels remains ambiguous. lematic. Berthou et al. (1994a,b) commented that some of Li- ma’s samples are from the Cascata section at Lameiro (Crato) Palynology: dinoflagellates and are therefore from the boundary between the upper part Although dinoflagellates have been reported by several of the Rio do Batateira Formation and lowest Crato Formation workers from the Araripe Basin (Arai and Coimbra, 1990; (Berthou et al., 1994a,b, p. 542). Nevertheless, comparisons of Arai et al., 1994; Arai, 1995), and their occurrence and relevance Lima’s taxa with those from sections elsewhere are informative, to dinoflagellate occurrences in other Brazilian Cretaceous ba- but still leave problems over the precise age of the Romualdo sins has been considered (Arai et al., 2000), their diverity is ex- Member concretions. Several palynomorph species from the tremeley low and stratigraphic occurrence restricted. Only the Araripe Basin are recorded from the mid Cretaceous of dinophyceaean dinoflagellate Subtilisphaera senegalensis is re- Egypt (Ibrahim, 2002). The species Araucariacites australis, corded as occurring frequently. Arai et al. (1994) listed this Classopollis brasiliensis, Cyathidites australis, C. minor, Del- taxon as occurring in the Aptian of the Araripe Basin, but it toidospora hallii, Gleicheniidites senonicus, Leptolepidites should be pointed out that here the dinoflagellate has been as- psarosus are recorded from the ?late Albian to at least Middle signed to a pre-established age, rather than used to determine Cenomanian (sampling above Middle Cenomanian was not re- the age. Elsewhere in Brazil S. senegalensis is recorded from ported). In addition, unidentified species of the genera Cicatri- the AlbianeCenomanian of the Potiguar Basin, and the Aptian cosisporites, Balmeisporites, Crybelosporites, Concavisporites, of the Sergipe, Bahia Sul and Espirito Santo basins. In the Ara- Steevesipollenites, Todisporites and Matonisporites known ripe Basin this taxon was recorded from boreholes obtained by from the Araripe Basin are also present in the Egyption succes- Petrobra´s and its precise stratigraphic position is ill defined. sion. Of these, only Matonisporites was not recorded above the As its name suggests it occurs in Africa, where it ranges from D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 913 the AptianeCenomanian of northwest Africa and the Aptiane sequence must be younger than Turonian. The only date sug- Albian of Libya and Egypt. gested for the Exu Formation is a possible late Aptian or Cen- omanian age (Berthou, 1994). If the hypothesised age of the 6. Other dating methods upper part of the Santana Formation has any validity, then it has important implications for the age of the formation as Sequence stratigraphy a whole. As discussed above, the Santana Formation sensu The recent recognition of a number of important disconfor- Martill and Wilby (1993) was dated as lower Middleemiddle mities within the younger parts of the Araripe sequence begs Late Albian by Pons et al. (1990). If the echinoid level is indeed the question as to whether or not the various units could be de- Turonian, then it is highly likely that the concretion-bearing part fined within a sequence-stratigraphic framework to be com- of the Santana Formation is as young as Cenomanian or Early pared with well-dated sequences on the Brazilian continental Turonian, as proposed by Martill and Wilby (1993). margins (Bengtson, 1998). Arai (2000) noted that the mid- It is, however, possible to make a case for retaining a Mid- Cretaceous (AlbianeTuronian) witnessed the greatest eustatic dleeLate Albian age for this part of the Santana Formation. sea-level rise during the Phanerozoic, and has postulated that Haq et al. (1987) suggested two high stands during the mid-Cre- this event flooded much of the interior of Brazil. There is con- taceous of approximately equal magnitude. The earliest of these siderable evidence, albeit patchy, to support Arai’s contention. peaks at the mid-late Cenomanian boundary while the younger Of particular note is the constancy of some of the stratigraphic has an extended high stand for much of the Turonian (Fig. 12). units within the various isolated basins and chapadas that oc- Both of these high-stands have been detected in the South cur in the interior of Brazil (e.g. Chapada do Araripe, Acre Ba- Atlantic Ocean (Seiglie and Baker, 1983; Christie-Blick sin, Parnaiba Basin). In these basins laterally persistent marine et al., 1990) to which the Araripe Basin may have tentativly or quasi-marine strata rest on highly varied sequences of flu- been connected through the Reconcavo-Tucano-Jatoba rift vio-lacustrine deposits that fill an irregular topography in the system (e.g. Maisey, 1991). During the Middle Cenomanian ProterozoicePalaeozoic basement. In the Araripe Basin the first of these laterally extensive deposits is the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation, although this is only known with certainty in the eastern sub-basin; nevertheless, it has an outcrop length in excess of 100 km. The evaporites of the Ipubi Formation are more extensive and can be traced laterally for at least 150 km from Porterias in the east to Rancheria in the west. Above these units the Santana Formation, with its fish-bearing concretions, can be traced over a similar distance. At the top of this formation is a series of thin limestones, the lowest of which is characterised by an abundance of gastro- pods. Although rarely more than 0.2 m thick, even this horizon is traceable over the entire outcrop of the formation. A marine horizon with echinoids (Beurlen, 1966) occurs above this and is found at both Porteiras and Araripina, a distance of ca. 150 km. Although this horizon is rarely encountered elsewhere around the chapada, its absence may be a result of erosion of pre Arajara and Exu formations; thus, a marine ‘spike’ appears to have been basin wide. Above this marine event is a thick series of coarse clastics of fluvial origin. This sudden change of deposition, marine to fluvial, suggests withdrawal of the sea because of a sudden fall in sea level. Clearly the presence of widespread echinoid-rich lime- stones demonstrates that marine conditions prevailed in the Araripe Basin, even if for only a short period. It might be ex- pected that if a high stand of sea level was to flood the Araripe Basin for a prolonged period then marine strata might be quite thick; they are not. Unequivocal stenohaline marine strata are rarely more than 0.5 m thick. Thus, either the high stand was very short lived or the Araripe Basin was of sufficient height that only the highest stand reached the basin. The logic here dictates that the echinoid-bearing limestones at the top of Fig. 12. Haq et al. (1987) sea level curve for the Cretaceous with three high stands the Santana Formation must represent only the very peak of arrowed. Marine events have been identified within the Rio da Batateira and San- the Albian/Turonian high-stand; i.e., they are of Turonian tana formations. A short-lived echinoid horizon above the Romualdo Member age. If this is the case, then the Arajara/Exu fluviolacustrine fish concretion level presumably correlates with one of these high sea-stands. 914 D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 and at the end of the Turonian significant drops in sea level Basin ceased once the Atlantic had opened in the region influenc- (Seiglie and Baker, 1983; Hancock, 2003) may have provided ing the basin, i.e., between the Brazilian northeast ‘‘corner’’ and the accommodation space for the massive fluvial sequences the Sergipe/Alagoas rift system at the coast. Separation of Africa (Arajara and Exu formations) that rest disconformably on from South America in this region is considered to have occurred the marine parts of the Santana Formation. after the Aptian (Berthou, 1990). Currently it is not possible to detect two marine spikes in the Timing of the final separation of South America from Santana Formation, although at Araripina there are two distinct Africa is, of course, critical for understanding the distribution limestone beds, one with gastropods and the other with echi- of terrestrial and freshwater faunas and the dispersal of organ- noids, but their in situ stratigraphic relationship has not been isms between the two continents (Maisey, 1993, 2000). observed and the nature of the intervening beds is not known. Thus both levels may be part of the same high sea-stand. Should Geochemistry the echinoid bearing limestone represent an earlier part of the So far there have been no published attempts to fit the Santana rising sea-level curve during the mid Cretaceous, say some Formation sequence to any of the chemical curves proposed for point during the Albian, then it must be assumed that the higher the Cretaceous. Berthou (1990) undertook a series of analyses of parts of the high sea-stand were removed by erosion. the sulphur isotopes of the Ipubi Formation evaporites and con- cluded that they were derived from sea-water, but he did not an- Ocean-wide anoxic event stratigraphy alyse for strontium. Currently, strontium isotopic ratios offer the It is now well established that ocean-wide anoxic events oc- best opportunity for a geochemical date for the sequence, but curred in the South Atlantic oceanic basin during the Cretaceous a better knowledge of the behaviour of strontium in non-marine Period (Arthur et al., 1987; Schlanger and Jenkyns, 1976; strata during the Cretaceous is required, as there is only one un- Schlanger et al., 1987), and especially during the Aptiane equivocal marine spike in the Santana Formation. Such a study Turonian. These events are marked by sequences of laminated is currently underway (Wilby pers. comm., 2007). black shales, faunal extinctions (Hart, 1996) and isotopic excur- Palaeomagnetism sions (Schlanger et al., 1987). Consequently, when interpreted in The abundance of red beds within the Araripe Basin sug- conjuction with sequence stratigraphy, the recognition of such gests that promising results could be obtained by an analysis events offers potential as a stratigraphic tool. It is tempting to of the palaeomagnetism. Red-bed facies occur throughout the speculate that the black shales of the Romualdo Member concre- lower parts of the Araripe Group as well as in the underlying tion level of the Santana Formation correlate with one of these groups thought to be of Jurassic and even Triassic age (Ber- ocean-wide anoxic events. Only a more detailed anaysis of the thou, 1994). Thick red-bed sequences occur above the Santana sequence stratigraphy and the isotopic composition of the Ro- Formation in the Arajara and Exu formations. In the Santana mauldo Member will allow this hypothesis to be tested. Formation itself (sensu Martill and Wilby, 1993) red clays oc- cur in the basal parts of the sequence in the western sub-basin Structural relationships and tectonic considerations at Ipubi and near Rancheria. Currently, there has been no at- In most Brazilian marginal Cretaceous basins the sedimentol- tempt to measure the palaeomagnetism, either for the purpose ogy is strongly influenced by structural kinematics related to the of identifying reversals or for palaeolatitude determination. opening of the South Atlantic Ocean (see Brito-Neves, 1990 for an overview). This led stratigraphers in the 1980s to develop Thermoluminescence dating a para-chronostratigraphic scheme that divides packets of strata At least two attempts to date the fishes from the Santana in to pre-rift, syn-rift and post rifting phases, known as the Don- Formation using thermoluminescence (TL) have been pub- joaniano, Bahiano, and Alagoano respectively (see Brito, 1990, lished. In an early study by Matsuoka et al. (1984) TL results for brief review). Arai et al. (1989) modified this scheme, divid- suggested an age of w7.5 ma. A later study by Sullasi et al. ing the Bahiano into four stages. There have been attempts to cor- (2004) using a combined TL/EPR (electron spin resonance) relate this scheme with the standard Mesozoic chronstratigraphic technique provided ages of w24 ma. In both cases the results stages, but it has always proved problematic because of the dia- are significantly out of kilter with radiometric dates obtained chronous nature of the opening of the South Atlantic, which be- from mid Cretaceous volcanic ashes and lavas (e.g. Gvirtzman gan in the south during the Jurassic but did not commence until et al., 1996). In both of these analyses, TL dates were obtained the early to mid Cretaceous in the most northerly sector. In the from diagenetic carbonates within the fossil fishes, some of Araripe Basin tectonic events clearly influenced sedimentation which may have been meteoric cements precipitated during in the lower parts of the sequence; this led several workers to ap- late phase uplift of the Araripe Plateau. Although seemingly ply the Atlantic scheme to that basin. Strata included in the Ara- of little value for dating the fish fossils themselves, the tech- ripe Group, however, show remarkable lateral continuity and are nique may be of importance in elucidating the timing of dia- rarely influenced by tectonics. (In a few places the Romualdo genetic and weathering events in the Araripe Basin. Member is gently folded but this is as a consequence of haloki- netics in the underlying Ipubi Formation evaporites, as at Mina 7. Conclusions Gregoria and Mina Lagoa de Dentro, both in western Pernam- buco). Thus, the Araripe Group comprises a largely post-tectonic The age of the Santana Formation, and specifically the Ro- basin infill. Major phase tectonic development of the Araripe mauldo Member, remains to be firmly established. Dates D.M. Martill / Cretaceous Research 28 (2007) 895e920 915 provided during the 19th Century are, by their very nature, im- Agassiz, L., 1844. Sur quelques poissons fossiles du Bre´sil. Compte Rendus precise but reflect the knowledge of the time. Unfortunately Hebdomadaires des Seances des l’Acade´mie des Sciences, Paris 18, e unquestioning acceptance of these dates during the earlye 1007 1015. Agassiz, L., Agassiz, E.C., 1888. A Journey in Brazil. Houghton, Mifflin and middle 19th Century allowed them to persist in the psyche Co., Boston and New York, 540 pp. of later workers. Dates derived from macropalaeontology, in- Antunes, R.L., 1987. Bioestratigrafia dos nanofo´sseis calca´rios do meso e neo- cluding vertebrate palaeontology during the 20th Century are creta´ceo da porc¸~ao emersa da Bacia do Espirito Santo. Boletim do Geo- unreliable because of the endemic nature of many of the inver- ciencias Petrobra´s1,3e11. tebrate taxa and the poorly understood ranges of vertebrates. Antunes, R.L., 1994. Biozonas de nanofosseis do Cretaceo marinho da mar- gem continental Brasileira. In: Brito, D.D., Castro, J.C., Ponte, F.C., Dates derived from palynology, although seeming to offer Perinotto, J.A.J., Bertini, R.J. (Eds.), 3 Simpo´sio Sobre o Creta´ceo do some limited reliability, must presently be treated with caution Brasil, Rio Claro, SP, 24e31 July 1994, pp. 3e7. owing to a lack of published documentation regarding the Arai, M., 1995. Hipo´tese de entrada do mar Albo-Aptiano na Bacia do Ara- stratigraphic provenance of many of the taxa reported. The ripe, via Bacias de S~ao Luis/Parnaı´ba: nova evideˆncias basedas na ecozona ˆ later recognition of a major disconformity within the Araripe de Subtilisphaera (dinophyceae). Anais da Academia Brasileira de Cien- cias 67, 394. sequence further limits the reliability of some of these data Arai, M., 2000. Chapadas: relict of mid-Cretaceous interior seas in Brazil. as it is not possible to determine which samples were collected Revista Brasileira de Geocieˆncias 30, 436e438. from above or below the disconformity. Arai, M., Coimbra, J.C., 1990. Ana´lise paleoecolo´gica do registro das primei- Evidence from vertebrate palaeontology suggests an age of ras ingressoes~ marinhas na Formac¸~ao Santana (Creta´ceo Inferior da Cha- between Late Jurassic (Tithonian), on the basis of compsogna- pada do Araripe). In: Campos, D. de A., Viana, M.S.S., Brito, P.M., Beurlen, G. (Eds.), Atas do Simpo´sio Sobre a Bacia do Araripe e Bacias thid dinosaurs, and Late Cretaceous (Turonian) on the basis of Interiores do Nordeste, Crato, 14e16 de Junho de 1990, pp. 225e239. actinopterygian fishes and pterosaurs. Evidence of the age Arai, M., Coimbra, J.C., Silva-Telles, A.C., 2001. Sintese bioestratigrafica da from invertebrate macropalaeontology is almost equally im- Bacia do Araripe (Nordeste do Brasil). In: Barros, L.M., Nuvens, P.C., precise, with echinoderms suggesting an age from between Filgueira, J.B.M. (Eds.), I e II Simpo´sios Sobre a Bacia do Araripe e Ba- e Late Jurassic and Maastrichtian. Palynological data suggests cias Interiores do Nordeste, DNPM, URCA, SBP, Crato, pp. 109 117. Arai, M., Hashimoto, A., Uesugui, N., 1989. Signigicado cronoestratigra´fico an age from between Aptian and Turonian, but these dates da associc¸~ao microfloristica do Creta´ceo inferior do Brasil. Boletim de may refer to older parts of the Araripe sequence and may Geocieˆncias Petrobra´s3,87e103. not include the Santana Formation as defined here. It thus still Arai, M., Lana, C.C., Pedr~ao, E., 1994. Ecozona Subtilisphaera spp.: registro remains for the Santana Formation to be dated with a precision eocreta´ceo de um importante episo´dio ecolo´gico do Oceano Atlaˆntico ´ e better than plus or minus ca.10 million years. primitivo. Acta Geologica Leopoldensia 17, 521 538. Arai, M., Neto, J.B., Lana, C.C., Pedr~ao, E., 2000. Cretaceous dinoflagellate pro- e Acknowledgements vincialism in Brazilian marginal basins. Cretaceous Research 21, 351 366. Arambourg, C., 1935. Observations sur quelques Poissons fossiles de l’ordre des Hale´costomes et sur l’origine des Clupe´ide´s. Comptes Rendus de Many people have directly and indirectly assisted me with this l’Academie des Sciences de Paris 200, 2110e2112. review. My good friend and companion in the field Robert Lover- Arthur, M.A., Schlanger, S.O., Jenkyns, H.C., 1987. The Cenomaniane idge (Portsmouth), Dr. Uli Heimhofer (Oxford), Dr. Betimar Fil- Turonian oceanic anoxic event. II. Palaeoceanographic controls on gueiras, Sr. Artur Andrade (both DNPM, Crato) and Dr. Andre organic-matter production and preservation. In: Brooks, J., Fleet, A.J. (Eds.), Marine Petroleum Source Rocks. Geological Society, London, Herzog (URCA, Crato) have all helped immensely. I especially Special Publication 26, pp. 401e420. thank Dr. Paulo Brito (Rio de Janeiro) and his father the late Dr. Assine, M.L., 1990. Sedimentac¸~ao e tectoˆnica da Bacia do Araripe, Nordeste I. M. Brito who both helped in many ways. Thanks to Dr. Mike do Brasil. Rio Claro, SP, unpublished masters thesis, 124 pp. Barker (Portsmouth) for examining the gastropods, Dr. Dave Un- Assine, M.L., 1992. Analise estratigrafica da Bacia do Araripe, nordeste do e win (Berlin) for discussions on the age of pterosaurs, Dr. Dino Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Geocieˆncias 22, 289 300. Assine, M.L., 1994. Paleocorrentes e paleogeographia na Bacia do Araripe, Frey (Karlsruhe) for making many specimens available, and Dr. Nordeste do Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Geocieˆncias 24, 223e232. Phillipe Guyard (Portsmouth) for help with translations. I had Barros, F.C. de, 1963. Sobre a sistema´tica da Se´rie Araripe. Minerac¸~ao e Met- many discussions with Dr. P.-Y. Berthou (Paris) while in Crato allurgia, Rio de Janeiro 37 (218), 52. prior to his tragic death. Dr. Mitsuru Arai, Dr. Betimar Filguera, Barsbold, R., Maryanska, T., Osmolska, H., 1990. Oviraptosauria. 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