; univ. OF ECON. >GY CATION ?) 2433 . University of Texas Bulletin No. 2433: September 1, 1924. Species of the Genus Schwagerina and Their Stratigraphic Significance By J. W. Beede AND Hedwig T. Kniker PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN Publications of the University of Texas Publications Committee : Frederic Duncalf J. L. Henderson Killis Campbell E. J. Mathews F. W. Graff H. J. Muller C. G. Haines Hal C. Weaver The University publishes bulletins four times a month, so numbered, that the first two digits of the number show the year of issue, the last two the position in the;yearly series. (Fcb example, No. 2201 is the first bulletin of the year 1922.) These comprise the official publications of the University, publications on humanistic and scientific sub- jects, bulletins prepared by the Division of Extension, by the Bureau of Economic Geology, and other bulletins of general educational interest. With the exception offspecial num- bers, any bulletin willbe sent to a citizen of 'pTexas free on request. Allcommunications about University publications should be addressed to University Publications, University of Texas, Austin. University of Texas Bulletin No. 24331,1924 Species of the Genus Schwagerina and Their Stratigraphic Significance By J. W. Beede AND Hedwig T. Kniker PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITYFOUR TIMESA MONTH. ANDENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER AT THE POSTOFFICE AT AUSTIN. TEXAS, UNDER THE ACT OF AUGUST 24. 1912 1 ¦ill00025560 The benefits of education and of useful knowledge, generally diffused through a community, are essential to the preservation of a free govern- ment. Sam Houston Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy. ... It is the only dictator that freemen acknowl- edge and the only security that free- men desire. Mirabeau B. Lamar This study is dedicated to Dr. S. W. Williston in memory of his inspiring influence for research. Table of Contents Introduction 5 Anatomical Nomenclature 6 Critical discussion of the genus Schwagerina s. s. 8 Description of species 13 Schwagerina princeps (Ehr.) Moeller 13 Schwagerina robusta (Meek) Moeller 17 Schwagerina fusulinoides Schellw. 19 Schwagerina fusiformis Krotow 23 Schwareina yabei Staff 24 Scluvagerina uddeni N. sp. 27 Schwagerina kansasensis n. sp. 30 Schwagerina amadaei Deprat J 32 Schwagerina muongthensis (Deprat) Beede 34 Schwageriana oldhami Noetling 37 Evolution of the higher Fusulininae 38 Distribution 41 Characteristics and relationships of the fauna and flora of the Schwagerina zone 43 Kansas-Oklahoma 43 Texas 52 California 55 Sicily 56 Carnic Alps 58 Western Asia Minor 59 Russia 60 China and Indo-China 71 Japan 73 Correlation 75 Summary 78 Index 98 Illustrations Map showing geosynclines of Permian time. Facing p. 42. Plates Ito IX. Schwagerina and related forms. Species of the Genus Schwagerina and Their Stratigraphis Significance 1 P.Y J. W. Beede AND Hedwig T. Kniker Introduction Species of the genus Schwagerina occur in most of the outcropping limestones formed in the open, connected, epi- continental seas existing at the time of the initiation of the Permian fauna and flora. They are highly organized foraminifera, of large size, and they occupy a limited thickness of rocks. They thus form valuable horizon-markers wherever they occur. The Schwagerinse were differentiated from Fusulina in a definite horizon in America and Europe, and existed for longer or shorter periods, depending upon the stability of conditions in any particular region. This differentiation of the simpler forms of Fusulina into Schwagerina in one line; into Doliolina, followed by Neoschwagerina and Sumatrina in another line; and the giant Fusulinse as a continuation of the main stem of the genus, is symbolic of changes initiated contemporaneously in the Brachiopoda, Pelecypoda, Ammonoidea, Vertebrata, plants and other forms of life which came later to characterize the fauna and flora of the Permian period. It is the purpose of this paper to describe the known species of the genus Schwagerina; to discuss their relation- ships with the other Fusulinse; their distribution throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and the analysis and correlation of the faunas with which they are associated. Manuscript submitted for publication Sept., 1923. -The senior author is responsible for all conclusions expressed in this paper. Had it not been for the careful scholarly work of Miss Kniker, which made readily available the unwieldly mass of foreign literature on the subject, this paper would not have been written. J. W. B. 6 University of Texas Bulletin No attempt willbe made to review all of the enormous mass of literature pertaining to the questions that are here involved. In fact, the mere bibliography of it would require many closely printed pages, and only a brief critical review of it would require much more space than this paper occu- pies. Hence, the intention ismerely to analyze and correlate as briefly as possible a few typical, but critical faunas, with- in which all the others of similar age fall;and, in the main, agree. Ifone wishes an introduction to the controversies on the subject, a good idea of its nature may be obtained from a paper entitled "The Anthracolithic or Upper Palezoic Rocks of Kansas and Related Regions," by Prosser. 3 We wish to express our obligations to Dr. J. A. Udden for his encouragement, his kindness in furnishing the facilities, and the time for the preparation of this paper; and to express our appreciation to Dr. Charles D. Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, D.C., and to Dr. David White, chief geologist of the United States Geological Survey, for data otherwise not available to us. We are also under obligation to Professor James Perrin Smith of Leland Stanford Junior University, and to Dr. Bruce L. Clark of the University of California, for specimens from Shasta County, California. Anatomical Nomenclature Before proceeding with the description of species, it is necessary to define the anatomical terms necessarily used in differentiating the various parts of the test. While this anatomical nomenclature has been growing up in other languages, there has been no full development of it in English. The following terms have been selected with a view to making them as simple as possible. For illustra- tions, see Plates Iand 11. 3Prosser, Charles S., Journal of Geology, XVIII,pp. 125-161, 1910. Species of the Genus Schwagerina 7 Initial chamber. —The sphseroidal chamber, practically the center of the organism, and inclosed in the first test of the individual, whether consisting of the sexual generation, in which case it is small; or the divided form, in which case it is large.=Primoideal chamber, proloculum, embryonic chamber, etc. ;Centralkammer, of the Germans ;loge initiate, of the French.— Tunnel. A relatively wide, low opening extending from the opening in the initial chamber to the outside of the last chamber of the test, in the equatorial zone where the septa fail to reach to the outer wall of the preceding whorl, but do reach it on either side=Mmidspalte of Van Staff and others. — Basal skeleton. A deposit of test material along the out- side of the inner whorls bordering the tunnel. Nearly absent in the Schwagerinas.— Basalskelett, of the Germans. Outer plate. The more opaque outer layer of the test, sometimes very thin. This plate is bent inward to form the septum (meridional septum) which separates the suc- ceeding chambers as seen incross-section. The lame spirale imperforee of Deprat; Dachblatt of the Germans. Accessory skeleton. —Revolving ribs like the basal skele- ton but situated between it and the poles. This does not imply that the "basal skeleton" is "basal" in the strict meaning of the term, since it is absent in some forms, notably Schwagerina; nor does it imply that the other spiral ribs are "accessory," though they do appear later in the history of the Fusulininse than does the basal skeleton. Inner plate.—The inner wall of Fusulina, and Schwag- erina, etc., but not of Girtyina nor Fusulinella. This plate, sometimes referred to as the perforate plate, since it has the appearance of being perforate, lies against the lower side of the outer wall and forms the roof of the chambers. In some Asiatic Fusulinx, it also extends along the whole inner side of the septum. =Maschen-werk, or Weben-werk of the Germans ;reseau alveolaire, or lame spirale perforce % of the French. 8 University of Texas Bulletin — Septum. The incurved part of the outer wall which forms the anterior side wall of the chambers, and when first formed is a curtain or wall running the length of the test, protecting the sarcode of the last chamber. In each succeeding chamber the outer plate is united to the outer plate of the preceding one at the point where it turned in to form the last septum. This union forms a slight depression lengthwise of the test. Cloison of the French; Sept en of the —Germans. Axialzone. A region occupying a smaller or larger part of the test extending to either pole from the initialchamber. This zone is composed of anastomosing folded septa, form- ing a more or less complicated mass of cavities and walls of varying complexity and form in different species. (Want- ing in the Doliolina-Sumatrina succession.) Filet cloisons of the French. Axial section. —A section cutting both poles and the initial chamber. Longitudinal section; meridional section of the French; Axialschnitt, medianer Lsengsschnitt, etc., of the Germans. Cross-section. —Section in the plane of the equatorial diameter passing through the initial chamber. Transverse section; sagittal section, etc. Medianer Querschnitt, me- dialer Sagittal schnitt, etc., of the Germans ;section trans- versale centree of the French. Excentric section. —Section parallel to the cross-section but lying between it and the poles. Tangential section. —A section parallel to the axial sec- tion, usually near the—outer margin of the test.