Taxonomy and Paleoecolosry Oi Early Miocene Benthic Foraminifera of Northern New Zealand and the North Tasman Sea
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Taxonomy and Paleoecolosry oi Early Miocene Benthic Foraminifera of Northern New Zealand and the North Tasman Sea BRUCE W. HAYWARD and MARTIN A. BUZAS :••••'• :••-,• .-,•./'-;;- '-'•"''<•&{•. SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO PALEOBIOLOGY NUMBER 36 SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of "diffusing knowledge" was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report the research and collections of its various museums and bureaux or of professional colleagues in the world of science and scholarship. The publications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institutions throughout the world. Papers or monographs submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Press, subject to its own review for format and style, only through departments of the various Smithsonian museums or bureaux, where the manuscripts are given substantive review. Press requirements for manuscript and art preparation are outlined on the inside back cover. S. Dillon Ripley Secretary Smithsonian Institution SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO PALEOBIOLOGY • NUMBER 36 Taxonomy and Paleoecology of Early Miocene Benthic Foraminifera of Northern New Zealand and the North Tasman Sea Bruce W. Hayward and Martin A. Buzas ISSUED AUG-31979 SMITHSONIAN PUBLICATIONS SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1979 ABSTRACT Hayward, Bruce W., and Martin A. Buzas. Taxonomy and Paleoecology of Early Miocene Benthic Foraminifera of Northern New Zealand and the North Tasman Sea. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology, number 36, 154, pages 26 figures, 28 plates, 4 tables, 1979.—Data from 51 samples of early Miocene benthic foraminifera (200-300 individuals per sample) from west Northland, New Zealand (Waitakere and Waitemata Groups), together with those from four samples from the north Tasman sea (Deep Sea Drilling Project 206), are analysed by multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. The samples are grouped in terms of species abundances into six thanatotopes, which are interpreted as fol lows: A, dominated by robust Amphistegina madagascariensis, 10%—37% plank- tonics, inner neritic; B, Cibicides-Cibicidoides dominant, 10%—55% planktonics, outer neritic; C, Gyroidina, Euuvigerina, Astrondnion, Lenticulina most abundant, 32%-87% planktonics, upper bathyal; D, Cassidulina-Bolivina-Cibicides domi nant, 16%-99.5% planktonics, upper and midbathyal; E, Globocassidulina- Epistominella dominant, 99.5% planktonics, lower bathyal; F, Quinqueloculina dominant, ll%-32% planktonics, inner and midneritic. Using these thanatotope interpretations in conjunction with their stratigraphic and geographic distributons, a model of the early Mocene paleogeography of west Northland is deduced, refining traditional models for the area. A central mid bathyal basin (Waitemata Basin), bounded in the southwest by a pile of volcanic sediments (Waitakere volcanic pile), built up to an island surrounded by neritic and upper bathyal slopes. In the northwest (Kaipara area) volcanics erupted through a neritic shelf. This shelf became shallower and partly terrestrial during latter parts of the early Miocene. Upper bathyal slopes existed around the south ern edge of the northwestern shelf. Submarine canyons cut through these slopes channeling shelf sediment into the bathyal basin. Several ungrouped, greatly mixed samples (interbedded with basin sediments) contain individuals from neritic and bathyal thanatotopes and are interpreted as having been mixed during transportation down through the canyons into the basin in the form of sub aqueous sediment gravity flows. No change in depth from the present lower bathyal is inferred to have occurred in the vicinity of DSDP 206 (north Tasman Sea) since the early Miocene. All 378 identified species are listed together with their synonomies; many are described and 194 species are figured. Besides a number of first records for New Zealand, three new species—Elphidium gibsoni, Elphidium kanoum, and Eoeponi della scotti—are described. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The trilobite Phacops rana Green. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Hayward, Bruce W Taxonomy and paleoecology of Early Miocene benthic foraminifera of northern New Zealand and the north Tasman Sea. (Smithsonian contributions to paleobiology; no. 36) Bibliography: p. 1. Foraminifera, Fossil—New Zealand. 2. Foraminifera, Fossil—Tasman Sea. 3. Foraminifera, Fossil—Classification. 4. Sarcodina—Ecology. II. Buzas, Martin A., joint author. II. Title: Taxonomy and paleoecology of early Miocene benthic foraminifera. III. Series: Smithson ian Institution. Smithsonian contributions to paleobiology ; no. 36. QE701.S56 no. 36 [QE772] 560'.8s [563M] 78-1673 Contents Page Introduction * Acknowledgments ' Early Miocene in New Zealand Northern New Zealand in the Early Miocene * Eastern Shelf and Slope * Central Basement High * Elongate Basin (Waitemata Basin) 2 Northern Landmass Waitakere Arc ' Lithostratigraphy of the Waitakere Arc and Western Waitemata Basin . 3 Field Localities ° Waitakere Hills 6 North Manukau Harbour " South Kaipara " Central Kaipara " North Tasman Sea ' Age and Planktonic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy ' Otaian ' o Lower Altonian Q Middle Altonian Methods q Laboratory Computer Numerical Analyses Multidimensional Scaling Using Euclidian Distances 10 Cluster Analysis Using Euclidian Distance H Thanatotopes Thanatotope A ' \ Thanatotope B 12 Thanatotope C 12 Thanatotope D ] ] Thanatotope E 15 Thanatotope F 16 Ungrouped Samples Interpretation of the Benthic Fauna *•' Benthic Foraminifera J' Thanatotope A *' Thanatotope B 19 Thanatotope C 20 Thanatotope D - ' Thanatotope E 24 Thanatotope F 24 Ungrouped Samples 24 iii iv CONTENTS Page Species Diversity ^ Planktonic Foraminifera ^ Macrofauna ^' 07 Previous Depth Interpretations Al Paleogeography ^ Systematics Order FORAMINIFERIDA Eichwald, 1830 °~ 20 Suborder TEXTULARIINA Delage and Herouard, 1896 Suborder MILIOLINA Delage and Herouard, 1896 ^ Suborder ROTALIINA Delage and Herouard, 1896 3 Appendix I: Location, Lithostratigraphic Unit, and Age of Samples Used in Thanatotope Analysis 78 Appendix II: Location, Lithostratigraphic Unit, and Age of Additional Samples Referred to in Systematic Section 79 Literature Cited 80 Plates 80 Taxonomy and Paleoecology of Early Miocene Benthic Foraminifera of Northern New Zealand and the North Tasman Sea Bruce W. Hayward and Martin A. Buzas Introduction ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.—We would like to thank the following for their assistance in this study: Dr. R. Benthic foraminifera are one of the most impor Cifelli, Smithsonian Institution, Dr. G. W. Gibson, tant marine groups for paleoecologic and paleogeo- University of Auckland, and Dr. T. G. Gibson, graphic studies. In New Zealand, Vella (1962a, b) United States Geological Survey, for their stimulat was among the first to study benthic foraminiferal ing discussions around the various problems raised paleoecology using upper Miocene and Pliocene in the study; Ms. B. B. Tate, Smithsonian Institu faunas. Since then, Scott (1970a, 1971a) has de tion, for assistance with the Cushman Room col lineated thanatotopes of early Miocene foraminif lections and in curating our specimens; Mr. L. eral faunas. The area of his (1970a) study overlaps Isham for his expert advice on the figures and illus with that of the present one, and some of his sam trations; Dr. L. A. Hayek, Mr. S. Robinson and ples are utilized here. Mr. D. Piacesi, Smithsonian Institution, for their The purpose of this study is to understand better assistance with the computer programs; Ms. S. the changing paleogeography of an early Miocene Braden, Ms. M. J. Mann and Mr. W. R. Brown, marine basin. Involved are taxonomic reappraisal Smithsonian Institution, for the scanning electron of foraminiferal species; grouping of fossil assem photographs; Mr. G. F. Lund for many of the tone blages based on faunal composition, paleoecological illustrations; and Ms. C. McCloy and Ms. C. A. interpretation of each grouping; and finally, basin Liebhauser, for assistance in drafting, data assem analysis by combining these conclusions with the bling, and proof reading. results of lithostratigraphy and other studies. We thank the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP Hopefully, this work will provide a basis for 206) for supplying Tasman Sea samples through future interpretations