THE GOND\;YANA FORMATIONS OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL: SOME OF THEIR STRATIGRAPHICAL PROBLEMS, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE FOSSIL FLORA
JOSUE CAMARGO MENDES Assistant Professor, Dep. Geology and Palaeontology, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciencias e Letras, Univ. S. Paulo, Brazil
INTRODUCTION Basic lava flows close the sequence, while certain sandy deposits of supra-lava position HE main purpose of this article is to have been distinguished under the name present a brief summary of the geo Caiua beds. If they still belong to the T logy of the Gondwana beds of Southern pre-Cretaceous sequence, or if they may be Brazil and to point out some of their strati already referred to the Cretaceous series, is graphic problems with especial emphasis on yet to be proved, because no palaeontological the palaeobotanical data. data are available in the case. These beds constitute a large basin known The lava flows make up wide plateaux, as the Parana Basin ( TEXT-FIG. 1 ), covering sometimes surrounded by rather steep escarp a wide area of Southern Brazil, Uruguay and ments, e.g. the so-called Serra Geral. Paraguay, and which has been named in The Gondwana beds reach the Atlantic Brazil the" Santa Catarina System ", from coast from Ararangua, State of Santa Cata their classical section in the State of Santa rina, and southward to Torres, State of Rio Catarina. Grande do SuI. Their continuity into the" Paganzo Sys The Gondwana of Southern Brazil, general tern" (Gondwana) of Argentine has been ly speaking, lacks stratigraphic details, while suggested but not yet proved. There occurs its fauna and flora ought to be more carefully in Argentine a Rhacopteris flora absent in studied; and until then their proposed cor Brazil, as well as marine phases with Syringo relation with Argentine, Africa, Australia thyris and Eurydesma, unknown in the and India is almost pure speculation. Aerial Parana basin. mapping is still backward. The Santa Catarina system rests with disconformity and long hiatus on the fossili WHITE'S STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMN ferous marine Lower Devonian and is covered AND ITS EVOLUTION disconformably by terrigenous Upper Creta ceous beds. Its maxim:um thickness is around It seems that the first description of fossil 2,000 meters and perhaps more. plants from the Gondwana of the Parana The sole intra-Gondwana break of major basin was given in 1869 by W. Carru importance yet proved occurs between the thersl , who published Flemingites Pedroanus, Upper Palaeozoic and the Lower Mesozoic Odontopteris Plantial1a and N oeggerathia ob (Sao Bento series, in Brazil), apart from ovata from the State of Rio Grande do SuI; obviously transgressive local disconformities. the first reference to glacials is credited to The greater part of the sequence is non Orville Derby in 1888. 2 marine, while truly marine phases are known However, the first stratigraphic classifica only at the middle part of its Palaeozoic tion of these beds came in 1908, and was section. proposed by 1. C. White3, who measured The strata are nearly horizontal, dipping a 1,403 meters thick section from Lauro slightly almost everywhere in Brazil. There 1. On the plant remains from the Brazilian coal was no orogenetic folding affecting the bed with remarks on the genus Flemingites; Geol. " system" as has been the case with the Mag., 6,151-5, PI. V, VI, 1869. Lafonian system of the Falkland Islands. 2. In Waagen's Ueber Spuren einer Carbonen Local disturbances due to basic eruptives Eiszeit in Sudamerika; Neues Jb. f. Min. Geol. u. Pal., Jg. 1888, B.2, 172-6. (sills, laccoliths and dykes), however, are 3. Report on the Coal Measures and associated frequently reported. rocks of South Brazil; Rio de Janeiro, 1908. 336 THE PALAEOBOTANIST
GEOLOGICAL SKETCH OF THE GONDWANA OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL (PARANA BASIN) (Modified from A. L de Oliveira, 1938, and A. Bostos, 1942)
Cr' lac eo.., •
" ~ 74.~5>5j • I 0 ,. I\ 16 0
-20 0
..q
----2,j"
~I'A~ ... OC;
() '- I--. < "<
z ---- 2S· "" I r
Z. c) Passo DOtS J~ri.s [~~;~~l.~iI"GOl'ldwt1~b) Tv/)o~co$~r/tJs ~"' ~~ rUPP#f PrJI«uolc} } ol/Ierere" s~fi()J ~ Sell/COlli landI/on, end) ; /!t&~./ S'ONoflo fONnollon I: (JPP@f Gondwono o It+ :1'-(1"(111011 ~ (Lown Muoro/c) o l (JV(J '0 copp,d V> m lJ)' udim,,,ls 100 SO a 100 200 !OO 400 500 km. kT~ ESCALE *""" I I 60· 48· 42 0 j//CV/c
TEXT-FIG. MENDES - THE GONDWANA FORMATIONS OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL 337
TABLE I ?l:ETERS
Serra GeraJ eruptives 600 Sao Bento sandstones. great cliffs 200 of red grey, and cream-coloured 1 1 Sao Benlo series sandstone 900) \[esozoic ( T";assic ) { Rio do Rasto red beds, with fossil IOJ reptiles (ScaphO>1yr ) and fossil trees J Rocinha limestone
Estrada Nova grey and variegat 15: Santa Catarina ed 5hales with chert)' concretions 1 22:3 system Passa Dais series "nd sandy beds
Iraty black sbales, t\1esosaurus and 70 1l Stereoster11um J Upper Paiaeo· l'alenno sbales zoic ( Penman) Rio Bonito shales and sandstones, 1587°1 Coal 1\1easures. and Glossopteris ( Gangamoptcris ) flora Tu barao series 260 Orleans conglomerate 5) Yellow sandstones and shales to :27 granitE' floor
TABLE II Serra Geral eruptives
Botucatu sandstone ( = While's S~oBento Upper Gondwana sandstones) Sao Bento series ( Lo.....·er Mesozoic) { Santa Maria beds, with Scophonyx and other reptiles, Zubcria-Iike fossil plant, etc. (Koown only in the State of Rio Grande do SuI) Dlscootormlty Ria do Rasto beds Passa Dais series Estrada Nova beds" { r Iraly shale Lower Gondwana ( Upper Palaeozoic) Palermo group Tubarao serie~t { Bonito group (Coal Measures) 1 Itarare series Glacials and subglacials .. In tbe State of Sao Paulo the mOre or Jess corresponding sequence is named Corumbatai formation. t The more or less corresponding sequence of strata is called in Sao Paulo, Tatui series; Palermo and Bonito groups, however, are not discrimmated in this Slate.
Mueller to the top of the Serra Geral, in the has proposed their separation as an indepen State of Santa Catarina. White's column dent formation, designated by him Itarare is as shown in Table 1. series, maintaining the name Tubarao Except for a few changes, White's column series 5.5. for the higher sequence of strata is still adopted for the Gondwana strata of containing coal and Glossopteris flora. the State of Santa Catarina and its primary Nevertheless, it is stated today that there divisions as a generalization for the entire occurs some in tertillite coal. Parana basin. Alex. du Toif' has proposed some modi Many changes have been proposed, most fication in view of a palaeontological diag of them, however, of no consequence. At nosis of Cowper Reed's, recognized today the Lauro Mueller section (State of Santa as erroneous. Catarina) and in general in the States of e Comercio. Ano V, No. 1, Rio de Janeiro, 1916 Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sui, (1st edition), Monogr. 6, Serviyo Geologico e glacials are not so conspicuous as in the Mineralogico do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 1927 ( 2nd States of Parana and Sao Paulo. Oliveira4 edition) 5. A Geological comparison of South America 4. Geologia e Recursos minerais do Estado do with South Africa; Carnegie Inst., Washington, Parana; Bo1. Ministerio da Agricultura, Industria Pub1. 381, 1927. 338 THE PALAEOBOTANIST
It has been realized lately that White's of Parana, 4 or 5 and in the State of Sao Rio do Rasto beds have a composite Paulo, 5 or 6. Besides the tillites, varve character. 6 The Rio do Rasto beds s.s. of clays, fluvio-glacial sandstones, etc., are pre Santa Catarina are but lithologically similar sent in the Itarare series. to the pseudo-Rio do Rasto beds (better designated Santa Maria formation, from its TUBARAO SERIES AND ITS FOSSIL PLANTS HORIZONS type locality) of the State of Rio Grande White's section, ot Louro Muller do Sui with Triassic reptiles (Scaphonyx, Slole of Sonlo COlonno etc.); Rio do Rasto beds s.s. from Santa Catarina are probably of an Upper Palaeozoic ·0 II't age and are conformable with the Passa Dois 0 .. .cf/') Blfuml_ I. Mesosourus Zone series with which they should be included. ~.~ ~ MuS Sh. Therefore, in the present state of geological ~ ~ knowledge, the Santa Catarina system may be presented in the manner as shown in Table II. Only OodoJ:)'loids known e ITARARE AND TUBARAO SERIES ~ 0., e e '" ( Tubarao Series s.l., White, 1908) ."'" E '"' Z 0 '0o '" (a) Generalities - 1. C. White' has de u o signated 280 meters thick basal strata of z the section of Lauro Mueller, State of Santa Catarina, containing Glossopteris flora and coal, and including a glacial horizon at co .., 0 the very base, by the name Tubarao series ~ en
(TEXT-FIG. 2). .. ~. 80rro Brol"lcocool At that section the glacials are by no :.c: '0; B"";W RIB£IRJ,O NOVO,STATEOF PARANA sopteris indica Schimper, G. ampla Dana, G. Sandslon, occidentalis D. White, Noeggerathiopsis His lopi. ( Bunb.) Feistmantel, Cardiocarpon? sp. Horizon 3: Glossopteris Browniana Brong Tllli1e niart, Gangamopteris obovata (CarL) D. White, Noeggerathiopsis Hz'slopi (Bunb.) Feist mantel, Cardiocarpon Moreiranum D. White, Sondstone Vertebraria sp. Cool (~etn) Elsewhere the correlation of the coal Sal\dstone bearing strata is purely based on lithologic similarities and the fossil plant levels have Coal (teem) an uncertain stratigraphic position. Sal\d.lone At the present state of the stratigraphic Cool (15 em). knowledge of the Bonito group there is no Sond,lone one definite guide horizon established on the basis of plant forms or assemblages. Much more information is still needed. Tillite To David White (1908 )11, Lundquist (cr. V. Lelnl, 1937) ( 1919) 12 and more recently Ch. Read (1940)13 are due the most important palaeo TEXT-FIG. 3 botanical con tribu tions. The last-mentioned author has recognized in a lot of fossil plants coming from Teixeira None of the borings so far described have Soares, State of Parana, only forms belonging cut in toto the Itarare series to its dis to the Glossopteris flora assemblage, and conformable base upon the Lower Devonian. which he has referred to the top of the Recently a well opened at Araqua, State of Itarare series. He writesl4 : "The assem Sao Paulo, showed about 1,000 meters of blage is poor both in species and genera. Itarare beds, reaching the granite basement These occurrences just above the tillites are apparently without presence of any Devonian essentials of the so-called Glossopteris flora strata; thus, its base therein is transgressive with no complicating elements entering into on rocks older than the Devonian and perhaps association." And again: " In other words, it is possible to find eventually somewhere the tillites are followed immediately by small else a greater thickness for the sequence. floras of strictly southern types. These are (b) Fossd Plant Levels - From the strati evidently Pennsylvanian." graphic point of view the three plant horizons The forms identified by Read are the from the Lauro Mueller White's section are following: the only ones well established. The collec Glossopteris indica Schimper, G. Browniana tions have been studied by David vVhite lO Brongniart, G. sp. (scales), Phyllotheca sp., Horizon I (Joaquim Branco Bed): Rosel Brachyphyllum d. au-strale Feistmantel. linites gangamopteroides D. White, Hysterites Nevertheless Oliveira 15 refers the same brasiliensis D. White, Phyllotheca Griesbachi plant level to the Bonito group, -i.e. within Zeiller, P. Muelleriana D. White, P. sp., the Tubarao series (TEXT-FiG. 4). Glossopteris Browniana Brongniart, Verte David White 16 has expressed himself re braria? sp., Gangamopten's obovata (Carr.) garding the horizon I of the Lauro Mueller D. White, Arberia minasica D. White, section as follows: "This flora is to be Derbyella aurita D. \Vhite, Noeggerathiopsis regarded as a purely southern or Gondwana Hislopi ( Bunb.) Feist., Cardiocarpon Seixasi flora, without contamination by northern D. White, C. Moreiranum D. White, Volt- Zta.. t sp. 11 Op. cit. Horizon 2: E quisetites calamitinoides D. 12. Fossile Pflanzen der Glossopteris Flora aus Brasilien J SECTION ACROSS TEIXEIRA SOARES, STATE OF PARANA T4II"UiI'OSOoCIrtt. 1918rn) lUboroo sOfie. s.s (CI.OlivQiro) ] o SoncbioM o Sha/.es it" GIO$$opl.ds,PIlyf1()/II«o, .tc. E SOrif! f§) Shein 11" L;1I9(11o,OrblcuJoidH, L.do, etc.. -11:o,o,.""" $: (ef Olivcl;oJ --Cool a ·Aric4IlcP«f.n" beds y o '00 1000 1400rn wO/P£ TEXT-FIG. 4 l9 types. The absence of Lepidophytes or other Almeida , quite recently, have listed from elements belonging to the northern Permo levels supposed by them to be very low in Carboniferous flora may be explained either the Itarare series, in the State of Sao Paulo, on the hypothesis that the climate or other the following forms : environmental condition had not vet become Phyllotheca sp., Gangamopteris sp., G. cy hospitable for the return of tile contem clopteroides, Noeggerathia sp., N. Hislopi, poraneous northern flora or by the supposi Glossopteris sp., G. angustifolia?, Samaropsis tion that northern plants had not yet had sp., Lepidodendron Pedroanmn, Sphenopteris time to recover the ground lost by them sp., Psygomophyllum sp., Paranocladus sp. selves or their ancestors at the time of the Even if their identifications or stratigraph y refrigeration of the region." And again: should eventually be revised, the existence " Evidence of the presence of Lepidophytes of a pure Glossopteris flora in Southern in the series is first found in the collection Brazil is worthy of a re-examination. The from the Bonito coal, where, at 120 meters plant collections made are very small and above the granite, megaspores, probably no systematic collecting has been carried ou t Sigillarian, are met in layers forming a part and the absence of " northern" forms might of the coal. The same type of spore, toge eventually be explained as the result of an ther with fragments of cortex and leaves unsatisfactory collecting. of Sigillaria, are met in a bed 135 meters "It might well be asked whether these above the granite and 40 meters below the latter are immigrants from the north or Barro Branco coal near Minas [LAURO descendants of a pre-Gondwana stock which MUELLER]. .. " This is the horizon 2 in this at that time had a distribution in both section. northern and southern hemispheres. "20 Concerning the evidence of a pure Glos On the other hand, the age of the Itarare sopteris flora whether in the I tarare series and Tubarao series still remains an open or in the base of the Tubarao series it question; they may have an Upper Carboni seems to be, at least at the present time, ferous or Permian age. an open question. Long before Read, E. For general information, the gf'nera recog 0liveira l7 discovered a Voltzia specimen nized bv the different authors at the Tubarao in the above-mentioned horizon from Tei ( and Itarare) series are listed below: xeira Soares; it is possible, however, that Annularia, Arberia, Asterophyllites, Bai it actually corresponds to a Buriadia. era', Brachyphyllum, Buriadia, Calamites, Recently, F. Almeida has collected at the Cardiocarpon, Carpolithus, Chiropteris, Cor same horizon and locality a specimen of daites, Cyclopitys', Dadoxylon, Derbyella, Sphenophylluml8 . O. Barbosa and F. E quisetites, Gangamopteris, Glossopteris, Gond- 17. Op. cit. 19. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias, t. 18. Episodio da ultima Epoca Interglacial Permo 21, n. 1, 65-8, Rio de Janeiro, 1949. Carbonifera no Parana.; .Notas preliminares e 20. H. S. Rao: Lycopodiopsis Derbyi Renault. Estudos, n. 27, Divisao de Geologia e Mineralogia, with remarks on the Southern Paleozoic Lycopods; Rio de Janeiro, 1945. Proc. Indian Ac. Sc., 11,5, Sec. E, 1940. MENDES - THE GONDWANA FORMATIONS OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL 341 wanidium, Hysterites, f{ norria, Lepidodendron, COLUWNAR SECTION AT THE 8UGIO CRE!:K,HEAR TA10, Lepidophloios, Lepidostrobus, NIarchantites, STATE OF SANTA CATARINA Ottokaria, Paranocladus, Pecopteris, Phyllo theca, Psygmophyllum, Rosellinites, Samar opsis, Schizoneura, Sigillaria, S phenophyllttm, Sphenopteris, Stigmaria, Taeniopteris, Verte braria I, Voltzia and Zeillen·a. 00II0p1'C/~1IZone Readers interested in details of the South ern Brazil Gondwana flora will find at the e end of this article a selected bibliography o.. on it. (c) Marine Horizons- \Vithinthesequence of strata named by White Tubariio, three horizons of marine fauna have been noticed up to the present. One of them discovered by E. Oliveira bears a faunule with Brachio pods (Lingula, Orbiculoidea, " Ambocoelia ", o Chonetes), Pelecypods (Leda), Gastropods and Phyloblatta wings. This horizon crops (O'Qonlled occordin; to dolo from CorYOl1'loond Pinto 1936) out at Teixeira S.oares in the State of Parana, and has been also noticed at several other TEXT-FIG. 5 points, the farthest known of which is Bela Vista, in the State of Santa Catarina, about Brachiopods. The material consists of inter 80 km. southward of the former locality. nal casts and poorly preserved impressions Its thickness is apparently quite variable: and its age, attributed to the Permo around 30 meters at Teixeira Soares and Carboniferous by Cowper Reed2!, should be reaching only 2 meters at Bela Vista. revised in the light of larger collections. A few years ago, near Teixeira Soares, Its correlation with the lower and upper strata bearing A viculopecten-like forms were marine beds of Australia, as Reed suggested, found below the dark shale containing a ought to be reconsidered. small marine fauna. This material is not Concerning its stratigraphic position, Oli yet described. As these dark shales occur veira22 infers that it is just above the horizon between tillites at Bela Vista, this marine with Lingula, etc., and yet within the Ita horizon has been considered to be within rare series. the Itarare series. Just above the fauna However, that " lowest" marine horizon level the already mentioned plant-bearing has not yet been proved at any place below bed crops out and shows what has been the Tai6 Deltopecten-bearing beds which, supposed to be a "pure" Glossopteris flora, according to P. F. Carvalho and E. A. as well as a coal bed (see TEXT-FIG. 4). Pint0 23 , remain about 120 meters belo'w the The situation is rather confusing because, Irati shales (M esosaurus zone) and within according to Oliveira, his Itarare series the Bonito group (Coal Measures); coal beds should include glacials and subglacials, are present below and above the Deltopecten while the coal-bearing strata with Glossop zone (TEXT-FIG. 5 ), the glacials coming out teris flora should be referred to the Tubarao far down in the valley. series as re-defined by him. In fact, however, Quite recently, at Capivari, in the State there occur intertillite coals (and quite of Sao Paulo, another marine occurrence has likely also Glossopteris flora), and so it been found with Brachiopods (Crurithyris is easy to imagine how difficult it is to trace the boundary between the two forma 21 F. R. Cowper Reed: A new Permo-Carboni tions as it is still a question whether their ferous fauna from Brazil, Monogr. 10, Servi~o difference is to be considered one of facies Geologico e Mineralogico do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 1930 or of age. 22. Euzebio de Oliveira: Conferencia na Asso Another marine horizon of controversial cia~aoBrasileira de Educa~ao:75, Rio de Janeiro, stratigraphic position was discovered in 1930 1929 at Tai6, in the State of Santa Catarina. 23. P. Franco de Carvalho & E. Alves Pinto: Reconhecimento Geologico no Estado de Santa It comprises a sandstone bearing Deltopecten Catarina; Bol. 92, Servi~oGeologico e Mineralogico, and some other Pelecypods and a few Rio de Janeiro, 1938. 342 THE PALAEOBOTANIST and Rhynchopora) and Aviculopecten-Iike Pele arguments from the palaeontological point cypods. Material is not yet described and its of view. stratigraphic position is still uncertain. The succeeding formations, i.e. Estrada As it has been shown, the relations be Nova (called, in Sao Paulo, Corumbatai) and tween the marine horizons are not clear; Rio do Rasto beds, consist chiefly of varie however, with the progress of the in gated shales and some limestones and sand vestigation they certainly will prove to be stones. It should be clear that White's of the greatest value as guide horizons to Rio do Rasto have a composite character. Southern Brazil Gondwana stratigraphy. The Santa Catarina Rio do Rasto beds s.s. do not bear Triassic reptiles like Scaphonyx, PASSA DO IS SERIES etc., which occur in the pseudo-Rio do Rasto beds of Rio Grande do Sui (Santa Maria No less complex problems are presented formation ), there being only superficial litho by the sequence of beds so far referrable to logic similarities. Because of this the Rio the Palaeozoic and succeeding to the Tubarao do Rasto beds s.s. are noW admittedly refer series. At the Lauro Mueller section, in red to White's Passa Dois series. White's the State of Santa Catarina, they reach a Rocinha limestone is recognized today as thickness of 330 meters, according to White's a local member with no major stratigraphic data. meanmg. Sequence begins with the Irati shales, Unfortunately no fossil collections have been which lithologically are somewhat variable described from White's Lauro Mueller sec and, roughly speaking, include chiefly black tion, which makes correlation very difficult. shales, often bituminous and sometimes Several other localities, however, have associated with magnesian limestones. Chert furnished Pelecypoda, fossil plants and fish nuggets are also characteristic. The diag remains besides small Crustacean and Gas nostic fossil is a small free-swimming rep tropods. The recent Brazilian geological tile, M esosaurus brasiliensis MacGregor; fre literature distinguishes the following groups quently there are also Liocaris and other within the Upper-Palaeozoic supra-Irati crustaceans. J. Maniero has described a sequence in the State of Parana: small silicified tree under the name Dadoxy lon W hitei. 24 b) Rio do Rasto forma- {ESperan<;a mb. Irati beds are apparently constant from tion Serrinha mb. Uruguay to the southern part of the States a) Estrada Nova forma-{TereZind mb. of Goias and 1'I'lato Grosso and represent a tion Serra Alta mb. very important guide horizon. The facies of the sequence is still con Some of the Brazilian geologists, never troversial. K. Holdhaus 25 , F. R. Cowper theless, sometimes over-estimate the lithologic Reed 26 and L. R. COX27 have recognized " diagnostic" characters in recognizing this marine Pelecypod genera like Solenomorpha, horizon. Occurrence of J1!Iesosaurus should Sanguinolites, Myophoria, Pachycardia, Pa be obviously of a higher importance as laeoneilo, etc. The second author has even characterizing a biozone. described Cephalopod remains and referred to The transition between the Tubarao series an undetermined Radiolarian (which no ( below) and the Irati shale is apparent doubt should confirm the presence of a marine ly gradual and this certainly reinforces facies) and has attributed the fauna to an the importance of the demonstration of a Upper Triassic age (Carnic). On the other iII esosaurus zone. Similarly the uppermost beds of the Irati formation pass to the 25. Sobre alguns lamelibranquios fosseis do sui Estrada Nova beds without any known dis do Brasil, Monogr. 2, Serviyo Geologico e Minera conformity. logico do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 1918. The Irati facies is at present under dis 26. Triassic fossils from Brazil. An. Mag. Nat. cussion. While it shows a certain uniformity Hist., Series 2. v. 10: 39-48, 1928. Triassic faunas from Brazil. Monogr. 9, Serviyo Geologico e along wide areas suggesting an interior sea iVIineralogico do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 1929; Some or a paralic basin, there are no supporting new triassic fossils from Brazil. An. Mag. Nat. Hist., s. 10. v. 10: 479-87, 1932; Some Triassic 24. Dadoxylon Whitei n. sp.. Universidade de Lamellibranches from Brazil and Paraguay. Geol. Sao Paulo. Faculdade de Filosofia. Ciencias e Mag., v. 72. 33-42, 1935. Letras. 1301. 45, Geologia no. 1, 107-12. Sao Paulo, 27. Triassic Lamellibranches from Uruguay. An. 1944 Mag. Nat. Hist., s. 10, v. 13: 264-73, 1934. MENDES - THE GONDWANA FORMATIONS OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL 343 hand, the presence of Leaia-like Conchostraca28 Lycopodiopsis Derbyi is the first fossil plant and some Lycopods (Lycopodiopsis Derbyi to be described from the supra-Irati sequence and Sigl:llaria) suggests an Upper Palaeozoic which is found in .a level just above the age. Marine forms like Corals or Brachio Pinzonella-Plesiocyprinella zone, at least in pods, etc., are unknown. A recent revision 29 the Rio Claro region. 3t of Reed's" Myophoria " and" Pachycardia " Rao ( 1940 )32 has given a good paper on has demonstrated that these forms actually this plant, summarizing the discussion con belong to new and very distinct genera cerning its taxonomic position, etc. (Jacquesia and Pinzonellopis). Reed him Tietea singularis (apparently a Psaronius self and Holdhaus (and Cox in Uruguay) have relative) was described in 1913 by Solms ascribed several other forms to new genera La ubach 33 ; its stra tigraphic position is still (Pinzonella,Ferrazia, Plesiocyprinella and Ter doubtful. raia) which points out very clearly the high Sigillaria (?) rnuralis and Dadoxylon nurn endemic character of such a fauna. Hold ?nulariu?n, described by D. White 34 , have haus's " Solenornorpha" and" Sanguinolites " also no precise stratigraphic position. have been proved quite recently to belong to In a place known as Serrinha, near Male, something else: Leinzia Mendes, Terraia Cox State of Parana, from a horizon just above and Holdhausiella Mendes (as yet unpublish a bed containing Terraia (HOLDHAUS ed), Reed's cephalopods and Radiolarian re "Solenornorpha altissima") and Leinzia mains, on the other hand, are not convincing; ( HOLDHAUS " Solenomorpha similis " ) a few a " Dentaliu11t" described by Reg030 really plant remains have been obtained. These seems to be a fish spine (Elasrnobranchia ). were recognized by Zeiller35 as Glossopteris Thus Reed's chronology has no validity, Browniana, G. angustifolia, Taeniopteris d. nor has du Toit's idea of an intra-Passa Feddeni, Pecopteris sp., Cladophlebis sp., and Dois hiatus, to explain the occurrence in the fragments of Equisetaceae (only listed). sequence of both Palaeozoic and Lower Meso It could be remarked that the Serrinha beds zoic fossils. At least at present there are no are considered as belonging to the top of palaeontological reasons to show definitely the Passa Dois series, i.e. to the Rio do a marine environment for the Pelecypoda Rasto formation. fauna, while these strata are apparently so Another fiorule has recently been described extensive as to require an internal marine by E. Dolianiti36 from a horizon likewise basin or a paralic basin. referred to the Rio do Rasto beds which Their mollusc fauna requires a more de lies about 20 meters above Reed's" Palaeo tailed study both in taxonomy and bio neilo" faunae of Santo Antonio da Platina, stratigraphy. There are no well-established Northern Parana, and, according to that foreign genera, and no forms of a definite author, it includes: marine type have been found yet. S phenozamites sp., Podozamites? sp. and Before a careful study of the mollusc fauna Equisetites remains. is undertaken, stratigraphic correlations must Reed's "Palaeoneilo" has not yet been be rather precarious. Lately, however, de revised, but probably will prove to correspond tailed stratigraphic studies have been in to some other genus or genera and is associat progress at the Rio Claro region in the State ed with "Estheria ", Ostracods and some of Sao Paulo. small Gastropods. 28. F. H. Cowper Reed: New Phyllopoda from 31. J. Camargo Mendes: Posio;:ao estra tigratica Brazil, Bol. 34, Servio;:o Geologico e Mineralogico de Lycopodiopsis Derbyi Renault, An Ac. Bras. do Brasil. 1929. Cien, v. 16, n. 2, 137-8, Rio de Janeiro, 1944. 29. J. Camargo Mendes: Lamelibni.nquios trias 32. Op. cit. sicos de Rio Claro; Univ. Silo Paulo. Fac, Fil. Cien. 33. Tietea singtl/m·is. Ein neller Pteridinenstamn Letr., Bol. 45. Geologia 1. 41-75. Sao Paulo. 1944; aus Brasilien. Zeits. f. Botanik, V. n. 9, 673-700, Novas lamelibranquios fosseis da Serie Passa Dais, 1913 SuI do Brasil. Bol. Divis. Geologia e Mineralogia 34. Op. cit. n. 133, Rio de Janeiro. 1949; see also for a discus 35. In Oliveira's Posio;:ao estratigratica dos sion of the age of the Estrada Nova formation. by lamellibranchios descritos na memoria do Professor the same author: Considerao;:oes sebre a estrati Holdhaus; Servo Geol. Min. Brasil, Monogr. 2, gratia e idade da formao;:ao Estrada Nova. Bol. 25-32, Rio de Janeiro, 1918. Fac. Fil. Cien. Letr., 50, Geologia 2. 27-34. 1945. 36. Urn novo elemento na flora f6ssil do Brasil, 30. L. F Moraes Rego: Contribuio;:ao ao estudo Sphenozamites Brongniart, Divisao de Geol. e das camadas superiores da Serie Passa Dois, An. Mineralogia, Notas preliminares e estudos n. 26, Ac. Bras. Cien., v. 8, n. 1, 41-52, 1936. Hio de J aneira, 1946. 344 THE PALAEOBOTANIST J. Maniero37 has described recently Dado after its reptilian fauna is attributed to the xylon Roxoi from the Corumbatai beds ( ± Upper Triassic. = WHITE'S Estrada Nova group) of the Then follows the Botucatu sandstone which, State of Sao Paulo. according to du ToitH , rests conformably Some other casual references to " Dado on the Santa Maria beds, while Gordon42 xylon", "Glossopteris", "Lepidodendron", maintains that there is a disconformity. Sagenopteris and" Walchia" have been made, The name Botucatu has priority over but, in general, the above may be considered White's Sao Bento sandstone, since the as summarizing the present state of knowl former was proposed in 1904 by G. Campos. edge concerning the supra-Irati flora. The maximum thickness of the series is No disconformity is yet known between around 200 meters, and its chief lithological the Tubarao and Passa Dois series, and it component is an eolian cross-bedded sand seems that there are no arguments from the stone. Some reptilian footprints have been palaeontological point of view to consider the reported, as well as worm tubes and, quite sequence younger than Permian. Arguments recently, Ostracods and Estherioids have on the basis of the presence of M esosaurus been collected from thin argillaceous partings. do not seem to be decisive, at least at the Outside of the restricted area of the Santa present, to establish chronology, because the Maria formation, the Botucatu sandstone age of Vlhite's band is still questionable. rests either directly on the Passa Dois series or on older groups. SAO BENTO SERIES A supposed fluvial facies of the dominantly eolian Botucatu has been described under the The Sao Bento series is made up of the name" Piramboia beds". Santa Maria formation (below), the Botu An important fact, if general, is the occur catu sandstone (= WHITE'S Sao Bento rence of a disconformity between the Botu sandstone) and the basic lava flows ( on top ). catu sandstone and the first lava sheets of the The Santa Maria formation, probably Serra Geral formation, meaning an erosional about 100 meters thick. is a sequence of hiatus previous to the large extrusion. Some sandstones, argillites and siltstones and has sandstone beds are known to intercalate the been erroneously correlated by White with lava sheets. his Rio do Rasto beds of Santa Catarina. It Sandy deposits covering the topmost lava is only known in the State of Rio Grande do sheet have been distinguished as Caiua for SuI, showing a reptilian faunule with Scapho mation43 ; if they actually belong to the Sao nyx fischeri, Stahleckeria potens exhaustively Bento series, or if they represent a separate studied by Woodward38 and Von Huene39 series, or else if they belong already to the and recently by Price40 , besides silicified Cretaceous Bauru formation, is still doubtful. trunks of Coniferales. Quite recently some Regarding the Botucatu sandstone and the plant remains including Z uberia-like forms basic extrusive chronology, it is only possible have been discovered. These latter are not to say that their age lies between the Upper yet described. The age of this formation Triassic (Santa Maria formation) and the Upper Cretaceous ( Bauru formation ). 37. Uma nova made.ira fossil do Brasil Meridional; The uppermost fossiliferous strata col. "ti Revista do Inst. Adolfo Lutz, VI, n. 1,65-76, Sao tute the Bauru formation, which contains a Paulo, 1946. 38. A. Smith \Voodward: On some reptilian reptilian faunule attributed to the Upper bones from the State of Rio Grande do Sul; Geol. Cretaceous, and rests unconformably on the Mag., V, n. 528, 251-5, 1908. uppermost lava sheet where no Caiua depo 39. F. von Huene: Gondwana Reptilien in Sud sits are to be found. amerika, Pal. Hung., v. 2, fasc. 1, 86-102, Budapest, 1926; Eine Cvnodontier aus der Trias Brasilien, The reader interested in the geology of the Centb. f. Min: Geol u.s, Jg. 1928, 257-70, Die lava flow of Southern Brazil will find a good fossilen Reptilien des sudamerikanischen Gondwana recent paper on the subject by V. Leinz. 44 landes Ergebnisse der Sauriergrabungen in Sud brasilien 1928-29. Lief J, 1-92, Tubingen 1935; 41. Op. cit. Lief II. 9~-159,1936. 42. Op. cit. 40. L. Ivor Price: S6bre urn novo Pseudosuquio 43. Chester Washburne: Petroleum Geology of do Triassico superior do Rio Grande do SuI. Bol. the State of Sao Paulo; Com. Geografica e Geologica n. 120, Divis. Geologia e Mineralogia, Rio de de Sao Paulo, Bol. 22. Sao Paulo, 1930. Janeiro. 1946: Urn procolofonideo do Triassico do 44. Contribuiyao a Geologia dos derrames basal Rio Grande do Sui. Bol n. 122, Divisao de Geologia ticos do Sill do Brasil, Fac. Fil. Cien. Letr., Bol. e Mineralogia, 1947. n. 103, Geologia n. 5, Univ. Sao Paulo. 1949. MENDES - THE GONDWANA FORMATIONS OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL 345 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY (a) Geological I\1ANIERO, J. (1944). Dadoxylon W hilei, n. sp. Univ. sao Paulo, FcW Fil. Cien. Lelr., 1301. 45, DU TOIT, ALEX. L. ( 1927). A geological compari Geologia n. 1. sao Paulo. son of South America with Suuth Africa. Carnegie Idem (1945). Sabre a estru tura de Dadoxylon Inslilulion, Washinglon, Publ.· 381 Derbvi Oliveira. Univ. Sao Paulo, Fac. Fil. LEINZ, VIKTOR (1937). Estudo s6bre a glacia<;ao Cien. Lelr. Bol. SO, Geologia n. 2, 133-138. Sao Permo-Carbonifera do Sui do Brasil. Bol. Paulo. • 5ervi(0 Fomenlo P,'oduy{io ilJineral 21. Rio de Idem ( 1946). Contribui<;ao ao estudo de Dadoxylon Janeiro nummulal'ium ·White. Div. Geol. l11in., Nol. Prel. Idem (1949). Contribui<;ao a Geologia dos der Eslds. n. 33 Ilia de Janei.·o. rames basaJticos do SuI do Brasil. Fac. Filosofia, Idem (1946). Vma nova madeira f6ssil do Brasil Ciencias e Lelras, Bol. n. 103 Geologia n. 5. Univ. Meridional. Revisla do Inslilulo Adolfo Lulz, VI, Sao Paulo. n. 1, 65-76. Sao Paulo. OLlVEIRA, AVELlNO I. & LEONARDOS, O. H. (19+3). OLIVEIRA, E. P (1936). Dadoxylon De"byi, sp. Geologia do Brasil. 3a ediyao, 813 pp., sections, nay. Servo Geol. il1in., Nol. Prel. Eslds. n. 1, 1-5. photos and a geological map in colour. Hio de J ane/ro. OPPENHEIM, V. (1935). Petroleum Geology of RAO, H. S( 1940). Lycopodiopsis De1'byi Renault, Gondwana Rocks of Southern Brazil. Bull. Am. with remarks on the Southern Palaeozoic Assoc Pelr. Geologisls. 19 (12): 1725-1805. Lycopods. Proc. Indian Acad. Sciences, 11 (5) 'WASHBURNE, CHESTER (1930). Petroleum Geo 13:197-217. logy of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Bol. R~[J,·W. ( 1933). Cedl'oxylon canoense, una madera Comissao Geografica e Geologica de Sao Paulo, fossil nueva del Rio Grande del Sud. Rev. Sud n. 22, 282 pp., photos. sketches, maps. S,'O americana de Bolanica SO. n. 3. i'vIonlevideo. Paulo. Idem ( 1934). Dadoxylon (Araucarioxylon) WHITE, I. C. ( 1908 ). Heport on the Coal Measures Butiense, n. sp. Uma contribui<;ao ao desen and associated Rocks of South Brazil. Rio de volvimento da estrutura das coniferas paleozoicas Janeiro. do Rio Grande do SuI Rev. Sudame1'ica. flola nica, 1: 169-172. i'vIontevideo. Observalion - J Menescal Camp06 gives a list READ, CHARLES B. (1941). Plantas fosseis do of papers dealing with Gondwana beds of Brazil in Neo-Paleozoico do Parana e Santa Catarina. his " Notas bibliograficas sabre os terrenos Gond Div. Geol. i'vIin., iVIonogr. XII. Rio de Janeiro. wanicos do Brasil", Divisao de Geologia e RENAULT, B. (1890). Sur une nouvelle Lycopo Mineralogia, Bol. n. 108, Rio de Janeiro, 1940. diace houillhe (Lycopodiopsis Derl..yi), Bull. D. Iglesias has published a complete bibliography Soc. Hist. Nal. d'Autun. v. 111, 109-124, PI 9. on the geology of Brazil until 1942 in her" Biblio SOLMS LAUBACH. H. (1913). Tie/ea singularis, grafia Indice da Geologia do Brasil ", Divisao de ein neller lossiler Pterinidinenstamm aus Geologia e Mineralogia, Bois n. 111 and 117, Rio de Brasilien. Zeitschrift fur Botanik. Jg. 5, 9: 637 Janeiro, 1943 and 1948, respectively. 700. WHfTE, D. (1908). Report on the fossil flora of (b) On "'Fossil Flora the Coal Measures of Brazil: Relat. final, Com. Est. Minas Ca1'v{io de Pedra. P. III, 337-617. CARRUTHERS, "V. (1869). On the Plant remains Rio de Janeiro. from the Brazilian Coal Beds with remarks on ZEILLER, R. ( 1895). Note sur !a flore fossile des the genus Flemingiles. Ceol. iV1ag. VI: 151-155, gisements houillers de Rio Grande do SuI. Bull. London. Soc Geol. F1'ance. ser. 3, v. XXIII, 601-623: DOLIANITl, E (1945). 'Urn novo elemento na Paris. flora fossil do Brasil, Sphenozamiles Brongniart. Idem (1918). In Oliveira's Posiyao estrati Div. Geol. i'vlin., Nol. P,'el. Eslds., n. 26 Rio de graphica dos lamellibranchios descritos na Janeiro. memoria do Professor Holdhaus. Servo Ceol. Idem (1946) N oticia sabre novas formas da j'v1in. do Brasil, l'vIonogr. II: 25-32. Rio de " Flora de Glossople,'is" do Brasil Meridional. J aneil'o. Div. Geol. lvIin., Nol. Prel. Eslds., n. 34. Rio de Janeiro. Obse1'vation - E. Dolianiti gives a complete LUNDQUIST, G. (1919). Fossile Pflanzen del' bibliography concerning general palaeobotany in Glossopleris Flora aus Brasilien. Kungl. Svenska Brazil at the end of his paper" Paleobotanica no Velensk Acad. Handl. Band 60, n. 3, 1-36. Brasil ", Divisao de Geologia e Mineralogia, 1301. Siockhoim. 123, Rio de Janeiro, 1948.