(Cretaceous Larger Foraminifera) from the Yezo Group in Hokkaido, Japan and Its Stratigraphic and Paleobiogeographic Significance
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216 Proc. Jpn. Acad., Ser. B 82 (2006) [Vol. 82, Mesorbitolina (Cretaceous larger foraminifera) from the Yezo Group in Hokkaido, Japan and its stratigraphic and paleobiogeographic significance By Yasuhiro Iba∗),∗∗),†) and Shin-ichi Sano∗∗∗) (Communicated by Tatsuro Matsumoto, m.j.a.) Abstract: In this paper, we describe an Aptian (Early Cretaceous) larger foraminiferal species Orbitolina (Mesorbitolina) parva from the limestone olistoliths in the lower part of the Yezo Group in the Yubari–Ashibetsu area, central Hokkaido and from limestone pebbles in the lowermost part of the Yezo Group in the Nakagawa area, northern Hokkaido. This is the first report of this species from the circum-North Pacific regions. Based on its occurrences, the shallow-marine carbonates, re-deposited in the lower part of the Yezo Group, are precisely assigned in age to the Late Aptian. Comparison of the lower part of the Yezo Group in central and northern Hokkaido indicates differences of the Aptian–Albian depositional history between the two areas. This study reveals that after Late Aptian, Mesogean key taxa(typicalCretaceous Tethyan biota) demised in the Northwest Pacific. Key words: Aptian; Mesogean; orbitolinid; Mesorbitolina parva;Yezo forearc basin; North Pacific. Introduction. The Orbitolinidae is a larger ing shallow-marine carbonates and correlative con- benthic foraminiferal family, which was most di- glomeratic gravity flow deposits, has been consid- versified during Early and mid-Cretaceous times. ered as one of the important key units in the Yezo Species of this family flourished in shallow-marine Group (Takashima et al., 2004; Iba et al., 2005).5),3) carbonate facies of the whole Tethys region. They In spite of this paleobiogeographic and stratigraphic had relatively short biochronological ranges and pro- importance, the age of the shallow-marine carbon- vide valuable chronostratigraphic information (e.g., ates in Hokkaido remains unsettled, because of their Arnaud-Vanneau, 1998).1) This is important, be- allochthonous occurrences and absence of index fos- cause usually shallow marine carbonates are poorly sils such as ammonites and planktonic foraminifers. dated by index fossils in Japan. We recently found well-preserved orbitolinid Shallow-marine carbonates are intercalated as specimens identified as Orbitolina (Mesorbitolina) olistoliths and pebbles in the lower part of the Yezo parva from the lower part of the Yezo Group in cen- Group in central and northern Hokkaido, north- tral (Locs. 1 and 2 in Fig. 1) and northern (Loc. 3 in ern Japan (e.g., Sano, 1995; Iba et al., 2005).2), 3) Fig. 1) Hokkaido. In this paper, we give the system- They contain abundant rudists and a dasycladacean atic description of this species and discuss the age alga, both of which are key taxa for identifica- of shallow-marine carbonates of the Yezo Group and tion of the Cretaceous Tethyan biotic realm (i.e., correlation of the strata within the Yezo basin. Fur- the Mesogean sensu Masse (1992)4))(e.g.,Sano, thermore, we discuss the implications of our findings 1995),2) and constitute the largest Cretaceous car- from the viewpoint of Cretaceous paleobiogeography. bonate bodies in Japan. An olistostrome contain- This paper is the first report of this species from the circum-North Pacific regions. ∗) JSPS Research Fellow. ∗∗) Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Gradu- Geological settings. The Yezo Group com- ate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. prises Aptian to Paleoceneforearcbasindeposits ∗∗∗) Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Fukui, Japan. extending from southern Hokkaido to the Sakhalin †) Department of Earth and PlanetaryScience, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7–3–1 Hongo, Bunkyo- Island (Far East Russia) (e.g., Okada, 1983; ku, Tokyo 113–0033, Japan (e-mail; [email protected]). Takashima et al., 2004).6),5) This group represents No. 7] Late Aptian Orbitolina from the Yezo Group, northern Japan 217 Fig. 1. Locality map of Orbitolina (Mesorbitolina) parva in the Yezo Group, Hokkaido. A. Yubari–Ashibetsu area, central Hokkaido (Loc. 1; MF 29172, Loc. 2; MF 29173). Geological information is based on Takashima et al. (2004).5) B. Nakagawa area, northern Hokkaido (Loc. 3; MF 29174). Geological information is based on Nagao (1962).46) Note that the “Onodera Formation” of Nagao (1962)46) is now considered as a locally-developed lithologic facies within the Kamiji Formation (e.g., Kawaguchi, 1997).32) areference marine Cretaceous succession in the In northern Hokkaido, pebbles of shallow- circum-North Pacific regions, and contains abundant marine calcareous sediments were discoveredfroma macro- and microfossils at various horizons, espe- gravity flow deposit in the lower part of the Yezo cially in the Upper Cretaceous (e.g., Matsumoto, Group (Iba et al., 2005)3) (Fig. 1–B). This gravity 1942).7) flow deposit containing limestone pebbles is interca- In central Hokkaido, many limestone olistoliths lated inthelowermostpart of the Yezo Group in this (= “Orbitolina limestones”: Yabe, 1901)8) are in- region (Iba et al., 2005).3) The carbonate pebbles tercalated in the Kirigishiyama Olistostrome Mem- contain rudist fragments (Mesogean key taxa) and ber of the Shuparogawa Formation, the lower part of other carbonate platform biota such as orbitolinid the Yezo Group (Takashima et al., 2004)5) (Fig. 1– foraminifera and calcareous red algae. Similarities A). Abundant Mesogean key taxa (rudists and a of bio- and lithofacies between the limestone olis- dasycladacean alga) and other carbonate platform toliths in central Hokkaido and the limestone peb- biota, such as miliolid and orbitolinid foraminifers, bles in northern Hokkaido were pointed out by Iba hermatypic hexacorals, nerineacean gastropods, and et al. (2005).3) These limestone olistoliths and peb- calcareous red algae, are found in the limestone olis- bles from central and northern Hokkaido were orig- toliths (e.g., Sano, 1995, 2000; Hirano and Takagi, inally deposited in a shallow-marine shelf adjacent 1998).2), 9), 10) Sano (1995, 2000)2), 9) reconstructed a to the continental arc in the eastern margin of the carbonate platform in its original depositional en- Asian Continent. They werelatertransported into vironment, based on the distribution of litho- and adeeper part of the basin (Sano, 1995; Iba et al., biofacies within these limestone olistoliths. 2005).2), 3) 218 Y. Iba and S. Sano [Vol. 82, Orbitolinid taxonomy:previousworks. Table I. Measurements of specimens of Orbitolina (Mesor- bitolina) parva from the Yezo Group The Orbitolinidae is classified into two “subfami- Diameter of lies”, the Orbitolininae and the Dictyoconinae. In Diameter of Sample No. embryonic the subfamily Orbitolininae, structure and size of protoconch apparatus the embryonic apparatus are significant for generic- and species-level classification (e.g., Hofker, 1963; UMUT MF 29172 0.07 mm 0.17 mm Schroeder, 1963; 1975).11)–13) Hofker (1963)11) rec- UMUT MF 29173 0.08 mm 0.17 mm ognized only one phylogenetic lineage within the Or- UMUT MF 29174 0.15 mm 0.25 mm bitolininae, which was summarized as one evolution- ary species “Orbitolina lenticularis”. He divided “O. lenticularis”intofiveFormGroups (Form Group I Type specimen: Holotype P5494 deposited in to V in ascending order) based mainly on the size dif- the U.S. National Museum of the Natural History ference of the embryonic apparatus. Younger forms from the PeakFormation, Lower Albian, Grant have a larger and more complicated embryonic ap- County, New Mexico, USA. paratus than older ones. Material:Three specimens (UMUT MF 29172– Sincethe first report by Yabe (1901),8) or- 29174) recovered from the lower part of the Yezo bitolinid foraminifers have been reported from sev- Group in Hokkaido are identified to the present eral localities in Japan. Yabe and Hanzawa (1926)14) species (see Fig. 1 for their detailed localities). They proposed several new orbitolinid species. Hofker are deposited in the University Museum, the Uni- (1963)11) regarded all of the previously known versity of Tokyo. UMUT MF 29172 and 29173 came Japanese orbitolinids, including new species de- from limestone olistoliths in the Yubari–Ashibetsu scribed by Yabe and Hanzawa (1926),14) as belong- area, central Hokkaido (Fig. 1–A). UMUT MF 29174 ing to one species “Orbitolina lenticularis”. Subse- was recovered from a limestone pebble in the Naka- quently, Japanese researchers have followed Hofker’s gawa area, northern Hokkaido (Fig. 1–B). All the classification (e.g., Ujii´eand Kusukawa, 1968; Matsu- three specimens are axially sectioned, but a horizon- maru, 1971; Matsumaru et al., 1976).15)–17) tal section has not yet been observed due to inade- On the other hand, Schroeder (1975, 1979)13), 18) quate state of the preservation. paid attention to the developmental pattern of the Description:Externalcharacters: The test is orbitolinid embryonic apparatus, and recognized small, low conical, the base of which is concave several phylogenetic lineages within the Orbitolin- (Fig. 2–1a, 2a) and convex (Fig. 2–3a). The diame- inae. He classified the Orbitolininae into several ter of the test varies from 1.02 to 5.30 mm, the height short-ranging genera and species based on the con- varies from 0.50 to 1.00 mm. Thickness of the test cepts of phylogenetic lineages (e.g., Eopalorbitolina– from 0.83 to 0.93 mm. The apex of the megalospheric Palorbitolina lineage; Praeorbitolina–Mesorbitolina form is slightly rounded. lineage). Schroeder’s taxonomy is now widely ac- Internal characters (embryonic apparatus): The cepted and used for biostratigraphic studies (e.g., megalospheric embryonic apparatus is centrally sit- Moullade et al., 1985; Simmons and Williams, 1992; uated in the tip of the test, and consists of a pro- Husinec et al., 2000).19)–21) Following Schroeder’s toconch and a deuteroconch with a small, developed classification scheme, Iba et al. (2005)3) reported the and subdivided subembryonic zone. It is small, with occurrences of “Mesorbitolina texana–parva group” ameandiameterof0.20mm. The protoconch is from the basal part of the Yezo Group in the Naka- globular, not ellipsoidal.