BULLETIN DE L’INSTITUT ROYAL DES SCIENCES NATURELLES DE BELGIQUE SCIENCES DE LA TERRE, 75: 183-200, 2005 BULLETIN VAN HET KONINKLIJK BELGISCH INSTITUUT VOOR NATUURWETENSCHAPPEN AARDWETENSCHAPPEN, 75: 183-200, 2005 New latest Cretaceous and earliest Paleogene asteroids (Echinodermata) from The Netherlands and Denmark and their palaeobiological significance by Daniel B. BLAKE & John W.M. JAGT B l a k e , D.B & J a g t , 2005. — New latest Cretaceous and famille alors qu’aujourd'hui elle est limitée aux mers profondes. Elle earliest Paleogene asteroids (Echinodermata) from The Netherlands appartient aux Neobenthopectininae, ce qui démontre la présence au and Denmark and their palaeobiological significance.Bulletin de Mésozoïque de benthopectinidés dérivés. l ’Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre 75: 183-200, 5 pis; Bruxelles-Brussel, March 31, 2005 - ISSN Mots-clefs: Asteroidea, Crétacé, Paléogène, Pays-Bas, Danemark, 0374-6291. taxionomie. A bstract Introduction Three new starfish (Skiaster vikingr n. gen., n. sp., Betelgeusia exposita Although the Asteroidea includes many heavily skeleto­ n. sp., and Aldebarania taberna n. sp.), and the first fossil occurrence of nized species, specimens are rare among marine inverte­ Cheiraster? sp., are recorded from Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) and Danian (Early Paleogene) rocks of The Netherlands and Denmark. brate fossils, and as a result overall history of the class Skiaster vikingr, a member of the goniasterid subfamily Pseudarchas- and its phylogeny are poorly understood. The Cretaceous terinae, adds to the known diversity and apparent significance of that and Paleogene chalks of northwest and central Europe subfamily.Betelgeusia exposita is the second Cretaceous species of the Radiasteridae to be described; together, the two species suggest that have provided one of the more extensive ancient asteroid this now infrequently encountered deep-water family was of greater faunas, and one that has been studied by generations of significance in the past. Morphology and occurrences of Betelgeusia dedicated palaeontologists. Nevertheless, fossils are in­ suggest niches similar to those now occupied by Astropecten. Aldebar­ ania taberna (Astropectinidae) is similar to A. arenitea from eastern frequently encountered, and most occurrences consist of North America, suggesting communication across a narrower North disarticulated marginals, which, although important, pro­ Atlantic. Cheiraster? sp. (Benthopectinidae) provides added support vide only an incomplete history. Mesozoic and Cenozoic for shelf occurrence during the Cretaceous of this now deep-water events leading to the emergence of the contemporary family; it is a member of the Neobenthopectininae, indicating Meso­ zoic presence of derived benthopectinids. Reflecting earlier work, the fauna have received only limited attention. present study suggests gradual emergence o f the modem asteroid fauna Four recently discovered chalk specimens representing during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic without major terminal Cretaceous all three orders of valvatacean asteroids ( sensu B l a k e , extinction. 1987) document a bit of the status of this important group Key-words: Asteroidea, Cretaceous, Paleogene, The Netherlands, near the end of the Mesozoic and beginning of the Ce­ Denmark, taxonomy. nozoic eras. These fossils, in conjunction with others previously described (e.g., B lake & Reid, 1998;V i l l i e r et al., 2004), suggest a gradual emergence of familial R ésum é groups established in the Mesozoic and absence of abrupt faunal change at the end of the Cretaceous. Trois nouvelles astéries (Skiaster vikingr n. gen., n. sp., Betelgeusia exposita n. sp., et Aldebarania taberna n. sp.) et la première présence fossile de Cheiraster? sp. ont été reconnues sur la marge continentale dans des dépôts d’âge Maastrichtien (Crétacé supérieur) et Danien Geographic and stratigraphie setting (Paléocène) des Pays-Bas et du Danemark.Skiaster vikingr de la sous-famille goniastéride Pseudarchasterinae étend la diversité connue et la signification apparente de cette sous-famille.Betelgeusia exposita Of the four taxa here described, three have been collected est le second taxon crétacé des Radiasteridae à être décrit. A eux deux from units assigned to the Maastricht Formation [late ces deux espèces laissent supposer que cette famille typique, pour les Maastrichtian, Belemnitella junior and Belemnella (Neo- dépôts profonds, mais rare aujourd’hui, fût plus importante dans le passé. La morphologie et les occurrences de Betelgeusia suggèrent des belemnella) kazimiroviensis zones], as exposed in the niches similaires à celles occupées parAstropecten. Aldebarania ta­ type area of the Maastrichtian Stage (SE Netherlands, berna (Astropectinidae) est proche de A. arenitea de l’Est de l’Amér­ NE Belgium). In recent years, the basal portion of the ique du Nord - probablement grâce à un Océan Atlantique nord plus étroit. Cheiraster? sp. (Benthopectinidae) ajoute un argument en faveur Gronsveld Member at the ENCI-Maastricht bv quarry (St de la présence de cette famille sur le shelf pendant le Crétacé de cette Pietersberg, Maastricht) has yielded numerous well-pre­ 184 Daniel B. BLAKE & John W.M. JAGT served bourgueticrinine crinoids ( J a g t , 1999b), with as­ occurrence (e.g., B l a k e , 1988; V i l l i e r et al., 2004). sociated, albeit rarer, comatulids, as well as ophiuroids The poor fossil record of asteroids has not demon­ ( J a g t , 2000a) and dissociated asteroid ossicles ( J a g t , strated significant extinction within the group at the 2000b). This assemblage, which includes Cheiraster? end of the Cretaceous; instead, implications such as sp., accumulated under storm conditions followed by those discussed below suggest more subtle change in near-absence of bioturbation.L ie b a u (1978) typified this faunal make-up through the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. part of the Maastricht Formation as a mid-sublittoral Discussion below treats the Pseudarchasterinae as ba­ setting, with subtropical temperatures and characterised sal within the Goniasteridae; this approach follows the by the occurrence of seagrass communities. phylogeny of extant families ofB l a k e (1987, 1990b), Aldebarania taberna n. sp. is from the upper portion of which in turn was based on publications of many sys- the Nekum Member, which at the CBR-Romontbos quar­ tematists, including V e r r i l l (1899), discussed below. ry (Eben Emael, Liège), comprises a discontinuous tab­ Pseudarchaster is known from the Portlandian (Upper ular flint level from which numerous echinoids and am- Jurassic; see B l a k e , 1986), which is fairly close to but monoids have been collected recently. This level is close somewhat younger than the age of the oldest-known to the Kanne Horizon, an undulating erosion surface goniasterids. This chronological inconsistency might re­ overlain by very coarse bioclastic sand. The type of sult from the poor fossil record (V illier & Kutscher, Betelgeusia exposita n. sp. was collected from the over- 1999), or pseudarchasterines might remain unrecognised lying unit, the Meerssen Member, at the ENCI-Maastricht among known Jurassic fossils, or phylogenetic inference bv quarry, from a level that has yielded numerous ophiur­ based on the morphology of extant taxa might be incor­ oids ( J a g t , 2000a) and decapod crustacean remains. Ac­ rect; these are hypotheses to be tested by future research. cording to Liebau (1978), the Nekum and Meerssen No phylogenetic analysis is attempted here. A pseu- members are high-energy deposits, being characterised darchasterine-like morphology was selected as a basal by a high production of carbonate detritus that led to the configuration for crown-group asteroid morphology establishment of a broad, shallow, well-lit and warm ( B l a k e , 1990b) and discussions here do not affect that carbonate platform with a rich phytal association. There interpretation. Efforts have been made to isolate a stem- is a continuous shallowing trend with the Meerssen Mem­ group branch basal to the crown group (Blake & Hag­ ber, but deposition of the highest unit (IVf-6) must have d o r n , 2003; Blake & Hotchkiss, 2004), but candidate occurred in deeper water. genera do not appear close enough to pseudarchasterines Skiaster vikingr n. gen., n. sp., is from Stevns Klint, to provide a reliable outgroup for phylogenetic recon­ north of Hojerup Kirke, having been collected from the struction of the Pseudarchasterinae. Discussions below, early Paleocene (Danian)Tylocidaris abildgaardi Zone e.g. on the position of Skiaster n. gen., therefore use a bioherms (Gravesen, 1993). The matrix is bryozoan traditional descriptive notion of morphological interme­ limestone, which B r o m l e y (1979) considered to have diacy. been deposited in shallow water, below wave base. Skiaster vikingr n. gen., n. sp. (Valvatida) is a member Associated goniasterid asteroids include the key index of the Pseudarchasterinae S l a d e n , 1889. V e r r i l l (1899) taxa Metopaster spencerii Brünnich Nielsen, 1943, found this subfamily to be morphologically intermediate M. kagstrupensis Brünnich Nielsen,1943, and Cratera- between more typical goniasterids and certain astropecti- ster anchylus (Brünnich Nielsen,1943). nids; he specifically cited Plutonaster S l a d e n , 1889 but Tethyaster S l a d e n , 1889 and other genera could be listed as well. The fossil record includes examples of seemingly Palaeobiological significance intermediate morphology; for instance, the Jurassic