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Holarctic Correlation of Non-Marine Palaeocene-Eocene Boundary Strata Using Mammals

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Holarctic Correlation of Non-Marine Palaeocene-Eocene Boundary Strata Using Mammals Journal of fhe Geological Society, London, Vol. 145, 1988, pp. 473-478, 5 figs. Printed in Northern Ireland Holarctic correlation of non-marine Palaeocene-Eocene boundary strata using mammals D. DASHZEVEG Geological Institute of the Mongolian Academy of Science, Ulan Bator, People’s Republic of Mongolia Abstract: A new biostratigraphic correlation is suggested for the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary strata in the Holarctic. Great significance is attached to the Thanetian hiatus which has critical importance in the placing of the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary in Western Europe. Intercontinental correlation of the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary in non-marine strata by means of mammals reveals the duration of the Thanetian hiatus in the Pans Basin. It corresponds almost entirely to the Clarkforkian Land Mammal Age of North America and possibly to the Zhigden and Naran Members of the Naran-Bulak Formation of Mongolia, which suggests a Palaeocene age for the Clark’s Fork fauna. The Gray Bull and Bumban faunas appear to be practically contemporaneous and are correlated with the Sparnacian fauna of West European Meudon. The Palaeocene-Eocene boundary in North America is thus traced beneath the Gray Bull zone (Wasatchian Land Mammal Age), while in Central Asia it is believed to underlie the Bumban Member of the Naran-Bulak sections where there is evidence of the simul- taneous appearance of penssodactyls,primates (Ornomyidae), rodents, condylarths of thegenus Hyopsodus and others. The problem of the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary has long Key sections and mammals of the Upper Palaeocene been and remainsa subject for debate. A more precise and Lower Eocene of Mongolia positioning of this boundary has critical importance for the In Mongolia,Palaeocene and Lower Eocene deposits are correlation of major events of the earlier Tertiary history of confined to Gobiintermontane depressions (Fig. 1). the Earth. The advantage of the Palaeogene succession of Characteristic sections are known in the Nemegt, Ulan-Nur Western Europe lies in its almost equal proportions of and Bugintsav Basins,and ample collections of mammal marine and continentaldeposits thatintercalate; often fossils have been made (Fig. 2). stratigraphiccorrelation by directobservation is possible. However, the position of the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary itself is ambiguous in Western Europe since deposits with Nemegt Basin diverse facies are difficult tocorrelate and since different Upper Palaeocene and Lower Eocene sequences are groups of organisms (marine and continental) suggest developed in Naran-Bulak. The Naran-BulakFormation conflicting solutions. consists of alternating sandstones and clays, with intercala- Because of the absence of marinedeposits the tions of light grey carbonates; light grey and red colours exclusively continental deposits of the Palaeocene to Eocene predominate. Thestrata are horizontaland cross-bedding sections in Central Asia can offer no solution to the disputed occurs. With a total thickness of 80m,the Naran-Bulak placement of the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary in Western Formation is divided, from the bottom to the top, into the Europe.Hence, the stratigraphy theof Mongolian Zhigden, Naran, Bumban and Aguyt Members (Dashzeveg Palaeogene has only a relative significance, based solely on 1982a). data of the terrestrial fauna and flora. On the other hand, The mostcomplete section of the ZhigdenMember the Central Asian and North American sections have been crops out at the western edge of Tsagan-Khushu where it is correlated to those of Western Europe through comparison almost 27m thick;eastward, the member thins and of land mammal faunas (Gingerich 1976; Rose 1981). The disappears near Ulan-Bulak. It is represented largely by value of land mammals for correlations on a global scale is monotonousred sandstones with intercalations of fine widely recognized. Thus, along with marine organisms, the gravel. Theupper part of the Zhigden sections in the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary can be clarified on the basis southern and northern Naranregion produced surface fossils of mammalian palaeontology. of Archaeolambdaplanicanina, Prodinoceras martyr and Until recently it was considered that the domination of Arctostylops sp. theGashato andNaran-Bulak faunas of Mongolia by TheNaran Member is fairly widespread and is endemic forms made their correlation with coeval faunas in represented by grey sandy clay deposits overlying, with an Western Europeand NorthAmerica difficult (Szalay & erosional contact, the Zhigden Member. The member shows McKenna 1971). As a result of the studies of new mammal two horizons: the lower one is alluvial, andthe upper collections from key sections in Naran-Bulak, it has become lacustrine. Both horizons can betraced in thenorthern possible to placethese faunas accurately within the outcrops of Naran-Bulak, but the upper one is represented internationalsequences, as well as to consider the most completely in the Tsagan-Khushu section. The Palaeocene-Eoceneboundary on a global biostratigraphic maximum thickness of themember is 30m.The alluvial scale (Dashzeveg 1982a). horizon has produced a good mammalian assemblage with 473 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/jgs/article-pdf/145/3/473/4889595/gsjgs.145.3.0473.pdf by guest on 26 September 2021 474 D. DASHZEVEG Fig. 1. (A) Situation of the Nemegt region in south central Mongolia. (B) The Nemegt region and situation of the principal Palaeogene localities. 1, Ulan-Bulak; 2, Naran-Bulak; 3, Tsagan-Khushu. Black circles indiate hilltops; open circles, towns. uintatheres (Prodinoceras martyr; see Dashzeveg 1982b) and is represented by a 20m thickness of red clays. In the predominating. Abundant fossil mammals are recorded in Tsagan-Khushu outcrops, mammalian fossils are associated the northern outcropsof Naran-Bulak; Prodinoceras martyr, with the lower red clays just above the contact with the Pachyaena nemegetica and Archaeolambda planicanina Naran Member. Mammals described from this part of the occur. Various levels of the alluvial horizon yield rare fossils section include Burnbanius rarus, Oedolius perexiguus, of Eurymylus laticeps, Pseudictops lophiodon and Naranius infrequens, Tsaganius ambiguus, Hyopsodus Arctostylops macrodon. The lacustrinehorizon is charac- orientalis, Altanius orlovi, Hyracotherium gabuniai and terized by the mammal fauna that has beenfound in the Homogalax namadicus (Dashzeveg 1977, 1979a, 1979b; northern Naran-Bulak area. Typicalforms are Dissacus Dashzeveg & McKenna 1977; Russell & Dashzeveg 1986). indigenus, Oxyaena sp., ‘Sinopa’ sp., Eurymylus laticeps, The top part of the Naran-Bulak Formation, the Aguyt Pseudictops lophiodon, Prionessus lucifer and Arctostylops Member, is composed of grey sandy clay rocks, with macrodon. secondary beds of carbonate concretions. The only fossil TheBumban Member is developed only along the recorded from this member is Gomphos sp. southern edge of the basin where it forms a red southerly trending range. It conformably overlies the Naran Member Ulan-Nur Basin NEHEGT BASIN Palaeocene and Lower Eocene sequences are found in the LGUYT vicinity of Khashat (Gashato).The KhashatFormation is represented largely by variegated sandy clayswith .. intercalations of carbonate concretions. The overall BUGIN TSAV l thickness is 40m.The formation is divided intothree members (Fig. 2). Asfor the basal one,the Khashat horizon, it is not included here in the Palaeocene, since it might be of anolder, possibly Upper Cretaceous age (Devyatkin 1981). hhato Member I lies onthe gravelly clays of basal Fauna conglomerates and comprises alternating red and brownish sandy clays with intercalations of calcareous mark.The mammalian Gashato fauna was found in three levels of the j 17m thick member.Member I1 (11 m) is continuous throughout its section, represented by brownish clays with Fig. 2. Biostratigraphic correlation between Gashato (Ulan-Nur discrete lenses of gravels and sands. A gravel lens was found Basin), Naran-Bulak (Nemegt Basin) and Khaichin-Ula I1 to contain Gomphos elkema. Member 111 overlies Member (Bugintsav Basin). 1, Prionessus lucifer; 2, Naranius infrequens; 3, Bumbanius rarus; 4, Oedolius perexiguus; 5, Tsaganius ambiguus; I1 with a distinct erosional contact. It shows 12 m of gravels 6, Hyopsodus orientalis; 7, Dissacus indigenus; 8, Pachyaena and grey clays. The gravels contained Gomphos elkema nemegetica; 9, Hapalodectus sp.; 10, Eurymylus laticeps; 11, (Zhegallo & Shevyreva 1976). Zagmys insolitus; 12, Rhombomylus sp.; 13, Gomphos elkema; 13a, A basalt unit at the top of Member I1 of the Khashat Gomphos sp.; 14, Pseudictops lophiodon; 15, Mixodontia nov.; 16, Formation produced an absolute age of 51 f 2 My (Gabunia Rodentia nov.; 17, Oxyaena sp.; 18, ‘Sinopa’ sp.; 19, Altanius et al. 1975). A second dating of Khashat basalts yielded a orlovi; 20, Archaeolambda planicanina; 21, Archaeolambda sp.; 22, younger age of 37 f 1 Ma, so it is evident that the absolute Archaeolambda trofimovi; 23, Coryphodon tsaganensis; 24, age needs further verification (Devyatkin 1981). Prodinoceras martyr; 25, Prodinoceras sp.; 26, Arctostylops In recent years, fossils of Gomphos elkema have been macrodon; 27, Arctostylops iturus; 28, Arctostylops sp.; 29, found by theauthor in several different levels of the Ernanodon sp.; 30,Hyracotherium gabuniai; 31, Homogalax Bumban Member in the vicinity of Naran-Bulak. The early namadicus. a, fossiliferous lenses; b, hiatus; c, fossil locality; d, Eocene age of G. elkema is supported by the fossils basalt. associated with
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