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Fossils and Tectonics Along the Highland Boundary Fault in Scotland

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Fossils and Tectonics Along the Highland Boundary Fault in Scotland Fossils and tectonics along the Highland Boundary Fault in Scotland G. B. CURRY Department of Geology, The University, Glasgow, G128QQ, UK Abstract: The tectonic significance of fossil discoveries fromthe Highland Border Complex of Scotland is described. These sparse but diverse macro- and microfossils have been recovered from a wide range of lithologies across Scotland, and range in age from early to late Ordovician, thereby refuting any attempt to incorporate the HBCwithin the Dalradian Supergroup. The Lower Cambrian trilobite fauna from the Leny Limestone could represent an isolated remnant of an early development of the Ordovician HBC basin(s), or alternatively may providean upper age limit for Dalradian sedimentation. Further palaeontological prospecting in the zone, especially in relatively undeformed lateDalradian sediments,could resolve this andother problems which complicate theregional tectonic interpretations. About 30% of the land area of Scotland is composed of discoveries. The unravelling of the complex overstep fossiliferous rocks,and further extensive fossil-yielding Ordovicianstratigraphy in theSouthern Uplands (e.g., depositshave been well documented from the offshore Lapworth, see discussion in Williams 1962), the early continental margin. As a result palaeontological research in recognition of the Palaeozoic fauna1 continuity between Scotland spans a wide range of topics from micropalaeontol- Scotland and North America (e.g., Salter in Murchison ogy and palynology, through extensive taxonomic investiga- l859), and the role played by palaeontologists in the tions of a wide range of fossil marine organisms, to studies recognition of the Moine Thrust (McIntyre 1954), are all of freshwater and terrestrial vertebrates.Indeed Scottish good examples of such an application. It would clearly be Carboniferous successions are currently the focus of intense impossible toattempt even a synoptic review of these palaeontological interest having yielded, in recent years, the examples in this paper, especially as there are valid grounds first conodont animal (Briggs et al. 1983)>a remarkable for suggesting that all fossils are potentially of direct tectonic shark, fish, and crustacean fauna (Wood 1982), as well as significance because of the informationthey can provide the earliestamphibian fossil (Wood et al. 1985). Such on age, correlation and environment. Instead the intention ‘Konservat-Lagerstatte’ deposits (Briggs & Clarkson 1983) here is to describe the considerabletectonic implications in the Carboniferous successions of the Midland Valley wil! of relatively recent,and hence possibly not widely probably continue to yield fossils of tremendous significance disseminated, palaeontological discoveries from one small for many years, and these localities are clearly destined to area of Scotland, which provide an ideal microcosmic become of worldwide renown. Similarly the Cambro- demonstration of the many facets of tectonic reconstruction Ordovician DurnessGroup of the NWHighlands, the to which palaeontology is animportant, if not essential, extensive Ordovician and Silurian deposits in the Southern adjunct. Uplands(e.g., at Girvan), and strata of Devonian age In comparison with-the examples mentioned above, the (which have yielded many non-marine fish and crustaceans), rocks of the Highland Border Complex (HBC), are poorly are widely known and intensely studied palaeontologically. known. The exposures are very small (a few square metres Scottish Mesozoic and Cenozoicrocks, although relatively in some cases) and are generally considerably altered and rare on land, nevertheless make a useful contribution to our intensely faulted. Establishing a valid stratigraphical understanding of biogeography duringthese eras, in correlation for such exposures across thebreadth of addition to their offshore economic importance. Indeed the Scotland has always proved a daunting task full of potential fundamental need for accurate dating and correlation in the pitfalls. Yetreferences to theserocks, as the ‘Highland Scottish offshore oil industryhas prompted considerable Border Series’ or the ‘Margie Series’, are common in interestin the micropalaeontologyand palynology of treatments of British stratigraphy, although it is clear that post-Palaeozoic sediments, which has been of considerable few geologists have much knowledge or appreciation of the benefit to the wider palaeontological community because it rocks themselves. This lack of understanding is reflected in has resulted in a greatly increased knowledge of such faunas the widespread usage of the term ‘Series’, because the and floras and of their stratigraphical importance. Highland Border rocks certainly do notconstitute a valid The intention of this paper, however, is not to dwell on chronostratigraphical ‘Series’ such as Arenig or Llandovery the broad subject of Scottish palaeontology, but to focus on (while the term ‘Complex’ is ideally suited-Henderson & the importance of Scottish fossil discoveries for interpreta- Robertson 1982; see discussion in Curry et al. 1984). Yet, it tions of tectonichistory. Even thisrestricted field of is the poorness and intractibility of the exposures which, referenceencompasses a vast range of possible examples, arguably,makes the fossil discoveries discussed below all representing the work of a great many palaeontologists past thebetter as demonstration a of the potential of and present, who influenced, readically altered, or created palaeontology for tectonics. Recent re-investigations of the new tectonic interpretations as a direct result of their fossil Highland Border Complex hadresulted in a novel 193 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/jgs/article-pdf/143/1/193/4893460/gsjgs.143.1.0193.pdf by guest on 26 September 2021 194 G. B. CURRY interpretationfor their geological history which proposed 1963). By the early 1960s the clear consensus was that these incorporating them within the largely PrecambrianDal- fossils were not sufficiently diagnostic to date the host rocks radian Supergroup. However the discovery of Ordovician as anything other than Lower Palaeozoic (i.e. they could be fossils showed that this interpretation could not be justified Cambrian, Ordovician, or Silurian). (Curry et al. 1982, 1984), and also provided the first reliable In modern times, therefore, the Lower Cambrian age for method of correlating the disparate outcrops as well as the the Leny Limestone was the only firm palaeontological age first patchwork view of the possible tectonic relationships of datum, although many workers persisted with the the diverse lithologies represented. uncorroborated assumption that Ordovician rocks were also present.Palaeontological studies had effectively ceased following the discrediting of the earlier taxonomic The Highland Border Complex identifications although successful attemptswere made to Although the history of research on the rocks of the HBC recover microfossils fromsome lithologies, but no has been described elsewhere (Curry in Curry et al. 1984), unequivocal agedeterminations resulted (Downie et al. an historical perspective is as crucial as spatial a 1971). The macrofossils were stored in museums, or lost, appreciation of theoutcrops for an understanding of the and remained an enigmatic factor, especially as they had tectonic implications of the fossil discoveries, and will never been thoroughly monographed and indeed many have therefore be briefly outlined. neverbeen photographed. This was happeningat a time Highland Border limestoneswere extensively quarried when the combination of rapid advances in radiometric during theeighteenth century, butsustained academic dating and structural analysis were providing many very research was only initiatedduring the mid-nineteenth precise age determinationsand interpretations of tectonic century. Of particular significance was the recognition by history for theDalradian Supergroupand the Old Red Nicol (1850) of lithological similarities between the clastic Sandstone in Scotland. The HBC, relatively minute slivers components of theHBC and the fossiliferous Ordovician sandwiched betweenthese two major units (Fig. l), greywackes, cherts and shales of the Southern Uplands over remainedas a largely unexplained component of the 100 km to the south. This led Nicol (1850) to suggest that Scottish geological patchwork. The Highland Border rocks theHBC and Southern Uplands successions werelateral crop out in a narrow belt, between 150 m and 2000 m wide, equivalents, andthat the intermediate strata across the along the line of the Highland BoundaryFault (Fig. 1). Midland Valley were hidden beneath the Upper Palaeozoic Therefore, apart from explaining the geology of the rocks sediments of the Strathmore syncline (Fig. 1). Viewed in a themselves, research in the zone was further stimulated by moderncontext, the most significant aspect of this the hope that the results would throw considerable light on interpretation was the establishment of a link between this major fracture zone which has always been difficult to Ordovician fossiliferous successions in the Southern Uplands study in detail because of the lack of good exposure. andthe HBC which atthat time was not known tobe The debate as to the affinities of the HBC centres on fossiliferous. The implication thatthe HBC contained contrasting viewpoints as to their relationship with the Lower Ordovician rocks became widely disseminated during Dalradian Supergroup, which forms the northern margin of thelatter half of thenineteenth
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