Synonyms: Upper part of the Nötschgraben-Gruppe and Thickness: 400–600 m. Pölland-Gruppe in FLÜGEL & KODSI (1968) and KODSI & FLÜ- Lithostratigraphically higher rank unit: - GEL (1970). Lithostratigraphic subdivision: - Lithology: Clastic sequence of greyish shales, mudstones, siltstones, sandstones and medium to coarse grained con- Underlying unit(s): Badstub Formation. glomerates. Overlying unit(s): Gröden Formation (?). The contact be- Fossils: Trilobites, rugose corals, brachiopods, goniatites, tween the two units is, however, not exposed. nautiloids, gastropods, crinoids, echinoids, ophiocistoids, Lateral unit(s): - bryozoans, phyllocarids, arachnids (spiders), monoplaco- phores, serpulids, plants (see SCHRAUT, 1999). Geographic distribution: Northern side of Gail Valley be- Origin, facies: Shallow marin, below storm wave base. tween Windische Höhe in the west and Mount Dobratsch (Villacher Alpe) in the east (see map by SCHÖNLAUB, 1985d). Chronostratigraphic age: Serpukhovian. Remarks: - Biostratigraphy: Based on corals and plants (Lepidophy- ta, Calamites). Complementary references: - Drauzug / Drau Range The base of the Mesozoic Drau Range is composed of Origin, facies: Clastic proximal to distal alluvial fan de- late to post-Variscan sediments of early to late Permian posits intercalated with highly bioturbated playa-sedi- ages. These sediments reach up some 500 m in thickness ments and up to 80 m thick rhyolitic pyroclastics (ash flow and overlie unconformably different types of metamor- tuffs, ignimbrites) in the upper part. phic rocks (“Gailtalkristallin”). The sedimentary sequence Chronostratigraphic age: Asselian (Lower Permian). is characterized by molasse-type sediments deposited Biostratigraphy: callipteris conferta Zone. in intermontane basins which were formed by block and wrench faulting during the late orogenic stage of the Va- Thickness: Up to 150 meters. riscan cycle. The Permian sedimentation took place un- Lithostratigraphically higher rank unit: - der increasingly semiarid to arid climatic conditions; the Lithostratigraphic subdivision: - sudden alteration in sedimentation (Alpine Buntsandstein), obviously caused by a climatic change presumably repre- Underlying unit(s): Gailtal Crystalline Complex. sents the Permian/Triassic boundary (KRAINER, 1993c). Overlying unit(s): Coarse clastics of the Gröden Forma- tion. Lateral unit(s): - Laas-Formation / Laas Formation Geographic distribution: Northern side of Gail Valley HANS P. SCHÖNLAUB overlying the Gailtal Crystalline Complex in the surround- Validity: Valid; first denomination and formalized by NIE- ings north of Kötschach-Mauthen (see map by SCHÖN- DERMAYR & SCHERIAU-NIEDERMAYR (1982: p. 35–40). LAUB, 1985c) as well as on the northern side of the Gailtal Type area: ÖK50-UTM, map sheet 3110 Kötschach-Mau- Alps (Drauzug). then (ÖK50-BMN, map sheet 197 Kötschach), Carinthia, Remarks: - between Gailberg Pass and Maiengraben near the village Complementary references: - of St. Daniel. Type section: N 45°41’39” / E 13°00’57”. Northeast of the Gröden-Formation / Gröden Formation small village of Lanz (1,038 m) NNE of Kötschach at an al- (see also description in Carnic Alps) titude of 1,300 m along the forest road from Lanz to Stelz- HANS P. SCHÖNLAUB ling Hütte (NIEDERMAYR & SCHERIAU-NIEDERMAYR, 1982: p. 37; KRAINER, 1990b: p. 64) Validity: See entry Gröden Formation in Carnic Alps. Reference section(s): Tiebelgraben, Riedgraben between Type area: See entry Gröden Formation in Carnic Alps. the villages Paternion and Stockenboi (KRAINER, 1990b) on Type section: See entry Gröden Formation in Carnic Alps. ÖK50-BMN, map sheets 199 Hermagor, 200 Arnoldstein. Reference section(s): See entry Gröden Formation in Derivation of name: Named after the village of Laas north- Carnic Alps. west of Kötschach-Mauthen. Derivation of name: See entry Gröden Formation in Car- Synonyms: Postvariszische Transgressionsserie, Liegende nic Alps. Serie, Serie von Laas, Laaser Schichten, Kontinentaldetri- Synonyms: See entry Gröden Formation in Carnic Alps. tisches Perm, Freudenberg Schichten (RIEHL-HERWIRSCH, 1965, 1972; NIEDERMAYR, 1975; NIEDERMAYR & SCHERIAU- Lithology: Coarse clastic sequence of conglomerates in- NIEDERMAYR, 1982; KRAINER, 1985, 1990b, 1993b). terbedded with red-colored sandstones interpreted as al- luvial fan sequence of a braided river system in an semi- Lithology: Conglomerates, breccias, red and grey sand- arid to arid climate. The red color is derived from finely stones and siltstones. dispersed hematite. Locally, in the middle part magnesite Fossils: Plants, ostracods, Spirorbis, fish scales, tetra- and dolomite bearing sand- and siltstones occur contain- pod imprints (Ichniotherium cottae), root and soil horizons, ing caliche crusts and playa sediments indicating a tempo- plants. ral evaporitic environment. 99 Fossils: In the lower part of the section fossil trees are Lithostratigraphic subdivision: - intercalated in the basal portion identified as Dadoxylon Underlying unit(s): Laas Formation and Gailtal Crystalline schrollianum; also, spores have rarely been found. Complex, respectively. Origin, facies: See entry Gröden Formation in Carnic Alps. Overlying unit(s): Alpiner Buntsandstein and Werfen For- Chronostratigraphic age: Late Middle Permian due to re- mation of the Triassic sequence. worked pebbles of quartzporphyritic composition presum- ably derived from the Bozen Quartzporphyry of the Dolo- Lateral unit(s): - mites. Geographic distribution: In the Gailtal Alps and Lienz Do- Biostratigraphy: - lomites (“Drauzug”). Thickness: Up to 350 meters. Remarks: - Lithostratigraphically higher rank unit: - Complementary references: - Nördliche Kalkalpen / Northern Calcareous Alps The thick Mesozoic sequences of the Northern Calcareous Lithostratigraphic subdivision: - Alps are resting on predominantly clastic (Upper) Permian Underlying unit(s): Various units of the Variscan Alpine se- sediments. A primary (transgressive) contact to the under- quence. lying Greywacke Zone (e.g., Leobner Hut area near Eisen- Overlying unit(s): Triassic sequences of the Northern Cal- erz) is only rarely known due to overprint by Alpidic tec- careous Alps. tonic movements. In some cases a coherent connection between Permian “continental detritic” deposits and a Me- Lateral unit(s): - sozoic cover is not traceable since they feature tectonic Geographic distribution: The Alpine Verrucano occurs at hangingwall boundaries (e.g., Silbersberg Nappes in NE the base of the Alpine orogenic cycle within the Austroal- Styria and Lower Austria, and Veitsch Nappe south of the pine nappe system. Mürz Valley; NEUBAUER et al.,1994). Remarks: - Complementary references: - Alpiner Verruccano / Alpine Verruccano HANS P. SCHÖNLAUB Präbichl-Formation / Präbichl Formation Validity: Invalid. HANS P. SCHÖNLAUB Remarks: The term “Alpiner Verrucano” was introduced Validity: Invalid; the term was introduced by SCHWINNER by TOLLMANN (1962). TOLLMANN (1972: p. 83) defined this (1929) for the clastic post-Variscan cover overlying De- unit as coarse to fine detritic, weakly bedded continental vonian limestones between Leobner Hütte (1,582 m) and Permian series deposited in an arid climate at the onset the mountain Polster (1,910 m) northeast of Präbichl Pass, of the Alpine sedimentary cycle. Interbedded are acid vol- Styria, at the base of the Northern Calcareous Alps. canics and its debris. According to TOLLMANN (1972) and Type area: ÖK50-UTM, map sheet 4215 Eisenerz (ÖK50- RIEHL-HERWIRSCH (1972) the “Alpiner Verrucano” should BMN, map sheet 101 Eisenerz), area between Polster Kar, not be mixed with the “Verrucano Alpino” of ACCORDI Leobner Hütte and peak of Polster northeast of Präbichl (1956) which is restricted to the Lower Permian conglom- Pass, Styria. erates overlying the Variscan sequence. Hence, RIEHL- Type section: Northeastern directed section between HERWIRSCH (1972: p. 104) suggested to abandon this name and not to use it in further descriptions of tentatively simi- “Knappensteig” west of Leobner Hütte and Hirschegg Sat- lar rock sequences. tel (1699 m) (N 47°32’00” / E 14°58’14”). Reference section(s): - Type area: Not defined. Derivation of name: After Präbichl Pass (1,226 m) in the Type section: No type section defined. Eisenerz Alps (Styria). Reference section(s): - Synonyms: Prebichlschichten, Präbichlkonglomerat Derivation of name: After Castell Verruca in the Monte (SCHWIN NER, 1929; CORNELIus, 1936); Werfener Basis- Pisani area (Tuscany/Italy). brekzie (HIEssLEITNER, 1931, 1935); Basiskonglomerat der Synonyms: - Werfener Schichten (HABERFELNER, 1935); Präbichlschich- ten (KRAINER & STINGL, 1986). Lithology: Mainly red, partly green, grey or brown coarse to fine grained conglomerates, sandstones and volcani- Lithology: Generally, the predominantly red clastic se- clastics. quence starts with an up to 50 m thick limestone conglom- erate containing pebbles from the underlying strata (lime- Fossils: Rare and very badly preserved plant remains. stones, siderite, ankerite). This basal conglomerate and Origin, facies: Continental redbeds. breccia is succeeded by interbedded lenses of quartz-rich Chronostratigraphic age: Permian. conglomerates and pink siltstones which grade into more than 50 m thick sandstones alternating with mudstones Biostratigraphy: - and siltstones (SOMMER, 1972). In the quartz-rich conglom- Thickness: Up to 1,000 m. erate chert clasts occur quite frequently and are derived Lithostratigraphically higher rank unit: - from the reworked Devonian to Carboniferous sequence