Pub Date : 2025-07-04DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106200
Xin Gao , Tiegang Li
The Songliao Basin, located in northeastern China, is one of the largest continental rift basins in East Asia. It preserves a nearly complete record of Cretaceous continental sedimentary records, providing insights into paleoclimatic, geodynamical, and tectonic processes in terrestrial systems during the Cretaceous Period. The Lower Cretaceous Shahezi Formation, deposited during the syn-rift stage of the Songliao Basin, consists of thick sequences of terrestrial clastic sediments. However, the provenance of the sediments and tectonic background during the deposition of the Shahezi Formation remain poorly understood. This study utilises U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from six sandstone samples collected from the Shahezi Formation as part of the International Continental Drilling Project SK-2 borehole in the Songliao Basin. The zircon age distributions reveal three dominant age clusters: ∼128–113 Ma, ∼184–159 Ma, and ∼247–216 Ma, indicating that the primary sediment source remained stable throughout deposition. These results suggest that the northern Great Xing’an Range was a significant sediment source, contributing to the Shahezi Formation at approximately 118–113 Ma.
{"title":"Detrital zircon provenance of the Lower Cretaceous Shahezi Formation in the Songliao Basin, Northeast China: Insights from LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology","authors":"Xin Gao , Tiegang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106200","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106200","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Songliao Basin, located in northeastern China, is one of the largest continental rift basins in East Asia. It preserves a nearly complete record of Cretaceous continental sedimentary records, providing insights into paleoclimatic, geodynamical, and tectonic processes in terrestrial systems during the Cretaceous Period. The Lower Cretaceous Shahezi Formation, deposited during the syn-rift stage of the Songliao Basin, consists of thick sequences of terrestrial clastic sediments. However, the provenance of the sediments and tectonic background during the deposition of the Shahezi Formation remain poorly understood. This study utilises U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from six sandstone samples collected from the Shahezi Formation as part of the International Continental Drilling Project SK-2 borehole in the Songliao Basin. The zircon age distributions reveal three dominant age clusters: ∼128–113 Ma, ∼184–159 Ma, and ∼247–216 Ma, indicating that the primary sediment source remained stable throughout deposition. These results suggest that the northern Great Xing’an Range was a significant sediment source, contributing to the Shahezi Formation at approximately 118–113 Ma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106200"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-03DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106199
Oscar Castillo-Visa , Mattia Antonio Baiano , Stephen L. Brusatte , Àngel Galobart , Bernat Vila
Non-avian theropods were essential components of terrestrial ecosystems during the Mesozoic, were highly diverse in size and lifestyles across different regions of the planet. Here we assess the composition and diversity of the theropod fauna of the Ibero-Armorican island (the ancient region that encompassed present-day areas of Spain, Portugal, and France) during the final few hundred thousand years of the Cretaceous, by reviewing the theropod teeth assemblage from the locality of Molí del Baró-1 (upper Maastrichtian, C29r, Catalonia, Spain). Our study indicates a diverse fauna of small non-avian theropods with different feeding strategies and ecological niches. The tooth assemblage is significantly more diverse than previously thought and includes dental elements referred to dromaeosaurines, velociraptorines, troodontids, and an undetermined Dromaeosauridae tooth with similarities to microraptorines, as well as previously-referred teeth of cf. ?Richardoestesia and aff. Paronychodon. Microwear analysis reveals diverse feeding styles among these theropods, and particularly indicates that the troodontid had an omnivorous diet heavy in plant consumption. The assemblage of small-sized non-avian theropods and medium-to large-sized abelisaurids from the uppermost Maastrichtian of Ibero-Armorica differs from others from the European archipelago and worldwide, illustrating the high regional variability of theropod faunas around the time the asteroid impact ended the Cretaceous.
非鸟类兽脚亚目是中生代陆地生态系统的重要组成部分，在地球不同地区的大小和生活方式高度多样化。在这里，我们通过回顾Molí del Baró-1（上马斯特里赫特，C29r，西班牙加泰罗尼亚）地区的兽脚亚目动物牙齿组合，评估了白垩纪最后几十万年伊比利亚-阿莫里亚岛（古代地区包括今天的西班牙、葡萄牙和法国地区）兽脚亚目动物群的组成和多样性。我们的研究表明，小型非鸟类兽脚亚目动物群具有不同的摄食策略和生态位。该牙齿组合比之前认为的要多样化得多，包括被称为驰龙类、迅猛龙类、齿状突类的牙齿元素，以及一种与小盗龙相似的未确定的驰龙科牙齿，以及之前被称为cf. richard estesia和aff. Paronychodon的牙齿。微磨损分析揭示了这些兽脚亚目动物不同的摄食方式，特别表明齿形兽以植物为主的杂食性饮食。来自伊比利亚-阿莫里卡岛最上层马斯特里赫特岛的小型非鸟类兽脚亚目和中型至大型阿贝利龙的组合不同于欧洲群岛和世界范围内的其他恐龙，说明了在小行星撞击结束白垩纪前后兽脚亚目动物群的高度区域变异性。
{"title":"The last non-avian theropods of Europe: Palaeoecology and biogeography inferred from dental records from the uppermost Maastrichtian of Catalonia, Spain","authors":"Oscar Castillo-Visa , Mattia Antonio Baiano , Stephen L. Brusatte , Àngel Galobart , Bernat Vila","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-avian theropods were essential components of terrestrial ecosystems during the Mesozoic, were highly diverse in size and lifestyles across different regions of the planet. Here we assess the composition and diversity of the theropod fauna of the Ibero-Armorican island (the ancient region that encompassed present-day areas of Spain, Portugal, and France) during the final few hundred thousand years of the Cretaceous, by reviewing the theropod teeth assemblage from the locality of Molí del Baró-1 (upper Maastrichtian, C29r, Catalonia, Spain). Our study indicates a diverse fauna of small non-avian theropods with different feeding strategies and ecological niches. The tooth assemblage is significantly more diverse than previously thought and includes dental elements referred to dromaeosaurines, velociraptorines, troodontids, and an undetermined Dromaeosauridae tooth with similarities to microraptorines, as well as previously-referred teeth of cf. ?<em>Richardoestesia</em> and aff. <em>Paronychodon</em>. Microwear analysis reveals diverse feeding styles among these theropods, and particularly indicates that the troodontid had an omnivorous diet heavy in plant consumption. The assemblage of small-sized non-avian theropods and medium-to large-sized abelisaurids from the uppermost Maastrichtian of Ibero-Armorica differs from others from the European archipelago and worldwide, illustrating the high regional variability of theropod faunas around the time the asteroid impact ended the Cretaceous.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106199"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144670733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106198
Jan Batelka , Rolf G. Beutel , Gabriel Biffi , Anderson Lepeco
A fossil beetle species from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of northeastern Brazil is described. †Cratovorus archaicus gen. nov. et sp. nov. is assigned with confidence to the subfamily Ripidiinae, tribe Ripidiini, of the highly specialized tenebrionoid Ripiphoridae. It is the earliest known fossil of this family at present, and also the first described Mesozoic species of Tenebrionoidea from the Southern Hemisphere. Its specialized morphology is similar to extant males of Ripidiini and it shares several apomorphies with this tribe, which strongly suggests that †Cratovorus archaicus gen. nov. et sp. nov. had already parasitic larvae. It is also similar to some other Cretaceous genera of the family, which were likely associated with an extant lineage of Blattodea also found in the deposit. Endoparasitic development as implied by the placement in Ripidiinae makes this the earliest record of parasitoidism in Coleoptera. An annotated list of Coleoptera described from Crato Formation and those mentioned from this deposit as nomina nuda is provided. The importance of beetle species from Crato Formation for understanding the evolution of the represented lineages is discussed.
描述了巴西东北部下白垩纪克拉托组的一种甲虫化石。†Cratovorus archaicus gen. 11 . et sp. 11 .被自信地归入高度特化的拟甲目Ripiphoridae的Ripidiinae亚科，Ripidiini部落。这是目前已知最早的这一科化石，也是第一个在南半球被描述的中生代拟黄目物种。其特化形态与现存的Ripidiini雄性相似，并与该部落有几个共同的外形特征，这强烈表明†Cratovorus archaicus gen. 11 . et sp. 11 .已经有寄生幼虫。它也与该家族的其他白垩纪属相似，这些属可能与该矿床中发现的现存的Blattodea谱系有关。内寄生的发展暗示了其在Ripidiinae中的位置，使其成为鞘翅目中最早的寄生记录。本文提供了从克拉托组描述的鞘翅目和从该矿床中提到的命名的鞘翅目的注释列表。讨论了克拉托组甲虫种类对了解代表性谱系演化的重要性。
{"title":"The earliest parasitoid beetle (Tenebrionoidea: Ripiphoridae) and an overview of Coleoptera from the Lower Cretaceous Crato formation","authors":"Jan Batelka , Rolf G. Beutel , Gabriel Biffi , Anderson Lepeco","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106198","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A fossil beetle species from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of northeastern Brazil is described. <strong>†<em>Cratovorus archaicus</em> gen. nov. et sp. nov.</strong> is assigned with confidence to the subfamily Ripidiinae, tribe Ripidiini, of the highly specialized tenebrionoid Ripiphoridae. It is the earliest known fossil of this family at present, and also the first described Mesozoic species of Tenebrionoidea from the Southern Hemisphere. Its specialized morphology is similar to extant males of Ripidiini and it shares several apomorphies with this tribe, which strongly suggests that <strong>†<em>Cratovorus archaicus</em> gen. nov. et sp. nov.</strong> had already parasitic larvae. It is also similar to some other Cretaceous genera of the family, which were likely associated with an extant lineage of Blattodea also found in the deposit. Endoparasitic development as implied by the placement in Ripidiinae makes this the earliest record of parasitoidism in Coleoptera. An annotated list of Coleoptera described from Crato Formation and those mentioned from this deposit as <em>nomina nuda</em> is provided. The importance of beetle species from Crato Formation for understanding the evolution of the represented lineages is discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106198"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144588676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-30DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106195
Valéria Gallo , Rafaela Petra , Hanna Carolina Lins de Paiva , Francisco J. de Figueiredo , Hermínio Ismael de Araújo-Júnior
Taphonomic processes affecting vertebrate remains vary across environments, resulting in preservation patterns typical of different physical settings. Fish taphonomy, in particular, provides valuable insights into limnology, community composition, life history, mortality, depositional conditions, and preservation mechanisms. However, most taphonomic studies on fossil fish have focused on lacustrine deposits, leaving marine deposits comparatively underexplored. Research on marine settings often emphasizes mortality causes, such as abrupt temperature changes, cold shocks, hypothermia, and low dissolved oxygen levels. The paleoichthyofauna of the Morro do Chaves Formation (MCF) is generally regarded as diverse, abundant, and well-preserved. Despite this, most previous studies have emphasized taxonomy and systematics, with limited focus on paleoecological and taphonomic aspects. This study addresses this gap through a comprehensive taphonomic analysis of the MCF fish assemblage, integrating the latest paleobiological, sedimentological and stratigraphic data. Qualitative and quantitative analyzes from 133 specimens revealed four distinct taphofacies distributed throughout the formation. The MCF represents a seasonal lacustrine paleoenvironment, as indicated by cyclic deposits of coquinas, shales, and sandstones, along with sedimentary structures such as mud cracks. Two distinct paleoenvironmental interpretations emerge for the MCF: the Sergipe portion represents the paleolake border, while the Alagoas portion corresponds to the more distal portion of the paleolake. The occurrence of fish remains spanning various ontogenetic stages, along with bioclasts aligned parallel to bedding planes, indicates minimal reworking, short transport distances, and non-selective mortality events. Furthermore, the presence of marine taxa in MCF indicates sporadic yet intense marine incursions in the northern Sergipe-Alagoas Basin during the Early Cretaceous.
影响脊椎动物遗骸的埋藏过程因环境而异，导致不同物理环境的典型保存模式。特别是鱼类地层学，对湖沼学、群落组成、生活史、死亡率、沉积条件和保存机制提供了有价值的见解。然而，大多数鱼类化石的地貌学研究都集中在湖泊沉积物上，而海洋沉积物的勘探相对较少。对海洋环境的研究往往强调死亡原因，如温度突然变化、冷休克、体温过低和溶解氧水平低。Morro do Chaves组（MCF）的古鱼区系通常被认为是多样、丰富且保存完好的。尽管如此，以往的研究大多侧重于分类学和系统学，对古生态和地层学方面的关注有限。本研究通过综合最新的古生物学、沉积学和地层学资料，对MCF鱼类组合进行全面的地层学分析，解决了这一空白。通过对133个样品的定性和定量分析，揭示了四种不同的触相分布在整个地层中。MCF代表了一个季节性的湖相古环境，其特征是coquinas、页岩和砂岩的循环沉积，以及泥裂缝等沉积构造。MCF出现了两种不同的古环境解释：Sergipe部分代表古湖泊边界，而Alagoas部分对应古湖泊的更远部分。鱼类遗骸的出现跨越了不同的个体发育阶段，生物碎屑平行于层理平面排列，表明了最小的改造，短的运输距离和非选择性死亡事件。此外，MCF中海洋分类群的存在表明早白垩世早期Sergipe-Alagoas盆地北部有零星但强烈的海洋入侵。
{"title":"Taphonomic patterns in lower cretaceous fish assemblages: Evidence from the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, Brazil","authors":"Valéria Gallo , Rafaela Petra , Hanna Carolina Lins de Paiva , Francisco J. de Figueiredo , Hermínio Ismael de Araújo-Júnior","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106195","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Taphonomic processes affecting vertebrate remains vary across environments, resulting in preservation patterns typical of different physical settings. Fish taphonomy, in particular, provides valuable insights into limnology, community composition, life history, mortality, depositional conditions, and preservation mechanisms. However, most taphonomic studies on fossil fish have focused on lacustrine deposits, leaving marine deposits comparatively underexplored. Research on marine settings often emphasizes mortality causes, such as abrupt temperature changes, cold shocks, hypothermia, and low dissolved oxygen levels. The paleoichthyofauna of the Morro do Chaves Formation (MCF) is generally regarded as diverse, abundant, and well-preserved. Despite this, most previous studies have emphasized taxonomy and systematics, with limited focus on paleoecological and taphonomic aspects. This study addresses this gap through a comprehensive taphonomic analysis of the MCF fish assemblage, integrating the latest paleobiological, sedimentological and stratigraphic data. Qualitative and quantitative analyzes from 133 specimens revealed four distinct taphofacies distributed throughout the formation. The MCF represents a seasonal lacustrine paleoenvironment, as indicated by cyclic deposits of coquinas, shales, and sandstones, along with sedimentary structures such as mud cracks. Two distinct paleoenvironmental interpretations emerge for the MCF: the Sergipe portion represents the paleolake border, while the Alagoas portion corresponds to the more distal portion of the paleolake. The occurrence of fish remains spanning various ontogenetic stages, along with bioclasts aligned parallel to bedding planes, indicates minimal reworking, short transport distances, and non-selective mortality events. Furthermore, the presence of marine taxa in MCF indicates sporadic yet intense marine incursions in the northern Sergipe-Alagoas Basin during the Early Cretaceous.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106195"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-29DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106197
Kubo Tai , Kodai Usami , Ren Hirayama , Masaya Iijima , Daniela E. Winkler , Ai Ito , Hikaru Uno , Shinya Miyata , Mugino O. Kubo
Here we describe recently recovered crocodyliform remains from the Tamagawa Formation of Kuji Group, Kuji city, northeastern Japan. The material comprises osteoderms, vertebrae, a frontal bone, and isolated teeth. The dorsal paravertebral osteoderms bear a sagittal keel on the posterior half of the element, extending to its caudal margin, which indicates the presence of paralligatorids within the Kuji crocodyliform assemblage. Further, the Kuji crocodyliform assemblage may have consisted of multiple taxa, as the frontal bone lacks the sagittal keel characteristic of paralligatorids. Contemporaneous paralligatorids have been reported from Northeastern China, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. The discovery of a potential paralligatorid from Kuji, Japan, suggests that paralligatorids were widely distributed across Asia, from coastal to inland regions, during the Late Cretaceous. Furthermore, potential diets of taxa included in the crocodyliform assemblage from Kuji were estimated through dental microwear texture analysis. The dental microwear texture observed in Kuji specimens is distinct from that of piscivorous and small crocodylians (skull length <20 cm), while comparable to that of large crocodylians consuming hard-objects (skull length >20 cm). Considering the existence of a medium-sized species (3 m total length) in the crocodyliform assemblage from Kuji, their diet probably included mid to large sized tetrapods, such as turtles and dinosaurs.
{"title":"Crocodyliform remains from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Tamagawa Formation, northeastern Japan with preliminary dietary reconstruction through dental microwear texture analysis","authors":"Kubo Tai , Kodai Usami , Ren Hirayama , Masaya Iijima , Daniela E. Winkler , Ai Ito , Hikaru Uno , Shinya Miyata , Mugino O. Kubo","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106197","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Here we describe recently recovered crocodyliform remains from the Tamagawa Formation of Kuji Group, Kuji city, northeastern Japan. The material comprises osteoderms, vertebrae, a frontal bone, and isolated teeth. The dorsal paravertebral osteoderms bear a sagittal keel on the posterior half of the element, extending to its caudal margin, which indicates the presence of paralligatorids within the Kuji crocodyliform assemblage. Further, the Kuji crocodyliform assemblage may have consisted of multiple taxa, as the frontal bone lacks the sagittal keel characteristic of paralligatorids. Contemporaneous paralligatorids have been reported from Northeastern China, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. The discovery of a potential paralligatorid from Kuji, Japan, suggests that paralligatorids were widely distributed across Asia, from coastal to inland regions, during the Late Cretaceous. Furthermore, potential diets of taxa included in the crocodyliform assemblage from Kuji were estimated through dental microwear texture analysis. The dental microwear texture observed in Kuji specimens is distinct from that of piscivorous and small crocodylians (skull length <20 cm), while comparable to that of large crocodylians consuming hard-objects (skull length >20 cm). Considering the existence of a medium-sized species (3 m total length) in the crocodyliform assemblage from Kuji, their diet probably included mid to large sized tetrapods, such as turtles and dinosaurs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106197"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144605456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106194
Anja Kocjančič , Maria Rose Petrizzo , Aleksander Horvat
This paper examines the 42 m thick Upper Cretaceous sedimentary succession of the Čanj section in the Budva Zone (Dinarides), Montenegro, with a focus on planktonic foraminifera and geochemical characteristics across the Santonian/Campanian boundary. The section features well-preserved red pelagic Scaglia-type limestones with occasional chert intercalations, similar to the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) observed worldwide. An integrated stratigraphic analysis, including biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy, was conducted to identify isotopic signals and planktonic foraminiferal species that characterize this Tethyan facies, and to locate the Santonian/Campanian boundary. The lithostratigraphic framework of the section includes distinct members (RM1, RM2, and RM3), along with a notable White Member (WM) containing black chert layers. Stable isotopes (δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb) and elemental composition analyses on bulk carbonate samples reveal significant shifts in isotope ratios and element concentrations corresponding to lithologic transitions within the section. The occurrence of the planktonic foraminifera Dicarinella asymetrica in the WM marks an important biostratigraphic interval in the Santonian. The multiproxy approach revealed increased paleobioproductivity and a transgressive sea level phase in the WM during the Santonian in the western Tethys. Geochemical data suggest that the long-term sea-level rise was interrupted by smaller, short-term sea-level falls during the deposition of the studied pelagites. A comparative analysis with other Mediterranean CORBs and the Bottaccione section (Italy) highlights the regional significance of the Čanj sequence.
{"title":"Integrated stratigraphy and paleoceanography across the Santonian/Campanian boundary in the Budva Zone (Dinarides), Montenegro","authors":"Anja Kocjančič , Maria Rose Petrizzo , Aleksander Horvat","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the 42 m thick Upper Cretaceous sedimentary succession of the Čanj section in the Budva Zone (Dinarides), Montenegro, with a focus on planktonic foraminifera and geochemical characteristics across the Santonian/Campanian boundary. The section features well-preserved red pelagic Scaglia-type limestones with occasional chert intercalations, similar to the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) observed worldwide. An integrated stratigraphic analysis, including biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy, was conducted to identify isotopic signals and planktonic foraminiferal species that characterize this Tethyan facies, and to locate the Santonian/Campanian boundary. The lithostratigraphic framework of the section includes distinct members (RM1, RM2, and RM3), along with a notable White Member (WM) containing black chert layers. Stable isotopes (δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>carb</sub> and δ<sup>18</sup>O<sub>carb</sub>) and elemental composition analyses on bulk carbonate samples reveal significant shifts in isotope ratios and element concentrations corresponding to lithologic transitions within the section. The occurrence of the planktonic foraminifera <em>Dicarinella asymetrica</em> in the WM marks an important biostratigraphic interval in the Santonian. The multiproxy approach revealed increased paleobioproductivity and a transgressive sea level phase in the WM during the Santonian in the western Tethys. Geochemical data suggest that the long-term sea-level rise was interrupted by smaller, short-term sea-level falls during the deposition of the studied pelagites. A comparative analysis with other Mediterranean CORBs and the Bottaccione section (Italy) highlights the regional significance of the Čanj sequence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106194"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144588675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Understanding the dynamics of ancient marine systems is vital for assessing biodiversity changes in modern ecosystems. This study examines the paleoenvironments of the Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Wadi Qena region (Eastern Desert, Egypt), integrating lithofacies, biofacies, and taphofacies. Based on quantitative analyses of two sections, Wadi Hawashiya and Gabel Qreiya, four firm-bottom and two soft-bottom macrobenthic associations were identified. In Wadi Hawashiya, the Nicaisolopha tissoti association thrived in a shallow, moderate-energy inner ramp lagoonal environment of the Coniacian–Santonian, transitioning to high-energy shoals (calcareous quartz arenite). Two monospecific associations, Pycnodonte (Ph.) vesicularis and Gyrosoria gracilis, along with one pauci-specific Porospherae globularis association, were found in the Campanian–Maastrichtian. These associations indicate a shift to a deeper, outer low-energy ramp environment with a firm substrate and dysoxic, oligotrophic conditions. In Gabel Qreiya, the lower Campanian reflects low-energy tidal flats, while the upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian contains the Pycnodonte (Ph.) vesicularis association, which lived in a low-energy, firm-bottom inner ramp lagoon. The upper Maastrichtian is dominated by the Lyropecten (A.) acutiplicatus association, which inhabited a deeper outer ramp environment with soft substrates and dysoxic, eutrophic conditions. Overall, the Coniacian–Santonian is marked by higher diversity, while the Campanian–Maastrichtian is characterized by reduced diversity and a dominance of suspension feeders. This shift is interpreted as the result of a combined effect of oxygen deficiency and food shortage, likely caused by a sudden deepening from inner ramp lagoons to outer ramp settings, alongside with declining trophic resources, and oxygen levels.
{"title":"Mono– to pauci-specific communities in the Upper Cretaceous of Wadi Qena, Egypt: The combined effect of food and oxygen deficiency","authors":"Omar El-Issawi , Tarek Anan , Heba El-Desouky , Ahmed Abdelhady , Hosni Hamama","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the dynamics of ancient marine systems is vital for assessing biodiversity changes in modern ecosystems. This study examines the paleoenvironments of the Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Wadi Qena region (Eastern Desert, Egypt), integrating lithofacies, biofacies, and taphofacies. Based on quantitative analyses of two sections, Wadi Hawashiya and Gabel Qreiya, four firm-bottom and two soft-bottom macrobenthic associations were identified. In Wadi Hawashiya, the <em>Nicaisolopha tissoti</em> association thrived in a shallow, moderate-energy inner ramp lagoonal environment of the Coniacian–Santonian, transitioning to high-energy shoals (calcareous quartz arenite). Two monospecific associations, <em>Pycnodonte</em> (<em>Ph.</em>) <em>vesicularis</em> and <em>Gyrosoria gracilis</em>, along with one pauci-specific <em>Porospherae globularis</em> association, were found in the Campanian–Maastrichtian. These associations indicate a shift to a deeper, outer low-energy ramp environment with a firm substrate and dysoxic, oligotrophic conditions. In Gabel Qreiya, the lower Campanian reflects low-energy tidal flats, while the upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian contains the <em>Pycnodonte</em> (<em>Ph.</em>) <em>vesicularis</em> association, which lived in a low-energy, firm-bottom inner ramp lagoon. The upper Maastrichtian is dominated by the <em>Lyropecten</em> (<em>A</em>.) <em>acutiplicatus</em> association, which inhabited a deeper outer ramp environment with soft substrates and dysoxic, eutrophic conditions. Overall, the Coniacian–Santonian is marked by higher diversity, while the Campanian–Maastrichtian is characterized by reduced diversity and a dominance of suspension feeders. This shift is interpreted as the result of a combined effect of oxygen deficiency and food shortage, likely caused by a sudden deepening from inner ramp lagoons to outer ramp settings, alongside with declining trophic resources, and oxygen levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106196"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-21DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106193
Ricardo J. Pimentel , Adrian P. Hunt , Fernando Barroso-Barcenilla , Mélani Berrocal-Casero
Recently discovered dentalites preserved on an Upper Cretaceous coprolite are described. The coprolite was likely produced by a crocodylomorph that lived in a shallow water, marginal environment along the West Iberian Margin. The specimen was collected from an uppermost middle Cenomanian carbonate-siliciclastic marine bed, at the base of the Tentúgal Formation (Tentúgal, west-central Portugal). The dentalites exhibit unique characteristics, including sets of straight, parallel, and equidistant grooves, with separations wider than the grooves, themselves. These features support the definition of the new ichnogenus and ichnospecies Piscidenticulus callapezi. The dentalites are interpreted as the result of repeated fish-biting behaviour on the surface of the coprolite, likely in an attempt to obtain food, providing significant data on the scarcely known palaeoethology of Cretaceous homodont marine fishes.
{"title":"A new dentalite, Piscidenticulus callapezi igen. et isp. nov., on a crocodylomorph coprolite from the Upper Cretaceous of west-central Portugal","authors":"Ricardo J. Pimentel , Adrian P. Hunt , Fernando Barroso-Barcenilla , Mélani Berrocal-Casero","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106193","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106193","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recently discovered dentalites preserved on an Upper Cretaceous coprolite are described. The coprolite was likely produced by a crocodylomorph that lived in a shallow water, marginal environment along the West Iberian Margin. The specimen was collected from an uppermost middle Cenomanian carbonate-siliciclastic marine bed, at the base of the Tentúgal Formation (Tentúgal, west-central Portugal). The dentalites exhibit unique characteristics, including sets of straight, parallel, and equidistant grooves, with separations wider than the grooves, themselves. These features support the definition of the new ichnogenus and ichnospecies <em>Piscidenticulus callapezi</em>. The dentalites are interpreted as the result of repeated fish-biting behaviour on the surface of the coprolite, likely in an attempt to obtain food, providing significant data on the scarcely known palaeoethology of Cretaceous homodont marine fishes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106193"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-14DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106192
Gabriel A. Casal , Karen M. Panzeri , Bruno N. Alvarez , Noelia V. Cardozo , Julieta L. Caglianone , Marcelo Luna , Lucio M. Ibiricu
Here, we describe a tooth plate (UNPSJB-PV 1047), from fluvial sandstones of the “middle section” of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation exposed in the locality of “Playa Kruger” (Santonian?–lower Maastrichtian?), central Patagonia, Argentina. This a prearticular plate that has been assigned to the genus Metaceratodus and provisionally to the species Metaceratodus kaopen. Shared features include the presence of a lingual edge that tends to be straight and a medial edge that is slightly curved, a long first denticulation with a broad base and no deep wear facets, and an end of the first denticulation without the formation of sinuosities. However, this interpretation is not definitive given the morphological variation of tooth plates within the same species. UNPSJB-PV 1047 represents the first record of these lungfish in the Golfo San Jorge Basin, expanding the geographic distribution of this taxon in South America and contributing to interpretations of its living environment. Its presence increases biodiversity for the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation and supports interpretations of the sedimentary paleoenvironment in the “middle section” of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation, characterized by fluvial systems that seasonally interrupted their discharge under a warm climate with dry periods, suggesting an optimal environment for the development of lungfish.
{"title":"First record of a lungfish (Sarcopterygii: Dipnoi) in the Upper Cretaceous of the Chubut Group, Golfo San Jorge Basin, Argentina. paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic considerations","authors":"Gabriel A. Casal , Karen M. Panzeri , Bruno N. Alvarez , Noelia V. Cardozo , Julieta L. Caglianone , Marcelo Luna , Lucio M. Ibiricu","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Here, we describe a tooth plate (UNPSJB-PV 1047), from fluvial sandstones of the “middle section” of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation exposed in the locality of “Playa Kruger” (Santonian?–lower Maastrichtian?), central Patagonia, Argentina. This a prearticular plate that has been assigned to the genus <em>Metaceratodus</em> and provisionally to the species <em>Metaceratodus kaopen</em>. Shared features include the presence of a lingual edge that tends to be straight and a medial edge that is slightly curved, a long first denticulation with a broad base and no deep wear facets, and an end of the first denticulation without the formation of sinuosities. However, this interpretation is not definitive given the morphological variation of tooth plates within the same species. UNPSJB-PV 1047 represents the first record of these lungfish in the Golfo San Jorge Basin, expanding the geographic distribution of this taxon in South America and contributing to interpretations of its living environment. Its presence increases biodiversity for the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation and supports interpretations of the sedimentary paleoenvironment in the “middle section” of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation, characterized by fluvial systems that seasonally interrupted their discharge under a warm climate with dry periods, suggesting an optimal environment for the development of lungfish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106192"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144491866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tithonian and lower Berriasian pelagic carbonate deposits of the Torre de’ Busi section (Lombardian Basin, northern Italy) were studied in detail in terms of their microfacies, calpionellid and calcareous dinocyst biostratigraphy, and integrated with calcareous nannofossils and magnetic stratigraphy.
Calpionellid zonation was revised, modifying the archival, unpublished data. Three calpionellid zones (Chitinoidella, Crassicollaria and Calpionella) and six subzones (Longicollaria dobeni, Chitinoidella boneti, Tintinnopsella remanei, Crassicollaria intermedia, Calpionella alpina and Remaniella ferasini) were identified, spanning from the topmost lower Tithonian to the lower Berriasian. Correlations between the calpionellid zones and magnetozones combined with calcareous nannofossil zones, are consistent with most Tethyan sections. The base of the C. alpina Subzone is quantitatively illustrated and based on high-resolution frequency analysis of calpionellid taxa.
Calcareous cysts were studied in the Torre de’ Busi section for the first time. Five calcareous dinoflagellate zones were distinguished. The lower Tithonian contains the Committosphaera pulla–Carpistomiosphaera tithonica, Parastomiosphaera malmica and the lowest part of Colomisphaera tenuis zones. In the upper Tithonian the Colomisphaera tenuis, Colomisphaera fortis and the lower part of Stomiosphaerina proxima zones were documented. The upper part of the St. proxima Zone is present in the lower Berriasian. The calcareous dinocyst zones and their correlation with magnetozones align well with available Tethyan records.
The Torre de’ Busi section represents a fully pelagic environment with a relatively large amount of radiolarians and sponge spicules. A major microfacies change, from radiolarian to calpionellid-dominated microfacies, occurs in the upper Tithonian (base of the Cr. intermedia Subzone, base M19r), close to the base of the Maiolica Formation. This level is characterized by a decrease in calcareous dinocyst frequencies, and an increase in calpionellids, which correlates with a major speciation phase of nannoconids.
以意大利北部伦巴第盆地Torre de ' Busi剖面为研究对象，结合钙质纳米化石和磁性地层学，对其微相、钙鞘和钙质藻囊生物地层学进行了详细研究。修订了Calpionellid分区，修改了未发表的档案数据。鉴定出3个冠层（Chitinoidella、Crassicollaria、Calpionella）和6个亚层（Longicollaria dobeni、boneti、Tintinnopsella remanei、interassicollia、alpcalpionella alpina和Remaniella ferasini），分布于下梯统至下berberasian。calpionelides带与磁石带结合钙质纳米化石带的相关性与大多数特提斯剖面一致。在高分辨率频率分析的基础上，定量地说明了高山杉木亚带的基础。本文首次在Torre de ' Busi切片研究钙质囊肿。划分出5个钙质鞭毛带。下梯统包括Committosphaera pulla-Carpistomiosphaera tithonica， Parastomiosphaera malmica和Colomisphaera tenuis带的最低部分。在上梯统，记录到的有窄带Colomisphaera tenuis、窄带Colomisphaera fortis和近带Stomiosphaerina proxima下部。圣比邻带的上部位于贝里亚下部。钙质藻囊带及其与磁带的相关性与现有的特提斯记录一致。Torre de ' Busi剖面代表了一个完全的远洋环境，具有相对大量的放射虫和海绵针状体。微相变化主要发生在靠近马陶利卡组基底的上梯统（Cr.中亚带基底，M19r基底），由放射虫微相转变为卡先锋微相为主。这一水平的特征是钙质藻囊的频率减少，而calpionellids的频率增加，这与纳米孢子的主要物种形成阶段有关。
{"title":"Tithonian–Berriasian calpionellid and calcareous dinocyst biostratigraphy, and microfacies in the Torre de’ Busi section (Lombardian Basin, northern Italy)","authors":"Silviya Petrova , Daniela Reháková , Elisabetta Erba , Jacek Grabowski","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tithonian and lower Berriasian pelagic carbonate deposits of the Torre de’ Busi section (Lombardian Basin, northern Italy) were studied in detail in terms of their microfacies, calpionellid and calcareous dinocyst biostratigraphy, and integrated with calcareous nannofossils and magnetic stratigraphy.</div><div>Calpionellid zonation was revised, modifying the archival, unpublished data. Three calpionellid zones (Chitinoidella, Crassicollaria and Calpionella) and six subzones (<em>Longicollaria dobeni, Chitinoidella boneti, Tintinnopsella remanei</em>, <em>Crassicollaria intermedia</em>, <em>Calpionella alpina</em> and <em>Remaniella ferasini</em>) were identified, spanning from the topmost lower Tithonian to the lower Berriasian. Correlations between the calpionellid zones and magnetozones combined with calcareous nannofossil zones, are consistent with most Tethyan sections. The base of the <em>C. alpina</em> Subzone is quantitatively illustrated and based on high-resolution frequency analysis of calpionellid taxa.</div><div>Calcareous cysts were studied in the Torre de’ Busi section for the first time. Five calcareous dinoflagellate zones were distinguished. The lower Tithonian contains the <em>Committosphaera pulla</em>–<em>Carpistomiosphaera tithonica, Parastomiosphaera malmica</em> and the lowest part of <em>Colomisphaera tenuis</em> zones. In the upper Tithonian the <em>Colomisphaera tenuis</em>, <em>Colomisphaera fortis</em> and the lower part of <em>Stomiosphaerina proxima</em> zones were documented. The upper part of the <em>St</em>. <em>proxima</em> Zone is present in the lower Berriasian. The calcareous dinocyst zones and their correlation with magnetozones align well with available Tethyan records.</div><div>The Torre de’ Busi section represents a fully pelagic environment with a relatively large amount of radiolarians and sponge spicules. A major microfacies change, from radiolarian to calpionellid-dominated microfacies, occurs in the upper Tithonian (base of the <em>Cr</em>. <em>intermedia</em> Subzone, base M19r), close to the base of the Maiolica Formation. This level is characterized by a decrease in calcareous dinocyst frequencies, and an increase in calpionellids, which correlates with a major speciation phase of nannoconids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 106180"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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