Sedimentology and taphonomy of sirenian remains from the Middle Eocene of the Pamplona Basin (Navarre, western Pyrenees)

Facies - Tập 50 - Trang 463-475 - 2004
Humberto Astibia1, Aitor Payros1, Xabier Pereda Suberbiola1, Javier Elorza2, Ana Berreteaga1, Nestor Etxebarria3, Ainara Badiola1, Josep Tosquella4
1Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Bilbao, Spain
2Departamento de Mineralogía y Petrología, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Bilbao, Spain
3Departamento de Química Analítica, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Bilbao, Spain
4Departamento de Geodinámica y Paleontología, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain

Tóm tắt

Sirenian vertebrae and ribs have been recently discovered from two Middle Eocene localities of the Pamplona Basin, Navarre (western Pyrenees). These outcrops correspond to different lower Bartonian lithostratigraphic units: the lower part of the Pamplona Marl Formation (Uztarrotz site) and the upper part of the Ardanatz Sandstone (Ardanatz site). The former represents a deep and low-energy sea floor far away from a deltaic slope; the Ardanatz environment probably corresponds to a semi-closed deltaic bay periodically affected by catastrophic floods (i.e., fluvial hyperpycnal flows). The presence of epibiontic activity suggests that the bones were exposed for a while prior to the burial. The histological structures are well preserved except in the peripheral region, where tubular-like microstructures filled by pyrite and iron oxides probably correspond to microbial bioerosion. The major mineral component of the fossil bones is francolite (carbonate fluorapatite). In the Ardanatz samples there is evidence of secondary francolite due to the late replacement of original carbonate fluorapatite through internal fractures. The Ardanatz and Uztarrotz sirenian fossils do not show any evidence of reelaboration. They have similar sum of rare earth elements (REE) concentrations relative to the host rock, but comparatively lower than in other vertebrate fossil bones. This feature may be due to the dense compact structure of pachyosteosclerotic sirenian bones.

Tài liệu tham khảo

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