Macrofossils from CRP-2/2A, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica

Taviani, M.; Beu, A.G.; Jonkers, H.A.. 2000 Macrofossils from CRP-2/2A, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. Terra Antartica, 7 (4). 513-526.

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Abstract/Summary

CRP-2/2A hole, drilled at 77.006oS and 163.719oE, about 14 km east of Cape Roberts, in the Ross Sea, reached 624 metres below sea floor and recovered a thick Miocene-Oligocene succession capped by a thin Pliocene-Quaternary cover. As many as 324 macrofossiliferous horizons have been identified in core CRP-2/2A, although the poor preservation state of most fossils prevents a full appreciation of their taxonomic identity. The macrofossils identified in core CRP-2/2A belong to Mollusca, Annelida, Cnidaria, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Echinodermata, Porifera and Vertebrata and represent an important source of palaeontological information on the former Antarctic biota. In particular, the CRP-2/2A drill core contains the most diverse Oligocene marine invertebrate macrofauna hitherto reported from East Antarctica. Early Miocene and Late Oligocene macrofossil assemblages are consistent with relatively cold (sub-polar) climatic conditions. One of the most significant findings in the drill core CRP-2/2A is the discovery of mussel assemblages dominated by modiolid bivalves within Early Oligocene sediments, suggestive of sea-bottom conditions characterized by high H2S production. Modiolid bivalves are a strong indication of warmer-than-present climatic conditions. Many taxa are comparable to species recovered from coeval sediments drilled in the Ross Sea (DSDP Sites 270 and 272) and McMurdo Sound (CIROS-1).

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme
Additional Keywords:	macrofossils, Victoria Land basin, Cape Roberts, Mollusca, Annelida, Cnidarian, Brachiopoda, Bryozoan, Echinodermata, Porifera, Vertebrata, Late Oligocene, Miocene, Early Oligocene
Date made live:	17 Jul 2013 13:01 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502521

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