Upper Tar Member, Ziman Formation (Paleocene of Libya)

Where: Libya (29.4° N, 15.7° E: paleocoordinates 18.4° N, 11.9° E)

• coordinate stated in text

• basin-level geographic resolution

When: Upper Tar Member (Ziman Formation), Danian (66.0 - 61.6 Ma)

• LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC RELATIONSHIPS: From the Upper Tar Mbr of the Zimam Fm, which disconformably overlies the Lower Tar Mbr (Maastrichtian) and Bin Affin Mbr (Maastrichtian), and is overlain by the Had Mbr (Late Paleocene). AGE: Danian, on the basis of microfossil (foraminiferal) and macrofossil biostratigraphy. THICKNESS: ranges from 3-70 m across its range.

• member-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: shallow subtidal; lithified, shelly/skeletal, calcareous sandstone and lithified, calcareous siltstone

• ENVIRONMENT: Shallow marine littoral to neritic environment of deposition.
• GENERAL LITHOLOGY: Several lithologies including thinly bedded dark green to gray claystone, grading into yellow marlstone and followed by 8-10 m alternations of calcarenites and calcilutites, the calcarenites crowded with macrofossils. LITHIFICATION: Lithified, not stated, but apparent from facies description.

Size classes: macrofossils, microfossils

Collection methods: surface (in situ),

• COLLECTORS: Not stated, possibly multiple collectors. REPOSITORY: Unknown.

Primary reference: M. F. Megerisi and V. D. Mamgain. 1980. The Upper Cretaceous-Tertiary Formations of northern Libya: a synthesis. Department of Geological Researches and Mining Bulletin 12:1-85 [A. Hendy/A. Hendy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: general faunal/floral analysis

PaleoDB collection 77235: authorized by Austin Hendy, entered by Austin Hendy on 06.01.2008

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• COVERAGE: Limited, but including bivalvia, gastropoda, echinoids, algae, and foraminifera. NOMENCLATURE: Somewhat antiquated nomenclature, but identified to species and subgenus resolution.
unclassified
  -
Foraminifera
 Buliminoidea - Buliminidae
Nodosariata
 Nodosariida - Nodosariidae
Vaginulina sp. d'Orbigny 1826
Foraminifera
 Globigerinina - Chiloguembelinidae
Globothalamea
 Rotaliida - Discorbidae
 Rotaliida - Rosalinidae
Gavelinopsis sp. Hofker 1951
 Rotaliida - Cibicididae
Foraminifera
 Rotalioidea - Elphidiellidae
 Lituolida - Lituolidae
Gaudryina sp. d'Orbigny 1839
 Lituolida - Haplophragmoididae
  - Spiroplectamminidae
 Globigerinoidea - Globigerinidae
Tubothalamea
 Miliolida - Hauerinidae
Quinqueloculina sp. d'Orbigny 1826
Foraminifera
 Rotaliina - Lepitorbitoididae
 Rotaliacea - Rotaliidae
Cephalopoda
 Nautilida - Hercoglossidae
"Eutrephoceras cf. desertorum" = Cimomia desertora
"Eutrephoceras cf. desertorum" = Cimomia desertora Quaas 1902 nautiloid
Gastropoda
 Cerithioidea - Turritellidae
"Turritella (Torcula) forgemoli" = Torcula, Turritella sexlineata
"Turritella (Torcula) forgemoli" = Torcula turret shell
Turritella sexlineata Roemer 1841 turret shell
Bivalvia
 Ostreida - Gryphaeidae
Pycnodonta vesicularis Lamarck 1806 oyster
"Ostrea cellae" = Liostrea cellae de Stefani 1913 oyster
 Cardiida - Veneridae
Meretrix sp. Lamarck 1799 venus clam
 Cardiida - Cardiidae
Acanthocardia becksii, "Trachycardium productum" = Granocardium productum
Acanthocardia becksii Muller 1847 cockle
"Trachycardium productum" = Granocardium productum Sowerby 1832 cockle
 Carditida - Carditidae
 Nuculida - Nuculidae
Nucula leia nut clam
Nucula libyca nut clam
Echinoidea
 Spatangoida - Hemiasteridae
Hemiaster nucleus heart urchin
Hemiaster frontacutus heart urchin
 Irregularia - Nucleolitidae
"Echinobrissus (Nucleolites) pannonicus" = Nucleolites
"Echinobrissus (Nucleolites) pannonicus" = Nucleolites sea urchin