GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 49, 4, BRATISLAVA, AUGUST 1998
289296
MIDDLE JURASSIC RADIOLARIAN ASSEMBLAGES
FROM RADIOLARITES OF THE SILICA NAPPE
(SLOVAK KARST, WESTERN CARPATHIANS)
LADISLAVA OVOLDOVÁ
Department of Geology and Paleontology, Faculty of Natural Science, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina,
842 15 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
(Manuscript received March 3, 1998; accepted in revised form June 16, 1998)
Abstract: Up to now the data about the age of radiolarites of the Silica Nappe in the Slovak Karst has been established
by Dumitricã (in Dumitricã & Mello 1982) as Callovian-Oxfordian in the locality Bohúòovo. In the Drieòovec Mt., at
the locality of Bleskový prameò near the village of Drnava, radiolarites with Upper Bathonian-Lower Callovian
radiolarian microfauna also occur as lithoclasts in carbonate breccia of debris flow deposit origin (Sýkora & Ovoldová
1996). Apart from this finding the presented paper brings the further information about the age of the radiolarite in
this locality, based on radiolarian research. The radiolarian assemblages represent the stratigraphical range latest
Bajocian-early Bathonian to upper Bathonian-early Callovian (Unitary Association Zones: U.A.Z. 5 U.A.Z. 7
according to the biozonation of Baumgartner et al. 1995).
Key words: Western Carpathians, Silica Nappe, Middle Jurassic, radiolarites, radiolarians.
Introduction
The discovery that the Austroalpine Triassic of the Slovak
Karst does not form one tectonic unit with the underlying
Paleozoic of the Gemeric Superunit led up to the identifica-
tion of the Silica Nappe (Kozur & Mock 1973). Information
about the geological structure of the Slovak Karst is given
by Bystrický (1964, 1973), Mello (1979), Gaál & Mello
(1983), as well as Mahe¾ (1986).
The Silica Nappe in the Slovak Karst (Fig. 1b) is formed
mainly by Triassic rocks. Jurassic rocks are known only
from several localities of lesser extent. The lithological and
stratigraphical description of Jurassic sequences in this area
except for the above mentioned authors is given by Sýkora
& Ovoldová (1996) and Rakús & Sýkora (in press). Infor-
mation on the Jurassic limestones of the Silica Nappe was
also derived from the analysis of limestone pebbles in Creta-
ceous and Tertiary conglomerates in the territory of Slovakia
and Northern Hungary (Miík & Sýkora 1980).
Geological setting
The radiolarites of the Silica Nappe in the Slovak Karst
represent the youngest preserved member of Jurassic se-
quences. In the past the determination of their Doggerian age
was based on the superposition of the strata.
Up to now the data about the age of the radiolarites has
been only established by Dumitricã (in Dumitricã & Mello
1982) in the locality Bohúòovo. The radiolarian assemblages
showed Callovian-Oxfordian age.
In the area of the Drieòovec Mt., in the locality Bleskový
prameò near the village Drnava (Fig. 1a,c) radiolarite litho-
clast with Upper Bathonian-Lower Callovian radiolarian
fauna was also found in debris flow sediment (Sýkora &
Ovoldová 1996). Apart for this finding the presented paper
brings further information about the age of the radiolarite in
this area.
The lithological and stratigraphical characteristic of the Ju-
rassic sequences in this locality are given by Rakús & Sýko-
ra (in press). The outcrops of radiolarites except for one
small outcrop, partly covered by debris (samp. BP in Fig. 1c)
are absent. Therefore other radiolarite samples were taken
from scree material.
Results of radiolarian research
in the studied locality
For the evaluation of radiolarian assemblages the latest
biozonation of Baumgartner et al. (1995) was used.
The oldest known part of this radiolarite horizon is repre-
sented by the red radiolarites, which have been found in the
scree (material of M. Miík). The radiolarian assemblage in
the sample BP-8 (Fig. 1c; Fig. 2; Pls. I, II) corresponds to
U.A.Z. 5 (latest Bajocian-early Bathonian), based mainly on
the presence of the species Tricolocapsa tetragona Matsuoka
(Pl. I: Fig. 1). The species Eucyrtidiellum semifactum Nagai
& Mizutani (Pl. I: Fig. 3) which appears in this zone is also
observed, as well as numerous specimens of Parvicingula
dhimenaensis Baumgartner (Pl. I: Fig. 4), which are typical
of this association. Up to now it is the oldest Jurassic radi-
olarian association, found in the Slovak Western Car-
pathians.
The radiolarites in this locality were also found as litho-
clasts in carbonate breccia of debris flow deposit origin
(Sýkora & Ovoldová 1996). This breccia, taken from the
scree contains mostly limestone lithoclasts, more rarely grey
290 OVOLDOVÁ
radiolarite lithoclasts (samp. BP-1 in Fig. 1c) with radiolari-
an microfauna (Fig. 2; Pl. III) of Middle Bathonian-early
Callovian age (U.A.Z. 6 U.A.Z. 7), based on co-occurrence
of the species Spongocapsula palmerae Pessagno (Pl. III:
Fig. 2) with the species Protunuma turbo Matsuoka (Pl. III:
Fig. 11) and Eucyrtidiellum semifactum Nagai & Mizutani
(Pl. III: Fig. 1). In the comparison with the association from
the grey radiolarites taken from the outcrop (samp. BP in
Fig. 1c) the absence of the species Cinguloturris carpatica
Dumitricã and Williriedellum carpathicum Dumitricã shows,
that this association represents the lower part of the above
mentioned stratigraphical range.
Fig. 1. Location of a/ the locality investigated (A), b/ the Silica Nappe in the Slovak Karst, c/ the samples studied.
Plate I: Sample BP-8. Fig. 1. Tricolocapsa tetragona Matsuoka
3948, 350
×
. Fig. 2. Unuma latusicostatus Aita 3862, 400
×
.
Fig. 3. Eucyrtidiellum semifactum Nagai & Mizutani 3966, 450
×
.
Fig. 4. Parvicingula dhimenaensis Baumgartner 3953, 280
×
.
Fig. 5. Protunuma turbo Matsuoka 3954, 400
×
. Fig. 6. Cingulo-
turris (?) cf. venusta Chiari, Cortese and Marcucci 3963, 380
×
.
Fig. 7. Archaeodictyomitra (?) amabilis Aita 3865, 400
×
. Fig. 8.
Eucyrtidiellum unumaense unumaense (Yao) 3957, 450
×
. Fig. 9.
Williriedellum sp. A sensu Matsuoka 1983 3876, 400
×
. Fig. 10.
Tricolocapsa conexa Matsuoka 3962, 350
×
. Fig. 11. Archaeodic-
tyomitra exigua Blome 3874, 440
×
. Fig. 12. Unuma sp. A sensu
Baumgartner et al. 1995 3945, 400
×
. Fig. 13. Stichocapsa hime-
daruma Aita 3853, 400
×
. Fig. 14. Stichocapsa convexa Yao
3950, 250
×
. Fig. 15. Archaeodictyomitra primigena Pessagno &
Whalen 3866, 450
×
. Fig. 16. Protunuma (?) lanosus Ovoldová
3868, 490
×
.
Fig. 2. Distribution of radiolarians in the samples studied.
Sam ples
R adiolarian fauna
B P -8
B P -1
B P
A rchae odictyomitra (?) a mabilis A ita
*
A rchae odictyomitra exigua Blome
*
*
A rchae odictyomitra cf. exigua B lome
*
A rchae odictyomitra primige na Pe ssagno & W halen
*
*
A rchae odictyomitra prisc a K oz ur & Mostler
*
A rchae odictyomitra rigida Pe ssagno
*
A rchae odictyomitra w halenae K ozur & Mostler
*
Cinguloturris (?) cf. venusta Chiari, Cortese a nd Ma rcucc i
*
Cinguloturris ca rpa tica D umitrica
*
D ic tyomitrella (? ) kamoe nsis M iz utani & K ido
*
E ucyrtidiellum ptyc tum Riedel & Sanfilippo
*
E ucyrtidiellum nodosum W a kita
*
E ucyrtidiellum semifac tum N agai & M iz utani
*
*
E ucyrtidiellum unuma ense pustulatum B aumga rtne r
*
*
E ucyrtidiellum unuma ense unumae nse (Y ao)
*
H suum mirabundum Pessagno
*
Panta ne llium sp.
*
Parvic ingula dhime na ensis B aumga rtne r
*
*
Protunuma (?) la nosus O voldová
*
*
Protunuma (?) oc hiensis M atsuoka
*
Protunuma turbo M atsuoka
*
*
Pseudodictyomitre lla he xagonata (H eitze r)
*
Spongoc apsula palmera e Pe ssagno
*
Stichoc apsa c onve xa Y ao
*
*
Stichoc apsa hime da ruma A ita
*
Stichoc apsa japonic a Y ao
*
Stichoc apsa c f. ja ponica Y ao
*
Stichoc apsa sp. E sensu B aumga rtner e t al. 1995
*
*
T ra nshsuum maxw elli (Pessa gno)
*
*
T ricoloca psa buekke nsis (K oz ur)
*
T ricoloca psa cone xa M atsuoka
*
*
T ricoloca psa plic arum Y ao
*
T ricoloca psa sp. A sensu G oriè an 1994
*
T ricoloca psa sp. S sensu B aumga rtner e t al. 1995
*
T ricoloca psa te tra gona Ma tsuoka
*
T ricoloca psa ya oi (K ozur)
*
*
U numa la tusicosta tus A ita
*
U numa sp. A se nsu B aumgartne r e t al. 1995
*
W illirie de llum c arpathicum D umitrica
*
W illirie de llum sp. A se nsu Ma tsuoka 1983
*
Z hamoidellum sp.
*
PLATE I 291
292 OVOLDOVÁ
Plate II: Sample BP-8. Fig. 1. Stichocapsa cf. japonica Yao 3960, 380
×
. Fig. 2. Transhsuum maxwelli (Pessagno) 3849, 350
×
. Fig. 3.
Archaeodictyomitra sp. 3961, 450
×
. Fig. 4. Tricolocapsa yaoi (Kozur) 3859, 400
×
. Fig. 5. Tricolocapsa sp. S sensu Baumgartner et al.
1995 3944, 350
×
. Fig. 6. Williriedellum sp. A sensu Matsuoka 1983 3952, 330
×
. Fig. 7. Archaeodictyomitra (?) amabilis Aita 3957,
450
×
. Fig. 8. Pantanellium sp. 3877, 400
×
. Fig. 9. Eucyrtidiellum unumaense unumaense (Yao) 3866, 450
×
.
Plate III: Sample BP-1. Fig. 1. Eucyrtidiellum semifactum Nagai
& Mizutani 0118, 500
×
. Fig. 2. Spongocapsula palmerae Pes-
sagno 0115, 300
×
. Fig. 3. Parvicingula dhimenaensis Baum-
gartner 0085, 250
×
. Fig. 4. Archaeodictyomitra rigida Pessag-
no 0101, 400
×
. Fig. 5. Hsuum mirabundum Pessagno 0092,
400
×
. Fig. 6. Protunuma (?) ochiensis Matsuoka 0080, 300
×
.
Fig. 7. Stichocapsa convexa Yao 0084, 300
×
. Fig. 8. Tricolo-
capsa plicarum Yao 0117, 350
×
. Fig. 9. Zhamoidellum sp.
0081, 320
×
. Fig. 10. Archaeodictyomitra primigena Pessagno &
Whalen 0093, 600
×
. Fig. 11. Protunuma turbo Matsuoka
0111, 500
×
. Fig. 12. Stichocapsa sp. E sensu Baumgartner et al.
1995 0090, 380
×
. Fig. 13. Transhsuum sp. 0116, 400
×
. Fig.
14. Protunuma (?) lanosus Ovoldová 0094, 400
×
.
The species Protunuma (?) lanosus Ovoldová (Pl. III:
Fig. 14) was described in this association (l.c.). Its known oc-
currence is U.A.Z. 5 (latest Bajocian-early Bathonian) (in the
above mentioned red radiolarites in the studied locality, samp.
BP-8) to the first half of Callovian (the locality of Guba in the
Meliata Unit) (Kozur et al. 1996; Mock et al. in press).
From the small outcrop of dark-grey thin layered radiolar-
ites, partly covered by debris (Rakús & Sýkora in press) a
rich assemblage has been obtained from the sample BP (Fig.
1c; Fig. 2; Pls. IV, V). The age corresponds to late Batho-
nian-early Callovian (U.A.Z. 7), based on co-occurence of
the species Cinguloturris carpatica Dumitricã (Pl. IV:
Fig. 16) and Williriedellum carpathicum Dumitricã (Pl. IV:
Fig. 5) with the species Dictyomitrella(?) kamoensis Mi-
zutani & Kido (Pl. IV: Fig. 2). The species Eucyrtidiellum
ptyctum Riedel & Sanfilippo (Pl. IV: Fig. 1) also occurs in
the association. The first occurrence of this species is estab-
lished by Baumgartner et al. (1995) in U.A.Z. 5 (the latest
Bajocian-early Bathonian). But according to our data as well
as that of other authors (e.g. Gorièan 1994; Kozur et al.
1996) this species appears in the Callovian. Therefore, this
association most probably represents the uppermost part of
the above mentioned stratigraphical range.
In the assemblage the specimen Stichocapsa sp. E sensu
Baumgartner et al. 1995 (Pl. IV: Fig. 15) with the previously
assumed last occurrence in U.A.Z. 5 (the latest Bajocian-ear-
PLATE III 293
294 PLATE IV
MIDDLE JURASSIC RADIOLARIAN ASSEMBLAGES 295
Plate V: Sample BP. Fig. 1. Tricolocapsa buekkensis (Kozur) 3543, 580
×
. Fig. 2. Tricolocapsa buekkensis (Kozur) antapical view of
Fig. 1, 3544, 580
×
. Fig. 3. Zhamoidellum sp. 3534, 300
×
. Fig. 4. ?Hsuum sp. 3545, 380
×
. Fig. 5. Transhsuum maxwelli (Pessagno)
4495, 210
×
. Fig. 6. Tricolocapsa yaoi (Kozur) 4508, 400
×
. Fig. 7. Archaeodictyomitra sp. 3536, 490
×
. Fig. 8. Tricolocapsa conexa
Matsuoka 3539, 400
×
.
Plate IV: Sample BP. Fig. 1. Eucyrtidiellum ptyctum Riedel & San-
filippo 4490, 400
×
. Fig. 2. Dictyomitrella (?) kamoensis Mizutani
& Kido 4511, 400
×
. Fig. 3. Eucyrtidiellum unumaense pustula-
tum Baumgartner 4491, 540
×
. Fig. 4. Stichocapsa japonica Yao
4506, 650
×
. Fig. 5. Williriedellum carpathicum Dumitricã
4484, 370
×
. Fig. 6. Tricolocapsa sp. A sensu Gorièan 1994 4504,
400
×
. Fig. 7. Tricolocapsa conexa Matsuoka 4493, 360
×
. Fig. 8.
Transhsuum maxwelli (Pessagno) 4489, 300
×
. Fig. 9. Archaeod-
ictyomitra cf. exigua Blome 4482, 400
×
. Fig. 10. Archaeodictyo-
mitra whalenae Kozur & Mostler 4507, 300
×
. Fig. 11. Archae-
odictyomitra prisca Kozur & Mostler 4487, 300
×
. Fig. l2.
Tricolocapsa buekkensis (Kozur) 4494, 450
×
. Fig. 13. Pseudod-
ictyomitrella hexagonata (Heitzer) 4492, 400
×
. Fig. 14. Eucyrti-
diellum nodosum Wakita 4498, 420
×
. Fig. 15. Stichocapsa sp. E
sensu Baumgartner et al. l995 0090, 330
×
. Fig. 16. Cinguloturris
carpatica Dumitricã 4509, 300
×
.
ly Bathonian) also occurs. On the basis of the material inves-
tigated here its stratigraphical range should be, therefore, ex-
tended into the early Callovian.
The presence of the species Tricolocapsa buekkensis (Ko-
zur) in this association (Pl. IV: Fig. 12) shows, that its occur-
rence continues from middle Bajocian-early Bathonian (Ko-
zur et al. 1996) to the early Callovian.
Conclusions
Rare radiolarite findings in the Silica Nappe of the Slovak
Karst, in the area of Drienkova Mt., near the village of Drna-
va, in the locality of Bleskový prameò contain radiolarian
assemblages, which represent (according to the biozonation
of Baumgartner et al. 1995) the stratigraphical range lat-
est Bajocian-early Bathonian (U.A.Z. 5) to late Bathonian-
early Callovian (U.A.Z. 7).
In comparison with the assemblages of the Middle Batho-
nian-early Callovian age (U.A.Z. 6 U.A.Z. 7 ) (l.c.) from
the Meliata Unit in the type locality of Meliata in the Slovak
Karst (Kozur et al. 1996; Mock et al. in press), which forms a
tectonic window in this area, the species Tricolocapsa con-
exa Matsuoka highly prevails in the assemblages of this unit.
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