GeolCarp_Vol60_No2_151

www.geologicacarpathica.sk

The clasts of Cretaceous marls in the conglomerates

of the Konradsheim Formation

(Pöchlau quarry, Gresten Klippen Zone, Austria)

ANDRZEJ ŚLĄCZKA

, M. ADAM GASIŃSKI

, MARTA BĄK

and GODFRID WESSELY

Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geological Sciences, Oleandry 2a, 30-063 Kraków, Poland; andrzej.slaczka@uj.edu.pl

Siebenbrunnengasse 29,1050 Wien, Austria

(Manuscript received November 14, 2007; accepted in revised form October 23, 2008)

Abstract: Investigations were carried out on foraminiferids and radiolaria from redeposited clasts within the conglomer-
ates of the Konradsheim Formation (Gresten Klippen Zone) in the area of the Pöchlau hill, east of Maria Neustift. These
shales and marls are of Middle to Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous age. In the latter clasts, foraminiferal assemblages
with Tritaxia ex gr. gaultina as well as radiolaria species Angulobracchia portmanni Baumgartner, Dictyomitra communis
(Squinabol),  Hiscocapsa  asseni  (Tan),  Pseudodictyomitra  lodogaensis  Pessagno,  Pseudoeucyrtis  hanni  (Tan),
Rhopalosyringium  fossile  (Squinabol)  were  found.  In  one  block  from  the  uppermost  part  of  the  sequence  there  is  an
assemblage with Caudammina (H) gigantea, Rotalipora appenninica and Globotruncana bulloides. However, the brecci-
ated character of this block and occurrence near a fault suggest that it was probably wedged into the conglomerates of the
Konradsheim Formation during tectonic movements. In pelitic siliceous limestones below the Konradsheim Limestone
radiolarian  assemblages  of  Middle  Callovian  to  Early  Tithonian  age  were  found.  They  enable  correlation  with  the
Scheibbsbach Formation. In a marly sequence, above the conglomeratic limestone, the foraminiferal assemblages contain
taxa from mid-Cretaceous up to Paleocene. The present biostratigraphic investigation confirmed the previous stratigraphic
assignments and imply clearly that the sedimentation of deposits similar to the Konradsheim Formation also occurred at
the end of the Early Cretaceous and deposition of conglomeratic limestones within the Gresten Klippen Zone, and espe-
cially within the Konradsheim Formation, was repeated several times during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous.

Key words: Cretaceous, Paleogene, Austria, Gresten Klippen Zone, Konradsheim Formation, biostratigraphy.

Introduction

The  Gresten  Klippen  Zone  is  part  of  the  Ultra-Helvetic  realm
ranging in Austria – apart from Vorarlberg – from Salzburg
in the West to the Wienerwald (Vienna Forest, Lower Austria)
in  the  East.  The  rocks  are  divided  into  “Cores”  and  “Enve-
lopes”.  The  former  contain  blocks  of  granites  and  sediments
ranging from Lower Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous. They form
the characteristic klippes. The envelope lithology is represented
by  the  “Buntmergel”  Formation  ranging  from  Upper  Creta-
ceous  to  Eocene.  Despite  long-lasting  stratigraphic  investiga-
tions (Aberer 1951; Schnabel 1970, 1992; Faupl 1975; Widder
1988; Slączka & Höck 2000; Höck & Slaczka 2001; Höck et al.
2003, 2005; Ślączka et al. 2006) a lot of problems remain, in-
cluding the age of the Konradsheim Formation and its accom-
panying  rocks  (see  also  Widder  1988).  Many  of  the  earlier
findings, indicating only Jurassic ages, are not consistent with
our data. Because of the stratigraphic importance of the Konrad-
sheim Formation for the Ultra-Helvetic but also for the neigh-
bouring  Penninic  realm  we  report  new  biostratigraphic  results
from two quarries at the Pöchlau hill in Lower Austria.

Geological setting

The Gresten Klippen Zone is situated at present in front of

the Northern Calcareous Alps, generally to the South of the

Rheno-Danubian  Flysch  Zone  (Fig. 1).  Further  to  the  East  it
prolongs  into  the  Hauptklippenzone  between  the  Laab  and
Greifenstein Nappes (Schnabel 2002). Generally the older, Ju-
rassic  and  Cretaceous  part  of  lithostratigraphic  succession  of
the  Gresten  Klippen  Zone  is  represented  by  separate  blocks
(klippes)  from  tens  to  hundreds  of  meters  in  diameter  which
are covered by variegated marls and shales of Late Cretaceous

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, APRIL 2009, 60, 2, 151—164 doi: 10.2478/v10096-009-0010-7

Fig. 1. Geological sketch map of the Eastern Alps with depicted area
of study shown in detail in Fig. 2. 1 – Alpine Foredeep, 2 – Bohe-
mian Massif, 3 – Helvetic zone including the Grestem Klippen Zone
(GKZ) and the Hauptklippen Zone (HKZ), 4 – Rheno-Danubian
Flysch (RDF), 5 – Austroalpine nappes, 6 – Southern Alps.

152

ŚLĄCZKA, GASIŃSKI, BĄK and WESSELY

to Paleogene age which create the klippes mantle (Aberer
1951; Widder 1989). Usually only a part of the succession is
visible in individual klippe.

The most characteristic lithofacies of the Gresten Klippen

Zone is the Gresten Formation of Early Jurassic age with arkos-
es, sandstones and shales intercalated by coal in the lower part
(Hettangian),  and  calcareous  deposits  in  the  upper  part  (Sine-
murian—Toarcian). The Gresten Formation is followed by a suc-
cession  beginning  with  spotted  marls  (Aalenian),  which  pass
upwards  into  the  Posidonia  Marls  (Bajocian—Callovian)  and
cherty  limestones  with  radiolarites  (Oxfordian,  Lampelsberg
Formation).  The  Malmian  and  Neocomian  are  represented
mainly by turbiditic siliceous limestones (Scheibbsbach Forma-
tion), micritic Arthof Limestones, Aptychus limestones (Lower
Blassenstein Formation) and spotted marls (Upper Blassenstein
Formation)  that  are  lasted  till  the  Barremian—Aptian  (Wessely
2006) similar to the deposits known in the Pieniny Klippen Belt
(Pieniny  Limestone  Formation;  Birkenmajer  1977)  and  in  the
Northern  Calcareous  Alps  (Oberalm  Formation,  Aptychen-
kalk). The characteristic sediments in the higher part of this suc-
cession  include  the  lenses  of  conglomerates  named  the
Konradsheim  Limestone  (Konradsheim  Beds  according  to
Decker  1987,  Ruttner  &  Schnabel  1988,  lately  Konradsheim
Formation  of  Piller  et  al.  2004)  that  created  several  intercala-
tions  within  the  Scheibbsbach  Formation,  Arthof  Limestones
and probably Blassenstein Formation during a period from Late
Oxfordian  to  earliest  Cretaceous  (Berriasian;  Trauth  1950;
Aberer 1951; Schnabel 1970; Oberhauser 1980; Decker 1987;
Widder  1988;  Höck  et  al.  2003;  Wessely  2006).  However,
Schnabel  (1970)  mentioned  the  occurrence  of  the  Cretaceous
foraminifers Hormosina ovulum (Grzybowski) in marly interca-
lations  within  the  conglomerates  of  the  Konradsheim  Lime-
stones  type  near  Konradsheim  village.  Recent  investigations
(Höck et al. 2003, 2005) carried out in the locus typicus of the
conglomeratic  part  of  the  Konradsheim  Formation  near  Kon-
radsheim  village  and  in  the  Pechgraben  area  south  of  Maria
Neustift village suggest that sedimentation of the conglomerates
of the Konradsheim Formation also took place during the high-
er part of the Early Cretaceous.

The original paleogeographic position of the Gresten suc-

cession is thought (Oberhauser 1980; Decker 1987; Schnabel
1992) to have been north of the Rheno-Danubian Flysch Basin
on  the  southern  margin  of  the  Bohemian  Massif,  which  is  a
part  of  the  European  plate.  However  the  Jurassic  and  Creta-
ceous  sediments,  apart  from  the  Gresten  Formation,  encoun-
tered above the Bohemian Massif in the boreholes, below the
Molasse  Zone,  generally  differ  from  the  sediments  of  the
Gresten Klippen Zone.

The Gresten Formation, which lay unconformably on the

crystalline and Paleozoic rocks of the southern part of the Bo-
hemian Massif consists of deltaic clastics with coal beds and
of prodeltaic shales similar to those from the Gresten Klippen
Zone.  Their  age,  however,  in  the  basement  of  the  Molasse
Zone  is  younger  than  in  the  Gresten  Klippen  Zone  (Wessely
2006) and they represent the Middle Jurassic (?Aalenian—Ba-
thonian). They are covered by dolomitic and quartzitic sand-
stones  with  cherts  of  Callovian  age  (Nikolčice-Höflein
Formation).  The  Upper  Jurassic  is  represented  by  dolomitic
limestones,  bioclastic  limestones  (Vranovice  Formation;  Ox-

fordian), platform carbonates including sponge and coral reefs
(Altenmark Formation), dark grey marls (Mikulov Formation;
Oxfordian—Tithonian),  calcarenites  (Kurdejov  Formation;  Ti-
thonian) and limestones, dolomites and marly limestones with
cherts at the base (Ernstbrunn Formation; Tithonian). A simi-
lar  Upper  Jurassic  facies  as  described  above  is  also  known
from the Waschberg Unit, which is overthrust from the South
onto  the  Bohemian  Massif.  They  are  represented  mainly  by
grey marly limestones with cherts and grey sandy clays with
ammonites and belemnites (Klentnice Formation; Kimmerid-
gian—Tithonian;  Hanzliková  &  Andrusov  1983),  as  in  the
more  northern  area  by  limestones  of  the  Ernstbrunn  Forma-
tion. Further to the West, the Jurassic deposits of the Bohemi-
an  Massif,  which  consist  of  the  Doggerian  sandstones  and
Malmian limestones (Wessely 1988), were found beneath the
Molasse  in  the  borehole  Grünau 1,  situated  SW  from  Steyr.
According to the mineralogical investigations of Faupl (1975),
granitoids found within the Gresten Klippen Zone, mainly in
the mantle envelope, show an affinity to the Bohemian Massif
and the Brunovistulicum. Generally, the Upper Jurassic sedi-
ments  known  from  the  Bohemian  Massif  and  Waschberg
Zone represent shelf and slope facies of the southern slope of
the  European  Platform,  whereas  neritic  lithofacies  known
from the Gresten Klippen Zone strongly resemble the open sea
Alpine facies. It should be noted that the Gresten Formation is
known  not  only  from  the  southern  margin  of  the  Bohemian
Massif. Lower Jurassic coarse sandstones and conglomerates
with intercalations of limestones regarded as similar to Grest-
en  Formation,  covered  by  limestones  and  Posidonia  Forma-
tion,  were  described  from  the  western  part  of  the  Pieniny
Klippen Belt in Slovakia (Andrusov 1959). The higher, Upper
Jurassic  sediments  with  radiolarites  and  cherty  limestones
(Pieniny  Limestone  Formation)  also  show  similarities  to  the
deposits  of  the  Gresten  Klippen  Zone  of  the  same  age.  The
Gresten Formation with coal deposits is also known from the
Mecsek Mts in Hungary (Haas 2001). Gresten sandstones are
developed  in  the  Bihor  Zone  of  the  Northern  Apuseni  Mts
(Ianovici et al. 1976) and in the Southern Carpathians (Burch-
field 1976) of Romania, but the Upper Jurassic sediments are
represented generally by shallow water limestones. The occur-
rence of the Gresten sandstones was recently mentioned from
the Pieniny Klippen Belt (Józsa & Aubrecht 2008). These oc-
currences of the Gresten Formations in different areas of the
Alpine-Carpathian  range  suggests  that  this  litho-facies  was
widespread in that realm. Areas chracterized by sedimentation
of the Gresten Formation probably represent fragments of the
southern part of the European plate which separated from the
main  part  of  this  plate  during  Jurassic  rifting  and  record  the
development of a sedimentary basin of the Alpine realm.

Area of investigations and its geology

Our studies were carried out in quarries at the Pöchlau hill,

which  is  situated  between  the  villages  Konradsheim  and
Maria Neustift (Figs. 2, 3). According to Aberer (1951) this
hill  was  built  up  of  the  Malmkalk  klippe  enveloped  by  the
Gresten  Formation  from  the  North  and  Upper  Cretaceous
marls from the South.

153

THE CLASTS OF CRETACEOUS MARLS OF THE KONRADSHEIM FORMATION (AUSTRIA)

Recent research shows that this klippe (approximately 550

meters long and 250 meters wide, Fig. 4), includes a succes-
sion of dark, siliceous shales (Fig. 4) with radiolaria of not
preciselly determined Jurassic age probably representing the
transition between the Lampelsberg and Scheibbsbach Forma-

Fig. 2. Sketch map of the Klippen Zone and adjacent areas between
Gresten and Pechgraben based on Schnabel (1992). 1 – Alpine Fore-
land, 2 – Gresten Klippen Zone,  3 – Helvetic Zone, 4 – Rheno-
Danubian  Flysch  Zone,  5  –  Ybbsitz  Klippen  Zone,  6  –  Northern
Calcareous  Alps;  P  –  Pöchlau  Klippe;  K  –  Konradsheim,  M  –
Maria Neustift, KG – Kohlgraben.

Fig. 3. General view of the Pöchlau Klippe. Two quarries are visi-
ble, lower on the left and higher on the right.

tions. They are covered by a complex 25 m thick, of thin- to
medium-bedded, grey, pelitic and graded siliceous limestones,
marls  and  sporadic  cherts,  which  shows  similarities  to  the
Scheibbsbach  Formation  of  Widder  (1988).  Locally,  thin  in-
tercalations  of  red  limestones  and  radiolarites  occur.  A  few
layers of micritic limestones appear at the top of this succes-
sion. Within the upper part of the succession there are a few
intercalations of locally developed conglomeratic layers, that
are lithologically similar to the conglomerates of the Konrad-
sheim  Formation  (see  also  Widder  1988).  They  could  repre-

Fig. 4. Geological sketch-map of the Pöchlau hill, according to Wessely (state in 2005).

sent  primary  intercalations  and/or  a  tec-
tonic  repetition  caused  by  local  thrust
faults or/and refolding. An example of re-
folding  is  visible  in  an  exposure  in  the
eastern part of the klippe (Fig. 5.1).

In the higher part of the succession, the

klippe  is  built  up  of  complex  clast-sup-
ported  conglomerates  and  sedimentary
breccias, up to 80 meters thick. Small ero-
sional channels mark the boundary to the
underlying  pelitic  limestones  (Fig. 5.2).
The  character  of  these  deposits  corre-
sponds  to  the  conglomerates  of  the  Kon-
radsheim  Formation.  They  are  developed
as very thick, usually amalgamated, clast-
and  matrix-supported  conglomerates  and
sedimentary  breccias,  often  displaying
gradation  (comp.  Faupl  1975;  Decker
1987).  Pelitic  intercalations  are  very  rare
and  thin.  Characteristic  is  the  occurrence
of clasts of black, grey and greenish marls
and  shales.  These  clasts  vary  in  diameter
from a few centimeters to more than one
meter  (Fig. 5.2,  5.3).  They  are  rounded
and subrounded. One clast of black shale
contains  tiny  shells  of  Bositra.  The  sedi-
mentary structures indicate that these sed-
iments represent deposits of debris flows.
Generally,  coarser  sediments  with  blocks
of  conglomeratic  limestones  and  excep-
tionally big marly clasts exist in the lower
part of the sequence that is exposed in the

155

THE CLASTS OF CRETACEOUS MARLS OF THE KONRADSHEIM FORMATION (AUSTRIA)

lower quarry (Fig. 5.3). In the upper part of the sequence small
marly clasts prevail (Fig. 5.4). In the lower quarry the com-
plex of conglomerates is cut by a fault dipping to the South.

The klippe is partly enveloped by variegated marls and

shales of Late Cretaceous age. Only in one place, along the en-
trance  to  the  higher  quarry  (Fig. 5.6)  a  different  succession,
several meters long, was found between the klippe and the en-
velope. The succession starts with black and green marls, part-
ly  tectonized.  They  are  followed  by  red  marls,  green-grey
marls,  sandy  shales  with  intercalations  of  medium-bedded
conglomeratic sandstones and terminated by olive marly sand-
stones. This succession is lying directly on the conglomerates
of  the  Konradsheim  Formation  with  a  sharp  and  tectonized
boundary and probably represents the immediate cover of the
Pöchlau klippe. The upper contact is also tectonic.

Methods and material

To establish the age of the conglomeratic limestones and

their substratum, several samples were taken for micropaleon-
tological investigations from the lower and upper quarry and
from their vicinty (Fig. 4):

– 4 samples were taken from the grey, pelitic siliceous lime-

stones (Scheibbsbach Formation) below the complex of con-
glomeratic limestones (samples: 19b/03, 21/03, 23/03, 25b/03);

– 14 samples were taken from the clasts within the con-

glomerates of the Konradsheim Formation (samples: 4/02 –
dark grey marl, 5/02 – black marl, 6/03 – greenish-grey
marl, 7/03 – brecciated greenish marl, 8/03 – dark grey
marl, 9/03 – dark grey marl, 10/03 – black marls, 22/03 –
brownish marl) and 3/04 – brown marl);

– 8 samples were taken from the succession along the en-

trance  to  the  higher  quarry  (with  samples:  12/03  –  black
marls,  14/03  –  green  marls,  15/03  –  red  marls,  16/03  –
green-grey marls, 17/03 – sandy shales with intercalations of
medium-bedded  conglomeratic  sandstones,  18/03  –  olive
marly sandstones);

– 1 sample was taken from the variegated marls and shales

from the variegated marls (Buntmergelserie) envelope (4/03);

–1 sample was taken from green marls from a contact be-

tween the klippe and its envelope (6/04).

Unfortunately due to the progress of the exploitation of both

quarries the sites of the samples from the quarries are not pre-
served any more.

The samples were analysed for foraminiferal (4/03, 6/03, 7/

03, 8/03/, 9/03, 22/03, 10-18/03), radiolarian (4/02, 5/02,
19B/03, 21/03, 23/03, 25B/03) and nannoplankton (Kg. 1—8/
04) content.

Standard processing methods (Glauber’s salt, multiple heat-

ing and freezing) were applied for the analyses of the foramin-
iferal  content.  The  dried  residuum  was  sieved,  with  a  final
sieve  size  of  63 µm.  Some  samples,  due  to  their  hardness,
have been analysed only in thin sections. The taxa were identi-
fied using both stereoscope microscope and SEM. In general,
samples  contain  relatively  numerous  microfauna,  however  a
part of them were almost barren without identifiable taxa.

Radiolarian samples were prepared by standard chemical

cleaning procedures for marl and shale using hot Glauber’s

salt solution, and sieving with a 63 µm sieve. The nanno-
plankton samples were prepared as standard smear slides.

Micropaleontological analysis and results

Foraminiferida

The assemblages of microfauna represent the Late Jurassic,

Late Cretaceous and Paleogene ages (see Figs. 6, 7. 8 and 9).
Samples from Lampelsberg/Scheibbsbach Formations (below
the Konradsheim Formation) contain only  Middle Callovian-
Early  Tithonian  radiolarians.  The  foraminiferal  assemblages
from the dark grey, brownish and black marly clasts from the
Konradsheim  Formation  mainly  contain  calcareous  benthic
taxa such as Paalzovella, Spirillina and Trocholina of Late Ju-
rassic—Early  Cretacous  age.  Clasts  of  brecciated  greenish
marls of the Konradsheim Formation contain mainly Late Cre-
taceous agglutinated foraminiferids with admixture of calcare-
ous  benthic  taxa.  Samples  collected  from  the  variegated,
green, red and grey olive marls of Buntmergelserie are mainly
composed of Late Cretaceous—Paleogene index planktonic as
well as of calcareous and agglutinated benthic foraminiferids
(see Fig. 6).

Radiolaria

Six samples contained radiolarian assemblages with identi-

fiable species suitable for biostratigraphic study. Radiolarians
are common and abundant in all the samples but poorly pre-
served. Surface features of many of the tests are intensively re-
crystallized or further obscured by pyritization or calcitization.
Only a small number of moderate to well-preserved specimens
occur.

The radiolarian assemblages identified in samples 19b/03,

21/03, 23b/03, 25b/03 from the siliceous limestones below the
Konradsheim  Formation  are  dominated  by  spumellarians,
many of which remain undifferentiated due to poor preserva-
tion. The recognizable species: Gongylothorax favosus Dumi-
trica, Homoeoparonaella(?) gigantea Baumgartner, Mirifusus
dianae  minor  Baumgartner,  Obesacapsula  bullata  Steiger,
Parahsuum  stanleyense  (Pessagno),  Paronaella  broenni-
manni  Pessagno,  Parvicingula  altissima  (Rust),  Sethocapsa
funatoensis  Aita,  Spongocapsula  palmerae  Pessagno,  Spon-
gocapsula  perampla  (Rust),  Williriedellum  carpathicum
Dumitrica,  allow  a  correlation  with  the  Middle  Callovian
through the Early Tithonian Unitary Associations (UA 8—12)
of Baumgartner et al. (1995). For the list of identified taxa see
Fig. 6. The particular species are presented on Figs. 10 and 11.

The majority of the species have been identified in the sec-

ond  radiolarian  assemblage  from  clasts  of  the  Konradsheim
Formation  (samples 4/02  and  5/02),  which  contains  mostly
nassellarians.  Representatives  of  the  families  Archaeodictyo-
mitridae,  Pseudodictyomitridae  and  Dorypylidae  (sensu
O’Dogherty  1994)  (Fig. 12)  are  dominant  both  in  terms  of
abundance  and  diversity.  The  presence  of  species  Angulo-
bracchia  portmanni  Baumgartner,  Dictyomitra  communis
(Squinabol),  Hiscocapsa  asseni  (Tan),  Pseudodictyomitra
lodogaensis Pessagno, Pseudoeucyrtis hanni (Tan), Rhopalo-

156

ŚLĄCZKA, GASIŃSKI, BĄK and WESSELY

Fig. 6. Samples lithology, selected microfossils and approximate age based on foraminiferids and radiolaria from the studied formations: F – for-
aminiferida, R – radiolaria. Stratigraphic ranges of agglutinated foraminiferids after Geroch & Nowak (1984) and planktonic species after Caron
(1985), Robaszynski & Caron (1995), Premoli-Silva et al. (2002, 2004). Radiolarian stratigraphic ranges are based on Baumgartner et al. (1995).

Sample

No.

Formations and samples

lithology

Microfossils (selected)

Age (approx.)

19b/03

Lampelsberg/Scheibbs-
bach Fms, dark grey marls

R: Homoeoparonaella (?) gigantea, Paronaella broennimanni

Middle Callovian – Early
Kimmeridgian

21/03

Lampelsberg/Scheibbs-
bach Fms, dark grey marls

R: Parvicingula altissima, Homoeoparonaella (?) gigantea, Paronaella
broennimanni

Middle Callovian – Early
Tithonian

23b/03

Lampelsberg/Scheibbs-
bach Fms, dark grey marls

R: Spongocapsula perampla, Spongocapsula palmerae, Mirifusus dianae
minor, Obesacapsula bullata, Sethocapsa aff. S. trachyostraca, Gongylothorax
favosus

Middle Callovian – Early
Tithonian

25b/03

Lampelsberg/Scheibbs-
bach Fms, dark grey marls

R: Parahsuum stanleyense, Stichocapsa robusta, Williriedellum carpathicum,
Sethocapsa funatoensis, Paronaella broennimanni, Gongylothorax favosus

Middle Callovian – Early
Tithonian

4/02

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) black, grey and
greenish marl

R: Dictyomitra communis, Pseudodictyomitra lodogaensis, Halesium biscutum,
Angulobracchia portmanni, Rhopalosyringium fossile, Stichocapsa pulchella

Early Aptian

5/02

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) black, grey and
greenish marl

R: Dictyomitra communis, Halesium biscutum, Pseudodictyomitra lodogaensis,
Obeliscoites cf. O. vinassai, Pseudoeucyrtis hanni, Hiscocapsa asseni,
Rhopalosyringium fossile, Paronaella trifoliacea, Angulobracchia portmanni,
Sethocapsa simplex, Thanarla pseudodecora, Paronaella tubulata

Early Aptian

6/03

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) greenish marl

unidentified unknown

7/03

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) brecciated greenish
marl

F: Haplophragmoides sp., Caudammina gigantea, Astacolus sp., Ramulina sp.,
Lenticulina sp., ?Contusotruncana sp.

Late Cretaceous

8/03

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) dark grey marl

F: Heterohelix striata, Gansserina gansseri, Planoglobulina acervulinoides,
Guembelitria sp., Bulimina sp.

Campanian – Maastrichtian

9/03

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) dark grey marl

F: Paalzovella sp., Spirillina sp., Trocholina sp.

Jurassic – E Cretaceous

10/03

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) black marl

F: Paalzovella sp., Spirillina sp., Trocholina sp.

Jurassic – E Cretaceous

22a/03

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) brownish marl

F: Paalzovella sp., Spirillina sp., Trocholina sp.

Jurassic – E Cretaceous

3/04

Konradsheim Formation
(clast) brown shale

unidentified piritized Radiolaria moulds

unknown

4/03

Buntmergelserie
variegated marl

F: mixed? microfauna: Ammobaculites sp., Haplophragmoides sp.,
Trochammina sp., Trochamminoides div. sp., Tritaxia ex gr. gaultina,
Gaudryina sp., Caudammina gigantea, Uvigerinammina cf. jankoi, Lenticulina
sp., Subbotina triloculinoides, Globigerina sp.

Cretaceous – Paleogene

11/03

Buntmergelserie
dark grey marl

F: Tritaxia ex gr. gaultina, Karrerulina sp., Gaudryina sp.

mid-Late Cretaceous

12a/03

Buntmergelserie
black marl

F: Piritized specimens: Caudammina gigantea, Tritaxia sp., Trochammina sp.,
Gaudryina sp., Lenticulina sp., Dentalina sp., Globotruncana sp.

Late Cretaceous

13/03

Buntmergelserie
black shale

unidentified microfauna

unknown

14a/03

Buntmergelserie
green marl

F: mixed microfauna: Globotruncana ex gr. lapparenti, G.bulloides, Rotalipora
appenninica, R. cf. cushmani

Cretaceous (Albian –
Maastrichtian)

15/03

Buntmergelserie
red marl

F: Tritaxia ex gr. gaultina, Textularia sp., Recurvoides sp., ?Karrerulina sp.,
Caudammina ovulum, Arenobulimina sp., Spiroplectammina sp.,
Globigerinelloides sp.

Late Cretaceous

16/03

Buntmergelserie
green-grey marl

F: Ammobaculites sp., Tritaxia ex gr. gaultina, Gaudryina sp., Caudammina
gigantea, Dentalina sp., Pleurostomella sp., Lenticulina sp., Cibicides sp.,
?Contusotruncana sp.

Late Cretaceous

17a/03

Buntmergelserie
olive marl

F: Marssonela oxycona, Spiroplectammina sp., Triloculina sp., Morozovella
aequa, Subbotina triloculinoides, Pullenia sp., Nummulites sp.

Late Paleocene

18a/03

Buntmergelserie
olive-grey marl

F: Marssonela oxycona, Triloculina sp., Morozovella aequa, Subbotina
triloculinoides, Pullenia sp.

Late Paleocene

6/04

Buntmergelserie
green marl

F: Ammobaculites sp., Trochammina sp., Trochamminoides sp.,
Haplophragmoides sp., Recurvoides sp., Karrerulina sp., Hormosina ovulum,
Spiroplectammina cf. navarroana, Lenticulina sp., Neoflabellina sp.,
?Globigerina sp.

Paleogene

159

THE CLASTS OF CRETACEOUS MARLS OF THE KONRADSHEIM FORMATION (AUSTRIA)

Fig. 9. (Bars have different values.) 1 – Globotruncana bulloides Vogler, sample 14a/03; 2 – Rotalipora appenninica (Renz),
sample 14a/03; 3, 4 – Sprillina sp., sample 9/03; 5, 6 – Spirillina sp., sample 22a/03. Foraminiferal assemblages: A – sample 9/03 (Ju-
rassic—Early Cretaceous); B – sample 22a/03 (Jurassic—Early Cretaceous); C – sample 14a/03 (mixed mid-Late Cretaceous—Paleogene
microfauna); D – sample 17a/03 (Paleocene); E – sample 18a/03 (Late Paleocene).

syringium fossile (Squinabol) are particularly important as
they allow correlation with the radiolarian costata Subzone of
Turbocapsula.

The radiolarian assemblages listed by Ožvoldová & Faupl

(1993) from Jurassic chert formations of the Gresten and Ybb-
sitz Klippen Belt (Eastern Alps, Lower Austria) are different
in composition from the above mentioned assemblages.

Nannoplankton

Eight samples numbered as Kg 1—8 from dark grey clasts of

the Konradsheim Formation were treated for nannoflora by
Stjepan Coric (Austrian Geological Survey). All of them ex-

cept sample Kg 4 which was barren, were generally rich in
Watznaueria species:

Kg 1: Watznaueria fossacincta (Black, 1971), W. britanni-

ca  (Stradner,  1963)  Reinardt,  1964,  W.  manivitae  Bukry,
1973, W. barnesae (Black, 1959), Perch-Nielsen, 1968. Kg 2:
Watznaueria fossacincta (Black, 1971), W. britannica (Strad-
ner,  1963)  Reinardt,  1964,  W.  manivitae  Bukry,  1973.  Kg 3:
Watznaueria fossacincta (Black, 1971), W. britannica (Strad-
ner,  1963)  Reinardt,  1964.  Kg 5:  Watznaueria  fossacincta
(Black,  1971),  W.  barnesae  (Black,  1959),  Perch-Nielsen,
1968.  Kg 6:  Watznaueria  fossacincta  (Black,  1971),  W.  bri-
tannica (Stradner, 1963) Reinardt, 1964, W. manivitae Bukry,
1973, W. barnesae (Black, 1959), Perch-Nielsen, 1968. Kg 7:

161

THE CLASTS OF CRETACEOUS MARLS OF THE KONRADSHEIM FORMATION (AUSTRIA)

Fig. 11. 1, 2 – Gongylothorax favosus Dumitrica, sample 23b/03; 3 – Orbiculiforma sp., sample 25b/03; 4—6 – Homoeoparonaella(?)
gigantea Baumgartner, sample 19b/03; 7—9 – Paronaella broennimanni Pessagno, samples: 19b/03, 25b/03; 10 – Halesium sp.,
sample 25b/03. Scale bar 100 micrometers.

Watznaueria fossacincta (Black, 1971), W. britannica (Strad-
ner, 1963) Reinardt, 1964. Kg 8: Watznaueria fossacincta
(Black, 1971), W. britannica (Stradner, 1963) Reinardt, 1964,
W. manivitae Bukry, 1973, W. barnesae (Black, 1959), Perch-
Nielsen, 1968.

These species are typical of the Middle—Late Jurassic. How-

ever,  zonal  marker  species  were  not  found,  and  they  have  a
wide  stratigraphic  range:  Watznaueria  barnesae  and  W.  bri-
tannica  were  also  found  in  mid-Cretaceous  deposits  and  W.
fossacincta and W. manivitae from Lower Hauterivian depos-
its (e.g. Bown 1982).

Mollusca

One of the clasts of black shale (sample 19B/03) contains

abundant tiny molluscs similar to Bositra sp. This clast also

contains radiolarians of Middle Callovian—Tithonian age
(sample 19B/03).

Discussion

The radiolarian assemblages in the grey turbiditic siliceous

limestones which can be correlated with Scheibbsbach Forma-
tion display a broad stratigraphic range from Middle Callov-
ian to Early Tithonian.

The majority of samples from the redeposited clasts within

the  conglomerates  of  the  Konradsheim  Formation  in  the
Pöchlau klippe contain foraminifers and radiolarians charac-
teristic of the upper part of the Early Cretaceous, only a few
of  the  redeposited  clasts  contains  assemblages  of  the  Mid-
dle—Late  Jurassic.  The  one  sample  which  contains  the  Late

163

THE CLASTS OF CRETACEOUS MARLS OF THE KONRADSHEIM FORMATION (AUSTRIA)

Cretaceous was taken from the brecciated block of greenish
marl  situated  in  vicinity  of  the  fault,  which  cut  the  lower
quarry,  therefore  it  probably  represents  a  tectonic  block  of
younger  sediments  incorporated  into  the  conglomerates  of
the Konradsheim Formation during younger tectonic move-
ments.  Therefore,  the  sampled  part  of  the  conglomerates  of
the  Konradsheim  Formation  within  the  Pöchlau  klippe  can-
not  be  older  than  Barremian-Aptian  and,  most  probably,
their age is mid-Cretaceous. The existence of conglomeratic
deposits  of  similar  age  is  known  from  the  Calcareous  Alps
(e.g.  synorogenic  conglomerates  of  the  Rossfeld  Forma-
tion– Decker et al. 1987; Losenstein Formation–Schnabel
ed.  2002)  and  recently  described  by  Józsa  &  Aubrecht
(2008),  from  the  western  part  of  the  Pieniny  Klippen  Belt
(Tvrdošín Breccia Member). The position of the unique, Up-
per Cretaceous-Paleogene mainly pelitic sequence above the
conglomerates  of  the  Konradsheim  Formation,  exposed  at
the entrance to the higher quarry is not clear. The conglom-
eratic sandstones could correspond to the conglomerates de-
scribed  by  Faupl  &  Schnabel  (1987)  from  the  vicinity  of
Scheibbs. However, if this sequence is the primary cover of
the conglomerates of the Konradsheim Formation, this con-
firms its Early Cretaceous age.

The similar, mid-Cretaceous age of the conglomerates of

the  Konradsheim  Formation  was  found  in  the  locus  typicus
near the Konradsheim village as well as in Kohlgraben (Höck
et  al.  2005).  The  existence  of  conglomeratic  limestone  com-
plexes  within  the  Upper  Jurassic  sediments  (Decker  1987;
Widder  1988)  similar  to  those  from  the  vicinity  of  the  locus
typicus,  show  that  sedimentation  of  the  conglomeratic  lime-
stones  of  the  Konradsheim  Limestone  type  started  already
during the Late Jurassic and was repeated several times. As a
result several separated lenses of conglomeratic sediments ex-
isted within the Upper Jurassic—Lower Cretaceous sediments
of the Gresten Klippen Zone. Observed erosional surfaces be-
low some complexes of these deposits in the Pöchlau klippe as
well as near Arthof (Höck et al. 2005) imply that intercalated,
probably  more  pelitic  sediments  dividing  the  conglomeratic
ones were eroded by dense turbiditic currents which deposited
the  conglomeratic  limestones  and/or  were  squeezed  out  dur-
ing the tectonic movements. The existence of the erosion dur-
ing the sedimentation of the conglomeratic limestones is also
confirmed by the co-existence of clasts of different age, from
Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, in the conglomerates of the Kon-
radsheim Formation.

The repeated sedimentation of conglomeratic limestones

similar to the conglomerates of the Konradsheim Formation
from the Late Jurassic up to the Early Cretaceous can give a
new insight into the paleogeography (see Höck et al. 2005) of
the discussed area and show the recurrent activity of the
source area for the conglomeratic limestone during that time.

Acknowledgments:  The  authors  would  like  to  thank  Prof.
Volker  Höck  (Salzburg  University),  Prof.  Michael  Wagreich
(Vienna  University)  and  Dr.  Hans  Egger  (Geological  Survey
of Austria) for their kind reviews, comments and valuable re-
marks greatly improving the text. Dr. Stjepan Coric (Geologi-
cal  Survey  of  Austria)  is  sincerely  acknowledged  for
determination  of  the  nannoplankton.  Anna  Łatkiewicz,  An-

drzej Świąder, Waldemar Obcowski and Irena Chodyń (Insti-
tute of Geological Sciences, Jagiellonian University) are ac-
knowledged for their technical help.

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