GeolCarp_Vol62_No2_109

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA

, APRIL 2011, 62, 2, 109—119 doi: 10.2478/v10096-011-0010-2

Introduction

An  unmetamorphosed  or  slightly  metamorphosed  Paleozoic
succession  developed  as  continental  clastics  in  Old  Red
Sandstone  facies  and  platform  carbonates  of  Devonian  and
Carboniferous  ages  form  the  sedimentary  cover  of  an  auto-
nomous  Precambrian  block,  the  Brunovistulicum.  The
Brunovistulicum,  or  Moravo-Silesian  Terrane  (Pharaoh
1999), situated at the eastern margin of the Bohemian Massif,
extends  from  the  northern  Austria  to  southern  Poland.  The
western  margin  of  the  Brunovistulicum  is  incorporated  into
the Variscides, its eastern part is concealed beneath the Car-
pathian  Foredeep  and  the  Outer  Western  Carpathians.  The
northern margin abuts on the Kraków-Lubliniec Fault Zone
(Fig. 1).  The  autochthonous  sedimentary  cover  of  the  Pre-
cambrian  crystalline  block  includes  Vendian(?)  to  Lower
Cambrian  siliciclastics,  mostly  Lower  to  Middle  Devonian
quartzose  continental  “red  beds”,  Eifelian  to  Frasnian  plat-
form  reef  sediments,  Famennian  to  Tournaisian  (but  also
Visean)  calciturbidites,  shales  and  platform  carbonates,  and
mostly in allochthonous position, Upper Visean flyshoid si-
liciclastics.  Terrestrial  siliciclastics  of  the  Moravian  Karst
Facies  domain  (Fig. 1),  called  colloquially  basal  clastics,
preceed the Middle Devonian platform carbonates with coral-
stromatoporoid  reefs  (Hladil  1985,  1988)  accumulated  dur-
ing  the  basement  subsidence  (Bábek  et  al.  2007).  Basal
clastics  occur  in  several  linear  basins  in  the  area  between
Znojmo and Vratíkov, predisposed by tectonic zones with a
N-S direction (Dvořák 1998). Petrological assessment of the
clastics within the studied area has been done by Zádrapa &
Skoček  (1983),  Nehyba  et  al.  (2001)  and  others.  Alluvial
slopes, riverine valleys and fluvial depositional environment
prevailed  during  their  sedimentation  as  initial  stages  of  the
rifting.  Quartz  and  arkose  sandstones,  deposited  mainly  in

Middle Devonian palynomorphs from southern Moravia:

an evidence of rapid change from terrestrial deltaic plain to

carbonate platform conditions

MILADA VAVRDOVÁ

and JIŘINA DAŠKOVÁ

1,2

Institute of Geology AS CR, v.v.i., Rozvojová 135, Praha 6, Czech Republic; vavrdova@gli.cas.cz; daskova@gli.cas.cz

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom

(Manuscript received March 11, 2010; accepted in revised form October 6, 2010)

Abstract: Dispersed fossil miospores and acritarchs have been recovered from the subsurface pelites in the Uhřice-1
borehole, southern Moravia. Spores of ferns, sphenopsids and lycopods with rare marine microplankton (acritarchs and
chitinozoans) cysts indicate a predominantly continental environment with a limited marine influence. Dispersed miospores
with cysts of unicellular marine microplankton confirm the Middle Devonian, most probably early Givetian (AD lem)
age of marine transgression in southern Moravia. Thermal alteration of palynomorphs shows average values, with TAI
ranging from 2+ to 3+, corresponding to 60—70 °C.

Key words: Devonian marine transgression, Moravia, basal clastics, miospores, acritarchs.

environments  of  braid  deltas,  characterize  similar  material
sources of both the Lower Cambrian and Devonian sediments
(Buriánek et al. 2007). Paleontological records from the basal
member  of  the  Devonian  marine  sequences  in  southern
Moravia  are  sparse,  restricted  to  ichnological,  palynological
and  paleobotanical  data  (Purkyňová  1978b;  Jachowicz  &
Přichystal 1997; Mikuláš et al. 2008). At present, palynology
represents  the  best  method  of  differentiating  between  the
Early Cambrian and the Devonian part of the basal clastics.
Sediments  suitable  for  the  palynological  studies  are  mostly
limited to drill cores, however.

Previous paleontological investigation has been aimed

predominantly at an assessment of plant macrofossils, while
microfloristic records have been confined to the Late Paleo-
zoic  (Valterová  1978).  Carboniferous  fossil  plants  and  mi-
ospores  (Upper  Visean,  Namurian  A)  are  known  from  the
five boreholes situated between Velké Pavlovice and Slavkov
(Žarošice-1, Uhřice-1 and 2; Němčičky-1 and 2; Purkyňová
1974, 1978a,b). The slightly metamorphosed slates interbed-
ded in sandstones from the western margin of the Brunovis-
tulian  Unit  NW  of  Brno  contained  miospores  of  the  late
Emsian age (annulatus—sextantii Assemblage Zone) together
with  unspecified  acritarchs  and  scolecodonts  (Jachowicz  et
al.  2006;  Gilíková  et  al.  2007).  The  Early  to  Middle  Devo-
nian  fossil  plant  remains  such  as  fragments  of  coalified  di-
chotomized  axes  (e.g.  Trimerophytina)  and  flat  thalloid
possible  algal  remains  were  described  from  the  Kozlovice
SV-1, Kozlovice SV-4 and Měnín-1 boreholes (Purkyňová et
al.  2004).  Fragments  of  the  early  land  plants  have  been
found together with well preserved miospores indicating the
Early/Middle  Devonian  age  (late  Emsian  to  early  Eifelian).
In  the  Měnín-1  borehole,  these  strata  (core  No. 15,  depth
468—473 m) directly overlay the clastic sequences of the Ear-
ly Cambrian age. The assemblage had pronounced continen-

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lynomorphs document a rapid change from the exclusively ter-
restrial  depositional  environment  in  the  late  Emsian  to  early
Eifelian in the Měnín-1 borehole to strictly marine sediments of
the  early  Givetian  age.  Thirty  eight  species  of  dispersed  mio-
spores, four cryptospore species and twenty three species of the
fossil  unicellular  marine  microplankton  have  been  identified,
some left in open nomenclature because of either morphologi-
cal differences or a small number of specimens available.

Material and methods

Basal clastics consist of predominantly terrigenous deposits

in  which  petromictic  and  quartzose  conglomerates  and  subar-
coses  with  abundant  feldspatic  detritus  alternate  with  massive
arkosic  and  quartz  sandstones,  micaceous  siltstones  and  rare
clayey shales. Bright colouring, a sign of oxidation (red-brown,
light green, purple, violet, orange), and generally coarse grains
make basal clastics generally not suitable for the preservation of
organic-walled  palynomorphs.  The  Uhřice-1  borehole  charac-
terizes a presence of lithofacies Sh (horizontally bedded quart-
zose  sandstones)  and  lithofacies  St  (red-brown  massive
quartzose sandstones). Coarse-grained grey sandstone with silty
intercalation  at  the  depth  3596—3600 m  contained  ichnofossils
of the genus Planolites Nicholson, 1879 (Mikuláš et al. 2008).
Non-oxidized  pelitic  facies  occur  exceptionally.  Most  of  the
documented  drill  core  material  from  the  numerous  boreholes
drilled  during  the  oil  exploration  in  southern  Moravia  is  no
longer  available.  The  drill  core  No. 21  (depth  3596—3600 m),
relatively suitable for the preservation of palynomorphs, is ex-
ceptional in this viewpoint. The sample consists of light grey to
greenish-grey  silty  mudstones  and  clayey  siltstones  with  a
splintery disintegration. Organic-walled microfossils have been
isolated  by  conventional  palynological  methods  (Phipps  &
Playford 1984). Anorganic particles have beeen removed using
diluted  hydrochloric  acid,  hydrofluoric  acid  and  sieving.  The
procedure has been done by Mrs. A. Tichá in the Laboratories
of the Geological Survey, Prague.

Palynological residua are dominated by various irregular

fragments of resistant plant tissues. The borehole core mate-
rial has been acquired in the depository of the Moravské naf-
tové doly, a.s. Company and deposited together with
palynological slides in the Institute of Geology, Academy of
Science, v.v.i. (Prague).

Palynology

Palynological residue consists mainly of dispersed mio-

spores, unicellular marine microplankton, and small irregu-
lar fragments of plant debris (tracheids, cuticles and other
acid-resistant tissues).

Genera Acinosporites Richardson: A. acanthomammillatus

Richardson,  1965,  A.  lindlarensis  Riegel,  1968;  Apiculiretu-
sispora  Streel:  A.  brandtii  Streel,  1964,  A.  plicata  (Allen)
Streel,  1967;  Dibolisporites  Richardson:  D.  echinaceus
(Eisenack)  Richardson,  1964;  and  Retusotriletes  (Naumova)
Richardson:  R.  rotundus  Streel,  R.  distinctus  Richardson,  R.
triangulatus (Streel) Streel, 1967 prevailed in the assemblage.

Common are patinate genera Chelinospora Allen (C. concinna
Allen, 1965, C. ligurata Allen, 1965, C. timanica (Naumova)
Loboziak & Streel, 1989, and Cymbosporites Allen (Cymbo-
sporites catillus Allen, 1965, C. cyathus Allen, 1965). The as-
sociation  is  characterized  by  a  proliferation  of  spores  with
irregular  verrucate-clavate  sculpture:  Verrucosisporites  flexi-
bilis Turnau, 1996, V. premnus Richardson, 1964, V. scurrus
McGregor & Camfield, 1982. Miospores with bifurcate spines
(Hystrichosporites  corystus  Richardson,  1962,  H.  microan-
cyreus Riegel, 1973) and pseudosaccate forms such as Grandi-
spora douglastownense McGregor, 1973 were detected rarely.
Alete cryptospores (Retialetes sp., Strophomorpha ovata Miller
&  Eames,  1982),  and  small  smooth  hilate  forms:  Gneudna-
spora divellomedia var. minor Breuer et al., 2007 occur rarely.
Small-sized  miospores  of  the  species  Diatomozonosporites
franklinii McGregor & Camfield, 1982, Aneurospora goensis
Lele & Streel, 1969 and numerous smooth trilete forms com-
plement the spectrum.

Organic-walled microfossils of marine origin are less di-

versified and less abundant. Twenty three species of unicel-
lular  microplankton  cysts,  rare  scolecodonts  (not  identified
to genera) and small-sized chitinozoans document a marine en-
vironment. Among protists, presumed green algae of the family
Prasinophyceae prevail (Cymatiosphaera Wetzel ex Deflandre,
Leiosphaeridia  Eisenack,  Pterospermella  Eisenack,  Schis-
matosphaeridium  Staplin,  Jansonius  &  Pocock).  Representa-
tives of the acritarch genus Polyedrixium Deunff ex Deunff (P.
embudum Cramer, 1964, P. arcum Wicander & Loeblich, 1977,
P.  aff.  prismaticum  Deunff,  1966)  and  Gorgonisphaeridium
Staplin et al. are quite common with more than 20 specimens.
Polygonomorphids (Veryhachium Deunff, Villosacapsula Loe-
blich  &  Tappan)  and  nethromorphids  (Dactylofusa  Brito  &
Santos, Leiofusa Eisenack, Navifusa Combaz et al. ex Eisenack)
are  usually  preserved  as  irregular  fragments.  The  presence  of
species  previously  recorded  from  Gondwanan  sites  such  as
Pseudolunulidia  imperatrizensis  Brito  &  Santos,  1965,  Quad-
raditum  ibericum  Pöthe  de  Baldis,  1981  and  Dactylofusa
maranhensis Brito & Santos, 1965 is remarkable.

Systematics

Acritarcha Evitt, 1963

Genus: Polyedrixium Deunff emend. Deunff, 1971

Type species: Polyedrixium deflandrei Deunff, 1954 ex

Deunff, 1961

Polyedrixium aff. prismaticum Deunff, 1966

Fig. 2.1,2

aff. 1966 Polyedrixium prismaticum Deunff – These, Université de

Rennes, pp. 102—103, pl. 12, 107—109

aff. 1971 Polyedrixium prismaticum Deunff – C.I.M.P., C.N.R.S. Paris,

3, pp. 31—32, 4, 12a

D e s c r i p t i o n: Hollow polyhedral vesicles with concave

sides and a rhombiform outline. Facets are usually square,
less often rectangular. The wall surface is scabrate to
chagrenate. Edges provided with membranaceous crests with

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a finely crenulate margin which run from the corners and
join in the centre of the vesicle.

D i m e n s i o n s: Overall size 36—(50.3)—63 µm; height of

crests 3 to 5 µm (7 specimens measured).

R e m a r k s: Specimens from southern Moravia differ from

the type species mainly in larger dimensions and in the more
prominent sculpture of vesicle wall. Forms from the Uhřice-1
borehole often exceed 60 micrometers, while the specimens
of Polyedrixium prismaticum Deunff from the Canadian
Couvinian attain 35 to 40 µm (Deunff 1971).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Couvinian (Eifelian—Givetian).
O c c u r r e n c e: The Uhřice-1 borehole, core No. 21; depth

3596—3600 m.

Genus: Pterospermella Eisenack, 1972

Type species: Pterospermella aureolata (Cookson & Eisenack)

Eisenack, 1972

Pterospermella aff. tenellula Playford, 1981

Fig. 3.5

aff. 1981 Pterospermella tenellula Playford – Geobios 14, 2, 154,

pl. 4, fig. 2—4

D e s c r i p t i o n: Relatively small vesicles consisting of the

dark, poorly defined central body of a roughly circular outline,
and a surrounding equatorial double-walled membranous
flange with an undulate margin. Few irregularly disposed radi-
al ribs supporting the flange range from relatively massive to
only slightly visible. Wall of the central body and of the equa-
torial flange finely granulate to echinate.

D i m e n s i o n s: Central body 18—22 µm, equatorial flange

5—7 µm, rod-like thickenings up to 3 µm, overall size 36—
41 µm (5 specimens measured).

R e m a r k s: The specimens described by Playford (1981)

from the Late Devonian (Givetian to Frasnian) of the Gneudna
Basin, Western Australia differ in a thin-walled, diaphanous
flange and a smooth wall. Emsian Pterospermella hermosita
Cramer is smaller, more coarsely sculptured.

O c c u r r e n c e: The Uhřice-1 borehole, Devonian basal

clastics, core No. 21, depth 3596—3600 m.

Genus: Quadraditum Cramer, 1964

Type species: Quadraditum fantasticum Cramer, 1964

Pöthe de Baldis

aff. Quadraditum ibericum Pöthe de Baldis

Fig. 3.4

aff. 1981 Quadraditum ibericum Pöthe de Baldis – Rev. Espan. Micro-

paleont. 13, p. 248, pl. 8, fig. 1

D e s c r i p t i o n: Thick-walled hollow central body of rect-

angular  or  square  outline  and  psilate  vesicle  wall.  Pillow-
shaped  opaque  central  body  protrudes  in  corners  into  short
hollow  tubular  projections,  opened  into  central  cavity  and
connected  with  two  opposite  thin  bladder-like  periderm  en-
velopes.  Wall  of  periderm  smooth,  thin,  uni-layered,  trans-
parent. Overall outline elongately ovoidal to ellipsoidal.

S i z e r a n g e: Central body: 24 µm; overall size: 40 µm

(1 specimen measured).

R e m a r k: Relatively poor preservation of the single speci-

men studied does not allow an unequivocal determination.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Los Espejos Formation, San Juan Prov-

ince, Argentina (Pöthe de Baldis 1981).

O c c u r r e n c e: The Uhřice-1 borehole, core No. 21, depth

3596—3600 m.

Genus: Holothuriadeigma Loeblich, 1970

Type species: Holothuriadeigma heterakainum Loeblich, 1970

Holothuriadeigma aff. H. heterakainum Loeblich, 1970

Fig. 3.6,7

aff. 1970 Holothuriadeigma heterakainum Loeblich – Proc. North

Amer. Paleont. Conv. Chicago 1969, 722—23, pl. 16A—C

aff. 1971 Dactylofusa ‘neahgae’ Cramer – Rev. Espanol. Micropa-

leont. 1, 82, pl. 2

D e s c r i p t i o n: Vesicle hollow, naviform to reniform in

shape  with  broadly  rounded  poles.  Central  body  single-
walled, wall thin, transparent, finely scabrate. The ornamen-
tation consists of short thorn-like spines or flexible processes
distributed  evenly  on  a  vesicle  surface,  with  a  tendency  to
form  longitudinal  ridges.  Distal  terminations  of  processes
range  from  sharp  tips  to  blunt  or  bifurcate  tips.  Processes
seem  to  communicate  with  the  vesicle  interior.  Excystment
is performed by a straight rupture of the central body.

S i z e r a n g e: Length around 35 µm, width 25 µm; length

of processes 4—6 µm (3 specimens measured).

R e m a r k: The recovered specimen differs from the spe-

cies  Dactylofusa  maranhensis  Brito  &  Santos  mainly  in
broadly rounded polar areas. Dactylofusa fastidiona (Cramer)
Combaz  et  al.  and  Rhachosoarium  lappaceum  Tappan  &
Loeblich from the Late Ordovician of the USA are similar in
shape, but differ in an absence of bifurcate spines (Tappan &
Loeblich  1971).  Holothuriadeigma  heterakainum  Cramer
differ in stouter, longer sculptural elements.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Middle Silurian Neahga Shale, New

York, Ontario (Loeblich 1970; Cramer 1971).

O c c u r r e n c e: Devonian basal clastics, Uhřice-1 bore-

hole, core No. 21, depth 2596—3600 m.

Genus: Pseudolunulidia Brito & Santos, 1965

Pseudolunulidia imperatrizensis Brito & Santos, 1965

Fig. 3.2

1965 Pseudolunulidia imperatrizensis Brito & Santos – Notas Prelim

Estud., Div. Geol. Min 129, p. 12, pl. 2 (non vidi)

1967 Pseudolunulidia imperatrizensis Brito – Micropaleontology 13,

p. 486, pl. 3/1

D e s c r i p t i o n: Half-moon shaped vesicle with broadly

rounded extremities. Wall thin, transparent, unilayered. Or-
namentation consists of short solid rods evenly and densely
distributed on vesicle surface. Distal terminations of sculp-
tural elements sharp, blunt or capitate.

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S i z e r a n g e: 72 µm; height of rods and rod-like projec-

tions up to 3 µm (1 specimen measured).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Middle Devonian, Brazil (Brito & Santos

1965).

O c c u r r e n c e: The Devonian basal clastics, Uhřice-1

borehole, core 21, depth 2596—3600 m.

Cryptosporites Richardson, Ford & Parker, 1984

Genus: Rugospora Strother & Traverse, 1979

Type species: Rugospora tuscarorensis Strother &

Traverse, 1979

aff. Rugosphaera tuscarorensis Strother & Traverse, 1979

Fig. 4.3

aff. 1979 Rugosphaera tuscarorensis Strother & Traverse – Palynolo-

gy 3, p. 6, pl. 1, figs. 1—3

aff. 2006 unidentified palynomorph, Wellman – Trans. R. Soc. Edin-

burgh, Earth Sci. 97, figs. 20k—m, o—q

D e s c r i p t i o n: Inaperturate palynomorphs occur as

monads of oval shape, outline smooth, surface covered by ir-
regular meshwork of external vermiculate/cristate/rugulate
elements. Ridges irregular, thin to relatively thick, tend to
form elongate reticulum or concentric ridges near the equator.

S i z e r a n g e: Length 30—42 µm; width 20—25 µm (3 spec-

imens measured).

R e m a r k: Oval shape and relatively thin wall distinguish

the Moravian specimen from the Silurian cryptospores.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Tuscarora

Formation,

Pennsylvania

(Strother & Traverse 1979).

O c c u r r e n c e: The Devonian basal clastics, the Uhřice-1

borehole, core No. 21, depth 3596—3600 m.

Stratigraphy

Biostratigraphical assessment has been based mainly on the

abundant  presence  of  miospores  with  prominent  verrucate-
clavate  sculpture  such  as  Raistrikia  aratra  Allen,  Verruco-
sisporites flexibilis Turnau (Fig. 4.7), V. premnus Richardson
(Fig. 2.6)  and  V.  scurrus  (Naumova)  McGregor  &  Camfield
(Fig. 2.4) as well as abundant patinate types, which do not ap-
pear before the Givetian Stage (Turnau & Racki 1999; Zhu et
al. 2008). The representatives of the thick-walled camerate ge-
nus Geminospora such as G. lemurata Balme emend. Playford
and  Geminospora  punctata  Owens  (Fig. 4.2)  although  not
very abundant, make the late Eifelian age less probable (Paris
et  al.  1985;  Loboziak  et  al.  1990,  1991).  On  the  other  hand,
absence  of  Samarisporites  triangulatus  Allen  precludes  an
age younger than the early Givetian.

With some reserve, the age of the recovered palynospectra

can be identified with the early Givetian AD lem zone of the
scheme established by Streel et al. (1987) in the type Devo-
nian marine deposits of the Ardenne-Rhenish region or to the
lemurata-magnificus miospore palynozone of Richardson &
McGregor (1986). The age of palynomorphs from the
Uhřice-1 borehole corresponds to the de Blacourt Formation

(Boulonnais, France; Brice et al. 1979) and Srbsko Formation
(Raskatova & Jurina 2008).

The onset of the marine transgression in southern Moravia

is coeval with the major facies change in the Teplá-Barrandi-
an Zone, where the sedimentation of carbonates is gradually
substituted by pelitic or alternatively pelitic/carbonate facies.
The  age  of  the  marine  transgression  in  the  Moravian  Karst
facies  was  determined  by  study  of  the  carbonate  intercala-
tions in the uppermost part of clastic sequences (Zukalová et
al. 1981; Hladil 1985). At the base of the carbonate sequence
in  the  Měnín-1  borehole,  at  a  depth  of  397.6—398.9 m,  a
Givetian  rugose  coral  fauna  has  been  identified  (Galle  in
Zukalová et al. 1981). In the Tišnov area to the NW of Brno
organic-walled marine microfossils appear/occur earlier, to-
gether with dispersed miospores of the late Emsian (Dalejan)
age (Jachowicz et al. 2006).

Discussion

The initial Devonian sedimentary sequences originated in a

variegated environment, ranging from riverine valleys and al-
luvial  slopes  to  near-shore  deltas  (Nehyba  et  al.  2001).  In
some parts, their petrology and sedimentary textures are simi-
lar to the underlying sedimentary sequences of the Early Cam-
brian  age,  as  they  probably  originated  in  similar  settings
(Mikuláš  et  al.  2008).  Devonian  clastics  are  generally  more
mature  and  they  evidently  originated  in  different  paleolati-
tudes and paleoenvironments. Fossil plants occur in autochtho-
nous  facies  of  near-shore  swamps  and  supratidal  marshes,
closely connected with the formation of the coal seams. Mio-
spores  are  derived  from  such  plant  genera  as  Calamophyton
Kräusel  &  Weyland  (Dibolisporites  echinaceus  (Eisenack)
Richardson), Psilophyton Dawson (Retusotriletes Naumova,
Apiculiretusispora  plicata  (Allen)  Streel),  Sawdonia  (Retu-
sotriletes  Naumova,  Apiculiretusispora  brandtii  Streel)  and
Tetraxylopteris  Beck  (Rhabdosporites  langii  (Eisenack)  Ri-
chardson; Richardson 1964; McGregor 1977). Representatives
of  sphenopsids  were  abundant:  Dibolisporites  and  Hystri-
cotriletes.  The  species Geminospora lemurata  (Balme)  Play-
ford  and  genus  Rhabdosporites  indicate  presence  of  the
progymnosperm Archaeopteris Dawson.

The thermal maturity of recovered palynomorphs has been

assessed with the use of the five-point scale based on irrevers-
ible gradual colour variation of the polymeric cell wall rang-
ing from light yellow to dark brown (Staplin 1977; Utting &
Hamblin 1991). The thermal alteration index of Devonian pa-
lynomorphs ranges from 2+ to 3+. Generally, thick-walled mi-
ospores  were  more  affected  than  thin  cell  wall  of  acritarchs.
Post-diagenetic alteration of individual specimens greatly var-
ies within a single palynological residue. Despite a relatively
strong  thermal  alteration,  the  number  of  identifiable  speci-
mens  has  been  satisfactory  for  a  specific  determination.  All
specimens  of  the  Devonian  age  have  been  more  intensively
heated than much less affected palynological assemblages of
the  Early  Cambrian  age  from  the  neighbouring  Měnín-1  and
Němčičky-3 boreholes (Fig. 1), where the post-diagenetic al-
teration did not exceed TAI 1+.

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SPORES

Remarks

Acinosporites acanthomammillatus Richardson, 1965

Fig. 2.5,11

Acinosporites apiculatus (Streel) Streel, 1967

Acinosporites lindlarensis Riegel, 1968

Fig. 4.5

Anapiculatisporites petilus Richardson, 1965

Aneurospora goensis Lele & Streel, 1969

Apiculiretusispora arenorugosa McGregor, 1973

Apiculiretusispora brandtii Streel, 1964

Fig. 4.4

Apiculiretusispora gaspiensis McGregor, 1973

Fig. 4.1

Apiculiretusispora plicata (Allen) Streel, 1967

Fig. 2.8

Chelinospora concinna Allen, 1965

Chelinospora ligurata Allen, 1965

Chelinospora timanica (Naumova) Loboziak & Streel, 1989

Convolutispora disparalis Allen, 1965

Convolutispora mimetensis (Vigran) Allen, 1965

Cyclogranisporites rotundus (Naumova) Allen, 1965

Cymbosporites catillus Allen ,1965

Cymbosporites cyathus Alen, 1965

Diatomozonotriletes franklinii McGregor & Camfield, 1982

Fig. 2.3

Dibolisporites echinaceus (Eisenack) Richardson, 1964

Dibolisporites pilatus Breuer et al., 2007

Geminospora lemurata Balme emend. Playford, 1983

Geminospora punctata Owens, 1971

Fig. 4.2

Leiotriletes pagius Allen, 1965

Fig. 2.7

Grandispora douglastownense McGregor, 1973

Fig. 2.10

Hystrichosporites corystus Richardson, 1962

Hystrichosporites microancyreus Riegel, 1973

Lophozonotriletes dens-draconis Taugourdeau-Lantz, 1967

Perotrilites pannosus Allen, 1965

Fig. 4.6

Raistrikia aratra Allen, 1965

Retusotriletes actinomorphus Chibrikova, 1962

Retusotriletes distinctus Richardson, 1965

Retusotriletes triangulatus (Streel) Streel, 1967

Fig. 2.9

Rhabdosporites langii (Eisenack) Richardson, 1960
Rhabdosporites minutus Tiwari & Schaarschmidt, 1975

Samarisporites eximius (Allen) Loboziak & Streel, 1988

Verrucosisporites flexuosus Turnau, 1996

Fig. 4.7

Verrucosisporites premnus Richardson, 1964

Fig. 2.6

Verrucosisporites scurrus (Naumova) McGregor & Camfield, 1982

Fig. 2.4

CRYPTOSPORES

Gneudnaspora divellomedium var. minor Breuer et al., 2007

Scylaspora rugulata (Riegel) Breuer et al., 2007

Strophomorpha ovata Miller & Eames, 1982

Fig. 3.1

aff. Rugosphaera tuscarorensis Strother & Traverse, 1979

Fig. 4.3

MICROPLANKTON

Cymatiosphaera cladora Wicander & Wood, 1997

Baiomeniscus camurus Loeblich, 1970

aff. Dactylofusa maranhensis Brito & Santos, 1965

Fig. 3.8

Evittia sommeri (Brito) Sarjeant & Vavrdová,1997

Gorgonisphaeridium disparatum Playford, 1977

aff. Horologinella wicanderi Martin, 1985

Holothuriadeigma heterakainum Loeblich, 1970

Fig. 3.6,7

Leiofusa irroratipellis Loeblich, 1969

Leiosphaeridia ketchenata Turner, 1984

Leiosphaeridia tenuissima Eisenack, 1958

Fig. 3.10

Lophosphaeridium dumalis Playford, 1977

Polyedrixium arcum Wicander & Loeblich, 1977

Fig. 3.9

Polyedrixium embudum Cramer, 1964

Polyedrixium aff. prismaticum Deunff, 1966

Fig. 2.1,2

Pseudolunulidia imperatrizensis Brito & Santos, 1965

Fig. 3.2

Pterospermella sp. aff. P. tenellula Playford, 1981

Fig. 3.5

Pterospermella reticulata Loeblich & Wicander, 1976

aff. Quadraditum ibericum Pöthe de Baldis, 1981

Fig. 3.4

Schismatosphaeridium algerense Cramer & Diéz, 1976

aff. Stellinium comptum Wicander & Loeblich, 1977

Fig. 3.3

Umbellasphaeridum deflandrei Moreau-Benoit, 1967

Veryhachium trispinosum (Eisenack) Stockmans & Williere, 1962

Villosacapsula helenae (Cramer) Loeblich & Tappan, 1976

CHITINOZOANS

Fungochitina pilosa (Collinson & Scott)

Hoegisphaera sp.

Plectochitina sp.

Recovered dispersed miospore associations cor-

respond  well  with  coeval  palynofloras  from  the
microfloral assemblages described from the north-
ern  Gondwana  (Paris  et  al.  1985;  Loboziak  et  al.
1988, 1992; Loboziak & Streel 1989; Grignani et
al.  1991;  Breuer  et  al.  2007),  as  well  as  from  the
Artic and North Atlantic region (Richardson 1964;
Allen 1965), and Central Europe (Brice et al. 1979;
Loboziak  &  Streel  1981;  Loboziak  et  al.  1990).
The  Givetian  miospore  association  characterizes  a
large  proliferation  of  miospores  with  prominent
verrucate/clavate sculpture elements (Fig. 2.4,5,6),
presence  of  small  species  Diatomozonotriletes
franklinii McGregor & Camfield (Fig. 2.3), and ap-
pearance of progymnosperms (Geminospora). Such
a general similarity most probably coincides with a
presumed homogeneity of microfloral assemblages
from  paleoboreal  to  paleotropical  regions  in  the
Middle  Devonian  (Loboziak  &  Streel  1989;  Streel
et  al.  2000).  A  relatively  distant  similarity  can  be
found  between  the  palynomorphs  from  Uhřice-1
borehole and the miospore assemblages of the Ear-
ly/Middle Devonian age recorded by Turnau (1974)
from  the  Radom-Lublin  area  in  southern  Poland,
where early Givetian is absent. On the other hand,
15 miospore species are common with palynomorph
assemblages  described  from  the  late  Eifelian-early
Givetian  deposits  from  the  subsurface  of  Western
Pomerania  (Turnau  1996)  and  of  the  Achanarras
Horizon,  Orcadian  Basin  (Richardson  1964).
Moravian  forms  connect  with  the  Old  Red  Sand-
stone  associations  relatively  large  dimensions  of
some  spores  such  as  Apiculiretusispora  brandtii
Streel  (up  to  0.1 mm),  a  proliferation  of  species
with  large  irregular  verrucate-clavate  sculpture
and a reduced amount of cavate forms. Both local-
ities  are  characterized  by  abundant  presence  of
miospores with sculpture of biform elements, and
retusoid  forms.  Ten  miospore  species  occur  both
in southern Moravia and in the Barrandian Roblin
Beds,  Srbsko  Formation  (early  Givetian).  The
miospore  associations  from  the  Barrandian  area
(Hlubočepy  section,  Czech  Republic)  differ  in
mass  occurrence  of  representatives  of  genus
Geminospora (Yurina et al. 2009).

Several long-ranging species of dispersed mio-

spores  such  as  Apiculiretusispora  brandtii  Streel,
Samarisporites  eximius  (Allen)  Loboziak  &  Streel
and  Rhabdosporites  langii  (Eisenack)  Richardson
occur  jointly  in  the  Uhřice-1  borehole  and  in  the
miospore assemblages recovered from the Měnín-1,
Kozlovice SV-1, and Kozlovice SV-4 boreholes by
Purkyňová  et  al.  (2004).  Coalified  axes  of  genera
Psilophyton and Hostimella of Middle/Late Devo-
nian  age  and  dispersed  miospores  of  the  late  Em-
sian  to  early  Eifelian  age.  In  this  level,  unicellular
microfossils  are  confined  to  a  single  specimen  of
the  genus  Micrhystridium.  The  Uhřice-1  associa-
tions differ in the presence of marine microfossils.

118

VAVRDOVÁ and DAŠKOVÁ

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 2, 109—119

Unicellular marine microplankton include a large variety of
species widespread, for example, in Western Europe, northern
Africa. The uppermost part of basal clastics is marked by a
transition to off-shore coral-reef carbonate sedimentation, in-
dicated by intercalations in clastics (Hladil 1985).

Results

The unicellular marine microplankton of the Middle De-

vonian  age  has  been  recovered  from  a  single  sample  of  the
clayey siltstone from the Uhřice-1 borehole, southern Mora-
via. Twenty three species have been identified, together with
thirty  eight  taxa  of  dispersed  spores.  Fossil  plants  occur  in
autochthonous  facies  of  near-shore  swamps  and  supratidal
marshes.  Moravian  Middle  Devonian  phytocoenoses  appar-
ently enjoyed a warm, humid climate, affected by marine in-
gression.  On  the  other  hand,  organic-walled  marine
microfossils,  although  poorly  preserved,  show  affinities  to
the  Gondwanan  regions  in  the  presence  of  such  forms  as
Pseudolunulidia  imperatrizensis  Brito  &  Santos  and  Quad-
raditum ibericum Pöthe de Baldis. The presence of diversified
cysts of marine microplankton confirms the timing of the tran-
sition from an exclusively terrestrial depositional environment
to  marine  conditions  within  the  Moravian  Karst  Facies  do-
main. The low abundance of fossil marine microplankton to-
gether  with  a  prevalence  of  thin-walled  sphaeromorphs
indicate  the  nearshore,  most  probably  brackish  environment,
with a limited influence of marine conditions.

Acknowledgments: The research was supported by an Insti-
tutional  Project  No. Z30130516  (Institute  of  Geology  AS
CR, v.v.i.). The authors are indebted to Helena Gilíková for
her kind help with the maps, to Phillipe Steemans, Jiří Ota-
va,  to  the  anonymous  reviewer  and  last  but  not  least  to
Jindřich  Hladil  for  valuable  criticism,  which  greatly  im-
proved the manuscript.

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