Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T02:29:38.696Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A new ophiuroid from the Sundays River Formation (Lower Cretaceous), South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Russell W. Shone*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Port Elizabeth, P.O. Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6000, Republic of South Africa

Abstract

Ophiolancea swartkopensis n. gen. and sp. is the first ophiuroid to be described from the Lower Cretaceous (Valanginian) Sundays River Formation, South Africa. Ophiolancea is distinguished by lanceolate lateral arm shields which occur on the distal portions of the arms. Associated fauna and stratigraphic evidence suggest that the specimen was buried in an intertidal mud flat.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bjork, P., Goldberg, P. and Kesling, R. 1968. New ophiurid from Chester Series (Mississippian) of Illinois. Journal of Paleontology, 42:197200.Google Scholar
Cooper, M. R. 1981. Revision of the Late Valanginian Cephalopoda from the Sundays River Formation of South Africa, with special reference to the genus Olcostephanus . Annals of The South African Museum, 83(7):147366.Google Scholar
Dingle, R. V., Siesser, W. G. and Newton, A. R. 1983. Mesozoic and Tertiary Geology of Southern Africa. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 375 p.Google Scholar
Harper, J. A. and Morris, R. W. 1978. A new encrinasterid ophiuroid from the Conemaugh Group (Pennsylvanian) of western Pennsylvania, and revision of Encrinasteridae. Journal of Paleontology, 52:155163.Google Scholar
Hattin, D. 1967. Permian ophiuroids from northern Oklahoma. Journal of Paleontology, 41:489492.Google Scholar
Hess, H. 1960. Neubeschreibung von Geocoma elegans (Ophiuroidea) aus dem unteren Callovien von La Voulte-sur-Rhǒne (Ardèche). Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae, 53:335385.Google Scholar
Kesling, R. V. 1969. A new brittle-star from the Middle Devonian Arkona shale of Ontario. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, 23:3751.Google Scholar
Kesling, R. V. 1970. Drepanaster wrighti, a new species of brittle-star from the Middle Devonian Arkona shale of Ontario. Contributions from The Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, 23:7379.Google Scholar
Kesling, R. V. 1971. Antiquaster magrumi, a new unusual brittle-star from the Middle Devonian Silica Formation of northwestern Ohio. Contributions from The Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, 23:181191.Google Scholar
Kesling, R. V. 1972. Strataster devonicus, a new brittle-star with unusual preservation from the Middle Devonian Silica Formation of Ohio. Contributions from The Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, 24:915.Google Scholar
Kesling, R. V. 1982. Acinetaster konieckii, a new brittle-star from the Middle Devonian Arkona Shale. Contributions from The Museum of Paleontology, The University of Michigan, 26:7181.Google Scholar
Kitchin, F. L. 1908. On the invertebrate fauna and palaeontological relationships of the Uitenhage series. Annals of The South African Museum, 7(2):21250.Google Scholar
Mayou, T. 1969. A new species of Permian ophiuroid from Nevada. Journal of Paleontology, 43:936940.Google Scholar
McLachlan, I. R. and McMillan, I. K. 1976. Review and stratigraphic significance of southern Cape Mesozoic palaeontology. Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa, 79:197212.Google Scholar
Morris, R. W., Rollins, H. B. and Shaak, G. D. 1973. A new ophiuroid from the Brush Creek shale (Conemaugh Group, Pennsylvanian) of western Pennsylvania. Journal of Paleontology, 47:473478.Google Scholar
Rasmussen, H. W. 1950. Cretaceous Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea with special reference to the species found in Denmark. Ophiuroidea. Danmarks Geologiske Undersogelse, ser. 2, no. 77, 133 p.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shone, R. W. 1976. The sedimentology of the Mesozoic Algoa Basin. Unpubl. M.Sc. thesis, University of Port Elizabeth, 48 p.Google Scholar
Shone, R. W. 1978. A case for lateral gradation between the Kirkwood and Sundays River formations, Algoa Basin. Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa, 81:319326.Google Scholar
Shone, R. W. 1979. Swartkops excursion, p. 162170. In Rust, I. C. (ed.), Geokongres 79, Excursions Guide Book. Geological Society of South Africa.Google Scholar
Spath, L. F. 1930. On the cephalopoda of the Uitenhage beds. Annals of The South African Museum, 28:131157.Google Scholar
Spencer, W. K. and Wright, C. W. 1966. Asterozoans, p. U4U107. In Moore, R. C. (ed.), Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part U, Echinodermata 3. Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, Kansas.Google Scholar