Ives Head Formation

Last updated
Ives Head Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ediacaran 611  Ma [1]
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
↓
Ives Head.jpg
Ives Head, the locality after which the formation is named.
Type Formation
Unit of Blackbrook Group
Sub-unitsSouth Quarry Slump Breccia, Lubcloud Greywackes, Morley Lane Tuffs Members
Underlies Blackbrook Reservoir Formation [2]
Thickness820 m (2,690 ft) [2]
Lithology
Primary Tuff
Other Breccia, Greywacke, Sandstone, Dacite
Location
Region Leicestershire
Country United Kingdom
Type section
Named for Ives Head

The Ives Head Formation is a geologic formation in Leicestershire, England. It forms part of the Blackbrook Group within the Charnwood Forest succession. The unit preserves rocks of Lower Ediacaran age and is named after the locality of Ives Head.

Contents

Paleobiota

The Ives Head Formation contains the oldest known fossils within the Charnian Supergroup, occurring on the Lubcloud surface. Preliminary zircon ages suggest that these fossils may be older than the Gaskiers glaciation if the proposed dating is confirmed, with the base of the formation lying just below c. 611 Ma. [1] This would place them among the oldest currently recognised Ediacaran assemblages; however, comparisons with units such as the c. 580 Ma Rocky Harbour Formation in Newfoundland and Labrador and the c. 602 Ma Lantian Formation in China remain tentative, as the dating of the Charnian succession requires further refinement. [3]

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Ivesheadiomorph

GenusSpeciesNotesImages
Blackbrookia [4] [3] [5]
  • B. oaksi
Poorly preserved organism, possibly of a petalonamid.
Ivesheadia [4] [5]
  • I. lobata
Poorly preserved organism.
Shepshedia [4] [5]
  • S. palmata
Poorly preserved organism.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Noble, Stephen R.; Condon, Daniel J.; Carney, John N.; Wilby, Philip R.; Pharaoh, Timothy C.; Ford, Trevor D. (January 2015). "U-Pb geochronology and global context of the Charnian Supergroup, UK: Constraints on the age of key Ediacaran fossil assemblages". Geological Society of America Bulletin. 127 (1–2): 250–265. doi:10.1130/B31013.1.
  2. 1 2 Moseley, John; Ford, Trevor. "The Sedimentology of the Charnian Supergroup" (PDF). Mercian Geologist.
  3. 1 2 Kenchington, Charlotte G.; Harris, Simon J.; Vixseboxse, Philip B.; Pickup, Chris; Wilby, Philip R. (June 2018). "The Ediacaran fossils of Charnwood Forest: Shining new light on a major biological revolution". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. 129 (3): 264–277. doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2018.02.006.
  4. 1 2 3 H. E. Boynton, T. D. Ford (1995). "Ediacaran Fossils from the Precambrian (Charnian Supergroup) of Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire, England". Mercian Geologist. 13 (4): 165–182.
  5. 1 2 3 Wilby, Philip R.; Carney, John N.; Howe, Michael P.A. (1 July 2011). "A rich Ediacaran assemblage from eastern Avalonia: Evidence of early widespread diversity in the deep ocean". Geology. 39 (7): 655–658. doi:10.1130/G31890.1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.