Takatika Grit

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Takatika Grit
Stratigraphic range: Late Early to Mid Paleocene 63–60  Ma
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S
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C
P
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K
Pg
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Type Formation
Unit of Tioriori Group
Sub-unitsTaP1, TaP2, TaS1, TaS2
Underlies Tutuiri Greensand
Overlies Chatham Schist
Thickness5.7 metres exposed
Lithology
Primary Grit, sandstone
Location
RegionFlag of Chatham Islands.svg  Chatham Islands (Chatham Island)
CountryFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand

The Takatika Grit is a geologic formation in Chatham Islands, New Zealand. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleocene period, although it also preserves disturbed and re-worked Maastrichtian and Campanian microfossils and tetrapod fossils. A 2017 study found that it dated to late Early to Mid Paleocene on the basis of dinoflagellates. It has been subdivided into two informal units, a lower phosphatic unit containing bones and nodular phosphatic layers, and an upper unit with abundant sponge remains and siliceous microfossils. [1]

Contents

Description

The two informal units are further subdivided into two units each, the lower is divided into the lower TaP1 which consists of "poorly sorted, phosphatized grit with abundant phosphorite nodules and bones" and the upper TaP2 which consists of "nodular bedded sandstone and grit". The upper biosiliceous unit is divided into the lower TaS1, which is heavily bioturbated, and the upper TaS2 "characterized by parallel laminations and sinusoidal ripples". [1]

Paleofauna

Paleofauna of the Takatika Grit
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotes
Astrophorida indet. [2] indeterminateTiorioriOnly fragmentary spicules are known
Auloplax ? (Dactylocalycidae indet.?) [2] A? sp.Tioriori Hexactinellid sponge
Bacillariophyceae indet. [3] IndeterminateTiorioriDiatoms from the Takatika Grit date back to the Danian and Campanian
Chlamydoselachus [4] IndeterminateTioriori
Dinoflagellata indet. [3] IndeterminateTiorioriDinoflagellates from the Takatika Grit date back to the Danian and Campanian
Edaphodon E. kawai Tioriori
Elasmosauridae indet. [2] indeterminateTioriorilower (?) Takatika GritAlmost certainly reworked from older sediments.
Eotretochone [2] E. australisTiorioriHexactinellid sponge
Euretidae indet. [2] IndeterminateTioriori
Kupoupou [5] K. stilwelliTioriori Penguin
Gastropoda indet. [6] IndeterminateTioriori
Lithistida indet. [2] IndeterminateTiorioriKnown from scarce weathered fragments
Lycopodiopsida indet. [7] IndeterminateTioriori
Mosasauridae indet. [2] IndeterminateTioriorilower (?) Takatika GritAlmost certainly reworked from older sediments.
Radiolaria indet. [3] IndeterminateTiorioriRadiolarians from the Takatika Grit date back to the Danian and Campanian
Pararete [2] P. sp.TiorioriHexactinellid sponge

Theropoda indet. [7]

Indeterminate

Tioriorilower (?) Takatika GritVertebral centrum, tibia head, proximal pedal phalanx, manual ungual, proximal manual phalanxInitially suggested to represent evidence of Palaeogene dinosaurs. [8] [9] [7] [10] Almost certainly reworked from older sediments. [1]
Tretodictyiidae indet. [2] IndeterminateTioriori

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Hollis, Christopher J.; Stickley, Catherine E.; Bijl, Peter K.; Schiøler, Poul; Clowes, Christopher D.; Li, Xun; Campbell, Hamish (2017-07-03). "The age of the Takatika Grit, Chatham Islands, New Zealand". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 41 (3): 383–396. doi:10.1080/03115518.2017.1296189. ISSN   0311-5518. S2CID   133527355.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Consoli, Christopher P.; Stilwell, Jeffrey D. (August 2009). "Late Cretaceous marine reptiles (Elasmosauridae and Mosasauridae) of the Chatham Islands, New Zealand". Cretaceous Research. 30 (4): 991–999. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.02.009.
  3. 1 2 3 Hollis, C.J, Stickley, C.E., Bijl, P.K., Schiøler, P., Clowes, C.D., Li, X, Campbell, H. March 2017. The age of the Takatika Grit, Chatham Islands, New Zealand. Alcheringa 41, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.
  4. Consoli, Christopher P. (2008-06-12). "A rare Danian (early Paleocene) Chlamydoselachus (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii) from the Takatika Grit, Chatham Islands, New Zealand". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 285–290. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[285:ARDEPC]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   130714866.
  5. Jacob C. Blokland, Catherine M. Reid, Trevor H. Worthy, Alan J.D. Tennyson, Julia A. Clarke, and R. Paul Scofield. 2019. Chatham Island Paleocene Fossils provide insight into the Palaeobiology, Evolution, and Diversity of early Penguins (Aves, Sphenisciformes). Palaeontologia Electronica. 22.3.78; 1-92.
  6. Stilwell, Jeffrey D. (March 2007). "First record of Late Cretaceous Gastropoda (Mollusca) from the Takatika Grit, Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 50 (1): 21–25. doi: 10.1080/00288300709509816 . ISSN   0028-8306.
  7. 1 2 3 Stilwell, J.D.; Consoli, C.P.; Sutherland, R.; Salisbury, S.; Rich, T.H.; Vickers-Rich, P.A.; Currie, P.J.; Wilson, G.J. (2006). "Dinosaur sanctuary on the Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific: First record of theropods from the K–T boundary Takatika Grit". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 230 (4): 243–250. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.07.017.
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