Stratigraphy and Palaeontology
Nasrollah Abbassi; Safoora Shakeri; Javad Rabbani
Abstract
Numerous Proboscidean footprints have been discovered in the outcrop (135 m) of lower rock unit of the Upper Red Formation (Middle-Late Miocene) in the north Avaj (Qazvin province), central Iran. These footprints are preserved as circular concave epi-relief in the upper bedding planes with smooth or ...
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Numerous Proboscidean footprints have been discovered in the outcrop (135 m) of lower rock unit of the Upper Red Formation (Middle-Late Miocene) in the north Avaj (Qazvin province), central Iran. These footprints are preserved as circular concave epi-relief in the upper bedding planes with smooth or levee rims or with sediment accumulation in the front of the footprints. Five digit imprints present in some of the footprints. The frequency of footprints is considerable the most of the upper surface of layers which was resulted by movement of proboscis herds. Ichnotaxonomically these footprints identified as Proboscipedaen igmatica. The footprints are classified as two sizes as small (15 cm) and large (25 cm) categories, and based on the geometric relationships, the height of shoulder was estimated as 140-170 cm for adult and 76-106 cm immature individuals. According to reports of Miocene Proboscidean body fossils from Iran, and based on the distributions of the Proboscidean in this time, it seems that the Choerolophodon (Gomphotheriidae) is candidate as track-maker of the Avaj footprints. Among the Proboscidean footprints, there are crocodile and fish swimming imprints which were left in the shallow pools.
Stratigraphy and Palaeontology
Abdolvahab Kazemi; Nasrollah Abbassi
Abstract
Agha Jari Formation (Miocene-Pliocene, 788 m) comprises alternations of sandstone, siltstone, and marl in red to brown color layers in the east Gotvand, north Khuzestan province, southwest Iran. Numerous vertebrate footprints have been found in the middle part of the Formation, which includes footprints ...
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Agha Jari Formation (Miocene-Pliocene, 788 m) comprises alternations of sandstone, siltstone, and marl in red to brown color layers in the east Gotvand, north Khuzestan province, southwest Iran. Numerous vertebrate footprints have been found in the middle part of the Formation, which includes footprints of wetland small bird (Aviadactyla media, Gruipeda dominguensis), artiodactyls (Lamaichnum alfi, Lamaichnum isp., Pecoripeda satyri, Pecoripeda isp.), canids (Canipeda isp.) and large reptiles (Hatcherichnus sanjuanensis). Frequency of artiodactyl imprints are more than the other footprints. These footprints proof the living of camels and crocodiles in the Zagros basin for the first time. The ichnotaxa diversity of the footprints in the studied section is more than the other reports of Agha Jari Formation in Iran and its stratigraphic equivalent in the adjacent countries.
Stratigraphy and Palaeontology
Nasrollah Abbassi; Mohammad Vahidinia; Saeid Tavana; Pooria Vaeznia
Abstract
Numerous vertebrate footprints have been found in the dislocated sandstone slabs in the Mashhad city, northeast Iran. Neogene sediments of Chenaran township are supposed to be provenance of the studied slabs. Identified footprints includes artiodactyl tracks as ichnotaxa Bifidipesvelox, Lamaichnum guanicoe, ...
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Numerous vertebrate footprints have been found in the dislocated sandstone slabs in the Mashhad city, northeast Iran. Neogene sediments of Chenaran township are supposed to be provenance of the studied slabs. Identified footprints includes artiodactyl tracks as ichnotaxa Bifidipesvelox, Lamaichnum guanicoe, Pecoripeda amalphaea, Pecoripeda isp., Carnivore tracks as Canipeda isp., and Felipeda isp., and bird tracks as Avidactyla isp., Avipeda gryponyx, Fuscinapeda texana. Among studied slabs, bird tracks are abundant. This is the first report of Cenozoic vertebrate tracks from the Kopeh Dagh geological zone. Discovery of Lamaichnum guanicoe shows Camelidae distribution in Iranian Plateau is as old as Neogene, and it is the first report of Camelidae sign from Iran. Presence of diverse footprints from Kopeh Dagh shows attenable biodiversity in the region of Iran.
Z. A. Pur-Abrishami; A. H. Kokabi-Nezhad; G. R. Zare; O. Dabiri
Abstract
Maragheh informal Formation is widely extended on the Sahand hillside and Maragheh city. Based on lithology and sedimentary facies, Maragheh Formation is divided into two members: lower member in the studied area (Mordagh area - Aghajery) consists of marl, tuff, tuffaceous ...
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Maragheh informal Formation is widely extended on the Sahand hillside and Maragheh city. Based on lithology and sedimentary facies, Maragheh Formation is divided into two members: lower member in the studied area (Mordagh area - Aghajery) consists of marl, tuff, tuffaceous sandstone with several fossiliferous layers. Upper member has more extent and thickness than the lower member and the facies variation are accompanied by increase of tuffaceous layers with diatomit and fish debries. In the Gorg Darreh –Mordagh area four geologic sites were excavated and investigated for vertebrate fossils. The samples obtained in this study from above mentioned sites consist of Ivory of mastodont, Ivory of phiomia, Monkey teeth, radius and ulana bones of elephant, cervid, gazelle and hipparions. The sequence of Maragheh Formation mostly consists of fluvial deposits, therefore its dating is difficult. However, it displays different ages from 7Ma to 12.5Ma respectively based on the vertebrate fossils such as hipparion sp. ,.
