Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Zanjan University, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

Cretaceous flysch deposits of the Abshar-e Asyab Kharabeh (30 meters) in west of Siah-rud village in the Jolfa area, NW Iran, consist of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mud- or marlstone layers, which mainly belong to A, B, D and E divisions of Bouma sequence. A divers trace fossils preserved on the lower bedding planes of sandstones and siltstones as positive hyporelief, includes: Bergaueria hemispherica,  Bergaueria isp., Cochlichnus isp., Granularia isp., Halopoa imbricate, Helminthoida crassa, Helminthopsis abeli, Imponoglyphus torquendus, Neonereites multiserialis, Paleodictyon latum, Paleodictyon cf. majus, Paleodictyon nodosum, Palaeophycus alternatus, Palaeophycus sulcatus, Phycodes templus, Phycodes isp., Planolites annularis, Planolites beverleyensis, Protovirgularia longespicata, Squamodictyon isp., Strobilorhaphe isp., Thalassinoides isp., Taphrhelminthopsis recta, Taphrhelminthopsis convolute, Treptichnus pollardi. These trace fossils are mainly grazing-feeding or feeding traces of Nereites Ichnofacies and classifiable in six rang/frequency, based ichno-assemblages. Obtained trace fossils were produced during post-event calm periods. So, muddy sediments deposited after turbulence currents and traces have been made on these layers, activates of trace makers were developing when accessible feeding materials or dissolved oxygen increased in environment. Base on founded Nereites trace fossils, these sediments deposited in the deep marine abyssal zone environment.

Keywords

References
Bambach, R. K., 1983- Ecospace utilization and guilds in marine communities through the Phanerozoic. in: Tevesz, M. J. S., McCall, P. L. (eds.) Biotic Interactions In Recent and Fossil Benthic Communities, Plenum Press, 18: 1-13.
Bromley, R. G., 1990- Trace Fossils: Biology and Taphonomy. Unwin Hyman, London, 280 p.
Buatois, L. A. & Mángano, G. M., & Genise, J. F. & Taylor, T. N., 1998- The ichnologic record of the continental invertebrate invasion: evolutionary trends in environmental expansion, ecospace utilization, and behavioral complexity, Palaios, 13: 217- 240.
Crimes, T. P. & Crossley, J. D., 1991- A diverse ichnofauna from Silurian flysch of Aberystwyth Grits Formation, Wales Geological J., 26: 27-64.
Crimes, T. P. & McCall, G. J. H., 1995- A diverse ichnofauna from Eocene-Miocene rocks of the Makran Range (S.E. Iran). Ichnos, 3: 231-258.
Frey, R. W. & Pemberton, S. G. & Saunders, T. P. A., 1990- Ichnofacies and bathymetry: A passive relationship. J. Paleont. 64, 155-158.
Frey, R. W. & Pemberton, S. G., 1984- Trace fossil facies models. in: R. G. Walker (ed.) Facies Models. Geoscience Canada, Reprint Series 1, 189-207.
Han, Y. & Pickerill, R. K., 1994- Phycodes templus isp. nov. from the Lower Devonian of northwestern New Brunswick, eastern Canada. Atlantic Geology, 30, 37-46.
Książkiewicz, M., 1970- Observations on the ichnofauna of the Polish Carpathian. in: Crimes, T. P. & Harper, J. C. (eds.) Trace Fossils. Geol. J. Spec. Issu. 3: 283-322.
Leszczyński, S. & Seilacher, A., 1991- Ichnocoenoses of a turbidite sole. Ichnos, 1: 293-303.
Leszczyński, S., 1991- Oxygen-related controls on predepositional Ichnofacies in turbidites, Guipŭzcoan flysch (Albian-Lower Eocene), north Spain. Palaios, 6: 271-280.
Leszczyński, S., 2004- Bioturbation structures of the Kropivnik Fucoid Marls (Campanian-lower Maastrichtian) of the Huwniki-Rybotycze area (Polish Carpathians). Geol. Quarterly, 48(1): 35-60.
Miller, M. F. & Smail, S. E., 1997- A semiquntitative field method for evaluating bioturbation on bedding planes. Palaios, 12: 391-396.
Pemberton, S. G. & Frey, P. W., 1982- Trace fossil nomenclature and the Planolites-Palaeophycus dilemma. J. Paleont. 56: 843-881.
Tchoumatcheno, P. & Uchman, A., 1999- Lower and Middle Jurassic flysch trace fossils from the eastern Stara Planina Mountains, Bulgaria: A contribution to the evolution of Mesozoic ichnodiversity. N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh., 213(2): 169-199.