Invertebrates from the Low Head Member (Polonez Cove Formation, Oligocene) at Vauréal Peak, King George Island, West Antarctica

Abstract

Eight taxa of marine invertebrates, including two new bivalve species, are described from the Low

Brachiopods from the Chlamys Ledge Member (Polonez Cove Formation, Oligocene) of King George Island, West Antarctica

“…In the lower part of the Oligocene Polonez Cove Fm, namely Low Head Mb the brachiopods are very rare and are represented by 3 genera, a rhynchonellide Cryptopora Jeffreys, a short−looped terebratulide Liothyrella Thomson, and a long−looped terebratellidine Neothyris Douvillé (Bitner and Pisera 1984;Bitner 1997;Quaglio et al 2008). In the upper unit of this formation, the Oberek Cliff Mb brachiopods belonging to the Rhynchonellida were recognized (Bitner 1997;Bitner and Thomson 1999).…”

“…Brachiopods in the Oligocene-Miocene strata of King George Island, West Antarctica are usually poorly preserved and can rarely be identified more precisely than at a genus level (Bitner and Pisera 1984;Biernat et al 1985;Bitner and Thomson 1999;Bitner and Crame 2002;Quaglio et al 2008). In the lower part of the Oligocene Polonez Cove Fm, namely Low Head Mb the brachiopods are very rare and are represented by 3 genera, a rhynchonellide Cryptopora Jeffreys, a short−looped terebratulide Liothyrella Thomson, and a long−looped terebratellidine Neothyris Douvillé (Bitner and Pisera 1984;Bitner 1997;Quaglio et al 2008).…”

A new fossil Adamussium (Bivalvia: Pectinidae) from Antarctica

“…Species of the pectinid genus Adamussium are recorded from the latest Early Oligocene onwards (Jonkers 2003;Quaglio et al 2008). The living member of the genus, the circum−Antarctic species Adamussium colbecki (Smith, 1902), was the subject of several studies focusing on its geographical distribution (Schiaparelli and Linse 2006), systematics (Barucca et al 2005), ecology (Stockton 1984), physiology (Chiantore et al 2003;Heilmayer et al 2005) and environmental anal− ysis (Corsi et al 2004;Caroli and Bottoni 2010).…”

“…auristriatum Quaglio et Anelli, 2008, from Oligo− cene to Early Miocene rocks, are the oldest known species of this genus (Jonkers 2003;Quaglio et al 2008). Specimens of A. alanbeui and A. auristriatum were collected from CIROS−1 and CRP−2/2A drill−cores, Ross Sea, with additional specimens recorded in deposits of the Polonez Cove Formation, Lions Rump area, and the Cape Melville Formation, Melville Peninsula, both at KGI (Jonkers 2003;Quaglio et al 2008). The second−oldest species, A. auristriatum, is recorded from the Early Oligocene Polonez Cove Formation, Vauréal Peak area, KGI (Quaglio et al 2008).…”

“…Specimens of A. alanbeui and A. auristriatum were collected from CIROS−1 and CRP−2/2A drill−cores, Ross Sea, with additional specimens recorded in deposits of the Polonez Cove Formation, Lions Rump area, and the Cape Melville Formation, Melville Peninsula, both at KGI (Jonkers 2003;Quaglio et al 2008). The second−oldest species, A. auristriatum, is recorded from the Early Oligocene Polonez Cove Formation, Vauréal Peak area, KGI (Quaglio et al 2008). Much younger are A. colbecki cockburnensis Jonkers, 2003, found in the Late Pliocene Cockburn Island Formation, cropping out at the homonymous is− land, and A. c. colbecki, identified from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene cores of CRP−1, James Ross Island and from Recent records around Antarctica (Jonkers 2003).…”