IIIIII I I \ ..,,~_ _* ,*,o÷ /

A S O U T H E R N TETHYAN BRACHIOPOD FAUNA FROM THE LATE TRIASSIC

OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

MICHAEL R. SANDY & MOHAMED F. ALY

SANDY M.R. & ALY M.F. 2000. A southern Tethyan brachiopod fauna from the Late Triassic of the United Arab Emirates. [La faune brachiopode t6thysienne m6ridionale du Triassique sup6rieur aux l~mirats Arabes Unis]. GEO- BIOS, 33, 5: 561-567. Villeurbanne, le 31.10.2000.

Manuscrit d6pos6 le 08.07.1999; accept6 d6finitivement le 11.10.1999.

ABSTRACT - A Late Triassic (Norian) brachiopod fauna is described from the United Arab Emirates for the first time. It contains brachiopods referred to the athyrid genus Misolia, the spiriferid Spiriferina, and the rhynchonel- lid Hagabirhynchia. The costate Misolia may have occupied a shallow water ecological niche similar to other costa- te Mesozoic brachiopods, such as the terebratulids Plectoconcha COOPER in the Triassic and Costithyris MIDDLEMISS in the Cretaceous. The brachiopod fauna is identical with a fauna described from the Late Triassic of Oman by Hudson & Jefferies (1961) of early Norian age and is characteristic of the southern margin of the Tethyan Ocean.

KEYWORDS: TRIASSIC, BRACHIOPODS, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, TETHYS, PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY.

RI~SUMt~ - La faune brachiopode (Norienne) du Trias sup6rieur aux ]~mirats arabes unis est d6crite ici pour la pre- miere fois. E',lle comprend des brachiopodes qui se classifient sous le genre athyride Misolia, le spirif'ere Spiriferina, et la rhyncb~onelle Hagabirhynchia. Le Misolia costat6 habite probablement une niche 6cologique en eau superfi- cielle off habitent d'autres brachiopodes M6sozoiques, comme les t6r6bratulides Plectoconcha COOPER du Trias et le Costithyris MIDDLEMISS du Cr6tac6. La faune brachiopode est identique ~ la faune du Trias sup6rieur en Oman d6cri- te par Hudson et Jeffries (1961) qui avait 6t6 consider6e comme provenant d'une 6poque Norienne inf6rieure. La faune brachiopode est typique de la marge m6ridionale de l'Oc6an T6thysien.

MOTS-CLI~S: TRIAS, BRACHIOPODES, t~MIRATS ARABES UNIS, TI~THYS, PALt~OBIOGI~OGRAPHIE.

INTRODUCTION

The Musandam Peninsula is located in the nor- thern part of the United Arab Emirates, at the northern side of the Oman Mountains and com- prises the prominent elevation of the Raas A1 Jibal Massif. The Musandam Peninsula forms the nor- thern extremity of the 600 km long arcuate Oman Mountain belt and continues southward from the Tethyan Zagros crush zone at a major orogenic syntaxis. The area of approximately 3,000 km 2 is a mid-Permian to late Cretaceous carbonate plat- form, overlapped by Tertiary shallow marine and Holocene fiuviatile and eolian deposits (Searle et al. 1983).

The Raas A1 Jibal, the mountain range of the Oman Peninsula, consists of a series of upthrust blocks of Permian to Lower Cretaceous strata (see Fig. 1). The sequence was represented by Hudson (1960) as follows: a lower series of limestones and dolomites (Raas A1 Jibal Group of Upper Permian to Middle Triassic, 1506 m thick), overlain with a middle series of limestones, marls and some sand- stones (Elphinstone Group of Upper Triassic, 431 m), and at the top is the upper series of limestone (Musandam Group of Jurass ic to Lower Cretaceous, 1475 m).

Many authors have discussed the stratigraphy and the s t ructural set t ing of the Musandam

Peninsula. Lees (1928) named the alternating fos- siliferous beds of limestone, shale and sandstone cropping out at the Elphinstone inlet, 5 miles east of Raas A1 Khima, as the 'Elphinstone beds' (Upper Triassic age), overlain by the Musandam Limestone of Jurassic age. Hudson (1960) redefi- ned the Elphinstone beds of Lees (1928) as a group including five formations (see Fig. 2). Glennie et al. (1974) established the 'Ghalilah Formation' to replace the Asfal, Sumra, Sakhra and Shaba for- mations of Hudson (1960). Metwally & All (1992) concluded that the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic contact should be placed at the upper boundary of the lower member of the Elphinstone Group (see Fig. 2). They determined this on the presence of the crinoid Balanocrinus subbtteroides QUENSTEDT, the echinoid Scaptodiadema matheyi LORIOL, and the ammonoid Tragophylloceras numismale QUENSTEDT in the basal part of the middle member of the formation. Earlier studies were those by Hudson et al. (1954), Hudson & Chatton (1960), Hudson & Jefferies (1961), Searle et al. (1983), Alsharhan (1989), and Robertson & Searle (1990).

Wadi A1 Bih, the study area, is located at the wes- tern flank of the Musandam Peninsula, about 17 km from Raas A1 Khima City (25°47'N, 56°03'E). The studied section, measured and sampled from the entrance of the Wadi AI Bih (Fig. 1), measures some 80 m thick and represents the lower mem-

562

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r~IQata ~ Klmimah

Arabian Gull

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Saudi '\ United Arab Emirates ] Arabia -.

\ I 50 km " ~ " . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . _ / K . .

Oman

LEGEND

-~ Jurassic-L. Cretaceous Musandam Group

~ U. Triassic-L. Jurassic Elp]dnstone Group ~==~ Permian-M. Triassic Ruus Al Jibal Group

FIGURE 1 - Location and geologic map of the studied area, Musandam Peninsula, United Arab Emirates (simplified after Hudson et al. 1954). Box on right indicates study area. Localisation et plan gdologique de la rdgion dtudide, pdninsule Musandem, aux Emi- rats Arabes Unis (simplifid d'apr~s Hudson et al. 1954). Le cadre & droite indique la rdgion dtudide.

T i m e L e e s H u d s o n Glennie Metwally U n i t s (1928) (1960) et al. & Said

(1974) (1992) Musandam Musandam

Group Group

Shuba ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "~

S ~ ~ Sakhra N r2 N

• ~ ~ Sumra ~ ~ ~o ~o ~

Milaha Milaha Milaha Fro. Fm. Fm.

I

ber of the Ghalilah Formation (see Fig. 3). It consists of al ternating beds of marl, marly limes- tone, shale and some limestone. The lower part consists of reddish quartz sandstone (see Fig. 3). The lowermost par t is marly limestone to sandy marl rich in Spiriferina abichi OPPEL and Indo- pecten amunsiiformis LEES. Marly limestone beds with abundant Hagabirhynchia arabica HUDSON & JEFFERmS and Misolia noetlingii (B~TTNER) fol- low these beds. Elongate megalodontids are abun- dant in l imestones above the Misolia beds. Towards the top of the lower member, several thin beds of brown-weathering shelly limestone and reddish-purple, yellow or brown marly shale are interbedded. This is followed by massive fine grai- ned fossil iferous l imestone wi th the small bivalves Lopha blandfordi LEES, Modiolus jawors- kii WANNE~ & KNmSCHEER, Nucula misolensis JA- WORSKI, Costatoria ammonica (DroNER), Myophoria verbeeki mansuyi REED, and the colonial coral Thamnastria rectilamellosa WINKLER and Thecos- milia subdichotoma MUNSTER.

The studied brachiopods of the lower member of the Ghalilah Formation are assigned an early to middle Norian age as a result of the presence of Juvavites magnus, Tropites sp., Heterastridium sp., Pinacoceras sp., and Catenhalorites malayicus.

Little is known about the Triassic fauna of the United Arab Emirates and Groan. Previous inves- tigations include those of Blanford (1872), Diener (1908), Lees (1928), Kuhn (1929), Hudson &

FIGURE 2 - Stratigraphic correlation of the exposed units of the Musandam Peninsula, United Arab Emirates and Groan. Corrdlation stratigraphique des unitds exposdes de la pgninsu- le Musandam, des Emirats Arabes Unis et de l'Oman.

Time Units

Rock Units

~.~ " 0

Z m 0

c~ b~ o

Lithology

23 ~

21

17

m

11

9 ~

7 . . . . . .

: . : . , . : . : . : . : . : . : . : , : . : , : . : . ::::::::::::::::::::::::::: •

I Limestone ~ Sandstone ~ Shale

Marl ~ Dolomite ~ i ~ Conglomerate

~ Mudstone • Brachiopod Beds

FIGURE 3 - Stratigraphic columnar section of the studied Upper Triassic rocks exposed at Wadi E1 Bih, Raas A1 Khima, United Arab Emirates. Section stratigraphique verticale des roches du Trias supdrieur exposdes & Wadi El Bih, Raas Al Khima, Emi- rats Arabes Unis.

Jefferies (1961), Keir (1977), Metwally & All (1992), Ali (1994), and Metwally (1994).

P A L E O B I O G E O G R A P H Y

There are few published reports of brachiopods from the Upper Triassic of the Middle East. Hudson & Jefferies (1961) described a brachiopod fauna from Oman that is the same as that descri- bed here from the United Arab Emirates. Kristan- Tollmann et al. (1979) described brachiopods from the latest Triassic (Rhaetian) of Iran, a fauna that has a northern Tethyan aspect in contrast to that from the United Arab Emirates. They recorded the spiriferids Sinucosta emmrichi (SuEss) and "Spiriferina" bittneri FRECH, the athyrids Neoretzia superba (SuESS) and Oxycolpella oxycolpos (SUEsS), the terebratulids Rhaetina gregaria (SuEss), R. pyriformis (SUEsS), Aulacothyropsis perlvulgatus DAGYS, and A. conspicua (BITTNER), and the rhyn- chonellids Fissirhynchia fissicostata (SUESS), Euxinella anatolica (BITTNER), and E. cubanica DAGYS from Iran.

563

Misolia has a widespread distribution in the sou- thern Tethys, the genus being recorded from the Middle East to Indonesia (Ager & Sun 1988, and references therein). Dagys (1993) considered Misolia, Hagabirhynchia, and Timorhynchia as conspicuous genera in the eastern part of the peri- Gondwanan Tethys. Misolia and Hagabirhynchia are elements of the United Arab Emirates fauna that are distributed along the southern margin of Tethys. Sun (1980) commented that Hagabirhyn- chia, Costispiriferina asiatica DAGYS, and Holcor- hynchia sambosanensis (KoBAYASHI) were known from the Late Triassic of Siberia, Indonesia, Timor, and Oman.

S Y S T E M A T I C P A L E O N T O L O G Y

The classification of Misolia follows the scheme recently proposed by Alvarez et al. (1998) while that for Spiriferina follows Carter et al. (1994). Williams et al. (1996) recently referred the articu- late brachiopods (Articulata) to the Rhyncho- nellata and the latter includes the Athyridida, Spiriferida, and Rhynchonellida.

Material is deposited in the Geological Museum, United Arab Emirates University, A] Aim

Phylum BRACHIOPODA Dum6ril, 1806 Class ARTICULATA Huxley, 1869

Order ATHYRIDIDA Boucot, Johnson & Staton, 1964

Superfamily ATHYRIDOIDEA Davidson, 1881 Family DIPLOSPIRELLIDAE Schuchert, 1894

Subfamily MISOLIINAE Dagys, 1996

Genus Misolia SEIDLITZ, 1913

Misolia noetlingii (BITTNER, 1899) Figs 4.1-8, 5, 6

1899 Spirigera ? Noetlingii - Bittner, p~ 68, pl. 11, figs 2, 3. 1913 Misolia noetlingii (BITTNER) - Seidlitz, p. 111, pl. 5, fig. 4 1961 Misolia noetlingii (BITTNER) - Jefferies in Hudson &

Jefferies, p. 10, pl. 1, figs 5-8.

D e s c r i p t i o n - Sub-circular to drop-shaped outli- ne, approximately evenly biconvex profile. The anterior commissure bears a low fold that typical- ly has 3 costae, with a corresponding sulcus in the pedicle valve that contains 2 costae. There is no marked deflection of the valve in the sulcus area, whereas the fold is not prominent, but noticeable. Costae are well-developed. The number of costae ranges from 8-13 on the brachial valve and is typi- cally 10-12; the number of costae on the pedicle valve ranges from 7-14 and is typically 10-12 also. A large, round pedicle foramen is present and the pedicle umbo is suberect. Internal structures (Fig. 6) include dental lamellae (Fig. 6, section 2.2), a well-developed cardinal process (3.9-4.4) that is anteriorly bilobed (5.0), a well-developed hinge plate (4.4-6.6) between the developing crura (6.6) that lead to the loop. The loop (brachidium) is bro- ken in this specimen. Elements of the loop were traced to section 8.0. Sectioning ceased here as the spiral brachidium was not preserved.

564

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18

19

20

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N ~ 4 8 . J FIGURE 4 - Late Triassic brachiopods from Lower Member, Ghalilah Formation, Elphinstone Group, Wadi Bih, United Arab Emirates, early-middle Norian. 1-8. Misolia noetlingii (BITTNER). 1-4, UAE12100GM, specimen serially sectioned (Fig. 6), dorsal, ventral, lateral, anterior views; 5-8, UAE12101GM. 9-12. Spiriferina abichi OPPEL, UAE12103GM, dorsal, ventral, lateral, anterior views. 13,14. Spiriferina abichi ? O P P E L , UAE12106GM, dorsal, anterior views. 15-22. Hagabirhynchia arabica HUDSON & JEFFERIES. 15-18. UAE12107GM, dorsal, ventral, lateral, anterior views. 19-22. UAE 12108GM, dorsal, ventral, lateral, anterior views. All pho- tographs x 1. Brachiopodes du Trias supdrieur (? Membre infdrieur), Formation Ghalilah, Groupe Elphinstone, Wadi Bih, aux Emi- rats arabes unis, Norien infdrieur-moyen. 1-8. Misolia noetlingii (BITNER). 1-4~ MS 1665, spdcimen sectionnd en sgrie (Figure 6), rues dorsale, ventrale, latdrale, antdrieure; 5-8, MS 1666, vues dorsale, ventrale, latdrale, antdrieure. 9-12. Spiriferina abichi OPPEL. MS 1668, vues dorsale, ventrale, latdrale, antdrieure. 13,14. MS 1669, rues dorsale, antdrieure. 14-22, Hagabirhynchia arabica Hudson et Jeffries. 15-18. MS 1672, vues dorsale, ventrale, latdrale, antgrieure. 19-22. MS 1673, rues dorsale, ventrale, latgrale, antgrieure. Toutes les photos x 1.

D i s c u s s i o n - Serial sections of a specimen studied herein (Fig. 6) agree well with slices of Misolia illustrated by Seidlitz (1913, fig. 6). Section 5.0 is closely comparable with Seidlitz's figure 6e and 6.0 is similar to figure 6f, although the diminutive septal structures were not observed in the United Arab Emirates material.

Hudson (1961) erected a new species, Misolia lenti- culata from Oman. Misolia noetlingii is distingui- shed by being more tumid, narrower, and more strongly sulcate than Misolia lenticulata. However, such variations could well be accommodated within the morphological range of Misolia noetlingii.

M a t e r i a l - 73 specimens (58 measured, Fig. 5). Lower Member, Ghalilah Formation, Elphinstone Group, Wadi Bih, United Arab Emirates. Specimen numbers MS UAE12100GM, UAE12101GM (figured); UAE12102GM.

Order SPIRIFERIDA Waagen, 1883 Suborder SPIRIFERINIDINA Ivanova, 1972

Superfamily SPIRIFERINOIDEA Davidson, 1884 Family SPIRIFERINIDAE Davidson, 1884

Subfamily SPIRIRFERININAE Davidson, 1884

Genus Spir i fer ina D'ORBIGNY, 1847

Spiriferina abichi OPPEL, 1865 Fig. 4. 9-4.12, ?4.13. ?4.14

1865 Spiriferina abichi - Oppel, p. 298, pl. 88, fig. 6a, b. 1961 Spiriferina abichi OPPEL - Jefferies in Hudson &

Jefferies, p. 10, pl. 1, figs 5-8. 1964; Logan, p. 704, pl. 1, figs 1-6, pl. 2, figs 1, 2, 4-7.

D e s c r i p t i o n - Three specimens possess a multico- state ornament, with a fold and sulcus, bearing

A A

3O

[] Widtih h Thictmess []

[] []

~r~DZt~N "~ A AA A

ElmL~ A

10- A j ,~ A h A A A

6.4

Length 10 20 30

2.2

FIGURE 5 - Plot of length versus width and thickness for Misolia noetlingii (BITTNER) from Wadi Bih, United Arab Emirates. Longueur, largeur et 6paisseur de Misolia noetlingii (B1TTNER) de Wadi Bib, aux Emirats Arabes Unis.

one costa in the sulcus (Fig. 4.9-12). In addition, one specimen that is very poorly preserved has only 3-4 costae on the flanks of the brachial valve. The pedicle valve is incomplete but dental lamel- lae are visible in the pedicle valve's umbo (Fig. 4.13-14). This specimen is considerably wider than the other specimens and has a megistothyrid out- line (Logan 1964, p. 709, fig. 4).

D i s c u s s i o n Since the work of Hudson & Jefferies (1961), Logan (1964) has considered this

FIGURE 6 - Transverse serial sections through a specimen of Misolia noetlingii (BITTNER), early-middle Norian, UAE 12100 GM. Cumulative distance from initial section given in mm. Magnification of sections: 0.0-3.9 mm, x 4.6; 4.4-6.6 mm, x 3.0. Specimen sectioned perpendicular to maximum length and bisecting brachia] valve. Dimensions of specimen: Length 26.8 mm, Width 24.7 mm, Thickness 18.8 ram. Sections sgri6es transversales en coupe d 'un spgcimen de Misolia noetlingii (BI~:NER), Norien infgrieur-moyen, UAE 12100 GM. La distan- ce cumulative de la section initiaIe est en ram. Grossissement des sections: 0,0-3,9 ram, x 5; 4,4.6,6 ram, x 3,3. Le sp6cimen se sectionne perpendiculairement h la longueur maximale et afin qu' i l coupe en deux part ies dgales la valve brachiale. Dimensions du spgcimen: longueur de 26,8 ram, largeur de 24,7 ram, 6paisseur de 18,8 ram.

0.0

0 ,

5.4

6.6

4.4 5.0

6.0

565

566

species in detail and considers a number of pre- viously described species to be referable to Spiriferina abichi OPPEL. The implication of Logan's interpretation is that the species is very broadly distributed. Serial sections have not been prepared from this material.

M a t e r i a l - 3 specimens ofSpiriferina abichi plus one additio- nal specimen tentatively referred to Spiriferina abichi, Lower Member, Ghalilah Formation, Elphinstone Group, Wadi Bih, United Arab Emirates. Specimen numbers UAE12103GM, UAE12106GM (figured); UAE12104GM, UAE12105GM.

Order RHYNCHONELLIDA Kuhn, 1949 Superfamily RHYNCHONELLOIDEA Gray, 1848

Family RHYNCHONELLIDAE Gray, 1848

Genus Hagabirhynchia JEFFERIES, 1961

Hagab irhynchia arab ica JEFFERIES, 1961 Fig. 4.15-22

1961 Hagabirhynchia arabica - Jefferies, Jefferies in Hudson & Jefferies, p. 5, pl. 1, figs 18-21, text-fig. 1.

D e s c r i p t i o n - Small rhynchonellids that are typi- cally less than I cm in length and width. Typically 12-14 costae on each valve. In the larger speci- mens the anterior commissure bears a well-mar- ked uniplicate fold; the fold has 4-5 costae on it, with 3-4 in the pedicle sulcus. Biconvex profile, the brachial valve is the more inflated. Suberect pedicle umbo, with well-developed circular, rim- med ('cyclothyrid') pedicle foramen; beak ridges well-marked. Dental lamellae in pedicle umbo are visible in many specimens, either through the shell or when shell material is absent.

D i s c u s s i o n - These small rhynchone]lids were first described by Jefferies (in Hudson & Jefferies 1961) from the Oman Peninsula. The specimens from the United Arab Emirates are of similar size, outline, profile, na ture of costation, folding, and .deflection of the anterior commissure, when com- pared to the Omani material. Therefore they are confidently referred to Hagabirhynchia arabica. Serial sections have not been prepared from this material.

M a t e r i a l - 24 specimens from the Lower Member, Ghalilah Formation, E lphins tone Group, Wadi Bih, Uni ted Arab Emirates. Specimen numbers UAE12107GM, UAE12108GM (figured); UAE12109GM.

Acknowledgemen t s - Thanks are due to M. Stefanoff, Univer- sity of Dayton, for preparing the serial sections, photographs, and Figures 4-6. MRS gratefully acknowledges support from the American Chemical Society - Petroleum Research Fund and the University of Dayton Student Fellows' Employment Program.

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M.R. SANDY Depar tment of Geology, Universi ty of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio 45469-2364, U.S.A.

M.F. ALY Geology Department, Faculty of Science, UAE University

A1 Ain 17551, United Arab Emirates