Skip to main content
Log in

Geological significance of a Middle Cambrian fauna from Antarctica

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

A NEW collection of a Cambrian fauna, occurring as erratics in a Quaternary moraine near Mount Provender (80°23′S, 29°55′W), western Shackleton Range (Fig. 1, inset) is reported here. It includes inarticulate brachiopods and trilobites, together with the first hyolithids and primitive molluscs from the area. Because of the isolation of the Shackleton Range, data on this fauna have accumulated only slowly1–4. It is important because it is located at a geographical extreme of the known extent of the Cambrian in Antarctica, and because is represents a contribution to our knowledge of world Cambrian faunas. Although the provenance of the fossiliferous erratics is problematical, it has important stratigraphical implications concerning the controversial age of the Blaiklock Glacier Group, for which ages as far apart as Cambro-Ordovician2,3 and Permian1 have been considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stephenson, P. J. Scient. Rep. transantarct. Exped. 8 (1966).

  2. Clarkson, P. D. Bull. Br. Antarct. Sun. 31, 1–15 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Thomson, M. R. A. Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv. 31, 17–20 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Soloviev, I. A. & Grikurov, G. E. Antarktika 17, 187–198 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hill, D. Scient. Rep. transantarct. Exped. 10 (1965).

  6. Minshew, V. H. Science 152, 637–38 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Palmer, A. R. & Gatehouse, C. G. Prof. Pap. US geol. Surv. 456-D (1972).

  8. Webers, G. in Antarctic Geology and Geophysics (ed. Adie, R. J.) 235–37 (Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Shergold, J. H., Cooper, R. A., MacKinnon, D. I. & Yochelson, E. I. Palaeontology 19, 247–91 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cooper, R. A., Jago, J. B., MacKinnon, D. I., Shergold, J. H. & Vidal, G. in 3rd Symp. Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Madison, August 1977 (in the press).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Runnegar, B. & Jell, P. A. Alcheringa 1, 109–38 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Andrews, P. B. & Laird, M. G. Sediment. geol. 16, 21–44 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Palmer, A. R. in Atlas of Palaeobiogeography (ed. Hallam, A.) 3–11 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Palmer, A. R. Am. Scimt. 62, 216–25 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Clarkson, P. D. & Wyeth, R. B. Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv. (in the press).

  16. Rex, D. C. in Antarctic Geology and Geophysics (ed. Adie, R. J.) 133–136 (Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CLARKSON, P., HUGHES, C. & THOMSON, M. Geological significance of a Middle Cambrian fauna from Antarctica. Nature 279, 791–792 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/279791a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/279791a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

Navigation