Publication details
Terrestrial and Marine Faunas from the Miocene Deposits of the Mokrá Plateau (Drahany Upland, Czech Republic) - Impact on Palaeogeography
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Beiträge zur Paläontologie |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Geology and mineralogy |
| Keywords | Terrestrial and marine faunas; Taphonomy; Palaeoecology; Biostratigraphy; Palaeogeography; Miocene; Drahany Upland; Czech Republic |
| Description | The karst phenomena in the Upper Paleozoic limestones, including continental and marine Miocene sediments with associated fauna, were studied in quarries worked by Mokrá Cement Works, Inc. Mokrá Plateau, southern part of the Drahany Upland, Czech Republic. Continental sediments in the karst joints yield vertebrates indicating the upper part of the Early Miocene, especially the mammal zone MN 4. The amphibians and reptiles represent a typical assemblage from the Early Miocene climatic optimum. Mokrá quarries represent a locality with continental assemblages consisting of ecologically different taxa (a dry karst landscape with open steppe vegetation, a lacustrine environment and swampy biotopes with stagnant to moderately-flowing waters). For the first time, representatives of the Early Miocene Varanus, among the most early European occurrences of this genus, are documented in the eastern part of Central Europe. However, the abundance of moschids is the most interesting phenomenon, since they are probably the earliest occurrence of the genus Micromeryx altogether. Marine sediments are represented by debris, sands and calcareous clays with foraminifers. The relative abundance of Praeorbulina glomerosa circularis and the sporadic appearance of Orbulina suturalis correlate the calcareous clays with the Lower Badenian, especially with the lowermost part of planktonic foraminifera Zone M6 (Middle Miocene). These data also contributed to clarification of the palaeogeographical and karstological development of the Mokrá Plateau. The model of this development from the Paleogene up to the Holocene is presented. |
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