Sedimentological and palaentological examination of the Devonian Horlick formation in the Ohio Range of the Horlick Mountains
Entry ID:
K026_1979_1980_NZ_1
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Summary
Abstract:
15 sections of the Horlick formation were measured in detail along the Ohio escarpment from Discovery Ridge to Lackey Ridge. The Ohio Range contains the only well exposed record of unequivocally marine Devonian sediments in Antarctica, and is a unique and rarely visited locality. Three sections were studied on Discovery Ridge where the main lithofacies were established. One section was studied on ... the second spur west of Discovery Ridge, five sections were studied on Lackey Ridge at the extreme western end of the escarpment and four on Darling Ridge. To complete the coverage, two sections were measured on Schulthess Buttress, one on the western spur and the other on the eastern spur. Seven lithofacies were described and the inter-relationship between each was studied in detail. Fossils that had not been recorded before were collected and the relationships of these fossils to each other and to the sediment in when they were enclosed was examined. The fossils include large bivalves, brachiopods, trilobites, gastropods, monoplacophorans, crinoidal detritus, fish bones and plates and tentaculitids. Psilophyte plant fossils were also discovered. Detailed palaeontological collections were made. The exposed base of the Horlick Formation allowed a unique chance to study a near-shore assemblage of sediments derived from a granitic landmass. Shale samples were collected for palaeomagnetic work. The Buckeye Formation is one of the thicker sequences of Permian glacial sediments in the Transantarctic Mountains and formed some spectacular outcrops. Three small slumped horizons were measured. A three-directional foliation in the sandstones at the top of the formation was measured and photographed. Animal trails were noted and several lithologies sampled. A horizon rich in Glossopteris leaves and non-marine Permian bivalves, the latter recorded for the first time in Antarctica, were collected from the the highest coal measure beds on Mt. Glossopteris. 
Geographic Coverage
(Click for Interactive Map)
Spatial coordinates
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N: -84.75
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S: -84.75
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E: 114.0
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W: 114.0
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Temporal Coverage
Start Date:
1979-11-20
Stop Date:
1980-01-30
Quality
Canterbury Museum holds over 2000 rock specimens from Antarctica. Most of these represent the lithologies of the Beacon Supergroup of rocks and were collected during several NZARP events over a number of seasons in the 1970s and 1980s. The collections were made at a number of sites in the Transantarctic Mountains of Victoria Land. In addition, small collections were made at Cape Adare and Cape ... Hallett.
Collected at the same time were fossils (in excess of 1200 specimens) of a variety of ages, but mostly Devonian (416-359 Ma), Permian (299-251 Ma) and Triassic (251-199 Ma). Represented among the fossils are plants, invertebrates (mostly arthropods, molluscs and brachiopods) and vertebrates (fish).
In the collections Antarctic rock have catalogue numbers with the prefix RA; fossils have the prefix AF. Rock samples and fossils specific to this expedition include:
Rocks RA820-866 from Discovery Ridge, Ohio Range
Fossils AF294-303; AF317-586; AF730-732 Permian invertebrates and plants from Mt Glossopteris, Ohio Range and Devonian invertebrates from Discovery Ridge
AF587-726 Devonian invertebrates from Ohio Range (Discovery Ridge, Lackey Ridge, Darling Ridge, Mt Glossopteris)
Please contact:
Dr Norton Hiller
Curator of Geology
Canterbury Museum
Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch 8013
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 3 366 5000
Direct dial: +64 3 366 9429 ext 820
Fax: +64 3 366 5622
Email: nhiller@canterburymuseum.com
www.canterburymuseum.com
Access Constraints
Access to samples follows the specifications of Canterbury Museum.
Data Set Progress
COMPLETE
Personnel
Role:
INVESTIGATOR
Phone:
+64 3 364 2987 ext 3892
Fax:
+64 3 364 2769
Email:
margaret.bradshaw at canterbury.ac.nz
Contact Address:
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
City:
Christchurch
Postal Code:
8140
Country:
New Zealand
Role:
DIF AUTHOR
Phone:
+64 3 358 0200
Fax:
+64 3 358 0211
Email:
s.gordon at antarcticanz.govt.nz
Contact Address:
Antarctica New Zealand
Private Bag 4745
City:
Christchurch
Country:
New Zealand
Publications/References
Bradshaw, M. 2010. Devonian trace fossils of the Horlick Formation, Ohio Range, Antarctica: Systematic description and palaeoenvironmental interpretation. Ichnos 17: 58-114. Bradshaw, M. Ohio Range party worked near Pole. Antarctic 9(1): 7-9, 1980. Bradshaw, M.A. McCartan, L. The depositional environment of the lower Devonian Horlick Formation, Ohio Range. in: ... Antarctic earth science.Oliver R.L. James P.R. Jago J.B. (eds) Canberra: Australian Academy of Science. 1983. pp.238-241
Bradshaw, M.A. Permian nonmarine bivalves from the Ohio Range, Antarctica. Alcheringa 8: 305-309, 1984.
Bradshaw, M.A. McCartan, L. Kellogg, K. Reconnaissance geologic map of the Ohio Range, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. Scale 1:50,000. Reston, VA: US Geological Survey. 1986. [Antarctic geological map series: A-13]
Bradshaw, M.A. McCartan, L. Palaeoecology and systematics of Early Devonian bivalves from the Horlick Formation, Ohio Range, Antarctica. Alcheringa 15(1): 1-42, 1991.
Aitchison, J.C. Bradshaw, M.A. Newman, J. Lithofacies and origin of the Buckeye Formation: late Paleozoic glacial and glaciomarine sediments, Ohio Range, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology 64: 93-104, 1988.
Kellogg, K.S. A paleomagnetic investigation of rocks from the Ohio Range and the Dry Valleys, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. New Zealand journal of geology and geophysics 31(1): 77-85, 1988.
McCartan, L. & Bradshaw, M.A. Petrology and sedimentology of the Horlick Formation (Lower Devonian), Ohio Range, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1780, 1-31, 1987.
Bradshaw, M.A. Webers, G.F. The Devonian rocks of Antarctica. in: The Devonian of the world, vol. 1.McMillan N.J. Embry A.F. Glass D.J. (eds) Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. 1988. pp.783-795 [Memoir 14]
Bradshaw, M.A. The Devonian Pacific margin of Antarctica. in: Geological evolution of Antarctica; proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences, Cambridge, 1987.Thomson M.R.A. Crame J.A. Thomson J.W. (eds) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1991. pp.193-197
Bradshaw, M.A. Geological history. in: Antarctica: the Ross Sea region.Hatherton T. (ed) Wellington: DSIR Publishing. 1990. pp.42-63 [DSIR information series: 165] ISBN 0477025862
Creation and Review Dates
DIF Creation Date:
2005-09-22
Last DIF Revision Date:
2010-11-01
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