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OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

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1. TIME SLICE K-1<br />

Age Range: Berriasian – Barremian [141-115 Ma]<br />

Zones: Cicatricosisporites australiensis to Foraminisporis wonthaggiensis<br />

Zones (eastern)/Biretisporites eneabbaensis Zone (western)<br />

Pseudoceratium iehensis to Muderongia australis Zones<br />

1.1 Macrofloras<br />

1.1.1 North-West Australia<br />

The Early Cretaceous possibly Necomian Bauhinia Downs Flora from the Northern Territory<br />

is dominated by bennettitaleans.<br />

Inferred climate<br />

The flora is indicative of overall humid conditions. Fronds of one species (Otozamites<br />

bengalensis) are illustrated in White (1986), who suggests conditions were subject to<br />

occasional aridity. Temperatures are presumed to be at the lower end of the mesotherm range<br />

due to the moderate palaeolatitude (~ 60 0 S).<br />

1.1.2 North-East Australia<br />

1. North-east Queensland<br />

The ginkgophyte Ginkgoites australis is recorded in probable Necomian coal measures in the<br />

Mt. Morgan-Stanwell district, west of Rockhampton, Queensland (McLoughlin 1996). This,<br />

and the central Australian records of ginkgophytes (see below), appear to pre-date its first<br />

occurrences in Victoria.<br />

2. Laura Basin<br />

Macrofossils of several cryptogams and corystosperms (primitive seed plants first described<br />

from Triassic beds in South Africa) are present in the Laura Basin. The Dalrymple Sandstone<br />

flora from the same basin is now considered to be Jurassic.<br />

Inferred climate<br />

The data indicate conditions were humid. Temperatures are likely to have been seasonally<br />

cool-cold (microtherm range) due to the location of northeastern Queensland on the palaeosouthern<br />

margin at about palaeolatitudes 70-80 0 S.<br />

1.1.3 Central Australia<br />

A number of formations previously regarded as Early Cretaceous, are now considered to be<br />

from the Late Jurassic, for example the Hooray sandstone (Eromanga Basin). The associated<br />

macrofloras are dominated by bennettitalean fronds and conifer twigs, but otherwise do not<br />

share any other taxa with the Cretaceous floras from Western Australia (S. McLoughlin pers.<br />

comm.).<br />

Necomian plant impressions, which are preserved in silcrete (Algebuckina Sandstone) in the<br />

Eromanga Basin, imply that brachyphyll araucarians (Brachyphyllum) were canopy tree taxa.<br />

169

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