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LAK 2011, Heidelberg Abstracts 131
MID-CRETACEOUS MARINE GASTROPODS OF THE SERGIPE BASIN, NORTH-
EASTERN BRAZIL
MANUELA LEXEN & PETER BENGTSON
Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany: manuela.
lexen@geow.uni-heidelberg.de; peter.bengtson@geow.uni-heidelberg.de
The Museum of Earth Sciences of Heidelberg University houses the probably largest col-
lection of marine Cretaceous macrofossils from Brazil outside this country. The material com-
prises approximately 14,000 specimens of ammonites, bivalves, gastropods, echinoids as well
as fsh remains and other minor groups, mainly from the Sergipe Basin in north-eastern Brazil.
To date, the ammonites, bivalves and echi noids have been the subject of taxonomic and/or bio-
stratigraphic studies. The present project concerns the AptianConiacian gastropods from the
Sergipe Basin, including exquisitely preserved specimens with colour patterns from the Aptian
"quasi-lagersttte Limeira.
The Sergipe Basin is one of a series of continental margin basins along the Brazilian
coast, which were formed in the late Mesozoic by rifting and separation of the South American
and African continents. The marine sedimentary fll of the basin is of Aptian to Miocene age. The
Cretaceous succession is extensively exposed and composed of predomi nantly shallow-water
carbonates and mudstones representing one of the most complete Cretaceous successions of
the South Atlantic region.
Preliminary studies of the CenomanianConiacian gastropods (Burrer 2003; Dietzel 2003;
Lexen, in preparation) have revealed a diverse fauna with at least 30 genera, notably Pseud-
amaura, Aporrhais, Anchura, Drepanocheilus and Piestochi lus. There are close affnities with
coeval faunas of the Tethyan realm, such as those of northern Africa, the Near East and North
America.
Besides taxonomic treatment of the gastropods, the palaeoecology and palaeobiogeog-
raphy of the fauna is being studied. Particular attention is paid to the biostratigraphic potential of
individual species, in defance of the general assumption that gastropods are poor guide fossils.
The project is part of a long-term project com prising the entire macro- and microfauna of the
marine Cretaceous of north-eastern Brazil, with the overall objective of establishing an integrated
biostratigraphy for the South Atlantic region.
Burrer, N. 2002. Gastropoden aus dem CenomanConiac des Sergipe-Beckens, Brasilien. Teil
1: Die Gattungen Aporrhais, Avellana, Drepanocheilus, Epito nium, Fasciolaria, Fusus,
Globiconcha, Lunatia, Piestochilus, Pterocera, Ringi nella, Turbo, Turritella, Tylostoma,
Voluta, Volutilithes, Volutomorpha. - 101 pp. Unpublished Diploma thesis, Heidelberg
University.
Dietzel, S. 2002. Gastropoden aus dem CenomaniumConiacium (Ober-Kreide) des Sergipe-
Beckens, Brasilien. Teil 2: Die Gattungen Akera, Ampullina, Cerith ium, Cimolithium,
Dicroloma, Drepanocheilus, Drilluta, Euomphalus, Fasciola ria, Mesalia, Piestochilus,
Pterodonta, Scalaturris, Solarium, Turbo, Turritella, Tylostoma, Uchauxia, Voluta. - 215
pp. Unpublished Diploma thesis, Heidel berg University.
LAK2011.indb 131 16.03.2011 15:27:24 Uhr
Stefan Gtz, Peter Bengtson,
Francisco J. Cueto Berciano,
Wolfgang Stinnesbeck (Eds.)
LAK 2011
22
nd
International
Coloquium on
Latin American Earth Sciences
Abstracts and Programme
Heidelberg, Germany
30 March - 1 April 2011
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http://www.lak2011.uni-hd.de ISSN 0946-0535
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h e i d e l b e r g e n s i s
G A E A
bookcovergaramond16.3G.indd 1 16.03.2011 16:37:15 Uhr
22
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LAK 2011, Heidelberg Organizing Team 1
Organizers
Wolfgang Stinnesbeck
Stefan Gtz
Organizing Team
Hpke Andresen
Gregor Austermann
Peter Bengtson
Francisco Jos Cueto Berciano
Karin Dietzschold
Ulrich A. Glasmacher
Jan Hartmann
Dominik Hennhfer
Anne Hildenbrand
Margot Isenbeck-Schrter
Arabella Jankovic
Martin Maier
Enric Pascual Cebrian
Stefan Rheinberger
Silvia Rheinberger
Simon Ritter
Christian Salazar
Christian Scholz
Cite as: Gtz, S., Bengtson, P., Cueto Berciano, F.J., Stinnesbeck, W. (Eds.) 2011: 22
nd
International Colloquium on Latin American Earth Sciences, Abstracts and Programme.
GAEA heidelbergensis 18, 231 p.
Cover picture: Eroded gypsum dunes of Cuatro Cienegas, Coahuila, NE-Mexico. In the background,
steeply folded Early Cretaceous limestones of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Photo: Stefan
Gtz
LAK2011.indb 1 16.03.2011 15:26:46 Uhr

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