Late Silurian vertebrate microfossils from the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia

Abstract

Burrow, C.J., Turner, S., Trinajstic, K. & Young, G.C., 27 February 2019. Late Silurian vertebrate microfossils from the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia. Alcheringa 43, 204–219. ISSN 0311-5518.

A core sample from the offshore Pendock 1A well, Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia yielded microvertebrate residues at an horizon in the lower part of the Hamelin Formation, dated as late Silurian, ? Ludlow, based on associated conodonts. The fish fauna comprises loganelliiform thelodont scales, the ? stem gnathostome Aberrosquama occidens nov. gen. et sp., the acanthodian Nostolepis sp. aff. N. alta, and the ? stem osteichthyan Andreolepis sp. aff. A. petri. Because of the paucity of the material, and some differences between the Pendock scales and those of established species, a precise age can not be confirmed; however, the composition of the fauna at generic level most closely resembles that of late Silurian (Ludlow) assemblages from northern Eurasia.

Carole J. Burrow* [[email protected]], Geosciences, Queensland Museum, Hendra QLD 4011, Australia; Susan Turner [[email protected]], Geosciences, Queensland Museum, Hendra QLD 4011, Australia; Kate Trinajstic [[email protected]], School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia; Gavin C. Young [[email protected]], Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2000, Australia.

Key words:

• palaeobiogeography
• Thelodonti
• stem gnathostome
• Acanthodii
• stem Osteichthyes
• Hamelin Formation
• Ludlow

Acknowledgements

ST and CJB acknowledge the support of the Queensland Museum in providing basic facilities. We thank Sarah Martin (GSWA) for coordinating the repositing and cataloguing of specimens, and reviewers Tiiu Märss and Brian Choo for their helpful comments.