Lower Devonian stromatoporoids from the Jesse Limestone of the Limekilns area, New South Wales

Abstract

An assemblage of well preserved Devonian stromatoporoids is described from the Jesse Limestone of the Limekilns area, central-western New South Wales. The fauna, which comes from limestone breccia deposits of the western, Diamond Creek occurrence, is interpreted as having an allochthonous origin. Eleven species of stromatoporoids are described and illustrated including representatives of Actinostroma, Gerronostroma, Schistodictyon, Amnèstostroma, Pseudotrupetostroma, Salairella, Stromatopora, Atopostroma, and Habrostroma. Details of stromatoporoid microstructure of well preserved specimens of Amnestostroma and Pseudotrupetostroma are also presented for the first time. The descriptions of new species include, Gerronostroma vergens, Amnestostroma crassum, Pseudotrupetostroma jessiense and P. ripperae. Other elements of the Jesse fauna comprise occurrences of Siberian, South Chinese and Canadian affinity, which suggests probable zoogeographic links with these regions. The Jesse Limestone has been interpreted as having a mainly late Emsian age, but the described stromatoporoids seem to have been reworked from earlier Emsian horizons.

Keywords:

• Stromatoporoids
• Lower Devonian
• New South Wales
• new taxa