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A new lower Cambrian eodiscoid trilobite fauna from Swedish Lapland and its implications for intercontinental correlation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2007

NIKLAS AXHEIMER*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, GeoBiosphere Science Centre, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
PER AHLBERG
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, GeoBiosphere Science Centre, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
PETER CEDERSTRÖM
Affiliation:
Axelvoldsvägen 27, SE-241 35 Eslöv, Sweden
*
‡ Author for correspondence: Niklas.Axheimer@geol.lu.se
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Abstract

A lower Cambrian eodiscoid trilobite fauna and an associated holmiid trilobite, Holmia sp., are described from a bioclastic limestone at the top of the Torneträsk Formation in the Luobákti section, south of Lake Torneträsk, northern Sweden. Other associated polymerid trilobites include Orodes? lapponica and Strenuaeva inflata. The precise age of the trilobite fauna cannot be determined, but its generic composition and stratigraphical position at the top of the lower Cambrian suggest that it was recovered from the Ornamentaspis? linnarssoni Assemblage Zone. Two species of eodiscoids are present: Neocobboldia aff. dentata and Chelediscus acifer. The latter species is known previously from England and southeastern Newfoundland, and provides a novel link between upper lower Cambrian successions in Baltica and Avalonia.

Information

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007
Figure 0

Figure 1 (a) Map of Sweden and surrounding areas showing the extent of the Caledonides. (b) Map of the Torneträsk area, northern Swedish Lapland, showing outcrop areas of the terminal Proterozoic?–Cambrian Dividalen Group. (c) Location of the Luobákti section south of Lake Torneträsk.

Figure 1

Figure 2 Lithological succession, stratigraphy and occurrences of fossils in the Luobákti section. Compiled mainly from Moberg (1908), Ahlberg (1985), Jensen & Grant (1998) and A. T. Nielsen, Copenhagen, pers. comm. 2006. M. C. – middle Cambrian; E. – Ediacaran.

Figure 2

Figure 3 Correlation chart of the upper lower Cambrian and basal middle Cambrian for Baltica and western and eastern Avalonia. Modified after Geyer & Shergold (2000), Fletcher (2003), Fletcher et al. (2005) and Geyer (2005).

Figure 3

Figure 4 Trilobites from the top of the Torneträsk Formation in the Luobákti section, northern Sweden. All specimens except (e, f, i, l, q–s) are SEM-photographs of epoxy casts. (a–j) Neocobboldia aff. dentata (Lermontova, 1940). (a) Cranidium, ×15, LO9763t. (b) Cranidium, ×15, LO9764t. (c) Cranidium with a meraspid cranidium (see h) inside the broken part of the glabella, ×15, LO9765t. (d) Cranidium, ×15, LO9766t. (e) Cranidium, ×15, LO9767t. (f) Cranidium, ×15, LO9768t. (g) Cranidium, ×20, LO9769t. (h) Meraspid cranidium, oblique dorsal view, see also (c), ×85, LO9770t. (i) Pygidium, ×15, LO9771t. (j) Pygidium, ×20, LO9772t. (k–p) Chelediscus acifer Rushton, 1966. (k) Cephalon, ×20, LO9773t. (l) Cephalon, ×15, LO9774t. (m) Small cephalon, ×40, LO9775t. (n) Small cephalon, ×40, LO9776t. (o) Small cephalon, lateral view of (n), ×40, LO9776t. (p) Pygidium, ×20, LO9777t. (q) Strenuaeva inflata Ahlberg & Bergström, 1978, cranidium, ×11, LO9778t. (r) Orodes? lapponica (Ahlberg, 1980a), cranidium, ×6, LO9779t. (s) Holmia sp., incomplete cephalon, ×4, LO9780t.