Re-evaluation of the Permian macrofossils from the Parnaíba Basin: biostratigraphic, palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographical implications

IANNUZZI, R.; NEREGATO, R.; CISNEROS, JUAN; ANGIELCZYK, KEN; RHON, R.; MARSICANO, CLAUDIA; FROBISCH, JORG; SMITH, ROGER

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SPECIAL PUBLICATION

Geological Society London

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018 vol. 472 p. 223 - 249

0305-8719

Although Permian fossils have been known from the Parnaíba Basin for two centuries, and somefaunal and flora elements are well known worldwide, research on the fossil assemblages from this basin haslagged relative to other, more accessible basins. In the last decade, however, there has been a significant increasein the study of fossils from the two Permian units of the basin: the Pedra de Fogo and Motuca formations. Thegoal of this contribution is to synthesize and update the existing data on the Permian macrofossils from theseformations, and to use them to address biostratigraphic, palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographical questions.The Pedra de Fogo and Motuca formations are likely to be Cisuralian in age. Contrary to previous reports,there is more than one stratigraphic interval that preserves petrified fossil plants. The possible marine influenceproposed for the Pedra de Fogo Formation must be reassessed based on the strongly terrestrial character of itsfossil assemblages. Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic conditions are inferred to be wetter than is typicallypredicted for this region of the globe based on climatic modelling. Despite sharing some taxa with the Euramericanand Gondwanan biogeographical provinces, the Parnaíba Basin was likely to have been part of adistinct biogeographical province, as indicated by the high degree of endemism displayed by its Permian florasand faunas.