New information on the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition in the Vestertana Group, Finnmark, northern Norway, from trace fossils and organic-walled microfossils

• Main Authors: Högström, Anette, Jensen, Sören, Palacios, Teodoro, Ebbestad, Jan Ove R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Geological Society of Norway 2013
• Subjects: VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450::Stratigraphy and paleontology: 461; VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450::Stratigrafi og paleontologi: 461; Norway; Vestertana; Stáhpogieddi; Breidvika; Innerelva; Finnmark; Northern Norway
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18954

Journal home page at https://njg.geologi.no/ . The Vestertana Group on the Digermul Peninsula, Finnmark, northern Norway, presents one of the few, potentially continuous Ediacaran– Cambrian sections in Scandinavia. Trace fossils provide the main age constraint, with the boundary traditionally placed at the base of the Breidvika Formation. Here, we provide trace-fossil evidence to show that this boundary is at least as low as the third cycle of the Manndraperelva Member, Stáhpogieddi Formation, where Treptichnus pedum is associated with trilobed trace fossils. Organic-walled microfossils from the same stratigraphic interval include Granomarginata prima and the first report from Scandinavia of Cochleatina . The second cycle of the Manndraperelva Member contains trace fossils, including treptichnids and ?Cochlichnus isp. tentatively interpreted as latest Ediacaran. Reports of palaeopascichnids suggest a late Ediacaran age for the first cycle. The age of lower parts of the Stáhpogieddi Formation is poorly constrained but discoidal Ediacara-type fossils, vendotaenids, and possible simple trace fossils, suggest that the middle part of the Innerelva Member is younger than c. 560 Ma.