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Crises in the Devonian history of the rugose corals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2016

William A. Oliver Jr.  and
A. E. H. Pedder
William A. Oliver Jr.
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, E-305 National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560
A. E. H. Pedder
Affiliation:
Geological Survey of Canada, 3303 Thirty-third Street, NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7, Canada
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Abstract

Detailed analysis of the stratigraphic ranges of Devonian rugose coral genera within the Old World and Eastern Americas Realms gives new information on faunal extinctions and other bioevents in both realms. Various origination and extinction metrics are calculated from tabulations of occurrences in each stage. The most significant faunal changes were near or at the ends of the Lochkovian and Frasnian stages. The former marks the gradual transition from dominance by Silurian families and genera to the characteristic Devonian coral assemblages; the latter marks the virtual extinction of the Devonian families and genera. Other coral events are related to the two major changes.

The data provide new bases for comparing the histories of the two realms. Most of the events are recorded in both, giving support to previous suggestions that the causes were worldwide. The coral record shows an increase (probably episodic) in environmental deterioration persisting through the Middle Devonian and culminating in extinction at the end of the Frasnian. Eustatic sea level fluctuations may have caused the precursor events and a bolide impact may have caused the end-Frasnian extinction.

Type
Articles
Information
Paleobiology , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , Spring 1994 , pp. 178 - 190
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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