EXAM 1 TERMS TO KNOW-updated 1/29/08

I. Stratigraphic Principles

• A. Stratigraphic Principles
1. stratum
2. zone
3. interval
4. horizon
5. correlation
6. geochronology
7. Lithostratigraphic Units
• Group
• Formation
• Member
• Bed
• B. Biostratigraphic Units
1. Assemblage zone
2. Taxon-range-zone
3. Concurrent-range-zone
4. Lineage-zone
5. Acme-zone
6. Interval-zone
7. Barren interzone
8. Barren intrazone
• C. Chronostratigraphic and Geochronstratigraphic Units
1. Eonotherm ...........................................................Eon
2. Erathem ...............................................................Era
3. System...........................................................Period
4. Series..............................................................Epoch
5. Stage...................................................................Age
• D. Know Periods of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic
• E. Other Imporatnt Principles
1. PRINCIPLE OF ORIGINAL HORIZONTALITY
2. PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION
3. PRINCIPLE OF CROSS-CUTTING RELATIONSHIPS
4. PRINCIPLE OF ORIGINAL LATERAL CONTINUITY
5. PRINCIPLE OF FOSSIL SUCCESSION
6. PRINCIPLE OF FOSSIL ASSEMBLAGES
• F. Facies and Unconformities

• know how the paleomagnetic time scale and magnetic anomaly time scales were established
• these time scales were merged to create the GPTS
• know the basis of strontium isotope stratigraphy
• know the origin and nature of Pleistocene-Pliocene oxygen isotope fluctuations

1. know the characteristics and rules regarding species names
2. know how to read a synomony
3. know type terms
4. you do not need to know latin abbreviations

1. fossil
2. unaltered hard and soft parts
3. coprolites
4. gastroliths
5. recrystallization
6. replacement
7. molds- internal and extrnal
8. cast
9. permineralization
10. carbonization

A. Assigned reading on Porifera (Chapter 12, 215-221)

• Class Demospongea- skeleton of siliceous monaxons or tetraxons
• Class Calcarea- skeleton of calcareous spicules
• Porifera Terminology
1. osculum- opening at the toip of the sponge for out current flow
2. spongocoel- hollow internal cavity of the skeleton
3. choanocytes- flagellated cells that gather food and pump water
• spicule- calcareous or siliceous support structures of sponges
1. monaxon- uniaxial spicules
2. tetraaxon- spicules with four axes radiating from a central point
3. desmas- spicules with no regular symmetry, often spiny or warty
4. spongin- organic structure which with spiclues gives support to the sponge


Stromatoporids (Chapter 12, 220)

• calcareous layered masses formerly of unknown affinity
• recently shown to be Demospongea with spicules and calcareous skeleton of secoarily precipitated calcite
• layered surface often with small swelling called mamelons
• mamelons with stellate grooves called astrorhizae
• range: Cambrain to Oligocene
• important reef formers of Ordovician to Devonian

 

 
 
 
 
 

Archaeocyatha (incertae sedis) (Chapter 12, 221-222)

• calcaeous fossils of uncettain affinity
• abundant in Early Cambrian and extinct in Cambrian
• inner and outer walls connected by septum
• walls perforate
• attached to substrate by root

• terms to know
1. aperture- surface opening of the zooecium
2. zooecium or autopore- chitinous or calcareous tube housing a single zooid
3. zoarium- a group of zooecia secreted by a colony of Bryozoa
4. monticule-low domes of of groups of zooecia, abnormnal in size and with elevated aperatures
5. acanthopore- minute tube parallel to zoecium, often projecting at surface as a short spine
6. diaphragm-horizontal or inclined partitions of the zooecium (like tabulae in Tabulate corals)
7. fenestrules- openings in the zoarium through which water passes through the colony
8. dissepiment- cross bars connectind branches of fenestrate colonies

• terms to know
1. pedicle- fleshy stalk used to attach to the substrate
2. lophophore- feeding organ
3. ribs- former edges of the shell which are subconcentric about the umbo
4. beak- pointed extremity of shell marking the position of the beginning of shell growth. Also the point from which the ribs diverge.
5. umbo- convex posterior extremity close to the beak
6. pedicle valve-largest valve through which the pedicle protrudes
7. brachial valve- the smaller valve to which the lophophore is attached
8. length- linear distance in plane of bilateral symmetry
9. width- linear distance between farthest points on lateral margins of a valve
10. commisure-point of lateral margin junction of the two valves
11. hinge line- line of articulation between the two valves
12. plication- corrugation on inner and outer valve surfaces extending radially from the beak
13. interarea- flat or curved surfaces between the beak and the valve margin
• external view of brachial valve
1. fold- a major rounded elevation along the longitudinal midline of the brachial valve
• external view of pedicle valve
1. sulcus- a major rounded depression along the longitudinal midline of the pedicle valve
2. delthyrium-diamond or triangular-shaped notch beneath the beak for passage of the pedicle
• lateral view
1. height or thickness-linear distance from farthest point of brachial and pedicle valves
• interior view of pedicle valve
1. adductor muscle scars- muscles that close the shell, run perpendicular to the two valves
2. diductor muscle scar-muscles that open the shell, runs from pedicle valve to the cardinal process
• interior view of brachial valve
1. cardinal process- projection at or near the beak for the attachment of the diductor muscles
2. brachidium- internal supports for the lophophore
3. adductor muscle scars- muscles that close the shell

Part one.
The Vendian-Cambrian transition
Cambrian-Ordovician
Silurian-Devonian
Mississippian-Permian
Paleozoic Reef Communities
Sepkopski's Cambrian, Paleozoic, and Modern Faunas- To be discussed Monday 2/25/08
 

Part two will cover the readings and morpholgy cited below. Of the 46 terms you may expect 20 to 25 on the exam.

A. Tabulate and Rugose Corals (Chapter 12, 223-229)A. Class Anthozoa (Corals, Sea Anemones, Gorgonians and sea pens)- PreCamb. to Recent

• Subclass Zoanthiniaria
• Order Rugosa (Horn Corals)- (M. Ordovician to U. Permian)
• Order Tabulata (Tabulate Corals)- (L. Ordovician to U. Permian)
• terms to know:

1. mural pores-small openings in the walls of tabuate corals such as Favosities
2. epitheca- outer wall of the corallite
3. tabulae- flat, concave or convex plates forming the floor to the cavity the polyp resides in
4. columella- a relatively solid axial structure. Often expressed in the calyx.
5. calyx- bowl-shaped depression at the summit of the corallite
6. corallite- skeleton of an individual polyp
7. septum- radial wall within corallite extending from the periphery toward or to the axis
8. cardinal fossula- gap in the calyx in the position of the cardinal septum
9. dissepiments- small plates (convexly curved toward the axis) usually found towards the edge of the corallum, peripheral to the tabularium
10. tabularium- part of the corallite occupied by the tabulae
11. corallum- skeletal deposit of the entire colony
12. interseptal ridges and septal groves- long furrows on the exterior of the epitheca in the position of a septa
13. axial boss- a central prominence in the calyx formed by the axial structure

Subphylum Crinozoa

• Class Crinoidea (Crinoids) (Chaper 11.3)
• crown- calyx and arms
1. calyx- hards parts of crinoid exclusive of free arms and pelma
2. arms- branched or unbranched portion of a ray, extending upward or outward from calyx
• pelma- crinoid column with all its appendages and anchorage structures
1. column- a series of circular, elliptical, or pentagonal segments making up the stem
• axial canal- central passageway running through the columnals and cirrals
• cirral- a single appendage to the crinoid columnal attached at the point of a nodal
• columnal- individual segment of a crinoid column
• nodal- an enlarged columnal bearing cirri
2. radix- rootlike branches at the distal extremity of the column, anchoring the crinoid to substrate
• ambulacrum- radial extensions of the water vascular system

 
Subphylum Blastozoa
• ambulacral groove- shallow depressions on an ambulacrum or brachiole which serve as passageways for food to pass to the mouth
• ambulacrum- portion of the theca transversed by shallow grooves for food to enter
• brachiole- small food gathering appendages located on the border of the ambulacrum
• spiracle- opening near the summit of the theca serving as the outlet for one or more hydrospires
• mouth- inlet to the digestive tract at the summit of the theca
1. peristome- area of polygonal plates covering the mouth
• anus- digestive outlet located on the theca summit in the posterior interray
• hydrospire- infolded, thin-walled respiratory structure beneath the border of an ambulacrum or radial and deltoid plates
• column- the stem
1. columnal- stem segment
Cystoidea
• brachioles- small food gathering appendages
• thecal pores- pores between the irregular plates of the theca

 

• Trilobita (Class)

1. cephalon- head of dorsal shield
2. thorax- the flexible (body) middle part of the shield
3. pygidium- the abdominal part (tail) of the shield
4. glabella- axial part of the cephalon
5. glabellar furrows- furrows on the glabella
6. facial suture- suture on cephalon along which free checks separate
7. genal spine- a posterior prolongation of the genal edges of the cephalon
8. pleuron- one of a pair of pleura segments extending trasverse from the axial lobe segments
9. pleural lobe- marginal lobes of the convex dorsal region, separated from the axial lobe by axial furrows
10. axial lobe- central lobe of the convex dorsal shield

EXAM 3 -updated 4/3/08

The exam will be divided into two parts.

Part one will cover the following lectures:

Extinction, Permo-Triassic Extinction, Terminal Cretaceous Extinction
Cephalopod evolution and morpholgy (mostly Ammonites and Belemnites)
Mesozoic Invertebrate Communities
Siliceous microfossils and paleoenvironmental studies
Microfossils:

Conodonts and conodonts as paleotemperature indicators

Siliceous Microfossils

Diatoms

1. autotrophic algae belonging to the Bacillariophyta
2. frustule- the whole diatom skeleton
3. hypotheca- the younger and smaller of the two valves
4. epitheca- the older and larger of the two valves
5. mantle- edge of the valve that bends down perpendicular to the valve face
6. connecting bands- bands which overlap each other and the valves mantles to connect the two valves
7. gridle- the sum of the connecting bands
8. pennate- bilaterally symmetrical diatoms with one long axis and two short axes
9. centric- circular, triangular, or oblong. Surface markings generally radiate from a central area

1. basal ring- the larger or singlular ring (circular, boat shaped, rhombic, hexagonal, etc.)
2. basal accessory spines- small spines connected to the basal ring
3. basal spines- larger spines which connect to the basal ring
4. apical ring- a smaller ring (genus Disephanus) which is connected to the larger basal ring
5. apical or lateral rods- rods connecting the apical rod (Dictyocha) or apical ring (Distephanus) to the basal ring
6. apical spines- small spines on the apical structure
7. apical and basal windows- openings formed by the basal ring, apical structure and lateral rods
8. genera in fossil record:
• Dictyocha- usually quadrate with an apical apparatus of rods
• Distephanus- usually quadrate or hexagonal basal ring with an apical ring which may have one or more windows
• Naviculopsis- two-sided basal ring with an apical bar(s) or hyaline region, two basal spines aligned along long axis, and with or without spines on apical bar
• Corbisema- variable genus but generally three-sided basal ring with an apical process of bars, basal accessory spines located at junction of apical rods with basal ring, with or without basal spines
• Bachmannocena- simple basal ring (circular, square, ovate, pentagonal, etc.), no apical structure, with or without basal spines (usually small)

Nassellarians:

• axial symmetry
• often with an apical horn
• cephalus
• thorax
• abdomen- may be multi-segmented

 
Spumellarians:
• radial symmetry
• usually spherical or discoidal
• clearly seen inner medullary shell an outer cortical shell
• Wall structure
1. 1. latticed
2. 2. spongy

3. perforate

• Foraminifera only (Calcareous Nannofossils are on the final exam)
1. Class Sarcodina
2. be able to give several examples of chamber arrangements and aperatures
3. proloculus- first chamber of a foraminiferal test
4. test- the secreted exoskeleton of foraminifera
5. aperture- opening in the last chamber
6. whorl- a single revolution of chambers
7. evolute- a type of coiling in which all the whorls of the test are visable
8. involute- a type of coiling in which only the chambers of the last whorl are visable on both sides of the test
9. trochospiral- chambers coiled along a helical or spiral axis
10. streptospiral- trochospiral coiling in several planes
11. agglutinated wall- a test constructed of sand grains, mica flakes, or other particles cemented by lime or silica
12. calcareous wall types-

be familar with Cenozoic standard foraminiferal zonal nomenclature

Mollusca

• Cephalopoda (Class)
• Subclass Nautiloidea
1. suture- line along which sptum joins shell wall
2. camera- a chamber of the shell
3. septum-partition inside the shell
4. siphuncle- tube running through the camerae, located at the ventral margin
5. umbilicus-depression on each side of shell, along axis of coiling
6. orthocone shape (straight)
7. aperture-opening of shell
• Subclass Ammonoidea (see handout for illustrations)
1. siphuncle-tube running through the camerae, located at the ventral margin
2. goniatitic suture- sharply angular and generally zigzag sutures without accessory crenulations
3. ceratitic suture- lobes are frilled though saddles are entire
4. ammonitic suture-finely subdivided lobes and saddles
5. saddle-forward (toward aperture) inflection of septm and suture
6. lobe- backard (toward protoconch) inflection of septum and suture
7. venter- periphery of shell
8. ventral saddle-small, shape saddle development on ventral lobe
9. lateral lobe-additional saddle lateral from ventral saddle
10. protoconch- initial or first formed chamber
11. growth lines- lines recording the former position of the aperature
12. umbilicus- depression on each side of shell, along axis of coiling
13. fluting- folds of the septa
14. see handouts for other terms
• Subclass Dibranchiata, Order Belemnoida (see handout for illustrations)
1. pro-ostracum- adoral projection of dorsal side of phragmocone, forming a protective shield over visceral mass of the animal
2. phragmocone- chambered protion of the shell
3. siphuncle-tube located on the ventral margin of the phragmocone
4. rostrum-massive deposit of calcite enclosing much of the phragmocene and estending past its apex

EXAM 4 -updated 4/03/2008

Part I.

Conodonts and conodonts as paleotemperature indicators
Calcareous Nannofossils and use in paleoenvironmental studies
Benthic Foraminiferaand use in paleoenvironmental studies
Palynomorphs (Pollen, Spores, Dinoflagellates, Chitinozoans, Acritarchs)and use in paleoenvironmental studies
Plate Tectonics and Evolution
Cenozoic Evolution
Fossils, Archaeology, Climate, and Vegetation
Cenozoic thermal maximum
Extinctions of Pleistocene megfaunas

Part II. Morphology

Calcareous Microfossils

• Calcareous nannofossils
1. Coccolithophores
2. Haptophyceae
3. be familar with Cenozoic standard nannofossils zonal nomenclature
4. shield
5. element

1. know types of palynomorphs
2. know general characteristics and morphologic variation used to classify
3. know geologic range

    Class Gastropoda (snails, slugs. limpets, etc)

1. apex- point at top of spire
2. suture- area of contact between adjacent whorls
3. whorl- one volution about the axis of coiling
4. spire- all whorls except the last formed
5. columella- a central column where inner whorls meet
6. umblicus- a central cavity around which whorls occur in those without columella
7. siphonal canal- a linear extension of the aperture through which the siphon extended
8. aperture- opening in the shell through which mantle and head extrude
9. operculum- a horny or calcareous plate (on posterior of foot) used to close aperture
10. orientation for coiling- spire up and aperture visible
1. sinistral coiling- aperture on leftt side of spire
2. dextral coiling- aperture on right side of spire

1. beak- the earlier part of the vavle which points toward the front (anterior ) end of the shell
2. umbo- the rounded and elevated part of the valve adjacent to the beak
3. pallial line- marks the position of the mantle in the valve
4. pallial sinus- a reentrant of the pallial line marking the position of the separation of the mantle from the shell to form the siphon
5. adductor muscles- work against the ligment to close valves
6. adductor muscle scars- scars on the interior of the valves at the surface of attachment of the muscles
7. ligament groove- depression in the cardinal area for ligament
8. ligament- opens the shell
9. hinge- whole interlocking mechanism joining the two valves
10. cardinal teeth- older teeth underlying the ligament near the umbo or spread out along hinge margin