The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition interval is described for the west part of the Gondwana Supercontinent. This key interval in Earth’s history is recorded in the upper and lower part of the Tagatiya Guazú and Cerro Curuzu formations, Itapucumi Group, Paraguay, encompassing a sedimentary succession deposited in a tidally influenced mixed carbonate-siliciclastic ramp. The remarkable presence of cosmopolitan Ediacaran shelly fossils and treptichnids, which are recorded in carbonate and siliciclastic deposits, respectively, suggests their differential preservation according to lithology. Their distribution is conditioned by substrate changes that are related to cyclic sedimentation. The associated positive steady trend of the δ13C values in the carbonate facies indicates that the Tagatiya Guazú succession is correlated to the late Ediacaran positive carbon isotope plateau. Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb ages of volcanic zircons from an ash bed ∼30 m above the fossil-bearing interval in the Cerro Curuzu Formation indicate an Early Cambrian (Fortunian) depositional age of 535.7 ± 5.2 Ma. As in other coeval sedimentary successions worldwide, the co-occurrence of typical Ediacaran skeletal taxa and relatively complex trace fossils in the studied strata highlights the global nature of key evolutionary innovations.
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Research Article|
March 13, 2023
Evolutionary, paleoecological, and biostratigraphic implications of the Ediacaran-Cambrian interval in West Gondwana
Lucas V. Warren;
Lucas V. Warren
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
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Lucas Inglez;
Lucas Inglez
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
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Shuhai Xiao;
Shuhai Xiao
2
Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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Luis A. Buatois;
Luis A. Buatois
3
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
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M. Gabriela Mángano;
M. Gabriela Mángano
3
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
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Juliana Okubo;
Juliana Okubo
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
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Luciano Alessandretti;
Luciano Alessandretti
4
Institute of Geography, Uberlândia Federal University, Uberlândia 38500-000, Brazil
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Marcello G. Simões;
Marcello G. Simões
5
Department of Zoology, São Paulo State University, Botucatu 18618-000, Brazil
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Claudio Riccomini;
Claudio Riccomini
6
Instituto de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
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Gabriel C. Antunes;
Gabriel C. Antunes
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
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Rodrigo I. Cerri;
Rodrigo I. Cerri
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
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Anelize R. Bahniuk;
Anelize R. Bahniuk
7
Laboratory of Mineral and Rock Analysis Institute, Department of Geology, Paraná Federal University, Curitiba 81531-980, Brazil
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Alberto A. Cáceres
Alberto A. Cáceres
8
Industria Nacional de Cemento, Vallemí, 010604, Paraguay
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Lucas V. Warren
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
Lucas Inglez
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
Shuhai Xiao
2
Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
Luis A. Buatois
3
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
M. Gabriela Mángano
3
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
Juliana Okubo
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
Luciano Alessandretti
4
Institute of Geography, Uberlândia Federal University, Uberlândia 38500-000, Brazil
Marcello G. Simões
5
Department of Zoology, São Paulo State University, Botucatu 18618-000, Brazil
Claudio Riccomini
6
Instituto de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
Gabriel C. Antunes
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
Rodrigo I. Cerri
1
Department of Geology, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
Anelize R. Bahniuk
7
Laboratory of Mineral and Rock Analysis Institute, Department of Geology, Paraná Federal University, Curitiba 81531-980, Brazil
Alberto A. Cáceres
8
Industria Nacional de Cemento, Vallemí, 010604, Paraguay
Publisher: Geological Society of America
Received:
19 Aug 2022
Revision Received:
18 Oct 2022
Accepted:
29 Nov 2022
First Online:
13 Mar 2023
Online ISSN: 1943-2674
Print ISSN: 0016-7606
© 2023 Geological Society of America
GSA Bulletin (2023)
Article history
Received:
19 Aug 2022
Revision Received:
18 Oct 2022
Accepted:
29 Nov 2022
First Online:
13 Mar 2023
Citation
Lucas V. Warren, Lucas Inglez, Shuhai Xiao, Luis A. Buatois, M. Gabriela Mángano, Juliana Okubo, Luciano Alessandretti, Marcello G. Simões, Claudio Riccomini, Gabriel C. Antunes, Rodrigo I. Cerri, Anelize R. Bahniuk, Alberto A. Cáceres; Evolutionary, paleoecological, and biostratigraphic implications of the Ediacaran-Cambrian interval in West Gondwana. GSA Bulletin 2023; doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B36732.1
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