Permian to tertiary faunas and paleogeography: Somalia, Kenya Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · J. Pet. Geol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-5457.1978.tb00602.x· OSTI ID:5004560

Kamen-Kaye, M

Permian to Tertiary faunas along the eastern margin of Africa, and on Madagascar, are presented, described, and discussed. Presentation of the faunas is made in four charts: Permo-Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary. A correlation chart provides tentative time-rock units. Paleogeography northeast and east of Africa is derived from the writer's analysis of marine invertebrate fauna, and is delineated in sketches for Late Permian, Jurassic, and Cretaceous times. Limitations exist on the conclusions that can be drawn from fauna alone. Pelagic waters can be indicated, but their extent cannot be specified, and lack of diversification in some of the pelagic genera results in unavoidable ambiguities of interpretation. Nothing in the faunal evidence so far available, however, disproves unequivocally the existence of an ancestral Indian Ocean from Late Permian onward. Even if such an ancestral ocean did not exist the pattern of pelagic waters that can be inferred from marine invertebrate fauna constitutes an impediment to models that suture Australia or India to Africa or Madagascar. Peninsular India, on readings of its own geology across the foreland-orogen boundary, may have occupied its present position through the whole of geologic time. 9 figures.

• OSTI ID: 5004560
• Journal Information: J. Pet. Geol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Pet. Geol.; (United States) Vol. 1:1; ISSN JPEGD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
AFRICA
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CENOZOIC ERA
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GEOGRAPHY
GEOLOGIC AGES
INDIAN OCEAN
ISLANDS
JURASSIC PERIOD
KENYA
MADAGASCAR
MESOZOIC ERA
MOZAMBIQUE
PALEONTOLOGY
PALEOZOIC ERA
PERMIAN PERIOD
ROCKS
SEAS
SOMALIA
SOUTH AFRICA
SURFACE WATERS
TANZANIA
TERTIARY PERIOD