Palaeontologia africana

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Palynological dating and palaeoenvironments of the M1 well, Middle Miocene, Niger Delta, Nigeria
(2017-07) Durugbo, Ernest Uzodimma; Olayiwola, Moshood Adegboyega
The need to increase our knowledge of palaeo-flora is important in palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Tertiary Niger Delta as to highlight possible changes in the depositional environments over time. Hence, palynological data from the M1well from the western Niger Delta region were employed in an attempt to reconstruct the Middle Miocene palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate. The detailed palynological analysis revealed diverse and abundant palynomorph assemblages. This consisted of pollen species 60.14%, spores 25.86%, algae (Botyococcus braunii, Pediastrum sp., and Concentricytes circulus) 10.53%, miscellaneous palynomorphs (fungal elements, diatom frustules and charred Gramineae cuticle) 2.62%, dinoflagellate cysts 0.79% and acritarchs 0.06%. The well is dated Middle Miocene based on the common occurrences of diagnostic middle Miocene Niger Delta palynomorphs. Four informal palynofloral assemblage zones (MPAZ) I–IV were defined and correlated with major cycles of alternating dry and wet climatic conditions. Sediments within MPAZ I and MPAZ II were assumed to have been deposited during dominantly wet periods while MPAZ IV and III showed brief dry pulses coupled with periods of marine transgressions. The palaeoenvironment fluctuated between nearshore and marginal marine inferred from abundant records of land-derived palynomorphs and the spotty records of the dinoflagellate cysts Nematosphaeropsis labyrinthus, Nematosphaeropsis lemniscata and Impagidinium sp.
Superior cervical vertebrae of a Miocene hominoid and a Plio-Pleistocene hominid from southern Africa
(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 2000) Gommery, Dominique
The Miocene hominoid and Plio-Pleistocene hominid vertebral record is poor. In 1994, a complete atlas of a hominoid was found in breccia at Berg Aukas in Namibia. Its age was estimated to be middle Miocene (13 myr) on the basis of microfauna. This locality yielded the holotype of Otavipithecus namibiensis and the atlas could belong to the same genus. The specimen exhibits clear hominoid traits such as a weakly salient retroglenoid tubercle at the superior articular facet of the lateral mass, and a horizontal transverse process. This morphology of the transverse process is close to that of pygmy chimpanzees, gibbons and African colobines, suggesting that Otavipithecus was arboreal. This confirms the conclusions drawn from other parts of the skeleton. From the size of the atlas, a body weight of 15-20 kg is estimated for the Berg Aukas hominoid, which accords with previous estimates based on its teeth. The second fossil considered in this paper is an axis from Swartkrans, SK 854, dated to nearly 1,8 myr. This axis is compared with another Plio-Pleistocene axis from Ethiopia, AL 333.101. SK 854 shows a morphology different from that of humans and AL 333.101, and also of apes. The South African axis was attributed to Paranthropus by Robinson (1972), and its morphology is probably typical of bipedalism associated with climbing.
Taxonomic description of fossil wood from Cainozoic Sak River terraces, near Brandvlei, Bushmanland, South Africa
(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1993) Bamford, Marion K; de Wit, Michiel C J
Seven pieces of silicified wood are described from two sites near the Sak River, Bushmanland. The Miocene deposit yielded five specimens which can be assigned to the Dipterocarpaceae, Fagaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae and Rutaceae. Of the two logs recovered from the Plio-Pleistocene deposit, only one was well enough preserved to be assigned to the Polygalaceae. All the woods indicate that the palaeoenvironment in that region was tropical to subtropical based on the wood structure, growth rings and from their modem counterparts.
Fluctuations in Miocene climate and sea levels along the southwestern South African coast: inferences from biogeochemistry, palynology and sedimentology
(Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, 2013-12-18) Sciscio, Lara; Neumann, Frank H.; Roberts, Dave; Tsikos, Harilaos; Scott, Louis; Bamford, Marion
The largest deposit of excellently preserved Mio-Pliocene vertebrate faunas in South Africa is located at the well known Langebaanweg (LBW) site along South Africa’s west coast in the southwestern Cape. This research deals with a core (BH2) drilled at Langebaanweg ‘E’ Quarry, which captures Miocene fluvial deposits that unconformably underlie the Mio-Pliocene deposits. The aim of the study is to constrain fluctuations in climate and ecosystems in the region during the Miocene, using a combination of sedimentology, palynology, and biogeochemistry. The latter is a novel application and includes bulk C and N isotope measurements as well as branched GDGT (glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether) membrane lipid compositions of the organic fraction of the core. The mean annual temperature (MAT) at time of deposition and ambient pH values were calculated using the Methylation index of Branched Tetraethers (MBT) and Cyclization ratio of Branched Tetraethers (CBT) proxies. The core samples analysed spanned a depth interval of 17–33 m and had MATs ranging between 12.4°C and 26.6°C and pH range from 4.4 to 6.4. Furthermore, samples showed a low variance and light d13C distribution (from –25.52‰ to –24.27‰) and overall low C/N ratios. Palynological investigation supplemented earlier similar studies, reaffirming alternating sequences of tropical and subtropical elements including wetland taxa and complementing calculated MAT results. Pollen results from the lowermost subsection indicated a species-rich tropical/subtropical Podocarpus dominated forest with MATs at 16.2°C. The pollen-bearing middle subsection shows initially subhumid conditions, with MATs between 15.4 and 26.6°C, similar to the bottom of the section with high Podocarpaceae percentages, low Restionaceae and aquatics. Above this, local taxa, e.g. Restionaceae and algae increase, and a marine influence is indicated by abundant dinoflagellates. The uppermost subsection from a depth of 7.20–7.60 m shows similar conditions (with little marine influence) to that of the lower part of the middle subsection II. Biochemical and sedimentological data are not available for the uppermost subsection. The results suggest that regional Miocene climate showed high amplitude fluctuations (possibly driven by orbital forcing as seen in marine cores), underscoring the potential of biogeochemistry for unravelling past climates and ecosystems.

Palaeontologia africana

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