Earth:Rawnsley Quartzite

From HandWiki
Rawnsley Quartzite
Stratigraphic range: Late Ediacaran 555 Ma
↓
[1]
File:Rawnsley Quartzite exposed at Brachina Gorge.jpg
Exposed rocks of the Rawnsley Quartzite
TypeFormation
Unit ofPound Subgroup
Sub-unitsSee: Members
UnderliesUratanna Formation
OverliesBonney Sandstone
Area20,000 km2 (7,700 sq mi)[2]
Location
RegionSouth Australia
CountryAustralia

The Rawnsley Quartzite is an Ediacaran geologic formation in South Australia. It is most well known for its preservation of organisms of the Ediacaran Biota.

Geology

Contrary to what the name suggests, the Rawnsley Quartzite is dominated by sandstone rocks. The formation is found entirely within the Nilpena Ediacara National Park, in the Flinders Ranges of Southern Australia.[3]

Members

The Rawnsley Quartzite is composed of two formal Members, and one currently informal Member, which are as follows, in ascending age:

The members are as follows, listed by ascending age:

  • Chace Quartzite Member: This member is primarily composed of white, fine to coarse-grained sandstone, which is petee-bedded and feldspathic.[3]
  • Ediacara Member: Getting up to 300 m (980 ft) thick, member is composed of various sandstones and quartzites. At the base of the member, there are predominately flat-laminated to rippled sandstone. This sandstone is khaki colored, weathers to a red color when exposed, and is fine to coarse-grained. Within these layers there can also be found white to brown feldspathic sandstone, which is medium to coarse-grained. In the middle of the member can be found gray-white, fine to coarse-grained sandstone, which is thin to medium-bedded and features wave ripples. Further towards the top of the member there are white, medium to coarse-grained arenite, which contains quartz and is feldspathic. It is also the fossil bearing member of the formation.[3]
  • Nilpena Sandstone/Upper Rawnsley Quartzite Member: This member is the informal one of the three, being at the very top of the formation, and contains very few fossils, mostly discoidal in appearance. It is primarily composed of fine-grained sandstones.[4] It is also sometimes simply referred to as the Upper Rawnsley Quartzite Member.[2]

Dating

The dating of the formation, and primarily the Ediacara Member, has been hindered due to the coarse-grained siliciclastic sedimentology of it. Despite this, there have been two grains dated through U-Pb dating that get close to a probable depositional age of the aforementioned member. The first grain yielded an age of 561.9±15.1 Ma, whilst the second one yields an age of 596±10 Ma. Meanwhile, another single grain from the underlying Bonney Sandstone yielded an age of 566±24 Ma.[1]

Due to these very few dates, a date of 555±0 Ma has been used as the Ediacara Member is known to correlate with the Zimnygory section in the Ustʹ Pinega Formation, Russia.[1]

Paleoenvironment

The environment at the time of the Ediacara Member's deposition was that of a shallow marine one, ranging from an estuarine, shoreface, and coastal environments.[2] Previous studies had a slightly wider range, with the environment going from the fair-weather wave base to a sub-storm wave base, as well as a delta-front, which ranged from a near to below the wave base.[3] The shallow marine environment was also inferred from the relatively thick matgrounds commonly found in most fossil beds of the member, which would have also helped to support the community of organisms within the general area.[3]

One researcher, Gregory Retallack, has regarded the member as being that of a terrestrial environment based on iron oxide coatings found within it,[5] although further studies done after have discounted these findings suggesting a terrestrial deposition for the member, as the compounds had been precipitated from groundwater beneath the member in the last ~2 million years.[6] Despite this piece of evidence, alongside a growing collection of other studies done before and after,[7] Retallack still supports a terrestrial environment for the Rawnsley Quartzite.[8]

Paleobiota

The beds at Nilpena Ediacara National Park contains a diverse, and complex system of Ediacaran organisms, from bilateral forms such as Parvancorina and Kimberella,[9] to the classic Ediacaran forms such as Dickinsonia and Arborea.[9] Due to its notable shallow environment, there is also a wide collection of algae forms, such as Flabellophyton and Longifuniculum, which are commonly referred to as "Bundles of Filaments" (BOF) in literature.[10][9]

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Bilaterian

Genus Species Notes Images
Ikaria[9]
  • I. wariootia
 Worm-like organism.
Kimberella[11][4][9]
  • K. quadrata
 Mollusc-like organism.
Uncus[9]
  • U. dzaugisi
 Worm-like organism.
File:Uncus dzaugisi.png
Velocephalina[12]
  • V. greenwoodensis
 Mollusc-like organism. Due to being named exclusively in a PhD thesis, it is considered a nomen ineditum, meaning it was not properly published.

Cnidarian

Genus Species Notes Images
Ediacaria[13]
  • E. flindersi
 Discoidal organism.
File:Ediacara Conservation Park Ediacaria flindersi.png

Porifera

Genus Species Notes Images
Palaeophragmodictya[10]
  • P. reticulata
File:Urn cambridge.org id binary 20220714094414656-0683 S0016756821000509 S0016756821000509 fig3 Palaeophragmodictya reticulata.png
Funisia[9]
  • F. dorothea
 Olgunid tubular organism.
File:Funisia Reconstruction.png

Petalonamae

Genus Species Notes Images
Arborea[11][9]
  • A. arborea
 Frondose organism.
File:Charniodiscus arboreus (TMP 1993.140.0001), Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta, 2025-07-13.jpg
Akrophyllas[14]
  • A. longa
 Frondose organism.
File:Morphological reconstruction of Akrophyllas longa.png
Charniodiscus[11]
  • Charniodiscus sp.
 Frondose organism.
Pteridinium[4]
  • Pteridinium sp.
  • P. simplex
 Recumbent frondose organism

Proarticulata

Genus Species Notes Images
Andiva[10][9]
  • A. ivantsovi
 Elongated motile organism, with glided reflection.
Archaeaspinus[15]
  • A. fedonkini
 Rounded motile organism, with glided reflection.
Dickinsonia[4][10][9]
  • D. costata
  • D. tenuis
 Oval motile organism, with glided reflection.
  • M. ovata
 Elongated motile organism, with glided reflection.
Ovatoscutum[13]
  • O. concentricum
 Rounded motile organism, with glided reflection. Previously described as a porpitid.
Praecambridium[16][11]
  • P. sigillum
 Rounded motile organism.
Spriggina[4][10][9]
  • S. floundersi
 Elongated motile organism, with glided reflection.
Yorgia[11][10]
  • Y. waggoneri
 Rounded motile organism, with glided reflection.

Trilobozoa

Genus Species Notes Images
Albumares (?)[17]
  • Albumares sp. (?)
 Triradial organism. No proper description or image has been published of its record here, as such it remains uncertain if Albumares can also be found here.
Rugoconites[10][11][9]
  • R. enigmaticus
 Triradial organism.
Tribrachidium[4][9]
  • T. heraldicum
  • T. gehlingi
 Triradial organism.

incertae sedis

Genus Species Notes Images
Aspidella[10][9]
  • A. terranovica
 Disoidal organism.
File:Aspidella Flinders Ranges.png
Attenborites[18][10][9]
  • A. janae
 Pelagic oval organism.
File:Attenborites.jpg
Aulozoon[10][19][9]
  • A. soliorum
 Sessile, tubular organism.
Conomedusites[10]
  • C. lobatus
 Tetraradila organism, probable cnidarian.
File:1-s2.0-S1342937X1200353X-gr1 12.png
Coronacollina[10][9]
  • C. acula
 Triradial sponge-like organism, with four spicule-like structures.
Cyclomedusa[20]
  • Cyclomedusa sp.
 Discoidal organism.
Eoandromeda[4]
  • E. octobrachiata
 Eight-armed radial organism.
Eoporpita[9]
  • E. medusa
 Discoidal organism, probable cnidarian.
File:Eoporpita South Australia Museum.png
Harlaniella (?)[21]
  • Harlaniella (?) sp.
 Ribbon-like organism.
Mawsonites[10][9]
  • M. spriggi
 Discoidal organism.
Nilpenia[22]
  • N. rossi
 Branching, tubular and sediment-dwelling organism.
File:Nilpeniarossi.png
Obamus[23][10][9]
  • O. coronatus
 Torus-shaped organism.
Parvancorina[4][10][9]
  • P. minchami
 Anchor-shaped organism.
Phyllozoon[4]
  • P. hanseni
 Interpreted as either an erniettomorph or a feeding trace.
Plexus[24][10]
  • P. ricei
 Worm-like organism, affinities unknown.
Pseudorhizostomites[10]
  • P. howchini
File:Pseudorhizostomites howchini Ediacara.jpg
Quaestio[9]
  • Q. simpsonorum
 Asymmetrical, rounded organism.
File:Quaestio Reconstruction.png
Somatohelix[10]
  • S. sinuosus
 Tubular organism.
Palaeopascichnus[10][9]
  • Palaeopascichnus sp.
 Palaeopascichnid organism
Intrites[10]
  • Intrites sp.
 Palaeopascichnid organism.

Flora

Genus Species Notes Images
Flabellophyton[10]
  • F. stupendum
  • F. typicum
 Filamentous macroalgae.
Liulingitaenia[10]
  • L. irregularis
 Filamentous macroalgae.
Longifuniculum[10]
  • L. dissolutum
 Whip-like macroalgae.

Ichnogenera

Genus Species Notes Images
Helminthoidichnites[4][10]
  • Helminthoidichnites sp.
 Burrows.
Kimberichnus[25]
  • K. terruzi
 Feeding traces of Kimberella.

Undescribed

Genus Species Notes Images
Form 1[11]
  • ???
 Bilterial organism, bears similarities with Kimberella, although features a prominent "head" region at the front, and a "flange" at the rear.
Form 2[11]
  • ???
 Rounded organism, with a notable "head" shield.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Reid, L. M.; Payne, J. L.; Tucker, N. M.; Jago, J. B. (17 February 2025). "Detrital zircon geochronology and sedimentary provenance of the fossiliferous Ediacara Member, South Australia". Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 72 (2): 169–181. doi:10.1080/08120099.2025.2485976. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 McMahon, William J.; Liu, Alexander G.; Tindal, Benjamin H.; Kleinhans, Maarten G. (30 November 2020). "Ediacaran life close to land: Coastal and shoreface habitats of the Ediacaran macrobiota, the Central Flinders Ranges, South Australia". Journal of Sedimentary Research 90 (11): 1463–1499. doi:10.2110/jsr.2020.029. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Tarhan, Lidya G.; Droser, Mary L.; Gehling, James G.; Dzaugis, Matthew P. (2017). "Microbial Mat Sandwiches and Other Anactualistic Sedimentary Features of the Ediacara Member (rawnsley Quartzite, South Australia): Implications for Interpretation of the Ediacaran Sedimentary Record". PALAIOS 32 (3): 181–194. ISSN 0883-1351. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26780087. 
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 Gehling, J. G.; García-Bellido, D. C.; Droser, M. L.; Tarhan, M. L.; Runnegar, B. (30 December 2019). "La transición ediacárico-cámbrica: facies sedimentarias versus extinción". Estudios Geológicos 75 (2): e099. doi:10.3989/egeol.43601.554. 
  5. ↑ Retallack, Gregory J. (January 2013). "Ediacaran life on land". Nature 493 (7430): 89–92. doi:10.1038/nature11777. 
  6. ↑ Tarhan, L. G.; Planavsky, N. J.; Wang, X.; Bellefroid, E. J.; Droser, M. L.; Gehling, J. G. (January 2018). "The late‐stage "ferruginization" of the Ediacara Member (Rawnsley Quartzite, South Australia): Insights from uranium isotopes". Geobiology 16 (1): 35–48. doi:10.1111/gbi.12262. 
  7. ↑ Weyland, W. C.; Droser, M. L. (2025-11-17). "Reply to comment by Retallack (2025) on ' The Ediacaran aquarium: insights from the Nilpena Ediacara National Park 1T-F marine ecosystem (Ediacara member, Rawnsley Quartzite) '" (in en). Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 72 (8): 1161–1163. doi:10.1080/08120099.2025.2590158. ISSN 0812-0099. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08120099.2025.2590158. 
  8. ↑ Retallack, G. J. (2025-11-17). "Comment on ' The Ediacaran aquarium: insights from the Nilpena Ediacara National Park 1T-F marine ecosystem (Ediacara member, Rawnsley Quartzite) ' by Weyland and Droser (2025)" (in en). Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 72 (8): 1159–1160. doi:10.1080/08120099.2025.2590157. ISSN 0812-0099. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08120099.2025.2590157. 
  9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 Weyland, W. C.; Droser, M. L. (17 February 2025). "The Ediacaran Aquarium: insights from the Nilpena Ediacara National Park 1T-F Marine Ecosystem (Ediacara Member, Rawnsley Quartzite)". Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 72 (2): 151–168. doi:10.1080/08120099.2025.2462660. 
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 10.20 10.21 10.22 10.23 Xiao, Shuhai; Gehling, James G.; Evans, Scott D.; Hughes, Ian V.; Droser, Mary L. (November 2020). "Probable benthic macroalgae from the Ediacara Member, South Australia". Precambrian Research 350. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2020.105903. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Coutts, Felicity J.; Gehling, James G.; García-Bellido, Diego C. (October 2016). "How diverse were early animal communities? An example from Ediacara Conservation Park, Flinders Ranges, South Australia". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology 40 (4): 407–421. doi:10.1080/03115518.2016.1206326. 
  12. ↑ Coutts, Felicity J. (January 2019). Palaeoecology of Ediacaran communities from the Flinders Ranges of South Australia (PhD thesis). University of Adelaide. doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.27075.96802.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Glaessner, M.F.; Wade, M. (1966). "The late Precambrian fossils from Ediacara, South Australia". Palaeontology 9 (4): 599. http://palaeontology.palass-pubs.org/pdf/Vol%209/Pages%20599-628.pdf. 
  14. ↑ Grimes, Kelsey F.; Narbonne, Guy M.; Gehling, James G.; Trusler, Peter W.; Dececchi, T. Alexander (March 2024). "Elongate Ediacaran fronds from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia". Journal of Paleontology 98 (2): 249–265. doi:10.1017/jpa.2023.45. 
  15. ↑ Mikhail A. Fodonkin, James G. Gehling, Kathleen Grey, Guy M. Narbonne, Patricia Vickers-Rich (2007). The Rise of Animals, Evolution and Diversification of the Kingdom Animalia. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-8018-8679-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=KsFFIrJ8IxEC&dq=archaeaspinus+in+south+australia&pg=PA261. 
  16. ↑ Glaessner, Martin F.; Wade, Mary (January 1971). "PRAECAMBRIDIUM ‐ A PRIMITIVE ARTHROPOD". Lethaia 4 (1): 71–77. doi:10.1111/j.1502-3931.1971.tb01280.x. 
  17. ↑ Gehling, J.G.; Droser M.L. (2009). "Textured organic surfaces associated with the Ediacara biota in South Australia". Earth-Science Reviews 96 (3): 196–206. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2009.03.002. Bibcode: 2009ESRv...96..196G. 
  18. ↑ Droser, M. L.; Evans, S. D.; Dzaugis, P. W.; Hughes, E. B.; Gehling, J. G. (17 August 2020). "Attenborites janeae: a new enigmatic organism from the Ediacara Member (Rawnsley Quartzite), South Australia". Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 67 (6): 915–921. doi:10.1080/08120099.2018.1495668. 
  19. ↑ Surprenant, Rachel L.; Gehling, James G.; Hughes, Emmy B.; Droser, Mary L. (October 2023). "Biostratinomy of the enigmatic tubular organism Aulozoon soliorum, the Rawnsley Quartzite, South Australia". Gondwana Research 122: 138–162. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2023.06.010. 
  20. ↑ * Sprigg, R. C. (1947): "Early Cambrian jellyfishes (?) from the Flinders Range, South Australia", Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 71.2, p. 220
  21. ↑ Ivantsov, A. Yu. (November 2013). "New data on Late Vendian problematic fossils from the genus Harlaniella". Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation 21 (6): 592–600. doi:10.1134/S0869593813060051. ISSN 0869-5938. Bibcode: 2013SGC....21..592I. 
  22. ↑ Droser, Mary L.; Gehling, James G.; Dzaugis, Mary E.; Kennedy, Martin J.; Rice, Dennis; Allen, Michael F. (January 2014). "A new Ediacaran fossil with a novel sediment displacive life habit". Journal of Paleontology 88 (1): 145–151. doi:10.1666/12-158. 
  23. ↑ Dzaugis, P. W.; Evans, S. D.; Droser, M. L.; Gehling, J. G.; Hughes, I. V. (17 August 2020). "Stuck in the mat: Obamus coronatus , a new benthic organism from the Ediacara Member, Rawnsley Quartzite, South Australia". Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 67 (6): 897–903. doi:10.1080/08120099.2018.1479306. 
  24. ↑ Joel, Lucas V.; Droser, Mary L.; Gehling, James G. (2014). "A New Enigmatic, Tubular Organism from the Ediacara Member, Rawnsley Quartzite, South Australia". Journal of Paleontology 88 (2): 253–262. ISSN 0022-3360. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24543240. 
  25. ↑ Gehling, James G.; Runnegar, Bruce N.; Droser, Mary L. (2014). "Scratch Traces of Large Ediacara Bilaterian Animals". Journal of Paleontology 88 (2): 284–298. ISSN 0022-3360. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24543243. 



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Earth:Rawnsley_Quartzite&oldid=4301042"