ISSN 1661-5468

1 Lerchenauerstr. 167, D-80935 München, Germany

Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève (décembre 2005) 24 (2) : 533-540

Consinocodium japonicum ENDO, 1961 from the Upper Jurassic of the Northern Calcareous Alps of Austria : not a siphonous green alga, but a coralline sponge

Felix SCHLAGINTWEIT1

AbstractConsinocodium japonicum ENDO, 1961, so far known only from its type-locality, in the Upper Jurassic of Japan, is re-described from the Upper Kimmeridgian Plassen Formation of the Northern Calcareous Alps/Austria. It is very abundant in “stromatoporoid”-coral reefal limestones. The monospecific genus was hitherto regarded a problematic udoteacean or protohalimedacean green alga although stromatoporoid affinities were already considered by BASSOULLET et al. (1983). In addition to re-describing the taxon, the study of abundant material allowed for a re-grouping of this form to the category of encrusting coralline sponges with spicular skeleton and pores of an aquiferous system. However, as far for now, a suprageneric taxon including the genus Consinocodium ENDO is not proposed.

Key wordsConsinocodium, sponges, taxonomic revision, Upper Jurassic, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria.

INTRODUCTION

From the Upper Jurassic Torinosu Limestone of Japan, a “calcareous algae” assumed to belong to the family Codiaceae was described by ENDO (1961) as Consinocodium japonicum so far monospecific. Criteria for the assumed algal nature of Consicocodium ENDO were fine branching “filaments” and rounded cavities interpreted as sporangial cavities. The taxonomic revision of the Udoteaceae, which included some forms formerly ascribed to the Codiaceae, provided by BASSOULLET et al. (1983) only brought about two further references of C. japonicum, the first of which was by BARTHEL (1969) as well as another documentation by FLÜGEL (1964). Re-investigation of the original material of BARTHEL (1969) from the Tithonian of the southern Franconian Alb/Germany (see SCHLAGINTWEIT & EBLI, 1997), however, revealed that C. japonicum could not be observed, nor was the original presented by plate 4, fig. 12 in BARTHEL indicative (see also comment of BASSOULLET et al., 1983). The second record of C. japonicum was given by FLÜGEL (1964) from the Plassen Formation of the Krahstein in the Styrian Salzkammergut but lacked any illustration. As FLÜGEL correctly stated, this was (and still is) the first record elsewhere than the type-locality noting also its abundances in micritic facies types. From the same locality, it was later also mentioned by FENNINGER & HOLZER (1972 : p. 124), however, curiously not dealt by STEIGER & WURM (1980). While some workers still retained Consinocodium japonicum as belonging to calcareous algae, BASSOULLET et al. (1983 : p. 496) already put doubt on this assumption : “Nʼexiste-t-il pas aussi une

certaine similitude apparente avec les Stromatoporidés ?”. Worth mentioning is, that today already another “alga”, Hikorocodium elegantae ENDO from the Palaeozoicum of Japan is classified as Calcispongia (TERMIER et al., 1977). In conclusion, ENDOʼs interpretation was in agreement with the previous state of knowledge since morphological details of spicular skeletons in coralline sponges (stromatoporoids pro parte) became known in later times (e.g. KAZMIERCZAK, 1974 ; WOOD & REITNER, 1986 ; REITNER, 1992).The original diagnosis of the monospecific taxon Consinocodium was given by ENDO (1961 : p. 63) as follows :

“Smaller nodular thallus formed of relatively thick superimposed layers whose thickness is variable, 0.27-0.45 mm. Though the centre of the thallus is replaced by a calcareous matrix, the outer part shows clearly its original structure which is filled with irregularly disposed coarse filaments without definite orientation. However, the filaments show radial arrangements in general, each of which divides into finer filaments in the outermost part of the thallus and the latter ones sometimes appear to reunite. Rounded, oval or ellipsoidal cavities appearing to be sporangia are concentrically arranged in concordance with the superposed layers. The concentric superposed layers surround some algal remains or other fine materials as the nucleus.”

In his review on the Jurassic algae, JOHNSON (1964) still regarded the taxon as belonging to the family Codiaceae. Criteria for the assumed algal nature of Consicocodium

ENDO were the fine branching filaments and rounded cavities interpreted as sporangial cavities. In the review of Phanerozoic Dasycladales and Caulerpales provided by BUCUR (1999), the genus Consinocodium is still maintained as a calcareous green algae with the stratigraphic range of Oxfordian-Tithonian. In their review of Paleozoic/Mesozoic Halimedas, DRAGASTAN et al. (2002) established the new family Protohalimedaceae. Representatives of this family show “thalli with cylindrical, subcylindrical, rarely spheroidal or flabelliform (somewhat flattened, Mesozoic). The segments are crossed by uni- or multi-axial medullary siphons and the cortex has both simple or dichotomously branched primary and secondary siphons in Paleozoic material and multiseries siphons (1-4, not more) in Mesozoic taxa.” The genus Consinocodium was also included to the family Protohalimedaceae (DRAGASTAN et al., 2002 : p. 15).As mentioned above, in the Kimmeridgian Plassen Formation of Mt. Krahstein, Northern Calcareous Alps of Austria, the occurrence of Consinocodium japonicum ENDO has been known since about 40 years. A Recent re-investigation of a large number of newly sampled well-preserved specimens from this locality (SCHLAGINTWEIT

et al., 2003 ; GAWLICK et al., 2004) shed light on its true taxonomic nature.

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

The Krahstein (height : 1564 m) is located about 4 km NE of Bad Mitterndorf in the Styrian Salzkammergut and can be found on the topographic map of Austria ÖK 1 : 50.000 no. 96 Bad Mitterndorf (Fig. 1). Until FLÜGEL (1964) recognized their Upper Jurassic age, the coral bearing limestones building up the Krahstein were interpreted as Triassic Hallstatt reefal limestones. Later, the locality was investigated by STEIGER (1980) and STEIGER & WURM (1980). Recent investigations could demonstrate that the Plassen Formation evolves continuously from cherty basinal sediments (e.g. spiculites, radiolarites) of Callovian to Oxfordian age leading into Saccocoma- and microfilament-bearing limestones followed by slope deposits with siliceous and calcareous sponges, peloidal microbial crusts and calcisphaerulids (SCHLAGINTWEIT et al., 2003 ; GAWLICK et al., 2004). These successions grade into a “stromatoporoid”-coral facies, that in

Fig. 1 : Map of the Krahstein, Styrian Salzkammergut, occurrence of the Upper Jurassic Plassen Formation (after STEIGER, 1980) and locations of samples with abundant Consinocodium japonicum ENDO.

534 F. SCHLAGINTWEIT

addition to the presence of other organisms, are very rich in Consinocodium japonicum ENDO. Upsection, coral-rich debris facies containing a diverse association of Dasycladales and other facies-typic microfossils occur. The youngest sediments that crop out are represented by back-reef deposits interfingering with oncoidal Labyrinthina-limestones. In summary, the Plassen Formation of Mt. Krahstein represents a typical shallowing upwards succession.

PALAEONTOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

Phylum Porifera GRANT (see remarks and interpretation)

? Class Demospongiae SOLLAS

As we do not known the original sclere mineralogy, the classification within the class Calcispongia (spicules made of calcite) or Demospongia (spicules invariably made of silica) is problematic. The supposedly plumose spicule arrangement, however, would correspond well with a demosponge nature (see discussion).

Genus Consinocodium ENDO, 1961

The monospecific genus Consinocodium though reinterpreted with respect to the biological nature, is maintained for the time being since we do not know any other genus to which it can be transferred to or synonymized with.

Consinocodium japonicum ENDO, 1961Pl. I, figs 1-8, Pl. II, figs 1-9

1961. Consinocodium japonicum ENDO, p. 63, pl. 11, figs 1-4, pl. 12, fig. 5, Upper Jurassic of Sikoku, Japan.

1964. Consinocodium japonicum ENDO.– JOHNSON, p. 24, pl. 42, fig. 1, refiguration of ENDOʼs original figuration.

? 1980. Milleporidium sp.– STEIGER & WURM, pl. 29, fig. 2, Plassen Formation of Krahstein.

? 1985. Burgundia cf. trinorchi MUNIER CHALMAS in DEHORNE.– TERMIER et al., 211, Kimmeridgian of Portugal.

Description : Encrusting calcareous sheets formed of single or superimposed layers. The thickness of single layers varies between 0.3 to 0.48 mm (ENDO, 1961 : 0.27-0.45 mm). The contact between two superimposed sheets is clearly discernible due to a dark line (Pl. I, fig. 4), whereas the boundary to the basal often recrystallized substrate is not so clearly developed. The sheets most often completely surround the substrate such as algal segments or corals (e.g. Pl. I, fig. 3, 7, Pl. II, fig. 2, 9). It should be mentioned that the species may co-occur with Nipponophycus ramosus YABE & TOYAMA and then totally

encrusting the segments of the latter (Pl. II, fig. 2). This observation can also be made in some figures provided in the original work of ENDO (1961). The skeleton is of light yellowish colour (? Mg-calcite). Especially in longitudinal section cutting the horizontal elements of the skeleton between adjacent pores, the existence of probably monoaxon spicules of slightly darker colour than the surrounding fiber skeleton is observed (Pl. I, fig. 5). The spicules are arranged perpendicular to the substrate and in their upper part divide with diverging axis forming some kind of a cortical layer. The exact shape of these spicules, however, remains unclear. The outer skeleton surface shows close-set slightly protruding distal ends of the spicules (Pl. II, fig. 8). The maximum length of the spicules is 0.18 mm (diameter 0.007-0.016 mm), thus, they can be termed megascleres.In longitudinal sections a regular arrangement of round to sometimes slightly compressed (with respect to the substrate) pores of a diameter of 0.12-0.2 mm (ENDO, 1961 : 0.135-0.27 mm) are present (e.g. Pl. I, fig. 6, Pl. II, fig. 7). These occur in the lower 2/3 part of the sheets and are separated from the underlying substrate by a thin layer of the calcitic skeleton. In oblique sections it can be observed that the pores are connected forming a continuous system (Pl. II, fig. 1, 6).

Remarks and interpretation :

As already noted above, up to now Consinocodium japonicum is regarded a siphonous green algae although doubt on this classification was already expressed by BASSOULLET et al. (1983). In fact, the flat encrusting, superimposed sheets contradict the general morphology of erect, segmented siphonous green algae with a filamentous inner (medulla) and an outer (cortex) part, both maybe branching (e.g. BASSOULLET et al., 1983 : fig. 1). For discussion on the classification of the siphonous green algae see recent works of DRAGASTAN et al. (1997, 2002).The material from the Upper Jurassic Alpine Plassen Formation clearly displays internal features (e.g. spicular skeleton) indicating a sponge rather than an algal nature of the taxon (Tab. 1). In contrast, the concentric laminae parallel to the surface and the presence of vertical elements (“pillars”) between the “pores” are characteristic of a “stromatoporoid”. This group, however, is accepted amongst most palaeontologists to belong to the sponges, mainly due to the existence of spicules in Mesozoic representatives (e.g. WOOD & REITNER, 1986).Following ENDO (1961), the rounded cavities have been interpreted as “appearing to be sporangia”, that is a cavity for the hosting of reproductory organs. ENDOʼs interpretation was questioned by BASSOULLET et al. (1983 : p. 496) arguing with the fact that this structural feature generally lacks compatibility with the green algal family “Udoteaceae”. Our new material clearly shows that these cavities are not rounded bodies but

535Consinocodium japonicum ENDO, 1961 from the Upper Jurassic

are part of a continuous canal system, that in terms of sponge morphology represents an aquiferous system with the function of water circulation. The most important argument for its sponge nature are the radially (supposedly plumose) arranged megascleres that build up the skeletal framework. Plumose sclere arrangement is well-known from fossil (e.g. REITNER, 1992) and modern representatives (e.g. CALCINAI & PANSINI, 2000) of the Class Demospongiae.The scleres were interpreted by ENDO as “coarse filaments” with “radial arrangement”, each of which “divides into finer filaments in the outermost part of the thallus”.

Table 1 : Summary of most important morphological/structural features of Consinocodium japonicum ENDO in terms of an algal (ENDO, 1961) or sponge nature (this work).

ENDO (1961) This workAlgal thallus Sponge skeleton

Dividing filaments Diverging spicules (probably monoaxones with plumose arrangement)

Sporangial cavities (function : reproduction)

Pores of subdermal aquiferous system (function : water circulation)

Facies : The samples containing Consinocodium japonicum ENDO correspond to the “reef-facies” sensu STEIGER (1980) where it typically encrusts corals or also the thalli of the halimedacean alga (sensu DRAGASTAN et al., 2002) Nipponophycus ramosus YABE & TOYAMA, 1928. Very often the corals are totally recrystallized

appearing as calcitic structureless rounded bodies. Besides coral debris, it is associated with a diverse assemblage of sponges including Murania reitneri SCHLAGINTWEIT, Thalamopora lusitanica TERMIER, Peronidella sp., Cornyella ? sp., “sclersponges” sensu KOCH et al. (1994), Cylicopsis verticalis TURNšEK and others. Chaetetids, Pseudoseptifer spengleri (HERITSCH), also occur. Encrustation communities include micro-encrusters such as Thaumatoporella parvovesiculifera (RAINERI), Radiomura cautica SENOWBARI-DARYAN & SCHÄFER, ”Tubiphytes” morronensis CRESCENTI, foraminiferids and serpulids (Pl. II, fig. 3). The dominating presence of micritic matrix suggests a deposition in a comparable low energy environment of a reefal to fore-reefal setting.

Stratigraphy : Biostratigraphically, the Plassen Formation of the Krahstein can be attributed to the Kimmeridgian by means of Dasycladales and benthic foraminifera ; the sponge-coral limestones bearing Consinocodium japonicum ENDO can be regarded as Upper Kimmeridgian (SCHLAGINTWEIT et al., 2003 ; GAWLICK et al., 2004). Recently, C. japonicum has been identified in occurrence together with the benthic foraminifera Protopeneroplis ultragranulata (GORBATCHIK) in Upper Tithonian-Lower Berriasian limestones in the Northern Calcareous Alps (unpublished data).In the original work of ENDO (1961) the type-locality of the Torinosu Limestone was assigned to an overall Upper Jurassic age. Hence, in following works the stratigraphic distribution of C. japonicum was summarized as Oxfordian-Tithonian (BASSOULLET et al., 1983 ; BUCUR, 1999). The age of the Torinosu Limestone, however, is actually considered of Tithonian-Berriasian age (WORKING GROUP ON BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERA, 1990 ; OHGA & IRYU, 2003 ; SHIRAISHI & KANO, 2004). Therefore, unless new biostratigraphic data become available, the occurrence

Plate I

Consinocodium japonicum ENDO, Upper Kimmeridgian Plassen Formation

Fig. 1 : Encrustations around a hollow substrate (? pelecypod shell) filled with sediment. Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 2 mm.

Fig. 2 : Specimens fixed to corals and association with Thaumatoporella parvovesiculifera (RAINERI). Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 2 mm.

Fig. 3 : Two layers of C. japonicum around a totally recrystallized substrate. Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 2 mm.

Fig. 4 : Detail of fig. 3 showing the boundary between successive sheets marked by a dark line. Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 0,5 mm.

Fig. 5 : Detail, showing spicules (dark arrows). Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 0,2 mm.Fig. 6 : Longitudinal section ; magnified view showing pores of the aquiferous system. Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar

= 0,2 mm.Fig. 7 : Broken fragment of specimen encrusting a coral. Thin-section Krah 118, scale bar = 1 mm.Fig. 8 : Nodular masse with recrystallized interior. Thin-section Krah 106, scale bar = 2 mm.

536 F. SCHLAGINTWEIT

10 µm10 µm 10 µm 100 µm

10 µm 10 µm100 µm 10 µm 100 µm

100 µm 100 µm100 µm100 µm 100 µm

10 µm10 µm 10 µm10 µm

10 µm 100 µm100 µm100 µm 10 µm

1

6

11

16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25

12 13 14

7 8 9 10

2 3 4 5

1 2

3

4

5 6

7 8

Plate I

of Consinocodium japonicum in the Oxfordian remains questionable.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first documentation of the monospecific taxon Consinocodium japonicum ENDO since its original description published in the early sixties. Hitherto only reproductions of ENDOʼs original figures are given in the literature (JOHNSON, 1964 ; BASSOULLET et al., 1983). Due to the presence of an aquiferous pore system and the presence of megascleres in the skeleton, the taxon is removed from the group of calcaraeous algae and re-interpreted as a coralline sponge. The suprageneric attribution of the genus Consinocodium, however, is not proposed yet. Consinocodium japonicum ENDO occurs as a main micro-encruster within the sponge-coral facies of the Upper Kimmeridgian Plassen Formation of the Krahstein. The microfacies with allochthonous green algae, namely Dasycladales, strongly suggests a deposition in a lower infralittoral environment of some tens of meters of water depth.Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Torinosu Limestone (e.g. OHGA & IRYU, 2003) represents the type-locality of Consinocodium japonicum ENDO and, in addition, also for the forms of the Halimedacean (former Udoteacean) alga Nipponophycus ramosus YABE & TOYAMA, the larger benthic foraminifera Pseudocyclammina lituus (YOKOYAMA) and spongiomorphids such as Spongiomorpha

asiatica YABE & SUGIYAMA. Additionally, chaetetids were also reported from both areas (e.g. FLÜGEL, 1964 ; OHGA & IRYU, 2003). All the above mentioned taxa are also common to abundant in the Upper Jurassic Plassen Formation. Therefore, future research should focus on a more detailed comparison including microfacies, facies interpretation, tectonic framework, micropaleontological inventory, as well as biostratigraphy between the Upper Jurassic to lower Cretaceous shallow water carbonates of the Northern Calcareous Alps and those of Japan.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Helpful suggestions from Baba SENOWBARI-DARYAN (Erlangen), Marc CONRAD (Perly) and an anonymous reviewer are kindly acknowledged. The thin-section material has kindly been provided by Oskar EBLI (Munich). The assistance with the English of Rosemarie BARON-SZABO (Washington D.C.) is also kindly acknowledged.

REFERENCES

BARTHEL, K.W. (1969) - Die obertithonische regressive Flachwasser-Phase der Neuburger Folge in Bayern. Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akadamie der Wissenschaften, Math.-naturw. Kl., München, N.F., 142 : 1-174.

BASSOULLET, J.-P., P. BERNIER, R. DELOFFRE, P. GÉNOT, J. PONCET & A. ROUX (1983) - Les Algues Udoteacées du Paléozoïque au Cénozoïque. Bulletin Centres Recherches Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine, Pau, 7 (2) : 449-621.

Plate II

Consinocodium japonicum ENDO, Upper Kimmeridgian Plassen Formation

Fig. 1 : Oblique section showing the interconnecting pore system ; note overgrowth by “Tubiphyts”. Thin-section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 0,5 mm.

Fig. 2 : Three segments of the halimedacean alga Nipponophycus ramosus YABE & TOYAMA. The specimen in the midth (above) shows incrustation by Consinocodium japonicum ENDO. Thin-section Krah 129, scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 3 : Oblique section of specimen with incrustations of Radiomura cautica SENOWBARI-DARYAN & SCHÄFER (R), Thaumatoporella parvovesiculifera (RAINERI) (T) and foraminiferids (F). Thin-section Krah 117-b, scale bar = 2 mm.

Fig. 4 : Small specimen partial encrustation and overgrowth by Thaumatoporella and foraminiferids. Thin-section Krah 119-a, scale bar = 0,5 mm.

Fig. 5 : Detail of skeleton structure with coarse calcite crystal and thin fibrous cortical layer. Thin-section Krah 119-a, scale bar = 0,2 mm.

Fig. 6 : Detail from Fig. 3 showing the aquiferous canal system. Thin-section Krah 117-b, scale bar = 0,2 mm.Fig. 7 : Pores in longitudinal section. Thin-section Krah 119-a, scale bar = 0,2 mm.Fig. 8 : Magnification showing radial arrangement of megascleres diverging near the outer surface of the skeleton. Thin-

section Krah 117-d, scale bar = 0,2 mm.Fig. 9 : Microfacies with corals within a micritic matrix and encrustations by Consinocodium japonicum ENDO (middle

left). Thin-section Krah 117-c, scale bar = 2 mm.

538 F. SCHLAGINTWEIT

10 µm10 µm 10 µm 100 µm

10 µm 10 µm100 µm 10 µm 100 µm

100 µm 100 µm

10 µm10 µm 10 µm10 µm

10 µm 100 µm100 µm100 µm 10 µm

1

6

11

16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25

12 13 14

7 8 9 10

2 3 4 5

R

T

F

1

2

3

4

5

6 7

8 9

Plate II

BUCUR, I.I. (1999) - Stratigraphic significance of some skeletal algae (Dasycladales, Caulerpales) of the Phanerozoic. In : FARINACCI, A. & A.R. LORD (Eds). Depositional episodes and Bioevents, Palaeopelagos, Spec. Publ., Rome, 2 : 53-104.

CALCINAI, B. & M. PANSINI (2000) - Four new demosponge species from Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica). Zoosystema, Paris, 2 (2) : 369-381.

DRAGASTAN, O., D.K. RICHTER, B. KUBE, B.M. POPA, A. SARBU & I. CIUGULEA (1997) - A new family of Paleo-Mesozoic calcareous green siphons-algae (order Bryopsidales, class Bryopsidophyceae, phylum Siphonophyta). Revista Espanola de Micropaleontologie, Madrid, 29 (1) : 69-135.

DRAGASTAN, O., D.S. LITTLER & M.M. LITTLER (2002) - Recent vs. fossil Halimeda species of Angaur Island, Palau and adjacent western Pacific areas. Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae, Bukarest, Spec. Pub. 1 : 3-20.

ENDO, R. (1961) - Calcareous algae from the Jurassic Torinosu Limestone of Japan. Scientific Report Saitama University B, Endo-Memorial Vol. : 53-75.

FENNINGER, A. & H.L. HOLZER (1972) - Fazies und Paläogeographie des oberostalpinen Malms. Mitteilungen der Geologischen Gesellschaft, Wien, 63 (1970) : 52-141.

FLÜGEL, E. (1964) - Ein neues Vorkommen von Plassenkalk (Ober-Jura) im Steirischen Salzkammergut, Österreich. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, Stuttgart, 120 (2) : 213-232.

GAWLICK, H.-J., F. SCHLAGINTWEIT, O. EBLI & H. SUZUKI (2004) - Die Plassen-Formation (Kimmeridgium) des Krahstein (Steirisches Salzkammergut, Österreich) und ihre Unterlagerung : Neue Daten zur Fazies, Biostratigraphie und Sedimentologie. Zentralblatt für Geolologie und Palaeontologie, Stuttgart, Teil I, 2003, 314 : 295-334.

JOHNSON, J.H. (1964) - The Jurassic algae. Quarterly of the Colorado School of Mines, Boulder, 59 (2) : 1-129.

KAZMIERCZAK, J. (1974) - Lower Cretaceous Sclerosponge from the Slovakian Tatra Mountains. Palaeontology, London, 17 (2) : 341-347.

KOCH, R., B. SENOWBARI-DARYAN & H. STRAUSS (1994) - The Late Jurassic “Massenkalk Fazies” of Southern Germany : Calcareous sand piles rather than organic reefs. Facies, Erlangen, 31 : 179-208.

OHGA, H. & Y. IRYU (2003) - Facies analysis of Tithonian-Berriasian Limestone in Torinosu Area, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Berichte des Institutes für Geologie und

Paläontologie der Karl-Franzes-Universität Graz/Austria, 7 (Abstracts of 9th Int. Symp. Fossil Cnidaria and Porifera, August 3-7, 2003, Graz) : p. 77.

REITNER, J. (1992) - «Coralline Spongien» - Der Versuch einer phylogenetisch-taxonomischen Analyse. Berliner geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, E, 1 : 1-352.

SHIRAISHI, F. & A. KANO (2004) - Composition and spatial distribution of microencrusters and microbial crusts in upper Jurassic-lowermost Cretaceous reef limestone (Torinosu Limestone, southwest Japan). Facies, Erlangen, 50 : 217-227.

SCHLAGINTWEIT, F. & O. EBLI (1997) - Clypeina bavarica nov. sp., (Calcareous algae ; Dasycladales) from the Tithonian of the Franconian Alb (Baviera, Germany). Geobios, Lyon, 30 (3) : 327-334.

SCHLAGINTWEIT, F., H.-J. GAWLICK, O. EBLI, H. RÜNSTLER & H. SUZUKI (2003) - Die Plassen-Formation (Kimmeridgium) des Krahstein, Steirisches Salzkammergut und deren Unterlagerung : Neue Daten zur Fazies, Biostratigraphie und Sedimentologie. In : WEIDINGER, J.T., H. LOBITZER & I. SPITZBART, I. (Eds). Beiträge zur Geologie des Salzkammergutes, Gmundner Geo-Studien, 2 : 87-96.

STEIGER, T. (1980) - Geologische Aufnahme des Zauchenbachtales und des Krahstein-Massivs am Südrand des Toten Gebirges N ̓ Bad Mitterndorf (Nördliche Kalkalpen, Steirisches Salzkammergut, Österreich). Mitteilungen Gesellschaft Geologie Bergbaustudenten Österreich, Wien, 36 : 213-245.

STEIGER, T. & D. WURM (1980) - Faziesmuster oberjurassischer Plattform-Karbonate (Plassen-Kalke, Nördliche Kalkalpen, Steirisches Salzkammergut, Österreich). Facies, Erlangen, 2 : 241-284.

TERMIER, G., H. TERMIER & M. RAMALHO (1985) - Spongiofaunes du Jurassique Supérieur du Portugal. Comunicações dos Serviços Geológicos de Portugal, Lisbon, 71 (2) : 197-222.

TERMIER, G., H. TERMIER & D. VACHARD (1977) - Etude comparative de quelques Ischyrosponges. Géologie Méditerranéenne, Marseille, 4 (2) : 139-180.

WOOD, R.A. & J. REITNER (1986) - Poriferan affinities of some Mesozoic Stromatoporoids. Palaeontology, London, 29 (3) : 469-473.

WORKING GROUP ON BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERA (1990) - Berne Meeting, 25-26th June 1990, IGCP-Project 262 Tethyan Cretaceous Correlation, Abstract.

Accepté octobre 2004

540 F. SCHLAGINTWEIT