Paleontology of Taquaral Member silty shale in the State of São Paulo

Abstract

The Irati Formation, Permian (Cisularian) from Brazilian Paraná Basin, at the State of São Paulo, is divided into two members: Taquaral (basal) and Assistência (top). The Taquaral Member exhibits two facies: basal, composed by sandstones and conglomerates, 0.1 - 1 m thick, and silty shales, 5 - 30 m thick. The few papers dealing with the paleontology of the silty shale facies are scarce so the main goal of this work was to widen the knowledge of the fossils of this unit. The reported fossils herein related are acritarchs, algae, crustaceans of the genus Clarkecaris and forms taxonomically indeterminate, besides and loose vertebrate remains. Other fossils and microfossils are reported in literature but without descriptions or illustrations. The fossil record of the silty shale allowed to put forth a paleoenvironmental suggestion of a restricted low salinity body of water.