Belemnites from the Lower Jurassic of East Greenland and their biostratigraphical and biogeographical significance

Abstract

Belemnites collected in the 1920s from the Lower Jurassic Neill Klinter Formation of East Greenland are described for the first time. Two belemnite faunas are recognised. The Rrevekl0ft Member yielded Nannobelus, Pseudohastites, Passaloteuthis?, Gastrobelus? and a hastitid, giving an age of the Lower Pliensbachian Uptonia jamesoni to Prodacty/ioceras davoei zones for the molluscan-rich lower fauna! division. The Ostreaelv Member yielded Parapassaloteuthis, Acrocoelites (Toarcibelus), A. (Odontobe­/us), Simpsonibelus and "Parabrachybeus" representative of a Toarcian Hildoceras bifrons to Haugia variabilis Zone age as previously determined. However, the presence of Parapassaloteuthis gives a oldest age of at least Dactylioceras commune Subzone, with a loose specimen of a possible juvenile Acrocoe/ites trisulcu!osus suggesting that the Ostreaelv Member may range into the Harpoceras falciferum Zone. The Pliensbachian species are identical to those from western Europe and are the most northerly repre­sentatives of their taxa. The Toarcian species have closest affinity to those of northwest Europe rather than the distinct and endemic Siberian Toarcian belemnite fauna which arose at this time.