Sparsely encrusted hardground in the Darriwilian calcareous sandstone of Cape Pakri, NW Estonia (Baltica)

Abstract

The occurrence of echinoderm and ptilodictyid bryozoan holdfasts on the surface of Darriwilian calcareous sandstone in northwestern Estonia indicates that it was lithified before encrustation. Pelmatozoans outnumber the bryozoans and cover a larger area of the hardground although both are very sparse. The hardground is very sparsely encrusted (0.37% of the total area studied) and lacks signs of bioerosion.