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Géominpal Belgica Découvertes géologiques, minéralogiques et paléontologiques en Belgique. 5 Additional Contributions to the Knowledge of the Sediments, Taphonomy, Ichnofossils, Bacteria, Invertebrata,Vertebrata, Algae, Plantae and Fungi of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed in its type locality: Sint Niklaas (Eastern Flanders, Belgium) Part One Location, Sediments, Taphonomy, Ichnofossils, Pre-Oligocene Fossils and Bacteria By Jacques Herman 1 , Hilde Van Waes 1 , Hugues Doutrelepont 2 , Lutgaerde Kenis 2 Julien Van Nuffel 3 , Jacqueline Cloetens³ & Marcel Vervoenen 4 1 Herman J. & Van Waes H. : Mail: [email protected], 2 Doutrelepont H. & Kenis L. : Mail: [email protected], 3 Van Nuffel J. & Cloetens J.: Rue Jules Lahaye 203, 1090 (Jette, Belgium) and 4 Vervoenen M.: Beekstraat 35, 9300, (Aalst, Belgium). BELSELE: S.V.K. Clay Pit 4: B.G.S. Archives: N°: 42 W 394 Oligocene: Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed Four multi-coloured agate fragments. Magnification x 10. Photographs M. Jatte. Laboratory Dr. Deliens (U.C.L., Belgium). HERMAN Jacques Editor H

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Géominpal Belgica Découvertes géologiques, minéralogiques et paléontologiques

en Belgique.

5

Additional Contributions to the Knowledge of the Sediments, Taphonomy,

Ichnofossils, Bacteria, Invertebrata,Vertebrata, Algae, Plantae and Fungi

of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed in

its type locality: Sint Niklaas (Eastern Flanders, Belgium)

Part One

Location, Sediments, Taphonomy, Ichnofossils, Pre-Oligocene Fossils and Bacteria

By

Jacques Herman1, Hilde Van Waes

1, Hugues Doutrelepont

2, Lutgaerde Kenis

2

Julien Van Nuffel3, Jacqueline Cloetens³

& Marcel Vervoenen4

1Herman J. & Van Waes H. : Mail: [email protected], 2Doutrelepont H. & Kenis L. : Mail: [email protected],

3Van Nuffel J. & Cloetens J.: Rue Jules Lahaye 203, 1090 (Jette, Belgium)

and 4Vervoenen M.: Beekstraat 35, 9300, (Aalst, Belgium).

BELSELE: S.V.K. Clay Pit 4: B.G.S. Archives: N°: 42 W 394

Oligocene: Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed

Four multi-coloured agate fragments. Magnification x 10.

Photographs M. Jatte. Laboratory Dr. Deliens (U.C.L., Belgium).

HERMAN Jacques Editor H

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Dedication:

This work is dedicated to the memory of Ir. Jan Trommelmans

formerly:

President of

the Koninklijke Oudheidkundige Kring van het Land van Waas

and

Technical Director of

the Company Scheerders Van Kerkhove te Belsele-Sint-Niklaas,

Their friends, Jacques Herman and Hilde Van Waes

and

to the memory of Michel Girardot:

Silkscreen printer, artist and

one of the first field partners

of the senior-author,

Their friends, Jacques Herman, Hilde Van Waes, Julien Van Nuffel and Jacqueline Cloetens

at Beigem, 8 August 2012

Jacques Herman, Hilde Van Waes,

Julien Van Nuffel and Jacqueline Cloetens

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Plan of this Publication

1. Summary – Résumé – Samenvatting – Kurzfassung - Резюме: p.: 5

2. Introduction: p.: 7

3. Introduction: p.: 7

4. Introductie: p.: 8

5. Subdivisions of Géominpal Belgica 5: p.: 8

6. Geographical location and Age of the sediments: p.: 9

6.1. Present location: p.: 9

6.2. Ancient location: p.: 12

6.3. Justification of the name of this Stratigraphical Unit: p.: 14

7. Sediments: Sand and glaucony grains, pebbles, kaolinite bullets,

adopted methods and volume of the sifted sediment: p.: 14

8. Taphonomic observations: p.: 15

8.1.Preliminary: p.: 15

8.2.Operations succeeding the extraction and the removal of one block: p.: 15

9. The nature and the possible origin of the pebbles: p.: 17

10. The concretions: p.: 17

10.1. Concretions of biological origin: p.: 17

10.2. Faeces, called coprolites when fossilised: p.: 18

10.3. Concretions of biochemical origin: p.: 19

11. Glaucony grains, kaolinite fragments and presence of loess particles: p.: 19

11.1.The glaucony grains: p.: 19

11.2.The kaolinite fragments: p.: 19

11.3.The loess particles: p.: 20

11.4. The important difference between the sedimentological signification and the mineralogical signification of the term Clay: p.: 20

12. Some significant absences: p.: 21

13. Possible origins of the different elements constituting the sediments: p.: 21

14. The range of the dimensions of the diverse fossils and choice of sieves: p.: 21

14.1. Generalities: p.: 21

14.2. Details: p.: 22

15. Geographical extension of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed: p.: 22

16. Systematic list of the Bacteria, Ichnofossils and Pre-Oligocene Fossils found

in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed: p.: 22

16.1. Bacteria: p.: 22

16.2. Ichnofossils: p.: 24

16.3. Pre-Oligocene Fossils: p.: 27

17. Additional remark concerning some ichnofossils found in different valves

of Pycnodonte callifera discovered in this Horizon p.: 31

18. Intensity of the decalcification during the formation of this conglomerate: p.: 31

19. General conclusions about the Oligocene deposits at S.V.K.

based on the study of the different Ichnofossils and mineralogical elements: p.: 31

19.1. Before the lixiviation phase, the Eocene - Oligocene transition: p.: 31

19.2.The successive Oligocene deposits at S.V.K. : p.: 32

20. List of the taxa representing new records for

Bacteria and Ichnofossils of the Belgian Lower Oligocene: p.: 33 21. Some biological observations realised in the S.V.K. Clay Pit 4: p.: 34

22. Additional explanations to Géominpal Belgica Special Paper: p.: 35

22.1. Geographical position of SVK Clay Pit 4 during the sedimentation

of the Ruisbroek Sands Formation: p.: 35

22.2. Photosynthesis 650 million years ago: p.: 35

22.3. Original extension of areas affected by Tectonic Events: p.: 36

22.4. Position of the North Pole during the sedimentation of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed: p.: 36

22.5. Forgotten ancient Naturalists and contemporary Naturalists: p.: 36

22.6. Reflexions concerning the longevity of one vertebrate taxon: p.: 36 23. Plates 1 to 64 : p.: 41-104

24. Comments of the Plates: p.: 105

25. Bibliography: p.: 118. 26. Acknowledgements: p.: 131

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The Social and Cultural impact of the S.V.K. Direction

in Eastern Flanders (by Jacques Herman)

Before World War One, only two private Flemish Companies proposed to their workmen 75% of their last monthly (or

weekly) incomes as a pension: Het Laatste Nieuws, a daily Paper (Brussels) and S.V.K., a Clay Pit Exploitation

(Belsele).

Those two Companies also offered free medical assistance to all their employees (staff and workmen). S.V.K. Direction

also sustained, financially, the Sint Niklaas Cultural Society: de Oudheidkundige Kring van het Land van Waes, by the

free printing of their Annals.

S.V.K. had also transformed its first excavation pit into a Public Bath, open to all the Sint Niklaas citizens and their

relatives.

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1. Summary - Résumé - Samenvatting - Kurzfassung – Резюме

Summary

In the first of the four parts of this Study, sedimentological, mineralogical, taphonomical data, ichnofossils and the

geological age of all the fossils discovered in this Horizon are re-examined, and consequently, the geological age of this

Horizon itself is reconsidered.

The slow and progressive formation of this irregular conglomerate is detailed. Its formation can be explained by the

continuous action of a subaquatic stream.

A short emersion succeeded the initial phase of the formation of this conglomerate. Marine waters came back, but the

environment remained coastal to intertidal.

The successive phases of the sedimentation of the upper part of the Sands of Ruisbroek, of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite

Bed, the lower and upper parts of the Boom Clay Formation (sensu stricto) are examined and detailed.

Keywords: Belgium, Oligocene, Rupelian, Sands of Ruisbroek, Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed, Boom Clay Formation,

Ichnofossils, Bacteria, Invertebrata, Vertebrata, Algae, Plantae, Systematics, Parasystematics, Evolution, Genetics, Plate

Tectonics, Geophysics, Van Allen Rings, Taphonomy, Sedimentology, Paleoclimatology, Astrophysics.

Résumé

Dans la première des quatre parties de cette Etude, les données sédimentologiques, minéralogiques, taphonomiques et

l’âge réel de tous les fossiles découverts dans cet Horizon sont réexaminés, et par conséquent, l’âge géologique de cet

Horizon est reconsidéré.

La formation lente et progressive de ce conglomérat irrégulier est minutieusement détaillée. Elle peut s’expliquer par

l’action continue d’un courant subaquatique, changeant sporadiquement de direction.

Une brève émersion succéda à la phase initiale de la formation de ce conglomérat. Les eaux marines revinrent, mais

l’environnement resta littoral à intertidal. Les phases successives de la sédimentation de la partie supérieure des Sables

de Ruisbroek, de l’Horizon des Phosphorites de Sint Niklaas, des parties inférieure et supérieure de l’Argile de Boom

(sensu stricto) sont examinées et détaillées.

Mots-clés: Belgique, Oligocène, Rupélien, Sables de Ruisbroek, Horizon à Phosphorites de Sint Niklaas, Formation de

l’Argile de Boom, Ichnofossiles, Bacteria, Invertebrata, Vertebrata, Algae, Plantae, Systématique, Parasystématique,

Evolution, Génétique, Tectonique des Plaques, Géophysique, Ceintures de Van Allen, Taphonomie, Sédimentologie,

Paléoclimatologie, Astrophysique.

Samenvatting

In het eerste van de vier delen van deze Studie worden, de sedimentologische, mineralogische, tafonomische gegevens

en de werkelijke geologische ouderdom van al de fossielen gevonden in deze Horizon herzien, en bijgevolg ook de

werkelijke geologische ouderdom van deze Horizon zelf.

De langzame en progressieve formatie van dit onregelmatig conglomeraat wordt zorgvuldig gedetailleerd. Zijn formatie

wordt verklaard door de permanente actie van een sub-aquatische stroom die sporadisch van richting verandert.

Een korte emersie fase volgde op de initiële fase van de formatie van dit conglomeraat. Mariene waters kwamen terug

maar het milieu bleef litoraal tot tussentijdig.

De opeenvolgende fasen van de sedimentatie van het bovenste deel van de Zanden van Ruisbroek, het Sint Niklaas

Fosforiet Bed, van het onderste deel en het bovenste deel van de Boomse Klei (sensu stricto) worden onderzocht en

gedetailleerd.

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Sleutelwoorden: België, Oligoceen, Rupeliaan, Zanden van Ruisbroek, Sint Niklaas Fosforiet Bed, Boom Klei

Formatie, Ichnofossielen, Bacteria, Systematiek, Parasystematiek, Evolutie, Genetica, Plaattektoniek, Geofysica, Van

Allen Ringen, Taphonomie, Sedimentologie, Paleoclimatologie, Astrofysica.

Kurzfassung

In dem ersten der vier Teile dieser Abhandlung, werden die sedimentologischen, mineralogischen und taphonomischen

Daten, die Spurenfossilien und das geologische Alter aller in diesem Horizont gefunden Fossilien revidiert und folglich

wird das geologische Alter dieses Horizont erneut erwogen.

Die langsame und progressive Entstehung dieses Konglomerats wird detailliert beschrieben. Sie kann durch den

ununterbrochenen Fluss einer subaquatischen Strömung erklärt werden.

Eine kurzzeitige Regression folgte der ursprünglichen Phase der Bildung dieses Konglomerats.

Die darauf folgenden Phasen der Sedimentation des oberen Teils der Sande von Ruisbroek, des Sint Niklaas

Phosphorite Horizonts und der unteren und oberen Teile der Boom Ton Formation (sensu stricto) werden detailliert

beschrieben.

Schlüsselwörten: Belgien, Oligozän, Rupelium, Sande von Ruisbroek, Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Horizon, Boom Clay

Formation, Ichnofossilien, Bacteria, Systematik, Parasystematik, Evolution, Genetik, Plattentektonik, Geophysik, Van

Allen Ringe, Taphonomie, Sedimentologie, Paläoclimatologie, Astrophysik.

Resumen

En la primera de las cuatro partes de este trabajo, los datos sedimentológicos, mineralógicos y tafonómicos y la edad

geológica de todos los fósiles descubiertos en este horizonte son reexaminados, y en consecuencia, la edad geológica de

ese horizonte es reconsiderada.

La formación lenta y progresiva de este conglomerado es minuciosamente detallada. Ella puede explicarse por la acción

continua de una corriente subacuática que cambiaba esporádicamente de dirección.

Una emersión breve siguió a la fase inicial de formación del conglomerad. Las aguas marinas regresaron, sin embargo

el medio ambiento permaneció siendo litoral a intermareal.

Las fases sucesivas de la sedimentación de la parte superior de las Arenas de Ruisbroek, del Horizonte con Fosforitas

de Sint Niklaas y de las partes inferior y superior de la Arcilla de Boom (sensu stricto) son examinadas y detalladas. Palabras clave: Bélgica, Oligoceno, Rupeliense, Sables de Ruisbroek, Horizon à Phosphorites de Sint Niklaas,

Formation de l’Argile de Boom, Icnofósiles, Bacteria, Sistemática, Parasistemática, Evolución, Genética, Tectonica de

Placas, Geofísica, Cinturones de Van Allen, Tafonomía, Sedimentología, Paleoclimatología, Astrofísica.

Резюме

В первой из четырех частей данного исследования повторно изучаются седиментологические,

минералогические, тафономические данные, ихнофоссилии и возраст всех найденных в этом горизонте

фоссилий; соответственно, пересматривается геологический возраст горизонта.

Подробно изучается медленное и постепенное формирование этого беспорядочно сложенного конгломерата.

Его образование может быть объяснено непрерывным действием подводного течения.

В начальной фазе формирования конгломерата произошло короткое осушение. Морские воды вернулись, но

окружающая среда оставалась прибрежной или приливно-отливной.

Последовательные фазы седиментации верхней части песков Руисбрек, фосфоритового горизонта Синт

Никлаас, нижней и верхней части глины Бум (sensu stricto) исследуются и детализируются. Результаты всех

изысканий и размышлений представлены в настоящей работе.

Ключевые слова: Бельгия, олигоцен, рюпель, пески Руисбрек, фосфоритовый горизонт Синт Никлаас, глина

Бум, ихнофоссилии, бактерии, беспозвоночные, позвоночные, водоросли, геологический возраст, геофизика,

пояса Ван Аллена, тафономия, седиментология, палеоклиматология.

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2. Introduction

The Invertebrate fauna of this Unit was partially inventoried in a previous paper (See Bibliography: MARQUET &

HERMAN: 2012). The Invertebrate fauna of this Horizon, called Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed will be re-inventoried

and commented in the second part, the Vertebrate fauna of the same Unit will be re-inventoried and commented in the

third part and in the fourth part the Algae, Plantae and Fungi will be dealt with.

A careful re-examination of all the observations on the field (J.H.*), the re-examination (J.H.) of all the data provided

by the taphonomical preparations (realized by M. V.), and a re-examination of the mollusc fauna (A. J.) and of the

ichnofossils (J. H.) lead to reconsider the age of the diverse fossils concentrated in this Horizon called the Sint Niklaas

Phosphorite Bed, and consequently the age of this Horizon itself.

*J.H. stands for Jacques Herman, M.V. for Marcel Vervoenen (Aalst, Collaborator of the B.G.S.) and A.J. for Arie Jansen.

A detailed explanation of the very slow and complex process of the formation of this Horizon is proposed. After the

enumeration and the examination of all the objective data collected, some taphonomical and paleoclimatological

reflexions are proposed.

The surprising conclusion is that, with the exception of the bones of the last small littoral Teleosteï swimming above the

littoral to intertidal sea bottom, all the Ichnofossils and all the species, Invertebrate as well as Vertebrate, were extracted

from the upper part of the Ruisbroek Sands by lixiviation.

They were, more or less intensively, re-concentrated and mixed with white sands and glauconitic grains, pebbles of very

different composition and origins and diverse forms, more or less massive, of iron sulphides concretions and phosphatic

fossils.

Toponomical remark

In the old literature, on the notarial acts and on old topographic maps, we found the following different spellings:

Ruysbroeck (medieval), Ruysbroek, Ruisbroeck, Ruisbroek and Ruisbroec (rare*).

*Only on some notarial documents enacted during the French occupation (1799 – 1814).

3. Introduction

La faune des Invertébrés de cet Horizon a déjà été partiellement inventoriée dans un Article précédent (voir

Bibliographie: MARQUET & HERMAN: 2012). La faune des Invertébrés de cette unité appelée Horizon des

Phosphorites de Sint Niklaas, sera ré-inventoriée et commentée dans la deuxième partie, la faune des Vertébrés de cette

même Unité sera ré-inventoriée et commentée dans la troisième partie et la quatrième partie traitera des Algae, Plantae

et Fungi.

Un nouvel examen de toutes les observations de terrain disponibles (J. H.*), une nouvelle analyse plus fine (J.H.) des

données fournies par les préparations taphonomiques (réalisées par M.V.) et un nouvel examen de la faune

malacologique (A. J.) et des ichnofossiles (J. H.) autorisent à reconsidérer l’âge des divers fossiles concentrés dans cet

Horizon baptisé Horizon des Phosphorites de Sint-Niklaas, et, par conséquent, l’âge réel et la signification

stratigraphique de cette unité.

*J.H. signifie Jacques Herman, M.V. signifie Marcel Vervoenen (Aalst, Collaborateur du S.G.B.) et A.J. signifie Arie Janssen.

Après l’énumération et l’examen de toutes les données objectives recueillies, les auteurs suggèrent quelques

considérations taphonomiques et paléoclimatologiques.

La conclusion surprenante est qu’à l’exception des ossements des derniers petits Téléostéens littoraux qui surnagèrent

au-dessus de ce fond marin, tous les Ichnofossiles et toutes les espèces, tant des Invertébrés que des Vertébrés,

provenaient de la partie supérieure des Sables de Ruisbroek par lixiviation.

Une lente lixiviation les avaient, plus ou moins densément reconcentrés et mêlés à des grains de sable et de glauconie,

des galets de composition et d’origine très différentes et diverses formes, plus ou moins massives, de concrétions de

sulfures de fer et de fossiles phosphatés.

Remarque toponymique

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Dans la littérature ancienne, dans les actes notariés et sur diverses cartes topographiques on trouvera les orthographes

suivantes: Ruysbroeck (médiéval), Ruysbroek, Ruisbroek and Ruisbroeck, Ruisbroec (rare*).

*Uniquement dans quelques actes notariés rédigés durant l’occupation française (1799 - 1814).

4. Introductie

De Invertebrata fauna werd al gedeeltelijk geïnventoriseerd in een vorig Artikel (Zie: Bibliografie: MARQUET &

HERMAN: 2012). De Invertebrata fauna van deze Eenheid, het Sint Niklaas Fosforieten Bed genoemd, zal

geïnventariseerd en gecommentarieerd worden in het tweede deel, de Vertebrata fauna van dezelfde eenheid zal

geïnventariseerd en gecommentarieerd worden in het derde deel en in het vierde deel zullen de Algae, Plantae en Fungi

behandeld worden.

Een zorgvuldige reëxaminatie van al deze observaties op het terrein (J.H.*), de reconsideratie van al de gegevens

verkregen door de tafonomishe voorbereidingen door M. V. en een reëxaminatie van de malacologische fauna (A.J.) en

de ichnofossielen (J.H.) laten toe de ouderdom te herzien van de diverse fossielen geconcentreerd in deze Horizon, het

Sint-Niklaas Fosforieten Bed genoemd, en dus ook de ouderdom zelf van deze Horizon en zijn stratigrafische betekenis

te herzien.

*J.H. staat voor Jacques Herman, M.V. staat voor Marcel Vervoenen (Aalst, Medewerker van de B.G.D.) en A.J. staat voor Arie

Janssen.

Na een enumeratie en een onderzoek van al de objectieve verzamelde gegevens, stellen de auteurs enkele tafonomische

en paleoklimatologische beschouwingen voor.

De uitzonderlijke conclusie is dat behalve de beenderen van de laatste kleine kustelijke Teleostei die boven deze

zeebodem zwommen, al de Ichnofossielen en al de soorten van Invertebrata en Vertebrata, uit het bovenste deel van de

Zanden van Ruisbroek kwamen, ten gevolge van een lixiviatie proces.

Een trage lixiviatie heeft deze delicate beenderen, tamelijk dicht geconcentreerd en gemengd met zandkorrels en

glauconie korrels, keien van zeer verschillende compositie en oorsprongen en van verschillende vormen, min of meer

massieve, ijzer zwavel concreties en gefosfatiseerde fossielen.

Toponomische opmerking

In de oude literatuur, in notariële akten en op verschillende topografische kaarten vindt men de volgende spellingen:

Ruysbroeck (middeleeuws), Ruysbroek, Ruisbroek, Ruisbroeck en Ruisbroec (zeldzaam*).

*Alleen in enkele notariële akten opgesteld tijdens de Franse bezetting (1799 - 1814).

5. Subdivisions of Géominpal Belgica 5

The continuous increase of data, principally those concerning the Ichnofossils, the Plantae and the Mycelium, made a

subdivision of this Publication in four Parts logical, which means four successive PDF publications.

The co-authors have opted for what seemed to be the more logical subdivision for this Publication.

Part One will regroup all the descriptions and deductions resulting from their qualitative and quantitative observations

of the sediments, the mineralogical and the lithological compounds of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed, the

Ichnofossils and the most primitive forms of Life: The Bacteria.

An important supplement to the general hypothesis formulated in Géominpal Belgica - Special Paper is included in this

Part One.

Part Two will regroup all the descriptions and deductions resulting from the discovered Invertebrata associations as well

as the possible signification of the complete absence of any taxon of diverse important marine invertebrate groups.

Part Three will regroup all the descriptions and deductions resulting from the discovered Vertebrata associations as well

as the possible signification of the complete absence of any taxon of diverse important marine vertebrate groups.

Part Four will regroup all the descriptions and deductions resulting from the discovered Algae, Plantae and Fungi

remains.

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The important data furnished by the rare drifted wood pieces and the rare fructifications discovered in this

lithostratigraphical Unit induce other questions.

6. Geographical location, Profile, Area prospected and Age of the sediments (See Plate 1 to Plate7)

6.1. Present location

The precise geographical localisation of the site (in the last S.V.K. Clay pit) was given in a previous Publication (See

Bibliography: MOLLEN, F.: 2007), as well as in another one (See Bibliography: MARQUET, R. & HERMAN, J.:

2012) concerning the invertebrate fauna of Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed and the invertebrate fauna of the Boom Clay.

This Paper offers a lot of additional observations and deductions concerning the same Formations, in the same locality

(Belsele – East Flanders – Belgium), but in different small areas, which made it absolutely necessary to indicate clearly

the three principal zones of significant excavations.

Remark concerning the altimetry

The altimetry mentioned herein is the altimetry of the ground level and mentioned as circa + XX metres. Because we

had no land surveyor on the field, we had to refer to the level curves of the N.G.I. maps.

Location and altimetry of the central point of the five prospected areas

Numbers of the Belgian Geological Survey Archives

42 W 0190 : x : 132.555, y : 205.750, z : circa + 18.00 m: Third extraction pit S.V.K. (Still in activity in 1968).

42 W 0394 : x : 132.600, y : 204.850, z : circa + 20.00 m: Fourth extraction pit S.V.K.: Southern Sector.

42 W 0434 : x : 133.250, y : 205.175, z : circa + 19.50 m: Fourth extraction pit S.V.K.: Northern Sector.

42 W 0515 : x : 132.750, y : 204.750, z : circa + 19.00 m: Fifth extraction pit S.V.K.: Eastern Sector.

42 W 0516 : x : 133.250 y : 205.120, z : circa + 21.50 m: Fifth extraction pit S.V.K. (Still in activity in 2012).

It is also very important to insist on the fact that the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed is located, more or less, below the

base of the Boom Clay Formation, and that this Unit does not constitute its base. The codes of the different excavations

in this clay-pit are mentioned, according to the numbering of the Archives of the Belgian Geological Survey.

These codes refer to the old Geological Map of Belgium, because it is the only complete geological national map.

Recent modification of this codification

In the new official codes a nought precedes all our ancient numbers : 42 W 190 is presently transformed into 042 W

0190, 42 W 434 into 042 W 0434 and so on, which made the integration of data of Sheets with high numbers of data

easier, such as Antwerp, Brussels, Doel, Liège. These new codes precise that the Sheet 42 W 190 refers to the former

Geological Map of Flanders drawn up at the scale of 1/40.000, the only complete and coherent assemblage. The

proposed lithological limits of one sheet always correspond with the eight surrounding sheets.

Codification of the Belgian Geological Survey of Belgium is the following: 42 W 394* for the central point of the

Northern part of the Clay Pit, explored by F. Mollen and his friends (including the senior-author), during the years 1999

to 2005 (Once a year a large extraction was organised).

Codification of the Belgian Geological Survey of Belgium is 42 W 515* for the central point of the Southern part of the

Clay Pit explored by J. Herman, J. Boel, J.-P. Luypaerts, M. Vervoenen and D. Winderickx in the years 1995 and 1996

(fourteen campaigns and realisation of some taphonomical preparations). Gino Mariën, Pieter De Schutter and Guy Van

Den Eeckhaut have mainly prospected the South-Eastern part of the Clay Pit, during the years 1995 to 2005, its

codification is 42 W 516*.

*See introduction pages (I-X) in Géominpal Belgica 1 (2010) to understand these codifications.

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Explanations: See the Paragraph: 26.1.Geographical position of SVK Clay Pit 4 during the sedimentation, p: 35-36.

Fig. 1: Location of the different zones prospected. Extract from the Belgian Topographical Map: Sheet N°. 15/5 North, Sint Niklaas, (1998) Scale 1/10.000.

Authorisation M. Guido D’HOOKER: A 2741 – Mail 03. 09. 2012.

This map allows locating the different prospection points between Winter 1968 and Summer 2004.

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Fig. 2: Simplified cross-section of the lower part of the Clay Pit 42 W 394

Prospected surfaces and location of the extraction sites of the blocks

destined to taphonomic preparations.

Explanations of the pictograms used on Fig. 2 and Fig. 3

Fig. 3: Position of the different prospections in the southern sector l---l : Position of the Decauville* train,

Green bands: sifted levels. *Decauville train: see Historical Technical Data

*: Position of one Orchidea of the species Dactylographia incarnata LINNAEUS, 1752. .or .: Position of the entrance of a burrow of one Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa LINNAEUS, 1752.

:.:..:..:.: : Zone of the sides of the draining channel colonised by Equisetales.

110 to 115: Position of the blocks extracted for taphonomical preparations.

1 to 5: Zones where the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed was prospected by digging far below under the surface.

a to e: Traces of successive backward removals of the wall of the Clay Pit.

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Historical Technical Data

*Decauville trains were produced by Paul Decauville (1846-1922), a rich French farmer, wanting to increase the

productivity of his agricultural domains.

He inaugurated these trains after the French-German War (1870-1871), and the capitulation of the French armies, which

partially resulted from the superiority of the Prussian train convoys, which locally used double passages.

But displacement of heavy rails posed real problems and requested numerous soldiers. Therefore, he made, in 1874,

short, easily transportable, quickly assembled or disassembled rail sections (gudges).

Prussian, British and lately French Military and civil companies were soon interested in the Decauville trains, which

were used in the Maginot Line* but also in Egypt, Palestinia and Syria.

*Jean-Pascal Soudagne and Patrick Mérienne 2006: L’Histoire de la Ligne Maginot. Le Grand Livre du Mois Ed. 127 p.

In Belgium, the first implementation took place in the phosphate quarries of Ciply and Cuesmes and the Clay pits of

Ciply and Ghlin, from 1872 at Ciply, to 1992 at Ghlin. These little Decauville trains were used in different Clay Pits:

Boom, since 1873, and Terhaegen since 1874.

6.2. Ancient location

As suggested in Géominpal Belgica 4, it is important to realise where the S.V.K Clay Pit 4 was located in the geological

age, or at the time of sedimentation of the three concerned Formations : the Ruisbroek Sands Formation, the Sint

Niklaas Phosphorite Bed and the Boom Clay Formation, which are comprised between 38 and 32.8 million years.

Admitting an average secular plate moving 1 to 5 centimetres per year in the northwestern direction, SVK Clay Pit 4

was located between 20 to 100 km of the actual position of the Great Pyramid of Kheops. (See Bibliography: BLESS &

FERNANDEZ-NARVAIZA, 2000). This means a subtropical position. For more details, see paragraph 22.1.

Miocene, Pliocene-Pleistocene and Holocene Sediments (Plate 2 and Plate 3)

The Boom Clay Member is covered by deposits attributable to the Miocene, Plio-Pleistocene and Holocene Periods.

Holocene deposits (Plate 2 and Figure 3)

The Holocene deposits consist of yellowish eolian loam (loess). (See comments p.: 105).

Plio-Pleistocene deposits (Plate 3: Figure 1)

The Plio-Pleistocene deposits consist of a mixture of grind and shell fragments. (See comments p.: 105). It was

sometimes possible to distinguish two masses in these deposits.

One lower mass beginning by a basal gravel with small rolled septaria fragments and poorly preserved Neoselachii

teeth, followed by another mass of extremely fragmented mollusca shells englued in a sandy-loamy mass.

The small invertebrata fragments collected inside the largest shells were also very badly preserved and englued in a

pure loamy sediment. This last level was also visible in the three old clay pits at Tielrode, on the western side of the

Maas River.

Miocene deposits (Plate 3: Figure 2)

The Miocene deposits consist of dark green sandy glauconite marine sediment preserved in more or less extended lenses

always presenting a basal grind. These basal grinds always contained vertebrate remains. (See comments of Plate 3,

fig.:2, p.: 105).

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Quaternary Profile drawn by Roland Paepe in 1957

Archives B.G.S.: S.V.K. Clay Pit: 42 W 190

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6.3. Justification of the name of this Stratigraphical Unit

The choice of the name of the Type Locality

The S.V.K. Clay Pit, where the fossils listed in this Paper were found, is located on the municipality of Belsele. In the

ancient Collections of the Archeological Circle of Sint Niklaas (O.K.L.V.W.: Oudheidkundige Kring van het Land van

Waes), reclassified by the senior-author, in 1983, a small lot of intern moulds of Mollusca and two Stomatopoda

burrows were found with a short label precising: Gift of Mister Van Raemsdonk, S.V.K. Claypit, 22 May 1902. In 1902,

the extraction pit of S.V.K. was still on the territory of Sint Niklaas.

The choice of the mineralogical name of this Unit

Only the fossil remains discovered in this Bed are constituted by phosphateous compounds. The principal volumetric

mass (more than 99%) of its compounds is concretioned iron sulphurs.

It would, of course, have been better to choose Sint Niklaas Siderite Bed. Sometimes paleontologists have the same

reactions as these of the gemstones or gold prospectors. Modification of the name would only have resulted in making

the local lithostratigraphy more confuse.

7. Sediments:

Sand and glaucony grains, pebbles, kaolinite bullets,

adopted methods and volume of the sifted sediment (Plate 8 to Plate 16)

After some tests executed in situ during our first visit on the site, it was obvious that the superposition of sieves of 5mm

mesh on 2.5mm mesh, and on 1mm mesh would be the best solution. Small quantities of the sediments, from different

sectors of the Clay Pit of the site, were sifted on 0.125mm mesh.

The variations of the natural water level, being in direct relation with the pluviometry, made that sometimes the Sint

Niklaas Phosphorite Bed was above the water level and nearly dry. But most of the time* it was just below the water

level.

*This was the case for all the prospecting campaigns of Frederik Mollen’s Team, making it difficult to proceed to in situ

observations.

The Technical Direction of the Company S.V.K. authorised us to slightly modify the draining system of their Clay Pit,

by a network of small irrigation channels descending North – South or North-West – South-East.

To obtain the 15cm to 20cm depth, indispensable for the sifting operations in the two more southern prospected areas,

we built little dykes. After prospection, these dykes were demolished and the draining network, conceived by the S.V.K.

engineers retrieved its normal efficiency.

The total volume of the sorted sediment, by me and my collaborators, of this Horizon may be estimated at circa 60 m³.

The area concerned by our explorations and sediment extraction covered was circa 1.200 m².

The top of 600 m² was carefully cleaned, and more than 500 m of cross section allowed us to make in situ observations

and also some taphonomical preparations.

The successive Technical Directors of the Company S.V.K. also helped us by giving us a permanent entrance

authorisation to their clay pits and the help of their technical logistics (such as excavators).

The senior-author and his field-friends are particularly grateful to the technical Director of S.V.K., Mister Ir. Jan

Trommelmans, who informed us as soon as this Horizon was again accessible.

After the first scientific prospection by our Dutch colleagues A. Janssen en M. van den Bosch, in 1971, this Horizon

was rediscovered by the senior author, in company of one of his friends and collaborators M. Didier Winderickx on a

hot summer day in 1995.

The water level was so low that it was possible to observe the upper part of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed, the whole

section of this Horizon and the forty centimetres of the upper part of the Sands of Ruisbroek.

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Hendrik Goossens and Frans Moorkens, our two last Belgian Geological Survey technicians, helped me to clean

carefully a first surface of 80 meters length on 5 meters width, allowing us to make plenty of in situ observations, which

were completed by the extraction of six incredibly heavy and unconsolidated blocks, destined for taphonomical

observations.

Two other workmen* of the Belgian Ministry of Economic Affairs helped us, on a Sunday, for the removal of these

heavy blocks from the deepest level of the Clay Pit to the road.

*MM. Gérard Brogniet and Serge Steyaert, interested in all the scientific aspects of the research.

Dr. Etienne Steurbaut (I.R.S.N.B., Department of Paleontology, Brussels, Belgium) and Dr. Prof. Noël Vandenberghe

(K.U.L., Geology, Leuven, Belgium) seem to have been the only Belgian scientific colleagues interested in our

prospections.

8. Taphonomical observations

8.1. Preliminary (Plate 17 to Plate 24)

Six difficult, but scientifically very important, taphonomical preparations were implemented in the summer 1995 by

Marcel Vervoenen (Collaborator of the Belgian Geological Survey). These allowed a lot of observations and a very fine

interpretation of the successive layers composing this complex Horizon.

These taphonomical preparations demonstrated that the lowest part (See Plate 17) of the conglomerate consisted of a

strong concentration of different morphological kinds of massive and heavy greyish siderite (iron sulphides)

concretions, mixed with numerous perfectly rounded pebbles. The space between these concretions was filled with

slightly glauconitic sand.

The intermediary part of the mass of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Horizon (See Plate 23 and Plate 24) seems to have

been the only one that contained large marine Vertebrate remains.

The upper parts of the conglomerate also contained numerous heavy siderite (iron sulphides) concretions, but obviously

more white sand grains.

The enclosed Invertebrate or Vertebrate remains were randomly dispersed and never preferentially oriented. (See Plate

18 to Plate 22).

The basal part (See Plate 20) of the conglomerate contained only fine whitish sand cores, some rounded glaucony cores

and some tube-shaped concretions.

All these siderite concretions, particularly those from the upper part of the conglomerate presented a greyish colour but,

after natural oxidation, they quickly turned to a yellowish colour and later to a dark brownish colour.

In conclusion, the matrix of this fossiliferous Horizon consisted of rounded pebbles, angular agates, iron sulphide

concretions, median sized to fine sand and glauconitic grains.

8.2. Operations succeeding the extraction and the removal of one block

1. Liberation of the block.

This evident first phase requests very delicate manipulations of the block to avoid its disintegration. Particularly if the

block consists of an association of compounds of very different sizes and nature.

2. Drying phase

This second phase requests a duration varying in function of the sedimentological constitution of the block. If

dominantly sandy, this duration will be very short, if dominantly clayish, longer.

3. Searching for fossils

This third phase requests just delicate movements of fine brushes and, when a fossil appears, the use of fine pencils to

put this fossil in evidence without separating it from the taphonomical surface.

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4. Consolidation or protection of the fossils

This phase is as delicate as the preceding ones because it requires an estimation of the difference between the porosity

of the fossil and of its embedding sediment.

When using the Acetone-Velpon glue method, three parts of Acetone for one part of Velpon glue, seems to be the best

proportion. An important advantage of this method is that the fossils needed for studies are always extractible by

acetone dissolution of the Velpon glue.

When using the Water – waterproof Bison glue, the dilution of the glue may be much more important, which allows a

deeper penetration of the glue. The disadvantage of this method is that when completely dry, the glue cannot be

dissolved any more.

Geologists prefer the second method to consolidate samples* they want to preserve intact for future generations.

*Such as contacts between two lithological Units, or large sedimentological structures.

5. Finishing touch

This phase is only necessary if the Acetone-Velpon glue method was used. This consists of adding other Acetone-

Velpon glue layers, which may be considerably less diluted.

The addition of these last layers has two important consequences. The first is that these layers increase considerably the

brilliance of the carapace of the most primitive marine Arthropoda, such as the Stomatopoda, the Isopoda, the

Phyllocarida, the Xiphosura and the primitive Decapoda. This brilliance makes them more difficult to photograph.

And the second consequence is that these layers deeply impregnate the more porous structures such as the carapaces of

the more evolved Decapoda, suppressing the relief of their carapace and making these very difficult to distinguish on

pictures of low resolutions. (See Plate 21).

6. Strange discovery (Plate 52: Figure 1 and Figure 2)

Except the numerous agate and kaolinite fragments already mentioned, the preparation N°110 contains the extern mould

of three complete rostrums of one primitive undetermined Belemnitida.

This fossil is the second fossil demonstrating that during the Eocene-Oligocene Transition some* fossils were carried

from South Anglia to the Belgian Basin.

*In fact, only three Mesozoic fossils were found in the Taphonomical preparations of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed: These

belemnoid rostrums and one pentacrinid element of its pedonculum (Plate 51: figs.: 2a and 2b).

7. Data furnished by these Taphonomical Preparations

In addition to the detailed observations they have made possible to realize (See comments of the Plates 17 to 24, pp.:

113 to 115), they demonstrated that the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed are constituted by three distinct masses.

The first mass consists of a first conglomeratic assemblage regrouping the elements of the Ice Time and the Interglacial

Time deposits and the largest part of the Invertebrate and Vertebrate fossils of this Unit, extracted from one (lower)

level of the Ruisbroek Sands. The second mass consists of one thin (3 to 5 centimetre) intercalary whitish sand mass, resulting from the lixiviation of

one sterile part of the Sands of Ruisbroek.

And the third mass consists of a second conglomeratic assemblage resulting from the lixiviation of the upper part of the

Sands of Ruisbroek, also fossiliferous.

9. The nature and the possible origin of the pebbles

The pebbles (See Plate 12, fig.: 2) represent a collection of highly diversified Mesozoic and Cainozoic silicified

elements of different sedimentary formations and of some metamorphic Paleozoic rocks.

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The dimensions of these pebbles vary from 6 mm to 45 mm. Their sections could be perfectly circular, more or less oval

and more or less flattened. The largest of these were perfectly polished: the smallest ones were principally angular and

presented more or less polished angles.

Some of these pebbles presented compressed eyelike figures, and some others showed obvious scratching traces on the

whole periphery. These two types of figures are typical for siliceous stones compressed in a frozen mass.

Their presence, incompatible with the climatic environment during the formation of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed

implies an alluvial transport and the existence of an ancient glacial paleosol far anterior to the sedimentation of the

Ruisbroek Sands.

The Paleozoic pebbles are rolled fragments of different quartzite veins, the majority of these pebbles show a glossy

white colour, some others contain red small irregular veins and other ones present superficial remains of green

chloritoïd schist. These types of rocks are very common in the Paleozoic of the Walloon Brabant.

The Mesozoic pebbles are represented by numerous flat oval, nugget like, black fragments of flints of Upper Cretaceous

age. Such kinds of flints are commonly encountered in the eastern part of Belgium (Province of Limburg and Province

of Liège).

The Cainozoic pebbles are represented principally by numerous glauconiferous, egg like, whitish rolled sandstones with

green spots of Lower Lutetian age. Some others are light brownish rolled sandstones of Upper Landenian age.

Such kinds of mother-rocks are very common in the eastern and the south-eastern part of Belgium. In the fraction

between 6mm and 2mm, numerous kaolinite fragments are discernible such as numerous agate fragments with blunted

angles (See Plates 8, 9 and 12).

Numerous fragments of diverse colours of plurimillimetric zoned agate were found in our sifting-residues. Similar little

fragments are known (personal communication of Dr. M. Deliens of the Mineralogical Department of the I.R.S.N.B. -

Brussels and Dr. Prof. Noël Vandenberghe K.U.L. Leuven) from the Inner Hebrides Islands, the Far Oë Islands and the

Orkney Islands. (See Plates 10 and 11).

The existence of eurytes in the Hebridean zone was a last surprise. The numerous kaolinite fragments found in our

sifting residues of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed may have the same origins as the agate fragments. This supposition

requests future additional chemical analyses.

All these observations confirm the existence of a very intensive glacial period and a post-glacial period at the end of the

Upper Eocene in our countries, already largely demonstrated in other countries (see Bibliography: PROTHERO, IVAN,

& NESBITT 2003).

An additional biological observation: some ovoid organic pellets superficially covered by sands were also found in the

same sedimentary fraction.

10. The concretions (Plate 28 to Plate 48)

In this category, are regrouped all the aggregates of mineralogical particles and of animal and vegetal corpuscles

cemented by animal secretions or animal faeces (biological origin) and by chemical process (geochemical origin).

10.1. Concretions of biological origin

This distinction regroups all the aggregates constituted, exclusively, of mineralogical particles, such as sand or silt

cores, cemented by animal secretions for the construction, or consolidation of the walls of their burrow, and also all the

animal faeces.

Construction of tubes, burrows or galleries

Diverse taxa of Annelida, Crustacea and Teleostei cemented, and still cement, the walls of their, more or less complex,

burrows or underground galleries with biochemical secretions.

Plenty of the collected concretions result from the voluntary biochemically induration of their burrow or underground

gallery. When the biochemical cement was resistant enough, their burrow or gallery survived its inhabitant.

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Smaller animals sometimes took - but here rarely - profit of these abandoned constructions. When such providential

habitations are just filled by fine whitish silty to sandy cores*, it means that the death of their owner was quite sudden

and that it was winds or sea streams that have filled them.

*By clay particles in a clayish environment.

It is very important to mention that many small oval concretions were prolonged by a chimney-like structure of which

the diameter decreases progressively (See, particularly, Plates: 31, 32 and 33) and present numerous successive

sequences of alternative sedimentation phases of extremely fine silt cores (about 80 -100 microns) and very coarse sand

cores (1mm to 2mm).

One possible interpretation of this phenomenon is the following. One small invertebrate cemented its resting place just

below the sea bottom. It was built with coarse sand cores, with their acuminated angles pointing out, and was exposed

to a quick acceleration of the sedimentation.

It then tried to build a narrow exit, but finished to move away, or to be stuffed in its habitation (See Plate 31).

The other important observations made on this little concretion indicate that the speed of sedimentation increased very

quickly. If admitted that each thin silt layer resulted from a calm high tide and each coarse sand layer resulted from a

more powerful tide, the two following deductions make sense.

A first deduction: the sudden increase of the arrival of sediments indicates a more intense erosion of the source of

sediment, which suggests a sudden increase of the inclination of the sedimentation plan. This can only result from its

tipping over in the northern to north-west direction. This enhances the idea of the re-activation of some Paleozoic

faulting network having affected the Brabant Massif.

Second deduction: the coarse sand strata indicate a sudden instability of the sea bottom, resulting from violent tectonic

events.

Some rare biochemical concretions (See Plates 42 and 48) were formed by the mass of Bacteria and putrefied flesh of

parts of the vertebral column of elasmobranches, sometimes still accompanied by the remaining oval trace of the

insertion of a dorsal fin.

Three stomach contents of a large fish, not necessary an elasmobranch, was also found with the part of a small vertebral

column (See Plate 42: figs.: 4, 5 and 6). Plus two ingested long bones of undetermined vertebrates. (See Plate 42, figs.:

2 and 3).

10.2. Faeces, called coprolites when fossilised

Mollusca faeces

The faeces of some Gastropoda are the easiest to recognise, because they frequently remain in the last spires of their

shell, which is the normal position of their intestine.

Faeces of the other groups of Mollusca are more difficult to identify because they were rarely found in situ.

Crustacean faeces

Supposed faeces of unknown Crustacea are very common in the different strata of the Uppermost Maastrichtian, in

Belgium and the Netherlands, where they characterise one precise Horizon of the Tuffeau of Maastricht called The

Coprolites Horizon.

This discreet level is intensively researched by paleontologists for its richness in perfectly preserved Chondrichthyes

teeth. But this Horizon is, singularly, poor in crustacean remains which are also, at least partly, phosphateous fossils. A

serious doubt remains for this centuries old attribution.

In his on-line Course concerning the Petrography of sedimentary rocks, Professor Frederik Boulvain (ULg) reproduces

a very interesting photograph of crustacean spherical faecal pellets on an Australian beach.

The form of the aperture of the burrow visible on the same photograph allows attributing this burrow to an Annelida

polychaeta but not to a species of a Uca-like Decapoda.

For the first perfect illustrations of Invertebrata coprolites*: See Bibliography: BUCKLAND 1835: pl.31: fig.: 16.

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*Coprolites is in fact an English miss-spelling, because the ethymology of this word would entail the spelling coprolithes, meaning

lithified faeces. But coprolites was admitted by the English Royal Academy in 1835.

Vertebrate faeces

The faeces of the diverse groups of marine vertebrates are fairly better known because they were discovered in the

fossilised skeleton of their producers, such as the worldwide known coprolites of Macropoma mantelli AGASSIZ, 1835, a

Cenomano-Turonian primitive fish, or the long assemblage of faeces of diverse teleostei that can be seen in an

aquarium.

Reptiles, Birds and Mammals faeces are also directly observable in all possible environments. Those of the

Elasmobranches are poorly known.

Some large and massive or, more or less, segmented biological concretions may be considered as those of large

undetermined elasmobranches. Supposition, admissible when these faeces contain bones of smaller elasmobranches

and, or, other remains of vertebrates.

One concretion seems (See Plate 42, fig.: 6) to be the content of a stomach of an elasmobranch of 2-3 meter length. The

delicate intern casts of fish intestine were also discovered (See Plate 34, figs.: 2a and 2b). The traces of the little

contractor muscles are perfectly recognisable on S.E.M. photographs.

Vertebrata coprolites first illustrations: See Bibliography: BUCKLAND 1835, pl.31.

10.3. Concretions of biochemical origin

An intensive geochemical process, succeeding to a biological process, has produced another kind of concretions. This

kind of concretions* represent 60 to 65 %* of the volume of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed. The rest is constituted of

silt and sand cores (25 to 30 %), glaucony cores circa 5 % and the Phosphorite, only represented by Crustacean

carapaces, Vertebrate remains or faeces, which means less than 3 %.

*These concretions were obviously more concentrated in the Southern Sector than in the Northern Sector.

The large siderite concretions resulted from the concentric development of a symbiotic association of bacteria and

calcareous algae around the emerging part of the burrows of a species of the Genus Cerianthus (See Plate 60: Fossil

Anthozoa and Plate 61: Living Anthozoa).

11. Glaucony grains, kaolinite fragments and presence of loess particles

11.1. The glaucony grains (See Plate 8, fig. 1)

The glaucony grains were not affected by chemical degradation. They have a median diameter size varying from 0.35

mm (northern part of the prospected area) to 1mm (south-eastern part of the prospected area). Both sand grains and

subspherical glauconitic grains seem not having been affected by wind (eolian desert patina). They were only slightly

rounded, which may result from a subaquatic stream (See Plate 8 and Plate 9).

11.2. The kaolinite fragments (See Plate 9, fig. 1)

Etymology

According to d’Entrecolles (1712) the word kaolin finds its origin in the two Chinese words: kao, meaning high and

ling meaning hill, one hill located near King-to-Chen (Yunnan, China), where the finest kaolin was extracted for the

production of luxurious porcelain recipients for many centuries.

The word kaolinite designs a rock for the greater part composed of kaolin grains. The kaolinites, according to Foucalt

and Raoult (1984: p. 175) and Asselberghs (1920: p. 1059) are whitish and powdery. They result, mainly, from a long

and intensive superficial alteration. It is a refractory rock used for the production of porcelain, earthenware and paper-

paste.

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Granulometrically, the kaolinites are composed of whitish very fine, to colloidal, elements. The kaolin cores have a very

high refracting power and were, from the end of the fifteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century,

intensively researched, before chemical products having a higher refracting power could be made.

On the field (e.g.: In the neighbourhood of Genappes, in the Walloon Brabant, Belgium) the principal networks

affecting these rocks are easily visible, but their intern, Holocene finer fragmentation network is less, if not, detectable.

Utility

From the Middle Ages to the First World War, kaolinite blocks were crushed to obtain a very fine powder in order to

produce a fatty liquid which was poured into different moulds, allowing the production of many daily utensils. One of

its most popular uses surely was the production of white pipes clay*.

*The Firm Gambier has produced an incredible number of different head-models for these pipes, intensively researched by some

collectors. The old Catalogue published in 1897 by Hasslauer’s widow and De Champeaux is presently freely accessible (On PDF)

on the following site: http://www.claypipes.nl/buitenland/frankrijk.

Kaolinite blocks are only destructible in two ways: by compression (an artificial process) or by cryogenisation (a natural

process), frequently occurring during Ice Time periods.

Kaolinite rocks are common rocks in the Canton of Nivelles (Walloon Brabant, Belgium). The senior-author had

himself retrieved the location of different old kaolin exploitations by airplane prospections (1989 - 1990). (See

Bibliography: LADEUZE 1990).

11.3. The loess particles

The presence of a loessic accumulation, older than the formation of the lower part of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed

was deduced from two observations.

Muddy pebbles of kaolinite

In our sifting residues, we relatively frequently observed multicentrimetrical rolled subspherical or ellipsoidal masses of

a yellowish ‘clay’. The surfaces of these clayish pebbles had fixed different constituents of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite

Bed, including eolised fragments of versicoloured agates and some elasmobranch teeth (See Plate 14).

This means that the matrix of these yellowish ‘clay’bullets was, geologically speaking, more recent than the eolisation

of the versicoloured agate fragments, and, younger than the sand cores, the glaucony cores and the elasmobranch teeth

adhering on their peripherical surface.

Mat Fossil remains

All the Invertebrata and Vertebrata of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed generally requested a second washing, because

their surfaces were lightly covered by yellowish clay particles and the vascularisation radicular pores of the root of the

elasmobranch teeth, were more or less filled by the same particles.

These observations do confirm the existence of a more or less long emersion phase. During a long time, after the end of

the Eocene or during the beginning of the Oligocene, a deltaic river system existed. It lixiviated the top of the Sands of

Ruisbroek, eroded different cretaceous and caenozoic Formations, washed out part of a postglacial loessic deposit and

part of a glacial desert pavement.

But, when the sea came back, the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed remained under marine waters for a long time.

11.4. The important difference between the sedimentological signification

and the mineralogical signification of the term Clay

For non-geologists, it could be useful to take into account the different significations of the terms: Loess, Clay, Silt and

Sand.

Sedimentitologically (Size consideration)

In this approach, the mineral composition has no importance. Colloïds - Clays - Silts - Sands - Gravels - Pebbles, is a

classification in function of the granulometric size.

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The size criterion adopted was generally* the following: the fraction inferior to 2 microns is called Colloïd, the fraction

between 2 and 63 microns is called Clay, the fraction between 64 and 125 microns is called Silt, the fraction

between126 and 250 microns is called Sand, the fraction between 251 and 500 microns is called Grind.

The fraction coarser than 500 microns is called little Grind (or Gravels) and coarser than 1 cm is called Pebbles

(Belgian Geological Survey conception*).

*The Recent Official International Standard Size Definition is quite different (See Bibliography: MEULEN & Alii 2002).

The loess accumulations were considered to be constituted of particles inferior to 65 microns (Belgian Geological

Survey conception) and considered as eolian deposits following a Glacial Ice Period.

Mineralogically (Chemical consideration)

In this approach, it is the mineral composition which is of importance. Colloids and Clays are considered as more or

less geochemically affected Aluminium (or Iron) silicates.

Silts and Gravels are considered as oxides of Silicium. Gravels and Pebbles are, more or less, complex assemblages of

sedimentary and metamorphic materials.

12. Some significant absences

Volcanic ashes, black micas (Biotite group) and white micas (Muscovite group) were never observed in this Horizon.

The absence of the two first signifies that no volcanic activity occurred in the nearest regions of its sedimentation. The

absence of the third signifies that no sedimentary deposits, sands or sandstones, or metamorphic rocks containing white

micas were affected by the erosion during the time of its formation.

During the sedimentation of the uppermost part of the Brussels Sands Formation (See Bibliography: HERMAN,

D’HAEZE & VAN DEN EECKHAUT 2010), the presence of Biotites, was considered to be residues of volcanic

intrusions, and demonstrate that, at least, one eruptive phase may have occurred in the Flemish Brabant during the

uppermost sedimentation of this Formation.

13. Possible origins of the different elements constituting the sediments

The white sand and glaucony grains may come from the first older marine Formation containing these two components

in a southern area of Sint Niklaas. If so, then the lower part of the Sands of Brussels deposits of the Walloon Brabant,

could be a source because of the similitude of the morphology and the variation of the dimension of their grain size.

In the localities of the Walloon Brabant such as Maransart, Plancenoit and Promelles, the Sands of Brussels present the

same range of variations of morphology and grain size. At Maransart, the quantity of glaucony grains is just a little

higher than the one of the Sands of Ruisbroek at Sint Niklaas.

The upper part of the Sands of Brussels deposits in the Brussels area may be excluded, because it contains small

spangles of Biotite (See Bibliography: HERMAN, D’HAEZE & VAN DEN EECKHAUT: 2010).

The Sands of Lede (Middle Lutetian, formerly called Ledian stage) in the Flemish Brabant could also be suggested as

origin of a part of the finest grains of the Sands of Ruisbroek at Sint Niklaas, but these sands contain no glaucony.

14. The range of the dimensions of the diverse fossils

and the choice of sieves

14.1. Generalities

This chapter concerns all the sedimentological elements, mineralogical elements, ichnofossils and fossils that our

different research groups found in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

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It describes the quite unknown vertebrate remains, additional invertebrate remains and completely unknown

ichnofossils.

14.2. Details

The number of collected elasmobranch teeth rises up to 8.380. The sorting of the fine parts of the residues is now

completely finished, but we never encountered teeth smaller than 5mm for the Elasmobranchii (Heterodontus anterior

teeth, and Bythaelurus teeth) or two millimetres for the smallest Batomorphii teeth (Raja lateral teeth).

Taking into account this essential observation, resulting from many tests on finer mesh, it seemed reasonable to use

only two different superposed sieves, one of 2.5 mm mesh (to be sure not to miss the smaller teeth) and the other of 1cm

mesh.

This choice enabled us to collect quickly, on the field, all the bigger and heavier concretions, and also, to avoid a

maximum of damage to all the invertebrate and vertebrate remains.

If some crustacean and mollusc remains were lightly damaged, it resulted from the sporadic use of a light U.S. Army

mattock or a rounded Spanish spade.

Elasmobranch teeth smaller than 4 mm, such as commissural teeth of Heterodontidae or Odontaspididae were never

found. This observation makes us think that, during the lixiviation, an important size selection also occurred.

The majority of the elasmobranch teeth were collected in the lower part, or just below, the massive conglomerate. Some

large teeth such as two of Carcharocles angustidens were found pointing out from the sandy wall of draining channels,

as well as three concretions surrounding complete specimens of Lysiosquilla sp. (Crustacea – Stomatopoda).

These observations harbour a very important signification. A significant part, if not all, of the elasmobranch teeth and of

the crustacean remains (Isopoda, Stomatopoda and Decapoda) were surely older than the beginning of the

sedimentation of the Boom Clay sensu stricto.

We may also presume that they were all, progressively extracted from one or different levels of the upper part of the

Sands of Ruisbroek.

The intern phosphate casts of the completely decalcified Mollusca, as well as the numerous perfectly preserved

crustacean remains, were discovered irregularly dispersed in the mass of the conglomerate, or exceptionally just below.

Strangely, the more massive and thicker the conglomerate was, the rarer the Elasmobranchii teeth were. The large

majority of the mollusc and crustacean remains were always scattered in the mass of the conglomerate.

Their strange re-concentration happened during the continuous lixiviation of the upper part of the Sands of Ruisbroek.

All the very tiny and extremely delicate teleostean bones were only discovered and collected on the top of the

conglomerate. Some of these delicate bones were still in articulation (dorsal fin spines). One of these articulated dorsal

spines still in articulation was illustrated in a previous paper (see Bibliography: VANDENBERGHE, HERMAN &

STEURBAUT: 2002).

15. Geographical extension of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed

The consultation of the private archives of the Family Scheerders van Kerchove revealed the very restricted extension

of this Horizon. This Horizon exists, with certitude, only at the bottom of the three last clay pits.

The descriptions of the boreholes surrounding the clay pits, kept in the Archives of the Belgian Geological Survey,

never mentioned this Horizon. But, the nearest boreholes are localised at 4 kilometres of the actual exploitation area,

and there, this Horizon is very thin and not clearly perceptible in such primitive borings.

The Archives of the Firm concerning different boreholes were lost during the Second World War.

16. Systematic list of the Bacteria, Ichnofossils and Pre-Oligocene Fossils

discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

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16.1. Bacteria

Remark concerning the Bacteria

When it was necessary to compare data concerning European fossil taxa with European living taxa, the senior-author

always used the following Treatises as a reference:

BOLD, H., C., ALEXOPOULOS, C. & DELEVORYAS, T. 1987: Morphology of Plants and Fungi (5th

Ed.) Harper

and Row. New York. 912 p. ISBN: 0-06-040839-1.

DROUET, F. 1973: Revision of the Nostocaceae with cylindrical trichomes (Formerly the Scytonemataceae and

Rivulariaceae). Hafner Press. 292p. I.S.B.N.: 0-02-844060-9.

DROUET, F. 2006: Revision of the Stigonemaceae with a Summary of the Classification of the Blue-green Algae.

Nova Hedwigiana. 66: 1-92. (On-line version freely accessible)

SINGLETON, P. 2005: Bactériologie: pour la médecine, la biologie et les biotechnologies. (6th Ed.) Dunod. 542p.

BACTERIA- Cyanobacteria

Remark

The former name of the Cyanobacteria was Cyanophyta.

Order Nocstocales (Bacteria filamentosa)

Family Nostocaceae EICHLER, 1886

This Family comprises, according to Drouet, 1973, the ten following Genera: Genus Nostoca, Genus Anabaena, Genus

Anabaenopsis, Genus Aphanizomenon, Genus Aulosira, Genus Cylindrospermopsis, Genus Cylindrospermum, Genus

Loefgrenia, Genus Nodularia and the Genus Wollea.

Cf. Genus Anabaena SAINT VINCENT ex BORNET & FLASH, 1886

Anabaena sp. (See Plate 49 and Plate 50)

Description of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed: Colonies constituted by numerous perfectly spherical multi-cell

chains. All the cells have a hyaline appearance. The last ones are the more voluminous.

These colonies seem to have grown on faecal pellets of one unknown crustacean species. They took their elegant hairy

moving form after the dissolution of the delicate coating of these pellets and were quickly dispersed.

The living Genus Anabaena is one of the four Cyanobacteria Genera that can produce toxins. (See Bibliography:

BOLD, ALEXANDROPOULOUS & DELEVORYAS, 1987).

Anaerobic Bacteria

Main characteristics

For anaerobic bacteria, oxygen is a toxic gas. To have a chance to stay alive, they need, theoretically*, a complete

absence of oxygen.

*For exceptions, see Bibliography: BOLD, ALEXANDROPOULOUS & DELEVORYAS: 1987.

They seem to need a relatively long time to sporulate, between two to ten days*. Aerobic bacteria sporulate much more

quickly.

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*Fact demonstrated by the multiple breeding tests effected in all the biological laboratories.

Anaerobic bacteria do not live in a stomach. This organ possesses a very acid pH and consequently constitutes a hostile

place for all the anaerobic bacteria.

But they are incredibly numerous in the three intestinal parts* of all the vertebrates, where the number of the specimens

of the different cohabiting species represent thousands of billions of specimens.

*End of the ileum, the caecum and the rectum.

Sporulating Bacteria – Additional Data

In 2010, the discovery of some fossil spore-forming Bacteria in the Belgian Middle Lutetian* was a real surprise.

*One colony discovered in the Basal Conglomerate of the Lede Sands Formation (See Bibliography: HERMAN & VAN DEN

EECKHAUT, 2010: illustrated on the Plate 41: fig.: 3 and compared with a recent North Atlantic colony, Plate 41: fig.4.

After a first hesitation, due to the fact that this colony was found in residues sorted after a short sieving in pluvial

waters, it was possible that its presence could result from a simple recent contamination.

According to different treatises concerning the Bacteria, the living forms of this group of Bacteria are known as

exclusively marine.

Such Bacteria were surely common if not very common, but it was not possible to explore the surface of all the

potential stone supports* of this conglomerate we have sifted with a SEM microscope, at a magnification of 500 times.

*Which represents many square kilometres.

It was a chance to detect one fossil presence of this group, the first discovered in the Belgian Eocene and, apparently, in

the European Cenozoic.

Important attribution rectification

The corpusculae figured on the same Plate 4 of Géominpal Belgica 1(Revised Edition): fig.: 2 are not spores of

Bacteria. They are micrometric assemblages of faeces of little lithophagous polychaetan annelids.

In fact, it is not the annelid itself but its symbiotic migrant bacteriae which bore the necessary holes allowing its

protection and its growing (See Plate 31 and Plate 32).

16.2. Ichnofossils

PORIFERA – Desmospongia

Family Clionaidae d’ORBIGNY, 1851

Genus Cliona GRANT, 1826

Cliona sp. (Plate 59 fig.: 2, Plate 60, Plate 61fig. : 3)

Discoveries: One complete intern mould of a large colony having parasited the opercular valve of a large and old

specimen of Pycnodonte callifera.

This colony is tridimensionally preserved and presents all the details of its growth phases. Hundreds of other presences

were discovered, all in the shells of Pycnodonte callifera and they could be attributable to the same Genus.

Habitat and distribution of the Genus Cliona

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This living Genus is a lithophage having a worldwide distribution. The numerous small species comprised in this taxon

are difficult to identify.

The Genus is particularly common along the western American Atlantic coasts and singularly diversified in the

Bahamas Islands. Laguna and reef environments seem to be the most favourable environments for these sponges.

The different living species of the Genus Cliona may grow in the shell of living Mollusca. They construct a continuous

net of rooms interconnected by short galleries. The colony may continue to grow after the death of its host.

See on Internet: Wikipedia, the free Encyclopaedia, on Images corresponding to Genus Cliona to obtain beautiful

colour pictures of different living species.

Bioerosion

The capacity of all the living species of Cliona to bore through different calcium carbonates is demonstrated by the

numerous holes of a diameter varying from 1mm to 4mm they bore in different (calcitic or aragonitic) Mollusca shells.

Their continuous growth results from the apparently permanent production of specific enzymes allowing their extension

at the interface of their cells and the substratum they are boring. (See Bibliography: CALCINAI, BAVESTRELLO,

CERRANO & GAGGERO, 2004, COBB, 1975, POMPONI, 1980, RUTZLER, 1974, RUTZLER, 1975 and RUTZLER

& KRIEGER, 1973).

Each boring cell uses a chemical agent to dissolve the encountered material, forming a tunnel corresponding to its size

and its form.

The boring cells move progressively from the initial tunnel in the direction of the bottom, reducing their gallery

progressively. During their progression, calcium carbonates particles of 40 to 60µ were isolated and extracted.

The sponge evacuates these particles mechanically through its exhaling channel. Only 2 to 3% of the perforated

material is really dissolved during this process (RÜTZLER & RIEGER, 1973).

The major part (97 to 98%) of particles is rejected as microscopic fragments showing very characteristic forms (See

Plate 32).

The movements of these etching cells, and the etching cells themselves, were identified by Rützler & Rieger in 1973.

The Genus Cliona is represented by at least six species (C. aprica, C.carribaena, C. delitrix, C. tenuis, C. varians and

C. vermifera) along the Bahamas Islands in the Carribean Sea. Cliona celata GRANT, 1826 is the most common

Mediterranean and East Atlantic species.

The most condensed data concerning Bioersosion are grouped in the Publication of KLEEMANN, K.2001 (28 pp.)

Freely accessible on the following Website:

http://www.sbg.ac.at/ipk/avstudio/pierofun/funpage.htm

Genus Entobia BRONN, 1837

Entobia sp. (Plate 26, Plate 59, figs.: 1a and 1b)

Entobia* is a trace fossil (Ichnofossil) frequently encountered in a hard substrate (typically a shell, rock or hard ground)

made of calcium carbonate formed by clionid sponges as a branching network of galleries, often with regular

enlargements called chambers.

*Entobia is a confusing designation proposed by some Ichnologists. The Family Entobiidae is an important Family of the Crustacean

Isopoda.

Aperture canals connect the outer surface of the substrate to the chambers and galleries so that the sponge can channel

water through its tissues for filter feeding (See Bibliography: BROMLEY 1970).

Such ichnofossils range from the Devonian (?) to the Recent period. (See Bibliography: BROMLEY 1970, TAYLOR &

WILSON 2003 and TAPANILA 2006).

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PORIFERA - Lithophaga

Family Spionidae GRUBE, 1850

Genus Meandropolydora VOIGT, 1965

Meandropolydora sp.

Frequency: In the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed, the presence of this Genus seems to be demonstrated by the numerous

sub- rectilinear or sinuous galleries on the isolated diverse Bivalvia decalcified shells.

Paleoecological signification: The Meandropolydora species attack the shells of dead molluscs, never those of living

molluscs.

Genus Polydora BOSC, 1802

Polydora sp.

Frequency

In the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed, the presence of this Genus seems to be demonstrated by the numerous circular

apertures of the vertical tubes observable on the surface of diverse Bivalvia shells. See Bibliography: BLAKE: 1974.

Paleoecological signification

The different living species of the Genus Polydora attack the shells of living molluscs in all the equatorial to the

temperate waters of the world.

ANNELIDA-POLYCHAETA

The presence of this highly diversified animal group can only be identified by the diverse calcareous tubes of the

Tubicola, or the perforation traces of the Lithophaga.

Polychaeta - Tubicola

Order Eunicida

Family Onuphidae KINBERG, 1865

The majority of the taxa comprised in the Family Onuphidae build tubes consisting of fine to silty sand cores cemented

by a mucus-like substance.

Some Onuphidae live semi-submerged in the substratum, but others carry their tubes around, and they can all rebuild

their tubes if necessary.

Genera of the Family Onuphidae discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed

Information concerning the diversity of the living forms: The World Register of Marine Species includes about 30

Genera in this Family. Only one of these thirty Genera of this Family was obviously present* in the Lower marine

Oligocene of Belgium of this region.

*A generic determination based on their fossilised burrows is, of course, an attempt to be more precise than: burrows of unknown

form of animals. But the literature concerning this subject is quite non-existent.

Cf. Genus Hyalinoecia MALGREN, 1867

Hyalinoecia sp. (Plates 25 and 26)

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Only 8 specimens of these annelid tubes were discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phoshorite Bed, in the southern area of the

SVK Clay Pit 4. These tubes are very similar to the tubes of the Indo-Pacific living species Hyalinoecia tubicola

MÜLLER, 1776.

The tubes of the different living species of the Genus Hyalinoecia are thin and parchment-like and are formed of bits of

shell and sand, with or without plant fragments, stuck together with mucus. The diverse Hyalinoecia species, such as all

the Onuphidae, are omnivorous scavengers, feeding on animal and vegetable remains.

Ecological signification: They request a strict marine environment. They are represented by diverse living species in

coastal and continental slope waters of Australia and New Zealand, but they were never researched in other countries.

Paleontological importance: These eight fossils are the oldest fossils of this group ever discovered in Belgium. Their

scarcity may also only be apparent, because of only the sieve-residues of fifty* litres of sediment, from the southern

sector, were carefully examined.

*Fifty litres of sediment represent approximately a quarter of the volume of phosphorites reconcentrated on one square meter of the

diverse prospected areas. This means that if eight animals were found on one square metre, more than thirty specimens of this species

were, possibly present per square metre. The sorting out of the sieve fractions having allowed the discovery of this taxon has required

10 to 12 hours.

Characteristics

The same characteristics as these of the Genus Hyalinoecia, but no vegetal remains were observed in the constitution of

their tube, formed exclusively by aggregation of small flat calcareous plates, resulting from the dislocation of the valves

of large ostreid bivalves, caused by diverse very active populations of clionid sponges.

The thickness of the wall of its small tube seems to be correlated with the concentration of the calcium carbonates of

the surrounding waters. (Observation made in 1970 by Dr. Ben Tursh, U.L.B. Professor and private shell collector).

Justification of the estimation of the depth of the sea during

the sedimentation and the lixiviation of the Sands of Ruisbroek

The different Ichnofossils attributable to diverse groups of Invertebrates living on the successive sea bottoms during the

last part of the sedimentation of the Sands of Ruisbroek indicate a minimal depth of a few meters, which was surely

enough for the last little teleostean fishes swimming between the massive concretions of the conglomerate covering the

sea bottom.

Between the local concentrations of heavy concretions surfaces existed constituted by whitish lightly glauconitic sand.

Both sand grains and glauconitic grains presented no trace of alteration by wind (eolisation).

The maximum depth of the same sea bottoms may be estimated at about thirty meters, because we have never observed

any marks of important storm disturbances (tempestites).

The relatively slow, but continuous, subaquatic stream progressively dispersed the sedimentary components constituting

the top of the Sands of Ruisbroek.

16.3. Pre-Oligocene reworked Fossils

Generalities

Unexpectedly, the following Pre-Oligocene fossils were found in the sieve residues or in some taphonomical

preparations: Three extern prints of the rostrum of one belemnoid Cephalopoda characteristic for the Lias of the

Dorsetshire (South England), one article of the stalk of one pentacrinid Crinoidea also characteristic for the Lias of the

Dorsetshire (South England), the intern mould of one characteristic tanaidacean Crustacea from the Belgian Lutetian

and three species of Gastropoda typical for the Upper Eocene of the Paris Basin.

Details

1. List of the Liassic Fossils

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CEPHALOPODA

Order Belemnitida

Family Belemnitidae d’ORBIGNY, 1842

Genus Passalotheutis LISSAJOUS, 1915

Cf. Passalotheutis paxillosus von SCHLOTHEIM, 1820.

(Synonym: Passalotheutis apidicurvata LISSAJOUS, 1927)

This fossil Genus is one of the most abundant and characteristic fossils for the Liassic Formations of Dorsetshire

(Southern England). It is generally associated with numerous shells of Asteroceras obtusum (SOWERBY, 1817) of the

Genus Asteroceras LYMAN, 1879 (Family Arietidae HYATT, 187, Ammonitida).

Its most common species is Passalotheutis apidicurvata, which seems to be a junior synonym of Passalotheutis

paxillosus von SCHLOTHEIM, 1820. See the following Special References.

Special References for these Liassic fossils

DOYLE, P. 2003: Mollusca-Belemnites in Fossils from the Lower Lias of the Dorset coast. The Paleontological guide

to fossils. London.13. 436p. See: 262-275, pls.: 45-47.

DOYLE, P., DONOVAN, D., T. & NIXON, M. 1994: Phylogeny and Systematics of the Coleoidea. Paleontological

Contributions (University of Kansas). 5: 1-15 (Text On-line).

HALL, R., L. 1985: Paraplesioteuthis hastata (Münster 1843), the first teutid species recorded from the Jurassic of

North America. Journal of Paleontology. 59: 871-876.

LISSAJOUS, M. 1927: Description de quelques nouvelles espèces de Bélemnites jurassiques. Travaux du Laboratoire

de Géologie de la Faculté des Sciences de l’Université de Lyon. 10(7): 1-42.

SCHLOTHEM, E., F. (von) 1820: Die Petrefaktenkunde auf ihrem jetzige Standpunkten durch die Beschreibung seiner

Sammlung versteineresten und fossilen Überreste der Tier –und Pflanzenreiches der Vorwelt erläutert. Becher’schen

Verlag. 114 p.

THOMEL, G. 1980: Ammonites. Editions SERRE. Nice. 227 p., 334 figs., 4 maps.

ECHINODERMATA

Order Asterida

Crinoidea

Family Pentacrinidae GRAY, 1842

Genus Pentacrinus BLUMENBACH, 1802

Cf. Pentacrinus sp. (Plate 51, figs.: 2a and 2b)

This fossil Genus is one of the most abundant and characteristic fossils for the Liassic Formations of Dorsetshire

(Southern England).

The classification of the Family Pentacrinidae* remains controversial. Even the Genera it may include are not clearly

defined and different authors prefer to use the generic appellation Pentacrinites GOLDFUSS, 1831 for such isolated fossil

remains.

*Family represented by many living and fossil Genera and species.

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For this study, the principal fact is that this type of Pentacrinid columnar article was of Liassic Age and may come from

the South of England.

2. List of the Eocene Fossils

CRUSTACEA

Order Tanaidacea

Generalities

Most Tanaidacea are marine animals, but some are also found in freshwater coastal habitats or estuaries. The majority

of species are bottom-dwellers in shallow water environments.

Some of them live in very deep water, exceeding 9.000 metres for some species. In some deep sea environment, they

represent the most abundant and diversified fauna to be found.

According to the last inventory: http://skaphandrus.com/pt/marine-species 35 Families of Tanaidacea exist including

more than 1.000 marine species.

The other living Tanaidacea which inhabit brackish* or fresh waters are represented by only four Genera.

*The different species of these Genera tolerate brackish waters, but with a hyalinity which may never surpass 13 grams per litre.

For more than 20 years the senior-author had the possibility to observe the growth and the behaviour of a very dense

population of Asellus aquaticus (LINNAEUS, 1753), Family Asellidae (Isopoda, Crustacea) in a small pond located in his

garden below a walnut tree.

This numerous population principally fed on the leaves of this walnut tree and on the larvae of one species of mosquito:

Culex sp.

Asellus aquaticus cohabited with millions of Daphnia pulex DE GEER, 1778 (Daphniidae, Cladocera, Crustacea) and

some freshwater sessile hydroids of the Genus Hydra LINNAEUS, 1758: Hydra sp.

Special References

BAMBER, R., N. 2008: Tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Pericarida: Tanaidacea) from Moreton Bay, Queensland In DAVIE,

P., J., F. & PHILLIPS, J., A. Eds.: Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The marine fauna and flora of Moreton Bay, Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature, 54(1): 143-

217.

BAMBER, R., N., BIRD, G., BŁAŻEWICZ-PASZKOWYCZ, M. & GALL, B. 2009: Tanaidaceans (Crustacea:

Malacostraca: Peracarida) from soft-sediment habitats off Israel, Eastern Mediterranean. Zootaxa, 2109: 1-44.

BAMBER, R., N., CHATTERJEE, T. & MARSHALL, D., J. 2012: Inshore apseudomorph tanaidaceans (Crustacea:

Peracarida) from Brunei: new records and new species. Zootaxa. 3520: 71-88.

GROBBEN, C. 1892: Zur Kenntnis des Stammbaumes und des Systems der Crustaceen. Sitzungsberichten der

Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften von Vienna. 101: 237-274.

JAUME, D. & BOXSHALL, G., A. 2008: Global diversity of Cumaceans and Tanaidaeceans (Crustacea: Cumacean

and Tanaidacea). Hydrobiology. 595(1): 225-230.

MARTIN, J., W. & DAVIS, G., E. 2001: An updated Classification of the Recent Crustacea. S. I.: Natural History

Museum of Loss Angeles. 132 p.

Family and Genus indet.

Thanaidacea indet.

The mould of its carapace demonstrates, doubtlessly, that this fossil is a characteristic Tanaidacean Crustacea.

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It was included in one of the extremely rare decalcified shelly concretions discovered in the southern sector. It was

reworked from the Belgian Lutetian. The existence of a Tanaidacea in this level was never mentioned before this

publication.

The moulds of the three species of gastropod Mollusca indicate that it was a shallow water tanaid species. A finer

determination requests primarily a careful comparative examination of materials of diverse generic taxa existing in the

Collections of the Recent Invertebrates Department of the I.R.S.N.B. (Brussels, Belgium).

MOLLUSCA – Gastropoda

Three characteristic Gastropoda from the Lutetian from the Anglo-Belgian-Paris Basin were easily identifiable on one

decalcified shelly concretion discovered in the southern sector: One Fasciolariidae, one Muricidae and one

Marginellidae.

This interesting decalcified concretion is in possession of one foreign collector who authorised its examination by the

senior-author but refused, after previous deceptions, to give this block to a Belgian Institution.

Family Fasciolariidae GRAY, 1853

Genus Clavilithes SWAINSON, 1840

Clavilithes noae (LAMARCK, 1803)

Only one extern cast of the quite complete shell of an adult specimen, included in a decalcified calcareous sandstone of

Lutetian Age (Lede Sands Formation?) was discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

Family Muricidae COSTA, 1776

Cf. Genus Murex LINNAEUS, 1758

Murex sp.

Only one extern cast of the quite complete shell of a nearly adult specimen, included in a decalcified calcareous

sandstone of Lutetian Age (Lede Sands Formation?) was discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

Family Marginellidae FLEMING, 1828

Genus Marginella LAMARCK, 1799

Marginella sp.

Only one extern cast of the quite complete shell of a nearly adult specimen, included in a decalcified calcareous

sandstone of Lutetian Age (Lede Sands Formation?) was discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

Comments concerning the presence of these three Lutetian Gastropoda in this Oligocene Formation

Upper Eocene (Lutetian) deposits existed and are, partly, still present* in the southern and the south-eastern areas of the

Province of Flemish Brabant, such as the numerous marine lenticular deposits made of shelly and vertebrate remains

accumulations, of the Brussels Sands Formation at Neder-Okkerzeel and Zaventem and in the northern area of Brussels

Regio, at Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.

*See: Géominpal Belgica 1 (Original Edition, printed in November 2010) and Géominpal Belgica 1 (Revised and

enhanced Edition), electronic publication in 2012 on the, freely accessible Website: www.geominpal.be

The sandy and silty compounds of the sands of Ruisbroek derived largely, if not exclusively, from the uppermost part of

the Belgian Lutetian deposits.

These Belgian Lutetian deposits also contain numerous local lumachellic sandstones. The fact that some of these,

completely decalcified, were discovered in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed is, sedimentologically, normal.

Their scarcity* indicate that the middle part of the deposits of the Sands of Brussels were not eroded or lixivied during

the constitution of the Ruisbroek Sands Formation.

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*Only two, decimetric-sized,of these decalcified lumachellic sandstone blocks are known.

Absence of other Pre-Oligocene Vertebrate Remains

The marine Pre-Oligocene Formations, covering the Ypresian Stage, of the northern superficial areas of Belgium are

represented by the succession of the following Formations: Asse Clay Formation (Assian1), Wemmel Sands Formation

(Wemmelian1), Lede Sands Formation (Ledian1), Laeken Conglomerate (Laekenian2) and Brussels Sands Formation

(Brusselian1). 1Disused Stage. 2Formation incredibly rich in Elasmobranch teeth of three completely different qualities of preservation.

The total absence of teeth* that could have been reworked from the laekenian level is a guarantee that the sand and silt

grains of the Ruisbroek Sands Formation have a terminal Eocene Age and that they came from the Lede Sands

Formation.

*Two of the most characteristic of these are teeth of Striatolamia macrota (AGASSIZ, 1838) and Nebrius thielensi (WINKLER, 1873)

abundant in all the Post-Oligocene Belgian deposits.

17. Additional remark concerning some ichnofossils discovered in different

valves of Pycnodonte callifera found in this Horizon

In our residues, we have also observed some isolated valves of this species extremely altered by a very strong oxide-

tion. These nine valves were observed, in situ, and collected 10 to 20 centimetres a little below the massive

concentrations of this mollusc.

These huge concentrations were classically considered as the base of the Boom-Clay Formation, but in this Publication

they are considered as built a little after the formation of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed and before the beginning of

the sedimentation of the lower more part* of the Boom Clay Member.

*Characterised by its richness in minute vegetal remains.

One of these reworked Pycnodonte valves contained a perfectly preserved colony of the Porifera of the Genus Cliona.

This colony* was completely replaced by a bristle manganese oxide, and showed its original three dimensional

configurations.

*This specimen, here presented, will be re-illustrated in Part Two (Invertebrata) of Géominpal Belgica 5.

18. Intensity of the decalcification during the formation of this conglomerate

The decalcification was obviously very strong. Foraminifera, Ostracoda, Mollusca shells and all the teleostean otolithes

disappeared completely. Only the chelicipedia of some Crustacea (Decapoda, Family Parthenopidae) have resisted to

this geochemical process.

The only proofs of the existence of a diversified mollusc fauna are the internal moulds of their shells. These moulds are

so decalcified and so rolled, that if their generic identification seems to remain relatively easy, a specific determination

is quite impossible.

The fossils of the different groups of Crustacea were much better preserved. Some were dislocated. But the quality of

preservation of the isolated parts, such as the telsons of the Stomatopoda of the Family Lysiosquillidae (Genus

Lysiosquilla – Lysiosquilla sp.) allows specific determinations. The study of this material has been committed to Dr.

Barry van Bakel (Naturalis Museum Leiden, NL).

19. General conclusions concerning the Oligocene deposits at S.V.K. based on

the study of the different Ichnofossils and mineralogical elements

19.1. Before the lixiviation phase, the Eocene - Oligocene transition.

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The complex composition of the Sands of Ruisbroek.

1°. A level with different kinds of rolled paleozoïc pebbles and plenty of small agate fragments, all obviously strongly

eolised proves the existence of a temporary emersion phase. Its elements are representative of a hot desert pavement.

Which sector of the upper part of the Sands of Ruisbroek has been desertified is impossible to precise, nor the exact

chronological time of this geological event.

At the special request of the senior-author, mineralogical analyses of these agatae were realised to precise the possible

origins of the circular multi-coloured agatae. These mineralogical examinations were carried out by Dr. Maurice

Deliens (I.R.S.N.B., Brussels, B).

2°. According to this eminent scientist, the Shetlands, Hebrides, and Orkney Islands metamorphic rocks* contain

similar agate, and consequently, he proposed these islands as being the origins of the agate discovered in the Sint

Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

*Many specimens of similar agatae are preserved in the collections of the Mineralogical Department of the British Natural History

Museum of London.

3°. Above this desert surface covered by all kinds of relatively small rolled pebbles, winds deposited a light yellowish

loamy mass of sediment (loess), which had been carried over long distances. This sediment is typical for a post glacial

period.

4°. Sporadically, a very particular marine waters action produced clay bullets, which adsorbed on their surface many

sediment grains, fragments of agate and sometimes elasmobranch teeth, when rolling on the sea bottom.

Such a kind of clay bullets may result from the up and down tidal circular movements of sea waters enclosed in a bay

with a poor aperture to the open sea (information from Hughes Doutrelepont).

It seems that it was, only, at Sint Niklaas that the upper part of the sediments of the Sands of Ruisbroek consisted of

lightly glauconitic sands (J. Herman’s and collaborators’ observations).

At Ruisbroek, type locality, they consisted of greyish silto-clayish sediments (Maarten van den Bosch’s observations in

the Rupel Tunnel).

19.2. The successive Oligocene deposits at S.V.K.

1°. The sandy, lightly glauconitic, sediments of the upper part of the Formation of the Sands of Ruisbroek suggest a

depth of at least 30 meters. Along the 600 meters of the cross section observable in situ in the southern section of the

clay pit, we never observed sedimentary structures such as tempestites.

These structures are the result of the action of the waves disturbing a sea-bottom sediment during important storms, and

very rarely disturb a bottom deeper than 25 meters.

The white sand grains and the green grains of glaucony are lightly rolled but not chemically corroded. Their median is

500 microns in the southern part of the clay pit, 600 microns in the south-eastern part and 350 microns in the northern

part of the prospected area.

Two very hot summers gave us the chance to observe in situ very long dried sections of the top of the Sands of

Ruisbroek.

Some crowns of very large shark teeth such as those of Carcharocles angustidens and those of Synodontaspis

acutissima, intern casts of molluscs and some consolidated burrows of stomatopod crustacean (Lysiosquilla sp.) were

pointing out from the sandy section.

2°. The upper layers of the Sands of Ruisbroek were progressively lixivied by a low, powerful, regular and continuous

stream.

This stream was probably a mass of fresh or brackish waters penetrating into a normal marine environment. The density

of freshwaters being lower than the density of marine waters, they are normally situated above these last ones and never

mix immediately.

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This stream progressively extracted diverse eolised pebbles, eolised agate fragments and fossils scattered (?), or already

concentrated in some precise layers (?) out of the mass of these sands. Then it re-concentrated these fossils erratically in

local concentrations of ferruginous concretions.

The higher frequency and the more important concentrations* of the heaviest shark teeth in the south-southeastern parts

of the clay pit suggest that the evoked stream eroded at first this sector, pushing the finest sediment particles and the

smaller fossils into the north-eastern direction.

*All these concentrations will be detailed in the third part of this study.

This seems confirmed by the lower frequency of the concentrations of the heaviest shark teeth and the higher frequency

of smaller teeth, particularly these of Batoïds, in the northern sector of the clay pit.

These facts give an indication concerning the orientation of this stream. The orientation deduced from these

observations is SSE –NNW.

The origin of this stream is logically the mouth of a river, maybe, displaced after some tectonic events. These tectonic

events may result from a far-distance resonance effect of the different Alpine orogenesis which began at this epoch.

The intern casts of the Mollusca, the crustacean remains and the majority of the marine vertebrate remains, as well as

the isolated valves of the first population of Pycnodonte callifera, originate from the upper strata of the Sands of

Ruisbroek.

This first population, by increasing the thickness of its ventral valve displaced the centre of gravity to the lower part of

their shell, in order to avoid the risk of dying by suffocation, as a result of the inversion of the position of the shell due

to the action of waves of a tempest disturbing the sea bottom.

Considering the fact we never observed tempestites marks, the thicker ventral valve of this first population of

Pycnodonte demonstrates their isolated mode of life.

Some ventral valves of this first population of Pycnodonte callifera were strongly injured by parasitic clionid sponges

but never by the pelecypod molluscs of the Genus Martesia.

3°. A short phase of emersion succeeded to the preceding phase. This one was responsible for the oxidation of the

ferruginous and the pyrite concretions.

This third phase seems to have been very short, so that the elasmobranch teeth show no desert (or eolian) patina.

4°. The sea came back, but the marine environment remained very shallow: littoral to intertidal waters. The large oyster

Pycnodonte callifera locally built very large banks.

Many of these oysters are connected between them, producing lateral agglomerates of two to four shells. This

agglomerate makes inversion of the position of the shells more difficult.

The thick ventral valve of their shell offered an ideal habitat for the installation of numerous specimens of the

lithophagous mollusc Aspidopholas peronii COSSMANN & LAMBERT, 1844.

It was certainly during this phase that different species of littoral little teleostean fishes proliferated. Their presence and

abundance is revealed by the thousands of vertebra and very delicate bones discovered with astonishment* in our

residues.

*They were absolutely preserved intact between all the massive concretions. Some of the poisonous spins of their dorsal fins had still

their original articulation.

Their presence is a sufficient argument to demonstrate the existence of this phase in the very complex conditions of the

formation of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed.

5°. It is only after these first four phases that the sedimentation of the Formation of the Boom Clay sensu stricto started.

The lowermost part of this Formation is marked by a clayish deposit very rich in micro-vegetal remains. In this part of

this Formation, it seems that nobody has ever discovered remains of vertebrate.

6°. After this fifth phase, a wadden type of sedimentation characterises the rest of the Formation of the Boom Clay. This

sedimentation consists of a very regular alternance of sedimentation of a purely clayish level followed by a silto-clayish

level. Some of these levels contain more or less massive calcareous concretions called septaria.

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In the S.V.K. clay pit, the exploitation wall was too steep to allow any prospections. In all the different clay pits

(Kruibeke, Niel, Schelle) where the wall was more inclined, prospections were made during more than twenty years.

All these attempts confirmed the very poor diversity of the main composition of the Chondrichthyes fauna of the Boom

Clay.

20. List of the taxa representing new records for

Bacteria and Ichnofossils of the Belgian Lower Oligocene

BACTERIA

Two distinct species of fossil Bacteria were discovered in the coprolites accumulated in the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite

Bed. The first one is a filamentosa Bacteria (See Plate 49 and Plate 50) and the second one is an intestinal Bacteria (See

Plate XX).

The first form was just liberated from the thin intestinal envelope enfolding an aggregate of coprolites of supposed

crustacean origin.

The chaplet-like chains of the filamentosa Bacteria seem to have moved, for a very short time, like hairs in the wind

before sporulating and dispersing their reproductive elements.

This species of Bacteria may be attributed to the Cyanobacteria (See comments on Plate 50, p.: 124), and more

precisely to the Family Nostocaceae EICHLER, 1865 of the Order Nostocales.

A generic determination approach allows supposing that this population of bacteria represents an ancestor of the Genus

Anabaena SAINT VINCENT ex BORNET & FLASH, 1886.

The second form was observed as numerous very small dispersed white dots in the intern lamellae of some coprolites,

apparently still aggregated in the intestine of their owner. Their micrometric spherical form without any ornamentation

allowed no precise determination.

ICHNOFOSSILS

Generalities

Different kinds of Ichnofossils* were discovered in the sifted residues of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed, including

more or less discreet boring activities of diverse lithophagous Porifera and obvious boring activities of diverse

polychaetan Annelida.

*In this Publication, the term Ichnofossil regroups all the forms of the presence of a living form embedded in the sediments. For each

particular ichnofossil discovered, the senior-author proposes a careful approach of determination of its architect.

The diverse fossilised burrows of other polychaetan Annelida, Pogonophora, Anthozoa and Crustacea are also included

in this category of pseudo-fossils, as well as all their rejections or faeces.

Diverse kinds of bacterial and algal concretions developed around hard or soft parts of living animal or vegetal

organisms or putrefying flesh remains are also regrouped in this category.

The intern stomach moulds with the remains of the last preys that were eaten or gulped down by diverse chondrichthyan

and teleostean vertebrates constitute the last lot of what the senior-author called ichnofossils.

Details

The different Taxa of Invertebrata that seemed possible to integrate in the list of Ichnofossils are the following: The

Porifera, the Annelida, the Pogonophora, the Anthozoa, the Crustacea and the Mollusca.

The different Taxa of Vertebrata that seemed possible to integrate in the list of Ichnofossils are the following: The

Chondrichthyes and the Teleostei.

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The Taxa of Plantae that seemed possible to integrate in the list of Ichnofossils is restricted to: Rhodophyta (Algae) and

mangrovial plants (Upper Plantae).

21. Some Biological Observations realised in the S.V.K. Clay Pit 4

Actual presences

Different interesting Insecta and Plants were encountered during our different prospections: local concentrations of two

species of Equisetales: Equisetum sp. and Equisetum sp., dispersed Orchidea, three species of Dragonflies, two species

of Dameselflies, important colonies of Gryotalpa gryotalpa and diverse recent Hemiptera and Coleoptera.

Important concentrations of Marchantia polymorpha LINNAEUS, 1752, were also, observed in the more humid places of

this Clay Pit.

Actual absences

All the common freshwater Mollusca, Amphibians, little Mammalia or freshwater Aves constituting the actual Belgian

Fauna were never observed during our prospections.

Diverse biologist friends were also surprised by the absence of all living forms in these narrow drainage channels and

stagnant isolated water places.

The high concentration of iron sulphides in the Boom Clay, producing strong acids very quickly, may be an explanation

for this singular phenomenon.

22. Additional explanations to Géominpal Belgica Special Paper

These paragraphs were written to answer some global problems evoked in this Special Paper.

22.1. Geographical position of SVK Clay Pit 4 during the sedimentation

of the Ruisbroek Sands Formation

Indisputable Facts

A simple drift of SVK clay pit 4 from an Australian position to its present position represents only a three-dimensional

curve of 40.000 kilometres long and, in this conception, the Early Oligocene position of SVK clay pit 4 was between

Torino and Milano, in a warm temperate sea.

But the conviction of Doctor Professor René De Vuyst (NL), the Geophysics teacher of the senior-author (1970-1971),

was that before following this last curve, the small Euregio Plate had executed a complete revolution on itself.

He estimated that such a revolution on itself, in the opposite direction of the main drift direction requested, at least, the

double of the distance than the one of the last phase.

This means a minimum of 120.000 kilometres and justifies the senior-author’s poetic evocations of the position of the

Great Pyramid and the position of the Temple of Abu-Simbel. But to justify his theory, Professor De Vuyst lacked

paleontological arguments.

Additional observations and deduction

The fact that all the fossil remains of the Fauna and the Flora extracted from the Sands of Ruisbroek and found in the

Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed are typical compounds of equatorial to sub-tropical seas is one serious argument to

demonstrate the validity of his hypothesis.

He would surely be satisfied to know that it was one of his ex-students who discovered these fossils with his field-

friends and who brought their geological implications to light.

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22.2. Photosynthesis 650 million years ago

Data

The possibility that, 650 million years ago, the day comprised only 20 hours instead of the usual 24 seems to change

nothing to the equilibrium between the day-night insolation.

In comparison with the present biosphere, the biosphere of the Earth 650 million years ago was hostile and contained

very little oxygen, but was very rich in different toxic gases which had a negative effect.

These last ones obscured the atmosphere, making the access difficult to the oceanic surfaces, where a very large

diversity of living forms was waiting for a significant increase of oxygen to initiate their conquest of the continents.

Deduction

Combining these two considerations, it seems logical that with a shorter day, the marine organisms received less solar

energy than today and that their photosynthesis possibilities were lower.

22.3. Original extension of areas affected by Tectonic Events

Source of this reflexion

The source of this very important problem is the anecdote evoked in Géominpal Belgica 4 (Supplement), p.: 3.

Implications

As suggested by André Dumont, if we carefully spread out all the pleated areas* of Europe, the resulting map of the

European continent will be very surprising in its longitudinal and latitudinal extensions.

*Resulting from the successive European Orogenic Phases, the first one here considered being the Caledonian Phase and the last one

being the Alpine Phase.

Plate 64, a comparison plate, shows a demonstrative sample of gneiss*. On this sample, the distance separating points 1

and 2 is 5.8 centimetres. But when following the sinuous line joining these two points, the bi-dimensional distance

separating these two points nears 30 centimetres.

*Gneiss are typical high-metamorphic rocks resulting from high to very high pressures, generally superior to one giga-Pascal, and

temperatures, of more than 600° Celsius. Lots of gneiss present an intense tri-dimensional folding structure.

What is called a sinuous line is in fact the approximate distance having existed between point 1 and point 2.

Approximate distance, because the different lateral movements do not enter in this count.

The only certitude is that the past Euregio* was a trigonospheric part of the Earth Globe, but completely different from

the actual Euregio.

*See Bibliography: BLESS & NARVAIZA-BARBA 2000.

This consideration decreases the credibility of all the previous paleogeographical reconstitution attempts, but makes it

easier to understand some of their contradictions. (See Bibliography: Orogenis and Plates Tectonics).

After having tried to reconstitute the Lower Devonian distance separating the outcrops visible along the Meuse River

between Namur Province of Namur, South of Belgium) and Givet (Ardennes Department, North of France), the senior-

author admits himself not to have an ideal model to propose.

The Paleozoic distance having existed between these two points, suggested by the names of present localities, varies

according to the different proposed models, between two to eight times of their present distance.

The different attempts* have, at least, demonstrated that the location where the fossils of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite

Bed were discovered was extremely remote from their actual location.

*See Bibliography: ADAMS & VANDENBERGHE, 1999, KENIS, VANDENBERGHE & SINTUBIN 2003 and COCKS &

TORVISK 2006.

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22.4. Position of the North Pole during the sedimentation

of the Sint Niklaas Phosphorite Bed

This problem results from the categorically* suggested origin of the numerous eolised zonar agatae fragments and from

the supposed origin of some Liassic reworked fossils**.

*Suggestion of Dr. Professor M. Deliens (UCL, Belgium) and Mineralogists of the British Geological Survey.

**Pentacrinites article and bellemnoid rostrae.

If correct, these polar sedimentological constituents had a North West origin and not a logical North origin. To try to

elucidate this delicate and enigmatic point, the senior-author waits for additional data*.

*Data awaiting the answer of diverse Scandinavian colleagues to the following question: May these eolised zonar agatae fragments

have a Scandinavian origin?

22.5. Forgotten ancient Naturalists and contemporary Naturalists

1. Frederik II von Hohenstaufen

This short paragraph was written to remind us that on the long way of scientific progress in Natural Sciences, other

personalities existed before us.

Not having any instruments at their disposal some people were able to make fundamental anatomical and stratigraphical

deductions from their observations.

After Archimedes (287-212 AC) and Plinius Altior (23-79 PC), the German Emperor Frederik II von Hohenstaufen

1194-1250* was surely one of the most clever naturalists of the Middle Ages.

*Bibliography: RADER, O. 2010 : Friedrich II. Der Sizilianer auf dem Kaiserthron. 592 p. ISBN: 978 - 3 - 406 - 60485 – 0

He was born in Ancona (Northern Italy). During his childhood, he was quite abandoned in Sicily, where he preferen-

tially frequented Sicilian fishermen, Greek and Muslim pirates with whom he learned Oriental Arab, classic Hebrew,

Sicilian dialect and Medieval Greek.

All living sea animals interested him, but very quickly his main interest turned to the abilities of the different species of

birds to fly.

When Imperator, his favourite birds were the falcons. He studied and perfectly described* the different kinds of their

plumes and understood their particular function. He also understood the advantage of possessing hollow bones and that

it is the take-off which requests the highest energy.

*Reference: The first Treatise on Falconry: De Arte Venandi cum Avibus (published in 1140). The manuscript is illustrated with

brilliantly coloured, extraordinarily life-like, accurate and minute images of birds.

By his diplomacy and his respect for the medical and astronomical knowledge of the Muslim Civilisation, he saved,

alone and without battles, the Franken Kingdom of Jerusalem for a century.

In North Lebanon, he visited the different lithographic calcareous stone exploitations and observed that fossil marine

fishes were present in, at least, three superposed levels. His deduction was that there had been more than one Flood,

requesting, at least, three successive Noahs.

Returning to the North of Italy he edified the strange Castle del Monte with one octagonal tower strictly devoted to

astronomical observations, each having a trigonospheric angular difference of 45 degrees.

2. Robert Garcet and his precise description of the stratigraphical succession

of the different morphotypes of flintstones in eastern Belgium

Robert Garcet (1912-2001) was one of the last flintstone-cutters of Eben-Emael (Liège Province, Belgium) and a

personal friend of the senior-author. He was an autodidact, only in possession of a primary school certificate but he

learned himself Aramean, Copt, Greek and Sanskrit. He is internationally known as the builder of the emblematic Eben-

Ezer tower, a monument erected for the transmission of a hopeful peace message to the future generations.

Geologically, he was the first to demonstrate that the flintstone banks of his regio are valuable stratigraphic tools. This

very important discovery was admitted by diverse geologists which never mentioned its name.

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Paleontologically, he has discovered and carefully disembedded different specimens of Mosasaurus (marine Dinosaurs)

and numerous remains of Maastrichtian sea-turles.

He was the first amateur-paleontologist to add very acute taphonomical observations to his discoveries and to

understand that evolution of diverse civilisations depended on micro-climatic changes.

3. The researchers who devoted their lives to the study of the ecological impact

of the global bio-mass of Insecta such as the termites and the ants

Concerning the CO2 production of theTermites and their resistance to radioactivity

It was a scientific documentary film* broadcast on the television channel ARTE: Die geheime Welt der Termiten. (First

broadcast: 16. 12. 2012), pointing out the long-life activities of two English researchers with their Kenyan assistant,

who suggested the following reflexions.

*With Joe Darlington as a scientific supervisor.

Considering the colossal calorific impact of the Termites constructions, if the global biomass of the termites increases,

the world temperature increases, with a greenhouse effect, and, if the global biomass of the termites decreases, the

world temperature decreases, with an Ice Time effect.

Contrary to other Arthropoda such as all the Scorpionida and the majority of the Arachnida, Termites have a very poor

protection against light thermic and hydrometric variations and they are very quickly deadly affected by radio-active

particles.

The sporadic mass-extinctions of all the termite populations of the world may have been caused by powerful irradiation

having penetrated the Biosphere.

For special references, see Bibliography: FRASER, RASMUSSEN & CREFIELD 1987 and SEILER, CONRAD &

SCHARFE 1984).

Concerning the CO2 production of the Ants and their resistance to radioactivity

The ants having a relatively good protection against thermic and hydrometric variations, they are relatively resistant to

radio-active and highly ionised particles.

For special references, see Bibliography: SCHLENTER & VAN CLEVE 1985.

Concerning the resistance of Other Invertebrata to radioactivity

It may seem incredible but the living invertebrates being the most resistant to radioactivity are not the Scorpionida or

the Arachnidna but the delicate microscopic bdelloid Rotifera.

For special references, see Bibliography: WELCH & MESELSON 2003 and GLADYSHEY & MESELSON 2008.

Concerning the resistance of Vertebrata to radioactivity

Litterature concerning the upper vertebratates and particularily the human species is extremely extensive, but it remains

difficult to find references concerning the lower vertebrates.

See Bibliography: STRICK, GIANNETTI, PANTEL & KLOFT, W 1990 and BOLS, STEELS, MOSSER &

HEIKKILA 1990.

22.6. Reflexions concerning the longevity of one vertebrate taxon

In the third part of this Tetralogy, the problem of the possible longevity of different taxa of Vertebrata, will be

intensively developed.

In this first part, this problem concerning all the living forms is just evoked.

For the Chondrichthyes taxa, many objective data are furnished by species such as: Cetorhinus maximus, Hexanchus

gigas, Cosmopolitodus hastalis, Carcharodon carcharias and by Genera such as: Ptychodus, Synechodus, Heterodontus

and Families such as Scyliorhinidae, Palaeospinacidae and Ptychodontidae.

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Presentation of the Plates 1 to 51 (Plates concerning fossil materials)

All the Plates are accompanied by data precising, priorarily, the stratigraphical origin of the illustrated material and its

Belgian Geological Survey Archives codification’s.

A short description follows, mentionning its nature and the name of the Photograph which realized the different

illustrations of the Plate en refers to the page of the enlarged comments to this Plate.

Presentation of the Plates 52 to 64 (Comparison Plates)

These plates are accompanied by data precising the nature and the origin of these recent materials utilised as

explanation or comparison material.

Follow the name of the photograph which realized the different illustrations of the Plate en the reference to the page of

the enlarged comments to this Plate.

Comments to the Plates

The comments to the Plates are as precise as possible. For some fossil groups special bibliographic references are

added. All remaining doubts concerning their systematics attribution are mentioned.

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PLATES

23. Plates 1 to 64 (p.: 41 to 104)