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Sedimentology and palaeontology of the Upper Karoo Group in the Mid-Zambezi Basin, Zimbabwe: new localities and their implications for interbasinal correlation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 October 2020

Lara Sciscio Open the ORCID record for Lara Sciscio [Opens in a new window] ,
Pia A. Viglietti Open the ORCID record for Pia A. Viglietti [Opens in a new window] ,
Paul M. Barrett ,
Timothy J. Broderick ,
Darlington Munyikwa ,
Kimberley E.J. Chapelle Open the ORCID record for Kimberley E.J. Chapelle [Opens in a new window] ,
Kathleen N. Dollman ,
Steve F. Edwards ,
Michel Zondo  and
Jonah N. Choiniere Open the ORCID record for Jonah N. Choiniere [Opens in a new window]
Lara Sciscio*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Kingsway and Auckland Park, 2006Johannesburg, South Africa
Pia A. Viglietti
Affiliation:
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, South Africa Field Museum of Natural History, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL60605, USA
Paul M. Barrett
Affiliation:
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, South Africa Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
Timothy J. Broderick
Affiliation:
Makari, 19 Jenkinson Road, Chisipite, Harare, Zimbabwe
Darlington Munyikwa
Affiliation:
National Museums and Monuments, 107 Rotten Row, Harare, Zimbabwe
Kimberley E.J. Chapelle
Affiliation:
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, South Africa
Kathleen N. Dollman
Affiliation:
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, South Africa
Steve F. Edwards
Affiliation:
Musango Safari Camp, Musango Island, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe
Michel Zondo
Affiliation:
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, South Africa The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, Park Road, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Jonah N. Choiniere
Affiliation:
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, South Africa
*
Author for correspondence: Lara Sciscio, Email: l.sciscio@gmail.com
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Abstract

The Triassic–Jurassic Upper Karoo Group of the Mid-Zambezi Basin (MZB; Zimbabwe) includes a thick succession of terrestrial sediments with high palaeontological potential that has been neglected since the 1970s. Here, we review the Upper Karoo Group stratigraphy, present detailed sedimentological work and identify new vertebrate-bearing sites at several measured sections along the southern shore of Lake Kariba. These fossil-bearing sites fall within the Pebbly Arkose and Forest Sandstone formations, and are the first to be recorded from the region since the discovery of Vulcanodon karibaensis nearly 50 years ago. The unique and diverse assemblage of aquatic and terrestrial fauna reported includes phytosaurs, metoposaurid amphibians, lungfish, non-dinosaurian archosauromorphs and non-sauropod sauropodomorph dinosaurs. This improvement of Upper Karoo Group biostratigraphy is important in refining its temporal resolution, and impacts both regional and global studies. Finally, the new fossil sites demonstrate the palaeontological importance of the MZB and its role in providing a holistic understanding of early Mesozoic ecosystems in southern Gondwana.

Keywords

Pebbly Arkose FormationLate TriassicJurassicRed BedsVulcanodonPhytosauriaDinosauria
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 158 , Issue 6 , June 2021 , pp. 1035 - 1058
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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