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Foraminifera are single-celled Protista, microscopic animals, which
occur today in abundance throughout most of the world's oceans.
These animals do not fossilise. However they construct tiny shells (tests)
composed either of calcium carbonate or by cementing extremely
small grains of quartz together. These tests are often very complex
constructions, both in terms of how they grow from juvenile to adult,
and how they ornament and design the interior and exterior of the
test. Foraminifera first appeared in the stratigraphic record during the
Cambrian: early forms are simple tubular, coiled tubular or spherical
structures. However through time to the present day they have become
increasingly sophisticated structures. Foraminifera have been used
extensively to date rock successions, and determine past depositional
environments, especially for oil and diamond exploration, usually
in association with seismic and well log studies. About 220 species
of foraminifera are now known from the Late Jurassic and Early
Cretaceous Algoa Basin graben fill, and about 30 from the Pliocene
to latest Pleistocene covering veneer overlying the onshore basin, and
it is probable that further exploration of outcrop sites will lead to the
iscovery of numerous additional species.

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i — i

THE FORAMINIFERA OF
THEPORTLANDIAN (LATE
JURASSIC) BETHELSDORP
FORMATION OF THE
ONSHORE ALGOA BASIN,
EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE

THEIR STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION
COMPARED WITH OTHER EARLY
GRABEN INFILL SUCCESSIONS OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTINENTAL
MARGIN

I.K. McMillan

LES ROSALINES PRESS
ISBN 062-046-359-1

780620M63591

Z
M

. -

THE FORAMINIFERA OF
THEPORTLANDIAN (LATE
JURASSIC) BETHELSDORP
FORMATION OF THE
ONSHORE ALGOA BASIN,
EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE

THEIR STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION
COMPARED WITH OTHER EARLY
GRABEN INFILL SUCCESSIONS OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTINENTAL
MARGIN

I.K. McMillan

^■1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is greatly indebted to Mr I.R. McLachlan, formerly of the Petroleum Agency
of South Africa (PASA), Parow, Cape Town, for facilitating and encouraging the present
work on the latest Jurassic foraminifera of the onshore Algoa Basin, and also for collecting
the studied outcrop samples from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, Chatty and North End Lake
during the mid 1970s. Permission to publish by PASA is gratefully acknowledged: views
held herein are not necessarily those of PASA, and are of the author alone. A great deal
of hard work and enthusiasm led to the diagrams and the text being readied for the
computer by Jo-Anne Friedlander (User Friendly, Cape Town).

Published by Les Rosalines Press, 108 Clovelly Road, Clovelly, 7975
First published in 2010
© I.K. McMillan 2010

ISBN 978-0-620-46359-1

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Line drawings Ian McMillan

Scanning electron microscopy Mike Witcomb, Wits University, Johannesburg

Electric logging Obie Oberholzer and AJ Battrick (Soekor)

Design and typesetting User Friendly

Printed and bound by Mills Litho, Nyman Street, Maitland

CONTENTS

Abstract 5

Introduction 7

Analysis of Basin Compartment Histories 8

Introduction: Sundays River Trough 9

Introduction: Uitenhage Trough 15

Stratigraphic overview of Southern Cape Graben Fills 16

Time-equivalent Successions 18

Port Elizabeth Trough, offshore Algoa Basin 18

Uitenhage Trough, offshore Algoa Basin 19

Pletmos Basin 20

Gamtoos Basin 22

Mbotyi and Mngazana Basins 24

Other Onland Basins 25

Material 27

Borehole Material 27
Outcrop Material 30
Microfossil Preservation 33
Previous Work 33

Stratigraphic Units of the Algoa Basin 41
Enon Formation (Kimmeridgian) 41
Swartkops Formation (probably latest Kimmeridgian to
earliest Portlandian) 43
Colchester Formation (Portlandian) 44
Bethelsdorp Formation (Portlandian) 45

Kirkwood Formation (probably Berriasian to Early Valanginian) 47
Sundays River Formation (Late Valanginian to latest Hauterivian) 49

Foraminiferal Assemblages 53
Age of the Bethelsdorp Formation 58
Foraminiferal Biozonation of the Bethelsdorp Formation 60

Taxonomic List of Species recognised in this Publication 64

Foraminifera Taxonomy 67

Other Microfossil Groups and Macrofossil Elements 152

Conclusions 159

References 161

Index 175

ABSTRACT

Four borehole sections (BT 1/74, NR 1/15, ST 1/71 and SW 1/08) and three outcrops
(Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, Chatty and North End Lake), all sited in the onshore
Uitenhage Trough, one of the fault-bounded compartments of the Algoa Basin, all
intersect the Bethelsdorp Formation. The Bethelsdorp Formation is regarded as
being coeval with the Colchester Formation of the adjacent Sundays River Trough,
and with the Vaca Muerta Formation of the Neuquen Basin in Argentina. Three
borehole sections and one of the outcrops reveal distinctive benthic foraminifera
assemblages that indicate a latest Jurassic (Portlandian) age. The exclusively siliciclastic
Bethelsdorp Formation consists of greenish-grey claystones, often with a marked
high-gamma character, as well as minor thin sandstones. Dating of the Bethelsdorp
Formation helps define the age of the earliest sedimentation in the Algoa Basin. On
the basis of differences in the benthic foraminifera assemblages, the Bethelsdorp
Formation is regarded as having accumulated in hypersaline mud-flat, hyposaline
estuarine channel, and normal marine inner neritic environments. The Bethelsdorp
succession shows slight shallowing upwards, and is also distinguished by eight peaks
in foraminiferal abundance, that correlate between boreholes. The locally diverse
benthic foraminifera assemblages are entirely unlike those of the Late Valanginian
to Hauterivian Sundays River Formation. The assemblages are also unlike clearly
coeval ones from the Bethelsdorp Formation equivalents in the offshore Pletmos
(such as in borehole PB-A1), Gamtoos (as in borehole Ha-Hl), and Algoa Basins
(as in Hb-Al in the Port Elizabeth Trough or Hb-Dl in the offshore Uitenhage
Trough). Bethelsdorp Formation foraminifera assemblages are evidently strongly
fades controlled, and also show little similarity with those published up to now from
the Vaca Muerta Formation of the Neuquen Basin. The foraminiferal assemblages
from the Bethelsdorp Formation consist of 93 species or species groups, of which six
species are described as new. Also present are bryozoans, solitary corals, calcareous
alga segments, calcareous worm tubes and serpulids, scaphopods, arthropod claws
and skeletal fragments, marine and non-marine ostracods (Cypridea-dominated
assemblages), gastropods, bivalves (including oysters and Inoceramus prisms),
holothurian sclerites, crinoid ossicles, ophiuroid ossicles, echinoid spines, plates and
pedicellaria, indeterminate echinoderm skeletal elements, fish bone, teeth, scales
and otoliths, fossil wood, charophyte oogonia and megaspores.

6 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

FIGURE 1

Outline, structure and sites of deep boreholes of the onshore and offshore Algoa Basin, Eastern

Cape Province, South Africa

INTRODUCTION

The onshore part of the elongate Uitenhage Trough, a simple half-graben, is located
in the southwestern part of the onshore Algoa Basin, and extends inland across the
Nelson Mandela Metropole from the city of Port Elizabeth to just past the town of
Uitenhage (Fig. 1). The trough is bounded on its north-eastern margin by the Coega
Fault, and the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous sedimentary basin infill thins steadily
to the south-west, away from the bounding fault. The Coega Fault extends offshore
and links with the St Croix Fault system (Doherty, 1993), so that the Uitenhage
Trough extends obliquely across the Algoa Basin, irregularly deepening towards
its offshore south-eastern corner. The maximum width of the Uitenhage Trough
is about 30km, and altogether it is about 140km long. Four deep boreholes have
been drilled in the onshore portion of the Uitenhage Trough (SW 1/08, NR 1/15;
ST 1/71 and BT 1/74), and five have been drilled in the offshore portion (Hb-Cl in
1978, Hb-Dl in 1984, and Hb-Il, Hb-Bl and Hb-Pl all in 1987).

This study concentrates on the foraminifera of the marine-influenced Bethelsdorp
Formation (formerly regarded as part of the Colchester Shale Member), and their
biostratigraphic significance, from three of the four onshore boreholes and one of
the three outcrops. This study follows on from analysis of the foraminifera of the
Late Valanginian to Hauterivian Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a), and
of the overlying Pliocene-Pleistocene Upper Algoa Group (McMillan, 1990). The
deep geology of the onshore and offshore Uitenhage Trough is detailed by Rigassi
& Dixon (1972), Winter (1972, 1973, 1979), McLachlan & McMillan (1976), Malan
etal. (1990), Bate & Malan (1992), Malan (1993), Broad & Mills (1993), McMillan et
al. (1997), Singh (2000), McMillan (2003b) and Singh etal. (2005).

The overwhelming majority of benthic foraminifera species detailed from the
Bethelsdorp and Sundays River formations (McMillan, 2003a; this volume) are
characterised by smooth-walled, unornamented tests. In contrast the majority of
species from the Jurassic and early Cretaceous of the Mahajanga Basin, north-
west Madagascar (Espitalie & Sigal, 1963b) are strongly ornamented with ribs,
reticulations, tubercules, and so on. If this difference is real does it imply, for
example, a biotic response to sea-floor energy levels caused by currents and
swell?

8 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

VORCESTER

BOREHOLES
RIVERSDALE #1
.WORCESTER FAULT AND PRESIDENT #1

SWELLENDAM

®@OUDTSHOORN
®+©

MOSSEL BAY

©VLAKTEPLAAS

KNYSNA

■ ••

brenton'V

VLEESBAAI .....

WATERSKILPADS
® ^

JBH-1 .♦"

»«..»*"•. BOREHOLE y*

\ ©+©r ♦**

HAASVLAKTE^ .^UiSBAAl
DWK-1 ♦7...

BOREHOLE CAPE

AGULHAS

*&•

-V

FIGURE 2

Distribution onshore and offshore of Kimmeridgian to Hauterivian graben fills, southern

coast of South Africa

Analysis of Basin Compartment Histories

Even a cursory examination of the areal distributions of the long-defined rock
units of the onshore Algoa Basin shows them to be strongly localised. For example,
in the north-western margin of the basin the Enon conglomerates are in places
at least 300m thick, whereas along the north-eastern margin there is hardly a
record of Enon conglomerate. Overlying the coarse-siliciclastic units of the Enon
conglomerates and Swartkops sandstones, there are the clearly coarse-clastic-
starved, organic-rich, high-gamma claystones of the Colchester and Bethelsdorp
Formations. Why should this be so? Why are the facies boundaries of the fluvial
sediment units of the Kirkwood Formation and the inner neritic sediment units of
the Infanta Formation both obliquely stacked, so that these facies advance seawards
and shallow upwards; whereas the neritic sediment units of the Sundays River
Formation are vertically stacked, and show no trace of shallowing upward?

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 9

(i) 7KIMMERIDGIAN ENON CONGLOMERATES
AND SWARTKOPS SANDSTONES

■X

PORTLANDIAN BETHELSDORP FORMATION
HIGH GAMMA CLAYSTONES

BERRIASIAN TO EARLY VALANGINIAN
® KIRKWOOD FORMATION RED AND GREEN
CLAYSTONES AND MINOR SANDSTONES

LATE VALANGINIAN TO LATEST HAUTERIVIAN
(J) SUNDAYS RIVER FORMATION GREY AND
'"" GREENISH-GREY CLAYSTONES AND MINOR

SANDSTONES

BASIN
. FAULT
PRESENT-DAY COASTLINE

It is evident that these localised distributions of different sediment types reflect
the availability of accommodation space caused by often extremely localised basin
subsidence during any given time period across the length and breadth of the
basin. Basin subsidence was driven by episodic movement on the major bounding
faults, as a response to the pull-apart tectonic regime incurred as the continent of
Gondwana disintegrated. These sediment distributions tell us accurately when and
where the basin was subsiding during its roughly 27 million year long history, and
portray for us the full consequential complexity of repeated changes of sediment
style during the period. These concepts stem from the pioneering work of Barrell
(1917), Du Toit (1922) and later early 20th century authors, summarised by Miall
(2004), and rediscovered yet again by McMillan (2003b).

Introduction: Sundays River Trough

The early sedimentation and subsidence histories of the mostly onshore Sundays
River Trough, and the mainly offshore Uitenhage Trough, both down-faulted
compartments of the proximal part of the Kimmeridgian to Hauterivian-aged
Algoa Basin, are distinctly different. In the Sundays River Trough (McLachlan &

10 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

BETHELSDORP SALT PAN

OUTCROP^

NR 1/15

BT 1/74

NR 1/15

1. 'GREY LIMESTONE CLAY'

INTERPRETED AS 'GREY UNIT'.

'GREENISH SOAPSTONE', 'DARK BLUE
CARBONIFEROUS SHALE' AND 'GREY
CRETACEOUS SHALE' ARE ALL
MANIFESTATIONS OF THE PORTLANDIAN
BETHELSDORP FORMATION.

PROSPECTING PIT No.1 . 8 FEET DEEP
NEAR TO BOREHOLE CONTAINS KIRKWOOD
FORMATION 'VARIEGATED MARLS' AND
EARLY PLEISTOCENE UNIT II ALEXANDRIA
FORMATION.

7KIMMERIDGIAN

ENON Fm

CONGLOMERATES

FIGURE 3

Lithostratigraphic units, age and foraminiferal biostratigraphic
correlation of the four boreholes drilled in the onshore Uitenhage
trough, Algoa Basin

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 1

COEGA KOP
COEGA^

12 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

FIGURE 4

Cross-section through onshore and offshore, Algoa Basin showing

major sedimentary units, fades boundaries and seismic horizons

BOREHOLES
COLCHESTER AL1/69 b

FAULT <E 1/71

BOREHOLE
NA 3/70

BOREHOLE
NA 2/70

BOREHOLE
NA 1/69

DESPITE INTENSIVE STUDY

OF THIS TRANSITIONAL FACIES

NO RED BEDS HAVE BEEN FOUND

COMMANDO _/ 1Atl ^
KRAAL FAULT

NON-MARINE OSTRACODS
(CYPRIDEA)ATMFULENI

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 13

14 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

OPERATOR

SOEKOR (PTY) LTD.

HOLE

BT 1/74
ROTARY- CUTTINGS

FARM

BETHELSDORP
COMMONAGE

CO-ORDINATES

25°32'00"E/33°51'08"S

OPERATOR

SOEKOR (PTY) LTD.

HOLE

ST 1/71
ROTARY- CUTTINGS

FARM

SALT PAN

CO-ORDINATES

25°32'00"E/33°46'30"S

OPERATOR

ALGOA OIL
COMPANY LTD.

HOLE

SW 1/08
JUMPER DRILL

FARM

SWARTKOPS

CO-ORDINATES

25°36'38"E/33°52'47"S

OPERATOR

UITENHAGE PETROLEUM
AND MINING CO.

HOLE

NR 1/15
PERCUSSION DRILL

FARM

NAROES

CO-ORDINATES

25°3833'E/33°81667'S

0-6 m:
LATEST QUATERNARY

SOIL 0-20 m:
LATEST QUATERNARY

0-90727.4 m:
LATEST QUATERNARY

0-3070-9.14 m:

SUBSOIL + BOULDERS

QUATERNARY

yvvv\AAAAA/v\AA/\A/yvvvvvvvvvvvvvv\/yvvvvvv\A/vv\yv\yv\y'yvvvvvvvvvvv\AAA/'

6-143 m:
KIRKWOOD FORMATION

20-520 m:

SUNDAY RIVER

FORMATION

90-280785.4 m:

SUNDAYS RIVER

FORMATION

30-29079.14-88.4 m:
"GREY UNIT"

y\AAAAAAAAAAAAAA/y\AAAAAAAAAAAAAA/yv\AAAAAAAAAAAAA/ , y\AAAAAAAAAAAA/VV'

143-250 m:
"GREY UNIT"

520-970 m:
KIRKWOOD FORMATION

280-1659.77506 m:
KIRKWOOD FORMATION

290-1005788.4-306.4 m

(TOTAL DEPTH):

BETHELSDORP FORMATION

yvwwwwwvvvx/yvwwvvvvxAAAAA/ .

250-642 m:
BETHELSDORP FORMATION

970-1080 m:
"GREY UNIT"

yVWAAAAAAAAA/VW yV^VWW WWAAAA/yVWWWWWWW 1

642-712 m:
SWARTKOPS FORMATION

1080-1475 m:
BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2040-31357956 m:
BETHELSDORP FORMATION

AAAAAAA/VVWVVVV/W\AA/WVV\AAAAWJVW\A/W\A/WVVVV

712-777 m:
ENON FORMATION

1475-1718 m:
ENON FORMATION

3135-3453.871053 m:
SWARTKOPS FORMATION

ywwwwwwvwywwwwwwwx/ywwwwwwvw

TABLE MOUNTAIN
QUARTZITES

3453.8-3491.871064.6 m:

ENON CONGLOMERATE

FORMATION

'NO SWARTKOPS SANDSTONES
IN THIS BOREHOLE

TABLE MOUNTAIN
QUARTZITES

•NOTE THAT BASAL

KIRKWOOD FORMATION

"VARIEGATED CLAYSTONES"

FOUND IN PIT NEAR TO

WELL SITE

TABLE 1

Co-ordinates and basic stratigraphic units for the four deep boreholes of the onshore Uitenhage

Trough. All depths given are below Kelly Bushing.

McMillan, 1976, and references therein; McMillan, 2003a, and references therein)
the stratigraphic succession (from bottom to top) consists of variable and localised
thicknesses of essentially unfossiliferous fluvial conglomerates (Enon Formation,

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 15

up to 200m thick in borehole AL 1/69 and up to 300m in outcrop (Rigassi, 1968)).
Locally these are overlain by fluvial unfossiliferous sandstones of the Swartkops
Formation - up to 95m in VO 1/71. These conglomerates and sandstones are
unconformably overlain in the central trough by localised lacustrine interbedded
brown, black, red and green claystones, often rich in organic debris and
characterised by a high-gamma response (Colchester Formation, up to about
160m thick in borehole AL 1/69). The lacustrine Colchester Formation appears
to be limited to that part of the Sundays River Trough lying to the south of the
Colchester Fault (McMillan, 2003a, Fig. 2). Non-marine ostracods (mainly Cypridea
and Theriosynoecum, according to unpublished studies by P.W. Brenner and
V.H. Valicenti) and charophyte oogonia occur widely in the Colchester Formation,
but there are no in situ marine microfossils or macrofossils. The Enon and Colchester
formations are both unconformably overlain by fluvial red and green claystones
and minor sandstones of the Kirkwood Formation (up to about 2050m thick in
borehole AL 1/69). The Kirkwood Formation is overlain by Pfluvial to innermost
neritic to uppermost bathyal grey claystones and minor sandstones (Sundays
River Formation, up to 1745m thick in borehole AL 1/69). The Sundays River
Formation appears to be conformable with the underlying Kirkwood Formation
in the Sundays River Trough, but in the offshore Algoa Basin (for example in
borehole Hb-Dl), and also in the offshore Gamtoos and Pletmos Basins, this
boundary is clearly unconformable, where it is marked by seismic horizons II
(Algoa) and Jl (Gamtoos) and their equivalents. The complete Kimmeridgian to
Hauterivian succession in the Sundays River Trough attains a maximum thickness
of 4160m in onshore borehole AL 1/69. Significantly, Shone (1978) noted the
presence of an unconformity along the northern margin of the Sundays River
Trough between the underlying Enon conglomerates and the overlying Kirkwood
red and green claystones with sandstones, on the basis of differences in palaeoslope
between the two units. Recognition of this major sequence boundary is crucial to
an understanding of the early basin history and sedimentation pattern preserved
in the southern Cape Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous basins, and it is discussed in
detail in the initial part of this article.

Introduction: Uitenhage Trough

In contrast, the proximal Uitenhage Trough is distinguished by variable
thicknesses (up to 243m in borehole ST 1/71) of localised Enon conglomerates,
unconformably overlain by a thin localised unit (up to 92m in borehole SW 1/08)
of fluvial sandstones (Swartkops Formation). This in turn is unconformably over-
lain by a thick succession (392m in borehole BT 1/74) of mud-flat to estuarine to
inner neritic green-grey, often organic rich, claystones (often with high-gamma
characteristics), and minor sandstones, with foraminifera, marine and non-marine
ostracods, and charophyte oogonia, herein termed the Bethelsdorp Formation.
The unconformably overlying fluvial red and green claystones of the Kirkwood
Formation are distinctly thinner throughout the Uitenhage Trough (560m in

16 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

borehole ST 1/71) than in the Sundays River Trough, but they are followed in
turn by the probably conformably overlying marine grey claystones of the Sundays
River Formation. Both the latter two formations are lithologically similar to those
of the Sundays River Trough. Maximum thickness (1700m) of the Kimmeridgian
to Hauterivian succession in the onshore Uitenhage Trough was encountered in
borehole ST 1/71, but in the offshore Uitenhage Trough the graben-fill succession
is locally at least 3100m thick (borehole Hb-Dl) in major depocentres. Further
offshore, in the southernmost Algoa, Gamtoos and Pletmos Basins, almost the
entire Kimmeridgian to Hauterivian succession accumulated in a fully normal
marine environment.

Stratigraphic Overview of Southern Cape Graben Fills

As a result of foraminifera and ostracod biostratigraphic analysis of the borehole
sections drilled in the offshore Algoa, Gamtoos and Pletmos Basins, coupled with
a critical analysis of available seismic sections, it is now possible to understand the
sequence stratigraphic history of the Algoa Basin in a much clearer light. This
has resulted in, firstly, the abandonment of the Atherstone-initiated fades model,
dating from 1857, and elaborated by Rogers & Schwarz (1901) and McLachlan &
McMillan (1976), in which the Enon conglomerates, the Kirkwood fluvial claystones
and the Sundays River marine claystones were seen as diachronous facies of the
same rock succession. Secondly, based on foraminifera and ostracod biostratigraphy
from distal borehole intersections (see Time-Equivalent Sections, below), and also
comparison with the stratigraphic succession of the Neuquen Basin of Argentina,
the Algoa succession can now be attributed the following discrete ages: Enon
Formation (microfossils only in extremely distal settings, probably Kimmeridgian);
Swartkops Formation (no microfossils, but probably late Kimmeridgian); Colchester
Formation and Bethelsdorp Formation (Portlandian); Kirkwood Formation
(scarcely any microfossils except pollens and spores, but probably Berriasian to Early
Valanginian); Sundays River Formation (Late Valanginian to latest Hauterivian).
Essentially, each one of these units is unconformably bounded, or at least locally
so, from its neighbours. The Enon and Swartkops Formation constitute the Basal
Clastic Wedge, evident as a discrete initial sedimentary package in the Algoa basin
infill succession.

The Suurberg Group volcanics that lie around the northern periphery of the
Sundays River Trough have long been suspected to correlate with the Jurassic
Stormberg volcanics (Rogers et al., 1929, p. 143), and this has been confirmed by
isotopic signatures (Marsh et al., 1979). These volcanics have provided a single
radiometric age of 162 Ma. ±7 (McLachlan & McMillan, 1976, p. 198). Marsh
et al. (1979) have regarded this single date as unreliable, as they believed that all
material available at the sampled outcrop site is weathered. However, if this single
date is valid, the Suurberg Group thus must unconformably underlie the oldest
sedimentary infill (Enon conglomerates, probably Kimmeridgian, about 150 Ma.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 17

at oldest) of the Algoa Basin with a substantial time gap of up to 12 Ma. Hill
(1975) reported that the Enon Formation overlies the Suurberg Group apparently
conformably, but previously Rogers et al. (1929, p. 143) had regarded this as an
unconformable boundary. The Suurberg Group has not been intersected in any
of the deep hydrocarbon exploration boreholes drilled up to now in the Algoa
Basin. It is not clear whether the Suurberg Group accumulated prior to, or after,
initiation of subsidence of the Algoa Basin half-graben structures.

It is intriguing to speculate on whether the emplacement of the large impact crater
at Morokweng in north-western South Africa (Koeberl et al., 1997; Reimold et al.,
2002, and references therein), dated at about 145 Ma at the Jurassic-Cretaceous
boundary, played any influential part in affecting sedimentation in the Algoa Basin
(and the other rift basins too) at the Bethelsdorp/Colchester-Kirkwood boundary.
At present, this lithostratigraphic boundary is the only potential candidate for
the southern African Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary. The Mj0lnir impact crater,
located in the western Barents Sea, north of Norway (Smelror & Dypvik, 2005, and
references therein), is of comparable age (142.2 ±2.6 Ma).

TIME-EQUIVALENT SUCCESSIONS

Foraminiferal biozones and other datums recognised up to the present in the
lower part of the graben fill successions (Kimmeridgian to Early Valanginian, or
pre-Sundays River Formation) of the Bredasdorp, Pletmos, Gamtoos and Algoa
Basins, are shown in Fig. 18.

Port Elizabeth Trough, offshore Algoa Basin

The seismic pattern of the Port Elizabeth Trough is displayed in a foraminiferally
dated dip line running south-west to north-east across the trough (McMillan et
al., 1997, Fig. 19; and see Fig. 11 pages 34-35). Up to now, four boreholes have
been drilled in the Port Elizabeth Trough, two of which intersect an incomplete
early graben fill succession (boreholes Hb-Al and Hb-Kl), and two which intersect
only an even more attenuated Berriasian-Early Valanginian succession (Hb-Gl,
Hb-Hl). Post-sedimentary uplift and erosion of the graben fill succession has been
particularly intense here, for none of the four holes has any Late Valanginian to
latest Hauterivian succession (Horizon II to lAtl to 5Atl intervals) preserved.
Both Hb-Al and Hb-Kl intersected the Kimmeridgian basal clastic wedge, and
this is 271m thick in the former hole. Apart from the basal clastic wedge, which
here accumulated mostly in a fluvial regime, with minor marine influence, the
entire overlying Portlandian to Early Valanginian succession accumulated in from
uppermost bathyal environments at the base, shallowing up to innermost neritic
environments at the top of the succession. Seismic horizon DCIII marks the top of
the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation equivalent. This Portlandian unit consists
of up to 370m of locally high-gamma and organic-rich black claystones with a
diverse foraminifera assemblage. Typical benthic foraminifera include frequently
abundant ornate Reinholdella cf. R. valendisensis (Bartenstein & Brand), Astacolus
microdictyotos Espitalie & Sigal Group 2, Epistomina cf. E. mosquensis Uhlig, and
there are a number of species indicative of a latest Jurassic age. This foraminiferal
assemblage, with its predominance of aragonitic-walled species (Reinholdella and
Epistomina), is quite unlike that of the Portlandian in the onshore Uitenhage
Trough, described herein, or those of the coeval units in the offshore Uitenhage
Trough, the Gamtoos or the Pletmos Basins. The assemblage suggests an outermost
neritic or uppermost bathyal (shelf-break) siliciclastic-starved and rather dysoxic
depositional environment, reflecting the organic-rich milieu.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 19

The distinctive benthic zone foraminifera, fat Lagena sp., used to mark the top of
the Early Valanginian succession (McMillan et al., 1997, Fig. 3), and which is part
of the pre-Sundays River Formation foraminiferal assemblage and referable to the
Infanta Formation (base Berriasian to top Early Valanginian in age), appears 45m
below the lAtl unconformity in borehole Hb-Gl. This mid Valanginian age is the
stratigraphically highest in the graben fill of all the four boreholes drilled in the
Port Elizabeth Trough. However, because of the widespread occurrence of shallow
marine, often littoral, innermost neritic facies, in which thin glauconitic sandstones
and thin shelly clays are widespread, and foraminiferal assemblages are often poor,
it is often not clear if single records of fat Lagena sp., Planularia tricarinella and
other age-diagnostic benthic foraminifera truly reflect the highest stratigraphic
occurrences of these species. This problem of true stratigraphic ranges besets
studies of the Infanta Formation especially in the southernmost offshore Pletmos,
Gamtoos and Algoa Basins, and on occasion has led to major discrepancies between
seismically-derived and foraminiferally-derived ages.

Uitenhage Trough, offshore Algoa Basin

The seismic character of the offshore Uitenhage Trough is displayed in a south-
west to north-east aligned dip-line (McMillan et al., 1997, Fig. 20, reproduced here
with amendments as Fig. 1 1), dated from foraminiferal studies. This seismic section
shows the often-complex bed relationships of this trough, as well as the magnitude
of the St Croix Fault system, which underlies almost half of the offshore part of
the trough (Doherty, 1993). Since five boreholes have been drilled in the offshore
Uitenhage Trough, this extensive half-graben remains only partly explored, and
the nature of the most distal stratigraphic succession is as yet unknown. All five
boreholes drilled up to now have intersected similar stratigraphic successions,
but displaying very different thicknesses. Boreholes Hb-Pl (at least 492m thick)
and Hb-Bl (at least 1194m thick) intersected the thickest basal clastic wedge
successions (Enon-Kimmeridgian), which here contain interlayered red and grey
claystones and red pebble beds and sandstones, together with thicknesses of lower
conglomerate, and both successions appear to be entirely non-marine.

Four of the five boreholes intersected a high-gamma marine claystone interval
(Bethelsdorp equivalent, Portlandian), 440m thick in borehole Hb-Bl, 331m thick
in borehole Hb-Pl, and 288m in Hb-Cl. The interval is also seen in borehole Hb-
Dl but is here severely attenuated by the St Croix fault-plane. The more proximal
boreholes Hb-Dl and Hb-Pl both intersected an interval of Kirkwood Formation
red claystones and green hypersaline estuarine claystones with Quinqueloculina
grisbrooki n. sp., but the equivalent interval in the more offshore borehole section
of Hb-Bl is missing through uplift and erosion. The red claystones in Hb-Dl and
Hb-Pl are coeval with the stratigraphically highest part of the onshore Kirkwood
Formation. Again, as with the Port Elizabeth Trough, there has been intense
planation on the 5Atl (Hauterivian-Barremian boundary) unconformity surface,

20 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

especially in the south-eastern part of the offshore Uitenhage Trough, with the
result that it is only the more northerly sited offshore boreholes (Hb-Dl and
Hb-Pl) and holes close to bounding faults (Hb-Il), that intersect equivalent beds
to the Sundays River Formation, as understood onshore (see McMillan, 2003a,
Fig. 2). The highest foraminiferal biostratigraphic zone identified in the offshore
Uitenhage Trough in borehole Hb-Dl is earliest Hauterivian (about 2Atl), whereas
in the more southerly borehole Hb-Bl, sited on an upthrown block, it is topmost
Berriasian (large Haplophragmoides spp.). The borehole Hb-Il section is the most
complete of all, with beds up to later Hauterivian (3Atl or 4Atl), yet also almost
the most southerly, as it is sited very close to the downthrown side of the Uitenhage
Fault.

Foraminifera assemblages of the Bethelsdorp Formation equivalent (DCI to DCIII
interval) in the offshore Uitenhage Trough are generally inner to middle neritic,
near-normal marine Ammobaculites- , Haplophragmoides- , Lenticulina- and Astacolus-
dominated assemblages, not too similar to those of the onshore Uitenhage Trough,
but reflecting a markedly more marine environment, and lacking any species
typical of estuarine environments. They also lack the outer neritic or upper bathyal
foraminifera species, especially the aragonitic Reinholdella and Epistomina species,
which are prevalent in the coeval interval in the Port Elizabeth Trough.

Distal of the Kirkwood Formation red claystones in boreholes Hb-Dl and Hb-Pl,
there are green claystones which accumulated in hypersaline mudflat settings, as
indicated by the monospecific assemblage of the miliolid Quinqueloculina grisbrooki
n. sp. (see McMillan, 2003a, Figs. 21-24).

Foraminifera assemblages from the offshore equivalent of the Sundays River
Formation in boreholes Hb-Dl and Hb-Pl are diverse, similar to those of distal
onshore boreholes such as AL 1/69. Only the basal beds are represented in both
holes. Firstly there is an attenuated Late Valanginian succession (horizons II to
lAtl) of foraminifera biozones C and lower B (McMillan, 2003a), in an outermost
shelf or uppermost slope depositional environment. Secondly overlying this is an
attenuated lAtl to probable 2Atl succession with dysoxic character, in an upper
slope setting. Because of the dysoxic character in this unit foraminifera assemblages
are severely impoverished. Thickness of the two units in Hb-D 1 is only 380m, which
contrasts profoundly with the 1745m of Sundays River Formation in AL 1/69.

Pletmos Basin

There are several time-equivalent successions of the Enon, Bethelsdorp and
Colchester Formations exposed along the South African coast, particularly on
the Robberg Peninsula adjacent to Plettenberg Bay, and also at Cape St Blaize
near Mossel Bay, both of which constitute proximal portions of the Pletmos Basin
graben fill succession, sited on upthrown horsts. From hard, partly cemented

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 21

black shale beds, interbedded with the silicified fluvial and littoral sandstones
and conglomerates of the Robberg Formation, exposed in the cliffs just west of
the Robberg Peninsula, samples collected by I.R. McLachlan in the 1970s yielded
agglutinated benthic foraminifera in small numbers, of the genera Ammobaculites
and Haplophragmoides . These foraminifera provide no useful age control for the
outcrop, but do indicate that environmental conditions at the time of deposition
were innermost neritic and probably slightly hyposaline; that is, there is a fluvial
influence. The cemented nature of these rocks suggests the possibility that if there
were ever any calcareous benthic foraminifera in the black shales, then they have
been destroyed by subsequent calcite leaching and reprecipitation. The occurrence
of the black shales within the silicified conglomerate succession of the Robberg
Formation suggests their age must be Kimmeridgian, by analogy with the age
of the Enon conglomerates. The sedimentary facies and lithostratigraphy of the
Robberg Formation have been detailed by Reddering (2000, 2003).

A more complete graben fill succession in the proximal Pletmos Basin was intersected
in borehole PB-A1, drilled offshore just south-west of the Robberg Peninsula at
34°09'39.9"S, 23°20'12.13"E. PB-A1 passed through equivalents of the Enon/
Robberg conglomerate (145m thick), Bethelsdorp grey claystones (492m thick),
Kirkwood red claystones (396m thick) and Sundays River grey claystones (a little
more than 539m thick) . Unconformably overlying the graben fill is a latest Pleistocene
(Eemian-Weichselian sea-level fall, forced regressive systems tract) littoral shelly
sand veneer distinguished by Elphidium crispum (Linne), in turn unconformably
overlain by the Holocene mud belt. McLachlan et al. (1976a) described and
illustrated the foraminifera and ostracods of the Bethelsdorp equivalent succession
in PB-A1 borehole, but the foraminifera in particular became rather confused with
those of the overlying Sundays River Formation equivalent because of considerable
cavings problems in the borehole. Later unpublished work on the foraminifera of
the Bethelsdorp equivalent in PB-A1 shows the assemblage is distinct, quite unlike
that of the Sundays River equivalent, and is generally dominated by a few Astacolus
and Lenticulina species occurring in large numbers (McLachlan et al., 1976a, fig. 12,
nos 2 and 4). Following McLachlan et al. (1976a) and later sample reprocessing, the
assemblage consists of the following in situ species: Haplophragmoides sp. A (occurring
partly also in the basal Kirkwood equivalent), Dorothia subtrochus (Bartenstein),
Astacolus sp. A (part), Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker) (formerly identified as
Epistomina caracolla (Roemer)), Vinelloidea buchenroderi McMillan and Vaginulinopsis
gr. prima (d'Orbigny). The depositional environment is interpreted as being near
to shore, and wave-dominated.

This exact foraminifera assemblage has not been found elsewhere in coeval rock
units in Pletmos Basin boreholes. Apart from borehole PB-A1, all other boreholes
drilled in the northern part of the Pletmos Basin failed to reach down to the same
stratigraphic level, because of the excessive thicknesses of graben-fill succession in

22 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

the Plettenberg Graben. Further south, around the Superior High, the Ga-A and
Ga-Q boreholes intersected coeval rather sandy grey claystones, reflecting littoral
or innermost shelf environments, with limited foraminifera assemblages dominated
by smooth-walled Lenticulina species. Similar smooth-walled Lenticulina-domin&ted
assemblages with few Epistomina, and rare ornamented Epistomina cf. E. mosquensis
Uhlig occur in the less sandy grey claystones intersected in boreholes Ga-Bl, Gb-Jl
and Gb-Gemsbok 1 (the last-named unfortunately mostly turbine drilled across
the relevant interval, with the result that claystones were partially melted by the
heat, and nearly all of the foraminifera destroyed). From the wider diversity of
foraminifera in the vicinity of boreholes Ga-Bl, Gb-Jl and Gb-Gemsbok 1, this part
of the Pletmos Basin must have been the deepest-water and the most nearly marine
(but still only inner neritic) during accumulation of the Portlandian Bethelsdorp
Formation equivalent.

In the Pletmos Basin, seismic horizon O marks the top of the Kimmeridgian basal
clastic wedge (top Enon/Robberg), seismic horizon B probably marks the top of the
Portlandian Bethelsdorp equivalent, and seismic horizon BCI (locally also possibly
the higher horizon J) marks the mid Valanginian Kirkwood-Sundays River
equivalent boundary. Below horizon B foraminifera assemblages are usually much
more diverse than above, and Lenticulina and Epistomina-dom'mated assemblages
occur. Horizon BCI approximately equates to the first downhole appearance of
the informal foraminifera zone species fat Lagena sp. (McMillan et al., 1997, Fig. 3),
which marks the first downhole appearance of Early Valanginian pre-Sundays
River Formation foraminifera assemblages. Both in borehole PB-A1 and in quite
a number of other Plettenberg Graben boreholes in the northern part of the basin
(such as Gb-Hl, Gb-Cl), where Valanginian benthic foraminifera assemblages are
much more than usually diverse, horizon lAtl (formerly horizon C) lies in the
latest Valanginian succession, and marks a major unconformity in the topmost part
of the Lenticulina coegaensis Biozone B (McMillan et al., 1997, Fig. 3; McMillan,
2003a, Fig. 8).

The two onshore extensions of the Pletmos Basin at Plettenberg Bay, designated the
Bietou and Pisang Basins, both have a recorded history of grey claystones (Schwarz
(1900), Rigassi (1970), McLachlan & McMillan (1976)), and are not far distant from
the PB-A1 borehole site, but they have yielded no fossil assemblages of note: they
deserve intensive re-examination. Rossouw (1933) provides additional details of the
Robberg Peninsula, which has been comprehensively reviewed by Reddering (2000,
2003).

Gamtoos Basin

The Gamtoos Basin onshore borehole MK 1/70 bottomed in a considerable
thickness (at least 2150m) of presumably Kimmeridgian Enon conglomerates,
overlain by 820m of fluvial to rarely hyposaline marine reddish and greenish-grey

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 23

claystones and thin sandstones. Rogers (1906), Winter (1973), and, following them,
McLachlan & McMillan (1976), referred this upper fine-grained unit to the non-
marine Kirkwood Formation. However, the Gamtoos Basin is a simple half-graben,
essentially composed of a single compartment, and the MK 1/70 section is thus
part of exactly the same succession as seen in the offshore Gamtoos boreholes.
Consequently the finer-grained upper succession in MK 1/70 is here referred to
the Portlandian, and is considered time-equivalent to the Bethelsdorp Formation
of the Uitenhage Trough in the Algoa Basin. In borehole MK 1/70 the hyposaline
portions of the succession are distinguished by the occurrence of small numbers
of agglutinated benthic foraminifera of the genus Haplophragmoides (Fig. 5), but
they provide no specific age indications. More exploration work needs to be
undertaken to locate these foraminiferal assemblages in outcrop. It is as yet not
known if the fluvial-to-hyposaline claystones outcrop at any clean, little-weathered
sites along the Gamtoos coastline, along the lowest reaches of the Gamtoos River,
or just inland of the coast, and, except for Rogers (1906), unfortunately Amm
(1934), Frankel (1936) and Martin (1960) provide few relevant details on outcrop
sites of this succession. It may prove possible to locate and sample thin marine
bands much more efficiently in outcrop or shallow cored borehole, than in the
cuttings borehole MK 1/70, with its problems of caving sandstones contaminating
the microfossil-bearing claystones. Martin (1960) listed seven out of 30 recognised
palynofossils in an outcrop sample from this Bethelsdorp-equivalent succession,
and noted the assemblage is "closely comparable with Upper Jurassic and Lower
Cretaceous ones and apparently lacking forms which seem to be typical of the
Lower Cretaceous of Australia".

The boundary between the Enon conglomerates and the overlying fine-grained
(Bethelsdorp-equivalent) beds is an abrupt one in borehole MK 1/70, in keeping
with the upper boundary of the basal clastic wedge almost everywhere in the
Pletmos, Gamtoos and Algoa Basins. Consequently it is difficult to resolve this
clear and abrupt lithological change with the comments of Haughton et al. (1937a),

FIGURE 5

Haplophragmoides sp. 5.

Far left: SAM-PQ-MF 2350. Side view.

Gamtoos Basin borehole MK 1/70,

Core 2, 1701'. X116.

Left: SAM-PQ-MF 2350. Apertural view.

X116.

24 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

reiterated by McLachlan & McMillan (1976, p. 207), that Haughton et al. "were
unable to subdivide the deposits into Enon and variegated marls as the two facies
are too irregularly interbedded".

In the offshore portion of the Gamtoos Basin ten boreholes have been drilled in
a wide variety of basin settings. Again, there are variable, localised thicknesses of
Enon conglomerates with some sandstones within a basal coarse clastic wedge, but
in general the graben infill of this basin is fine-grained, and claystones predominate.
Borehole Ha-H 1 in the distal southwestern portion of the basin intersected 350m of
interbedded sandstones and claystones in the basal clastic wedge (D to DCI interval)
that represent the most distal intersection of the Enon conglomerate sedimentary
phase yet drilled. Small agglutinated benthic foraminifera assemblages occur
intermittently through the succession, dominated by conservative Ammobaculites and
Haplophragmoides species, but also marked by numbers of Tritaxia tests. The genus
Tritaxia is otherwise not seen in the South African Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous
succession in rocks older than Early Albian or Late Aptian. This singular Tritaxia
assemblage is quite unlike the overlying Portlandian foraminifera assemblages of
the Pletmos, Gamtoos or Algoa Basins.

In the Gamtoos Basin, seismic horizon DCI marks the top of the Kimmeridgian
basal clastic wedge (top Enon conglomerates), seismic horizon P3 marks the top
of the Portlandian Bethelsdorp equivalent, and seismic horizon Jl marks the mid
Valanginian Kirkwood-Sundays River equivalent boundary. Seismic horizon P3
marks the top of distinctive and widespread high-gamma black claystones, which
are often organic rich, but are unfortunately very poor in microfossils other than
dictyomitroid and spherical radiolaria. It has proven difficult to microfaunally
correlate this unit with coeval ones in the Pletmos Basin or the offshore Algoa
Basin, because of the differences in depositional facies, and profound changes in the
foraminiferal assemblages. In six Gamtoos boreholes seismic horizon J 1 correlates
with the first downhole appearance of the informal foraminifera zone species fat
Lagena sp. (McMillan et al., 1997, Fig. 3), which marks the first downhole appearance
of Early Valanginian pre-Sundays River Formation foraminifera assemblages.
Horizon lAtl (previously horizon C) again lies in the upper part of the Lenticulina
coegaensis foraminiferal Biozone B in the latest Valanginian (McMillan et al., 1997,
Fig. 3; McMillan, 2003a, Fig. 8), in northern borehole Ha-Fl. However, further
south in boreholes Ha-Dl and Ha-Nl, the post-lAtl succession consists of upper
bathyal dysoxic claystones: calcareous benthic foraminifera, including Lenticulina
coegaensis, are absent, and only agglutinated benthic foraminifera and radiolaria
are found (see McMillan et al., 1997, Fig. 3).

Mbotyi and Mngazana Basins

These two small basins, constituting proximal parts of the mostly offshore Port
St Johns Basin, reveal very different lithologies and lithofacies. Since there has

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 25

been, as yet, no deep offshore drilling in the Port St Johns Basin, the stratigraphic
relationships between the Mbotyi and Mngazana graben successions remain
unknown. Outcrops in the Mbotyi Basin reveal apparently non-marine mostly
coarse greenish sandstones and pebble beds (sedimentary breccias, according to
Karpeta (1987)), and some minor greenish-grey claystones, but up to now only
carbonised wood has been found (McLachlan et al., 1976b; Karpeta, 1987). Du
Toit (1912, 1913) estimated a total thickness of about 300m for the succession
in outcrop, while more recently Karpeta (1987) recorded a total of about 355m.
The predominantly sandy outcropping succession presumably correlates with
the Kirkwood Formation, although previous lithostratigraphic work suggested a
correlation with the Enon conglomerates (Du Toit, 1976). The exclusively green
colouration of the lithological succession (ferrous, reducing iron) suggests a fluvial
depositional environment: it is not clear if gypsum rosettes in the succession are
syn-sedimentary or diagenetic.

The graben fill exposed in outcrop in the Mngazana Basin consists of interbedded
conglomerates, sandstones, limestone lenses and carbonate-cemented black
claystones. Despite the coarseness of much of the succession, ammonites have been
found (Klinger & Kennedy, 1979), and locally radiolaria are abundant (McLachlan
et al., 1976b; McMillan, 2003a), indicating a good connection with the open ocean
at the time these sediments were laid down. Ammonites (Klinger & Kennedy,
1979; Cooper, 1983), ostracods (McLachlan et al, 1976b; Brenner & Oertli, 1976;
Valicenti & Stephens, 1984) and foraminifera (McLachlan et al., 1976b; McMillan,
2003a) all show this succession to correlate with the mid Late Valanginian portion
of the Sundays River Formation in the Algoa Basin. Du Toit (1912) provided early
details for the outcropping succession, while Karpeta (1987) measured 50m of
section. It is probable that equivalents of the Bethelsdorp Formation lie at depth
in both basins, but perhaps only offshore, or downfaulted against the bounding
faults. More study of these two basin fills is necessary.

Other Onland Basins

At present it remains unclear if dateable Late Jurassic successions occur in other
Cape rifted basins, or how they are distributed. However, it is confident to assume
that massive Enon-style conglomerates can be dated as part of the Kimmeridgian
initial sedimentary episode wherever they may occur in these rift basins: in the
Wellington, Robertson (Rastall, 1911; Sohnge, 1934), Swellendam, Langkloof,
"Waterskilpads" (Malan & Theron, 1987), Hardevlakte, Knysna, Heidelberg-
Riversdale (Viljoen, 1992), Oudtshoorn (Du Preez, 1944; Kleywegt, 1972;
Holzforster, 2007), Plettenberg Bay (Bietou and Pisang Basins) and Mossel Bay
Basins (Haughton et al., 1937b). Furthermore, overlying fine-grained claystones,
possibly high-gamma in character and whether red or grey in colour, hold
promise as being part of the coarse-clastic-starved equivalent of the Portlandian
Bethelsdorp Formation, may well be datable with a variety of techniques, and have

26 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

been recognised in the Mossel Bay, Heidelberg-Riversdale, Oudtshoorn, Gamtoos,
and Pisang and Bietou Basins. Good summaries of outcrops in the Western Cape
basins are given by Malan & Viljoen (1990). Typical thicknesses include at least
3000m conglomerates estimated, overlain with 150m of red greenish and blue
mudstones, buff sandstones and small-pebble conglomerates in the Oudtshoorn
Basin; up to 1460m of succession in the Mossel Bay Basin; more than 2133m of
section in the Heidelberg-Riversdale Basin (Du Toit, 1954, p. 386; Rigassi, 1968;
McLachlan & McMillan, 1976). Additional details of the onshore basins can be
gained from Rogers (1905, 1910), Schwarz (1900, 1904, 1906, 1913) and Rogers &
Schwarz (1900a, b, 1901, 1902).

Despite the localised occurrence of potentially fossiliferous Portlandian non-
marine grey claystones overlying the Enon conglomerates, and the potential for
biostratigraphy based on palynology, non-marine ostracods or charophyte oogonia,
little progress has been made in fine-correlating these onland basins over the past
100 years. Much of the early work on Estheria (conchostracans) by Jones (1901)
and on fossil plants by Seward (1903, 1907) from finer-grained rock units still
has not been surpassed. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Midland Oil drilled
one fully cored borehole in the Riversdale area (Riversdale 1) and two nearby
cuttings boreholes (Eldorado, also known as PR-1A, or President 1; and PR-2 or
President 2) that intersect varying thicknesses of graben fill in the Heidelberg-
Riversdale Basin. Riversdale 1 recovered a graben fill succession of 462m of sandy
and marly shales, conglomerates and breccia (McLachlan & McMillan, 1976). So
far as is known these boreholes have never been formally studied for microfossils,
although dark grey silty claystones occur in cores from Riversdale 1 and contain
conchostracans. Conchostracans were also recognised at several sites around the
town of Heidelberg (Rogers & Schwarz, 1902). It is not known if samples from the
three boreholes still exist in storage.

MATERIAL

Borehole Material

The onshore Uitenhage Trough has been drilled by four deep boreholes, two of
which reflect early local enthusiasm for oil exploration. The Swartkops borehole
(now designated SW 1/08) was drilled in 1908-1909 by the Algoa Oil Company
Ltd, on the coastal flats near the mouth of the Swartkops River, just to the north of
Port Elizabeth, and was financed by local businessmen (Rogers, 1910; Smith, 1913).
Its location is 33°52'47"S, 25°36'38"E. The presence of salt-pans in the region was
regarded as a good indicator of oil, a feature used to site boreholes in the Galician
oil-fields of Poland. A jumper drill and Galician drilling crew were brought in to
drill the hole. It intersected 1106m of succession (basal Sundays River Formation;
Kirkwood Formation; Bethelsdorp Formation; Swartkops Sandstone Formation;
and possibly Enon Conglomerate Formation) before running into difficulties and
terminating near to the top of the unconformably underlying Palaeozoic Table
Mountain Group quartzites. The borehole failed to find any hydrocarbons, but
encountered a strongly-flowing hot thermal spring near the base of the succession,
whereupon a spa and sanatorium were built over the site of the borehole that
lasted for much of the 20th century (Smith, 1913). These buildings have now been
demolished (Shone, pers. comm.). An irregular series of samples was collected
at the time of drilling from the borehole section, and are now held by the Port
Elizabeth Museum, but they are severely depleted. Because of the style of drilling,
some of these samples are contaminated with small proportions of Pleistocene dune
sand containing Eemian-Weichselian benthic foraminifera. Various aspects of the
geology of the SW 1/08 succession are dealt with by Rogers (1910), Smith (1913),
Winter (1973) and McLachlan & McMillan (1976). (See Fig. 7 back cover pocket.)

Mr GW. Smith, engineer in charge of drilling operations at SW 1/08 during 1908
and 1909, collected a set of samples at a variable interval down the borehole, some
of which (probably the clearly fossiliferous portions) were sent to Dr FL. Kitchin
of the British Museum (Natural History), London, though the majority of the
samples were later presented to the Port Elizabeth Museum. Through the courtesy
of a former Director of the Museum, Dr J.R. Grindley, and with the help of Mr I.R.
McLachlan, formerly of the Petroleum Agency of South Africa, small portions
of the Port Elizabeth Museum samples were obtained for micropalaeontological
processing. Little now remains of these samples, and the intervals between each

28 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

studied sample are very erratic. As a result, correlation of SW 1/08 results with
those from BT 1/74 and ST 1/71 is only partially possible.

A second, shallower borehole exploring for oil was drilled in 1915 in the extreme
proximal portion of the Uitenhage Trough, due south of Uitenhage town, by the
Uitenhage Petroleum and Mining Company. Press reports for May 1916 report oil
to have been found near Uitenhage: in fact, some time before January 1915 gas
was found trapped within Early Pleistocene ("Alexandria Formation") bivalve shells
obtained from three pits dug adjacent to the future borehole site. On the basis of
the gas-bearing shells, the borehole was put down. This borehole, percussion-drilled
near the northern boundary of the farm Naroes by the Armstrong brothers, and
here designated NR 1/15, seems to have experienced considerable difficulties during
drilling, perhaps because of lack of finance. Its location is approximately 33°81667'S,
25°3833'E, on the southern margin of KwaNobuhle. It took about a year to reach a
total depth of 1005 feet, intersecting lowest Kirkwood Formation and the upper half
of the Bethelsdorp Formation. Details of the history of this borehole remain rather
sketchy, but there is a South African Council for Geoscience report (Krige, 1942)
that describes "oil" occurrences and the geology on Naroes, which summarises both
the pits and the borehole and their lithology and stratigraphic section. In addition,
samples of rock chips from parts of the succession, and fossil oysters (presumably
from the Pleistocene "Alexandria Formation") are held in the collections of the Port
Elizabeth Museum. Krige (1942) makes no mention of any fossils in the Uitenhage
beds, and this is possibly due to both macrofossil shells and foraminifera tests being
pulverised by the percussion drilling. The termination of NR 1/15 marked the end
of private consortiums drilling for oil in the onshore Algoa Basin.

The NR 1/15 borehole intersected an interesting succession, which is very fine-
grained, and probably displays high-gamma characteristics in parts. This succession
can be correlated on its lithostratigraphy with the other borehole sections. Below
the thin veneer of "Alexandria Formation" and pebbly soils encountered in the
pits, and locally outcropping, are interbedded red, brown, yellow and grey clays
and claystones ("variegated marls") of the basal Kirkwood Formation, but this
lithological unit was not recognised in the borehole section, only in one of the pits.
Stratigraphically below this (in the borehole section) is a 260 feet thick unit of "grey
limestone clay", which equates to the non-marine "grey unit" seen in boreholes
BT 1/74 and ST 1/71 overlying the Bethelsdorp Formation. Below this is 715 feet of
"greenish soapstone", "dark blue carboniferous shale" and "grey Cretaceous clay",
interspersed with rare thin sandstones and bituminous shales, which correlate with
the upper half of the Bethelsdorp Formation as seen in BT 1/74 and ST 1/71
boreholes. The bituminous shales, at depths of 200 and 600 feet (Krige, 1942), are
described as flammable, and probably have especially strong high-gamma electric
log responses.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 29

The third deep borehole in the Uitenhage Trough was ST 1/71, drilled by Soekor
in 1971 at the height of that company's interest in the hydrocarbon potential of the
onshore Algoa Basin. The location is 33°46'30"S, 25°32'00"E. It was drilled with a
rotary drilling rig to a depth of 192 lm: cuttings samples were recovered every 10m
interval in the top half of the hole, and every 5m in the bottom half. This borehole
was drilled on the farm Salt Pan, and it is sited close to the half-graben bounding
fault (Coega Fault), so that it recovered the most complete graben-fill succession
(1700m) of all four holes (lower half of the Sundays River Formation; Kirkwood
Formation; Bethelsdorp Formation; (Swartkops Sandstone Formation not present);
Enon Conglomerate Formation). However, the quality of the borehole is poor, and
it experienced considerable cavings problems, so that Sundays River Formation
foraminifera cave down into the Bethelsdorp Formation, and stratigraphic ranges
of foraminifera gained from the Bethelsdorp Formation are sometimes not reliable.
This borehole intersected 200m of Table Mountain quartzites at the base of the
hole. The foraminifera of the portion of the Sundays River Formation intersected
by ST 1/71 were part of the assemblages documented by McMillan (2003a). (See
Fig. 8 back cover pocket.)

By far the best-quality rotary (cuttings) deep borehole was the final one drilled
by Soekor in the onshore Uitenhage Trough, BT 1/74, sited on Bethelsdorp
Commonage, on the north-eastern banks of the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. The location
is 33°51'08"S, 25°32'00"E. Using foraminifera assemblages, the borehole succession
can be confidently correlated to the outcrops of the Bethelsdorp Formation
occurring nearby in the low banks around the margin of Bethelsdorp Salt Pan.
This locality is thus designated the outcrop stratotype of the Bethelsdorp Formation
and BT 1/74 the type borehole section. The elongate outline of Bethelsdorp Salt
Pan almost exactly overlies the outcrop of the Bethelsdorp Formation, and the salt-
pan is presumably so located and orientated because of the restricted outcrop of
the impermeable high-gamma claystones. The graben fill succession in BT 1/74 is
about 771m thick (basal Kirkwood Formation; Bethelsdorp Formation; Swartkops
Sandstone Formation; Enon Conglomerate Formation). This borehole has extremely
clean, high-quality cuttings samples down to about 620m, where severe sloughing
of the hole occurred. Without this quality borehole section it would not have been
possible to define the variety of different foraminiferal assemblages occurring
through the Bethelsdorp Formation succession. (See Fig. 6 back cover pocket.)
After intersecting the graben fill, borehole BT 1/74 continued drilling deep into
the Ordovician-Silurian Table Mountain Group quartzites, finally attaining a total
depth of 2159m. Its aim in the Palaeozoic succession was exploring the potential for
gas-bearing deep fractures or gas reservoirs. This was the last borehole drilled for
hydrocarbons in the onshore Uitenhage Trough. More recent activity onshore has
concentrated on the Sundays River Trough, developing exploration plays associated
with the organic-rich claystones of the Colchester Formation, by Energy Resources
and Mining Corporation in the late 1980s, and in the past five years by Exxoteq.

30 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

From the two Soekor boreholes, cuttings samples were available at 10m intervals
(top-hole in both boreholes), 5m intervals (lower part of ST 1/71) and 3m intervals
(lower part of BT 1/74). In all cases one cuttings sample was studied each 10m
interval down these two borehole sections. In addition, four conventional cores
were recovered from the Bethelsdorp Formation and the underlying Swartkops
Formation in BT 1/74, and one core from the Bethelsdorp Formation in ST 1/71.
One run of sidewall cores (12 useful recoveries) was made over the Bethelsdorp
Formation interval of BT 1/74.

Outcrop Material

In addition to the borehole samples examined for foraminifera in the course of
this study, thirty-five outcrop samples, collected by I.R. McLachlan and the late
A.M. Anderson in the mid 1970s, were examined from the south-western margins
of Bethelsdorp Salt Pan (29 samples), North End Lake (Korsten) (4 samples) and
Chatty (2 samples). Most of these are brownish fine-grained claystones, but those
with the greatest numbers of foraminifera tests often proved to be silty, very shelly
sandstones (see vertical sections in McLachlan & McMillan, 1976, figs. 5 and 6).
Small foraminifera assemblages were obtained from eight of the Bethelsdorp Salt
Pan samples, but the remainder, and those from Chatty and North End Lake,
were barren of in situ foraminifera. It has not proved possible to correlate the
stratigraphic levels of the samples collected by McLachlan and Anderson to the
lithological columns first described by Stow (1871), and redefined by McLachlan &
McMillan (1976, fig. 6). Results of foraminifera studies on the borehole and outcrop
samples are presented in range charts, Figs 6 to 10.

Two distinctly different foraminiferal assemblages were encountered in the
productive samples from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. In the sandy and shelly samples
the foraminifera are exclusively calcareous, with robust, thick-shelled forms of
the genera Vaginulina, Planularia, Nubecularia and Frondicularia predominating.
In the brown silty clays, more thin-walled, delicate shells occur, with species of
Citharina, Lingulina, Pyramidulina and Epistomina forming a sizable part of the
assemblages. The sandy facies appears to have accumulated under littoral, open
beach environments, while the clays seem to have accumulated in quieter waters,
perhaps partly lagoonal, though still clearly marine, but also with a strong dysoxic
influence on the sea-floor. As noted previously, the foraminifera of the outcrops at
Bethelsdorp Salt Pan correlate with foraminiferal assemblage Peak 8 (the lowest
peak recognised) especially in boreholes BT 1/74 and ST 1/71, on the basis of the
very limited stratigraphic range of Ammobaculites subaequalis Mjatliuk at all three
sites.

Bethelsdorp Salt Pan is also known as the Mission Salt Pan, which is 28.4m above
sea level, and is operated by Swartkops Sea Salt (Pty) Ltd, manufacturers of "Marina
Sea Salt". The sampled outcrops on the south-western margin of the pan are 2.5 km

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 31

FIGURE 9

Microfaunal and macrofaunal results from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. Samples listed in numerical
order only.

microfaunal
macrofauna

sample no.

calcareous foraminifera
agglutinated foraminifera
free bryozoa
attached bryozoa
serpulid worm tubes
otlier worm tubes
^solitary corals

arthropod claws/shell
non-marine ostracods
marine ostracods
gastropods
Inoceramus prisms
Ostrea shell fragments
other bivalves

holothurian sclerites
echinoids spines/shell
crinoid ossicles
ophiuroid ossicles
indeterminate echinoderm shell
scaphopods
fish teeth

fish bone fragments
fish otoliths
fish scales
megaspores
wood fragments
barnacle plates/shell
?hexised

4798
4799
4800
4801
4802

a - a a - a -

- - H H H □ H

- M - -HDD

□

- - a - - - -

4803
4804
4805
4806
4807

4808

4808b

4809

4810

4811

-------

- - - □ - - -

4812
4813
4814
4815
4900

- □ - - a - □

-------

4901
4902
4903
4904
11475

□ - H H - - □

- □ a - □ a -

□ - □ □ - □ □

_ _ _ □ _ Q _

- - □ - □ H -

- - a - a - □

_□--□--

- H - - H - -
□ B - - Q - □

a ----- _

- a - - - - -
a - a a - - -

11476

11477
11478
11479

H ----- _
Q ----- _

- - a - n - □

__□____

□ □ □ □ H - -

□ H - - H - -
- H - - H - -
-PD----

a - n a - - -
- - - a - - -
n ----- -

a ----- n

n ----- -

- - □ - - □ □

KEY

a i

2-5

■ 6-

a 16-49 B50 +

32 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

FIGURE 10

Foraminiferal results from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. Samples listed in numerical order only.

species/sample

4798

4901

4904

11475

11476

11477 11478 11479

Frondicularia franconica

Bullopora laevis

Nubecularia lucifuga

Planularia madagascariensis

Tristix acutangulus

Tristix sp. 1

Planularia beierana

Vaginulina barnardi

Ramulina fusiformis

Lagena algoaensis

? Bullopora sp.

Citharina sp.

Neoflabellina sp.

Lingulina spp.

Lingulina nodomria

Pyramidulina minuta

Citharina harpa

Citharina inconstans

Frondicularia cf. L. loryi

Pyramidulina cf. P. minuta

Pyramidulina sp.

Planularia spp.

Marginulina sp.

Ammobaculites subaequalu

Dorothia sp.

Ammobaculites sp. 1

Epistomina parastelligera

Vaginulina sp.

Vaginulinopm spp.

Haplophragmoides sp. 6

-s

Haplophragmoides sp. 5

Pyramidulina cf. P. kuhni

Clobulina prisca

Foguttulina anglica

?1ristix sp.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 33

south-south-west from the site of borehole BT 1/74. It is not known how accessible
the outcrops around the salt-pan sampled by Ian and Ann McLachlan in the mid
1970s now are, or even if they still exist. As indicated by McLachlan & McMillan
(1976), the surroundings around North End Lake were landscaped in the early
1970s, and the latest Jurassic graben fill is no longer exposed there. Two grey
claystone samples collected by McLachlan and Anderson from poor exposures at
Chatty are associated with red beds, but no microfossils were obtained.

All borehole and outcrop samples were boiled in a solution of Tinegal PAC (a high-
powered, large-molecule, quaternary ammonium detergent manufactured by
Ciba Geigy) in water for about three-quarters of an hour. The samples were then
washed free of mud using a 63 micron sieve, then residues dried and picked for
microfossils in the normal micropalaeontological manner. All samples processed
for foraminifera were of friable claystone, with variable silt or sand, or siltstone,
and proved easy to process.

Microfossil Preservation

In general, the foraminifera assemblages of the Bethelsdorp Formation are not as
well preserved as those of the Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a). Many
calcareous foraminifera tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation have been partially
leached on their surface, resulting in roughening of the surface on both miliolid
and nodosarid shells. This feature of the foraminifera tests may be due to the much
greater depth of burial which the Bethelsdorp Formation attained at maximum
burial at the end of the Hauterivian, when compared to that of the Sundays River
Formation at the same time. However, poor preservation is not a consistent feature,
and even in the sandiest samples from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, for example, occasional
beautifully preserved foraminifera tests do occur. Nonetheless, it is clear that the
graben-fill sediment pile preserved today in the onshore Uitenhage Trough is only
a portion of what was originally laid down, both in terms of thickness and areal
extent. Ever since uplift of the graben succession and incision of the Algoa Canyon
in Early Barremian times (McMillan et al., 1997) there have been repeated uplift-
erosion episodes that have progressively cut into the remnants of the succession,
and uplifted the remainder back up to today's land surface.

Previous Work

Earliest work on the geology of the onshore Uitenhage Trough has been summarised
by McLachlan & McMillan (1976, p. 199 et seq.). Atherstone (1857), Tate (1867),
Stow (1871), Newton (1914) and Haughton (1928) all comment on various aspects
of the geology of the outcrops around Bethelsdorp Salt Pan and North End Lake.
Oysters, echinoids, bivalves and gastropods were reported at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan
by Stow (1871) who attempted to subdivide the marine succession into the (lower)
"saliferous beds", as at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, and the (upper) Uitenhage Formation
(now the Sundays River Formation).

34 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

NORTH -WEST

SUNDAYS RIVER TROUGH

SOUTH WEST

12 ft

TD IZ 33 ■■'

KILQMETHE3

(Projected) Hb-CI

:i |i i[ Hb-I

II Hta-M |Pro|ected)

Hh-BI (Projected)

CAMPftNIWJ ANP LATER

PORT

ELIZABETH tX3fer
ARCH

■ I : cAi-.i. :\.---i~-~ ■■-;iWii

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 35

OFFSHORE UITENHAQE TROUGH south-east

FIGURE 11

Published sections through
the onshore and offshore
Algoa Basin. Top from
McMillan (2003a), lower from
McMillan et al. (1997)

EAKLV CENOMAJWAN
_| LATE AFTIAN TO WMtE ALBUM
_ ' EARLY VALANGINhftN TO LATE HAUTERIVIAW
BERRIASlAM
, I 1 ] HIGH GAIWIA CLAY5TONE5 - PORTLANDIAN
J KIMMERHWiiM BASAL CLASTB WEOCE

NORTH EAST

IOQ "^

36 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

The singular occurrence of Cidaris echinoid shells and spines at Bethelsdorp and
North End Lake was noted by both Atherstone and Stow. However, it was only with
the work of Rigassi (1970, p. 16) and Rigassi & Dixon (1972) that a discrete lower
marine unit was recognised in the onshore Uitenhage Trough, clearly distinct from
the marine beds of the Sundays River Formation. Up to now, neither ammonites
nor ammonite fragments are known from either outcrops or borehole sections
in the Bethelsdorp Formation in the onshore Uitenhage Trough, an unfortunate
absence.

The earliest microfossils recognised in the Bethelsdorp Formation were non-
marine ostracods in samples from the SW 1/08 borehole, encountered during
analysis of the macrofossils by Kitchin (in Rogers, 1910). Possible cyprid ostracods
were seen in a sample at 2100 feet, while at 2500 feet clayey shale was found to be

MARINE SEDIMENTATION

CONTINENTAL SEDIMENTATION
(INTRACRATONIC BASINS)

FIGURE 12

Late Jurassic-Cretaceous sedimentary basins of the southern South Atlantic Region (based on

Malumian, 1990, fig. 1)

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 37

"crowded with cyprids; probably Cypris or Cypridea". Kitchin compared the macro-
and micro-fossils with those of the latest Berriasian to latest Barremian Weald Clay
succession of southern England, though he pointed out that the palaeontological
evidence was not decisive.

Rigassi (1970) and Rigassi & Dixon (1972) processed seventeen samples from
the SW 1/08 borehole section. From one sample they identified Epistomina aff.
E. australiensis Crespin, Marginulina inconstantia Cushman, "and other non-
diagnostic species of foraminifera" at a depth of 2949 feet in the borehole - all
other samples proved barren. Mainly on lithostratigraphic grounds Rigassi & Dixon
(1972) considered this lower marine unit to be coeval with the Colchester Formation
of the Sundays River Trough and to be of Berriasian to Early Valanginian age.
Their correlation of the "Colchester Member" with the Brenton Formation was
disputed by McLachlan & McMillan (1976, p. 209), and subsequent ostracod and
foraminifera biostratigraphic analysis showed the latter formation to be equivalent
to the basal Sundays River Formation (McLachlan etal., 1976a; McMillan, 2003a).
The ostracods, foraminifera and palynology were analysed in particular detail by
McLachlan et al. (1974b) and McLachlan & Scott, 1972.

Borehole ST 1/71 was analysed microfaunally and palynologically by Robertson
Research International (Bagnall et al., 1971). They considered the "Colchester
Member" section of ST 1/71 to be of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age: more
particularly in core 1 of the borehole (about 1400m), uppermost Jurassic ostracods
(when compared with those of the Mahajanga (Majunga) Basin of north-west
Madagascar) and Berriasian- Valanginian palynomorphs were recognised.
Foraminifera from the same interval were not regarded as diagnostic: Eoguttulina sp .,
miliolids, Haplophragmoides sp ., Epistomina cf. E. caracolla (Roemer), Pseudoglandulina
sp.,Dentalina sp . ,Ammobaculites sp., ^Haplophragmoides sp., Trochammina cf. T. squamata
Jones & Parker, } Pseudoglandulina sp., "^Eoguttulina sp., and strangely, Gavelinella sp.
(the last-named is probably a contaminant).

Later work (Bagnall et al., 1972), compiling all Algoa Basin results, concluded that
it was not possible to correlate the "Colchester Member" using foraminifera. On the
basis of the palynological assemblages from the "Colchester Member" of both the
Uitenhage and Sundays River Troughs, an earlier Neocomian age was concluded.

More diverse and less caved foraminifera assemblages were encountered in the
"Colchester Member" succession intersected in borehole BT 1/74, where the
foraminifera were dominated by species of miliolids, together with species of
Ammobaculites , Haplophragmoides, rare nodosarids, Eoguttulina and Epistomina
(McLachlan et al., 1974a). The age of the fossiliferous interval was initially regarded
as Berriasian (Purbeckian). This sequence was later equated to the "Colchester
Member" of offshore borehole PB-A1 by McLachlan et al. (1976a), and both units

38 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

STAGE

NEUQUEN BASIN, ARGENTINA

ALGOA BASIN, SOUTH AFRICA

119Ma

BARREMIAN

— FIRST APPEARANCE OF PLANKTIC
FORAMINIFERA IN ARGENTINA
TERMINATION OF EL CICLO ANDICO

124Ma

AGRIO Fm. UPPER

HAUTERIVIAN

nooonnnnnftf>ff

131 Ma

AGRIO Fm LOWER

MULICHINCO Fm.

VALANGINIAN

PORTLANDIAN

152Ma

VACA MUERTA FrrT^^S

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

INVERSION PERIOD

INITIATION OF EL
CICLO ANDICO

OXFORDIAN

163Ma

CALLOVIAN

169Ma

FARAONI EVENT ,W

HERGOTTELLA
ASSOCIATION

EPISTOMINA &
CONORBOIDES

PLANULARIA
CREPIDULARIS-

LENTICULINA
COLLIGNONI
ASSOCIATION

^EPISTOMINAL-

CHIMUIDOENSIS-

ARACAJUIA

COLCHESTERENSIS

EPISTOMINA CARACUR-
AENSIS- CITHARINA cf.
AUSTROAFR. -
N.aff. FONTANNESI

EPISTOMINA VACAENSIS
ASSOCIATION

MARGUNULINOPSIS

PICUNLEUFUENSIS-
PARACYTHERIDEA

M. PICUNLEUFUENSIS

EPISTOMINA

COVUNCOENSIS -
PSEUDOCYCLAMMINA

COVUNCOENSIS

■ fom

COLCHESTER fnWTW

lyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyy

).BETHELS-;y

f y DORP ,y

tyyrrfrrrr/y

'yyyyyyyyyyy
'yyy/yyyyyyy

LACUSTRIN

FAUNAL HIATUS

SWARTKOPS
Fm.

INITIATION OF GRABEN
SEDIMENTATION

REINHOLDELLA-
EPISTOMINA
ASSEMBLAGE

EPISTOMINA

PARASTELLIGERA
VINELLOIDEA

BUCHENRODERI
MARGINULINOPSIS

DORBIGNYI

BASAL CLASTIC WEDGE:
TRITAXIA ASSOCIATION IN
Ha-Hl IN OFFSHORE
GAMTOOS BASIN

CITHARINA
COVUNCOENSIS
FAUNULE

'END OF KAROO CYCLE

if)

SUURBERG GROUP

vwvwOOOOOvwvvv

CITHARINA
HETEROFLEURA-

VAGINULINA
FLABELLOIDES
ASSOCIATION

PART OF LEBOMBO/

STORMBERG VOLCANIC

EPISODE

KEY v VOLCANICS

O BRECCIAS

°o°o D o CONGLOMERATES
SANDSTONES
CLAYSTONES

LIMESTONES

UNCOLOURED AREAS MARK UNCONFORMITIES
NON-MARINE ENVIRONMENTS

HIGH-GAMMA (HEMIPELAGIC)
CLAYSTONES

MARINE ENVIRONMENTS

LACUSTRINE ENVIRONMENTS

HYPERSALINE AND HYPOSALINE
MARGINAL MARINE ENVIRONMENTS

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 39

were regarded as PBerriasian to Early Valanginian in age, though the foraminifera
assemblages of the two regions are rather dissimilar, for depositional facies
reasons. More recent work has suggested a Portlandian, latest Jurassic age for the
foraminifera assemblages of the "Colchester Member" (McLachlan & McMillan,
1979, p. 168). The present work stems from detailed taxonomic analysis of the
foraminifera of the onshore Uitenhage Trough boreholes and outcrops, which was
completed as an unpublished Soekor report by the author in 1980. This work
included detailed analysis of the clear foraminiferal abundance peaks, and their
varied taxonomic composition, presented herein. Since 1980, declining economic
interest in the onshore Algoa Basin has led to an end to active foraminiferal
biostratigraphy there.

FIGURE 13 (facing page)

Foraminifera based biostratigraphy and basin tectonic history of the Neuquen Basin, Argentina,
and the Algoa Basin, South Africa, during the later Jurassic-earlier Cretaceous 'Ciclo Andico'.
Boundary age-estimates are from Kent and Gradstein (1985), slightly amended. Neuquen
foraminifera biozonation from Simeoni (2000); chronostratigraphy from Howell et al. (2005);
Algoa foraminifera biozonation from McMillan (2003a)

40 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

° « E o

_, Q EC Q.

_i Z O <

< < o w

FIGURE 14

Initial subsidence in Algoa Basin: Kimmeridgian Basal Clastic Wedge (Enon/Swartkops phase)

STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS OF THE ALGOA BASIN

This section details the means by which the lithostratigraphic units identified in the
proximal Algoa Basin are presently dated and correlated.

Enon Formation (Kimmeridgian)

The lithostratigraphic surface stratotype locality is at the Enon Mission Station in
the northern Algoa Basin (Rigassi & Dixon, 1972; Winter, 1973). The estimated
300m thick type section has been described as red and white variably ferruginised
conglomerates. Enon conglomerates are very localised in the southern Cape rift
basins, but are much more widespread than any of the later units. They have been
reported in the Worcester, Robertson, Swellendam, "Waterskilpads", Hardevlakte,
Heidelberg-Riversdale, Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Langkloof, Oudtshoorn,
Gamtoos, Algoa and Mbotyi Basins. A silicified variant, the Robberg Formation
(Rigassi & Dixon, 1972; Reddering, 2000, 2003) is known from the Robberg
Peninsula at Plettenberg Bay. Additional mainly lithostratigraphic details are to be
found in Haughton (1928, 1935) and Engelbrecht et al. (1962).

The Enon conglomerates have always been regarded as a coarser lateral and
synchronous facies of the Kirkwood Formation red and green claystones with
sandstones (for example, see McLachlan & McMillan, 1976, Fig. 2). However,
although pebble beds do occur within the Kirkwood succession, and red clays
and sands are present within the Enon conglomerate succession, on the basis of
borehole sections and seismic sections, these two rock units must be of distinctly
different ages.

As noted previously, in boreholes the uphole transition from conglomerate rock
units to overlying claystones or sandstones is often extraordinarily abrupt, so
much so that several seismic sequence boundaries lie at this level in the offshore
Pletmos, Gamtoos and Algoa Basins. Unfortunately previous publications dealing
with the Pletmos, Gamtoos and Algoa offshore basin successions are often based on
incompletely drawn seismic sections, and the basal coarse clastic divergent wedge is
curiously often not defined (Bate & Malan, 1992, figs. 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 (the divergent
wedge is Unit 1 in figs. 5, 6 and 7); McMillan et al., 1997, figs. 17, 19 and 20; Paton
& Underhill, 2004, figs. 5 and 7 (the wedge is part of the Earliest Syn-rift package)).
Bate & Malan's Unit 1 equates to the horizon D to O interval in the Pletmos Basin,

42 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

FIGURE 15

Subsidence in Algoa Basin during Portlandian (Bethelsdorp/Colchester) phase (mosdy no

sedimentation onshore) DCI to DCIII suggest localised subsidence of lake, uplift everywhere else

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 43

the horizon D to DCI interval in the Gamtoos Basin, and the horizon D to DCI
interval in the Port Elizabeth Trough and offshore Uitenhage Trough, which are
regarded as having accumulated synchronously with the mostly onshore Enon
Formation. Thus the unconformity or sequence boundary identified as horizon
O or horizon DCI in the offshore basins equates to the unconformity recognised
in outcrop by Shone (1978) between the Enon conglomerates and the Kirkwood
claystones and sandstones in the northern onshore Algoa Basin.

Nearly all outcrops and borehole intersections of the Enon Formation in the
onshore and offshore Pletmos, Gamtoos and Algoa Basins expose rock successions
that are interpreted as having accumulated in fluvial depositional regimes. Fossil
wood occurs locally (see details in McLachlan & McMillan, 1976), and Mateer (1987)
described dinosaur teeth from the Enon conglomerates of the Oudtshoorn Basin.
The one clearly marine exception is the silicified conglomerates with fossil bivalve
impressions, and black shales with agglutinated benthic foraminifera, outcropping
at Robberg (Reddering, 2000, 2003). Offshore in the Algoa Basin, finer-grained
fluvial successions of Enon conglomerates and sandstones have been intersected in
boreholes Hb-Bl and Hb-Pl in the offshore Uitenhage Trough, and in boreholes
Hb-Al and Hb-Kl in the Port Elizabeth Trough. Although there are hints that
some of the most distal, finer-grained Enon successions accumulated under
marine, innermost neritic environments of deposition, most distal sections are still
very sandy, if not pebbly, and in situ microfossils are rare, as in borehole Hb-Al in
the Port Elizabeth Trough. However, as discussed above, distal Gamtoos borehole
Ha-H 1 intersected a succession that is decidedly clayier than usual, and this yielded
a small, but unique foraminifera assemblage distinguished by a singular species of
Tritaxia. Although this benthic foraminifera! assemblage cannot be dated, it is clear
that the "Enon Swartkops sedimentary episode" possesses a singular assemblage,
quite unlike that of the overlying "Bethelsdorp/Colchester sedimentary episode". In
addition, the presence of a Kimmeridgian-Hauterivian graben-fill episode within
the Jurassic-Cretaceous succession of the southern Argentina basins (Legarreta &
Gulisano, 1991; Simeoni, 2000; Musacchio & Simeoni, 2008), especially evident
in the Neuquen Basin, emphasises the close and similar stratigraphic history of
the South African and Argentina basins (first noted by Kitchin, 1907), as well as
confirming a maximum (Kimmeridgian) age for the South African graben infills.
The Enon Formation equates to the Kimmeridgian Tordillo Formation/Quebrada
del Sapo Formation, an episode of continental siliciclastics, in the Neuquen Basin
of Argentina (Howell et al., 2005).

Swartkops Formation (probably latest Kimmeridgian to earliest Portlandian)

Atherstone (1857) first used this term for unfossiliferous fluvial sandstones
outcropping in the upper reaches of the Swartkops river valley, but the outcrop
type locality is not defined. The subsurface stratotype was designated in borehole
SW 1/08 by Winter (1973, 1979), but this borehole has no electric logs. The

44 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Swartkops sandstone can also be recognised in BT 1/74 borehole, but is absent
in borehole ST 1/71. There are localised comparable sandstones in a few of the
boreholes drilled in the Sundays River Trough, such as in VO 1/71. No fossils of
any type have been found in this unit, and consequently it has been inferred to be
fluvial sandstone. Whether all these diverse occurrences correlate with the same,
single rock unit cannot be established. The precise age of this unit is unknown.

The suggestion by McLachlan & McMillan (1976) that the shelly marine sandstones
exposed at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan are referable to the Swartkops sandstones is not
considered correct by the present author, and they are here considered part of the
Bethelsdorp Formation.

Colchester Formation (Portlandian)

The Colchester Formation is limited to the central Sundays River Trough, onshore
Algoa Basin. Winter (1973) stated that the stratotype of the Colchester Member in
fully cored borehole CO 1/67 and adjacent cuttings borehole CO 2/70 consisted
of about 80m of waxy grey shales. The Colchester Formation does not interfinger
with the Kirkwood Formation at any site except possibly BR 1/71, where the
Colchester interval is decidedly reddish. The Colchester Shale Member, described
by Winter (1973), is here raised to formation level. The type section lies from
2171m (7100 feet) in fully cored borehole CO 1/67 (this borehole bottomed in
the Colchester Formation, so its succession is incomplete), to 2243m in adjacent
cuttings borehole CO 2/70. There is no surface stratotype section. The Colchester
Formation can also be recognised in boreholes AL 1/69, BR 1/7 1 , CO 2/70, CO 3/7 1 ,
KE 1/71, SH 1/74 and VO 1/71, but is absent in all other borehole intersections
in the Sundays River Trough. Its areal extent is consequently very limited. The
Colchester Formation is probably bounded on its northern and eastern margins by
the Colchester Fault, which defines the southern margin of the Addo Nose horst.
The Colchester Fault was originally defined on the Palaeozoic basement surface
using seismic sections (Battrick, 1974b), but what is probably the same fault outcrops
at the surface, extending east-west from Centlivres railway station to Zoetgeneugd
outcrop, and is shown on the geological map by Haughton (1928). The Colchester
Formation onlaps the St Croix High, lying on the northward side of the St Croix
Fault, in a southerly direction (Doherty, 1993; McMillan, 2003a, Fig. 2).

There is a faint possibility that the western tail-end of the Colchester Formation
outcrops at the base of the Kirkwood Formation to the north-west of borehole
BR 1/71, west of SH 1/74, and north-east of Coegaskop. However, the Colchester
Formation is very red in colour in the intersection in borehole BR 1/71, although some
organic-rich brown and black claystones do occur with non-marine ostracods and
charophyte oogonia. In borehole MV 1/79 the Colchester Formation is completely
missing, since the borehole is sited much higher on the upthrown northern flank
of the Coega Fault. These characteristics suggest that the most promising area to

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 45

look for possible outcrops of the Colchester Formation is just south of the western
end of the Colchester Fault, probably on the farms Glensomers or Prentjeskraal.

The Colchester Formation is interpreted to be of Portlandian age, from its similar
stratigraphic position to the Portlandian foraminifera-bearing Bethelsdorp
Formation. Although its non-marine and marine ostracods and charophyte oogonia
have been studied in great detail by PW. Brenner and V.H. Valicenti, this work has
never been published, and remains as Soekor internal reports. The Colchester
Formation is regarded as time-equivalent to the basal Vaca Muerta Formation of
the Neuquen Basin, southern Argentina (Howell et al., 2005)

Bethelsdorp Formation (Portlandian)

So far as is known, the first to consider that the "Colchester Member" of the
Sundays River Trough and the onshore Uitenhage Trough should be better
separated into two distinct lithological units, one in each trough, because of the
clear differences in thickness, colour, lithology and in depositional environment
between the two, were I.R. McLachlan, and later V.H. Valicenti: they both also
proposed the name Bethelsdorp Formation. This unit equates to the "Saliferous
Series" of Stow (1871).

The Bethelsdorp Formation attains a thickness of a little less than 400m in boreholes
BT 1/74, ST 1/71 and SW 1/08 in the onshore Uitenhage Trough. A comparable
thickness is exposed at the surface in a broad swathe close to the southern boundary
of the Uitenhage Trough, which includes the sampled outcrop sites at Chatty, North
End Lake and Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. The base of the Bethelsdorp Formation lies
unconformably on a surface of Enon conglomerates and Swartkops sandstones.
From the base to the top the Bethelsdorp succession is slightly regressive, and
shows slight shallowing-upward in its depositional environment, as evident in
borehole BT 1/74.

The Bethelsdorp Formation is here proposed as a discrete lithological unit of
the proximal Uitenhage Trough, coeval with the Colchester Formation of the
Sundays River Trough, and essentially of Portlandian age. It differs from the
Colchester Formation in its overall marine-influenced depositional environment,
in its variegated reddish, greenish or greyish-blue colour and in its unusually
fine-grained claystone lithology. The very low cliff outcrops around the southern
margins of Bethelsdorp Salt Pan are proposed as the stratotype locality (roughly
33 °53'09"S, 25 ° 3 1'55"E), which have been described in some detail by McLachlan &
McMillan, 1976, p. 199-202, fig. 5). The proposed subsurface stratotype is the
almost 400m thick intersection in cuttings borehole BT 1/74. This borehole lies
only about 300m from the shore of Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, and it is probable that
depositional environments and lithologies are very similar at the two sites. Because
of the absence of any in situ foraminifera in studied samples from both North

46 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

FIGURE 16

Subsidence in Algoa Basin during Berriasian-early Valanginian (Kirkwood/Infanta phase)

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 47

End Lake and Chatty, these two potential outcrops of the Bethelsdorp Formation
may only be considered as possible comparable sections. However, there may
be additional outcrops close to the southern margin of the Uitenhage Trough,
despite widespread Pliocene and Pleistocene covering sandy veneers, all the way
from the northern suburbs of Port Elizabeth westwards to the southern suburbs of
Uitenhage town.

As discussed in more detail below, the foraminifera species recovered from shelly
clayey sands and sandy clays exposed at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan in samples 11475,
11476 and 11477 show clearly that these samples derive from the lowest beds of
the Bethelsdorp Formation, as intersected in borehole BT 1/74. The gamma ray
log from the well completion report compiled by A.J. Battrick (1974a) for the
relevant section of borehole BT 1/74 is shown in Fig. 19. High gamma claystones
are developed throughout the Bethelsdorp Formation in the type borehole
section in BT 1/74, as well as in borehole ST 1/71. The same characteristic can be
recognised in the time-equivalent succession in the offshore Uitenhage Trough
borehole sections Hb-Bl, Hb-Pl, and in the attenuated interval in Hb-Dl, drilled
prior to intersecting the St Croix Fault plane (see McMillan, 2003a, Fig. 2).

The Bethelsdorp Formation is coeval with the dark bituminous shales and marls
(Weaver, 1931) of the lower Vaca Muerta Formation in the Neuquen Basin
succession, southern Argentina. Doyle et al. (2005, p. 186) describe the Vaca Muerta
as concordantly overlying the clastic and continental deposits of the Tordillo
Formation (Enon equivalent). The top of the Vaca Muerta Formation is locally
diachronous and progradational, but elsewhere unconformably underlies the non-
marine siliciclastics of the Mulichinco Formation (Kirkwood equivalent) (Howell et
al., 2005).

Kirkwood Formation (probably Berriasian to Early Valanginian)

The Kirkwood Formation was described from the localities around Kirkwood
Bridge (Rigassi & Dixon, 1972; Winter, 1973). There is a borehole stratotype: 1027
to 2171m in borehole CO 1/67 (Winter, 1979). The succession has been interpreted
as having accumulated in a fluvial or coastal plain setting (McLachlan & McMillan,
1976; Shone, 1976, 1978). Fossil plants and resin occur locally (Seward, 1903;
Brown & Gow, 1976; Brown, 1977a, b; Anderson & Anderson, 1985; Bamford,
1986; Gomez et al. 2002a, b; and Bamford, 2004). Pollen and spores were detailed
from some samples from the Kirkwood Formation in boreholes CK 1/68 and
CO 1/67 by Scott (1971, 1976). Numbers of vertebrates have also been described
(Broom, 1904, 1910; Andrews, 1910; Galton & Coombs, 1981; Rich et al, 1983;
Forster et al, 1995; Cruickshank, 1997; De Klerk et al. 1997; 2000a, b; Ross et
al, 1999; and Forster et al, 2009). None of these fossils provide very accurate
ages for the Kirkwood Formation, nor is there yet a biostratigraphic zonation. No
marine indicators such as foraminifera or marine ostracods, or fluvial indicators

48 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

^ Q O
O Z O
U < Q-

FIGURE 17

Subsidence in Algoa Basin during late Valanginian-late Hauterivian (Sundays River phase)

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 49

such as megaspores or non-marine ostracods (except the latter occasionally in the
AD 1/68 borehole section) have been found in the Kirkwood succession, and much
of the succession appears to be essentially barren of microfossils. Intersections of
the most distal Kirkwood Formation in offshore boreholes (Algoa Basin boreholes
Hb-Dl and Hb-Pl, Gamtoos Basin borehole Ha-Fl and Pletmos Basin borehole
PB-A1) show interfingering of foraminifera-bearing (Haplophragmoides) marine
grey claystones and non-marine red or green claystones. The highest part of the
Kirkwood Formation remains red the furthest offshore (McLachlan el al., 1976b;
McMillan, 2003a, Fig. 2) both in Algoa boreholes Hb-Dl and Hb-Pl, and in
Pletmos borehole PB-A1, indicating a slight shallowing up motif to the Kirkwood
succession.

The Kirkwood Formation is presently essentially dated only on the basis of
ages from the overlying Sundays River Formation and underlying Bethelsdorp
Formation. The essentially Berriasian to Early Valanginian Kirkwood Formation
marks a major regressive episode in the sedimentation history of the southern
Cape grabens. The continental siliciclastics of the Mulichinco Formation constitute
a major non-marine unit beneath the Agrio Formation (Sundays River equivalent)
in the Neuquen Basin in southern Argentina (Howell et al., 2005), and are regarded
as being contemporary with the Kirkwood Formation.

Sundays River Formation (Late Valanginian to latest Hauterivian)

The outcrop stratotype is designated the high cliffs at Zoetgeneugd on the Sundays
River by Winter (1973). The borehole stratotype is designated the CO 1/67 section
by Winter (1973, 1979), although borehole AL 1/69 includes about 380m extra
section at the top of the Sundays River Formation, not seen in CO 1/67. Ammonites
were last reviewed by Cooper (1981, 1983), and aspects of the bivalve assemblages
also detailed by Rennie (1934), Pringle (1960) and Cooper (1979a, b, 1991). The
ostracods were described by Dingle (1969), Brenner & Oertli (1976) and Valicenti
& Stephens (1984), and reviewed by Dingle (1996), and the foraminifera by Rigassi
(1970), Beer (1970) and McMillan (2003a). The age implications presented in these
publications are essentially in accordance.

The Sundays River Formation in the Sundays River Trough accumulated in
progressively less marine environments northwards (McLachlan & McMillan, 1976;
Shone, 1976, 1978), and there is a marked decline northwards in the abundance
and diversity of normal marine ostracods and the appearance of species typical of
marginal marine conditions (Dingle, 1969, 1996; Brenner & Oertli, 1976; Valicenti
& Stephens, 1984). There is a similar decline in abundance and diversity of benthic

FIGURE 18 (overleaf - pages 50 and 51)

Seismic horizons and foraminiferal zone markers for the lower portions of the graben fills in

the major southern offshore basins

50 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

BREDASDORP BASIN

INFANTA EMBAYMENT

NORTHERN PLETMOS
BOREHOLE PB-A1

'v/VVVVVVVV/vVvVV

>• BASE OF UPPER

v V VvV\/*l IVl/VVvVVv,

^ BASE OF UPPER

'WA/X/Wf II K/XA/XXi/V*
KIRKWOODRED AND J

SHELLY GLAUCONITIC

GREEN CLAYSTONES J

1 1 1

fct

SANDSTONES

FACIES- /

SHALLOWING J

THIN RED AND GREEN

THIN NON-MARINE

UPWARDS r

z
<

CLAYSTONES

RED AND GREEN

NO FORAMINIFERA

CLAYSTONES

NON-MARINE

NO FORAMINIFERA

-z.

/ INFANTA Fm.

F-

/ RARE SMALL

en
<

J HAPLOPHRAG-

/ MOIDESspp.

z
1

THIN RED AND GREEN

SECTION COMPLETE?

I LARGE

CLAYSTONES

J HAPLOPHRAGMOIDES

NO FORAMINIFERA

THIN RED AND GREEN

/ sp.

z
<

NON-MARINE

CLAYSTONES

/ INFANTA FORMATION

NO FORAMINIFERA

NON-MARINE

MOSTLY

AGGLUTINATED

DC
LU
DO

r-r\r\r\r\r.r\nnr,r,r,r,r,r

r\r\r\/^s\s\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\

FORAMINIFERA

rVV/v/WWWv/WW

\J\J\J\r\J\J\J\J\j\J\j\J\J\J\,

'v/vvvvvv/vWv/vvv/

0- CO

o <

"V" SANDSTONE

SUCCESSION

SHALLOWS UPWARDS

OOLITIC GLAUCONITIC

CO w

— 1 <

z
<

SHELLY SANDSTONES

HAPLOPHRAGMOIDES spp.

WITH CRINOID AND

DOROTHIA SUBTROCHUS

OYSTER DEBRIS.

EPISTOMINA

LU <

COMMON OSTRACODS

PARASTELLIGERA

VERY RARE FORAMS

VINELLOIDEA

dc x

1 1 1 77;

INCLUDE "TRITAXIS cf.

BUCHENRODERI

H S3

DC
O

T.FUSCA".

T. FUSCA"

ASTACOLUS sp. A

CO X

SIMPLE LENTICULINAsp.

LENTICULINAspp.

X LU

CITHARINArf.

ANY HIGH GAMMA

CJ CO

-1 <

C. AUSTROAFRICANA

CHARACTER?

O X

O 0-

'lAAAAA/ V TvA/VA/V/V/

\J\J\J\/\/\r<l V y\f\J\/\f\j\j

'WWX/X/I jVX/X/X/W

BASAL CLASTIC WEDGE

<" LU

X o

£ 5

2 Z>

i±j i-

(BASAL CONGLOMERATE

INTERBEDDED PEBBLE

0. Q

5 <

UNITS ONLY

UNITS NOT INTERSECTED

BEDS, CONGLOMERATES

LU I -
1 CO

z
<

2 Q
o w m

OCCASIONALLY

IN BOREHOLES DRILLED

AND RED CLAYSTONES

Q
DC

m > DO

CC O |
LU CB H

INTERSECTED IN
BOREHOLES DRILLED
TO DATE)

TO DATE)

NO FORAMINIFERA

SOME SWARTKOPS-
TYPE FLUVIAL
SANDSTONES

CO <

NON-MARINE

O "

5
5

en ->

NO FORAMINIFERA
NON-MARINE

H~ <
cr en

(BUT FORAMS PRESENT

S <

fti 2

IN ROBBERG OUTCROPS)

goo

a m

s\s\s\s\s\r\/fr\T\r\s\s\f\f\*y

u v v v v vi u f u V u u u u v/ u v/ v v v u Lf >> v v v u v t*

VV W Wi UIVWVW

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 51

CENTRAL
PLETMOS BASIN

y LARGE
y HAPLOPHRAG-
MOIDESsp.

MONOTONOUS
FORAMINIFERA
ASSEMBLAGES:
INFANTA Fm.

"DISTINCTIVE
CLAYSTONE"

ABUNDANT SMALL
AMMOBACULITES
spp. +EPISTOMINA
cf. MOSQUENSIS

BASAL CLASTIC
WEDGE

MOSTLY SANDSTONES
SOME PEBBLE BEDS
AND RED CLAYSTONES

NO FORAMINIFERA
NON-MARINE

OFFSHORE
GAMTOOS BASIN

INFANTA Fm.

MONOTONOUS
FORAMINIFERA
ASSEMBLAGES

-©-

MOSTLY
AGGLUTINATED

HORIZON
^NOT

-<P>

BASAL CLASTIC
WEDGE MOSTLY
NON-MARINE?
CLAYSTONES, SAND-
STONES AND PEBBLE
BEDS MOSTLY
UNFOSSILIFEROUS
BUT IN Ha-H1:
HAPLOPHAGMOIDES
SPP- f^\

AMMOBACULITES spp.
AND TRITAXIA sp.
THIS IS A UNIQUE
FORAMINIFERA
ASSEMBLAGE!

OFFSHORE ALGOA

PORT ELIZABETH

TROUGH

LARGE

HAPLOPHRAGMOIDES

sp.

^?AMPHICORYNA
sp. #1

INFANTA Fm.

i
i^" trIstTx

ACUTANGULA

?AMPHICORYNAsp. #2
+ M. DORBIGNYI

^~ PENTACRINUS

^ TETRASERPULA

DCIlT

' TOP RADIOLARIA

BASAL CLASTIC
WEDGE MOSTLY
INTERBEDDED
SANDSTONES, PEBBLE
BEDS AND CLAYSTONES
MOSTLY NON-MARINE
AND UNFOSSILIFEROUS

RARE AGGLUTINATED
BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA
IN BOREHOLE Hb-AI:
AMMOBACULITES spp.
AND HAPLOPHRAG-
MOIDES spp.

aaaaa^ d V/vv\aAaaaaaT d) aaaaaaaaaa^Vvv^^

OFFSHORE ALGOA

UITENHAGE

TROUGH

ALL FACIES

SHALLOWING

UPWARD

INFANTA
FORMATION

SHALLOW MARINE

LENTICULINA

ASSEMBLAGES

KIRKWOOD
FORMATION
SAME AS ABOVE

NON-MARINE

NO FORAMINIFERA

y\A/WVVWWW/

y LENTICULINA spp.
EPISTOMINArf
MOSQUENSIS

BASAL CLASTIC
WEDGE MOSTLY
INTERBEDDED
SANDSTONES, PEBBLE
BEDS AND CLAYSTONES
MOSTLY NON-MARINE
AND UNFOSSILIFEROUS

SOME THICK

CONGLOMERATES

TOO.

NO FORAMINIFERA?

ONSHORE ALGOA

UITENHAGE

TROUGH

BT 1/74, ST 1/71

"GREY UNIT"

NO RED CLAYSTONES

NON-MARINE

OSTRACODS ONLY

Y- PEAK

-PEAK

Y- PEAK

1 BETHELSDORP

FORMATION

GREENISH

3 CLAYSTONES
WITH HIGH-
GAMMA
CHARACTER -

4 SUCCESSION
SHALLOWS
UPWARDS.

5 EPISTOMINA
PARASTELLIGERA
EOGUTTUUNA

6 spp.
QUINQUE-
LOCULINA

8 GRISBROOKI

BASAL CLASTIC
WEDGE MOSTLY
SWARTKOPS
SANDSTONE
FORMATION

'VNAA/VVVVVVVV'

ENON

CONGLOMERATE

FORMATION

SUCCESSION
UNFOSSILIFEROUS:
NO FORAMINIFERA:
NON-MARINE

52 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

foraminifera northwards, with the calcareous-shelled forms disappearing first and
the hyposaline-tolerant agglutinated-shelled forms later (McMillan, 2003a). Several
northern borehole sections of the Sundays River Formation such as NA 1/69,
drilled in the Nanaga area, are almost completely devoid both of foraminifera and
ostracods, as well as macrofossils (Brenner & Oertli, 1976; McMillan, 2003a), but
lithology colours remain grey or greenish-grey claystones. Although the marine
fossil elements disappear, leaving only sparser estuarine, hyposaline ones (such as
oysters, agglutinated foraminifera of the genera Miliammina , Haplophragmoides or
Ammobaculites , and marginal marine ostracods), there seems to be no location (either
in outcrop or borehole section) yet found where the Sundays River Formation
grades laterally into fluvial red and green claystones. Consequently, there appears
to be no lateral gradation between the "Kirkwood" red and green claystone facies
and the "Sundays River" grey and greenish-grey claystone facies (see McLachlan
& McMillan, 1976; Shone, 1978; McMillan, 2003a) preserved in the surviving rock
record.

Analysis of foraminiferal assemblages from the various studied boreholes (McMillan,
2003a) that intersect the Sundays River Formation show that the change from
diverse middle to outer neritic calcareous (aragonitic and calcific shelled) benthic
foraminifera assemblages to more monospecific or limited inner neritic, littoral or
hyposaline assemblages is a relatively abrupt one, that occurs between borehole
sections. There appears to be no borehole section yet drilled that intersects both
middle to outer neritic as well as inner neritic or intertidal assemblages, suggesting
there were no major alterations of sea-level during the Late Valanginian to
Hauterivian period. Boreholes such as NA 1/69, NA 2/70, NA 3/70, NA 4/87 and
DO 1/88 all drilled successions that accumulated in probably intertidal or mud-
flat environments throughout the full thickness of the Sundays River Formation.
This suggests that facies packages in the Sundays River Formation are more or
less vertically stacked, in contrast to those of the Bethelsdorp, the Kirkwood and
Infanta Formations, which are obliquely stacked, and consequently show shallowing
upward.

The Sundays River Formation is considered to be a lateral equivalent of the
marine siliciclastics, claystones and carbonates of the Agrio Formation (Howell et
al., 2005) in the Neuquen Basin of Argentina. The Agrio succession is divided
into two by the continental or marginal marine sandstones of the Avile Member,
a feature that has not been identified in the Sundays River succession. On the
basis of foraminifera, ammonites and nannofossils, the Agrio Formation appears
to range from the latest Valanginian to the Early Barremian (Howell et al., 2005;
Aguirre-Urreta et al., 2005), whereas on the basis of ostracods, ammonites and
foraminifera the Sundays River Formation ranges from mid Valanginian to nearly
topmost Hauterivian (Brenner & Oertli, 1976; Cooper, 1981, 1983; Valicenti &
Stephens, 1984; McMillan, 2003a).

FORAMINIFERAL ASSEMBLAGES

The foraminifera assemblages of the Bethelsdorp Formation are unlike those of
the Sundays River Formation and its time-equivalents (Beer, 1970, McLachlan el
al. 1976a, b; Stapleton & Beer, 1977; McMillan, 2003a). Foraminiferal assemblages
of the Bethelsdorp Formation are generally less diverse than those of the
Sundays River Formation, simply because the latter encompasses a much wider
array of depositional facies than does the former, which is limited to hyposaline
estuarine, marginal marine and inner shelf. Similar shallow marine depositional
environments can be seen in the more northerly offshore boreholes such as Hb-Dl
(McMillan, 2003a, Fig. 2), and some of these beds are coeval with the Kirkwood
Formation. However, it is only in the south of the offshore Algoa Basin, particularly
in boreholes such as Hb-Kl and Hb-Al in the Port Elizabeth Trough, and borehole
Hb-Bl in the offshore Uitenhage Trough, that moderately-diverse foraminifera
assemblages are encountered, some typical of dysoxic outer neritic or even upper
bathyal environments.

The variety of foraminifera assemblages of the Bethelsdorp Formation in boreholes
BT 1/74, ST 1/71 andSW 1/08 and in the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrop reflect various
estuarine, mudflat, littoral and inner neritic environments, with their concomitant
differences in salinity, energy levels, and sediment substrate type. Palaeolatitude
reconstructions for the Portlandian period by Smith & Briden (1977) indicate that
the south coast of South Africa then lay at about 53°S. Foraminifera assemblages
of the Bethelsdorp Formation are considered to reflect cool temperate marine
conditions. The overwhelming majority of benthic foraminifera species in both the
Bethelsdorp and Sundays River Formations possess smooth unornamented tests.
In contrast, the majority of species detailed by Espitalie & Sigal (1963b) from the
Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous succession of the Mahajanga Basin in north-west
Madagascar, are strongly ornamented with ribs, reticulations, tubercles, and so
on. This considerable difference appears real: does it imply, for example, a biotic
response to high sea-floor energy levels caused by currents and swells?

The great majority of the Bethelsdorp Formation in the onshore Uitenhage Trough
appears to have accumulated in an unusually fine-grained mudflat or salt-marsh
environment, since the foraminifera assemblages occur in a complex conjunction
with fluctuating but often abundant numbers of non-marine and inner neritic

54 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

ostracod valves and carapaces (mainly of the genera Cypridea and Progonocythere
(Valicenti)), and more occasional numbers of charophyte oogonia. The foraminifera
assemblages tend to be overwhelmingly dominated by the single species of free-
living miliolid Qiiinqueloculina grisbrooki sp. nov. Tests of this species are found in
considerable numbers in all three studied boreholes, in the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan
outcrop samples, and offshore in the lower Kirkwood Formation equivalent (green
claystones) in borehole Hb-Dl. That a free-living miliolid species is the dominant
species through most of the Bethelsdorp Formation suggests an environment subject
to profound salinity changes, with a frequent tendency towards hypersalinity,
probably stemming from strong coastal winds evaporating thin sea-water films over
the mudflats at low tides. In addition, the tests of Qiiinqueloculina grisbrooki frequently
display considerable distortion, so that they lose their orderly quinqueloculine
chamber arrangement, and become wild-growing, or even occasionally uncoiling.
Malformed miliolid tests of this type also occur at the present day, especially in
lagoonal environments regarded as highly stressful (Murray, 1973; Boltovskoy &
Wright, 1976). This predominance of Quinqueloculina is not seen anywhere else in
South Africa in time-equivalent successions of the Bethelsdorp Formation.

In contrast, there are occasional bursts of agglutinated foraminifera in which
species of Miliammina predominate, especially at levels in the upper part of the
formation. These Miliammina-rich assemblages are interpreted to reflect hyposaline
environments developed either in channels crossing the mudflats, or in the main
riverine channels. These localities would have experienced saline influence only
at high tide. A similar assemblage dominated by agglutinated foraminifera is
characterised by the species Ammomarginulina missionensis n.sp. (with Miliammina
spp.). An extant similar genus, Ammotium, is usually found limited to either
mangrove-swamp mud-flats or other specific tropical mud-flat environments.
Ammomarginulina is thus interpreted to have occupied an unknown specific mud-
flat environment, unlike those others described above.

In the lower half of the Bethelsdorp Formation there are bursts of distinctly small-
sized Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker). These abundance peaks clearly reflect a
persistently shallow marine but rather dysoxic environment, in which colloidal
organic matter (but not plant debris) was not being degraded rapidly enough,
leading to the genesis of hydrogen sulphide and facilitating the localised formation
of pyrite. These episodes perhaps reflect occasional periods of poor water
circulation within the subsiding Uitenhage Trough due to fluctuating movement on
the bounding Coega-St Croix fault system. These bursts of aragonitic-walled tests
appear to be comparable to the Epistomina-dommated foraminifera assemblages

FIGURE 19 (pages 55-57)

Gamma ray log and caliper log for the graben fill succession in type section borehole BT 1/74.

Depths in metres. Correlated with peaks of foraminiferal abundance.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 55
498

499-

2-20

246-

25Q

!60

I-

1 -i_s i

BETHELS
DOHP
Fm,

56 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

270

360

r*se-

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 57

540

550

560

590

— 591 —

630

§86-

§96-

700 ~"\ \

P-^

i£

710

720

720"

rae-

740

?§e-

?■§&

789-

-H-

HEMIPELAGIC CLAY
SANDSTONE

ooo CONGLOMERATES
] MARINE CLAYSTONE
] NON-MARINE CLAYSTONE

58 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

encountered in the Late Valanginian Biozone B of the Sundays River Formation
(McMillan, 2003a), but they are not as long-lived, nor as areally extensive.

Only at the base of the Bethelsdorp Formation do diverse foraminifera assemblages
occur which clearly reflect normal marine, open-sea, well-oxygenated inner neritic
conditions. Here occur diverse assemblages composed of agglutinated species
(Ammobaculites , Haplophragmoides), nodosarids (Astacolus, Dentalina, Lenticulina,
Tristix, Frondicularia , Lingulina), polymorphinids (Eoguttulina, Globulina), and
aragonitic forms (Epistomina, Conorboides). Here too occur Inoceramus prisms
and holothurian sclerites, echinoid spines and ophiuroid ossicles. As noted
previously, the stratigraphic distribution of these assemblages indicate that the
Bethelsdorp Formation accumulated with a slight overall shallowing-upward
motif. A comparison between the Bethelsdorp foraminifera assemblages, and the
foraminiferal associations and their interpreted depositional environments of the
English Jurassic succession (Gordon, 1970) is of interest.

Age of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Early studies in the onshore Uitenhage Trough mostly failed to distinguish the
fossil assemblage of the Bethelsdorp Formation from that of the Sundays River
Formation. It has only been as a result of the deep drilling during the 20th century
that the two formations could be seen to be entirely different rock units. The
Bethelsdorp Formation succession intersected by borehole SW 1/08 was interpreted
to be Wealden in age by Kitchin (in Rogers, 1910), whereas Rigassi & Dixon (1972),
McLachlan & McMillan (1976) and McLachlan et al. (1976a) regarded a Berriasian
to Early Valanginian age more likely. On the basis of the foraminifera taxonomy
presented herein, McLachlan & McMillan (1979) emphasised the Jurassic nature
of a number of the foraminifera species, and consequently suggested a Portlandian
age for the Bethelsdorp Formation.

The benthic foraminifera described in the present work from the Bethelsdorp
Formation of the onshore Uitenhage Trough include a number of species that
have definite Jurassic associations. Nonetheless there are a considerable number
of other species that are either new, or not clearly age-diagnostic, such as some
of the agglutinated benthic foraminifera. There are no planktic foraminifera or
radiolaria in any of the studied samples from the Bethelsdorp Formation. The
benthic foraminifera assemblage of the Bethelsdorp Formation is completely
different from that of the Sundays River Formation. This may well indicate that the
ages of the two rock units are distinctly different, but there are also clear differences
in their environments of deposition, which may have caused a biased dissimilarity.
However, the absence of typical Sundays River Formation species such as Epistomina
caracolla (Roemer) 5./., Lenticulina nodosa (Reuss), Astacolus gibber Espitalie & Sigal,
Dorothia australis McMillan, Reinholdella valendisensis (Bartenstein & Brand) and
Reinholdella hofkeri (Bartenstein & Brand) in the Bethelsdorp Formation, all typically

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 59

Valanginian and ranging to variable extents into and through the Berriasian in the
fully marine successions in the offshore Algoa, Gamtoos and Pletmos Basins, show
that the Bethelsdorp Formation pre-dates the Berriasian.

Although it is not possible to confirm a Portlandian (topmost Jurassic) age for the
Bethelsdorp Formation, for reasons detailed below, this is the preferred age for
this rock unit. Comparatively few publications are available on the foraminifera
of the Portlandian stage, or the partly coeval Volgian stage, around the world. In
particular, the general similarity of Valanginian-Hauterivian benthic foraminiferal
assemblages from Patagonia (Santa Cruz, Chubut and Neuquen) in southern
Argentina, and those of the Sundays River Formation (see McMillan, 2003a,
p. 22-25 for details), is not seen in the latest Jurassic rock succession. Indeed,
because of differences in sedimentary facies, it has proven difficult to even correlate
between the latest Jurassic benthic foraminiferal assemblages of the offshore
Uitenhage Trough and the offshore Port Elizabeth Trough, both part of the Algoa
Basin, as well as between the coeval deposits in the offshore Gamtoos, Pletmos and
Bredasdorp Basins. The strongly facies-controlled benthic foraminifera species are
often limited to one particular graben infill, as a result of the localised accumulation
of estuarine clay stones, littoral sandstones, inner neritic sandstones and claystones,
or upper bathyal dysoxic black, organic-rich claystones. Consequently, there is no
foraminiferal biostratigraphic correlation yet possible for the Late Jurassic between
the various southern Gondwana continental plates, especially between southern
Argentina-Chile (Ballent, 1987; Ballent et al, 2006; Musacchio, 1978a, b, 1979,
1981; Dellape et al., 1978; Simeoni, 2000), Antarctica, South Africa and Tanzania
(Singano & Karega, 2000) Madagascar (Espitalie & Sigal, 1963a, b), India (Bhalla
& Abbas, 1978), New Zealand (Hornibrook, 1953), or the Perth Basin in Australia
(Chapman, 1904). There is no clear similarity with the Callovian foraminifera
described from southern Argentina by Musacchio (1978a, b, 1979, 1981) and
Dellape et al. (1978), or the Early Jurassic of Argentina (Ballent, 1987). Even with
the Valanginian-Hauterivian Agrio Formation there are marked differences, such
as the presence of several horizons of ornate Epistomina, together with Hergottella
(Simeoni, 2000; Ballent et al., 2006), features not found in the Sundays River
Formation. Similar differences exist in the Austral Basin (Natland et al., 1974;
Malumian & Masiuk, 1975; Kielbowicz et al., 1983).

Singano & Karega (2000) detailed the biostratigraphy of the Late Jurassic
foraminifera of the Mandawa anticline in southern Tanzania. The Tanzanian
succession appears to be characterised by small, simple agglutinated foraminifera,
nodosarids (especially a variety of Lenticulina species), and several smooth-walled
and ornamented Epistomina species. No larger foraminifera have been noted. It has
not yet proven possible to effectively correlate the Tanzanian and South African
Late Jurassic successions using foraminifera.

60 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminiferal correlation consequently can only be achieved with the European
Jurassic successions, but such a correlation is especially hindered by the absence of
detailed foraminiferal analysis across the type Portlandian in England. The rocks
of the English Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian stages have been intensively studied
for foraminifera, principally because both consist predominantly of black or grey
claystones, and well-preserved foraminifera tests are easy to extract. In contrast
the type Portlandian stage succession is comprised of inner neritic limestones and
sandstones, which have undergone considerable calcite cementation or leaching,
and there has been no comprehensive study of its foraminifera. Furthermore,
the overlying Purbeck Limestones and Weald Clay are almost exclusively non-
marine units. Relevant publications are few (Shipp & Murray, 1981; Shipp, 1989;
Radley, 1990, 1993a,b; Radley et al., 1997), and few species have been illustrated.
Consequently, the relatively well-studied succession in England is of only slight
help in understanding how typical Late Jurassic foraminiferal assemblages evolved
into Early Cretaceous ones, and when changes occurred. Many of the datable
foraminifera in the Bethelsdorp Formation are the same as or similar to species
described from the relatively dysoxic fades of the Oxfordian, or the severely
dysoxic fades of the Kimmeridgian of England or north-west Europe, but these
species' full later stratigraphic ranges are probably obscured by the subsequent
highly oxygenated, adversely fossiliferous, carbonate-rich lithofacies that prevailed
in England during Portlandian time.

Foraminiferal Biozonation of the Bethelsdorp Formation

The difficulty of correlating between the mostly mud-flat sediments of the
Bethelsdorp Formation of the onshore Uitenhage Trough, the lacustrine sediments
of the Colchester Formation of the onshore Sundays River Trough, and the
innermost neritic shelfal sediments in the coeval marine episode in the basal part
of Pletmos Basin borehole PB-A1, is not experienced when correlating between the
three deep boreholes and one outcrop of the onshore Uitenhage Trough. Despite
the great differences in sampling frequency down the three boreholes and the
Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops, a detailed foraminiferal biostratigraphic correlation
has been achieved. Eight foraminiferal abundance peaks can be recognised in the
long borehole sections, which can be distinguished on their assemblage peculiarities.
The Bethelsdorp outcrop samples can be correlated into this zonation scheme. Some
of these eight abundance peaks reflect episodes of minor marine advance (especially
in the lower Bethelsdorp Formation), while others reflect marked changes in
depositional environment, for example rapid change from hypersaline mudflat to
hyposaline estuarine channel and back to hypersaline mudflat (upper Bethelsdorp
Formation). The minor marine advances probably correspond to periods of increased
rate of subsidence of the Uitenhage Trough, versus a relatively steady rate of
sediment input, permitting the development of short episodes of slightly greater sea-
floor accommodation space. The abundance peaks are seen best in borehole BT 1/74
because of the generally clean condition of the cuttings samples in that hole. In the

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 61

more caved ST 1/7 1 succession the lows with rare foraminifera, in particular, are not
so well defined. The more irregular scatter of samples, and the small sample size in
borehole SW 1/08 has led to even more ill-defined peaks, but they are recognisable
nonetheless. The lowest peak, designated number 8, contains the most diverse benthic
foraminiferal assemblage, typical of inner neritic environments, with the greatest
number of calcareous benthics. This peak compares best with the assemblage seen
in some of the foraminifera-bearing samples from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, especially
sample numbers 1 1475, 1 1476 and 1 1477. From this, it is clear that the Bethelsdorp
Formation shallows very gently up section, notwithstanding the eight abundance
peaks. The ostracod peaks of non marine Cypridea and inner neritic Progonocythere
(unpublished work by Valicenti) do not correlate with the foraminiferal abundance
peaks. Examination of the outcrop sections at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan and North End
Lake suggests there to be interbedded green marine clays and red fluvial clays (Stow,
1871; McLachlan & McMillan 1976).

PEAK 1

This is evident in the BT 1/74 borehole section between 258 and 270m, and is
marked by the first downhole occurrence of foraminifera, and abundance peak of
Quinqueloculina grisbrooki, and the rare occurrence of ^Orthovertella sp. An equivalent
to Peak 1 can also be recognised in borehole ST 1/71 between 1090 and 1095m,
again on the basis of ?Orthovertella sp., but it cannot be identified in the SW 1/08
section. This predominance of one miliolid species (with the scattered occurrence
of non-marine ostracods of the genus Cypridea) suggests a hypersaline mud-flat
environment, probably caused by wind-induced evaporation of sea-water films.

PEAK 2

This is evident in BT 1/74 borehole section from 294 to 306m, and is distinguished
by an abundant peak of Qidnquelocidina grisbrooki; it can be recognised from 1 130 to
1 145m in borehole ST 1/71, but cannot be identified in SW 1/08. The environment
is interpreted to be much the same as that of Peak 1 .

PEAK 3

Evident in BT 1/74 at 339 to 342m, distinguished by numbers of Miliammina and
Ammomarginulina tests. This assemblage obviously reflects hyposaline, probably
fluvial channel environments ranging across the hypersaline salt-marsh tops. The
same event can be seen in ST 1/71 from 1175 to 1180m, and is probably also
present in the SW 1/08 section at 2140 feet.

PEAK 4

Evident in BT 1/74 at 420 to 423m, this is indicated by a marked increase and first
appearance of polymorphinids (Eoguttulina and Globulina species). It is difficult to
identify this peak clearly in borehole ST 1/71, it may be at 1250 to 1255m; it cannot
be recognised in the SW 1/08 section. The increasing abundance of Eoguttulina

62 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

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FIGURE 20

Foraminiferal abundance peaks and interpreted correlation between the three deep boreholes

drilled in the onshore Uitenhaee Trough

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 63

species in particular suggests rather more dysoxic conditions as a result of more
organic detritus, and perhaps greater depths of permanent standing water,
reflecting more nearly normal marine (not hypersaline) water conditions.

PEAKS 5 AND 6

Three peaks (6 is considered doubled into two peaks) in BT 1/74 all marked
by increasing numbers of polymorphinids and agglutinated species, at 447 to
450m, 462 to 467m, and 474 to 477m. By now only occasional samples are rich
in Quinqueloculina grisbrooki. There is a clear trend towards increasing diversity
of assemblages, though somewhat erratic, and genera such as Nodosaria, Tristix
and Epistomina occur in small numbers. The corresponding peaks in ST 1/71 are
at 1290 to 1295m, 1380 to 1385m, and at 1400m: the same increasing diversity
of assemblages can be recognised in this borehole section too. A small peak at
2795 feet in SW 1/08 may be Peak 5.

PEAK 7

At 537 to 540m in BT 1/74, this peak is marked by a substantial predominance of
agglutinated benthic species (Haplophragmoides and Ammobaculites spp.), and very
few of any calcareous genera. This suggests innermost neritic, normally oxygenated
marine, but distinctly hyposaline conditions. The comparable peak in ST 1/71 is at
1410 to 1415m, but it includes more miliolids than at BT 1/74. This peak can also
possibly be recognised in borehole SW 1/08 at 2866 feet.

PEAK 8

This is marked by the greatest diversity of benthic foraminifera in the entire
succession, and the varied but small calcareous benthic assemblages from the
Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops should be allocated to Peak 8. The large-sized
agglutinated benthic species Ammobaculites subaequalis is a diagnostic indicator in all
three borehole sections and the salt pan outcrop, and emphasises the inner neritic,
probably almost normal marine, wave influenced and relatively well oxygenated
sea-floor conditions that prevailed at this time. This lowest peak can be recognised
in BT 1/74 at 59 1 to 594m, in ST 1/7 1 at 1440 to 1445m, and in SW 1/08 at 2948 feet.
Indeed, the last-named sample is distinguished by 46 benthic foraminifera species,
many of which are calcareous shelled, a record for the Bethelsdorp Formation.
Below this depth, benthic foraminifera fade rapidly away, and are absent in the
immediately underlying Swartkops Sandstone and Enon conglomerate.

The three deep boreholes of the onshore Uitenhage Trough are the only three in
which a distinct shallowing-upwards motif is evident from the benthic foraminifera
assemblages. Offshore boreholes in the Uitenhage Trough, with the typically
Lenticulina-dommcited assemblages of the Bethelsdorp Formation, appear to show
depositional environments are vertically stacked. In contrast, the overlying Infanta
and Kirkwood Formations have a strong shallowing up motif.

TAXONOMIC LIST OF SPECIES
RECOGNISED IN THIS PUBLICATION

Species

Page

Figure drawings

Figure

sem photos

Glomospira gordialis (Jones & Parker)

Fig.

21, no. 1

none

Miliammina buchenroderi n.sp.

Fig.

21, nos 2-4

Fig. 24.

nos 1-3.

Miliammina electro n.sp.

Fig.

21, nos 5-7.

Fig. 24,

nos 4-7.

Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler)

Fig.

21, nos 8-10.

none

Miliammina palustris n.sp.

7.'!

Fig.

21, nos 11-13.

Fig. 24,

nos 8-11.

Reophax spp.

Fig.

21, no. 14.

none

Haplophragmoides sp. 1

Fig.

21, nos 15-16.

Fig. 24,

nos 12-13.

Haplophragmoides haeusleri Lloyd

Fig.

21, nos 17-18.

Fig. 24,

nos 14-16.

Haplophragmoides sp. 3

Fig.

21, nos 19-20.

Fig. 24,

nos 17-18.

Haplophragmoides sp. 4

Fig.

22, nos 1-4.

none

Haplophragmoides sp. 5

Fig.

22, nos 5-0.

none

Haplophragmoides sp. 6

Fig.

22, nos 7-8.

none

Haplophragmoides sp. 7

Fig.

22, nos 9-10.

none

Haplophragmoides spp .

none

Ammobaculites sp. 1

Fig.

22, nos 11-12.

Fig. 24,

no. 19.

Ammobaculites sp. 2

Fig.

22, nos 13-14.

Fig. 24,
Fig. 25,

no. 20,
nos 1-2.

Ammobaculites sp. 3

Fig.

22, nos 15-10.

none

Ammobaculites sp. 4

Fig.

22, nos 17-18.

none

Ammobaculites coprolithiformis (Schwager)

Fig.

22, nos 19-20.

none

Ammobaculites subaequalis Mjatliuk

Fig.

23, nos 1-2.

none

Ammobaculites spp.

none

Ammomarginulina missionensis n.sp.

Fig.

23, nos 3-4.

Fig. 25,

nos 3-7.

Plectinella aegyptiaca (Said & Barakat)

Fig.

23, nos 5-0.

none

Ammoglobigerina cf. A.globigeriniformis (Parker &
Jones)

Fig.

23, nos 7-9.

none

Trochammina cf. 7? inflata (Montagu)

Fig.

23, nos 10-12.

none

Trochammina cf. 7? squamata Jones & Parker

Fig.

23, nos 13-15.

none

Trochammina spp .

none

Dorothia sp.

Fig.

23, nos 16-17.

none

Bigenerina sp.

Fig.

23, nos 18-19.

none

(54

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 65

Cornuspira orbicula (Terquem & Berthelin)
fOrthovertella sp.
Nubecularia lucifuga Defiance
Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n.sp.

Sigmoilina sp.

Lingulonodosaria nodosaria (Reuss)

Laevidentalina communis (d'Orbigny)

Laevidentalina spp.

Pyramidulina cf. P. huhni (Franke)

Pyramidulina minuta (Cordey)

Pyramidulina cf. P. minuta (Cordey)

Pyramidulina sp. 1

Nodosaria sowerbyi Schwager

Nodosaria cf. N. metensis Terquem

Lingulina dentaliniformis Terquem

Lingulina lamellata Tappan

Lingulina lanceolata (Haeusler)

Lingulina spp.

Frondicularia franconica Gtimbel

Frondicularia sp.

Tristix acutangula (Reuss)

Tristix oolithica (Terquem)

Tristix sp. 1

Lenticulina muensteri (Roemer)

Lenticulina cf. L. quenstedti (Gtimbel) forma
A Wernli

Neoflabellina sp.

Astacolus cf. A. major (Bornemann) forma A

Astacolus pellucida Said & Barakat

Astacolus sp.

Marginulina declivis (Schwager)

Marginulina spp.

\lnwpsis spp.
Citharina harpa (Roemer)
Citharina inconstans (Terquem)
Citharina sp.

Planularia beierana (Gtimbel)
Planularia madagascariensis Espitalie & Sigal
Planularia spp.
Vaginulina cf. V. anomala Blake

none

Fig.

25,

nos 8-9.

none

Fig.

25,

no. 10.

none

Fig.

25,

nos 11-12

none

Fig.

25,

nos 13-20

Fig.

26,

nos 1-6.

none

Fig.

20,

no. 7.

101

none

Fig.

20,

no. 8.

102

none

Fig-

20,

no. 9-10.

103

none

103

none

Fig.

20,

nos 11-12

104

none

Fig.

20,

no. 13-14.

105

none

Fig.

20,

no. 15.

105

none

Fig.

20,

no. 16.

106

none

Fig.

20,

nos 17-18

106

none

Fig.

20,

nos 19-20

109

none

Fig.

27,

nos 1-2

none

Fig.

27,

no. 3.

111

none

Fig.

27,

nos 4-5.

111

none

Fig.

27,

nos 6-7.

113

none

Fig.

27,

no. 8.

111

none

Fig.

27,

no. 9.

115

none

115

none

Fig.

27,

nos 10-11

11(5

none

Fig.

27,

nos 12-13

117

none

117

Fig. 23, no. 20.

none

118

none

ze 119

none

Fig.

27,

no. 14.

119

none

Fig.

27,

no. 15.

120

none

Fig.

27,

no. 16.

120

none

Fig-

27,

nos 17-18

121

none

121

none

Fig-

27,

nos 19-20

121

none

Fig.

28,

no. 1.

124

none

Fig-

28,

nos 2-3.

124

none

Fig.

28,

no. 4.

125

none

Fig-

28,

nos 5-6.

120

none

Fig.

28,

nos 7-8.

127

none

Fig-

28,

nos 9-10.

127

none

Fig.

28,

no. 11.

66 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Vaginulina barnardi Gordon

Vaginulina spp.

Lagena algoaensis McMillan

Lagena cf. L. striatifera Tappan

Lagena cf. L. sulcata (Walker & Jacob)

Eoguttulina anglica Cushman & Ozawa

Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis (Bielecka &
Pozaryski)

Eoguttulina liassica (Strickland)

Eoguttulina cf. E. metensis (Terquem)
Eoguttulina oolithica (Terquem)
Eoguttulina polygona (Terquem)
Globulina prisca (Reuss)
Pyrulina sp.
Bullopora laevis (Sollas)
Webbinella subhemisphaerica Franke
Ramulina fusiformis Khan
Fissurina sp.

Spirillina tenuissima Gtimbel
Turrispirillina conoidea (Paalzow)
Patellina oolithica Terquem
Reinholdella costifera (Terquem)
Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker)
Conorboides mariscus n.sp.
Conorboides nudus (Terquem)

'iEllipsoidella sp.

Holothurian sclerite: Achistrum sp.

Fish otoliths (sacculiths)

128

none

129

none

129

none

130

none

130

none

132

none

132

none

134

none

134

none

135

none

137

none

138

none

139

none

139

none

140

none

140

none

141

none

142

none

143

none

143

none

144

none

145

none

148

none

150

none

151

none

155

Fig. 32

157

none

Fig. 28, no. 12.

none

Fig. 28, no. 13.

Fig. 28, no. 14.

Fig. 28, no. 15.

Fig. 28, nos 16-18.

Fig. 29, nos 2-4.

nos 19-20;
no. 1.

Fig. 28,
Fig. 29,

Fig. 29,

Fig. 30,

Fig. 30,
Fig. 31,

Fig. 31, no. 2.

none

Fig. 33, nos 1-2.

no. 5.

no. 6.

nos 7-8.

nos 9-10.

no. 11.

no. 12.

nos 13-14.

no. 15.

no. 16.

nos 17-18.

nos 19-20.

no. 1.

nos 2-5.

nos 6-13.

nos 14-18.

no. 19-20;
nos 1.

FORAMINIFERA TAXONOMY

The taxonomy of the Bethelsdorp Formation foraminifera is based on that of
Loeblich & Tappan (1988), but earlier works (Loeblich & Tappan, 1961, 1964,
1974, 1986) have also been consulted in the course of this study. The taxonomy is
only taken up to family level.

Most illustrated and described specimens, including holotypes, paratypes and
comparative material, have been deposited in the collections of the Iziko South
African Museum in Cape Town. Each individual specimen has been allocated a
catalogue number, prefixed SAM-PQ-MF, numbered from 2134 to 2307, and which
is indicated in the explanations to figures. The original assemblage slides remain in
the microfossil slide collection of the Petroleum Agency of South Africa in Parow,
Cape Town. However, many species of foraminifera in the Bethelsdorp Formation
are presently represented by only one or two specimens, so that re-examination
of the assemblage slides may not yield further specimens of rare species without
further picking of washed residues. This rarity is a particularly distinctive feature
of the Bethelsdorp Formation foraminifera assemblages not seen in those of the
Sundays River Formation.

Family AMMODISCIDAE Reuss, 1862

Subfamily AMMOVERTELLININAE Saidova, 1981

Genus GLOMOSPIRA Rzehak, 1885

Glomospira gordialis (Jones & Parker, 1860)
Fig. 21, no. 1.

Trochammina squamata Jones & Parker gordialis Jones & Parker, 1860a: 304.

Glomospira gordialis (Jones & Parker); Bartenstein & Brand, 1951: 267, pi. 1, fig. 15-16;

Bielecka, 1960a: 38, 114, pl.l, fig. 2-3.

See Glomospira gordialis (Jones & Parker); Loeblich & Tappan, 1988: 50, pi. 38, fig. 5-6.

REMARKS

A single, fairly poorly preserved specimen of Glomospira gordialis was found in the

topmost Bethelsdorp Formation. The test is an irregularly coiled agglutinated tube

68 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

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Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 69

with the test wall composed of extremely fine rather angular quartz grains. In its
manner of growth it compares relatively well with illustrations and descriptions
given by other authors. However, present day tests usually display a predominance
of cement in the test wall (Cushman, 1918; Loeblich & Tappan, 1988), whereas our,
and other, Mesozoic examples are sparsely cemented, with the quartz grains clearly
evident. This species was first described from the present day Mediterranean Sea
(Jones & Parker, 1860a), but the name has been widely used for fossil tests as old
as the Jurassic.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

Peak 2, topmost Bethelsdorp Formation, borehole BT 1/74, sample 303-306m.

FIGURE 21 (facing page)

1. Glotnospira gordialis (Jones & Parker). SAM-PQ-MF-2189. BT 1/74, 303-306m. Side view, x 248.
2-A.Miliamminabuchenroderin.sp. McMillan. Holotype.2.SAM-PQ-MF-2190.BT l/74,339-342m.
Side view. X 188. 3. SAM-PQ-MF-2190. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Apertural view (same specimen as
No. 2). X 126. 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2190. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Opposite side view (same specimen as
No. 2). x 182. 5-7. Miliammina electra n. sp. McMillan. Holotype. 5. SAM-PQ-MF-2194. BT 1/74,
339-342m. Side view, x 213. 6. SAM-PQ-MF-2194. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Apertural view (same
specimen as No. 5). x 220. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2194. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Opposite side view (same
specimen as No. 5). x 226. 8-10. Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler). 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2199. SW1/08,
2948'. Side view, x 226. 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2199. SW1/08, 2948'. Apertural view (same specimen
as No. 8). X229. 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2199. SW1/08, 2948'. Opposite side view (same specimen as
No. 8). X213. 11-13. Miliammina palustris n. sp. McMillan. Holotype. 11. SAM-PQ-MF-2200.
BT 1/74, 339-342m. Apertural view, x 197. 12. SAM-PQ-MF-2200. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Side
view (same specimen as No. 11). x 197. 13. SAM-PQ-MF-2200. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Opposite
side view (same specimen as No. 11). x 203. 14. Reophax sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2205. BT 1/74, 348-
351. Side view, x 170. 15-16. Haplophragmoides sp.l. 15. SAM-PQ-MF-2206. BT 1/74, 258-261m.
Side view. X 128. 16. SAM-PQ-MF-2206. BT 1/74, 258-26 lm. Apertural view (same specimen as
No. 15). x 132. 17-18. Haplophragmoides haeusleri Lloyd. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2209. BT 1/74, 303-
306m. Side view, x 170. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2209. BT 1/74, 303-306m. Edge view (same specimen
as No. 17). x 146. 19-20. Haplophragmoides sp. 3. 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2213. BT 1/74, 420-423m.
Side view, x 94. 20. SAM-PQ-MF-2213. BT 1/74, 420-423m. Edge view (same specimen as
No. 19). X101.

70 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Family RZEHAKINIDAE Cushman, 1933
Genus MILIAMMINA Heron-Allen & Earland, 1930

Miliammina buchenroderi n. sp. McMillan
Fig. 21, nos 2-4; Fig. 24, nos 1-3.

DESCRIPTION

Test fairly small, elongate, inflated, with sides of test roughly parallel. Chambers
arranged in a quinqueloculine manner. Periphery of the test broadly rounded to
sub-rounded. Maximum height of test from two to three times as great as maximum
width. Chambers increase fairly steadily in size as added, being from faintly to fairly
strongly inflated. Sutures mostly indistinct, becoming distinct, depressed between
the last-formed two or three chambers of the test. Aperture terminal, on the last-
formed chamber, a broadly arched opening with a prominent apertural tooth.
Surface of test smooth, composed of very fine quartz grains with little cement. Most
specimens are white in colour.

VARIATION

The chambers of this species vary considerably in shape and degree of inflation,
but in all of the examples studied, the basic elongate shape of the test is maintained,
although the degree of test compression varies from specimen to specimen.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS

Named after early South African geologist Baron von Buchenroder.

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS
Six.

HOLOTYPE

339-342m cuttings sample, borehole BT 1/74, illustrated as Fig. 21, nos 2-4.

STRATUS TYPICUS

Borehole BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342m: Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation,

Uitenhage Trough, Algoa Basin.

PARATYPES

Borehole BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342m, illustrated as Fig. 24, nos 1-3.

REMARKS

The elongate, parallel-sided tests of Miliammina buchenroderi distinguish it clearly
from the Valanginian Miliammina valdensis Bartenstein & Brand (1951) and
Miliammina latrobei McMillan (2003a), the Portlandian Miliammina electra n. sp., and
Miliammina palustris n. sp. The absence of a pronounced apertural neck, and the

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 71

irregularity of the chambers indicates it to be clearly distinct from Miliammina olgae
Bielecka (1960a) or Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler, 1882).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
339 to 465m in BT 1/74; nowhere else.

Miliammina electra n. sp. McMillan
Fig. 21, nos 5-7; Fig. 24, nos 4-7.

DESCRIPTION

Test small, inflated, with periphery of test broadly rounded, and outline of test
elongate-ovate to sub-rectangular. Chambers arranged in a quinqueloculine
manner. Sides of test almost parallel. Maximum height of test from IVs to 2Vs times
as great as maximum width. Chambers increase steadily in size as added, and are
strongly inflated throughout. Earlier chambers are prominent. Sutures depressed
and distinct throughout. Aperture terminal, on the last-formed chamber, usually
a small, low arch with no apertural tooth. Surface of test smooth, almost glassy,
composed of very fine quartz grains in a small amount of cement. The colour of all
the specimens examined is orange-brown.

VARIATION

The outline of the test becomes almost rectangular in some specimens, and the

degree of inflation varies.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS

From electrum (L.), referring to the amber-like colour of the test wall, probably

caused by ferric iron precipitation.

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS
Five.

HOLOTYPE

BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342 m, Fig. 21, nos 5-7. Bethelsdorp Formation,

Portlandian, Uitenhage Trough, Algoa Basin.

STRATUS TYPICUS

Borehole BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342m: Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation.

PARATYPES

BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342m. Four illustrated as Fig. 24, nos 4-7.

72 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

REMARKS

Miliammina electra differs from Miliammina valdensis, described by Bartenstein &
Brand (195 1) from the Wealden 6 (latest Berriasian to earliest Valanginian) of north-
west Germany, in possessing more strongly inflated chambers, a smaller aperture
and a more elongate, more sub-rectangular test outline. Miliammina valdensis also
possesses an apertural neck (see Bartenstein & Brand, 1951, pi. 13, fig. 361a, b, in
particular), a feature not seen in Miliammina electra.

Miliammina electra differs from Miliammina jurassica, first described by Haeusler
(1882) from the Oxfordian of Switzerland, in displaying a wider, much less
elongate test, and in lacking an apertural neck (see Oesterle, 1968, text-fig. 19-20).
Miliammina electra differs from Miliammina olgae, described by Bielecka (1960a) from
the lower Malm of southern Poland, in its inflated test, and in lacking any apertural
neck. The more rectangular test outline of Miliammina electra distinguishes it from
the rounded tests of the extant species Miliammina fusca (Brady), widespread in
present-day upper estuarine environments.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

258 to 469m in BT 1/74; 1 175 to 1475m in ST 1/71; nowhere else.

Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler, 1882)
Fig. 21, nos8-10.

Trochammina jurassica Haeusler, 1882: 58, pi. 4, fig. 31-40.

Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler); Seibold & Seibold, 1960: 338, pi. 7, fig. 9, text-fig. 4h-i;
Oesterle, 1968: 723, fig. 19-20; Winter, 1970: 6, pi. 2, fig. 33; Morris & Coleman, 1989:
218, pi. 6.3.6, fig. 5.

REMARKS

The Bethelsdorp Formation specimens compare fairly well with earlier descriptions
and illustrations of this species. The coarse-grained nature of the test wall is apparent
in the South African examples, although the sponge spicules noted by Haeusler
(1882) as present in the test wall were not found in our specimens. The outline
of the test is similar, but the pronounced apertural neck evident in Haeusler's
and Oesterle's specimens is less well developed in the South African tests. This
Miliammina species appears to inhabit inner neritic environments in association with
45 other, mainly calcareous foraminifera species: so its environmental tolerances
differ considerably from those of the other three Miliammina species detailed here.

The species appears to be limited to the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian of southern
Germany and Switzerland. Morris & Coleman (1989) report it from the lower
Oxford Clay.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 73

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' only in SW 1/08.

Miliammina palustris n. sp. McMillan
Fig. 2 1 , nos 1 1-1 3; Fig. 24, nos 8-11.

DESCRIPTION

Test small, strongly compressed, ovate in outline, with periphery of test rounded
to sub-rounded, and greatest width of test at, or about, mid-height. Maximum
height of test about IV2 to twice the maximum width of test. Chambers arranged
in a quinqueloculine manner, and are weakly inflated. The initial part of the last-
formed chamber is often rather larger than the same part of earlier chambers.
Chambers increase steadily in size as added. The earlier chambers do not protrude
at all from the sides of the test, but lie flush with the surface of the final two
chambers. Sutures distinct and faintly depressed. Aperture terminal, on the last-
formed chamber: in form a broadly rounded arch with a slight lip, and there is a
small short apertural tooth. The surface of the test is faintly roughened and almost
glossy, and is composed of very fine grains of quartz set in very little cement.

VARIATION

The ovate outline of the test varies slightly in the specimens studied. In some tests,
no apertural tooth could be seen, but it may be absent as a result of damage. On some
specimens there are occasional faint depressions of the test wall: these depressions
may have been caused by movement at a time of chamber construction, or they may
be due to differential post-depositional compaction of the sediment surrounding
the test. The strongly compressed tests of this species are very distinctive, and
would appear not to have been caused by sediment compaction, as all tests are
affected in exactly the same way.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS

From paluster, palustris, palustre (L.): marshy, indicating the interpreted environ-
ment of the species.

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS
Six.

HOLOTYPE

Cuttings sample 339-342m, borehole BT 1/74, illustrated as Fig. 21, nos 11-13.

STRATUS TYPICUS

Borehole BT 1/74, cuttings sample 258-26 lm: Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation,

onshore Uitenhage Trough, Algoa Basin.

74 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

PARATYPES

Cuttings sample 339-342m, borehole BT 1/74, illustrated as Fig. 24, nos 8-11.

REMARKS

Few species of the genus Miliammina have been described from latest Jurassic or
early Cretaceous rocks, which is rather surprising considering the known extent
of fluvial, hyposaline and innermost neritic environments which prevailed during
this time period. Miliammina palustris lacks the apertural neck and the inflated,
cylindrical chambers of Miliammina valdensis, described by Bartenstein & Brand
(1951) from the topmost Wealden 6 (latest Berriasian to earliest Valanginian,
according to Kemper, 1973). Said & Barakat (1958) described Miliammina cf.
valdensis Bartenstein & Brand from the Kimmeridgian of Gebel Maghara, Sinai,
Egypt, but their description and illustration do not indicate any similarities or
differences between the Egyptian and German specimens.

Miliammina palustris differs strongly from both Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler) and
Miliammina olgae Bielecka, in lacking a long, narrow, parallel-sided test, and in lacking
inflated, broadly rounded chambers. The strongly compressed test of Miliammina
palustris distinguishes it from the other new species of Miliammina here described
from the Bethelsdorp Formation (Miliammina electra and M. buchenroderi) , and from
Miliammina latrobei McMillan (2003a), described from the Kirkwood-Sundays River
transition (mid Valanginian) in the onshore Algoa Basin.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

258 to 612m in BT 1/74; 1175-1415m in ST 1/71; 2140 to 2948' in SW 1/08;

nowhere else.

Family HORMOSINIDAE Haeckel, 1894

Subfamily REOPHACINAE Cushman, 1910

Genus: REOPHAX de Montfort, 1808

Reophax spp.
Fig. 21, no. 14.

REMARKS

A few small damaged tests apparently referable to Reophax. Most possess test walls
composed of variously sized quartz grains, giving rise to a very rough external surface,
though one consists only of very fine quartz grains, resulting in a smooth, even surface.
In a number of specimens the initial part of the test is missing through damage, so
that the generic placement must remain in some doubt. However, the rectilinear
chamber arrangement throughout, with the globular, separated chambers, tends to
indicate Reophax, rather than the uncoiled portion of a species of Ammobaculites . The

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 75

rougher-surfaced forms appear similar to Reophax horridus (Schwager), first described
from the Oxfordian of southern Germany (Schwager, 1865).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

348 to 467.3m in BT 1/74; 2100' only in SW 1/08; nowhere else.

Family HAPLOPHRAGMOIDIDAE Maync, 1952
Genus HAPLOPHRAGMOIDES Cushman, 1910

REMARKS

The numerous specimens of Haplophragmoides in the Bethelsdorp Formation of the
Uitenhage Trough have proven to be one of the most difficult portions of these
assemblages to speciate. Partly because of test morphology, partly because of post-
depositional test deformation, and partly because of often poor preservation, none
of the recognised morphotypes are completely distinguishable from each other,
and often there is a gradation of all test features from one species to another. As a
result, the Haplophragmoides taxonomy given below is somewhat subjective. These
species of Haplophragmoides show no clear similarity to those detailed by McMillan
(2003a) from the Sundays River Formation.

The most important test features which have been appraised are the outline,
size and shape of test, the nature and composition of the test wall, the degree of
inflation of chambers, the degree of depression of the sutures, and the number of
chambers in the final whorl. Features such as the shape and size of the aperture,
the form of the sutures, and the degree of compression of the test, have proved of
little use. Almost always the aperture is completely obscured, often the surface of
agglutinated grains hides the nature of the sutures, and varying post-depositional
compaction has affected the compression of the tests to a greater or lesser extent.

Haplophragmoides sp. 1
Fig. 21, nos 15-16; Fig. 24, nos 12-13.

REMARKS

Haplophragmoides species distinguished by about six chambers in the final whorl,
with distinct quartz grains set in the test wall, straight or weakly curved, depressed
sutures, final few chambers inflated and with lobulate test periphery, and with
distinct umbilical depression.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

258 to 558m in BT 1/74; 1 100 to 1475m in ST 1/71; 2090 to 2140' in SW 1/08; not

in BSP

76 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Haplophragmoides haeusleri Lloyd, 1959
Fig. 21, nos 17-18; Fig. 24, nos 14-16.

Haplophragmoides haeusleri Lloyd, 1959: 314, pi. 54, fig. 22, text-figs 5i-j.

REMARKS

Haplophragmoides species distinguished by about six chambers in the final whorl,
test wall agglutinated fairly coarsely, test strongly compressed, and test periphery
usually non-lobulate. The South African specimens compare well with Lloyd's
(1959) description and illustrations of this species, but they are distinctly smaller
in size. The aperture is not clearly visible on any of the many specimens from
the Bethelsdorp Formation. As noted by Lloyd, the rather coarsely agglutinated
material, all quartz grains, tends to obscure the line of the sutures. The final few
chambers are extremely weakly inflated, and the periphery very slightly lobulate.
The umbilicus is not very distinct. These tests are probably the same species as that
occurring in abundance near the Kirkwood-Sundays River boundary at 3356' in
fully cored borehole CO 1/67 (McMillan, 2003a, p. 12, fig. 4) in the first marine
event in the Sundays River Trough.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

303 to 630m in BT 1/74; 1090 to 1465m in ST 1/71; 2090-3023' in SW 1/08; not

in BSE

Haplophragmoides sp. 3
Fig. 21, nos 19-20; Fig. 24, nos 17-18.

REMARKS

Haplophragmoides species distinguished by large test size, strongly lobulate test
periphery, with from six to seven inflated chambers in the last-formed whorl,
depressed and straight, radiate sutures, distinct and depressed umbilicus.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420 to 621m in BT 1/74; 1260 to 1265m in ST 1/71; not in SW 1/08 or BSE

Haplophragmoides sp. 4
Fig. 22, nos 1-4.

REMARKS

Haplophragmoides species distinguished by about eight chambers in the final whorl,
large compressed test, with evenly and finely-grained test wall, shallow umbilicus
and flush straight and radiate sutures.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 77

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420 to 467.3m in BT 1/74; 1260-1265m in ST 1/71; 2948' in SW 1/08; not in BSP.

Haplophragmoides sp. 5
Fig. 22, nos 5-6.

REMARKS

Haplophragmoides species distinguished by severely compressed test, very fine-
grained quartz grains in test wall, strongly lobulate test periphery, and with five
chambers in the last-formed whorl, sutures slightly curved, radiate, flush, no
pronounced umbilicus. Haplophragmoides sp. 5 is similar to the Haplophragmoides tests
occurring in the hyposaline claystones, considered to be Bethelsdorp Formation
equivalent, in the onshore Gamtoos Basin borehole MK 1/70: see Fig. 5.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

591 to 603m in BT 1/74; not in ST 1/71 or SW 1/08; BSP 11477.

Haplophragmoides sp. 6
Fig. 22, nos 7-8.

REMARKS

Haplophragmoides species similar to Haplophragmoides sp. 1, but with a distinctly

coarser agglutinated test wall.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

537 to 621m in BT 1/74; 1360 to 1455m in ST 1/71; 2100 to 2948' in SW 1/08;

BSP 11477.

Haplophragmoides sp. 7
Fig. 22, nos 9-10.

REMARKS

Tests similar in outline and arrangement to those of Haplophragmoides sp. 5. This
species is distinguished by rather poorly formed chamber arrangement, with
flattened test due to compaction. This species occurs only in the lowest part of the
Bethelsdorp Formation, which is the most nearly normal marine, inner neritic
portion of the succession. Haplophragmoides sp. 7 tests are frequently merely
agglutinated-walled flat discs, with minimum descriptive character.

78 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

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Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 79

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
591 to 612m in BT 1/74; not in ST 1/71, SW 1/08 or BSE

Haplophragmoides spp.

REMARKS

Many specimens of Haplophragmoides were too poorly preserved, or too indistinct
in their chamber form and arrangement, for them to be speciated. These various
tests have been included herein.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

258 to 630m in BT 1/74; 1110 to 1465m in ST 1/71; 2090 to 3130' in SW 1/08: not

in BSE

FIGURE 22 (facing page)

1-4. Haplophragmoides sp. 4. 1. SAM-PQ-MF-2214. BT 1/74, 420-423m. Edge view, x 88.
2. SAM-PQ-MF-2214. BT 1/74, 420-423m. Side view (same specimen as No. 1). x 116. 3. SAM-
PQ-MF-2215. BT 1/74, 420-423m. Side view, x 136. 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2215. BT 1/74, 420-
423m. Edge view (same specimen as No. 3). X 100. 5-6. Haplophragmoides sp. 5. 5. SAM-PQ-
MF-2216. BT 1/74, 591-594m. Side view, x 98. 6. SAM-PQ-MF-2216. BT 1/74, 591-594m.
Edge view (same specimen as No. 5). x 1 16. 7-8. Haplophragmoides sp. 6. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2217.
BT 1/74, 537-540m. Side view, x 113. 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2217. BT 1/74, 537-540m. Edge view
(same specimen as No. 7). x 123. 9-10. Haplophragmoides sp. 7. 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2218. BT 1/74,
591-594m. Side view, x 135. 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2218. BT 1/74, 591-594m. Edge view (same
specimen as No. 9). x 150. 11-12. Ammobaculites sp. 1. 11. SAM-PQ-MF-2219. BT 1/74, 303-
306m. Side view, x 71. 12. SAM-PQ-MF-2219. BT 1/74, 303-306m. Edge view (same specimen
as No. 1 1). x 135. 13-14. Ammobaculites sp. 2. 13. SAM-PQ-MF-2221. BT 1/74, 366-369m. Side
view. X87. 14. SAM-PQ-MF-2221. BT 1/74, 366-369m. Apertural view (same specimen as
No. 13). x 1 10. 15-16. Ammobaculites sp. 3. 15. SAM-PQ-MF-2225. BT 1/74, 467.0m. Side view.
X82. 16. SAM-PQ-MF-2225. BT 1/74, 467.0m. Apertural view (same specimen as No. 15).
x 84. 17-18. Ammobaculites sp. 4. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2226. BT 1/74, 546-549m. Side view, x 89.
18. SAM-PQ-MF-2226. BT 1/74, 546-549m. Apertural view (same specimen as No. 17). x 82.
19-20. Ammobaculites coprolithiformis (Schwager). 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2227. SW 1/08, 2948'. Side
view, x 38. 20. SAM-PQ-MF-2227. SW 1/08, 2948'. Apertural view (same specimen as No. 19).
X87.

80 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Family LITUOLIDAE de Blainville, 1827

Subfamily AMMOMARGINULININAE Podobina, 1978

Genus AMMOBACULITES Cushman, 1910

REMARKS

Most of the remarks relevant to the genus Haplophragmoides apply here. The test
morphologies of these Ammobaculites species are quite unlike those of the Sundays
River Formation, as detailed by McMillan (2003a). Most of the described species as yet
have no age-diagnostic significance, but Ammobaculites coprolithiformis (Schwager) has a
clear Jurassic age-limitation. There are generally fewer numbers of Ammobaculites tests
in most Bethelsdorp Formation foraminiferal assemblages than of Haplophragmoides .
The presence of these two genera especially in the lower, more marine-influenced half
of the Bethelsdorp Formation is taken to indicate distinctly hyposaline environments
associated with a lower estuary to inner neritic setting, comparable in some degree
with those of the Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a).

Ammobaculites sp. 1
Fig. 22, nos 11-12; Fig. 24, no. 19.

REMARKS

This species of Ammobaculites is distinguished by the use of fairly coarse quartz
grains for the test wall, an ovate, slightly compressed test in cross-section in the
uncoiled adult portion, and the uncoiled chambers are not inflated, with the test
margin continuous. There is no obvious umbilical depression, and the terminal
face of the last-formed chamber is usually flat.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

303 to 621m in BT 1/74; 1120-1465m in ST 1/71; 2100-2948' in SW 1/08;

BSP 11477.

Ammobaculites sp. 2
Fig. 22, nos 13-14; Fig. 24, no. 20; Fig. 25, nos 1-2.

REMARKS

Ammobaculites sp. 2 is distinguished by several inflated, sub-globular chambers in
the uncoiled portion of the test, a small umbilicus in the coiled portion, and a
strongly lobate margin to the entire test. The sub-circular apertural opening is
developed on a short tapering neck. The test wall is composed of a mixture of
coarse and fine quartz grains. As understood herein, tests of this species can be
divided into two groups: those with short adult portions composed of about three
chambers (Ammobaculites sp. 2), and those with long adult portions composed of

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 81

about five chambers (Ammobaculites sp. 2A). However, it is not clear if these groups
are the same or different species.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

366 to 621m in BT 1/74; 1170 to 1455m in ST 1/71; 2100 to 2948' in SW 1/08; not

in BSP.

Ammobaculites sp. 3
Fig. 22, nos 15-16.

REMARKS

Distinguished by a coarsely agglutinated, rough test wall, but otherwise similar to
Ammobaculites sp. 1, more circular in cross-section of adult portion of test, and with
a flat terminal face to the last-formed chamber.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

467.0m to 630m in BT 1/74; 1290 to 1455m in ST 1/71; 2100 to 2866' in SW 1/08;

not in BSP.

Ammobaculites sp. 4
Fig. 22, nos 17-18.

REMARKS

A small globular-chambered form, similar to Ammobaculites sp. 2, but much smaller

in size, and with consistently small-sized quartz grains forming the test wall.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

546 to 549m in BT 1/74; 2948' in SW 1/08; not in ST 1/71 or BSP.

Ammobaculites coprolithiformis (Schwager, 1867)
Fig. 22, nos 19-20.

Haplophragmium coprolithiformis Schwager, 1867: 654, pi. 34, hg. 3.

Ammobaculites coprolithiformis (Schwager); Bielecka & Pozaryski, 1954: 27, 161, pi. 3, fig.
6a-b; Gordon, 1961: 523, text-fig. 1, nos 8-10; Gordon, 1965: 833, text-fig. 2, text fig. 3,
nos 25-28; Morris & Coleman, 1989: 218, pi. 6.3.6, fig. 2.

REMARKS

Many names have been proposed for Jurassic and Early Cretaceous larger species

of Ammobaculites , based on variations in the size of initial coil, the number of whorls

82 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

and the number of chambers it possesses; as well as the shape and numbers of
chambers in the uniserial part; and the size of the coiled and rectilinear portions
relative to each other. Almost all specimens of these larger Ammobaculites species
possess a very coarse-grained test wall. The few specimens referable to this group are
limited to the basal, most marine part of the Bethelsdorp Formation. They appear
to be most closely similar to Ammobaculites coprolithiformis , but many specimens have
suffered varying degrees of post-mortem compression of the test.

Those specimens which are relatively uncompressed show the initial coil to be
composed of three or four chambers in the final whorl, followed by up to four
tapering chambers in the rectilinear portion of the test. The chambers of the
uniserial part are distinct, inflated, and generally longer than broad, unlike the
uncoiled chambers of other Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Ammobaculites species
(such as A. subaequalis Mjatliuk), which are generally broader than long. The
tapering nature of the uncoiled portion of these tests referred to Ammobaculites
coprolithiformis is a chamber morphology not seen at all in the Late Valanginian to
Hauterivian Sundays River Formation of the Algoa Basin (McMillan, 2003a) or in
the comparable Early Cretaceous beds of the southern offshore of South Africa,
and is considered a Jurassic morphology.

Ammobaculites coprolithiformis was originally described by Schwager (1867) from the
Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) of Wurttemburg. There are numerous records of it from
the Late Jurassic, and it would appear to range from the Lias to the Portlandian in
north-west Europe (Gordon, 1961).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

591 to 621m in BT 1/74; 2866' and 2948' in SW 1/08; not in ST 1/71 or BSP.

Ammobaculites subaequalis Mjatliuk, 1939
Fig. 23, nos 1-2.

Ammobaculites subaequalis Mjatliuk, 1939: 44, pi. 2, fig. 19a-b; McMillan, 2003a: 83,
figs 30A-D.

REMARKS

A few specimens of a relatively large-sized, thick-walled Ammobaculites occur in the
more marine levels of the Bethelsdorp Formation, that are virtually identical with
those found widely in the Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a), and also
extensively in the southern offshore Portlandian to Early Aptian succession of South
Africa. Chamber morphology and sizes and arrangements of small and large quartz
grains in the test wall are much the same in tests from both the Sundays River
Formation (McMillan, 2003a, p. 85) and the Bethelsdorp Formation.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 83

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

591 to 621m in BT 1/74; 1440 to 1445m in ST 1/71; 3023' in SW 1/08; BSP 11477.

Ammobaculites spp.

REMARKS

Again, as with the genus Haplophragmoides , there are numbers of broken, severely
distorted or badly damaged or cemented tests of Ammobaculites species that cannot
be further subdivided into particular species.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

321 to 531m in BT 1/74; 1150 to 1445m in ST 1/71; 2100 to 2948' in SW 1/08; not

in BSP.

Genus AMMOMARGINULINA Wiesner, 1931

Ammomarginulina missionensis n. sp. McMillan
Fig. 23, nos 3-4; Fig. 25, nos 3-7.

DESCRIPTION

Test small, elongate, inflated, with chambers arranged in an initial involute,
planispirally coiled portion composed of about four distinctly inflated chambers,
and a later uncoiled rectilinear and uniserial portion, also composed of about four
chambers, with all chambers increasing very slightly in size as added. Test periphery
usually broadly rounded, and there is a distinct shallow umbilical depression
developed on both sides of the test. Sutures depressed, initially rather indistinct,
becoming distinct later, straight and mostly radiate in coiled part of test, but becoming
strongly oblique in uncoiled part. Aperture small, a terminal subcircular opening
located at the outer margin of the terminal face of the last-formed chamber. Test wall
composed mostly of fine uniform quartz grains with occasional, irregularly scattered
larger quartz grains, as well as sporadic black heavy mineral grains (ilmenite).

VARIATION

Little variation is apparent in the studied tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation.
Some examples possess fewer larger-sized chambers in the uncoiled portion of
the test, while other tests display more, smaller chambers. These differences
may represent the microspheric and megalospheric generations respectively. All
tests display the strongly oblique sutures of the uncoiled part of the test, and the
peripherally-sited position of the aperture, which are the two principal diagnostic
characteristics of this rather rare genus.

84 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 85

DERIVATIO NOMINIS

Named after the area where the borehole BT 1/74 was drilled, next to the Mission
Salt Works, and near to the former site of the London Missionary Society's
Bethelsdorp Mission.

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS
Six.

HOLOTYPE

Borehole BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342m. Fig. 23, nos 3-4.

STRATUS TYPICUS

BT 1/74, cuttings sample 339-342m. This sample yielded the most numerous
and the best-preserved tests of Ammomarginulina missionensis n. sp. Bethelsdorp
Formation, Portlandian, onshore Uitenhage Trough, Algoa Basin.

PARATYPES

Four illustrated specimens figured as Fig. 25, nos 3-7.

FIGURE 23 (facing page)

1-2. Ammobaculites subaequaMs Mjatliuk. 1. SAM-PQ-MF-2228. BT 1/74, 591-594m. Side view.
X48. 2. SAM-PQ-MF-2228. BT 1/74, 591-594m. Apertural view (same specimen as No. 1).
X 183. 3-4. Ammomarginulina missionensis n. sp. McMillan. Holotype. 3. SAM-PQ-MF-2229.
BT 1/74, 339-342m. Side view, x 183. 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2229. BT 1/74, 339-342m. Apertural
view (same specimen as No. 3). x 177. 5-6. Plectinella aegyptiaca (Said & Barakat). 5. SAM-PQ-
MF-2234. SW 1/08, 2948'. Side view. X 264. 6. SAM-PQ-MF-2234. SW 1/08, 2948'. Apertural
view (same specimen as No. 5). X 160. 7-9. Ammoglobigerina cf. A. globigeriniformis (Parker
& Jones). 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2235. BT 1/74, 357-360m. Spiral view, x 256. 8. SAM-PQ-MF-
2235. BT 1/74, 357-360m. Umbilical view (same specimen as No. 7). x 264. 9. SAM-PQ-MF-
2235. BT 1/74, 357-360m. Edge view (same specimen as No. 7). x 264. 10-12. Trochammina
cf. T. inflata (Montagu). 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2236. BT 1/74, 411-414m. Umbilical view. X 256.

11. SAM-PQ-MF-2236. BT 1/74, 411-414m. Spiral view (same specimen as No. 10). X 240.

12. SAM-PQ-MF-2236. BT 1/74, 411-414m. Edge view (same specimen as No. 10). X 248.
13-15. Trochammina cf. T. squamata (Jones & Parker). 13. SAM-PQ-MF-2237. BT 1/74, 591-
594m. Umbilical view, x 320. 14. SAM-PQ-MF-2237. BT 1/74, 591-594m. Edge view (same
specimen as No. 13). X310. 15. SAM-PQ-MF-2237. BT 1/74, 591-594m. Spiral view (same
specimen as 13). x 320. 16-17. Dorotlua sp. 16. SAM-PQ-MF-2238. BSP 11477. Side view.
x 155. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2238. BSP 11477. Apertural view (same specimen as No. 16). x 160.
18-19. Bigenenna sp. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2239. SW 1/08, 2948'. Side view, x 94. 19. SAM-PQ-
MF-2239. SW 1/08, 2948'. Apertural view (same specimen as No. 18). X 71. 20. Lenticulina cf.
L. quenstedti (Gumbel) forma A Wernli. SAM-PQ-MF-2240. SW 1/08, 2948'. Side view. X 160.

86 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 87

REMARKS

If the generic description of Ammomarginulina, originally described from Holocene
sediments, as given by Loeblich & Tappan (1964), is rigorously applied to the various
species referred to the genus from Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous rocks, it is
evident that many should rather be referred to Ammobaculites or other genera. Wiesner
(1931) originally gave the generic description as "Die sandige Schale anfangs spiralig
aufgewunden, die spateren Kammern geradlinig andgeordnet; die Nahte schief, die
Miindung am Riickenumfang." Because of the consequent rather doubtful nature
of almost all previously described Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous species of
Ammomarginulina, comparisons between^, missionensis n. sp. and similar species of
the same age are not possible. Ammomarginulina missionensis differs from the type
species, A. ensis Wiesner, described from Holocene sediments, in possessing fewer
chambers in the uncoiled part of the test, and in displaying a smaller initial coil.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

339 to 423m in BT 1/74; 1 175 to 1445m in ST 1/71; 2140 to 2948' in SW 1/08; not

in BSP.

FIGURE 24 (facing page)

1-3. Miliammina buchenroderi n.sp. McMillan. Paratype. 1. SAM-PQ-MF-2191. BT 1/74,
339-342m. F16, side view, x 185. 2. SAM-PQ-MF-2192. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F17, side view.
X200. 3. SAM-PQ-MF-2193. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F15, side view. X205. 4-7. Miliammina
electra n.sp. McMillan. Paratype. 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2195. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F13, side view.
x 280. 5. SAM-PQ-MF-2196. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F14, side view, x 206. 6. SAM-PQ-MF-2197.
BT 1/74, 339-342m. F12, side view, x 226. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2198. BT 1/74, 258-261m. Fl,
side view, x 272. 8-11. Miliammina palustris n.sp. McMillan. Paratype. 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2201.
BT 1/74, 339-342m. Fll, side view, x 220. 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2202. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F10,
side view, x 226. 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2203. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F9, side view, x 256. 11. SAM-PQ-
MF-2204. BT 1/74, 258-261m. F2, side view, x 220. 12-13. Haplophragmoides sp. 1. 12. SAM-
PQ-MF-2207. BT 1/74, 285-288m. F4, side view, x 120. 13. SAM-PQ-MF-2208. BT 1/74,
411-414m. F24, side view. X 128. 14-16. Haplophragmoides haeusleri Lloyd. 14. SAM-PQ-MF-
2210. BT 1/74, 303-306m. F8, side view, x 109. 15. SAM-PQ-MF-221 1. BT 1/74, 303-306m.
F6, side view, x 124. 16. SAM-PQ-MF-2212. BT 1/74, 357-360m. F21, side view, x 128.
17-18. Haplophragmoides sp. 3. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2352. BT 1/74, 411-414m. F27, side view.
x 103. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2353. BT 1/74, 41 l-414m. F28, side view, x 85. 19. Ammobaculites sp. 1 .
SAM-PQ-MF-2220. BT 1/74, 303-306m. F7, side view, x 180. 20. Ammobaculites sp. 2. SAM-
PQ-MF-2222. BT 1/74, 366-369m. F22, side view, x 132.

88 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Family TEXTULARIOPSIDAE Loeblich & Tappan, 1982
Genus PLECTINELLA Marie, 1956

Plectinella aegyptiaca (Said & Barakat, 1958)
Fig. 23, nos 5-6.

Arenovirgulina aegyptiaca Said & Barakat, 1958: 243, pi. 3, fig. 38a-b.

REMARKS

A single specimen from the Bethelsdorp Formation appears referable to this mid-
late Jurassic species. Said & Barakat (1958) described this species from the Callovian
of the Gebel Maghara area, Sinai, Egypt. Test width of the South African specimen
increases at a similar width as seen in the Egyptian specimens, and it shows the
initial biserially arranged chambers very clearly. The height of the chambers in the
Bethelsdorp test increase steadily, so that the early chambers are more broad than
high, and the later ones are higher than broad. The aperture is a vertically aligned,
narrow slit, extending up from the interior margin of the last-formed chamber
up towards the terminal point of the test. These test morphology characteristics
indicate that this Bethelsdorp test differs distinctly from those described under the
name Plectinella castlecliffensis by McMillan (2003a) from the mid Valanginian beds
of the basal Sundays River Formation. However, the environmental tolerances of
the Bethelsdorp and Sundays River formation Plectinella are probably identical:
hyposaline conditions within an estuarine sedimentary complex.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; not in BT 1/74, ST 1/71 or BSP.

Family TROCHAMMINIDAE Schwager, 1877

Subfamily TROCHAMMININAE Schwager, 1877

Genus AMMOGLOBIGERINA Eimer & Fickert, 1899

Ammoglobigerina cf. A . globigeriniformis (Parker & Jones, 1865)
Fig. 23, nos 7-9.

see Lituola nautiloidea Lamarck globigeriniformis Parker & Jones, 1865: 407, pi. 15, figs

46-47 (also possibly pi. 17, figs 96-98).

see Trochammina globigeriniformis (Parker & Jones); Cifelli, 1959: 290, pi. 1, figs 23-24;

Lloyd, 1959: 317, pi. 54, fig. 31, text-fig. 5c; Bielecka, 1960a: 47, 120, pi. 1, figs 9a-b;

Wernli, 1971: 315, pi. 8, figs 4, 9a-c; Barnard & Shipp, 1981, 9, pi. 1, figs 1 1-12; Coleman,

1981: 114, pi. 6.2.1, fig. 11.

see Trochammina canningensis Tappan; Welzel, 1968: 7, pi. 1, figs 13a-b.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 89

see 'Trochammina' sp. cf. T. globigeriniformis (Parker & Jones); Masiuk & Vina, 1987: 292,
pi. 2, figs 4-8, 11.

REMARKS

The taxonomic status of Globigerina-like tests with an agglutinated test wall,
formerly referred to Trochammina globigeriniformis (Parker & Jones), is unclear. This
is especially so of the Jurassic records to the species, which was originally described
from Holocene sediments. The earliest record of this species from the European
Jurassic succession appears to be that of Haeusler (1890), which in the revision by
Oesterle (1968) these specimens were referred partly to Trochammina cf. canningensis
Tappan, and partly to Trochammina rotundata Seibold & Seibold.

The forms described by Tappan (1955) from the Jurassic of Alaska as Trochammina
canningensis appear to be distinct from the " globigeriniformis' '-like tests detailed
by such authors as Cifelli (1959), Lloyd (1959), Bielecka (1960a), Welzel (1968),
Wernli (1971), Barnard & Shipp (1981) and Coleman (1981). Tappan (1955) notes
that Trochammina canningensis has "more chambers per whorl" than Trochammina
globigeriniformis - four to seven in the final whorl - and the shape of the test is
somewhat different. Additional taxonomic comments on this confusing Jurassic
to Early Cretaceous group of agglutinated-walled foraminifera are presented by
McMillan (2003a, p. 93).

So far as can be seen the tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation are unlike those detailed
(both the low-spired and high-spired forms) from the Early Cretaceous rocks of the
Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a), in the height of spire and especially
the chamber outline. However, test preservation of the few Bethelsdorp Formation
examples is poor, owing to diagenetic distortion. McMillan (2003a) regarded these
forms as being dysaerobic environmental indicators in the Sundays River Formation,
and the same is taken to be the case here in the Bethelsdorp Formation.

Cifelli (1959) detailed tests from the English Bathonian, Lloyd (1959) and Barnard
& Shipp (1981) from the Kimmeridgian of Dorset, and the species group ranges
through much of the Lias and Dogger of England (Coleman, 1981); Welzel (1968)
detailed tests from the Domerian (Lias) of Germany, Bielecka (1960a) from the
Oxfordian-Callovian of southern Poland, and Wernli (1971) from the Aalenian to
Oxfordian of southern France.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

357-360m, 420-423m in BT 1/74; 1175 to 1180m in ST 1/71; not in SW 1/08 or

BSR

90 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Genus TROCHAMMINA Parker & Jones, 1859

Trochammina cf. T. inflata (Montagu, 1808)
Fig. 23, nos 10-12.

see Nautilus inflatus Montagu, 1808: 81, pi. 18, fig. 3.

see Trochammina inflata (Montagu); Bartenstein & Brand, 1951: 280, pi. 4, fig. 98 (?not

fig. 97); Lutze, 1960: 447, pl.28, figs 1-3.

see Trochammina cf. T. inflata (Montagu); McMillan, 2003a: 94, figs 33A-D.

REMARKS

The various forms described as Trochammina inflata from Jurassic and Cretaceous
sediments are morphologically similar to this species originally described from
the Holocene, but they are probably not conspecific. The Bethelsdorp Formation
specimens are distinctly but subtly different (especially in chamber shape) from
those detailed from the Late Valanginian to Hauterivian sediments of the Sundays
River Formation (McMillan, 2003a), and it seems best to consider this group a
plexus, probably with polyphyletic origins, ranging through the later Mesozoic
and Cainozoic to the present day. That this is true is probably best reflected in the
wide range of depositional environments in which this "species" is encountered:
with living Trochammina inflata sensu stricto being confined to salt marsh. From
published literature the Bethelsdorp Formation specimens are closely similar
to the test illustrated by Bartenstein & Brand (1951) on plate 4, fig. 98, but this
illustration is a pen-and-ink drawing that may not be fully representative.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

411-414m, and 420-423m in BT 1/74; 1175 to 1375m in ST 1/71; not in SW 1/08

or BSP.

Trochammina cf. T. squamata Jones & Parker, 1860
Fig. 23, nos 13-15.

Trochammina squamata sensu Gordon, 1967: 451, pi. 1, fig. 15 (non Parker & Jones).

REMARKS

As with Trochammina inflata, a considerable degree of variation exists between
different authors' interpretations of the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous forms referred
to Trochammina squamata, also originally described from Holocene sediments. The
single specimen from the Bethelsdorp Formation is most closely comparable to the
test illustrated by Gordon (1967) from the Callovian of Brora, Scotland, but it is
slightly crushed. This group of morphologically similar tests is considered to be a
plexus, again with multiple origins, which cannot easily be taxonomically resolved.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 91

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
591-594m in BT 1/74; not in ST 1/71, SW 1/08 or BSP.

Trochammina spp.

REMARKS

Occasional specimens referable to Trochammina were noted in all studied borehole
sections from the Uitenhage Trough. Poor preservation, and, in the case of some tests,
slight test compaction from diagenesis, have prevented specific identifications.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

303 to 603m in BT 1/74; 1240 to 1285, 1380-1385m, 1410 to 1445m in ST 1/71;

2100' and 2948' in SW 1/08; not in BSP.

Family EGGERELLIDAE Cushman, 1937

Subfamily DOROTHIINAE Balakhmatova, 1972

Genus DOROTHIA Plummer, 1931

Dorothia sp.
Fig. 23, nos 16-17.

REMARKS

A single deformed test that can be referred to this genus was found in the
Bethelsdorp Formation. This test is conical in outline, with the chambers increasing
regularly in width as added. The test wall is composed of finely agglutinated quartz
grains throughout, and is almost glassy in appearance. The chamber morphology
and the test outline of this specimen are unlike those of Dorothia australis, described
from the Late Valanginian and earliest Hauterivian portion of the Sundays River
Formation by McMillan (2003a). It has not proven possible to establish whether
there are canaliculi through the test wall.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
BSP 11477; nowhere else.

92 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Family TEXTULARIIDAE Ehrenberg, 1838

Subfamily TEXTULARIINAE Ehrenberg, 1838

Genus BIGENERINA d'Orbigny, 1826

Bigenerina sp.
Fig. 23, nos 18-19.

REMARKS

A small number of poorly preserved specimens may be referable to this genus. The
specimens have been slightly compressed, and the form of the initial part of the test
is not too clear. The chambers are arranged biserially for most of the test, with only
one or two uniserial chambers on the final part of the test. The aperture is terminal
and centrally sited. Because of the preservation, no attempt has been to compare
them with other previously described species.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; nowhere else.

Family CORNUSPIRIDAE Schultze, 1854

Subfamily CORNUSPIRINAE Schultze, 1854

Genus CORNUSPIRA Schultze, 1854

Cornuspira orbicula (Terquem & Berthelin, 1875)
Fig. 25, nos 8-9.

Spirillina orbicula Terquem & Berthelin, 1875: 17, pi. 1, figs 12a-t.

Cornuspira orbicula (Terquem & Berthelin); Bartenstein & Brand, 1951: 279, pi. 4, fig. 89;

Bartenstein, 1956: 514, fig. 64.

REMARKS

As in several other simple, planispirally coiled tubular forms described in the
19th century, some confusion has arisen over whether the wall structure of
Spirillina orbicula, as originally described, is calcareous and perforate (implying a
true Spirillina), or porcellaneous (implying a miliolid). The original description of
the species indicates that the surface of the test is "lisse, translucide". No mention is
made of the test wall being perforated by pores. Most later authors have considered
the species to be porcellaneous-walled, and their precedent is followed here.

The few specimens obtained from the Bethelsdorp Formation in the onshore portion
of the Uitenhage Trough compare closely with the morphological description given
by Terquem & Berthelin (1875). Some tests consist only of smooth-surfaced pyrite
internal casts, with no trace of the original shell remaining, but the obvious absence

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 93

of any markings attributable to test perforations on the pyrite surface confirms a
porcellaneous test wall also for these tests.

Terquem & Berthelin (1875) described this species from the middle Lias of France;
Bartenstein & Brand (1937) obtained specimens from the lowest Lias of north-west
Germany; Frentzen (1942) listed the species in the Bajocian of southern Germany;
Bartenstein & Brand (1951) recorded it from the Valanginian of north-west
Germany; Bartenstein (1956) noted it from the Hauterivian of England. Bielecka
(1960a) noted Spirillina orbicula, which may or may not be the same species from
the Oxfordian of the Piekary borehole, near Poznah, Poland. Said & Barakat
(1958) detailed Cornuspira cf. orbicula from the Bathonian of Gebel Maghara, Sinai
Peninsula, Egypt. Whether these conservative forms are all conspecific is difficult
to determine.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420-423m in BT 1/74; 1400-1405m in ST 1/71; 2948' in SW 1/08; not in BSP

Family HEMIGORDIOPSIDAE A. Nikitina, 1969

Subfamily HEMIGORDIOPSINAE A. Nikitina, 1969

Genus ORTHOVERTELLA Cushman & Waters, 1928

?Orthovertella sp.
Fig. 25, no. 10.

REMARKS

A small number of porcellaneous-walled, irregularly-coiled forms, all composed of
a single non-chambered tube, occur mostly in the topmost Bethelsdorp Formation,
just below the highest occurrences of marine fossils in the borehole sections. All
specimens are poorly preserved, but appear to be closely related to the genus
Orthovertella; they differ from that genus in lacking a later uncoiled section of the
test, which may, of course, have been lost through test damage.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

258-261m in BT 1/74; 1090-1095m in ST 1/71; 2866' in SW 1/08; not in BSP.

94 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

A -J.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 95

Family NUBECULARIIDAE Jones, 1875

Subfamily NUBECULARIINAE Jones, 1875

Genus NUBECULARIA Defiance, 1825

Nubecularia lucifuga Defrance, 1825
Fig. 25, nos 11-12.

Nubecularia lucifuga Defrance, 1825: 210, pi. 44, figs. 3, 3a-d; Jones & Parker, 1860b: 455,
pi. 20, figs 52-56; Arnold, 1967: 622, text-figs 1-12; McLachlan et al., 1976b: 328.

REMARKS

In a detailed examination of natural and cultured living specimens of "Nubecularia
lucifuga", and comparison of them with fossil examples of the same species, Arnold
(1967) drew attention to the confusion surrounding the taxonomy of this and other
similar species. He concluded that "in the light of this (Arnold's) study of variability
in natural and culture populations, careful examination of original descriptions of
the thirty-odd species of living and fossil Nubecularia, (and a not insignificant number
of species assigned to other genera as well!) suggests quite strongly that almost half
of them should more properly be assigned to N. lucifuga". All Nubecularia specimens

FIGURE 25 (facing page)

1-2. Ammobaculites sp. 2. 1. SAM-PQ-MF-2223. BT 1/74, 411-414m. F26, side view, x 113.
2. SAM-PQ-MF-2224. BT 1/74, 411-414m. F29, side view, x 106. 3-7. Ammomarginulina
missionensis n.sp. Paratype. 3. SAM-PQ-MF-2230. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F1311, side view.
X226. 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2231. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F1312, side view, x 188. 5. SAM-PQ-MF-
2232. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F20, side view, x 180. 6. SAM-PQ-MF-2233. BT 1/74, 339-342m.
F19, side view, x 226. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2234. BT 1/74, 339-342m. F18, side view. X212.
8-9. Cornuspira orbicula (Terquem & Berthelin). 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2241. BT 1/74, 420-423m.
F1314, side view, x 240. 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2242. ST 1/71, 1400m. Core 1, F1315, side view.
X216. 10. ?Ort.hovertella sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2243. BT /74, 258-261m. F1313, side view. X207.
11-12. Nubecularia lucifuga Defrance. 11. SAM-PQ-MF-2354. BSP 4901. Attached to shell
fragment, F1371. x49. 12. SAM-PQ-MF-2355. BSP 4901. Attached to shell fragment, F1370,
X 69. 13-17. Wild growing Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n.sp. McMillan. Paratype. 13. SAM-PQ-
MF-2245. BT 1/74, 294-297m. F1275, side view, x 142. 14. SAM-PQ-MF-2246. BT 1/74, 447-
450m. F1279, side view, x 206. 15. SAM-PQ-MF-2247. BT 1/74, 357-360m. F1278, side view.
x 125. 16. SAM-PQ-MF-2248. BT 1/74, 447-450m. F1280, side view, x 256. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-
2249. ST 1/71, 1150-1 155m. F1281, side view. X 256. 18. Massiline Quinqueloculina grisbooki
n.sp. McMillan. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2250. BT 1/74, 294-297m. F1274, side view. X 160.
19. Normal Quinqueloculina grisbooki n.sp. McMillan. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2251. BT 1/74,
447-450m. F1377, edge view. X213. 20. Triloculine Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n.sp. McMillan.
Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2252. BT 1/74, 258-261m. F3, side view, x 180.

96 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

encountered in the Bethelsdorp Formation have been considered, in the light of
Arnold's studies, to be referable to Nubecularia lucifuga.

This species was originally described from the Eocene of northern France (Defrance,
1825), and has since been widely recorded, particularly in Holocene sediments from
high-energy, inter-tidal and shallow-marine wave-dominated environments. Other
fossil records are from the Lias of Chellaston, England (Jones & Parker, 1860b;
dating amended by Adams, 1962, p. 162); from the Late Valanginian of Mngazana,
South Africa (McLachlan et ah, 1976b); from the Albian of the Netherlands (Ten
Dam, 1950), under the name Nubecularia triloculina. Arnold (1967) obtained
cultured individuals of Nubecularia lucifuga "indistinguishable from specimens of
N. triloculina" .

In consequence of Arnold's (1967) work, and also observations by the present
author of sporadic occurrences of Nubecularia lucifuga along the present-day wave-
dominated littoral of the south-east coast of South Africa, it can clearly be seen that
appearances of this species in the Bethelsdorp Formation also reflect a turbulent,
highly-oxygenated and wave-dominated environment. Such an environment
occurs rarely through the Bethelsdorp Formation succession, since quiet water,
mudflat to estuary, hyposaline to hypersaline environments were prevalent, which
precluded colonisation by Nubecularia species. All specimens encountered in the
Bethelsdorp Formation derive from molluscan shell-rich intervals towards the base
of the unit in the borehole sections, and outcropping around Bethelsdorp Salt Pan.
All specimens of this species were found attached to bivalve shell fragments.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
BSP4798, 4901, 4904, 11478; nowhere else.

Family HAUERINIDAE Schwager, 1876

Subfamily HAUERININAE Schwager, 1876

Genus QUINQUELOCULINA d'Orbigny, 1826

Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n. sp. McMillan
Fig. 25, nos 13-20; Fig. 26, nos 1-6.

DESCRIPTION

Test small, smooth-walled, with no indication of surface ornamentation. Maximum
width of test at about mid-height, and test outline generally from 1 V% to twice as high
as wide. Chambers arranged in a quinqueloculine manner throughout, inflated,
increasing steadily in size as added, and broadly rounded at the test margin. The
earlier chambers of the last-formed five scarcely protrude from the sides of the
test, and in some examples are almost flush with the test surface. Sutures generally

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 97

distinct, depressed, usually curved. Aperture terminal in position, in form a broad
arch surrounded by a thickened lip, and containing a small, short and faintly bifid
tooth.

VARIATION

• This species occurs in large numbers throughout the Bethelsdorp Formation
succession, and it is without doubt the commonest species. However, apart
from its occurrence in the green claystones synchronous with the lower and
middle Kirkwood Formation in boreholes Hb-Dl and Hb-Pl in the offshore
portion of the Uitenhage Trough, Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n. sp. appears to be
limited to the proximal Uitenhage Trough, and is not found in any of the coeval
successions in the other basins of the southern offshore of South Africa. Three
types of variation can be seen in this species:

• The usual quinqueloculine test is the most common form, and the description
above is based on this group of specimens. However, within this group there
is further variation. The outline of the test varies from ovate (commonest)
to almost parallel-sided and rectangular (less common). The parallel-sided
variation often occurs in tests in which the last two chambers are staggered, one
placed mostly above the mid-point of the test, and the other mostly below (see
Fig. 26, no. 4). In these tests with an almost rectangular outline, there are just
less than two chambers to the whorl, and the final two chambers wrap around
strongly at the base and the top of the test.

• A second variation is evident as forms that are initially quinqueloculine, as
described in detail above, but which later become triloculine. These tests possess
three final chambers that are strongly inflated and almost globular, and which
virtually conceal the earlier quinqueloculine chambers (see Fig. 25, no. 20).
Only a small number of this variant have been obtained.

• A third variant is all the wild-growing forms. Many different variations exist:
massiline forms in which the last-formed chambers are only biloculine in
arrangement (compare with Heron-Allen & Earland, 1910); doubled forms, in
which two chambers have been added side by side instead of one; and forms
which change coiling direction by 180°.

When first dealing with this complex miliolid assemblage, attempts were made
to subdivide it taxonomically along the lines of the variations detailed above,
but it was found that none of the divisions were consistent and discrete across
the entire assemblage. In consequence, the entire assemblage, including all
variations, has been considered one species. Unpublished studies by the author on
abundant specimens of an extant simple, unornamented Quinqueloculina species
from Milnerton Lagoon, just north of Cape Town, display a similar range and
similar types of variations (see also Murray, 1973). These miliolids were obtained
from shallow water indentations into low grassy banks on the western margin of
Milnerton Lagoon: this hypersaline "lagoonal" or lower estuarine environment was

98 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

destroyed, and its benthic foraminifera assemblages have disappeared, subsequent
to the area being redeveloped as an island of coastal apartments protected from
the sea by a continuous wall of steel piles driven into the estuary floor.

Tests of the Quinqueloculina species from Milnerton Lagoon often possessed
turbellarian egg cases attached to them (see Boltovskoy & Wright, 1976, p. 41-43
for a review of epibiosis on foraminifera). Foraminifera specimens thus affected
frequently grow later severely distorted chambers in an attempt to cover the attached
egg case. A detailed examination of numerous tests of Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n. sp.
failed to reveal any with comparable severely deformed or perforated chambers.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS

Named after apothecarist C.H. Grisbrook of Graaff-Reinet, geology enthusiast,

who visited the Amsterdamhoek outcrops in 1828 (Grisbrook, 1830).

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS
Thirteen.

HOLOTYPE

Cuttings sample 357-360m, borehole BT 1/74, illustrated as Fig. 26, nos 1 and 5

(2 views of same specimen).

STRATUS TYPICUS

Cuttings sample 357-360m, borehole BT 1/74, Bethelsdorp Formation, Portlandian,

onshore Uitenhage Trough, Algoa Basin.

PARATYPES

Twelve specimens from various samples, BT 1/74, illustrated as Fig. 25, nos 13-20
and Fig. 26, nos 2-4 and 6.

REMARKS

Few species of Quinqueloculina have been described from later Jurassic sediments.
Lloyd (1962) described Quinqueloculina egmontensis from the type Kimmeridgian
in southern England, and this species has been noted by several later authors
from similarly-aged rock successions (Groiss, 1967; Bielecka, 1975: referred to the
genus Palaeomiliolina) . Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n. sp. differs from Q. egmontensis in
possessing a tooth in the aperture, and in lacking any ornamentation of the test
wall. Quinqueloculina egmontensis displays a surface ornamentation of a few narrow
vertically-aligned, longitudinal ribs (Lloyd, 1962).

Cushman & Glazewski (1949) noted the presence of two species of Quinqueloculina in
the Portlandian succession of the Ukraine (in Poland prior to 1945): Quinqueloculina
grisbrooki differs from both species, neither of which was speciated. Quinqueloculina

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 99

sp. A is characterised by the presence of a projecting apertural neck, and in
possessing unusually narrow chambers, while Q. sp. B is distinguished by a low,
rounded test: none of these features have been seen in the South African tests.

Bizon (1958) detailed two questionable species of Quinqueloculina from the Oxfordian
of coastal northern France. Neither of these species displays an apertural tooth,
Quinqueloculina sp. 1 has the aperture developed on a neck, and there is a carinate
margin to the test, while sp. 2 is marked by an oval test outline and a rounded test
periphery. Tests of both species are poorly preserved, and no illustration was given
for either species. Quinqueloculina grisbrooki may be similar to, or the same as sp. 2,
but without further details of this French Oxfordian species, little comparison can
be made.

Several authors have described species of Quinqueloculina from the early Cretaceous
succession. Of these species only Qidnqueloculina minima (Tappan, 1943), described
from the Duck Creek Formation (Albian) of Texas and Oklahoma displays a
test morphology comparable to that of Quinqueloculina grisbrooki, but it lacks an
apertural tooth and its less inflated chambers are not seen in the South African
species. Quinqueloculina infravalanginiana was described by Bartenstein (1962) from
the Berriasian of Switzerland, but its tubular chambers and the bluntly pointed
basal and apertural ends to the test are not seen in Qidnqueloculina grisbrooki n. sp.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

258 to 621m in BT 1/74; 1090 to 1455m in ST 1/71; 2040 to 2948' in SW 1/08; not

in BSE

Subfamily SIGMOILINITINAE tuczkowska, 1974
Genus SIGMOILINA Schlumberger, 1887

Sigmoilina sp.
Fig. 26, no. 7.

REMARKS

A single, poorly preserved test, which shows the chambers arranged in the sinusoidal
manner typical of the genus. The test wall is badly damaged, but is apparently
smooth, and is not covered with siliciclastic grains as is the case in Sigmoilopsis . The
poor material precludes a specific placing.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
600-603m in BT 1/74; nowhere else.

100 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 101

Family ICHTHYOLARIIDAE Loeblich & Tappan, 1986
Genus LINGULONODOSARIA A. Silvestri, 1903

Lingulonodosaria nodosaria (Reuss, 1863)
Fig. 26, no. 8.

Lingulina nodosaria Reuss, 1863: 59, pi. 5, figs 12a-b.

Lingulina micida Loeblich & Tappan, 1950: 51, pi. 13, figs 29a-b, 30a-b.

REMARKS

A few small specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation are referable to this species.
Considerable differences in authors' interpretations of Lingulonodosaria nodosaria
exist, but they are all clearly distinct from the formerly synonymous Lingulina
nodosaria (Terquem) (see Wernli, 1971, p. 326). Reuss (1863) illustrated an elongate,
unornamented form. Gordon (1962, 1965) illustrated specimens which are less
elongate, show considerable variation in the height and degree of inflation of the
chambers, and the degree of increase of chamber width as chambers are added.
Gordon (1965) included Lingulina micida Loeblich & Tappan as a junior synonym.

FIGURE 26 (facing page)

1. Normal Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n.sp. McMillan. Holotype. SAM-PQ-MF-2244. BT 1/74,
357-360m. F1284/1285, close-up of aperture and tooth. X 512. 2. Wild growing Quinqueloculina
grisbrooki n.sp. McMillan. With embracing tubular final chamber. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-
2253. BT 1/74, 294-297m. F1277, side view. X177. 3-6. Normal Quinqueloculina grisbrooki
n.sp. McMillan. 3. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2254. BT 1/74, 411-414m. F1289, side view. X 165.
4. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2255. BT 1/74, 357-360m. F1287, side view. X215. 5. Holotype.
SAM-PQ-MF-2244. BT 1/74, 357-360m. F1284, side view (same specimen as No. 2). x 256.
6. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2256. BT 1/74, 447-450m. F1290, opposite side view (same specimen
as No. 20 on Fig. 25). x 272. 7. Sigmoilina sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2257. BT 1/74, 600-603m. F1395,
side view, x 226. 8. Lingulonodosaria nodosaria (Reuss). SAM-PQ-MF-2258. BT 1/74, 375-378m.
F23, side view, x 147. 9-10. Laevidentalina communis (d'Orbigny). 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2259. BT 1/74,
420-423m. F1360, side view, x 112. 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2260. SW 1/08, 2866'. F1362, side view.
X40. 11-12. Pyramidulina cf. P. kuhni (Franke). 11. SAM-PQ-MF-2261. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1321,
side view, x 141. 12. SAM-PQ-MF-2262. BSP 11477, F1340, side view, x 132. 13. Pyramidulina
minuta (Cordey). SAM-PQ-MF-2263. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1318, side view, x 220. 14. Pyramidulina
narrower form of P. minuta (Cordey). SAM-PQ-MF-2264. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.3m. F1319,
side view, x 226. 15. Pyramidulina cf. P. minuta (Cordey). SAM-PQ-MF-2265. SW 1/08, 2948'.
F1320, side view. X213. 16. Pyramidulina sp. 1. SAM-PQ-MF-2266. BSP 11477, F1391, side
view, x 146. 17-18. Nodosaria sowerbyi Schwager. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2267. BT 1/74, 600-603m.
F1328, side view, x 226. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2268. ST 1/71, 1200-1205m. F1329, side view, x 213.
19-20. Nodosaria cf. N. metensis Terquem. 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2269. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1317, side
view, x 312. 20. SAM-PQ-MF-2270. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1316, side view, x 272.

102 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

The South African tests compare well with Reuss's original illustration and description,
but differ slightly in featuring a clearly narrower initial part of the test, which may
be due to their being of the microspheric generation. Reuss (1863) described
Lingulonodosaria nodosaria from the north German lowermost Gault ("Speeton Clay")
of Early Cretaceous age. Lingulina micida was described from the Redwater Shale
(Oxfordian) of South Dakota by Loeblich & Tappan (1950).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

375-378m, 420-423m, 467.3m in BT 1/74; 2100' in SW 1/08; BSP 11475, 11476;

not in ST 1/71.

Family NODOSARIIDAE Ehrenberg, 1838

Subfamily NODOSARIINAE Ehrenberg, 1838

Genus LAEVIDENTALINA Risso, 1826 s.l.

Laevidentalina communis (d'Orbigny, 1826) s.l.
Fig. 26, nos 9-10.

Nodosaria (Dentaline) communis d'Orbigny, 1826: 254 (illustration in d'Orbigny, 1840: pi. 1,

fig. 4).

Dentalina communis (d'Orbigny); Bielecka & Pozaryski, 1954: 188, pi. 9, fig. 42; Bartenstein

et al., 1957: 34, pi. 7, figs 144a-b, 145; Neagu, 1965: 20, pi. 5, fig. 3; Bartenstein et al.,

1971: 147, abb. 3, fig. 59; Dailey, 1973: 63, pi. 8, fig. 15.

Dentalina communis (d'Orbigny) gr.; McLachlan et al., 1976b: 330, fig. 16, no. 9.

Dentalina communis (d'Orbigny) s.l.; McMillan, 2003a: 156, fig. 49K-M.

REMARKS

D'Orbigny ( 1 826) described this species from Holocene sediments of the Adriatic Sea.
Later records range from Lias to the present day, and from many parts of the world,
but it seems highly unlikely that they are all conspecific, and this long range is rather
due to the conservative, unornamented and rather simple chamber arrangement
within this group of Laevidentalina . The subtleties of degree of chamber inflation,
height relative to width in the chamber shape, relative rectilinearity or arching in
the overall shape of the test, and the presence or absence of radiate apertural slits,
are structural features which all display considerable variation through time and
place. The few tests of this group encountered in the Bethelsdorp Formation are
morphologically unlike those from the Late Valanginian and Hauterivian rocks of
the Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a) and other contemporary South
African rock successions (McLachlan et al., 1976b).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420 to 423m in BT 1/74; 2866' in SW 1/08; not in ST 1/71 or BSP.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 03

Laevidetalina spp.

REMARKS

The three studied borehole sections of the onshore Uitenhage Trough yielded a
number of smooth-walled, unornamented tests that can be assigned to the genus
Laevidentalina. Generally poor preservation and broken tests prevent their being
identified to the specific level.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420-423m, 591-594m in BT 1/74; 1400m in ST 1/71; 2948' in SW 1/08; not in BSP.

Genus PYRAMIDULINA Fornasini, 1894

Pyramidulina cf. P. kuhni (Franke, 1936)
Fig. 26, nos 11-12.

see Nodosaria kuhni Franke, 1936: 46, pi. 4, fig. 13; Welzel, 1968: 14, pi. 1, fig. 29.

REMARKS

Three tests compare closely with Pyramidulina kuhni (Franke). The illustration
and description of this species given by Franke (1936) features a Pyramidulina
distinguished by a surface ornament of long low ribs aligned vertically or
longitudinally over the test surface. Franke (op. cit.) noted that the ribs are higher
and thicker over each transverse sutural depression. Thickening of the surface ribs
over the sutures is only faintly apparent in the examples from the Bethelsdorp
Formation. As in the illustration given by Welzel (1968) the South African tests
display a distinctly less extensive coverage of surface ribs than that shown by Franke
(1936), and, on the last-formed part of the test, these ribs are almost completely
confined to the sutural depressions.

The distinctive initial spine characteristic of German tests of this species (Franke,
1936) is not clearly present in any tests from the Bethelsdorp Fomation. However, in
all other respects, especially the general test morphology, these South African tests
are closely comparable to Franke's species. Franke (1936) described Pyramidulina
kuhni from the Lias y (Pliensbachian) beds near Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; BSP 1 1477; not in BT 1/74 or ST 1/7 1 .

104 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Pyramidulina minuta (Cordey, 1962)
Fig. 26, nos 13-14.

Nodosaria (or Dentalina) multicostata Wisniowski, 1 890: 1 96, pi. 8, fig. 44 (non N. multicostata

d'Orbigny, 1840).

Nodosaria balteata Loeblich & Tappan, 1950: 49, pi. 13, figs 6-8.

Nodosaria minuta Cordey, 1962: 390, pi. 47, fig. 27.

REMARKS

Cordey proposed the name Nodosaria minuta as a new name for Wisniowski's
species, which is ajunior synonym of a species created by d'Orbigny. However, the
validity of Nodosaria balteata over Nodosaria minuta is uncertain, and for the moment
the name Pyramidulina minuta has been used.

Wisniowski described this species as possessing an ornamentation of "about twelve"
vertically-aligned ribs, while Loeblich & Tappan (1950) noted Nodosaria balteata
as having "about 14 low longitudinal ribs". Gordon (1965), in describing a single
test that he referred to Nodosaria balteata, described the ornamentation as follows:
"Ten ribs commence at the extremity of the proloculum, and others are inserted
between these later on, so that there are 17 at the aperture. There is no branching
of the ribs". In contrast, Cordey (1962) described his specimens of Nodosaria minuta
as displaying an ornamentation of "numerous fine striae".

Although all these forms are extremely similar in all other respects, the variation
in the surface ornamentation has caused some difficulty in the interpretation. The
characteristic style of the surface ornamentation has been taken to be those of
Wisniowski (1890) and of Loeblich & Tappan (1950). Tests from the Bethelsdorp
Formation compare closely to this, except that the Uitenhage Trough tests differ
slightly in being ornamented with about 14 vertically aligned ribs, which become
less distinct on the last-formed chamber. The area around the aperture is completely
devoid of ornamentation in the South African tests.

Wisniowski (1890) described his species Pyramidulina multicostata from the Late
Oxfordian beds from near Krakow, Poland. Loeblich & Tappan (1950) described
Pyramidulina balteata from the Oxfordian Redwater Shale of South Dakota, USA.
Cordey obtained his tests of Pyramidulina minuta from the Early Oxfordian Oxford
Clay of the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Gordon's single test of Pyramidulina balteata was
from the Early Oxfordian Nothe Grit of southern England.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420-423m, 467.3m, 591-594m in BT 1/74; 1250-1255m in ST 1/71; 2100' and

2948' in SW 1/08; BSP 1 1475, 1 1476, 1 1477.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 05

Pyramidulina cf. P. minuta (Cordey, 1962)
Fig. 26, no. 15.

see Nodosaria minuta Cordey, 1962: 390, pi. 47, fig. 27.

REMARKS

Two specimens of a form closely comparable to the previous species were separated
from it on differences in ornamentation. These two tests are similar in size and
shape of test, but the surface ornamentation consists of many small vertically
aligned ribs (about 18), which extend over the entire test. These ribs are in some
places developed at a slight angle to the length of the test, so that in some areas the
ribs are more widely spaced, and elsewhere more closely spaced.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2948' in SW 1/08; 1 1476 in BSP; not in ST 1/71 or BT 1/74.

Pyramidulina sp. 1
Fig. 26, no. 16.

REMARKS

A small number of distinctive specimens from the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops
proved difficult to assign to a particular genus. They most closely resemble Lagena.
Similar forms from the Early Cretaceous succession on the north-west Australian
continental margin have been allocated to the genus Pyramidulina by Holbourn &
Kaminski (1997). All five tests are composed of an initial large globular proloculus,
followed by a second, much smaller hemispherical chamber. All tests feature a small
opening or depression at the apical point of the test, possibly where an apical spine
was formerly attached. The aperture is a terminal, circular opening. The surface
of the test is ornamented with either nine (one example) or ten (four examples)
strong, vertically aligned ribs, which are subangular to bladed in form.

Since the number of chambers and the size ratio of first to second chamber are
the same in all five specimens, the possibility that they are juveniles of a uniserial,
rectilinear genus, such as Nodosaria or Pseudonodosaria, seems unlikely. The additional
second chamber places doubt on an allocation to Lagena, although interestingly,
Loeblich & Tappan (1964, p. C518) previously described the genus as possessing a
test which is "unilocular, rarely two or more chambers" in its arrangement.

Excluding the presence of the smaller second chamber, in all other respects these
specimens appear very similar to Lagena cf. L. sulcata (Walker & Jacob), described
by various authors from Early Cretaceous rocks, and discussed here on page 130.

106 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in BSP 1 1476 and 1 1477.

Genus NODOSARIA Lamarck, 1812

Nodosaria sowerbyi Schwager, 1867
Fig. 26, nos 17-18.

Nodosaria sowerbyi Schwager, 1867: 656, pi. 34, fig. 8; Gordon, 1961: 529; Gordon, 1965:
849, text-hg. 7, nos 8-11.

REMARKS

Tests referred to this species in the three onshore Uitenhage Trough borehole
successions are very similar to the tests described and illustrated by Schwager
(1867). Several of the South African tests display chambers that are not as high
as the chambers of Schwager's specimen, and they appear to be intermediate
in a generic sense between Pyramidulina and Pseudonodosaria. This is especially
noticeable because of the relatively rapid increase in the width of the chambers,
and the slight overlap of the chambers, as added. The tests tending more near
to Pseudonodosaria show some similarities also to Nodosaria fusiformis (Schwager),
particularly as illustrated by Gordon (1965).

Schwager (1867) described Nodosaria soiuerbyi on the basis of specimens from the
sowerbyi-zone (Bajocian) of Aargau, Switzerland. Gordon (1961) obtained one
example from the Ampthill Clay (Oxfordian) in Cambridgeshire, and further tests
(Gordon, 1965) from the Nothe Grit, Nothe Clay and Ringstead Waxy Clay, Dorset
(Early and Late Oxfordian), all of southern England.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2100', 3023' in SW 1/08; 1 190-1 195m in ST 1/71; 357-360m, 420-423m, 467.30m

in BT 1/74; not in BSP.

Nodosaria cf. N. metensis Terquem, 1863
Fig. 26, nos 19-20.

see Nodosaria metensis Terquem, 1863: 167, pi. 7, fig. 5a-b; Morris & Coleman, 1989: 216,

pi. 6.3.5, fig. 5.

Nodosaria cf. N. metensis Terquem; Gordon, 1965: 848, fig. 7, no. 14.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 07

REMARKS

Two foraminifera tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation are closely comparable
to the Nodosaria cf. N. metensis of Gordon (1965). Gordon compared his material
with the two species Nodosaria metensis Terquem and Dentalina cognata Terquem &
Berthelin. The surface ornamentation evident on Gordon's specimens is extremely
distinctive. It consists of a number of depressions (10 to 15 in Gordon's material)
with broad, flat intervening ribs extending up from the base of each globular
chamber, and terminating about midway up the chamber. The smooth-walled
upper half of the chamber is thus flush with the tops of the ribs developed on the
lower half of each chamber.

These elegant and distinctive tests are unlike Pyramidulina metensis (Terquem, 1 863),
as tests of that species display ribbed ornamentation over each entire chamber, but
otherwise, especially in the form of the chambers, the two are similar. There is also
a difference between these specimens and those of Dentalina cognata, both of which
exhibit the same style of ornamentation, but D. cognata tests display sub-globular
chambers and distinctly oblique sutures, and this species is definitely not referable
to the genus Nodosaria or to Pyramidulina. Gordon (1965) considered that of the two
specimens of Dentalina cognata originally illustrated by Terquem & Berthelin (1875,
pi. 2, fig. 21a-b), that numbered 21a appeared closest to his southern English
tests, as its sutures are closer to horizontal and transverse than those of the test
numbered 21b.

It is felt that Gordon's material constitutes a new species, but as it has not proven
possible to examine his specimens, the present two specimens from the onshore
Uitenhage Trough have been referred to as Nodosaria confer metensis. All four of
Gordon's specimens are damaged, and the two additional tests from the onshore
Uitenhage Trough are also both damaged. In order to effectively describe and
illustrate this species further, better-preserved tests are required. Of the two tests
from the Bethelsdorp Formation, one consists of a proloculus followed by two
chambers, while the second test consists of the two last-formed chambers, with one
displaying the aperture. The proloculus of the first test is fully covered with ribs,
but the characteristic ornamentation, as described above, is developed only on the
second and later chambers. Here, the ribs extend over the lower l A to 2 h of each
chamber. On the first specimen there are 12 ribs on each chamber; on the second,
there are 13.

Gordon (1965) obtained his tests from the Nothe Clay, of earliest Late Oxfordian
age, in Dorset, England. It is considered that this species is one of the strongest for
emphasising a late Jurassic age for the Bethelsdorp Formation.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08 only.

108 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 09

Subfamily LINGULININAE Loeblich & Tappan, 1961
Genus LINGULINA d'Orbigny, 1826

Lingulina dentaliniformis Terquem, 1870
Fig. 27, nos 1-2.

Lingulina dentaliniformis Terquem, 1870: 339, pi. 25, figs 1-3; Bartenstein & Brand, 1937:
152, pi. 10, fig. 20; Said & Barakat, 1958: 259, pi. 5, fig. 30; Wernli, 1971; 327, pi. 6,
figs 12-16.

REMARKS

As noted by previous authors, Frondicularia detaliniformis Terquem and Lingulina
dentaliniformis Terquem are either synonymous or very closely related species. The
illustrations of the latter species given by Terquem (1870) show the aperture to be
a very elongate, very narrow, terminally-sited slit. The tests from the Bethelsdorp
Formation differ slightly in featuring a less elongate, rather broader apertural slit,
similar to that of the tests figured by Wernli (1971). The sutures of the South African
tests vary from horizontal to weakly arched. Those with horizontal sutures appear
to be referable to Lingulina dentaliniformis forma A Wernli, but there are insufficient
specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation to justify separating them into two
taxonomic units. Wernli (1971) noted that some examples show a rapid increase

FIGURE 27 (facing page)

1-2. Lingulina dentaliniformis Terquem. 1. SAM-PQ-MF-2271. ST 1/71, 1220-1225m. F1364, side
view, x 183. 2. SAM-PQ-MF-2272. BT 1/74, 420-423m. F1365, side view, x 194. 3. Lingulina
lamellata Tappan. SAM-PQ-MF-2273.BT 1/74, 339-342m. F1381, side view, x 264. 4-5. Lingulina
lanceolata (Haeusler). 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2274. BT 1/74, 420-423m. F1366, side view, x 136. 5. SAM-
PQ-MF-2275. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.30m. F1367, side view, x 160. 6-7. Lingulina sp. 6. SAM-PQ-
MF-2276. BT 1/74, 294-297m. F5, side view, x 170. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2277. BT 1/74, 41 l-414m.
F25, side view, x 213. 8. Frondicularia francomca Gumbel. SAM-PQ-MF-2278. BSP 1 1478, F1344,
side view, x 90. 9. Frondicularia sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2279. BSP 11478, F1374, side view, x 146.
10-11. Tristix oolithica (Terquem). 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2280. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.3m. F1385,
side view, x 240. 11. SAM-PQ-MF-228 1 . BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.3m. F1386, side view, x 155.
12-13. Tristix sp. 1. 12. SAM-PQ-MF-2282. BSP 4798, F1387, side view, x 67. 13. SAM-PQ-MF-
2282. Close-up of surface ornamentation BSP 4798, F1388 (same specimen as F1387). x 280.
14. Astacolus cf A. major (Bornemann) forma A Lutze. SAM-PQ-MF-2284. BT 1/74, 591-594m.
F1322, side view, x 116. 15. Astacolus pellucida Said & Barakat. SAM-PQ-MF-2285. SW 1/08,
2948'. F1325, side view, x 264. 16. Astacolus sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2286. BT 1/74, 609-612m. F1323,
side view, x 220. 17-18. Marginulina declims (Schwager). 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2287. SW 1/08, 2948'.
F1361, side view, x 150. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2288. ST 1/71, Core 1, 1400m. F1363, side view.
x 124. 19-20. Vaginulinopsis sp. 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2289. BT 1/74, 591-594m. F1353, side view.
X91. 20. SAM-PQ-MF-2290. BSP 11477, F1375, side view, x 113.

110 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

in width of chambers, whereas others increase in width very slowly, resulting in an
almost parallel-sided test. The former are of the microspheric, and the latter of the
megalospheric generation.

Lingulina dentaliniformis was described by Terquem (1870) from the parkinsoni
Zone (highest Bajocian) of the Moselle area, France. Bartenstein & Brand (1937)
described their material from the Dogger p (Late Aalenian) of north-west Germany,
and Said & Barakat (1958) reported the species to occur in the Kimmeridgian
succession of Gebel Maghara, northern Sinai, Egypt. Wernli (1971) recorded the
range of this species as Late Aalenian to Early Oxfordian in the Jura Meridional
of France.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

294-297m, 375-378m, 420-423m, 467.0m, 467.30m in BT 1/74; 1220 to 1235m in

ST 1/71; 2100' in SW 1/08.

Lingulina lamellata Tappan, 1940
Fig. 27, no. 3.

Lingulina lamellata Tappan, 1940: 106, pi. 16, fig. 19.

Frondicularia lamellata (Tappan); Bartenstein & Brand, 1951: 303, pi. 8, fig. 200 (and

possibly fig. 201).

REMARKS

A single specimen of Lingulina agrees very well with the description given by
Tappan (1940). The sutures grade from being arched in the early part of the test
to chevron-shaped in the later part. Tappan (op. cit., p. 106) noted that the early
chambers were "narrow, flaring suddenly and then enlarging gradually for the
remainder of the length". In contrast, the test from the Portlandian Bethelsdorp
Formation features chambers that increase steadily in width, from earliest to latest.
Bartenstein & Brand (1951) illustrated two tests, but that detailed as fig. 201 on
plate 8 may be outside the limits of Lingulina lamellata, as originally described by
Tappan.

Tappan (1940) described Lingulina lamellata from the Late Albian Grayson
Formation of Texas (Frizzell, 1954 notes the Grayson to be Early Cenomanian).
Bartenstein & Brand (1951) noted the range of this species in north-west Germany
as Middle Valanginian to Early Hauterivian.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
339-342m in BT 1/74 only.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 111

Lingulina lanceolata (Haeusler, 1881)
Fig. 27, nos4-5.

Frondicularia lanceolata Haeusler, 1881: 18, pi. 2, fig. 3.

Lingulina lanceolata (Haeusler); Bartenstein & Brand, 1937: 151, pi. 2B, fig. 17; Tappan,

1955: 75, pi. 27, figs 5-6; Welzel, 1968: 35, pi. 2, fig. 17.

REMARKS

Some degree of variation in the interpretation of this species by later authors has

been due to the slightly ambiguous original illustration and description given

by Haeusler (1881). The few specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation agree

particularly well with the description and illustration of this species by Welzel

(1968).

Haeusler (1881) described Lingulina lanceolata from the Schambelen outcrop
(Oxfordian) in Canton Aargau, Switzerland. The specimen illustrated by Bartenstein
& Brand (1937) derives from the Lias a 3 (Arieten-stufe, Sinemurian) of north-
west Germany. Tappan (1955) obtained specimens from the Kingak Shale (Late
Pliensbachian) of South Barrow Test Well 3 in northern Alaska. Welzel's (1968)
material was from the Domerian of southern Germany.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420-423m and 467.30m in BT 1/74; 2100' in SW 1/08; not in ST 1/71 or BSP.

Lingulina spp.
Fig. 27, nos 6-7.

REMARKS

Four small, damaged specimens of Lingulina were identified from the samples
collected at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan and from the SW 1/08 borehole section. The
four tests from the salt-pan outcrops do not warrant additional discussion, because
of their damaged state. The two tests from SW 1/08 appear to be referable to the
same species, and are similar to tests of Lingulina lanceolata (Haeusler), as reported
above. One of these specimens also shows some similarities to Frondicularia subtilis
Wisniowski. The other is somewhat similar to the Frondicularia sp. of the present
study, but it differs in possessing a blade-like peripheral keel, a more flaring test,
and occasional short vertical striations as surface ornamentation.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

4904, 11476 at BSP; 2948' in SW 1/08; 1400m in ST 1/71; 411-414m and 438-

441m in BT 1/74.

112 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Subfamily FRONDICULARIINAE Reuss, 1860
Genus FRONDICULARIA Defrance, 1826

REMARKS

Authors studying Jurassic or Early Cretaceous foraminifera assemblages have
often commented on the sometimes close morphological similarity of tests of the
two genera Lingulina and Frondicularia. Some species of Lingulina resemble species
of Frondicularia , but there are many other species of these two genera that do not
possess counterparts in the other genus. In the case of the relationship between
these two particular genera, there are two major morphological features of the test
that have been utilised in attempts to effectively separate the two genera. Barnard
(1963) and Wernli (1971), for example, have emphasised the angle and height of
the chambers, with Lingulina species possessing convex, arched sutures and high
chambers, whereas Frondicularia species exhibit chevron-shaped sutures and low
chambers which are strongly backward curving. In contrast, Loeblich & Tappan
(1964), for example, have laid greater emphasis on the nature of the aperture:
ovate to slit-like in the case of Lingulina, and circular in the case of Frondicularia .

However, it would appear that in South African material available to the author
through the years, both the form of the aperture and of the chambers and
sutures show sufficient variation for a small degree of overlap to exist in the test
morphology of the two genera. There is a gradation from low, chevron-shaped
chambers to high, low-arched ones, and from slit-like to circular apertures, and
these two variations are only partly associated with each other, and hence do not
effectively constrain the limits of Lingulina and of Frondicularia.

In the case of the foraminifera assemblages from the Late Valanginian to
Hauterivian rocks of the Sundays River Formation documented by McMillan
(2003a) there is a wide variety of Lingulina species. Forms identified as referable
to Lingulina bettenstaedti (Zedler) (McMillan, 2003a, fig. 61G-H), with high-arched,
poorly chevron-shaped chambers also display clear slit-like apertures. In contrast,
forms identified as a new species Lingulina trilobita (McMillan, 2003a, fig. 61B-F),
characterised by high, low-arched chambers, is also distinguished by an elongate,
extremely thin slit-like aperture.

In the present study dealing with the foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation,
previous authors' precedents have been utilised where possible. In the case of
species which could not be allocated to any previously described species, the nature
of the aperture has been emphasised in allocating specimens either to Lingulina
or Frondicularia. Although five Lingulina species or species groups, and two of
Frondicularia have been recognised in the Bethelsdorp Formation, neither genus
is common anywhere in the Bethelsdorp Formation and never to the frequency of
these two genera encountered in the Sundays River Formation.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 113

Frondicularia franconica Giimbel, 1862
Fig. 27, no. 8.

Frondicularia franconica Giimbel, 1862: 219, pi. 3, fig. 13a-c; Bartenstein & Brand, 1937:
153, pi. 15A, figs 17a-b; pi. 15C, figs 8a-b; Brand & Fahrion, 1962: 156, pi. 21, fig. 25;
Cordey, 1962: 387, pi. 47, figs 20-21, text-figs 31-36.

Lingulina franconica (Giimbel); Seibold & Seibold, 1955: 119, pi. 13, fig. 8, text-fig. 3e.
Frondicularia franconica franconica Giimbel; Lutze, 1960: 470, pi. 32, figs 4, 6, 14.

REMARKS

Most authors have considered the species Frondicularia franconica Giimbel to be
a true Frondicularia, as Gumbel's (1862) original illustration shows a circular,
terminal aperture. However, a few authors, particularly Seibold & Seibold (1955)
who re-examined and revised Gumbel's species, have regarded it as a species of
Lingulina. Seibold & Seibold (1955) added that on the studied specimen the drawn-
out apertural neck is mostly broken off. For the present study this species has been
considered to be a Frondicularia species.

Many authors have noted the variation that this species exhibits. In particular,
Lutze (1960), Cordey (1962) and Barnard (1963) have shown that the degree of
lobation of the chambers along the test periphery varies considerably, as does the
height of the arched sutures, and also the rate of increase of test width. Lutze (1960)
established a number of subspecies on the basis of these variations, but Cordey
(1962) regarded all the variations to grade into each other, and that they were not
justified. In the examples from the Bethelsdorp Formation, all of which derive from
the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops, a similar range of variations occurs to those
detailed by Lutze. Only tests under the name Frondicularia franconica impressa Lutze
were not encountered in the present study. In addition, two of the Bethelsdorp
Formation tests display fine, vertically-aligned striations, and another example has
developed a + shaped test, seen in cross-section. Because of variable preservation of
these tests, not all of the Bethelsdorp Formation examples possess a clean aperture.
Those that do, however, show the opening to be circular, usually marked by radiate
slits, and only rarely raised on a very low apertural neck, similar to the low neck
illustrated by Cordey (1962, text-figs 31-36).

Giimbel (1862) described Frondicularia franconica from the Oxfordian Schwamm-
Mergeln of Streitberg, southern Germany. Bartenstein & Brand (1937) noted it
from the Callovian to Early Oxfordian of north-west Germany, and Winter (1970)
recorded it in the Early Kimmeridgian rocks of the Frankischen Jura, southern
Germany. Brand & Fahrion (1962) gave its range as Bathonian to Oxfordian in
Germany, and Barnard (1963) as Callovian to Kimmeridgian in England.

114 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
4798, 4901, 4904, 1 1478 and 1 1479 in BSP only.

Frondicularia sp.
Fig. 27, no. 9.

REMARKS

A single specimen of a Frondicularia with a peripheral keel was found in the outcrop
samples collected at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. This test is elongate, with maximum
width below mid-height. The early part of the test is compressed, and elongate-
ovate in cross-section, while the later part is less compressed, and more ovate in
cross-section. The test periphery is marked by a thickened, rounded keel that
extends the full height of the test. Sutures are indistinct, flush with the test surface,
and in form a moderately low, regularly curved arch. Foramen is terminal, a simple
circular opening: the last-formed chamber is missing, and consequently the exact
form of the aperture is unknown, for it may differ from that of the foramen. Surface
of the test is smooth.

Only a small number of fossil species of Lingulina, and very few of Frondicularia
are distinguished by a peripheral keel. Several such species have been described
from the north-west European Lias succession: Lingulina terquemi Macfadyen
(1941) appears similar in many respects, but can be distinguished on the basis of
the lozenge-shaped cross-section to the test, whereas the South African test displays
an ovate cross-section. Frondicularia dubia Terquem & Berthelin (1875) also shows
similarities, but the chamber morphology in the later part of the test is distinctly
different. The closest similarity would appear to be with Frondicularia impressa
Terquem (1864), although in Terquem's species the chambers increase in width
throughout the test, unlike in the specimen from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan.

Additional similarity exists between this single specimen from the Bethelsdorp
Formation and rare tests described as Lingulina loryi (Berthelin) occurring in the
Brenton Formation and in the equivalent of the Sundays River Formation (Late
Valanginian to Hauterivian) in borehole PB-A1 (McLachlan^a/., 1976a). However,
the test from the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan differs in possessing a much narrower test
width. Additional comments on Lingulina loryi and its occurrence in South Africa
are given under the discussion on Lingulina sp. A by McMillan (2003a, p. 210,
fig. 62K).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only 11475 BSP.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 115
Genus TRISTIX Macfadyen, 1941

Tristix acutangula (Reuss, 1863)

Rhabdogonium acutangulum Reuss, 1863: 55, pi. 4, figs 14a-b.

Tristix acutangulus or T. acutangula (Reuss); Bartenstein & Brand, 1951: 314, pi. 10, figs
257-261; Lutze, 1960: 476, pi. 29, figs la-b; Bielecka, 1975: 354, pi. 10, figs 17-19;
McMillan, 2003a: 224, figs 66H-K, 67A.

REMARKS

This species appears to be very similar to Tristix suprajurassica, described by Paalzow
(1932) from the Oxfordian Transversarius-schichten of south-west Germany.
Bielecka (1975) included some references to Tristix suprajurassica under Tristix
acutangula, whereas Lutze (1960) has regarded the two species as fully synonymous.
Magniez-Jannin (1975) analysed variations in test morphology of Tristix acutangula
tests from the French Albian succession. She included tests with rounded peripheral
angles and lacking a peripheral keel within the variation exhibited by this species.

Tests from the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation are either faintly carinate, or
otherwise non-carinate and sub-angular at the test periphery. Following the species
interpretation of Magniez-Jannin (1975), all of these tests are referred to Tristix
acutangula. They are morphologically very similar to those previously described
from the Late Valanginian to Hauterivian Sundays River Formation of the Algoa
Basin, and in synchronous units in the Pletmos and Mngazana Basins (Beer, 1970;
McLachlan^a/., 1976a, 1976b; McMillan, 2003a).

First described by Reuss (1863) from the middle and upper Hils clays (Barremian-
Aptian) of northern Germany, Tristix acutangula has been recognised widely in the
Early Cretaceous succession in both the Boreal and Austral realms. Espitalie &
Sigal (1963b) identified Tristix suprajurassica in Cenozones C and D (Kimmeridgian
to Early Valanginian) in the Mahajanga Basin of north-west Madagascar.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
4798, 4901 and 1 1476, BSP only.

Tristix oolithica (Terquem, 1886)
Fig. 27, nos 10-11.

Tritaxia oolithica Terquem, 1886: 60, pi. 7, figs 5a-b.

Tristix oolithica (Terquem); Gordon, 1965: 849, text-figs. 8a-f; fig. 10, nos 3-4; Gordon,

1967: 454, pi. 3, fig. 14; Coleman, 1981: 123, pi. 6.2.4, figs 16-17.

116 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

REMARKS

Much variation is evident in authors' specimens referred to this name: compare
the illustrations in the references listed above. In general, tests of Tristix oolithica are
narrower, often more nearly parallel-sided, and maximum test width is at the level
of the second or third from last chamber, when compared with the rapidly widening
and more carinate tests oi Tristix acutangula (Reuss). Coleman (1981) notes that it is
synonymous with Tristix suprajurassica of Paalzow (1932). For the present study the
interpretation of this species as defined by Gordon (1965) has been followed.

Some variation in the few tests referred to Tristix oolithica from the Bethelsdorp
Formation is also evident. These are mostly non-carinate at the margins, and they
compare closest to the tests illustrated as 8d and 8f of text-figure 8 of Gordon
(1965). One of the Bethelsdorp Formation tests is so mildly triangular in cross-
section that it appears intermediate between Tristix and Nodosaria. Both radiate
and simple circular apertures are mentioned in the literature for this species. The
Bethelsdorp Formation tests mostly do not show the aperture clearly: in the two
tests that do, the aperture is radiate in both. These South African tests are more
delicately constructed than the elongate tests of Tristix cuneatus, with up to eight
rectilinear chambers, described by Ivanova (1973) from the Volgean of northern
Siberian basins.

Tristix oolithica was first described by Terquem (1886) from the Fullers Earth
("Oolithe Inferieur") of Jelenice, near Warsaw, Poland. Bielecka & Pozaryski
(1954) obtained specimens from the Astartian-Bononian (Oxfordian-Portlandian)
succession of central Poland. Gordon (1965) noted the species in the Late Oxfordian
Corallian beds of Dorset, and again (1967) in the Callovian Brora Argillaceous
Series, Scotland. Coleman (1981) regarded its stratigraphic range as limited to the
Bathonian and Callovian stages of England, but the range in Poland appears to be
up to the top of the Jurassic.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2948' in SW 1/08; 420-423m, 462-465m, 467.0m and 467.30m in BT 1/74; not in

ST 1/71 or BSP

Tristix sp. 1
Fig. 27, nos 12-13.

REMARKS

Two tests of a distinctively ornamented Tristix have been found in two different
samples from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. Numerous fine vertically-aligned striations
cover all three sides of one test, which otherwise is morphologically identical to tests of
Tristix acutangula , as described above. Because of the roughness of the striations and

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 117

their irregularity, it is suspected that they are due to post-depositional calcification
or dissolution of the test exterior, and are not a true surface ornamentation.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
4798 and 1 1479 in BSP only.

Family VAGINULINIDAE Reuss, 1860

Subfamily LENTICULININAE Chapman, Parr & Collins, 1934

Genus LENTICULINA Lamarck, 1804

Lenticulina muensteri (Roemer, 1839) sensu lato

Robulina muensteri Roemer, 1839: 48, pi. 20, fig. 29.

Lenticulina (Lenticulina) muensteri (Roemer); Farinacci, 1965: 240, fig. 21.

Lenticulina muensteri (Roemer); Jendryka-Fuglewicz, 1975: 149, pi. 8; pi. 9; pi. 10; pi. 11,

figs 1-6; pi. 19; pi. 20, figs 1-2.

REMARKS

Two poorly preserved examples are referred to the Lenticulina muensteri group, but
only in a broad sense. A very detailed analysis of Lenticulina muensteri, apparently
ubiquitous; a species which has been interpreted very widely since it was first
described, has been given by Jendryka-Fuglewicz (1975), based on Polish material.
Jendryka-Fuglewicz considered its stratigraphic range in Poland as Aalenian
(Dogger, mid Jurassic) to Albian (Early Cretaceous).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; not in ST 1/71, nor BT 1/74, nor BSP.

Lenticulina cf. L. quenstedti (Giimbel) forma A Wernli, 1971
Fig. 23, no. 20.

see Lenticulina quenstedti (Giimbel) forma A Wernli, 1971: 322, pi. 4, figs. 23, 27; pi. 10,

fig. 1.

see Lenticulina quenstedti (Giimbel); Morris & Coleman, 1989: 226, pi. 6.3.8, fig. 12.

REMARKS

Wernli (1971) illustrated three specimens of Lenticulina quenstedti forma A, derived
from the Bajocian to Early Oxfordian of Switzerland, and the Jura Meridional
of France (see also Wernli & Septfontaine, 1971). The two specimens from the
Bethelsdorp Formation are very similar to that illustrated by Wernli (1971) as pi. 4,
fig. 23. Both in the case of this specimen and our two examples, it would appear

118 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

that they are juveniles, and have not yet constructed a full whorl of chambers. As a
result, the surface rib that encircles the proloculus has not yet formed a complete
circle, as seen clearly in Wernli's illustration. The sutures of the South African tests
are raised into low, broadly rounded ribs, and become limbate. The ribs fade towards
the faintly carinate margin, and the rib encircling the proloculus is only poorly
developed. The small number of tests and the absence of any adult examples in the
Bethelsdorp Formation material hinder a more positive taxonomic identification,
and cast uncertainty on age-determinations based on these two specimens vis-a-vis
Lenticulina quenstedti s.s.

Lenticulina quenstedti has been widely recorded in the Tethyan Middle and Late
Jurassic, as detailed by Farinacci (1965). Further south, Espitalie & Sigal (1963b)
record this species as ranging through Cenozones A and B (Late Bathonian to
Early Oxfordian) of the Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; not in ST 1/71, BT 1/74 or BSE

Subfamily FALMULINAE Saidova, 1981
Genus NEOFLABELLINA Bartenstein, 1948

Neoflabellina sp.

REMARKS

A single test of Neoflabellina was obtained from the Bethelsdorp Salt Fan outcrops. It
appears to be unrelated to other Jurassic or Early Cretaceous species of this genus.
The test consists of seven chambers arranged in an arc, increasing steadily in size
as added, followed by two broadly arched chambers that overlie all the previous
ones. The periphery of the test is broadly rounded. The sutures are initially lightly
raised, later becoming slightly depressed. The aperture is terminal, apparently a
circular opening, but it is damaged.

Espitalie & Sigal (1963b) described the occurrence of a number of Neoflabellina
species from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous rocks of the Mahajanga Basin
in Madagascar, but all of these species possess chevron-shaped adult chambers, in
contrast to the broadly arched ones of this South African test.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; 4901 in BSP.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 119

Subfamily MARGINULININAE Wedekind, 1937
Genus ASTACOLUS de Montfort, 1808

Astacolus cf. A. major (Bornemann) forma A Lutze, 1960
Fig. 27, no. 14.

see Lenticulina (Astacolus) major (Bornemann) forma A Lutze, 1960: 454, pi. 28, figs 5a-b,

text-fig. 12d-g.

see Lenticulina major (Bornemann); Morris & Coleman, 1989: 226, pi. 6.3.8, fig. 11.

REMARKS

A single well-preserved specimen of Astacolus from the Bethelsdorp Formation
appears to be similar to that illustrated by Lutze (1960) under this name. Lutze
considered his forma A to differ from the specimens described by Bornemann in
the possession of more or less limbate sutures. The outline of the test is similar in
both cases. The single specimen from the Bethelsdorp Formation exhibits strongly
limbate sutures that are adjoining sutural depressions. Lutze (1960) described his
specimens from Callovian and Oxfordian rocks of northwest Germany.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in 591-594m, BT 1/74.

Astacolus pellucida Said & Barakat, 1958
Fig. 27, no. 15.

Astacolus pellucida Said & Barakat, 1958: 247, pi. 3, fig. 18; pi. 5, fig. 36.

REMARKS

A few tests from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan are referable to this species. They differ
slightly from the description and illustrations given by Said & Barakat (1958)
in displaying slightly curved sutures in the later uncoiled portion of the test. In
addition the peripheral margin is thickened and sub-rounded rather than acutely
angled. This species was originally described from Callovian and Kimmeridgian
rocks of northern Sinai (Said & Barakat, 1958).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; nowhere else.

120 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Astacolus sp.
Fig. 27, no. 16.

REMARKS

A few small juvenile, unornamented Astacolus specimens, with weakly depressed
and curved sutures, were obtained from the Bethelsdorp Formation. Lack of
material prevented a specific identification. Similar conservative forms occur widely
throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous successions.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

609-612m in BT 1/74; 1250-1255m in ST 1/71; 2948' in SW 1/08; not in BSP.

Genus MARGINULINA d'Orbigny, 1826

Marginulina declivis (Schwager, 1865)
Fig. 27, nos 17-18.

Dentalina declivis Schwager, 1865: 105, pi. 3, fig. 1.

Marginulina declivis (Schwager); Seibold & Seibold, 1956: 125, text-fig. 3, nos w-x;

Hanzlfkova, 1965: 82, pi. 7, figs 7a-b, 1 la-b.

REMARKS

The few specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation make a confident identification
with Schwager's species difficult: in addition most of the specimens are damaged.
The large number of morphologically similar species in the Jurassic to Marginulina
declivis further complicates identification. Both Seibold & Seibold (1956) and
Hanzlfkova (1965) note that this species appears to be transitional between the
genera Dentalina and Marginulina.

The tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation display rather more strongly inflated
chambers, which are slightly less high, than are evident in the chambers of the
specimen illustrated by Schwager. Rather the South African tests compare closely
with one of the specimens illustrated by Hanzlfkova (1965, pi. 7, figs 7a-b).
Marginulina declivis was first described from the Impressa-ton (Early Oxfordian) of
Bavaria, southern Germany, while Hanzlfkova (1965) obtained specimens from the
Klentnice beds (latest Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian) of the Czech Republic.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2866', 2948' in SW 1/08; 1400m in ST 1/71; not in BSP or BT 1/74.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 121

Marginulina spp.

REMARKS

A small number of badly preserved Marginulina specimens were encountered in
die Bethelsdorp Formation, but none of them proved distinctive enough to be
identified to species level.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

11476 in BSP; 420-423m in BT 1/74; not in ST 1/71 or SW 1/08.

Genus VAGINULINOPSIS Silvestri, 1904

Vaginulinopsis spp.
Fig. 27, nos 19-20.

REMARKS

Several Vaginulinopsis tests, all of single specimens of different species. One is

characterised by a strongly compressed test and low chambers. It is thus clearly

distinct from Vaginulinopsis vetusta (d'Orbigny) or Vaginulinopsis matutina (d'Orbigny)

and other similar forms. Another test is much closer to Vaginulinopsis matutina

(d'Orbigny).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

11477 in BSP only.

Subfamily VAGINULININAE Reuss, 1860
Genus CITHARINA d'Orbigny, 1839

Citharina harpa (Roemer, 1 84 1 )
Fig. 28, no. 1.

Vaginulina harpa Roemer, 1841: 96, pi. 15, fig. 13; Neaverson, 1921: 463, pi. 9, fig. 7;

Cifelli, 1959: 322, pi. 5, figs 18-19.

Citharina harpa (Roemer); Bartenstein & Kaever, 1973: 223, pi. 2, figs 21-23; pi. 6, fig. 104.

REMARKS

Since Roemer (1841) first described and illustrated this species, authors have
varied in its interpretation, particularly in the nature and degree of the surface
ornamentation, and in the outline of the test. Roemer figured a test with surface
ornament of vertically-aligned ribs that extend without interruption up the full height
of the test. Later authors have illustrated tests featuring shorter, more irregular ribs

122 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 23

interspersed with the long ribs. Cordey (1962) has regarded some Jurassic records to
this species, such as by Macfadyen (1935) and Bartenstein & Brand (1937), as being
more correctly referable to Citharina flabellata (Gumbel). Bartenstein & Brand show
examples with bifurcating ribs (1937, pi. 14B, fig. 7; pi. 15A, fig. 24a-b; pi. 15B,
figs. 12b, d), and these are probably referable to C. flabellata. However, other tests
illustrated by Bartenstein & Brand (1937, pi. 14C, fig. 10; pi. 15B, figs. 12a and c)
show either no bifurcating nor irregular ribs, or only rare bifurcations in the earliest
part of the test. These latter three tests illustrated by Bartenstein & Brand (1937)
are regarded as falling within the confines of Citharina harpa (Roemer). Citharina
pseudostriatula Bartenstein & Brand is similarly different from Citharina harpa (see
McMillan, 2003a: 149, figs 48M-N and 49A-B), especially in its more delicate ribbing
pattern.

Citharina harpa was originally described from the Early Cretaceous Hilston of
northwestern Germany. Late Jurassic records include: Neaverson (1921) from
the Kimmeridgian Hartwell Clay; Cifelli (1959) from the Bathonian sediments of
southern England; Bartenstein & Brand (1937) from Callovian to Early Oxfordian
sediments of north-west Germany. Early Cretaceous records include: Fletcher
(1973) from the Early to Late Hauterivian portion of the Speeton Clay of Yorkshire,
England; Bartenstein & Bettenstaedt (1962) indicated its range as Late Valanginian
to Early Barremian in north-west Germany; Bartenstein & Kaever (1973) identified
it from the Late Hauterivian rocks of Heligoland in the North Sea.

FIGURE 28 {facing page)

1. Citharina harpa (Roemer). SAM-PQ-MF-2291. BSP 11477, F1339, side view, x 133.
2-3. Citharina inconstans (Terquem). 2. SAM-PQ-MF-2292. BSP 1 1477, F1345, side view, x 150.
3. SAM-PQ-MF-2293. BSP 11477, F1347, side view, x 146. 4. Citharina sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2294.
SW 1/08, 2100'. F1324, side view, x 85. 5-6. Planulana beierana (Giimbel). 5. SAM-PQ-MF-2295.
BSP 4901, F1351, side view, x 68. 6. SAM-PQ-MF-2296. BSP 4798, F1352, side view, x 82.
7-8. Planularia madagascariensis Espitalie & Sigal. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2297. BSP 4901, F1369, side
view, x 89. 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2298. BSP 4798, F1368, side view, x 95. 9-10. Planularia sp. 9. SAM-
PQ-MF-2299. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1356, side view, x 150. 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2300. BSP 1 1476, side
view, x 150. 11. Vaginulina cf. V. anomala Blake. SAM-PQ-MF-2301. BT 1/74, 591-594m. F1355,
side view, x 188. 12. Vaginulina barnardi Gordon. SAM-PQ-MF-2302. BSP 11478, F1343, side
view, x 145. 13. Lagena algoaensu McMillan. SAM-PQ-MF-2303. BSP 11477, F1342, side view.
X183. 14. Lagena cf. L. stnatifera Tappan. SAM-PQ-MF-2304. SW 1/08, 2866'. F1357, side
view. X156. 15. Lagena cf. L. sulcata (Walker & Jacob). SAM-PQ-MF-2305. SW 1/08, 2948'.
F1358, side view, x 165. 16-18. Eoguttulina anglica Cushman & Ozawa. 16. SAM-PQ-MF-2306.
BT 1/74, 600-603m. F1331, side view, x 165. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2307. ST 1/71, 1200-1205m.
F1332, side view, x 182. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2308. ST 1/71, 1190-1 195m. F1333, side view, x 182.
19-20. Eoguttulina liassica (Strickland). 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2312. BT 1/74, 420-423m. F1297, side
view, x 113. 20. SAM-PQ-MF-2313. SW 1/08, 2100'. F1298, side view, x 132.

124 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
11475, 11476 and 11477 in BSP; nowhere else.

Citharina inconstans (Terquem, 1868)
Fig. 28, nos 2-3.

Marginulina inconstans Terquem, 1868: 66, pi. 2, figs 1-12.

Vaginulina inconstans (Terquem); Bartenstein & Brand, 1937: 164, pi. 10, fig. 26.

Citharina inconstans (Terquem); Said & Barakat, 1958: 262, pi. 5, fig. 24.

REMARKS

Authors since Terquem have tended to regard the nine varieties (varieties A to I)
initially proposed by Terquem (1868) as being not regular enough to warrant
varietal names. The test wall of this species is ornamented with elongate ribs,
most of which are about half the test height or more in extent. Irregularities of
the ribs, such as bifurcating or sinuous ribs, occur only rarely. To some degree
this ornamentation pattern appears intermediate between that of Citharina harpa
(Roemer) on the one hand, and that of Citharina sparsicostata (Reuss) on the
other. Terquem (1868) described this species from the Fuller's Earth (Bathonian)
of Fontoy, France. Bartenstein & Brand (1937) noted it from the Early Dogger
(Bajocian) sediments of north-west Germany, and Said & Barakat (1958) identified
it in the Kimmeridgian rocks of Gebel Maghara, Sinai, Egypt.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
11475, 11476, 11477 in BSP; nowhere else.

Citharina sp.
Fig. 28, no. 4.

see Citharina austroafricana McMillan, 2003a: 153, figs 49C-J.

see Citharina cf. austroafricana McMillan; Simeoni, 2000: 119, pi. 38, figs 5-8, text-fig.

REMARKS

McMillan (2003a) described Citharina austroafricana as an endemic, widespread but
never common new species ranging from early Valanginian to Early Barremian
rocks in the Pletmos, Gamtoos, Algoa and Mngazana Basins of South Africa. There
may be records of the same species across the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary (Vaca
Muerta succession) in the Neuquen Basin in Argentina (Simeoni, 2000).

In the basal Bethelsdorp Formation (Portlandian), a different species of Citharina
occurs rarely in the three studied borehole sections and a little more commonly in

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 25

the outcrop samples from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. These occasional Citharina tests have
all been found with only the initial few chambers surviving and the later chambers
missing. These damaged tests feature elongate surface ribs extending over three or
four chambers, over the proloculus and close to the dorsal margin, a feature also
seen in tests of Citharina austroafricana (see McMillan, 2003a, p. 155). However, the
Bethelsdorp tests otherwise differ markedly from C. austroafricana in that the delicate
short surface ribs extend over the entire surface of each chamber, but no further. In
contrast, the surface ribs of Citharina austroafricana are limited to the upper half or
third of the chamber height, with the lower portion of each chamber devoid of all
surface ribbing. It is felt that this Bethelsdorp form warrants a new species name, but
the poor preservation of these tests precludes this for now. In both the Bethelsdorp
Formation and the Sundays River Formation Citharina species appear most common
in shallow-water, normal marine, clayey or silty sea-floor environments.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2100' in SW 1/08; 357-360m in BT 1/74; 4901, 1 1475, 1 1476, 1 1477 and 1 1479 in

BSP; not in ST 1/71.

Genus PLANULARIA Defrance, 1826

Planularia beierana (Giimbel, 1862)
Fig. 28, nos 5-6.

Marginulina beierana Giimbel, 1862: 221, pi. 3, figs 20a-b.

Lenticutina (Planularia) beierana (Giimbel); Seibold & Seibold, 1955: 106, pi. 13, fig. 7,

text-figs 4e-f; Seibold & Seibold, 1956: 112, text-figs 5e-h, o, p, u; Munk, 1978: 47, pi. 5,

fig. 4.

Planularia beierana (Giimbel); Cordey, 1962: 380, pi. 46, fig. 11, text-figs 10-16; Winter,

1970: 33, pi. 4, fig. 119, text-figs 25a-e.

REMARKS

This species is one of a number of very closely-related ones that show features, to
varying degrees, of the genera Vaginulina, Astacolus, Planularia, Vaginulinopsis and
other related genera. There appears to be overlap between a number of closely
related species in this group in the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Authors have
acknowledged the wide degree of variation that tests of Planularia beierana exhibit.
Most recent authors have been reliant on Seibold & Seibold's (1955,1956) re-appraisals
of Gumbel' s (1862) and Schwager's (1865) foraminifera assemblages. Cordey (1962)
has attempted to plot out the complex taxonomic history of the species.

The Bethelsdorp Formation tests are allocated, with some misgivings, in Planularia
beierana. The South African tests appear to be more elongate-ovate in cross-section,

126 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

rather than the more strongly compressed cross-section of the test originally
illustrated by Gttmbel (1862). Most of the Bethelsdorp Formation tests feature
parallel sides, and in none of the tests do the later chambers reach back towards the
proloculus (as featured by Seibold & Seibold, 1956, text-figs 5o-p; Cordey, 1962,
text-figs 10-11; Winter, 1970, pi. 4, fig. 119, text-figs 25b-c).

An additional complexity has been the apparent gradation from morphologies
typical of Planularia beierana to those typical of Vaginulina barnardi Gordon. In
a different direction of gradational change (notably an increase in degree of
compression of test; development of pronounced backwards-extending chambers)
Winter (1970) considered Planularia madagascariensis Espitalie & Sigal to be partly
synonymous with Planularia beierana. These two species have been regarded as
discrete in the present study.

Gttmbel (1862) originally described this species from the Oxfordian Schwamm-
mergeln of southern Germany. Most subsequent records are from the Late
Jurassic succession, such as Cordey (1962), who described it as occurring in the
Oxfordian of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and Winter (1970), who identified it in the
Kimmeridgian of southern Germany.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
4798,4901,4904, 11475, 11476, 11477 in BSP; nowhere else.

Planularia madagascariensis Espitalie & Sigal, 1963
Fig. 28, nos 7-8.

Planularia madagascariensis Espitalie & Sigal, 1963b: 28, pi. 6, figs 8-11; pi. 34; Simeoni,
2000: 86; 125, pi. 38, fig. 14; McMillan, 2003a: 184, figs 56G-L; 57A-D.

REMARKS

See analysis of this species by McMillan (2003a, pp. 184 to 187), as occurring in
the Late Valanginian to latest Hauterivian Sundays River Formation succession in
the Algoa Basin. Tests of Planularia madagascariensis in the Bethelsdorp Formation
of the onshore Uitenhage Trough show no clear differences from those in the
Sundays River Formation.

Espitalie & Sigal (1963b) note in their original diagnosis for this species that one
of its characteristics is a great variability in the general morphology of the test, the
form of the chambers, and the intensity and distribution of surface ornamentation.
In view of this, they considered Planularia madagascariensis to constitute a plexus
of closely similar forms. In their description, they note the presence of a regularly
curved keel on the dorsal margin. Tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation exhibit

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 27

keels that vary from prominent to almost absent. The surface ornamentation,
described by Espitalie & Sigal as "courtes rides peu elevees, obliques par rapport au
bord dorsal", is apparent on only a few specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation,
and even then only on the final two chambers of the test.

On plate 34, Espitalie & Sigal (op. cit.) display morphological differences apparent
in tests recovered from rocks of different ages. Of the tests illustrated, the
Bethelsdorp Formation specimens are closest to fig. 2 (from Cenozone B, Late
Callovian to Early Oxfordian) and fig. 1 1 (Cenozone C superieure, Kimmeridgian
to Early Portlandian). Espitalie & Sigal (1963b) reported the stratigraphic range
of Planularia madagascariensis in the Mahajanga Basin of Madagascar as being Late
Callovian to Early Valanginian (Cenozones B to D). Very closely similar forms
occur in the Vaca Muerta Formation (Portlandian-Berriasian) of the Neuquen
Basin, Argentina (Simeoni, 2000). In South Africa its full stratigraphic range is
Portlandian to later Barremian (McLachlan et al., 1976a, b; McMillan, 2003a).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

3023' in SW 1/08; 4798, 4901, 11475, 11476, 11477 and 11479 in BSP; not in

BT 1/74 or ST 1/71.

Planularia spp.
Fig. 28, nos 9-10.

REMARKS

Four specimens of either poorly preserved or indistinguishable Planularia tests
were encountered in the course of this study. The most distinctive of these tests is
illustrated, but none of them could be identified to specific level.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2948' in SW 1/08; 591-594minBT 1/74; 11476 in BSP; not in ST 1/71.

Genus VAGINULINA d'Orbigny, 1826

Vaginulina cf. V. anomala Blake, 1876
Fig. 28, no. 11.

see Vaginulina anomala Blake, 1876: 464, pi. 17, figs 23, 23a.

REMARKS

A small number of juvenile tests are similar to the specimens of Vaginulina anomala

illustrated by Gordon (1967) from the Callovian Brora Argillaceous Series of the

128 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

east coast of Scotland. The juvenile tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation are
insufficient to fully confirm the identification.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

467.0m, 591-594m in BT 1/74; not in ST 1/71, SW 1/08 nor BSP.

Vaginulina barnardi Gordon, 1965
Fig. 28, no. 12.

Vaginulina barnardi Gordon, 1965: 852, text-fig. 7, nos 24-25; text-fig. 9a-f; Shipp &
Murray, 1981: 142, pi. 6.3.4, fig. 17.

REMARKS

Specimens very similar in test morphology to Vaginulina barnardi Gordon (1965)
were obtained in some numbers from the samples collected at Bethelsdorp Salt
Pan. These tests compare closely with Gordon's original specimens and original
description, especially in the manner of chamber growth in the early part of the
test. Some tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation develop a more sub-angular
or faintly thickened dorsal margin than is usual, although more commonly this
margin is sub-rounded or rounded. The style of variation depicted in Vaginulina
barnardi by Gordon (1965) in his text-fig. 9a-f, is similar to the variation evident
in the present material. The major difference between the two groups of tests,
however, is the complete absence of the surface "ornamentation of fine longitudinal
striations" described by Gordon (1965, p. 853) as occurring on the test surface of
his English specimens. Shipp & Murray (1981) describe these fine striations as
being exceptionally elongate, always present, but often very faint.

Tests of Vaginulina barnardi may on occasion approach the test morphology of
Vaginulinopsis prima (d'Orbigny) specimens encountered in the Sundays River
Formation ( McLachlan et al., 1976a; McMillan, 2003a). In addition, Gordon
included several earlier references to Vaginulina legumen (non Linne) as synonymous
with Vaginulina barnardi. Gordon (1965) first described the species from the
Oxfordian of southern England (also see Shipp & Murray, 1981).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

4798,4901,4904, 11475, 11476, 11477, 11478, 11479 in BSP; nowhere else.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 29

Vaginulina spp.

REMARKS

A few damaged and corroded specimens have been referred to the genus Vaginulina,

but none of them could be identified to species level.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08; 1 1477 in BSP; nowhere else.

Family LAGENIDAE Reuss, 1862
Genus LAGENA Walker & Jacob, in Kanmacher, 1798, sensu lato

Lagena algoaensis McMillan, 2003
Fig. 28, no. 13.

Lagena algoaensis McMillan, 2003a: 163, figs 51C-J.

REMARKS

A small number of Lagena specimens with a tuberculate surface ornamentation
were obtained from the outcrop samples at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. These specimens
have been referred to Lagena algoaensis in preference to Lagena oxystoma Reuss,
since the latter species is characterised by an exclusively hispid ornamentation,
a feature not seen in the Bethelsdorp Formation tests. All of these Bethelsdorp
Salt Pan tests possess short apertural necks, and a short, blunt apical projection.
The density of the surface ornamentation varies from specimen to specimen.
However, all tests are truly tuberculate, and contrast with the rather more rugose
ornamentation of Lagena apiculata neocomiana Bartenstein & Brand. On the basis
of the ornamentation, this species does not fit well in any of the presently erected
lagenid genera, and certainly falls outside the range of Reussoolina Colom, 1956;
and so for the moment is retained in the genus Lagena.

Lagena algoaensis ranges from Late Valanginian Biozone Bb to Late Hauterivian
Biozone I in the Sundays River Formation (McMillan, 2003a), but the species is
rare elsewhere in the South African Cretaceous basins.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
4798, 1 1475, 1 1477 in BSP only.

130 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Lagena cf. L. striatifera Tappan, 1940
Fig. 28, no. 14.

see Lagena striatifera Tappan, 1940: 112, pi. 17, figs 18a-b; Tappan, 1943: 504, pi. 80,
figs 32a-b.

REMARKS

A single test of Lagena from the SW 1/08 borehole section may prove to be referable
to Lagena striatifera, originally described from the Albian and Cenomanian of Texas
and Oklahoma (Tappan, 1940, 1943). This species was originally described as being
ornamented with "about 28 fine, low ribs". However, the test from the Bethelsdorp
Formation displays more irregular, and distinctly more numerous ribs than does
Tappan's Cretaceous species. The aperture of Lagena striatifera is developed on
a fairly long tubular neck, whereas that from the Bethelsdorp Formation is on a
shorter neck, although it seems that the neck has been damaged. In most other
respects, the two forms appear similar. This species is a true Lagena.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only at 2866', SW 1/08.

Lagena cf. L. sulcata (Walker & Jacob, 1798)
Fig. 28, no. 15.

see Lagena sulcata Lofaldli & Thusu, 1979: 421, pi. 46, fig. 19 (non Walker & Jacob).

see Lagena sulcata s.l. Musacchio, 1979: 258, pi. 4, fig. 23 (non Walker & Jacob).

see Lagena sp. 3 Jones & Wonders, 1992: 563, pi. 2, fig. 9.

see Oolina cf. sulcata (Walker & Jacob); Holbourn & Kaminski, 1997: 75, pi. 44,

figs 8a-b, 9.

see Lagena alexandria McMillan, 2003a: 161, figs 50H-L.

REMARKS

Again from the Bethelsdorp Formation of the SW 1/08 borehole section, this single
specimen of Lagena is ornamented with 15 vertically aligned ribs. The surface
ornament consists of broadly rounded ribs that appear near the apical projection
and disappear some way from the aperture at the base of the conical neck, where
the intervening grooves are abruptly terminated. The test displays a broad, blunt
apical projection, and the aperture is developed on a rather conical neck. The
apertural neck is smooth and unornamented. The style of surface ornamentation is
distinctive, and is unlike other Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous species of Lagena.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
2948' in SW 1/08 only.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 131

Family POLYMORPHINIDAE d'Orbigny, 1839
Subfamily POLYMORPHININAE d'Orbigny, 1839
Genus EOGUTTULINA Cushman & Ozawa, 1930

REMARKS

The three studied deep borehole sections through the Bethelsdorp Formation of
the onshore portion of the Uitenhage Trough all yielded foraminifera assemblages
in which specimens of Eoguttulina are very numerous at some horizons. The
large numbers of individuals of a genus that possesses relatively few distinctive
specific features has proven difficult to satisfactorily speciate. Lloyd (1962), in his
discussion of Eoguttulina, noted the occurrence of "suites of specimens from the
Kimmeridge Clay, showing little variation in other characters, differed in their
chamber arrangements to a far greater extent than in any post-Jurassic genus
(as recorded in the literature)". Lloyd employed the following features in the
distinction of species of Eoguttulina:

1 . Test shape in lateral (side) view.

2. Amount of overlap of later chambers on earlier ones.

3. Flush or depressed sutures.

4. Relationship of adjacent chambers.

5. Nature of surface of test, particularly size and disposition of pores.

Lloyd (1962) considered that variations of total numbers of chambers, of the form
of the aperture, and of the shape and size of the proloculus showed little distinctive
change between species. These various features have been followed when examining
tests of Eoguttulina from the Bethelsdorp Formation. However, segregation of the
various species remains difficult, primarily because of continuous variation of Lloyd's
five features throughout all of the studied specimens. Each test must be examined
individually. The preservation of tests in the Bethelsdorp Formation also causes
difficulties, since most tests possess fairly thin test walls that are frequently damaged,
particularly in the case of tests with a filling of framboidal pyrite. Because of variations
in chamber arrangement and damaged specimens, it also frequently proved not
possible to establish whether specimens of Globulina prisca Reuss were truly referable
to that genus, or were rather juvenile individuals of Eoguttulina. In such cases test
shape and size have been employed, so that there is probably an excessive number
of Globulina prisca specimens listed on the borehole range charts.

No polymorphinids encountered in the samples studied from the Bethelsdorp
Formation are distinguished by a fistulose final chamber; and no attached forms
were found (such as the test illustrated by Lloyd, 1962, as plate 1, fig. 1 la-b).
Lloyd considered that the variability both of the chamber arrangement and of
the form of the test, were aspects of the "primitiveness of Eoguttulina". From this
study, it would rather be argued that this variability results from inhabiting more

132 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

than usually stressful environments. The Kimmeridge Clay, rich in organic debris,
is characterised by dysaerobic depositional environments, and is similar in some
respects to the Bethelsdorp Formation. Ioannides et al. (1976) considered that
most of the sapropelic material in the Kimmeridge Clay is land-derived, principally
from swampy vegetation. Probably similar conditions existed on the land-margins
encircling deposition of the Bethelsdorp Formation, leading in both cases to acidic
(low pH), oxygen-poor environments, and a tendency towards accumulation of
organic-rich, high-gamma, unusually fine-grained claystones on the sea-floor: an
ideal setting for the generation of pyrite.

Eoguttulina anglica Cushman & Ozawa, 1930
Fig. 28, nos 16-18.

Eoguttulina anglica Cushman & Ozawa, 1930: 16, pi. 1, figs 3a-c; Ten Dam, 1948: 186;
Lloyd, 1962: 374, pi. 1, hgs lOa-c; Neagu, 1965: 28, pi. 7, hgs 1-2; McLachlan et al.,
1976b: 333, hg. 16, no. 28; McMillan, 2003a: 211, hgs 62N-0; 64A-B.

REMARKS

Tests referred to Eoguttulina anglica compare closely with those previously
encountered in the Mngazana beds (McLachlan et al., 1976b) and the Sundays
River Formation of the Algoa Basin (McMillan, 2003a). The species is characterised
by elongate, rather inflated chambers, particularly in the later part of the test,
where the final two chambers embrace much of the test (usually about 2 /s of the test).
The sutures are depressed. Tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation compare fairly
closely with the original description and illustrations of Eoguttulina anglica given by
Cushman & Ozawa (1930), but many of the South African specimens exhibit not
quite so inflated chambers as the described holotype. Cushman & Ozawa (1930)
described this species from the Cambridge Greensand (Cenomanian) of eastern
England. Neagu (1965) noted it from the Albian of Rumania, while Lloyd (1962)
reported it from the type Kimmeridgian of Dorset, England.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

357-360m, 420-423m, 456 to 467.3m, 492-495m, 510-513m, 591 to 612m in

BT 1/74; 1170 to 1415m in ST 1/74; 2090 to 3023' in SW 1/08; 11479 in BSP.

Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis (Bielecka & Pozaryski, 1954)
Fig. 29, nos 2-4.

see Sigmomorphina inovroclaviensis Bielecka & Pozaryski, 1954: 63, 192, pi. 9, figs 47a-c.
Eoguttulina inovroclaviensis sensu Lloyd, 1962: 372, pi. 1, figs 7a-c, text-figs 4A-B (non
Bielecka & Pozaryski).

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 33

Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis (Bielecka & Pozaryski); McLachlan et al., 1976b: 333,
fig. 17, no. 1; McMillan, 2003a: 212, figs 63A-C.

REMARKS

Early Cretaceous records of this distinctive Eoguttulina in South Africa have previously
been commented on (McLachlan et al., 1976b; McMillan, 2003a), but the species
is more frequent in the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation, although it is never
the dominant polymorphinid. These tests are similar to Eoguttulina inovroclaviensis
(Bielecka & Pozaryski), but not exactly the same. The Polish species displays
very elongate, strongly overlapping and rather inflated chambers, a moderately
compressed test, with an ovate cross-section to the test. Basing his remarks partly on
the original Polish specimens, and partly on his type Kimmeridge Clay specimens,
Lloyd (1962) noted that the later chambers are nearly opposed, and although this
arrangement is similar to that in Sigmomorphina, the earlier chambers are arranged
in a "typically eoguttuline" manner. There thus seems to be no doubt that this is an
Eoguttulina, but it is not typical of the genus.

The southern African tests, from the Late Valanginian Mngazana beds (McLachlan
et al., 1976b), the Late Valanginian to Hauterivian Sundays River Formation
(McMillan, 2003a), and from the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation, all differ
from Polish specimens in the size and degree of inflation of the final chambers.
Southern African tests possess larger, more inflated and more embracing last-
formed chambers than do the Polish tests. Other features between the two are very
similar: in both, the last-formed chambers are almost opposing, and they extend
back almost to the proloculus. Many southern African specimens also exhibit
the distinct recessed "step" in the outline of the test, at the base of the final two
chambers. In consequence, all three southern African records of this distinctive
polymorphine morphology are regarded as similar to, but not the same as
Eoguttulina inovroclaviensis (Bielecka & Pozaryski), and very much closer to Lloyd's
interpretation of the species.

Bielecka & Pozaryski (1954) described the species from Kimmeridgian and
Portlandian (Bononian) rocks of central Poland. Lloyd's specimens were from the
type Kimmeridgian of Dorset, England.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2100 to 2140', 2795', 2948' in SW 1/08; 1170 tollSOm, 1250-1255m, 1270-1275m,

1380-1385m in ST 1/71; 366 to 467.3m, 510-513m in BT 1/74; not in BSP

134 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Eoguttulina liassica (Strickland, 1846)
Fig. 28, nos 19-20. Fig. 29, no. 1.

Polymorphina liassica Strickland, 1846: 31, text-fig. b.

Eoguttulina liassica (Strickland); Bielecka & Pozaryski, 1954: 64, 193, pi. 10, figs 49a-b;

Tappan, 1955: 83, pi. 28, figs 17-19; Lloyd, 1962: 370, pi. 1, figs 1-3, text-figs 2A-E;

Gordon, 1965: 858, text-fig. 10, nos 16-18; Bielecka, 1975: 352, pi. 10, figs 10-11.

see Eoguttulina cf. E. liassica (Strickland); McLachlan et al., 1976b: 333, fig. 16, no. 27;

McLachlan et al., 1976a: 358, fig. 13, no. 8; McMillan, 2003a: 213, figs 64C-E.

REMARKS

This is a widespread and common species especially in the Jurassic. Strickland
(1846) illustrated only one magnified view of the species and gave only a very short
description, but this is complemented by Lloyd's (1962) detailed study of Eoguttulina
liassica, as encountered in the Kimmeridge Clays of southern England. Lloyd
recognised two forms: group A featuring elongate tests, and similar to Strickland's
original type, while group B are shorter and broader tests, with particularly large
final chambers that extend back almost to the proloculus of the test. Individuals
typical of both groups occur in the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation, but the
more globular, megalospheric tests of group B are much the more distinctive, and
these have been emphasised in previous southern African studies. Tests of group A
are morphologically close to Eoguttulina anglica Cushman & Ozawa.

Strickland (1846) described this species from near the base of the Lias succession
at Cleeve Bank, near Evesham, England, while later authors have reported it from
throughout the Jurassic succession of Europe, and occasional reference has been
made to it from elsewhere.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION:

1170 to 1455m in ST 1/71; 2040 to 3023' in SW 1/08; 357 to 468.0m, 474-477m,

591 to 612m in BT 1/74; not in BSP.

Eoguttulina cf. E. metensis (Terquem, 1864)
Fig. 29, no. 5.

see Polymorphina metensis Terquem, 1864: 301, pi. 13, figs 38a-b.

see Eoguttulina metensis (Terquem); Lloyd, 1962: 373, pi. 1, figs 6a-c, text-figs 6A-B.

REMARKS

A few, very poorly preserved specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation may be
referable to Eoguttulina metensis. They display the same characteristics as described by
Lloyd (1962) for this species, particularly in the outline of the test, the arrangement

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 35

of the chambers (and especially in the relationship of the final two chambers to the
chambers in the rest of the test), and in the slight overlap of chambers over those
of the previous whorl. The narrow, depressed sutures described by Lloyd are not
apparent in the South African tests. For both this reason and the poor preservation it
appears best to consider these tests as Eoguttulina confer metensis, for the time being.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

467.3m in BT 1/74; 2100' in SW 1/08; neither in ST 1/71 nor BSP.

Eoguttulina oolithica (Terquem, 1874)
Fig. 29, no. 6.

Polymorphina oolithica Terquem, 1874: 299, pi. 32, figs 1-10; Kuhn, 1936: 450, text-fig. 12.
Eoguttulina oolithica (Terquem); Bizon, 1958: 17; Bielecka, 1960a: 83, 143, pi. 7, fig. 61;
Cordey, 1962: 392, pi. 48, fig. 36; Lloyd, 1962: 373, pi. 1, figs 5 and 8, text-figs 5A-B.

REMARKS

Terquem (1874) illustrated a variety of forms in his original description of this
species. Those forms with a non-inflated, elongate-ovate test have been considered
characteristic of Eoguttulina oolithica by later authors. The regular, non-lobate
outline to the test is this species' most distinctive feature. The later chambers
usually extend back as far as the initial portion of the test. Only a small number
of specimens were found in the Bethelsdorp Formation, but they are typical in all
respects. Test outlines of some are more elongate and spindle-shaped, whereas
others are more typically elongate-ovate.

Terquem (1874) obtained specimens from the Bajocian-Bathonian rocks of the
Moselle departement of France; similarly, most later records of Eoguttulina oolithica
are from the Middle to Late Jurassic succession of north-west Europe. Bielecka
(1960a) noted the species as occurring in the Callovian to Oxfordian of southern
Poland, Bizon (1958) obtained it from the Oxfordian of Villiers-sur-Mer, northern
France, Cordey (1962), from the Oxfordian of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and
Lloyd (1962) described the species in some detail based on material from the type
Kimmeridgian of Dorset, England.

A similar form to Eoguttulina oolithica has been illustrated by Espitalie & Sigal
(1963b) as Globulina aff. oolithica, from the later Jurassic of the Mahajanga Basin,
Madagascar.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

2100' in SW 1/08; 1170-1 175m in ST 1/71; 339-342m, 420-423m, 467.0 to

467.30m, 609-6 12m in BT 1/74; not in BSP.

136 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 37

Eoguttulina polygona (Terquem, 1864)
Fig. 29, nos 7-8.

Polymorphina polygona Terquem, 1864: 305, pi. 14, figs 16-41.

Eoguttulina cf. E. polygona (Terquem); Said & Barakat, 1958: 263, pi. 1, fig. 35; pi. 3, fig. 37;

pi. 5, fig. 39.

Eoguttulina polygona (Terquem); Lloyd, 1962: 372, pi. 1, fig. 4, text-figs 3A-C; Bielecka,

1975: 352, pi. 10, figs 12-13.

REMARKS

Most of the very small number of specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation that
are referable to this species are damaged. Terquem (1864) illustrated a large number
of tests in the original description of Eoguttulina polygona, but many of these have
been considered to be referable to other species by later authors. For example,
Lloyd (1962) considered figures 16, 19, 20, 21, 23a-b, 35 and 39 of Terquem's
plate 14 to be characteristic of this species, with the rest referable elsewhere.
Bielecka (1975) regarded her Polish material to most closely resemble figures 16 to
20, 21 and 35 of Terquem's plate 14. For the present study the interpretations of

FIGURE 29 (facing page)

1. Eoguttulina liassica (Strickland). SAM-PQ-MF-2314. BT 1/74, 420-423m. F1296, side view.
X 142. 2. Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis (Bielecka & Pozaryski). SAM-PQ-MF-2309. BT 1/74,
Core 2, 467.0m. F1408, side view. X 113. 3-4. Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis (Bielecka &
Pozaryski). 3. SAM-PQ-MF-2310. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.3m. F1407, side view. X 120. 4. SAM-
PQ-MF-2311. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.0m. F1406, side view, x 113. 5. Eoguttulina cf. E. metensis
(Terquem). SAM-PQ-MF-2315. SW 1/08, 2100'. F1410, side view. X116. 6. Eoguttulina
oolithica (Terquem). SAM-PQ-MF-2316. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.0m. F1409, side view, x 128.
7-8. Eoguttulina polygona (Terquem). 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2317. ST 1/71, 1280-1285m. F1404, side
view, x 104. 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2351. BT 1/74, 357-360m. F1405, side view, x 136. 9-10. Globulina
prisca (Reuss). 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2318. ST 1/71, 1 175-1 180m. F1299, side view, x 150. 10. SAM-
PQ-MF-2319. ST 1/71, 1175-1 180m. F1300, side view, x 160. 11. Pyrulina sp. SAM-PQ-MF-
2320. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.30m. F1330, side view, x 137. 12. Bullopora laevis (Sollas). SAM-
PQ-MF-2321. BSP 4798, F1372 view (attached to shell fragment). x77. 13-14. Webbmella
subhemisphaerica Franke. 13. SAM-PQ-MF-2322. SW 1/08, 2100'. F1309 view (separated
from substrate), x 107. 14. SAM-PQ-MF-2323. SW 1/08, 2100'. F1310 view (separated from
substrate), x 102. 15. Ramulina fusiformis Khan. SAM-PQ-MF-2324. BT 1/74, 591-594m.
F1327, side view, x 165. 16. Fissunna sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2325. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1359, side view.
X640. 17-18. Spinllina tenuissima Gumbel. 17. SAM-PQ-MF-2326. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1401
Close-up of perforations. (Same specimen as No. 18). X 1066. 18. SAM-PQ-MF-2326. SW 1/08,
2948'. F1400, side view, x 300. 19-20. Turrispirillina conoidea (Paalzow). 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2327.
SW 1/08, 2948'. F1402, umbilical view, x 400. 20. SAM-PQ-MF-2328. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1403,
spiral view. X 360.

138 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Lloyd and Bielecka have been followed as closely as possible in the interpretation
of Eoguttulina polygona. The sutures are weakly depressed, and the last-formed
chamber extends for one half, or less, of the test length, in the specimens from the
Bethelsdorp Formation.

Eoguttulina polygona was described by Terquem (1864) from the French Lias.
Later records indicate this species to range throughout the Jurassic of north-west
Europe. Said & Barakat (1958) obtained specimens referred to this species from
the Bajocian, Callovian and Kimmeridgian succession of Gebel Maghara, Sinai,
Egypt. Lloyd (1962) noted the species to occur in the type Kimmeridgian of Dorset,
England, while Bielecka (1975) found it to be present in the Portlandian of Poland.
Espitalie & Sigal (1963b: pi. 30, fig. 16) record a similar form in the Bathonian-
Callovian of the Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar, but the Bethelsdorp Formation
tests are less slender, more stocky than the Madagascar test.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

294-297m, 357-360m, 420-423m, 467.0 to 467.30m in BT 1/74; 1270 to 1285m in

ST 1/71; not in SW 1/08 or BSP.

Genus GLOBULINA d'Orbigny, in de la Sagra, 1839

Globulina prisca (Reuss, 1863)
Fig. 29, nos 9-10.

Polymorphina (Globulina) prisca Reuss, 1863: 79, pi. 9, fig. 8.

Globulina prisca (Reuss); Sztejn, 1957: 75, 244, pi. 9, figs 83a-b; McLachlan etal., 1976b:

333, fig. 17, no. 2; McLachlan et al., 1976a: 358, fig. 13, nos 6-7.

REMARKS

The specimens from the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation compare well
with the original description and illustration of this species, although many
tests are rather more pear-shaped than ovate in outline. Tests referred to this
species from the Bethelsdorp Formation are usually subtly pyriform, whereas
those from the Sundays River Formation are always elongate-ovate in outline.
Because of variable preservation of these tests, the chamber arrangement is not
always clear, and some poorly preserved tests referred here may prove to be
juveniles of Eoguttulina species. Globulina prisca has previously been described
from Early Cretaceous rocks in South Africa by McLachlan et al. (1976a, 1976b)
and by McMillan (2003a). Globulina prisca has been widely recorded throughout
the world in deposits of Cretaceous age: a characteristic which tends towards
the probability that this species is a plexus of exceptionally poorly ornamented,
conservative individuals that cannot be effectively speciated.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 39

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

11477 in BSP; 1170 to 1415m in ST 1/71; 2100, 2140 and 2948' in SW 1/08; 366 to

467.30m, and 591-594m in BT 1/74.

Genus PYRULINA d'Orbigny, 1839

Pyrulina sp.
Fig. 29, no. 11.

REMARKS

One test with an unusually small initial part; test widening to maximum width at
mid-height, at level of final pair of chambers. This test is distinctly unlike the tests
of Pyrulina cylindroides (Roemer) reported by McLachlan et al. (1976b: 333, fig. 17,
no. 4) at Mngazana. The main difference is in the rapidly flaring character of the
Bethelsdorp Formation test.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Single test, at 467.30m in BT 1/74 only.

Subfamily WEBBINELLINAE Rhumbler, 1904
Genus BULLOPORA Quenstedt, 1856

Bullopora laevis (Sollas, 1877)
Fig. 29, no. 12.

Webbina laevis Sollas, 1877: 103, pi. 6, figs 1-3.

Vitriwebbina laevis (Sollas); Chapman, 1896: 585, pi. 12, hg. 12.

Bullopora laevis (Sollas); Tappan, 1940: 115, pi. 18, hg. 6; McMillan, 2003a: 221,

hgs 65K-L, 66A-B.

REMARKS

Comments on this species have previously been given by McMillan (2003a). The
tests obtained from the Bethelsdorp Formation are virtually identical in their test
morphology to those of the Sundays River Formation, and to those illustrated by
Sollas (1877). The virtual absence of stoloniferous necks in all studied specimens
clearly distinguishes them from tests of the Jurassic species Bullopora rostrata
Quenstedt, which are marked by unusually elongate necks.

Sollas (1877) described Bullopora laevis from the Cambridge Greensand of England
(Cenomanian), and most later records are from Albian or Cenomanian rocks.

140 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

4798, 4901, possibly also 4904 in BSP; 420-423m in BT 1/74; not in ST 1/71 or

SW 1/08.

Genus WEBBINELLA Rhumbler, 1904

Webbinella subhemisphaerica Franke, 1936
Fig. 29, nos 13-14.

Webbinella subhemisphaerica Franke, 1936: 11, pi. 1, fig. 4; McLachlan et al., 1976b: 333,
fig. 17, no. 5; McLachlan et al., 1976a: 359, fig. 13, no. 10; Kielbowicz et al., 1983: 333,
pi. 5, fig. 3; McMillan, 2003a: 220, figs 65I-J.

REMARKS

The comments in McLachlan et al. (1976b, p. 333) and McMillan (2003a, p. 220)
are also relevant here. One of the specimens of Webbinella subhemisphaerica from the
Bethelsdorp Formation displays a small extension to the last-formed spreading
chamber, which, although damaged, appears to be an attached juvenile test.
Webbinella subhemisphaerica was first described from the Lias of northern Germany
(Franke, 1936). In South Africa its stratigraphic range is Portlandian to top
Hauterivian (McMillan, 2003a). Comparisons and differences between this genus
and closely related ones is given by Loeblich & Tappan (1957: 226).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only at 2100' in SW 1/08.

Subfamily RAMULININAE Brady, 1884
Genus RAMULINA T.R.Jones, 1875

Ramulina fusiformis Khan, 1950
Fig. 29, no. 15.

Ramulina fusiformis Khan, 1950: 272, pi. 2, figs 1-2; Seibold & Seibold, 1960: 371, text-
fig. 7h; Magniez-Jannin, 1975: 230, pi. 15, figs 21a-b; McMillan, 2003a: 223, fig. 66E.
Ramulina tappanae Bartenstein & Brand, 1951: 322, pi. 1 1, figs 305-307.

REMARKS

This species is characterised by elongate-ovate chambers with a finely hispid surface
ornamentation. The chambers are only very rarely found joined to each other.
Magniez-Jannin (1975) has shown this species to exhibit considerable variation,
particularly in the degree of chamber inflation, with some chambers becoming almost

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 141

globular; in the size of the interconnecting stoloniferous necks, some being very
narrow and others wide; and in the height of the hispid surface ornamentation.

Tests from the Bethelsdorp Formation compare closely with specimens illustrated
by Khan (1950) and Bartenstein & Brand (1951), in particular. Tests from the
Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation and the Late Valanginian to Hauterivian
Sundays River Formation appear to be essentially identical. Khan (1950) obtained
his specimens from the Gault Clay (Albian) of southern England, and most
subsequent records are from the Albian.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

591-594m only in BT 1/74; 4798 and 11477 in BSP; 2948' in SW 1/08; absent in

ST 1/71.

Family ELLIPSOLAGENIDAE A. Silvestri, 1923

Subfamily ELLIPSOLAGENINAE A. Silvestri, 1923

Genus FISSURINA Reuss, 1850

Fissurina sp.
Fig. 29, no. 16.

REMARKS

Although more common in rocks of Cainozoic age, there are sporadic records through
the Cretaceous, but almost none in the Jurassic succession: most early records are
of unornamented tests. Loeblich & Tappan (1988) consider its stratigraphic range
as "Cretaceous to Holocene", without indicating from which level in the Cretaceous
it appears. The single specimen of Fissurina from the Bethelsdorp Formation
consequently must be a very early representative of the genus.

This singular specimen is subcircular in outline, with maximum width at
approximately mid-height. The test is slightly compressed. The test periphery is
subrounded in cross-section, with no indication of a peripheral keel. The surface
of the test is ornamented with low, irregular, randomly-orientated, almost worm-
like ridges, with intervening shallow depressions. This ornamentation becomes less
intense around the aperture. The aperture is a long thin slit, terminally sited,
and oriented in the plane of compression of the test. At the apical point of the
test, a very small blunt apical spine is developed. No entosolenian tube could be
identified within the chamber cavity, but the form of the test and the character of
the aperture are clearly typical of Fissurina.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in 2948', SW 1/08.

142 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Family SPIRILLINIDAE Reuss & Fritsch, 1861
Genus SPIRILLINA Ehrenberg, 1843

Spirillina tenuissima Gumbel, 1862
Fig. 29, nos 17-18.

Spirillina tenuissima Gumbel, 1862: 214, pi. 4, figs 12a-b; Barnard, 1953: 192; Bielecka,
1960a: 87, 145, pi. 8, figs 68-69; Espitalie & Sigal, 1963b: 65, pi. 30, figs 19-20; Hanzlfkova,
1965: 93, pi. 9, figs 19, 23a-b; Winter, 1970: 42, pi. 4, figs 144a-b; McLachlan et al.,
1976b: 334, fig. 17, no. 10; Barnard et al, 1981: 428, pi. 4, figs. 4,8; Gregory, 1989: 188,
pi. 1, fig. 23; McMillan, 2003a: 228, figs 67F-G

REMARKS

Tests referred to Spirillina tenuissima occur widely but usually rarely in the marine
graben fill successions (Kimmeridgian to Hauterivian) preserved around the
South African continental margin (see McMillan, 2003a, p. 228). The few tests from
the Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation are closely similar to the test illustrated
and described by Gumbel (1862), as well as those detailed from the Mngazana
Formation (McLachlan et al., 1976b), except that their coiling arrangement is rather
more irregular. It is not known whether this is a reflection of the much shallower
marine, and possibly more stressful environment that the Bethelsdorp Formation
individuals occupied, in contrast to the often distinctly deep-water milieux they
occupied in the proximal Mngazana Basin (McLachlan et al., 1976b) and the distal
Algoa and Gamtoos Basins (McMillan, 2003a).

Spirillina tenuissima was first described from the Oxfordian succession of Streitberg,
Bavaria, Germany by Gumbel (1862). Later authors have described it from the
Callovian to Oxfordian of Poland (Bielecka, 1960a, 1960b, 1960c), from the
Oxfordian of Redcliff Point near Weymouth, England (Barnard, 1953), from
the Late Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian Klentnice beds of the Czech Republic
(Hanzlfkova, 1965), from the Kimmeridgian of south-east Germany (Winter, 1970),
the Callovian-Oxfordian of England (Barnard el al., 1981), and the Kimmeridgian
of north-east Scotland (Gregory, 1989). In southern Africa, Espitalie & Sigal (1963b)
identified it in Cenozones C and D (Kimmeridgian to Early Valanginian) of the
Mahajanga Basin, north-west Madagascar, McLachlan et al. (1976b) reported it in
the later Valanginian of the Mngazana Basin, while McMillan (2003a) noted it in
the Late Hauterivian of the Algoa Basin and the Late Valanginian of the offshore
Gamtoos Basin.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in sample 2948', SW 1/08.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 143

Genus TURRISPIRILLINA Cushman, 1927

Turrispirillina conoidea (Paalzow, 1917)
Fig. 29, nos 19-20.

Spirillina conoidea Paalzow, 1917: 217, pi. 41, figs 8a-b; Bartenstein & Brand, 1937: 132.
Turrispirillina conoidea (Paalzow); Loeblich & Tappan, 1988: 305, pi. 319, figs 8-10.

REMARKS

Several specimens of Turrispirillina from the Bethelsdorp Formation appear
compatible with Paalzow's description and illustrations of Turrispirillina conoidea.
The southern African specimens possess distinct shell thickenings over the initial
part on both the spiral and umbilical sides of the test, so that the early coiling is
not very clear. There is a complete absence of nodes or similar markings on the
thickening on the umbilical surface, which would otherwise suggest the placing of
these specimens in the genus Trocholina.

The illustrations of Turrispirillina conoidea given by Paalzow (1917) show the initial part
of the test to form a cone, when viewed from the side. In contrast, the southern African
tests display a rather more rounded initial part. In addition, the test perforations
on the umbilical side of the last-formed whorl are mostly not clearly apparent in
the Bethelsdorp Formation tests. Paalzow (1917) initially described Turrispirillina
conoidea from the Schwammergel (Oxfordian) of Wurgau in Oberfranken, southern
Germany. Bartenstein & Brand (1937) obtained their material from the Lias 5 and
Z, (Pliensbachian to Toarcian) of north-west Germany.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in sample 2948', SW 1/08.

Family PATELLINIDAE Rhumbler, 1906

Subfamily PATELLININAE Rhumbler, 1906

Genus PATELLINA Williamson, 1858

Patellina oolithica Terquem, 1883
Fig. 30, no. 1.

Patellina oolithica Terquem, 1883: 382, pi. 45, figs 3a-c, 4; Bartenstein & Brand, 1937:
132; Cifelli, 1959: 335, pi. 7, figs 21-22.

REMARKS

Several species of Patellina have been described from the European and North

American Jurassic successions, but the limits of these species frequently appear

144 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

unclear. Differences in height of test, thickness of test wall, rate of increase in size
of chambers, and so on, can be considered variations well within that acceptable
for a species which adapts these features of its test in response to environmental
conditions. This is especially pertinent for the genus Patellina, extant tests of which
attach to a robust substrate by means of its pseudopodia: morphological differences
in each test can be considered as responses to water conditions prevalent around
each individual. In consequence of these considerations, it is likely that, for example,
Patellina douvillei, described by Said & Barakat (1958) from the Bathonian succession
at Gebel Maghara, Sinai, Egypt, and Patellina crista, described by Lalicker (1950)
from the Ellis Group (Bathonian to Oxfordian) of Montana, USA, should both be
considered synonymous with Patellina oolithica. Further amalgamation of Jurassic
Patellina species is probably necessary.

Terquem (1883) first described Patellina oolithica from the Bajocian to Bathonian
parkinsoni zone of Fontoy, Moselle, France. Cifelli (1959) obtained examples from
various localities of the English Bathonian.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in sample 2948', SW 1/08.

Family CERATOBULIMINIDAE Cushman, 1927

Subfamily REINHOLDELLINAE Seiglie & Bermiidez, 1965

Genus REINHOLDELLA Brotzen, 1948

Reinholdella costifera (Terquem, 1883)
Fig. 30, nos 2-5.

Epistomina costifera Terquem, 1883: 377, pi. 43, figs 3-6; Bartenstein & Brand, 1937: 191,

pi. 1 IB, figs 30a-c; pi. 1 1C, figs la-c.

Reinholdella costifera (Terquem); Ohm, 1967: 1 1 1, pi. 16, fig. 12, text-fig. 7.

REMARKS

Pazdro (1969, p. 30) noted that none of the illustrations, nor the description given
by Terquem (1883) for this species provide much indication of its true generic
position. In addition it appears that a number of different forms were included by
Terquem under this name. Pazdro (op. cit.) re-examined the locality near Warsaw
that was sampled by Terquem, but she found only specimens of Epistomina, possibly
suggesting that Terquem's species is a true Epistomina species. Williamson & Stam
( 1 988) regarded the species to be an Epistomina. Because of these taxonomic problems,
the concept of Reinholdella costifera as presented by Ohm (1967) is provisionally
followed here. Consequently, it is possible that the distinctive Reinholdella specimens
referred to Terquem's species may warrant a new name.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 145

The specimens from the onshore Uitenhage Trough compare closely with the
illustrations and description of Reinholdella costifera given by Ohm (1967). The size
of the umbilical plug is slightly larger, and there are five or six chambers in the final
whorl of the South African tests rather than five to seven (Ohm). Both in the tests
figured by Ohm and in the examples from the Uitenhage Trough, the sutures on
the spiral side of the test are slightly raised.

Terquem (1883) originally described this species from the parkinsoni Zone (Bajocian-
Bathonian) of Fontoy, Moselle, France: additional material was from near Warsaw,
Poland. Ohm (1967) considered its full stratigraphic range as parkinsoni Zone
(Bajocian-Bathonian) to coronatum Zone (Callovian).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in sample 2948', SW 1/08.

Family EPISTOMINIDAE Wedekind, 1937

Subfamily EPISTOMININAE Wedekind, 1937

Genus EPISTOMINA Terquem, 1883

Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker, 1954)
Fig. 30, nos 6-13.

Brotzenia parastelligera Hofker, 1954: 180, text-figs 4-6; Lloyd, 1962: 377, pi. 2, figs 8a-c,

text-fig. 7B; Hanzlfkova, 1965: 95, pi. 8, figs 5-8.

Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker); Lutze, 1960: 491, pi. 33, figs 3a-c, 6a-c; Cordey, 1962:

395, pi. 48, figs 41a-c, 42; Wernli, 1971: 345, pi. 3, figs 13-14, 16-17.

Epistomina uhligi Mjatliuk; Williamson & Stam, 1988: 146, pi. 1, figs 6-7.

see Epistomina regularis Terquem; Morris & Coleman, 1989: 224, pi. 6.3.7, fig. 12 only.

REMARKS

This species has been encountered widely by most authors engaged with researching
Middle and Late Jurassic foraminifera, although considerable variation exists in the
interpretation of the species. Bethelsdorp Formation specimens display variation in
the nature of the test periphery and outline, and the surface ornamentation. The
form of the test periphery in some specimens is almost bicarinate, with a poorly
developed sub-angular keel both on the spiral and on the umbilical sides of the
closed peripheral apertures. Most South African specimens possess a lower, less
conical umbilical side than the tests illustrated by Hofker (1954). In addition, a few
specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation display a small, rather variable area
of fine surface reticulation around the umbilicus on both the spiral and umbilical
sides of the test. The reticulation amounts to about five small depressions, but
in one example, reticulations are more numerous and cover much more of the

146 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 147

test surface. Illustrations of Epistomina parastelligera given by Lloyd (1962) and
Hanzlikova ( 1965) include specimens with strongly raised sutures, but such tests have
not been found in the onshore Uitenhage Trough. In contrast, the tests illustrated
by Williamson & Stam (1988) of Epistomina uhligi Mjatliuk, regarded by them as a
senior synonym of Epistomina parastelligera, are of an entirely smooth test, without
reticulations or septal ridges. Some tests of Epistomina regularis Terquem display a
comparable umbonal reticulation (Morris & Coleman, 1989: 224, pi. 6.3.7, fig. 12
only). Nonetheless, the test morphology of specimens here allocated to Epistomina
parastelligera is entirely unlike that of any of the Epistomina species in the Sundays
River Formation (McMillan, 2003a). Taxonomic confusions notably occur between
Epistomina parastelligera and Epistomina stelligera, and some resolving of taxonomy is
necessary (Pazdro, 1969, p. 27).

The reticulated specimens mentioned above have been included within Epistomina
parastelligera, as the ornamented and unornamented forms are otherwise much
the same. However, alternatively the reticulated tests may prove to be referable to
Epistomina stellicostata (Bielecka & Pozaryski, 1954, p. 71, 200, pi. 12, figs 60a-c),
described from the Kimmeridgian-Portlandian succession of central Poland. They

FIGURE 30 (facing page)

1. Patellina oolithica Terquem. SAM-PQ-MF-2329. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1399, spiral view, x 280.
2-5. Remholdella costifera (Terquem). 2. SAM-PQ-MF-2330. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1380, spiral view
(same specimen as No. 4). x 386. 3. SAM-PQ-MF-2331. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1379, side view
(same specimen as No. 5). X 340. 4. SAM-PQ-MF-2330. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1307, umbilical
view (same specimen as No. 2). X 300. 5. SAM-PQ-MF-2331. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1308, umbilical
view (same specimen as No. 3). X 300. 6-13. Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker). 6. SAM-PQ-
MF-2332. BSP 11477, F1346, umbilical view, x 300. 7. SAM-PQ-MF-2333. Bethelsdorp Salt
Pan 11477, F1348, spiral view. X 240. 8. SAM-PQ-MF-2334. SW 1/08, 2100'. F1304, umbilical
view (few umbilical reticulations). X 256. 9. SAM-PQ-MF-2335. BT 1/74, 591-594m. F1302,
umbilical view (few umbilical reticulations). X 256. 10. SAM-PQ-MF-2336. SW 1/08, 2100'.
F1305, umbilical view (few umbilical reticulations). X 330. 11. SAM-PQ-MF-2337. BT 1/74,
591-594m. F1396, side view (moderate umbilical reticulations; same specimen as No. 12).
X320. 12. SAM-PQ-MF-2337. BT 1/74, 591-594m. F1303, umbilical view. X248. 13. SAM-
PQ-MF-2338. BT 1/74, 591-594m. F1398, spiral view (with L and C-shaped "glyphs"). X 300.
14-18. Conorboides mariscus n.sp. McMillan. 14. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2339. BT 1/74, Core 2,
467.0m. F1338, umbilical view, x 256. 15. Holotype. SAM-PQ-MF-2340. BT 1/74, Core 2,
467.0m. F1337, umbilical view. X 220. 16. Holotype. SAM-PQ-MF-2340. BT 1/74, Core 2,
467.0m. F1393, side view (same specimen as No. 15). x 213. 17. Paratype. SAM-PQ-MF-2339.
BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.0m. F1394, spiral view (same specimen as No. 14). X 220. 18. Paratype.
SAM-PQ-MF-2342. BT 1/74, Core 2, 467.0m. F1392, spiral view. X248. 19-20. Conorboides
nudus (Terquem). 19. SAM-PQ-MF-2343. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1389, umbilical view. X 386.
20. SAM-PQ-MF-2344. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1390, umbilical view. X413.

148 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

also are close to a morphologically similar species, Epistomina minutereticulata
(Espitalie & Sigal, 1963b), described from die mid-Callovian to Early Oxfordian
succession (Cenozone B) of the Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar. However too
few reticulated tests have been found up to now in the Portlandian Bethelsdorp
Formation to warrant a confident placing in either of these species.

Hofker (1954) originally described Epistomina parastelligera from the Middle
Jurassic succession, but noted that it occurred in rocks as young as Hauterivian.
The large majority of later records are from the Jurassic: Domerian Lias of
southern Germany (Welzel, 1968); Callovian-Oxfordian of north-west Germany
(Lutze, 1960); Callovian-Oxfordian of Poland (Bielecka, 1960a); Bathonian-
Callovian of Poland (Pazdro, 1969); Late Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian of the Czech
Republic (Hanzlikova, 1965); Early Oxfordian of the Isle of Skye, Scotland (Cordey,
1962); type Kimmeridgian of Dorset, England (Lloyd, 1962); Callovian of Brora,
Scotland (Gordon, 1967); Callovian to mid-Oxfordian of the Jura Meridional,
France (Wernli, 1971); Bajocian-Late Oxfordian of Israel (Maync, 1966); and the
Callovian-Kimmeridgian of Sinai, Egypt (Said & Barakat, 1958).

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

420-423m, 467.0 to 467.3m, 59 1 to 612m in BT 1/74; 2 100', 2948', 3023' in SW 1/08;

11477 in BSP; absent in ST 1/71.

Family CONORBOIDIDAE Thalmann, 1952
Genus CONORBOIDES Hofker, 1952

Conorboides mariscus n. sp. McMillan
Fig. 30, nos 14-18.

DESCRIPTION

Test small, chambers arranged in a low trochospiral coil, with spiral side of test
convex and umbilical side concave. Axial periphery broadly rounded to subrounded,
and equatorial periphery lobulate. Chambers increase steadily in size as added,
and are arranged in 1 to 1 Vz whorls, with six or seven chambers in the last-formed
whorl. Last few chambers are strongly inflated, especially on the spiral side of
the test. Sutures on spiral side strongly oblique, curved, limbate, initially lightly
raised, but between the final few chambers becoming strongly depressed. Sutures
on umbilical side indistinct, radiate, straight to slightly curved, initially flush, later
becoming lightly depressed. Proloculus spherical, distinctly protruding above the
surface of the later chambers on the spiral side. Umbilicus deep and broad, and
encircled by distinct narrow apertural flaps developed at the umbilical margin on
the chambers of the last-formed whorl, suggesting that all these chambers open
directly into the umbilicus beneath the flaps. Aperture a low arched opening on

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 149

the last-formed chamber, interiomarginal and umbilical in position. Any structures
developed within chamber cavity, if there are any, not apparent from exterior view.
Most specimens dextrally coiled.

VARIATION

The degree of inflation of the final few chambers is very variable, especially on the
spiral side of the test. In consequence, the final chamber, in particular, can vary
considerably in shape.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS

Named from mariscus, -a, -um (L.), indicating marshy, the interpreted environment of

much of the Bethelsdorp Formation succession in the onshore Uitenhage Trough.

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS STUDIED
Twelve.

HOLOTYPE

Fig. 30, nos 15-16, core sample 467.0m, core 2, borehole BT 1/74.

STRATUS TYPICUS

Borehole BT 1/74, core 2, 467.0m depth, Portlandian Bethelsdorp Formation,

onshore Uitenhage Trough, Algoa Basin.

PARATYPES

Four specimens from core sample 467.0m, core 2, BT 1/74, two illustrated as

Fig. 30, nos 14, 17-18.

REMARKS

Conorboides species of similar type to Conorboides mariscus are known widely in the
later Jurassic succession of north-west Europe. The most closely comparable species
seems to be Conorboides pygmaea, described by Cordey (1962) from the Oxfordian
succession of the Isle of Skye, Scotland. However, Cordey's species does not feature
a strongly depressed umbilicus, nor strongly inflated later chambers, nor apertural
lips surrounding the umbilicus, nor curved, limbate sutures on the spiral side, all
of which are features of Conorboides mariscus.

Lloyd (1962) described Conorboides marginata from the type Kimmeridgian sections
of the Dorset coast, England, but this species differs from Conorboides mariscus in
possessing subglobular chambers throughout, and also a sub-marginal, low rib
on the umbilical side. Conorboides paulus, described by Pazdro (1969) from the
Bathonian of Poland, is distinguished from Conorboides mariscus in the possession of
a sharply angled test periphery, and only four or five chambers in the final whorl.

150 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION

467.0m, 467.30m, 591-594m in BT 1/74; 2100', 2948', 3023' in SW 1/08; absent in

BSPandST 1/71.

Conorboides nudus (Terquem, 1883)
Fig. 30, nos 19-20. Fig. 31, no. 1.

Epistomina nuda Terquem, 1883: 376, pi. 43, figs 2a-b (won figs la-c).

Conorboides nuda (Terquem); Lutze, 1960: 492, pi. 33, figs 8a-c; Gordon, 1967: 458, pi. 4,

fig. 30.

REMARKS

The few tests obtained from the Bethelsdorp Formation compare most closely with
the specimen illustrated by Gordon (1967), particularly in the presence, in some
specimens, of a small, shallow umbilical depression on the umbilical side of the test.
The sutures on the spiral side are faintly raised, and there are five or six chambers
in the last-formed whorl. Some of the South African shells show the Reinholdella-
like indentation of the last-formed inter-cameral suture-line, which is also well
illustrated by Lutze (1960).

First described (Terquem, 1883) from the Bajocian-Bathonian Parkinsoni-zone of
Fontoy, Moselle, France; also present in the mid-Callovian succession of north-west
Germany (Lutze, 1960); and in the Callovian Brora Argillaceous Series of Brora,
Scotland (Gordon, 1967). Williamson & Stam (1988) regarded this species to be
referable to the genus Epistomina.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only in sample 2948', SW 1/08.

FIGURE 31

1. Conorboides nudus (Terquem). SAM-PQ-
MF-2345. SW 1/08, 2948'. F1391, spiral view.
x 400. 2. 'iEllipsoidella sp. SAM-PQ-MF-2346.
ST 1/71, 1440-1445m. F1335, side view. (Cast
of foraminifera test). X 106.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 151

FAMILY PLEUROSTOMELLIDAE
Genus ELLIPSOIDELLA Heron-Allen & Earland, 1910

} Ellipsoidella sp.
Fig. 31, no. 2.

see Ellipsoidella pleurastomelloides Heron-Allen & Earland, 1910: 410; Loeblich & Tappan,
1964: 728, fig. 594, nos 6-7.

REMARKS

One test was found in Peak 8, where marine influence is strongest, in borehole
ST 1/71. This is an infilling of the test, the shell itself having disappeared through
calcite dissolution, but the chamber arrangement, initially biserial and becoming
uniserial and cuneate, is clearly evident. The specimen is similar to tests of Ellipsoidella
pleurostomelloides , described from the Turonian Chalk of Southern England, a genus
not at all typical of the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous successions of Southern
England or elsewhere. The major distinction betw een E . pleurostomelloides (see Loeblich
& Tappan, 1964, 1988) and the Bethelsdorp Formation test is that the English tests
are compressed perpendicular to the equatorial plane, whereas the South African
test is compressed parallel to the equatorial plane. The aperture is not very clearly
preserved, but appears to be an elongate slit almost terminal in position on the last-
formed chamber, and oriented in the plane of compression of the test. The hooded
apertural structures of true Ellipsoidella and some other pleurostomellids are not
seen on this single cast.

OCCURRENCE IN THE BETHELSDORP FORMATION
Only 1440-1445m, ST 1/71.

OTHER MICROFOSSIL GROUPS
AND MACROFOSSIL ELEMENTS

A great variety of faunal and floral skeletal elements were obtained from the
Bethelsdorp Formation during the course of the foraminiferal study. This wide
diversity reflects the generally well-oxygenated, hyposaline estuarine channels,
hypersaline mudflats and normal marine innermost neritic environments of
deposition evident in the Bethelsdorp Formation. The following list excludes
charophyte oogonia and marine and non-marine ostracods, which, it is hoped,
will be described elsewhere. Distinctive forms of charophyte oogonia and non-
marine ostracods occur in the Colchester Formation, while charophyte oogonia,
non-marine and marine ostracods occur throughout the Bethelsdorp Formation,
sometimes together, sometimes separately. Not surprisingly, given the mostly
shallow environment of deposition, no radiolaria or planktic foraminifera were
found in any of the studied samples.

1. BRYOZOANS

A variety of bryozoan morphotypes have been encountered in the Bethelsdorp
Formation. Both attached, encrusting forms, as well as free-growing forms occur.
The encrusting forms are especially noticeable on bivalve and oyster shell fragments
from shelly bands exposed in the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops.

2. POSSIBLE CORALS

Two questionable solitary corals were obtained from samples 4901 and 4904 from
the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan exposures. It is uncertain whether they are true corals or
a distinctive type of bryozoan.

3. CALCAREOUS ALGA SEGMENTS

At several horizons in the Bethelsdorp Formation succession in borehole BT 1/74
probable calcareous alga segments occur. These are similar to those known from
the extant genus Corallina.

4. CALCAREOUS WORM TUBES

Generally from the more marine horizons in both the boreholes and outcrops
occur various types of calcareous worm tubes. Some are individual and solitary,
while others are closely packed and colonial. All consist of calcareous tubes, usually

152

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 53

open at both ends, and displaying growth lines on the exterior. In addition, in the
shelly horizons exposed in the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops, serpulid worm tubes
were found cemented to mollusc shell fragments.

5. SCAPHOPODS

A few scaphopod tubes were identified in the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan samples. All
examples possess the characteristic curve to the tube, with a slight taper from
one end to the other. Some are smooth and unornamented, while others are
ornamented with longitudinal ribs.

6. CRUSTACEAN CLAWS AND OTHER SKELETAL FRAGMENTS

A small number of crustacean claw elements, as well as limb and body shell fragments
were found widely through the Bethelsdorp Formation. They were found to be
particularly common in core 2 of borehole BT 1/74. It is not possible to determine
which group of crustaceans constructed these elements.

7. GASTROPODS

Of all the macrofossil groups encountered in the course of this study, gastropods
proved to be by far the most abundant. There appear to be two or three essentially
thin and smooth-walled, chitinous gastropod species in the lacustrine sediments
of the Colchester Formation. However, at some horizons in the mudflat sediments
of the Bethelsdorp Formation in the BT 1/74 section, thousands of small-sized
specimens were encountered. Destruction of the larger shells by the action of the
drilling bit in the course of rotary drilling has probably reduced the numbers
present. The gastropods from the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan are generally thick-walled
forms ornamented with thick ribs and nodes. Many of the thinner-shelled forms
have experienced flattening or partial crushing of the shell.

8. BIVALVES

In general, bivalves were found to be much less common than gastropods. As
well as for natural reasons, this may be partly due to destruction of larger shells
during drilling, and also partly due to fracturing and disintegration of the valves
by compression and compaction of overlying sediment. Most bivalves were
recovered as indeterminate shell fragments, after micropalaeontological washing
and processing of samples had removed the supporting sediment. Comparatively
few fragments could be confidently regarded as originating from bivalve shells, for
example, those displaying hinge-line structures. There are a small number of thin-
walled bivalve shells, of one or two species, present in the Colchester Formation,
but quite a variety of thick-walled forms occur in the Bethelsdorp Formation.

Two particular groups of bivalves were recognised in the Bethelsdorp Formation
of the onshore Uitenhage Trough as having special significance: the Inoceramus and
Ostrea groups. Inoceramus occurs solely as fragmented small blocks of prisms, or as

154 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

individual disarticulated prisms, in many of the studied samples from Bethelsdorp
Salt Pan, as well as in the lower half of the Bethelsdorp Formation in the three deep
borehole sections. The presence of Inoceramus prisms in the onshore Uitenhage
Trough depositional milieu has been taken to indicate normal marine, inner neritic
environments of deposition.

Ostrea (oysters) shells occur at several horizons in the BT 1/74 and ST 1/71 sections,
and in the Bethelsdorp Salt Pan outcrops of the Bethelsdorp Formation, but they
are absent in the Colchester Formation. They are distinguished by their finely
lamellar shell structure, and by their distinctive shell and valve shapes. Their
localised presence suggests horizons during which innermost neritic, agitated
and wave-influenced, slightly hyposaline conditions prevailed. Stow (1871) noted
oysters at particular horizons at both Bethelsdorp Salt Pan and North End Lake.

Trigonioid bivalves have been examined in particular detail from the Sundays
River Formation and time-equivalent beds, by Pringle (1960) and Cooper (1979a,
b, 1991); and Kitchin (1908) examined the complete molluscan assemblage. In
contrast, the molluscan assemblages of the Bethelsdorp Formation were last studied
by Tate (1867), Stow (1871), Newton (1914) and Haughton (1928), and they would
benefit greatly from revision.

9. AMMONITES

Ammonites are widespread in the Sundays River Formation, if not especially common
(Cooper, 1981, 1983), but none are yet known from the Bethelsdorp Formation.
No microscopic ammonite fragments, or pyritised infillings of protoconch or later
chambers, were found during the course of this present foraminifera study.

10. HOLOTHURIAN SCLERITES (FIGURE 32)

A small number of holothurian (sea cucumber) sclerites were identified from
samples 11475, 11476 and 11477 at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, and from the lowest
part of the Bethelsdorp Formation section in boreholes BT 1/74 and SW 1/08. All
of these sclerites are of the same type. The following taxonomy is based on Frizzell
&Exline(1966).

FIGURE 32

Holothurian sclerite. SAM-PQ-MF-2349. X 146.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 55

Family ACHISTRIDAE Frizzell & Exline, 1956
Genus ACHISTRUM Etheridge, 1881

Achistrum sp.

REMARKS

All six specimens from the Bethelsdorp Formation are damaged, none showing
the spear preserved. The shank is irregular in cross-section, roughly ovate. Eye
oriented at 90 Q to the plane of greatest diameter of the shank, and presumably also
the spear. Eye open, small in diameter, and slightly irregular in shape, centrally
placed over shank. The eye is not subdivided, but shows two small peripheral
protrusions, at the top and at the base, which extend a way towards each other.
These specimens, being damaged, cannot be specifically identified, but they are
probably similar to Achistrum (Spinrum) bartensteini Frizzell & Exline. These are
the oldest known holothurian sclerites in southern Africa. Very similar forms,
broken in the same manner, were found very rarely in the Late Valanginian to
Late Hauterivian Sundays River Formation of the Algoa Basin (McMillan, 2003a,
p. 257, fig. 781).

11. CRINOID OSSICLES

From several of the outcrop samples collected at Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, and from the
basal part of the Bethelsdorp Formation in all three studied deep boreholes, small
to moderate numbers of crinoid (sea-lily) ossicles were found. Most are microscopic
oval ossicles, which probably derive from the arms, but a single Pentacrinus-type
ossicle was obtained from the salt pan outcrops. Similar forms have been illustrated
by McLachlan et al. (1976a, fig. 16, no. 26) from the Brenton Formation, and by
McMillan (2003a, p. 255, fig. 78E-G) from the Sundays River Formation.

12. OPHIUROID OSSICLES

Vertebra-like skeletal elements from the articulated arms of ophiuroids (brittle-
stars) occur in varying numbers through much of the Bethelsdorp Formation of
the onshore Uitenhage Trough. Variations in ossicle length and diameter, and
in degree of complexity occur, suggesting origins from different positions along
the arm. Ophiuroid ossicles have previously been illustrated by McLachlan et al.
(1976a, fig. 16, no. 24) from the Brenton Formation, and by McMillan (2003a,
p. 257, fig. SOB) from the Sundays River Formation. The overall skeletal structure
of a new ophiuroid species has been described by Shone (1986) from the Sundays
River Formation.

13. ECHINOID SPINES AND PLATES

Echinoid (sea-urchin) spines, shell plates and occasional pedicellaria occur rarely
in the Bethelsdorp Formation succession in borehole BT 1/74, especially at the
base of the formation. However, these elements are common in the samples from

156 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Bethelsdorp Salt Pan, where a wide variety of spine types can be seen, as well as
pedicellaria, individual shell plates and larger portions of shell. As early as the mid
19th century, notice was taken of the abundance of sea urchin spines occurring in
the outcrops at the salt pan (Atherstone, 1857). Here, flattened spines, spines with
triangular cross-section, spines with strong longitudinal ribs, spines with polygonal
cross-section and ornamented with thorns very like rose thorns, as well as completely
smooth and unornamented spines all occur. In addition, careful washing of some
of the studied outcrop samples yielded pieces of echinoid shell with spines and
pedicellaria bent over, but still resting next to the boss or attachment points to
which they had been attached in life. Such an occurrence clearly indicates that
sedimentation of the Bethelsdorp Formation at some periods could be extremely
placid.

14. INDETERMINATE ECHINODERM SKELETAL ELEMENTS

Apart from the various echinoderm skeletal debris described above (from
holothurians, crinoids, ophiuroids and echinoids), there are also a number of
widely occurring elements in the Bethelsdorp Formation which cannot be easily
allocated to any particular echinoderm group, but which are obviously echinoderm
in origin. Particularly common are semicircular, concavo-convex, elongate and
tapering elements with crenulated attachment points at the thicker end. These and
other indeterminate skeletal elements may well derive especially from asteroids
(starfish).

15. FISH DEBRIS.

Four types offish debris were identified in the Bethelsdorp Formation: fish bone
fragments, fish teeth, fish scales and fish otoliths (ear-bones used by some fish to
establish their balance). In contrast, in the lacustrine sediments of the Colchester
Formation, only fish bone and fish teeth have been found. In the case of the fish
bone fragments in the Bethelsdorp Formation, very few bones are complete, and
most are damaged fragments. Fish bone occurs in small to moderate numbers in
both the Colchester and the Bethelsdorp Formations.

Small but persistent numbers of fish teeth occur throughout the Bethelsdorp
Formation, but occurrences in the Colchester Formation are more sporadic. The
greatest diversity of fish teeth forms was identified in borehole BT 1/74, where
eight morphotypes were recognised. Only two of these eight were also found to be
present in the Colchester Formation.

Morphotype 1: Broad, round and glassy, smooth, with no base.

Morphotype 2: Conical, curved glassy tooth, with ovate cross-section, and distinct,
sharp, blade-like margins. Extending from the glassy part is a curved, black,
roughened bony stem, circular in cross-section. End of stem is irregularly broken.

Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation 1 57

Morphotype 3: Small-sized, circular to ovate in cross-section. Small glassy tooth with
larger bony stem. Stem is compressed and usually shows a prominent lobe. Where
lobe is strongly developed, glassy tooth is more curved.

Morphotype 4: Small conical glassy tooth, with long curved bony stem. Similar to
morphotype 2, but lacks a bladed margin, and not ovate in cross-section, but
circular.

Morphotype 5: Broad, rounded, glassy, like morphotype 1, but short, with additional
bone base.

Morphotype 6: Conical, strongly ribbed, double tooth.

Morphotype 7: Very broad tooth, smooth, dome-shaped, with short opaque bone
base.

Morphotype 8: Broadly rounded and strongly ribbed.

Morphotypes 2 and 4 are present in both the Bethelsdorp and the Colchester
Formation, the rest only in the Bethelsdorp Formation. It is not yet possible to
know if these fish teeth can be correlated with particular fish types known to have
been extant in the Late Jurassic period.

A small number of fish scales have been found, most consisting of a diamond-
shaped unornamented plate, with an attachment point on an extension developed
perpendicularly to the plate. Most examples were from the Bethelsdorp Formation,
and only a few from the Colchester Formation. Too few occur for them to be an aid
in biostratigraphic correlation.

A small number offish otoliths (Fig 33, nos 1-2) were found in the Bethelsdorp
Formation in the BT 1/74 and ST 1/7 1 borehole sections, and in the outcrop samples
from Bethelsdorp Salt Pan. None have been found in the Colchester Formation.
Most of the specimens are sacculiths, and one or two appear to be utriculiths. The

FIGURE 33

1-2. Fish otolith (sacculith). 1. SAM-PQ-MF-
2347. BT 1/74, 411-414 m. F1412, internal
view, x 128. 2. SAM-PQ-MF-2348. BT 1/74,
411-414 m. F1411, internal view. X 106.

158 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

otoliths from the onshore Uitenhage Trough are similar in morphology to those
illustrated by Martin & Weiler (1957) from the Aldorf otolith "layer" (Portlandian)
of Germany, and from elsewhere in the German Malm succession (Martin & Weiler,
1954). All of the Bethelsdorp Formation otoliths are simple forms, and none possess
crenulate margins. They are evidently referable to the leptolepid group offish (of
the genera Leptolepis and, or Leptolepidarum).

16. FOSSIL WOOD

Fossil wood, plant stems and other plant debris occurs in small quantities through
the Bethelsdorp Formation in all of the studied borehole sections, and in almost all
of the studied outcrop samples (Chatty and Bethelsdorp Salt Pan). At no horizon is
it abundant, and in this respect there is a clear difference between the Bethelsdorp
Formation and the proximal Sundays River Formation, which is often full of fossil
wood debris.

17. MEGASPORES

Several different types of megaspore were encountered in the borehole and
outcrop sections of the Bethelsdorp Formation. Particularly strongly ornamented
megaspores were obtained from the lower half of the formation in the BT 1/74 and
ST 1/71 borehole sections.

18. MICROCARPOLITHES HEXAGONALIS ("HEXISEDS")

These distinctive six-sided carbonised structures, without any internal cavity, occur
widely in Valanginian and later Cretaceous rocks in South Africa, especially where
fluvial sediment input is high. They are widespread in the Sundays River Formation
(McMillan, 2003a, p. 259, fig. 80C). They are not present in either the Bethelsdorp
Formation or the Colchester Formation. They are known internationally, and
are now believed to be the faecal pellets of two particular families of termite
(pers. comm., J-P Colin, France). It appears possible that their first stratigraphic
appearance is at or near the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary.

CONCLUSIONS

The Late Jurassic portion of the Algoa Basin is shown to contain a marine-influenced
succession in the proximal (onshore) portion of the Uitenhage Trough. This
succession is almost 400m thick, and contains foraminiferal assemblages indicative
of inner neritic/marginal marine, hypersaline mudflat and hyposaline estuarine
facies. So far as the foraminifera indicate, they are of Portlandian age. This rock
unit, here separated from the lacustrine succession of the Colchester Formation
and designated the Bethelsdorp Formation, equates with the lower Vaca Muerta
Formation of the Neuquen Basin of Andean Argentina. It probably also correlates
with part of the Springhill Formation of the Austral Basin in southernmost Argentina.
Foraminifera abundances fluctuate substantially through the succession, as do
ostracods indicating inner neritic marine environments (Progonocythere) and non-
marine environments (Cypridea) . There are eight substantial peaks of foraminifera
abundance. Intervening beds are probably non-marine red and green beds. In
general environments of the Bethelsdorp Formation shallow gently upwards.
Particular foraminifera assemblages reflect specific environments: hypersaline salt
marsh and mudflats (monospecific predominance of Quinqueloculina); hyposaline
channel sediments (Miliammina and Ammomarginulina); hyposaline inner neritic
(Ammobaculites and Haplophragmoid.es); normal marine dysoxic (Eoguttulina); and
normal marine euoxic (diverse inner neritic assemblage of agglutinated and
calcareous-walled benthic species).

Red beds is not a signature for the Kirkwood Formation only. It is clear from the
detailed bed-by-bed analysis of the outcrop sections around Bethelsdorp Salt Pan
and North End Lake by the early geologists Atherstone (1857), Stow (1871) and
Haughton (1928), that non-marine red beds comprise a substantial portion of the
marine-influenced Bethelsdorp Formation. Fine-grained non-marine and marginal
marine beds of the same age also occur in other basins: Heidelsberg-Riversdale
Basin, Oudtshoorn Basin, onshore Gamtoos Basin. These three geologists in
particular were some of the earliest sequence stratigraphers in South Africa.
Despite insufficient fossil material to establish relative ages for all his stratigraphic
sections, Stow's (1871) figures, showing fossil content, or lack of it, bed by bed in the
"Saliferous Series", remains a key text. Both the Bethelsdorp and the Colchester
Formations represent a specific time-period and environment in the life of the
Algoa Basin, and have no connection with the overlying red and green claystones

159

160 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

of the Kirkwood Formation or the underlying Swartkops Formation sandstones.
That this is so can be seen by again cross-comparing with the time-equivalent
successions and environments of the Neuquen Basin (Tordillo/Quebrada del Sapo
Formations; Vaca Muerta Formation; Mulichinco Formation; Agrio Formation),
and the Austral Basin (Springhill Formation; Pampa Rincon Formation; Rio Mayer
Formation) and Chubut (Katterfeld Formation) of southern South America.

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INDEX

Achistrum sp. 155

Ammobaculites coprolithiformis (Schwager) 8 1

Ammobaculites sp. 1 80

Ammobaculites sp. 2 80

Ammobaculites sp. 3 81

Ammobaculites sp. 4 81

Ammobaculites spp. 83

Ammobaculites subaequalis Mjatliuk 82

Ammoglobigerina cf. A. globigeriniformis

(Parker & Jones) 88
Ammomarginulina missionensis n. sp. 83
Astacolus cf. A. major (Bornemami) forma

A Lutze 119
Astacolus pellucida Said & Barakat 119
Astacolus sp. 120

sp. 92
Bullopora laevis (Sollas) 139

Citharina harpa (Roemer) 121
Citharina inconstans (Terquem) 124
Citharina sp. 124
Conorboides mariscus n. sp. 148
Conorboides nudus (Terquem) 150
Cornuspira orbicula (Terquem & Berthelin)
92

Dorothia sp. 91

}Ellipsoidella sp. 151

Eoguttulina anglica Cushman & Ozawa 132

Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis (Bielecka &

Pozaryski) 132
Eoguttulina cf. E. metensis (Terquem) 134

Eoguttulina liassica (Strickland) 134
Eoguttulina oolithica (Terquem) 135
Eoguttulina polygona (Terquem) 137
Epistomina parastelligera (Hofker) 145

Fissurina sp. 141

Frondicularia franconica Giimbel 113

Frondicularia sp. 114

Globulina prisca (Reuss) 138
Glomospira gordialis (Jones & Parker) 67

Haplophragmoides haeusleri Lloyd 76
Haplophragmoides sp. 1 75
Haplophragmoides sp. 3 76
Haplophragmoides sp. 4 76
Haplophragmoides sp. 5 77
Haplophragmoides sp. 6 77
Haplophragmoides sp. 7 77
Haplophragmoides spp. 79

Laevidentalina communis (d'Orbigny) 102
Laevidetalina spp. 103
Lagena algoaensis McMillan 129
Lagena cf. L. striatifera Tap pan 130
Lagena cf. L. sulcata (Walker & Jacob) 130
Leptolepis sp. (fish otoliths) 157
Lenticulina cf. L. quenstedti (Giimbel) forma

AWernli 117
Lenticulina muensteri (Roemer) 117
Lingulina dentaliniformis Terquem 109
Lingulina lamellata Tap pan 110
Lingulina lanceolata (Haeusler) 111
Lingulina spp. Ill
Lingulonodosaria nodosaria (Reuss) 101

175

176 Foraminifera of the Bethelsdorp Formation

Marginulina declivis (Sch wager) 120
Marginulina spp. 121
Miliammina buchenroderi n. sp. 70
Miliammina electra n. sp. 71
Miliammina jurassica (Haeusler) 72
Miliammina palustris n. sp. 73

Quinqueloculina grisbrooki n. sp. 96

Ramulina fusiformis Khan 140
Reinholdella costifera (Terquem) 144
Reophax spp. 74

Neoflabellina sp. 118

Nodosaria cf. AT. metensis Terquem 106

Nodosaria sowerbyi Schwager 1 06

Nubecularia lucifuga Defrance 95

}Orthovertella sp. 93

Patellina oolithica Terquem 143
Planularia beierana (Gumbel) 125
Planularia madagascariensis Espitalie & Sigal

126
Planularia spp. 127

Plectinella aegyptiaca (Said & Barakat) 88
Pyramidulina cf. P. kuhni (Franke) 103
Pyramidulina cf. P. minuta (Cordey) 105
Pyramidulina minuta (Cordey) 104
Pyramidulina sp. 1 105
Pyrulina sp. 139

Sigmoilina sp. 99

Spirillina tenuissima Gumbel 142

Tristix acutangula (Reuss) 115

Tristix oolithica (Terquem) 115

Tristix sp. 1 116

Trochammina cf. T. inflata (Montagu) 90

Trochammina cf. 7? squamata Jones & Parker 90

Trochammina spp. 91

Turrispirillina conoidea (Paalzow) 143

Vaginulina barnardi Gordon 128
Vaginulina cf. V. anomala Blake 127
Vaginulina spp. 129
Vaginulinopsis spp. 121

Webbinella subhemisphaerica Franke 140

THE AUTHOR

Ian McMillan was born in 1951 in Kingston-on-Thames, London. Discovered
foraminifera in 1972 while at Portsmouth Polytechnic, and completed an M.Sc on
Holocene foraminifera of theAgulhas Bank and a Ph.D. on Southern Namibian Late-
Quaternary foraminifera. Worked at Soekor (Pty) Ltd as foraminiferal biostratigrapher
for most of the period 1972 to 1992, and similarly at De Beers Marine from 1993
to 2003, subsequently working as a contractor. Has advised on about ten theses (at
Honours, M.Sc. and Ph.D levels), worked on projects in Sierra Leone, Angola, Namibia,
South Africa and Tanzania, and localised projects in Cameroon and Argentina. Looked
at the microfossils of about 250 boreholes and 4000 sea floor samples mostly off-shore
South Africa. Published a number of articles on South African foraminifera. Likes many
styles of music and strange books. Presently lives in Cape Town.

■

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THE FORAMINIFERA OF
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FORMATION OF THE
ONSHORE ALGOA BASIN,
EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE

THEIR STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION
COMPARED WITH OTHER EARLY
GRABEN INFILL SUCCESSIONS OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTINENTAL
MARGIN

I.K. McMillan

LES ROSALINES PRESS
ISBN 062-046-359-1

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384-387
SWC 393

D - - B -

- a - - - -

■ - n n a

■ - a

- a

a - a

□

a -
a -

■ ■

□ D

■ a

a ■

- D

- ■

- - a a

- - a -

393-396
402-405
411-414
420-423
429-432

- ■ -

d ■ a

a a ii
- a a
n d b

ana

a a - a - a

a - - - -

a - a - -

■ - ■ - □

■ d d a a
a - - - -

□ □ - - - -
- ■ a a a a

a □ n n n □

dub

■ □

□ D

■ ■

■ a
ii ii

- a

- ■

- a

a - -

- a -

- a a

- - a

- ■ a

- a a -

- - a -

a - - -

SWC 440

438-441

447-450

456-459

462-465

- a

■ ■

■ ■
□ ■

■ D

- 11

- a
a ■
□ ■

■ a

n a

- a
a a

a a

a a
a a
a a

- - a - -

C2 466.5
C2 467.0
C2 467.3
C2 468.0
C2 468.2

- B

- ■

- D

- a

□

ii - a
a a □
- a -

■ D

a -

a - - a

■ ■aan
□ d ■ a □

a - - - -

a
□

a a

-nan

n □ - d

n □ n n n □

- - ■ ■

- - D ■

a - a d

- a - -

- a

- a - - - -

- - a - -

- - - - a

C2 468.5
C2 469.0
C2 470.3
C2 470.7
C2 475.5

a d

aan

D ■

a a

H
D

□ a

171-177
483-486
492-495
SWC 503
501-504

a
a

a □

■
■

□ ■

■ ii

- B

- a a
-an

- B -

a - d ■

- a - - - -

G ----- -

510-513
519-522
528-531
537-540
546-549

a - -

- a - - - -

- a a

- a a
□ ■ -

a n -

a
a
a

■ □

□ ■
n a

□ a
■ ii

D ■

11 -

D -

a -

■ -

- - a

555-558
SWC 563
564-567
573-576
582-585

a - - b - a

- a - - - -

a d

- a

- a
a ■
a d

- - - a - -

- a - - - a

a - □ ■ - a

- - n - - a

□ - - D

- - - a - -

- a -

- - a

- - □ a
a - d a
d - d ■

a -

- a

ii a -

- a -

- ■

- a -

a a

- - - a - - -

591-594
600-603
609-612
618-621
627-630

a - -

D
D
D
D

a -

a -
a -

- - - a

■ D

■ □

- □

a ■

- a

- - - a

- a a a a -
a ■ a a - -

-■HI--
B - -

■ - -

a a -

a - -

- □ -

a a b

_ _ B

- - B

- - a

n n n n ■ n
- - - - a -

□ a a a - -

■ --aan

a a - a - -

- a - a - -

a a

b - ■ a

a - b d

a - d ■

■ nan

■ - ■ B

- B

- a

- B

a n

a b

a a

■ -

- a ■ - -

- - a - a

- a a a -

- - a - -

636-639

SWC 640

645-648

654-657

663-666

672-675

a - a a - -

a -

FIGURE 7: FORAMINIFERAL BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC RANGE CHART OF BOREHOLE ST1/71
Depths in metres. No study of miscellaneous microfossils owing to severe cavings in this borehole.

species/sample

940-945
950-955
960-965
970-975
980-985

990-995

1000-1005

1010-1015

1020-1025

1030-1035

1040-1045
1050-1055
1060-1065
1070-1075
1080-1085

1090-1095
1100-1105
1110-1115
1120-1125
1130-1135

1140-1145
1150-1155
1160-1165
1170-1175
1175-1180

1185-1190
1190-1195
1200-1205
1210-1215
1220-1225

1230-1235
1240-1245
1250-1255
1260-1265
1270-1275

1280-1285
1290-1295
1300-1305
1310-1315
1320-1325

1330-1335
1340-1345
1350-1355
1360-1365
1370-1375

1380-1385
1390-1395
CI 1400(1)
CI 1400(2)
CI 1400.5

CI 1401.0
1400-1405
1410-1415
1420-1425
1430-1435

1440-1445
1450-1455
1460-1465
1470-1475
1475-1480
1480-1485

o? S 5; * ft;

I | fee §s §c fe/.

B S © © O C5

-*; r; tu N fej ki

KEY
Dl B2-5 g 6-15

D 16-49 ■ 50 +

SWC Sidewall Core

C = Core sample

B □ □ - - -

■ - a □ - -
□ - □ - b -

D - - - - □

■ - B - B -

- B - □ □

- - - □

a ■ a a
d a □ a

- □ □ B □

- a - - □

- B - B -

- a - b b

- B

B □

a ■

a a

b a

B B

□ □
- a

□ -

B -

- H

a -

□ B

- a

D ■

□ U

b a

B □

a a

- □

- B
B □
□ B
B B

a □

- □

- B

- -----

- b a b □ a

- b □ b - a

□ □ B - - B
- - - - - B

- - □ - - B

- - B -

B □ - -

a a □ b

B □ □ -

B B B B

- □ □
HDD

B □

- - - - - □

□ B

B - □
- - B

a b b □

□ □ - -

B - B -

B B □ -

B - - -

- B

- □

B - □
B □ B

d a d

- B B

=5,

£ 'Si

faq t|

i J

B - - - - -

a b a b a b

- - - - b -

B B

□
□

B - - - - -

B B - - - -
------

- -----

□
□

g 13 s <

□ - - - - -

------

□ -

- □

□ -

- B

□

------

S. «.

£ 3

□ B

- □

□

- B
B B

- □

------

B □

□

'& 3,

-J -J i-J <3

□ □□---
------

D - - - - -

□ □

spears/sample

940-945
950-955
960-965

970-975
980-985

990-995

1000-1005

1010-1015

1020-1025

1030-1035

1040-1045
1050-1055
1060-1065
1070-1075
1080-1085

1090-1095
1100-1105
1110-1115
1120-1125
1130-1135

1140-1145
1150-1155
1160-1165
1170-1175
1175-1180

1185-1190
1190-1195
1200-1205
1210-1215
1220-1225

1230-1235
1240-1245
1250-1255
1260-1265
1270-1275

1280-1285
1290-1295
1300-1305
1310-1315
1320-1325

1330-1335
1340-1345
1350-1355
1360-1365
1370-1375

1380-1385
1390-1395
CI 1400(1)
CI 1400(2)
CI 1400.5

CI 1401.0
1400-1405
1410-1415
1420-1425
1430-1435

1440-1445
1450-1455
1460-1465
1470-1475
1475-1480
1480-1485

OS OS OO OS CD OO

On ^ ^ W KKJ
On C> OS GO CO ct*
CO CO CO CD ^3 On

O O O O CO ^
00 ui ^ w col;
CO -J On O C\> ^
OS O) <I Ot O

> * + + +

IO IO tO IO tO

go <r -j -j ao

IO IO ts3 CO IO

en oc c£> os h-
O O rf" -J CO
CO CO ^ On co

sj -J vj -J CJ

CO OJ * IO 0)
to to oc ^ <t

CO IO CO to JO

— — o c o

rfc- O CO 4- to
CO CO CO CO co
0T) con CD Oi G)
Oc 4^ OS tO —
tO O <t — Oc

If
c?" a

os to G: <r -j

CO H- OS — OS

-1 KJ M M O)

4t* to H- CO GO'

1 1 1 a □
1 1 □ B B
1 1 1 1 1

i □ b b a
i i □ a i
i i i a i
i i □ a □

I I B D I

1 1 1 1 1

i a □ b i

1 1 1 1 1
i B 1 1 1
i B B i 1
I I I I I
1 □ □ I I
I I I I I

1 1 □ II

□ a □ i i
a d a i i

B B □ i 1

i a b i i
b a □ i i
i a b i i
a d □ i i
i a i i i

Quinqueloculina grisbrooki
Haplophragmoides haeusleri
Haplophragmoides sp. 1
Haplophragmoides spp.
Eoguttulina anglica
Eoguttulina spp.
Eoguttulina liassica
Epistomina parastelligera

i i i i i

i i D D i

i i i a i
i i i i i
i i i i i
i i i i i
i i □ i i

i i i B I

I I I I I
I I I I I
□ □ill

I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I

i □ i i i
i □ i i i

I B I I I
I B I I I

i □ i i i
i a i i i

I B I I I

i □ i i i

Citharina austroafricana
Conorboides mariscus
Nodosaria minuta
Lingulononodosaria
Lingulina lanceolata
Lingulina dentaliniformis
Nodosaria sowerbyi
Marginulina spp.

i i i i i
i i i □ i
i i i i i
i i i i i
i i i a i
i i i a i

I I i □ B

i i i i i

I I I I I
i □ I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
i B □ □ I
ID ii

I B I i I

b a i i i

I B I I I
1 B 1 1 1

□ mil i

i □ i i i

B D I I I

I B I I I

Webbinella subhemisphaerica
Eoguttulina cf. E. inovroclaviensis
Eoguttulina oolithica
Eoguttulina cf. E. metensis
Globulina prisca
Trochammina spp.
Ammobaculites sp. 1
Ammobaculites sp. 2

i i i H □
i i i i □

i i i a b

i i i i i

I I i B I
I I i B □
I I I I I
I I I I I

i □ i i
i □ i i i
□ Siii

i i i i i
i □ i i i

I D I i I
I B I I I

i a i i i
i a i i i

□ i i i i

Haplophragmoides sp. 6
Ammobaculites sp. 3
Ammobaculites spp.
Reophax spp.

Ammomarginidina missionensis
Miliammina palustris
? Ammobaculites spp.
Nodosaria sp.

i i i d a
i i i □ □
i i i i □
i i i i □

I I i B I
I I i B I
I I i B I
I I i B I

Ammobaculites coprolithiformis
Marginulina declivis
?Orthovertella sp.
Lagena sp. 1
Nodosaria sp. A
Spirillina tenuissima
Turrispirillina conoidea
Patellina oolithica

I I 1 □ I
I I i B I
I I 1 □ 1
I I I □ I
I I 1 □ I
I I i B I
I I i B I
I I i B I

Cyclogyra orbicula
Nodosaria cf. N. minuta
Lagena cf. L. sulcata
Ramulina fusiformis
Fissurina sp.
Nodosaria cf. N. kuhni
Vaginulina spp.
Lingulina sp.

* 'Grey unit'

+ Swartkops sandstone

x Enon conglomerate

A Palaezoic

I I 1 □ 1
I I 1 □ I
I I i B I
I I I □ I
I I i B I
I I i B I
I I 1 □ I
I I I □ I

Laevidentalina spp.
Tristix oolithica
Lenticulina muensteri group
Neoflabellina sp.
Astacolus spp.
Astacolus pellucida
Planularia sp.
Plectinella aegyptiaca

Dl B 2-5 B 6-15
D 16-49 ■ 50 +

SWC — Sidewall Core
C = Core sample

i i i a i

I I i B I
I I i B I

1 1 1 □ 1

i i i a i
i i i a i

I I i B I

i i □ i i

Miliammina jurassica
Ammobaculites sp. 4
Bigenerina sp.
Haplophragmoides sp. 4
Reinholdella costifera
Conorboides nudus
Ammobaculites subaequalis
Planularia madagascariensis

i i i i i
i i i □ □
i i i i i
i i i i i

i i D □

I I B I I
I I I I I

D D i i i

i i i i i
i i i i i
i i i i i
B i i i i
i i i i i
I I I B I

1 1 □ 1 1

□ 0Bi i

I B □ i I
IB II
I □ II
D i II
B I II
B i II

gastropods

bivalves

^calcareous worm tubes

"iholothurian sclerite "table"

indeterminate crinoid/ asteroid debris

ophiuroid ossicles

fish bone fragments

I I I I I
I I I I I
I I B I B
I I I I I
I I I B I
I I □ I I

I I I □
I □ I I I
B B I I I

i n i i i

1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1

ii II

fish tooth

arthropod claws or shell frags.

Inoceramus prisms

megaspores

holothurian sclerites (Achistrum)

crinoid ossicles

3245-3267/
989.3-996.0+

3380/1030.5+

3430/1045.7+

3469/1057.6"
3550/1082.3 A

2866/873
2948/898
3023/921
3130/954
3150/960.:

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O O 4c- -J CO
CO CO ^ On co
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CO O! * CO 0)
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to to to to o

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Full text of "The Foraminifera of the Portlandian (Late Jurassic) Bethelsdorp Formation of the Onshore Algoa Basin, Eastern Cape Province: Their Stratigraphic Position Compared with other Early Graben Infill Successions of the South African Continental Margin"

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