An abundance of scorpion cuticles from Westphalian (Upper Carboniferous) coals of Yorkshire is described, and other records of arthropod cuticles in coals are reviewed. The absence of cuticles assignable to arthropod groups other than scorpions is thought to be due to preferential preservation of the unique exocuticle of scorpions; it alone is preserved and appears to retain an organic nature. The cuticle is recovered from all the lithotypes of humic bituminous coals although it is most common in coals rich in inertinite macerals. From the present study it is uncertain whether the scorpions were aquatic or terrestrial. The recognition of arthropod cuticle as a coal maceral could aid environmental interpretations. The abundance of arthropod cuticle in the coals studied indicates its potential use in correlation and in determining the thermal maturity of sediments.
Lycopsid megaspores processed from petrologically defined samples of the Low Barnsley Seam, Westphalian B, Upper Carboniferous have vertical distributions arranged in repeated successions of phases. A total of six phases was distinguished producing a more detailed pattern of succession than has previously been identified using miospores. Two important phases were recognized for the first time, designated: Phase 0, characterized by the species
Cystosporites verrucosus
Dijkstra,
Lagenicula horrida
Zerndt,
Pseudovalvisisporites nigrozonalis
(Stach & Zerndt) Lachkar and
Cystosporites giganteus
(Zerndt) Schopf, interpreted as a colonizing assemblage, and Phase 2, characterized by the species
Triangulatisporites tertius
Potonié & Kremp and
Valvisisporites auritus
(Zerndt) Potonié & Kremp which is considered to represent an association of non-arborescent lycopods.
Phases are broadly related to petrographic type(s) but changes in phases and petrography are not necessarily coincident. Phasal changes of the kind described are believed to result from the formation of a raised bog.
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