Lithophaga Borings and Their Influence on the Diagenesis of Corals in the Pleistocene Ironshore Formation of Grand Cayman Island, British West Indies

Palaios ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Jones ◽  
S. George Pemberton
Keyword(s):  
West Indies ◽  
British West Indies ◽  
Cayman Island ◽  
Grand Cayman

Biogenic structures and micrite in stalactites from Grand Cayman Island, British West Indies

1987 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1402-1411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Jones ◽  
A. Motyka
Keyword(s):  
West Indies ◽  
British West Indies ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Cayman Island ◽  
Grand Cayman ◽  
Bacterial Origin ◽  
Biogenic Structures

Stalactites from modern and old caves developed in the Bluff Formation of Grand Cayman Island contain laminae and bulbous masses of micrite intercalated with sparry calcite. The micrite, as well as some of the sparry calcite around it, contains small (up to 25 μm long) ovate to spherical bodies that have a high concentration of either manganese or iron. Such bodies may be of bacterial origin. The micrite contains numerous calcified filaments that are probably of algal origin. Calcification of the filaments occurred either during life or shortly after death of the algae. The algae played an important role in trapping and binding the micrite. Furthermore, the algae may be directly or indirectly responsible for the formation of much of the micrite.

Boring of various faunal elements in the Oligocene-Miocene Bluff Formation of Grand Cayman, British West Indies

1988 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Pleydell ◽  
Brian Jones
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
West Indies ◽  
High Surface ◽  
High Surface Area ◽  
British West Indies ◽  
Cayman Island ◽  
Grand Cayman ◽  
Coral Colony

Molds of corals, bivalves, and gastropods in the Oligocene–Miocene Bluff Formation of Grand Cayman Island contain casts of Entobia (nine ichnospecies including the new ichnospecies E. dendritica), Trypanites (three ichnospecies), Gastrochaenolites (two ichnospecies), Maeandropolydora (one ichnospecies), Talpina (one ichnospecies), and Caulostrepsis (one ichnospecies), as well as the new ichnogenus Uniglobites, indeterminate ichnogenus A, and a problematical boring. Entobia accounts for about 75 percent of the borings, while Uniglobites and Trypanites together account for 15 percent of the borings. Comparison of Uniglobites with modern borings of known affinity suggests that it was produced by adociid and/or clionid sponges while indeterminate ichnogenus A was probably formed by bivalves. The amount of boring, which ranges from 0 to 75 percent, varies from skeleton to skeleton or, in some cases, from branch to branch of the same coral colony. The branching coral Stylophora was particularly susceptible to boring, probably because of its small size and high surface area. The average boring of about 38 percent compares favorably with the amount of boring found in modern corals. Analysis of the borings suggests that sponges were responsible for most of the borings in the corals from the Bluff Formation. Comparison with bioerosion in modern reefs suggests that similar patterns of bioerosion were also occurring in Oligocene–Miocene times.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document