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The Sirius Passet Lagerstätte of North Greenland: a remote window on the Cambrian Explosion

View ORCID ProfileDavid A. T. Harper, View ORCID ProfileEmma U. Hammarlund, View ORCID ProfileTimothy P. Topper, Arne T. Nielsen, View ORCID ProfileJan A. Rasmussen, View ORCID ProfileTae-Yoon S. Park and View ORCID ProfileM. Paul Smith
Journal of the Geological Society, 176, 1023-1037, 26 July 2019, https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2019-043
David A. T. Harper
Palaeoecosystems Group, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UKDepartment of Geology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 12, SE 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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  • ORCID record for David A. T. Harper
  • For correspondence: david.harper@durham.ac.uk
Emma U. Hammarlund
Department of Geology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 12, SE 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Cancer Research, Lund University, Scheelevägen 2, Medicon Village 404, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
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  • ORCID record for Emma U. Hammarlund
Timothy P. Topper
Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaDepartment of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
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Arne T. Nielsen
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Copenhagen University, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
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Jan A. Rasmussen
Fossil and Mo-clay Museum, Museum Mors, Skarrehagevej 8, DK-7900 Nykøbing Mors, Denmark
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  • ORCID record for Jan A. Rasmussen
Tae-Yoon S. Park
Division of Earth-System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
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M. Paul Smith
Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK
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    Fig. 1.

    Maps of the palaeogeographical and geographical setting of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte. (a) Location of North Greenland in the early Cambrian at c. 520 Ma constructed in Bugplates (Torsvik 2009). Circle indicates location of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte. (b) The eastern Franklinian Basin (modified from Ineson & Peel 2011). Red box indicates position of (c). (c) The Sirius Passet locality at 82° 47.59' N, 42° 13.54' W, east of J. P. Koch Fjord, is marked with a red star (modified from Le Boudec et al. 2014).

  • Fig. 2.
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    Fig. 2.

    Geological map of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte and surrounding area in Peary Land, North Greenland. The outer shelf–slope mudstone and sandstone units of the Buen Formation are equivalent to the ‘Transitional Buen Formation’ of Ineson & Peel (2011).

  • Fig. 3.
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    Fig. 3.

    (a) Panoramic view of the Sirius Passet locality, looking towards the NE, showing the geological relationships at the shelf–slope boundary. The locality is indicated by the inverted white, younging symbol. B, sandstone-dominated shelf Buen Formation; Bm, mudstone-dominated Buen Formation of the shelf–slope transition (= ‘Transitional Buen Formation’ mudstone of Ineson & Peel 2011); Bq, basal quartz-arenites of the Buen Formation; Bs, sandstone-dominated Buen Formation of the shelf–slope transition (= ‘Transitional Buen Formation’ sandstone of Ineson & Peel 2011); d, Cretaceous basic dykes; FF, Frigg Fjord Mudstones of the Polkorridoren Group; P, Portfjeld Formation. Unit boundaries are indicated by heavier white dashed lines, bedding traces by lighter weight dashed lines; faults are shown as red dashed lines. (b) The Sirius Passet Lagerstätte locality viewed from the west, showing the dark silty mudstones of the Buen Formation in faulted contact with the white carbonate rocks of the Portfjeld Formation. (c) Close-up of the Sirius Passet locality showing the quarry opened up on the 2011 expedition; people for scale.

  • Fig. 4.
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    Fig. 4.

    Sedimentary log of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte, Peary Land, North Greenland. Orange bars indicate the presence of particulate iron oxides and films on bedding surfaces, and red bars indicate the incidence of exceptionally preserved soft tissues. The event beds that make up the bulk of the sediment are of millimetre scale.

  • Fig. 5.
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    Fig. 5.

    Schematic block diagram illustrating the depositional environment of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte and the Buen Formation of the Franklinian shelf during the early Cambrian (Stage 3). The depositional location of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte is indicated by a red star. Vertical scale greatly exaggerated. Modified after Strang et al. (2016b).

  • Fig. 6.
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    Fig. 6.

    Rarefaction curves: (a) based on data from the scree collections, kindly provided by M. Stein; (b) based on data from the intensive bed-by-bed sampling during the 2011 expedition.

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    Fig. 7.

    (a) Diversity of taxa based on published data (Table 1). (b) Abundance of taxa based on bed-by-bed sampling during the 2011 expedition.

  • Fig. 8.
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    Fig. 8.

    (a) Buenellus higginsi Blaker, 1988, MGUH 33376, scale bar 1 cm. (b) Arthroaspis bergstroemi Stein, Budd, Peel & Harper, 2013, MGUH 33377, scale bar 3 cm. (c) Campanamuta mantoni Budd, 2011, MGUH 33378, scale bar 2 cm. (d) Kleptothule rasmusseni Budd, 1995, MGUH 33379, scale bar 5 mm. (e) Buenaspis forteyi Budd, 1999, MGUH 33380, scale bar 5 mm. (f) Isoxys volucris Williams, Siveter & Peel, 1996, MGUH 33381, scale bar 5 mm. (g) Kiisortoqia soperi Stein 2010, MGUH 33382, scale bar 5 mm. (h) Sirilorica carlsbergi Peel 2010b, MGUH 33383, scale bar 5 mm. (i) Xystoscolex boreogyrus Conway Morris & Peel, 2010, MGUH 33384, scale bar 5 mm. (j) Lenica hindei (Dawson, 1896), MGUH 33385, scale bar 1 cm.

  • Fig. 9.
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    Fig. 9.

    (a) Tamisiocaris borealis Daley & Peel, 2010, MGUH 30500, scale bar 2 cm. (b) Ooedigera peeli Vinther, Smith & Harper, 2011b, MGUH 29279, scale bar 5 mm. (c) Pygocirrus butyricampum Vinther, Eibye-Jacobsen & Harper, 2011a, MGUH 29288, scale bar 5 mm. (d) Aaveqaspis inesoni Peel & Stein, 2009, MGUH 33386, scale bar 5 mm. (e, f) Kergymachela kierkegaardi Budd, 1993, MGUH 32048a ((e) close-up of head region, scale bar 5 mm; (f) plan view, scale bar 2 cm). (g) Pauloterminus spinodorsalis Taylor, 2002, MGUH 33387, scale bar 1 cm.

  • Fig. 10.
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    Fig. 10.

    Correlation of geochemical trends (FeHR/FeT, TOC, δ15NT, V/Al) in the Sirius Passet section with fossil abundance (black continuous line) and species diversity (red dashed line) next to cumulative abundance (n = 100 between individual tick marks) of the five most common fossils (Buenellus, Arthroaspis, Campanamuta and Kleptothule (presumed nektobenthic) and Isoxys (certainly nektonic)), together with inferred changes (dashed black lines) of bottom water oxygen concentrations [O2]BW and relative water depth. Yellow zone in FeHR/FeT column brackets intermediate FeHR/FeT values between the Cambrian average value of 0.14 and the 0.38 value that is used to distinguish oxic and anoxic waters. Proposed intervals of periodic anoxia in blue with horizontal ruling. Modified from Hammarlund et al. 2019.

Tables

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    Table 1.

    The Sirius Passet fauna

    Aaveqaspis inesoniPeel & Stein, 2009Euarthropoda
    Arthroaspis bergstroemiStein et al., 2013Euarthropoda
    Buenaspis forteyiBudd, 1999Euarthropoda
    Buenellus higginsiBlaker, 1988Euarthropoda
    Campanamuta mantoniBudd, 2011Euarthropoda
    Isoxys volucrisWilliams et al., 1996; Stein et al. 2010; Nielsen et al. 2017Euarthropoda
    Isoxys sp.Williams et al. 1996Euarthropoda
    Kiisortoqia soperiStein, 2010Euarthropoda
    Kleptothule rasmusseniBudd, 1995Euarthropoda
    Molaria steiniPeel, 2017aEuarthropoda
    Pauloterminus spinodorsalisTaylor, 2002Euarthropoda
    Sidneyia sp.Peel 2017bEuarthropoda
    Siriocaris trollaeLagebro et al., 2009Euarthropoda
    Hadranax augustusBudd & Peel, 1998Lobopodia
    Kerygmachela kierkegaardiBudd, 1993, 1999; Park et al. 2018Lobopodia
    Pambdelurion whittingtoniBudd, 1998a; Vinther et al. 2016Lobopodia
    Tamisiocaris borealisDaley & Peel, 2010; Vinther et al. 2014Radiodonta
    Chalazoscolex pharkusConway Morris & Peel, 2010Palaeoscolecida
    Xystoscolex boreogyrusConway Morris & Peel, 2010Palaeoscolecida
    Singuuriqia simonyPeel, 2017aPriapulida
    Phragmochaeta canicularisConway Morris & Peel, 2008Annelida
    Pygocirrus butyricampumVinther et al., 2011aAnnelida
    Halkieria evangelistaConway Morris & Peel, 1990, 1995; Vinther & Nielsen 2005Mollusca
    Hyolithus cf. tenuisPeel 2010aHyolitha
    Hyolithid sp.Peel 2010aHyolitha
    Orthothecid sp.Peel 2010aHyolitha
    Trapezovitus sp.Peel 2010aHyolitha
    Sirilorica carlsbergiPeel, 2010b; Peel et al. 2013Loricifera
    Sirilorica pustulosaPeel, 2010b; Peel et al. 2013Loricifera
    Ooedigera peeliVinther et al., 2011bVetulicolia
    Genus and species indeterminate AVinther et al. 2011bVetulicolia
    Archaeocyatha spp.Peel 2010aPorifera
    Choia cf. carteriBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Constellatispongia canismajoriiBotting & Peel, 2016Porifera
    Crassicoactum cucumisBotting & Peel, 2016Porifera
    Demospongiae indet.Botting et al. 2015Porifera
    Fieldospongia bellineataBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Hamptonia limatulaBotting & Peel, 2016Porifera
    Lenica cf. unicaBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Lenica hindeiBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Lenica perverseBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Saetaspongia cf. densaBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Saetaspongia proceraBotting & Peel, 2016Porifera
    Salactiniella cf. plumataBotting & Peel 2016Porifera
    Stephanella? sp.Botting & Peel 2016Porifera
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Journal of the Geological Society: 176 (6)
Journal of the Geological Society
Volume 176, Issue 6
November 2019
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The Sirius Passet Lagerstätte of North Greenland: a remote window on the Cambrian Explosion

David A. T. Harper, Emma U. Hammarlund, Timothy P. Topper, Arne T. Nielsen, Jan A. Rasmussen, Tae-Yoon S. Park and M. Paul Smith
Journal of the Geological Society, 176, 1023-1037, 26 July 2019, https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2019-043
David A. T. Harper
Palaeoecosystems Group, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UKDepartment of Geology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 12, SE 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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  • ORCID record for David A. T. Harper
  • For correspondence: david.harper@durham.ac.uk
Emma U. Hammarlund
Department of Geology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 12, SE 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Cancer Research, Lund University, Scheelevägen 2, Medicon Village 404, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
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  • ORCID record for Emma U. Hammarlund
Timothy P. Topper
Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaDepartment of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
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  • ORCID record for Timothy P. Topper
Arne T. Nielsen
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Copenhagen University, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
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Jan A. Rasmussen
Fossil and Mo-clay Museum, Museum Mors, Skarrehagevej 8, DK-7900 Nykøbing Mors, Denmark
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Tae-Yoon S. Park
Division of Earth-System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
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  • ORCID record for Tae-Yoon S. Park
M. Paul Smith
Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK
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  • ORCID record for M. Paul Smith

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The Sirius Passet Lagerstätte of North Greenland: a remote window on the Cambrian Explosion

David A. T. Harper, Emma U. Hammarlund, Timothy P. Topper, Arne T. Nielsen, Jan A. Rasmussen, Tae-Yoon S. Park and M. Paul Smith
Journal of the Geological Society, 176, 1023-1037, 26 July 2019, https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2019-043
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Geological context
    • Age of the Sirius Passet Lagerstätte
    • Sedimentology and depositional setting
    • The Sirius Passet fauna
    • Preservation and taphonomy
    • Water column chemistry
    • Significance of the fauna
    • Acknowledgements
    • Funding
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