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Inclusions of conifers, echinoids, foraminifers and sponges in flints from the Cenomanian of Charente-Maritime (France): Contribution of synchrotron microtomography

Jean-David MOREAU, Didier NÉRAUDEAU, Bernard GOMEZ, Paul TAFFOREAU & Éric DÉPRÉ

en Comptes Rendus Palevol 13 (5) - Pages 455-461

Published on 31 August 2014

This article is a part of the thematic issue French Lagerstätten and exquisitely preserved fossils

Deposits containing silica-rich nodules were recently collected from the Font-de-Benon quarry, between Archingeay and Les Nouillers, Charente-Maritime, western France. Nodules contain diverse fossil inclusions such as conifers, urchins, foraminifers and sponge spicules. Cenomanian deposits were transformed during the Eocene-Oligocene by a delayed silicification. This occurred under a warm climate and a long pedogenic alteration. X-ray synchrotron tomography was used to locate and produce three-dimensional reconstruction of flint fossil inclusions. The plant fossils constitute an unusual case of late permineralization. The conifer and invertebrate fossil assemblage suggests a coastal palaeoenvironment close to a forest.


Keywords:

Plants, Echinoids, Sponges, Flints, Permineralization, Synchrotron microtomography, Mid Cretaceous, Western France

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