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Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin: Non-marine and marine correlation SHA JinGeng1†, WANG JianPo1, KIRILLOVA Galina2, PAN YanHong1, CAI HuaWei1, WANG YaQiong1, YAO XiaoGang1 & PENG Bo1 1 2

LPS, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Institute of Tectonics and Geophysics, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 65 Kim Yu Chen Street, Khabarovsk 680000, Russia

A comparative analysis of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous strata have been done for the SanjiangMiddle Amur basin, a coal- and oil-bearing area spanning the eastern Heilongjiang of northeastern China and southeastern Far East of Russia. On the basis of various fossils occurring in the formations, particularly by means of the Tithonian-Valanginian index Buchia and the late Barremian-middle Albian indicator Aucellina assemblages, the marine and non-marine Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous strata in the basin are correlated. The Mesozoic international chronostratigraphic chart (http://www.stratigraphy.org) is established basically based on the marine rocks. To accurately date the non-marine strata, it is necessary to correlate them with the marine deposits. This study sheds new light on the dating and correlation of non-marine Upper Mesozoic. Additionally, the results would help understand the tectonics and paleogeography and thus aid the exploration of energy resources. Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous, marine and non-marine, correlation, Sangjiang-Middle Amur basin

The Sanjiang (Heilong (Amur) River, Songhua (Sungari) River, Wusuli (Ussuri) River; Jiang means river in Chinese)-Middle Amur (Heilong) sedimentary basin situated on the northwestern coast of Paleo-Pacific during the Late Mesozoic presently spans the boundary of Russia-China. Its southwestern part is situated in eastern Heilongjiang, northeastern China and the northeastern part in southeastern Far East of Russia (Figure 1). This basin contains Late Mesozoic marine and alternating marine and non-marine deposits, commonly associated with volcanic rocks, and yielding abundant coal and ― even oil[1 10]. In the basin there exist the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary[9,11

― 13]

and the mixed boreal and

Tethyan fauna recording the paleocurrent events[14 17], recordings of the transgressions along the Tan (Tancheng)Lu (Lujiang) fault system[10,18]. Consequently, Sangjiang-Middle Amur basin is a ―

unique area for the study of the Late Mesozoic paleontology, stratigraphy, paleogeography, tectonics, and energy resources. Although much has been published on paleontology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleogeography (including the transgression and paleocurrents), and tectonics of the basin, most of them are concentrated on either the Chinese part or the Russian part without correlations between them. Four UNESCOIUGS IGCP Projects (350, 434, 506, 507) and a joint Russian-Chinese project[1,18] made it possible to examine the boundary structure and the evolution of the basin. Even though the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary of the basin was globally discussed[11], the correlation between Received May 6, 2009; accepted August 25, 2009 doi: 10.1007/s11430-009-0173-1 † Corresponding author (email: [email protected]) Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40632010, 40072004) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB806400)

Citation: Sha J G, Wang J P, Kirillova G, et al. Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin: Non-marine and marine correlation. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2009, 52(12): 1873-1889, doi: 10.1007/s11430-009-0173-1

Figure 1 Map showing the distribution of the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous strata in the Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin. 1, Marine and non-marine Jurassic of the Bureya Basin and its fragments; 2, marine Jurassic (Callovian); 3, marine Upper Jurassic (including ul of Figure 2); 4, marine and non-marine Lower Cretaceous; 5, olistostrome mélange; 6, accretionary complex of the Kiselevka-Manoma Terrane; 7, predominant volcanogenic deposits; 8, marine upper middle Callovian-Valanginian; 9, marine with occasional non-marine Barremian-Aptian; 10, alternations of marine and non-marine Barremian-middle Aptian and non-marine intercalated with marine Upper Aptian (Longzhaogou Group); 11, non-marine with brackish Barremian, alternations of marine and non-marine lower-middle Aptian, non-marine with marine and brackish upper Aptian (Jixi Group); 12, non-marine intercalated with brackish and occasional marine lower-middle Aptian, non-marine with brackish upper Aptian (Jixi Group); 13, non-marine with occasional marine Albian; 14, non-marine with occasional brackish Aptian; 15, boundary between the zones in Russia; 16, boundary of the Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin; 17, fault zone. J3hb, Khabarovsk unit; J3sl, Silinka Fm.; J3pd, Padali Fm.; J3-K1mm, Manoma unit; Kb, Berriasian (b: claystone-siltstone unit); Kv, Valanginian (v: sandy unit); Kb+v, Berriasian-Valanginian (b: claystone-siltstone unit; v: sandy unit); K1gr, Gorin Fm.; K1pn, Pioner Fm.; K1pv, Pivan Fm.; K1gp, Gornoprotoka Fm.; K1km, Kamenushka Fm.; K1bs, Bolshechurki unit; K1sp, Shchuki-Poktoy unit; K1br, Bira Fm.; K1as, Assikaevka Fm.; K1st, Strelnikov Fm.; K1al, Alchan Fm.; J3-K1s+dr, Suibin Fm. and Dongrong Fm.; J3-K1d, Dong'anzhen Fm.; J3-K1Dd, Dongdaling Fm.; K1J, Jixi Group; K1L, Longzhaogou Group; K1Dj, Dajiashan Group; K1x, Xiachengzi Fm. (the Huashan Group, except for the Xiachengzi Fm., was not shown in the map).

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Sha J G et al. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci | Dec. 2009 | vol. 52 | no. 12 | 1873-1889

the Chinese and Russian parts of the basin has not yet been clarified. In this article, we aim to discuss and clarify the correlation of the Late Mesozoic strata of the whole basin, to serve as a step toward the correlation of non-marine to marine.

1 Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous in northeastern China The Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous deposits have a wide distribution in eastern Heilongjiang, northeastern China (Figure 1), but their facies and compositions vary through time and among different areas. Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) represents a hiatus in almost all of eastern Heilongjiang, except for the Dong’an and Suibin-Jixian areas, and possibly the area east of the line of Suibin-Dong’an, the northeastern corner of China, where the strata spanning the JurrassicCretaceous boundary are of marine origin (Figure 1, Figure 2, columns 1―2). Hauterivian/Barremian-Aptian/ early Early Albian deposits unconformably overlie various pre-Late Jurassic rocks, and include four main types from east to west and southwest: (1) marine probably with occasional non-marine sediments, represented by Dajiashan Group in Zhenbaodao-Dajiashan-Xiaomuhe area near the Paleo-Pacific; (2) alternative marine and non-marine coal-bearing deposits, the Longzhaogou Group, which is distributed in Yunshan-LongzhaogouPeide-Zhushan area (Figure 2, column 4); (3) nonmarine coal-bearing deposits intercalated with more or less marine, the Jixi Group, which is widely distributed in Boli-Jixi-Muling basin (with many marine and brackish-water intercalations) (Figure 2, column 5), and Suibin-Puyang-Jixian-Shuangyashan-Shuanhua area (with rare marine but many brackish-water intercalations) (Figure 2, column 2); (4) volcanic rocks with occasional brackish tuffaceous sediments, represented by Dongdaling Formation in Xingfu area (Figure 2, column 6). All Dajianshan, Longzhaogou and Jixi groups commonly contain volcanic rocks and tuff beds or tuffs. All the Dajiashan, Longzhaougou and Jixi groups are succeeded by the Albian (possible extending upwards into Cenomanian) Huashan Group, which comprises volcaniclastic and clastic sediments with occasional marine ― layer intercalation (Figure 2, columns 1－6)[7 10].

1.1 Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Valanginian 1.1.1 Dong’anzhen Formation Lithologically, the Dong’anzhen Formation (Figure 2, column 1) consists of dark grey, greyish green, and yellowish green muddy siltstones with yellowish green silty shales in the lower part, and dark grey and greyish green argillaceous siltstone, silty claystone, and greywacke (poorly sorted sandstone) in the upper part. This formation yields abundant late Tithonian (=middle Volgian[9,11,19,20])-early/middle Valanginian Boreal, subboreal, and northern Paleo-Pacific species of Buchia, such as the upper Tithonian B. russiensis-B. fischeriana assemblage, the Berriasian B. fischeriana-B. unschensis and the B. volgensis-B. cf. subokensis-B. cf. okensis-B. unschensis assemblage, and the lower-middle Valanginian B. pacifica bed, rarely associated with non-buchiid bivalves and occasional poorly preserved ammon― ites[8,9,21 23]. The Dong’an section extends downwards into the Wusuli (= Ussuri) River where marine deposits exist, which are probably as old as middle Callovian, older than late Tithonian, like those in the Suibin-Jixian area below. 1.1.2 Suibin and Dongrong formations The Suibin Formation unconformably overlies gneisses of the Proterozoic Mashan Group, metamorphic Permian rocks or granites, and conformably underlies the Donrong Formation. These two formations (Figure 2, column 2) are composed of dark grey, grey, greyish white, greenish grey, and green fine-medium-grained sandstone and siltstone, locally associated with claystone beds. The Suibin Formation yields a Bajocian-Cretaceous Pareodinia ceratophora-Nannoceratopsis pellucidaChytroeisphaeridia scabrata dinoflagellate cyst assemblage, and it was considered Callovian, very probably ― middle-late Callovian[8 10,24]. The lower Dongrong Formation is characterized by the latest Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian (mainly early Kimmeridgian) Buchia cf. concentrica assemblage associated with the Oxfordian-earliest late Kimmeridgian dinoflagellate cyst assemblage of Gongyaulacysta jurassica, and the late Kimmeridgian Buchia tenuistriata. The middle part of the formation is represented by Thithonian (=early-middle Volgian)[9,11,19,20] Buchia cf. mosquensis-B. cf. rugosa, including Buchia ex gr. russiensis, B. ex. gr. mosquensis and B. ex. gr. taimyrensis association in its upper part, associated with the Kim-


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Figure 2

Correlation chart of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of the Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin (for the abbreviations see Figure 1).

meridgian-early Berriasian Amphorula delicata assem― ― blage[8 11,25 27]. The upper part of the formation yields the dinoflagellate cyst Oligosphaeridium pulcherrimum and Buchia fischeriana. Oligosphaeridium pulcherrimum ranges from Kimmeridgian to Barremian[28,29] defined it as Berriasian-Valanginian in eastern Heilongjiang. Buchia fischeriana is commonly recorded from the upper Volgian (=lower Berriasian)[9,11,19,20] in the Northern Hemisphere[8,23,30,31], indicating a lower Berriasian or Berriasian age of the upper Dongrong Formation. However, Li[32] referred the Dongrong Formation to the Valanginian on the basis of spores and pollen grains. The upper Dongrong Formation is, therefore, most probably Berriasian-Valanginian. Furthermore, Dongrong Formation also yields poorly preserved ammonites and non-buchiid bivalves[25,33]. 1.2 Lower Cretaceous Hauterivian/BarremianAptian/lower Lower Albian 1.2.1 Dajiashan Group Dajiashan Group comprises, in ascending order, of the Nandatashan, Xiaomuhe, Dajiashan, Baiheshan, and Dumuhe formations (Figure 2, column 3). The group unconformably overlies the Carboniferous-Middle Jurassic sedimentary mélange. It is almost completely composed of marine rocks. The basal formation of the group, the Nandatashan Formation, is composed of volcanic rocks; the Xiaomuhe Formmation (= Qihulin Formation of He et al.[34]) mainly comprises grey to dark grey marine claystone, with tuffs, andesite aned volcanic breccias in upper part, yielding a dinoflagellate cyst assemblage, the Oligosphaeridium-Odontochitina operculata-Gardodinium trabeculosum-Palaeoperidinium cretaceum assemblage[34], which is Barremian-Aptian in age[8,9]. The other three formations comprise marine medium-grained and dark grey siltstone with yellowish grey, fine-grained sandstone and siltstone, with probably non-marine sediments in the upper part. Interestingly, similar lithologies characterize the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary sediments in vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere, more specifically in Scandinavia where the boundary has been identified based on palynology[35,36]. The Dajiashan and Baiheshan formations yield Aucellina caucasica-A. aptiensis assemblage that is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere in upper Barremian-middle Albian (typifying Aptian) rocks, associated with Aptian-Albian gastropods, including Nododelphinula dajiashanensis and Mathildia douvillei, non-

buchiid bivalves and poorly preserved ammonites[8,9,11,15,16,37]. Together with the occurrences of dinoflagellate cysts, bivalves, and gastropods, a Barremian-Albian age is thus suggested for the Dajiashan Group, except for the Nandatashan Formation, which could be assumed as Hauterivian or Hauterivian-Barremian in age[10]. 1.2.2 Longzhaogou Group The Longzhaogou Group is an alternating marine and non-marine coal-bearing group. It unconformably rests on Permian rocks or old granites. In ascending order, the group is composed of the Peide, Qihulin, Yunshan (with Lower and Upper members) and Zhushan formations (Figure 2, column 4). The Peide Formation is mainly composed of nonmarine black, dark grey and yellowish-green finegrained sandstone, siltstone, peat, and coal (three minable seams), with a basal conglomerate, and lava and volcanic deposits in the upper part. It contains only plant fossils. A Hauterivian age is assumed based on its stratigraphic position below the Barremian Qihulin Forma― tion and absence of Jurassic fossils[7 10]. The Qihulin Formation mainly consists of littoral and sublittoral black claystone and siltstone, with thin-bedded tuff intercalations, a basal coarse sandstone, and coal seams (three of them minable) in the lower part. It yields Barremian ammonites, including Phyllopachyceras sp. and Pseudohaploceras cf. liptoviense[38]; typical Barremian-Aptian bivalve form, Filosina (e.g., Filosina subovalis), and British Aptian species, Thracia rotundata[8,9,39]; some radiolarians such as Novixitus[40]; foraminfers, including mainly the Aptian-Albian Cribrostomoides nonioninoides, Haplophragmoides gigas minor, H. multiformis and Trochammina depressa[41]; and rare gastropods, brachiopods etc.[42]. A Barremian age of the Qihulin Formation is, therefore, indicated by ― both the ammonites and most of the index bivalves[7 10]. The Yunshan Formation is mainly composed of dark grey, grey, greyish-yellow, greyish-green, and yellowish-green, fine- to medium-grained sandstone, siltstone, claystone, coal, and volcanic rocks. The Lower Member is dominated by non-marine coal-bearing sediments containing two to four coal beds, tuffs, andesite, and lava, with three intercalations of marine deposits. In the upper member, in contrast, the marine and non-marine conditions alternate, containing at least nine marine intercalations and four to eleven coal beds. Locally, the


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rocks are associated with thin-bedded tuff layers. The formation yields some plant megafossils in the coal-bearing strata and numerous marine fossils in the marine beds. They include various bivalves such as the Aucellina caucasica-Aucellina aptiensis-Filosina subovalis-Thracia rotundata and A. cf. caucasica-A. cf. ― ― aptiensis assemblages[1,2,7 10,15,21 23,43]; some gastropods, such as Mathilda asiaticum, Uchauxia aff. peregrinorsa, U. yunshanensis, and Trochactaeon sp.[16]; the Odontochitina operculata-Versperopsis didaoensis dinoflagel― late cyst assemblage[7 10, 15]; rare brachiopods, and os[42] tracods . Aucellina causasica and A. aptiensis are considered the the latest middle Barremian-middle Albian (mainly Aptian) index species elsewhere in the world, and Thracia rotundata and Filosina are of Aptian and Barremian-Aptian in England, the dinoflagellate cyst assemblage is Early Cretaceous (mainly Barremian-Albian)[2,8,9,22,23], the gastropods are Aptian-Albian in age[16], therefore, the concurrent-range-zone of the fossils from the Yunshan Formation is Aptian. The Zhushan Formation is dominated by non-marine coal-bearing deposits, consisting mainly of grey and greyish-green siltstone, claystone, tuff breccias, tuffs, 6―9 coal beds and pebbly sandstone. The sediments yield plant megafossils, spores and pollen grains. In the upper part, three littoral beds are intercalated yielding the marine bivalves Sinopsammobia ovalis and S. longzhaogouensis. Both extend from the top part of the underlying Aptian Yunshan Formation[39,42], implying that the Zhushan Formation is of late Aptian or late Aptian-early Albian age. Compared with the Dajiashan Group of the Zhenbaodao-Dajiashan-Xiaomuhe area described above, the Longzhaogou Group contains alternations of marine and non-marine coal-bearing deposits in contrast to the fully marine but non-coal-bearing deposits of the Yunshan Formation. 1.2.3 Jixi Group The Jixi Group is composed, in ascending order, of the Didao, Chengzihe, and Muling (= Muleng) formations. It is the main coal-bearing strata in eastern Heilongjiang and widely distributed in Boli-Jixi-Muling basin and Suibin-Puyang-Jixian-Shuangyashan-Shuanghua area, as mentioned above. (1) Boli-Jixi-Muling coal-bearing basin. In this basin, Jixi Group (Figure 2, column 5) unconformably rests on gneisses of the Protozoic Mashan Group or on 1878

old granites. The Didao Formation includes a lower Effusive Member and an upper Didao Member. Basal conglomerates exist in both the Effusive Member and the Didao Member of the Didao Formation, but the former basically consists of andesite, andesitic tuff breccias, and tuffs, with intercalations of sedimentary deposits and the latter mainly volcaniclastics, tuffs, pebbly sandstone, fine- to medium-grained sandstone, siltstone, claystone, and coal (one to three minable seams), rarely with lavas in the upper part. Although there is no record of typical marine fossils in the Didao Formation (the Effusive Member is completely unfossiliferous), the Didao Member yields plant megafossils, spores and pollen grains, and the Vesperopsis didaoensis-Lagenorphyti granorugosa dinoflagellate cyst association of slightly ― brackish-water origin[7 9,15,44]. The dinoflagellate cyst association of the Didao Formation was assigned to the Hauterivian-Barremian (probably mainly Barremian age) mainly because Vesperopsis mostly occurs in Barremian-Albian successions outside China and the formation is disconformably underlain the mainly Aptian Chengzihe Formation (see below)[9,10]. The Chengzihe Formation yields plant megafossils, spores and pollen grains, dinoflagellate cysts, insects, bivalves, ostracods, fish, and reptiles. Although this formation is dominated by non-marine coal-bearing deposits of greyish-white or yellowish fine-to medium-grained sandstone, claystone and a great quantity of coal (seven to fourty minable seams), with thin-bedded tuff layers and basal gravel layers, there are as many as seven littoral intercalations. Evidence of the latter is mainly from marine bivalves, ostracods, and dinoflagellate cysts. They include, in the lower marine beds, the Aucellina caucasica-Filosina subovalisThracia rotundata bivalve assemblage and the Odontochitina operculata-Muderongia tetracantha and Vesperopsis didaoensis dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. In the upper marine beds, the Sinopsammobia ovalisFilosina subovalis bivalve assemblage and the Cannigia reticulata diniflagellate cyst assemblage occur. The middle and upper parts of the formation also yield the Arguniella cf. quadrata-Unio cf. grabaui non-marine bivalve assemblage including A. cf. ventricosa and U. ― obrutschewi[2,7 10,15,22,23,39,42,45,46]. Although the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages range from the uppermost Hauterivian-Upper Cretaceous, the bivalve assemblages indicate an Aptian age, as concluded for the Yunshan


Formation (see above)[7 9]. The Muling Formation, distinctly dominated by non-marine deposits, is mainly composed of grey and greenish-grey fine grained sandstone and siltstone intercalated with claystone, tuffs and coal beds (two to seven minable seams) with only rare intercalations of brackish and littoral beds. Apart from plant megafossilss, spores and pollen grains, and non-marine gastropods and bivalves including the Sphaerium subplanum-S. selenginese assemblage, a marine Hauterivian-Albian dinoflagellate cyst association consisting of Oligosphaeridium totum, Circulodinium attadalicum, C. cingulatum and Palaeoperidinium cretaceum[47] and brackish-water to marine Aptian-? early Albian dinoflagellate cyst association with Cribroperidinium? parorthoceras[48] have been recognized from the lower to middle parts of the formation. They document mainly an Aptian probably also an ― early early Albian age of these marine interludes[8 10,15]. Compared with the Longzhaogou Group described above, deposition of fully marine sediments occurred later, and the marine beds and volcanic rocks are fewer and thinner, but the coal-bearing levels are more numerous and thicker in the Jixi Group of the Boli-Jixi-Muling basin. Furthermore, the marine intercalations in the Jixi Basin are more numerous than those in the Boli Basin. (2) Suibin-Puyang-Jixian-Shuangyashan-Shuanghua coal-bearing area. In this area, the Jixi Group (Figure 2, column 2) unconformably overlies gneisses of the Proterozoic Mashan Group or basement granites. The Didao Formation (= “Dongrong Formation (?)” of Wan et al.[49] is mainly composed of grey to black claystone, siltstone and medium- to coarse-grained sandstone, with intercalated volcanics in the upper part of the formation, and alternating greyish white fine-grained sandstone and greyish black claystone, with intercalated coal beds and volcanics in the lower part. It yields spores and pollen grains, but no marine and even slightly brackish-water deposits has been recorded[9,49]. Given the similarity in lithology between the Didao Formation of Boli-JixiMuling and Suibin-Puyang-Jixian-Shuangyashan-Shuanghua areas, and the position of the formation is sandwiched between the gneisses of the Proterozoic Mashan Group or basement granites and the mainly Aptian Chengzihe Formation (see below), the formation is assumed to be Hauterivian-Barremian in age, corresponding to the Didao Formation in Boli-Jixi-Muling coal―

bearing basin. The Chengzihe Formation (including the “Shihebei Formation” of Wan et al.[49] is obviously dominated by non-marine sediments, between which with brackish-water and occasionally marine sediments are intercalated. It mainly consists of dark grey to black claystone, siltstone, greyish white fine-, medium- and coarse-grained sandstone, and siltstone, numerous coal beds (more than sixty including eighteen workable seams). Intercalated are tuffs[9,10,25], and probably andesite and basaltic andesite[49]. It yields dinoflagellate cysts, chlorophytes, acritarchs, spores and pollen grains, plant megafossils, gastropods and bivalves including Arguniella (= Ferganoconcha)[9,25,49,50]. Rare Aptian marine and brackish-water bivalves were only locally (e.g., in Shuanghua and Qixingkuang areas) recorded from the lower part, probably near the base of the formation[25] and five or six dinoflagellate cyst assemblages dominated by Nyktericysta and Vesperopsis have been recognized throughout the formation[49,50]: the Nyktericysta puyangensis-Vesperopsis sanjiangensis and the Oligosphaeridium-Nyktericysta-Vesperopsis assemblage in the lower, the Vesperopsis sanjiangensis and the Nyktericysta puyangensis-Lecaniella proteiformis assemblage in the middle, and the Vesperopsis jixianensis-V. suibinensis assemblage in the upper part of the formation. Almost all these dinoflagellates are non-marine forms adapted to live in brackish-water environments. However, occasional typical marine dinoflagellate cysts, e.g., Oligosphaeridium complex did occur in the second assemblage of the lower Chengzihe Formation, probably close to its base[49]. The presence of Arguniella and the similar coal-bearing measures in the Chengzihe Formation of both Boli-Jixi-Muling and Suibin-Puyang-JixianShuangyashan-Shuanghua areas indicate that the Chengzihe Formation could be correlated to each other in the two coal-bearing areas and the age is mainly Aptian. This conclusion does not contradict all the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in the formation, which contain the enssential Early Cretaceous dinoflagellate cyst indicators Nyktericysta and/or Vesperopsis and which mostly occur in Barremian-Albian outside China, supporting the conclusion of mainly Aptian age of the Chengzihe Formation. The Muling Formation mainly consists of dark grey, greyish green and greyish white siltstone, fine-grained sandstone and black claystone, with intercalations of thin-beded coal layers and tuffs[25], and probably of an-


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desite and basaltic andesite[49]. It yields plant megafossils, spores and pollen grains, chlorophytes, gastropods and bivalves[25] and the Nykteicysta cf. dictyophora dinoflagellte cyst assemblage[49]. The fossils are Aptian-early Albian but mainly Aptian in age, and more or less of brackish-water origin[9]. Compared with the Jixi Group in the Boli-Jixi-Muling basin (Figure 2, column 5), marine and/or brackishwater deoposits did not form until the Aptian (Chengzihe Formation). Marine fossils are rare and limited to the lower part, possibly to the base of the Chengzihe Formation[25,49], although the brackish-water Nyktericysta and Vesperopsis dinoflagellate cyst associations occur throughout the Chengzihe Formation and occasionally in the Muling Formation[49,50]. Coals are mainly concentrated in the Chengzihe Formation but coal seams rare and hardly minable in the Muling Formation. 1.2.4 Dongdaling Formation The Dondaling Formation is limited in Xingfu area, located on the southwestern margin of the Boli-JixiMuling basin (Figure 1), and has a faulted contact with the underlying Carboniferous-Permian metamorphic rocks. It comprises volcanics in the lower part and volcanics alternating with tuffaceous siltstone in the lower upper part. The tuffaceous siltstone yields ostracods, gastropods, and the bivalve Sphaerioides yixianensis (= Tetoria? yixianensis), which might be brackish-water in origin and it is associated with Arguniella in western Liaoning, that also occurs in the mainly Aptian Chengzihe Formation. Dongdaling Formation was thus assumed as mainly Aptian in age, approximately corresponding to the Chengzihe and Muling forma― tions[8 10,15,39]. 1.3 Albian All the Dajiashan, Longzhaogou and Jixi groups, and the Dongdaling Formation are disconformably overlain by the Huashan Group comprising the Dongshan and overlying Houshigou formations (Figure 2, columns 2―5). The former mainly consists of dark grey to black tuffs, tuff breccias, basalt, tholeiite, claystone yielding plant and fish fossils, and siltstone, with yellowish-green tuffaceous claystone and siltstone. The Houshigou Formation consists of greyish-yellow sandstone intercalated with tuffs and siltstone, and yellowish-grey mudstone and vitric tuffs. It yields plant fossils, a non-marine bivalve assemblage Trigonioides 1880

(Trigonioides) heilongjiangensis, and probably Corbicula[8,42]. In Xiachengzi-Yilin area, there is probably no record of the Dongshan Formation or it has not been recognized yet. The deposits corresponding to those of the Houshigou Formation are called as Xiachengzi Formation (Figure 2, column 6), which contains abundant non-marine and occasional marine bivalves, plant megaand microfossils, charophyte algae, insects, ostracods, gastropods, reptile debris, and fish scales. The non-marine bivalves consist of the Trigonioides (Trigonioides) heilongjiangensis-Sphaerium chientaoense (= S. yanbianense) assemblage including Unio heilongjiangensis, Plicatounio (Plicatounio) cf. naktongensis, Pisidium cf. fujianense, Sphaerium coreanicum, S. selenginense, and S. fujianense. The marine bivalves comprise the Solemya-Inoceramaya? Assemblage[8,9,15,39,51]. Trigonioides (T.) heilongjiangensis is mainly Albian in age, but it probably extends downwards into the Aptian[52]. Given that the Huashan Group disconformably overlies the the Longzhaogou, Jixi, and Dajiashan groups, which could be as young as early Albian, the Huashan Group is thus mainly of Albian age, probably extends upperwards into the Cenomanian[8]. The underlying Aptian-Albian Muling Formation and the overlying Albian Houshigou Formation define the Dongshan Formation as precise Albian[8,9].

2 Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous in southeastern Far East of Russia (Priamurie) In Russia, on the basis of the facies and compositions of the deposits, the Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin could be subdivided into three stratigraphic zones. 1) Bira-Beloyan zone, distributed along the eastern margin of the Jiamusi-Bureya Massif, including southwestern part of Bureya coal-bearing basin. In this zone, the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous consists mainly of non-marine coal-bearing deposits with marine Aptian-Cenomanian intercalations (Figure 1; Figure 2, column 7). 2) West Sikhote-Alin zone, belonging to the eastern Sikhote-Alin orogenic belt. In such tectonic-stratigraphic zone, the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous is dominated by the marine Jurassic, non-marine and volcanic deposits of Cretaceous, locally associated with Late Jurassic-Early Creatceous accretionary complex (Figure 1; Figure 2, column 9). 3) Badzhal-Gorin zone between the two


zones above. In this zone, the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous is composed of the marine Late Jurassic and mainly marine pre-Middle Albian and intercalation of marine and non-marine Middle-Late Albian of Early Cretaceous (Figure 1; Figure 2, column 8). 2.1 Bira-Beloyan zone In this zone, the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous is composed of coal-bearing measures. In ascending order, it includes the Kamenushka Formation and, the terrigenous, Bolshechurki and Shchuki-Poktoy units and Bira Formations. The Upper Jurassic and probably Upper Hauterivian are absent (Figure 2, column 7). 2.1.1 Berriasian-Lower Hauterivian The Kamenushka Formation crops out on the northern side of Amur River, near Voskresenovka settlement. It consists, in ascending order, of basal pebble conglomerate horizon, unconformably overlying the Ordovician granites; fine-grained silty arkosic and polymictic sandstones with numerous siltstone and claystone interbeds and thin-bedded (approximately 1 m thick) coal beds; medium-fine-grained sandstone with occasional siltstone and claystone with abundant coal beds (300 m thick); coarse-medium-grained arkosic sandstone. This formation yields numerous plant fossil imprints, such as Coniopteris hymenophylloides, Cladophlebis nebbensis, C. haiburnensis, Podozamites lanceolatus, Sphenopteris nantogensis, and Gingo sibirica. According to Kiriyanova[53], this floral assemblage is similar to the Berriasian-early Hauterivian Soloni assemblage of the Bureya Basin[54,55]. 2.1.2 Hauterivian/Barremian-Albian The terrigenous unit is composed of sandstone, siltstone, claystone, conglomerate, intercalated with coal. Numerous floral remains have been recognized from this unit: Onychioptis mantelii, O. cf. elongata, Coniopteris hymenophylloides, C. orientalis, Cladophlebis nebbensis, C. haiburnensis, Sphenopteris naktongensis, Podozamites lanceolatus, Ginkgo sibirica, G. digitata, Nilssonia cf. schmidtii. They are considered as Barremian[54,55], but the authors assumed the unit probably includes Hauterivian. The Bolshechurki unit consists of andesite and lava breccias. It is conformably overlain by Shchuki-Poktoy unit, which is composed of rhyolite, dacite tuffs and lava breccias. These two units are regarded as Aptian, based on K-Ar datings for volcanites 112 Ma from the Bol-

shechurki unit[55,56]. The Lower Cretaceous succession in Bira-Beloyan zone ends with the thin (about 100 m thick) Bira Formation, which comprises sandstone, siltstone, acid tuffs, and tuffites. It yields plant remains, such as Asplenium cf. dicksonianum, Gleichenia sachalinensis, Ginkgo sibirica, Cephalotaxopsis brevifolia, C. acuminate, Sequoia cf. fastigiata. They indicate an Albian-early Cenomanian age. 2.2 Badzhal-Gorin zone In the most part of the Badzhal-Gorin zone, the Upper Jurassic-basal Cretaceous is subdivided, in ascending order, into the Ulbin, Silinka, and Padali formations, and the Lower Cretaceous comprises Komsomolsk Group and Gornoprotoka Formation. In some areas, the Upper Jurassic-basal Cretaceous is commonly mélange composed of Late Paleozoic-Late Mesozoic olistoliths containing fossils, overlying the Triassic-Middle Jurassic accretionary complex, which consists mainly of variegated laminated cherts with thin interbeds of claystone, greenish-grey ash tuff, tuffaceous siltstone and claystone, with occasional lenses of limestone. Although the Tithonian radiolarians[57,58] were reported from the mélange matrix, it is still very difficult to subdivide such mélange, which is grouped into the Khabarovsk unit in the environs of Khabarovsk city and in the Vandan Ridge in western Badzhal-Gorin zone (Figure 2, column 8). 2.2.1 Upper Jurassic-basal Cretaceous (1) Ulbin Formation. The Ulbin Formation consists of siltstone, sandstone, and mixtite, with occasional interlayers of siliceous-clay shale. The mixtite of the lower part of the formation is fairly thick, e.g., in the area of the Kur-Kukan interfluve, southern Badzhal-Gorin zone (Figure 1), the mixtite reaches as thick as 500 m, though it does not occur everywhere. The siliceous rocks yield Bajocian-Bathonian radiolarians, such as Gongylothorax oblonga, G. anticefalis, Diacanthocapsa normalis, Theocapsa cordis, Stichocapsa tegiminis, and Parahsuum leviconstata. In the area of Padali Lake, the matrix of the mixtite yields typical Bathonian-early Oxfordian Tricolocapsa conexa, Stylocapsa catenarum, S. oblongula, and Zhamoidellum conexa[59,60]. These findings demostrate a late Middle-Late Jurassic, but supposedly early Late Jurassic and mostly not later than Oxfordian age of the Ulbin Formation, since the overlying Silinka Formation is Oxfor-


1881

dian-Kimmeridgian in age (see below). (2) Silinka and Padali formations. The Silinka Formation has a wide distribution in Badzhal-Gorin zone and conformably, locally disconformably, resting on the Ulbin Formation. It mainly consists of sandstone, with subordinate amount of siltstone, occasional siliceous clay, and siliceous tuffite lenses. The most part of the fromation is characterized by a rhythmical intercalation of fine-grained polymictic sandstone (predominant) and siltstone. The siltstone of the formation contains incomplete steinkern of ammonite Lithacoceras (?) sp. referable to the family Perisphintidae, bivalve imprints of Oxytoma (Oxytoma) expansa, and plant debris as well. Siltstone and siliceous tuffites contain radiolarians such as Tritrabs cosmaliaensis, Spongocapsula palmerae, Ristola boesii, Unuma latusicostatus, Stichocapsa japonica and Xitus spicularius, suggesting an Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian age of the host rocks[60]. The remains of Buchia sp. indet., Inoceramus sp. indet., and plant imprints of Aldania sp. and Carpolithes cinctus are of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, which is not at variance with the age suggested by radiolarians above. The Padali Formation conformably rests on the Upper Jurassic Silinka Formation. Resembling the Silinka Formation, the Padali Formation is characterized by the rock intercalation, consisting of siltstone, sandstone, and abundant siliceous and siliceous-clay rocks. Terrigenous rocks contain plant debris. It is confirmed as mainly Late Jurassic Tithonian age by various organic remains found in the siltstone. In the suburbs of the Khurmuli settlement, the remains of ammonite Lithacoceras (?) sp. indet. of the family Perisphinctidae in the middle part of the formation indicates a Late Jurassic age, a similar form of the ammonite genus Pavlovia, and bivalve Buchia cf. fischeriana and B. cf. terebratuloides in the upper part of the formation show an early Volgian (= early Tithonian) and Late Jurassic age respectively. The radiolarians Cinguloturris sp. cf. C. carpatica, Archaeodyctiomitra sp. cf. A. carpatica and others from the formation in the area of the Malmyzh settlement indicate a Late Jurassic age[60]. However, Buchia fischeriana and B. terebratuloides usually occur in the upper Volgain (= lower Berriasin) and base-Berriasian in the Northern ― Hemispere[8,11,21 23,30,31]. Therefore, the Padali Formation probably could extend upperwards into lower lower Berriasian. 1882

(3) Khabarovsk unit. The Khabarovsk unit is composed of siltstone, tuffaceous siltstone, rare sandstone, and basic volcanite apart from mélange. The mixtite varies in thickness from 500 m in the southwest to 5― 50 m in the northeast. Chronologically, it approximately corresponds to the Silinka and Padali formations (Figure 2, column 8), but it is unsubdividable because of the mélange as mentioned above. 2.2.2 Lower Cretaceous (1) Komsomolsk Group. In ascending order, the Komsomolsk Group is composed of the Gorin, Pioner, and Pivan formations. The Gorin Formation crops out along the Amur River valley (Figure 1). In the southern and western areas of Badzhal-Gorin zone, the formation is composed of poorly sorted polymictic sandstone and siltstone with beds and lenses of conglomerate and gravelstone. In the northeastern area of the Amur River, however, it comprises alternatiing thin-bedded, occasional mediumbedded intercalation consisting of fine-grained sandstone and siltstone, and the bed comprising siltstone and medium-grained sandstone. The siltstone beds containing interbeds of fine and silty sandstone increase upwards. Buchia, including Buchia ex gr. uncitoides, B. volgensis and B. okensis, which are the index species of Berriasian, base-Berriasian excluded, in the Northern ― Hemisphere[8,11,21 23,30,31], and Tithonian-Berriasian radilarians Hsuum ex gr. maxswelli, Xitus cf. spicularis, and Pseudoencyrtis sp. have been recorded from the siltstone of the upper part of the formation near the Padal Lake. The concurrent-range-zone of the bivalve Buchia and radiolarians is Berriasian, mostly middle and late Berriasian[17,55]. The Pioner Formation rests conformably on the Gorin Formation. It consists of mainly (about 90%) siltstone and claystone, intercalated with fine- and rarely medium-grained sandstone and alternations of siltstone and claystone. Compared with the Gorin Formation, Pioner Formation has a much wider distribution and contains much more siltstone and claystone. In the siltstone of the lower formation on the eastern side of the Amur River, opposite Komsomolsk, and in the littoral exposures in the area of the Petropavlovka Lake, numerous organic remains were collected[17,55], among which Buchia inflata, B. crassicollis, B. keyserlingi, B. cf. crassicollis, B. ex gr. uncitoides, B. cf. vol-


gensis, and Inoceramus cf. wollsowitschi are typical taxa of Berriasian and early Valanginian, and even later stages[8,21,23,30,31]. Moreover, in the area of Padali Lake, radiolarians Sethacapsa cf. uterculus, Pseudodichyomitra ex gr. apiara, P. leptoconika and so forth, the typical Early Cretaceous forms, were reported from the siltstone of the formation. Consequently, the Pioner Formation is Berriasian-Valanginian without doubt, but the underlying Berriasin formation considered, Pioner Formation should be early Valanginian age. The Pivan Formation crops out in the cores of synclinal folds on the eastern side of the Amur River, right side to the north of the Khummi Lake and in the basement uplift of the Middle Amur Basin (Figure 1). In the northern side of the Amur River and north of the Khummi Lake, the lower part of the formation consists of mainly fine- to medium-grained sandstone, locally grading into gravelstone, small-sized pebble conglomerate, and sedimentary breccia. The middle part of the formation is dominated by flysh-like intercalation of sandstone and siltstone, and occasional claystone. The uppermost of the formation is composed of poorly sorted fine to medium-grained sandstone intercalated with rare siltstone interbeds, and gravelstone, with inclusions of siltstone fragments. Traces of vital activity of near-bottom organisms are the remarkable diagnostic markers of the formation, such as hieroglyphs on the bedding surfaces of the rocks and worm trails filled with sandy material in the siltstone. The siltstone of the lower and upper parts of the formation in the eastern side of the Amur River and the cement of the gravelstone yield Buchia cf. inflata, B. cf. keyserlingi, B. aff. uncitoides, indicating a Valanginian age of the Pivan Formation[17,55]. It could be assumed as late Valanginian if the underlying Pioner Formation is early Valanginian (see above). (2) Gornoprotoka Formation. The Gornoprotoka Formation is widely distributed in the northern part of the Badzhal-Gorin zone, while in the south it is distributed fragmentarily. It unconformably overlies the Berriasian-Valanginian Pioner Formation or the Valanginian Pivan Formation, and even the Late Jurassic Khabarovsk unit. Lithologically, it is quite variable both with the time and area. However, a remarkable basal different-sized pebble conglomerate, gravelstone, coarse sandstone, siltstone with pebbly inclusions could be seen everywhere the formation occurs, and an intercalation of terrigenous rocks consisting of various granulometric

composition appears in some places. The formation was considered as Hauterivian-Aptian age[55]. Currently[56], it is defined as Aptian-Albian based on the discovery of middle-late Albian fauna, consisting of Inoceramus ex gr. anglicus, Inoceramus ex gr. yabei, I. aff. amakusensis, I. cf. concentricus and I. cf interruptus, together with the flora comprising Tyrmia polinovii, Cladophlebis sp., Pagyophyllum and Pityophyllum. However, we suggest that the Gornoprotoka Formation includes Barremian and Hauterivian deposits, because the formation is so thick and the fossils do not span all the formation and, particularly, all the so-called middle-late Albian Inoceramus are affinis, conformis and ex grege species. 2.3 West Sikhote-Alin zone Tectonically, West Sikhote-Alin zone is composed of various Mesozoic terranes (Nadanhada-Bikin, Zhuravlevka-Amur, Kiselevka-Manoma) (Figure 1). It is extremely difficult to reconstruct the Mesozoic sequence in such tectonic-stratigraphic zone, because the Mesozoic in the zone is a package of tectonic sheets. Based on fossils and rock associations, a primary succession of the ― Upper Mesozoic was reconstructed[4,60 64]. The Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous include, in ascending order, the siliceous, siliceous-clay, Ulitka, claystonesiltstone and sandy units, Assikaevka, Strelnikov, and Alchan formations (Figure 2, column 9). Among them, the first five rock units are relatively well exposed around Ulitka River within Bikin terrane (Figure 1). 2.3.1 Upper Jurassic-Valaginian The siliceous unit is composed of Cherts and jaspers platy with lenses of pelitomorphic limestones. These rocks are assumed, based on the radiolarians and conodonts[64], to be of Late Triassic-Late Jurassic including Callovian in age. The siliceous-clay unit consists of siliceous claydstone and, grey, greenish-grey or reddish-brown clay cherts. Locally, the siliceous-clay rocks contain basic volcanite. The siliceous claydstone yields radiolarians Archaeodictyomitra cf. minoensis, Podobursa sp., Pseudodictyomitra cf. primitive, Spongocapsula cf. perampla, Stichocapsa ex gr cribata, and Xitus sp. In western Tethys, these radiolarians range from middle Oxfordian to upper Tithonian. However, Pseudodictyomitra primitiva is a Tithonian species in Japan and western Pacific[65]. It is, therefore, most likely that the siliceous-clay unit only of a Tithonian or mainly Tithonian age.


1883

The Ulitka unit comprises dark grey claystonesiltstone, rarely tuffaceous claystone-siltstone, and siltstone, intercalated with rare thin-bedded sandstone and thick alkaline basalt and hialoclastite. This unit yields Buchia piochii, B. tenuicollis, B. fisheriana, B. ex gr. volgensis, and Thracia sp. indet., indicating an early Berriasian[4], but Buchia piochii, B. tenuicollis and B. ― fisheriana could be as early as Late Jurassic[8,21 23,30,31]. The claystone-siltstone unit consists of claystonesiltstone and siltstone. It is exposed in the Podkhorenok-Matai and Anyui-Tormasu interfluves, where Buchia ex gr. fischeriana, B. cf. pacifica, B. ex gr. keyserlingi, Buchia sp. indet and Corbicula sp. are recorded[4]. Buchia pacifica and B. keyserlingi are the index of latest Berriasian-early Valaginian in the Northern ― Hemisphere[8,21 23,30,31]. The sandy unit is composed of sandstone, locally with conglomerate. It yields bivalves Corbicula sp., Buchia cf. keyserlingi, B. uncitoides, B. solida, Pleuronya cf. peregrine, along with plant remains such as Onychiopsis psilotoides, Nilssonia cf. schmidtii, and Podozamites ex gr. lanceolatus[4]. Buchia uncitoides commonly occurs in the middle Berriasian, but B. keyserlingi is an indicator of early Valanginian in the Northern Hemisp― here[8,21 23,30,31]. Therefore, this unit spans middle Berriasian-lower Valaginian on the basis of the fossil association. Given the underlying latest Berriasian-early Valanginian formation (see above), sandy unit is most probably Valanginian, and more likely late Valanginian. 2.3.2 Hauterivian/Barremian-Albian (1) Assikaevka Formation. The Assikaevka Formation is very developed and well exposed in the Assikaevka river basin, in the northeastern side of Bikin River and in the vicinity of the Vyazemsk railway station, extending northeastwards. The formation unconformably rests on the Upper Triassic and Triassic-Jurassic volcanic siliceous-terrigenous strata of the accretionary complex. The most complete section with abundant fauna and flora is located in the Assikaevka river basin, where the Assikaevka Formation is subdivided into three members[4]. The lower member consists of coarse- to fine-grained sandstone, which are often fuffaceous, intercalated with claydstone, including coal lenses (0.2―0.5 m thick) and coaly claydstone, and tuffaceous rhyolite and dacite (in the lower part), with a basal fine-medium pebbly con1884

glomerate. The pebble is composed of mainly siliceous rocks and rare sandstone and effusives. The lower part of the lower member yields plant remains, such as Polypodites cf. verestchaginii, Onychiopsis psilotoides, Coniopteris ex gr. burejensis, Nilssonia ex gr. brogniartii, Ginkgo sp., Elatides asiatica, and faunal remains of bivalves Nuculopsis sp., Entolium sp. indet., E. cf. utukokense, Eumorphotis sp., and Pleuromya sp. indet. The upper part of the member contains bivalves Nucula sp. indet., Isognomon sp., Trapezium (?) sp., Gresslia (?) sp. and Thracia sp. indet., and ammonite Hulenites sp. According to Amel’chenko et al.[5], the fauna above in general indicates only Aptian-Albian age, and the flora is regarded as Aptian amounting 16 species. However, given that the overerlying beds, the middle member of the formation, yields the late Barremian-middle Albian (maily Aptian) index bivalve Aucellina caucasica-Aucellina aptiensis assemblage (see below) and that the bivalves and ammonite come from the upper part of the member, the lower member of Assikaevka Formation could be, therefore, older than Aptian, and even older than late Barremian, extending downwards into the Barremian, even entering the Hauterivian. The middle member occurs conformably on the lower member. It is composed of claydstone with silty and fine-grained sandstone and beds of intercalated sandstone and claystone-siltstone, sometimes micaceous. The sandstones are often tuffaceous. The molluscs are found throughout the section. The lower part of the member yields bivalves Leda sp. indet., Entolium utukokense, Aucellina caucasica, A. cf. aptiensis, A. sp. indet., Pleuromya sp. indet. and ammonite Anagaudriceras (?) sp. indet. The middle part contains bivalves Nucula sp., Entolium utukoense, Aucellina aptiensis, A. caucasica, A. anthulai, Thracia sp., Pleuromya sp., Nucula sp. indet., Entolium sp. indet., Aucellina cf. caucasica occur in the upper part. Aucellina caucasica and A. aptiensis are two indicative bivalves of the latest middle Barremian or late Barremian-middle Albian (mainly Aptian) in the North― ern Hemisphere[1,2,8,9,21 23,43]. The middle member of Assikaevka Formation is, therefore, mainly Aptian. The upper member conformably lies on the middle member. It is mostly sandy, comprising fine-grained massive or horizontally-bedded arkosic sandstone with a number of claystone and silty sandstone beds. This part of the member contains plant megafossils and bivalves.


The lower part yields bivalves Thracia ex gr. sanctaecrucis, Entolium sp. indet., Aucellina cf. caucasica, the middle part contains Entolium utukokense, Mactromya sp., Pleuromya cf. kelleri, and the upper part yields Leda sp., Entolium utukokense, Aucellina caucasica Inoceramus ex gr. altifluminis, Mactromya sp., Homomya sp. indet., Thracia cf. stelcki, and Gresslya (?) sp. This bivalve assemblage is almost identical to the previous one. Inoceramus ex gr. altifluminis may suggest (at least the upper part of the upper member) a middle Albian age[4]. About 40 species were recognized from the floral assemblage in the upper member. The presence of the representatives of the genera Asplenium, Birisia, Osmunda, Sequoia and Torreyites, together with the first occurrence of dicotyledonous Sapindopsis, Laurophyllum, Nissidium, and Onoana suggests the age of the enclosed rocks as middle Albian[5]. There is, however, no typical Inoceramus altifluminis, and the presence of mainly Aptian Aucellina caucasica implies that both the fauna and flora from the middle member could be Aptian. Furthermore, the underlying mainly Aptian middle member of Assikaevka Formation considered, the upper member is mainly Aptian-Early Albian in age. In other sections, it is impossible to divide the Assikaevka Formation into members as the strata of the formation are only fragmently exposed. However, besides the fauna mentioned above, an ammonite, Eogaudryceras (Eotetragonites) duvalianus, was recognized in the concretions from incomplete sections of the Assikaevka Formation. This ammonite is the most common in Ap― tian-lower Albian deposits[66 68], identical to the age conclusion based on Aucellina above. To sum up, based on the faunal and floral assemblages, the middle and upper Assikaevka Formation is defined as late Barremian/Aptian-early Albian in age, and the lower member could be Barremian, even probably as early as Hauterivian. (2) Strelnikov and Alchan formations. The best-studied and complete section of Strelnikov Formation is located in the Strelnikov Ridge, where the formation is subdivided into two members. The lower member consists of a series of sandstones, including siltstone and silty tuffsandstones intercalated with two andesite beds. Bivalves Astarte ex gr. portana, Pleuromya sikkani, Isognomon sp. indet., Thracia sp., and ammonite Anagaudryceras (?) sp. indet. were recorded from this member. The upper member is composed of frequently alter-

nating sandstone, conglomerate, and silty claystone beds with conglomerate lenses. An ammonite species, Grycia pereziana was reported from the middle part of the member. Species of Granticeras and Gastroplitinae along with gastropods and flora were obtained from other sections of the formation outside the Strelnikov Ridge. The age of the formation is dated as middle/late Albian[4]. The Alchan Formation is predominated by volcanogenic rocks, sharply different from the underlying formation dominated by marine deposits. It is widely distributed, particularly in the southern and eastern West Sikhote-Alin zone and subdivided into two members. The lower is dominated by acid volcanite with tuffite and tuffstone interbeds. Numerous middle Albian plant remains were reported throughout the member. Among them typical middle Albian members include Cladophlebis frigula, Asplenium (Anemia) dicksonianum, Gleichenites porsildii, Alsophilites nipponensis, Onychiopsis psilotoides, Coniopteris (Birisia) onychioides, Ginkgo ex gr. adiantoides, Athrotaxopsis expansa, Athrotaxites berryi, Elatides asiatica, E. ex gr. curvifolia, Torreya nicanica, and Nilssonia nicanica[4,5]. The upper member is composed of andesite and tuff. It yields numerous plant megafossils (about 165 species of flora were recognized from 25 localities[4,5]), and spores and pollen grains. The plant fossils could be distinctly separated into two levels: the lower one yielding no angiosperms and the upper one containing angiosperms. In general, this member is marked by angiosperms, including Sapindopsis brevifolia, S. magnifolia, Sassafras ussuriensis, Vitiphyllum (Cissites) parvifolium; gymnospermous, such as Sagenopteris mantellii, S. variabilis, Athrotaxopsis expansa, P. tenuinervis, Sequoia reichenbachii, Nilssonia canadensis, Torreya nicanica, Ginkgo pluripartita, Brachyphyllum japonicumi, Zamiopsis dentate; and ferns, including Onychiopsis psilotoides, Asplenium (Anemia) dicksonianum, Coniopteris. (Birasia) onychioides, Alsophillites (Cyathea) nipponensis, Cladophlebis trigida, Arctopteris obtusipinnatus, Adiantopteris sewardii (Yabe), and Dicksonia concinna. This flora is dated as late Albian in age. Krassilov and Shorokhova[69] argued that the whole Alchan Formation is late Albian, and suggested that the accumulation of the formation was completed at the earliest Cenomanian, which is only based on an imprint of Metasequoia cuneata, an indicatior of the Cenomanian.


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3 Correlations On the basis of the fossil lists in the various formations above, two distinct biostratigraphic levels having a global distribution are recognized: uppermost upper Tithonian (= uppermost middle Volgian)-Valanginian indicated by three Buchia assemblages and upper Barremian/Aptian-Albian with index buchiid bivalve Aucellina in both the Russian and Chinese parts of SanjiangMiddle Amur basin, though some samples are needed to be checked in detail. (1) Uppermost Tithonian (= uppermost middle Volgian)-lower Berriasian (including upper Volgian) Buchia fischeriana assemblage. It is contained in the lower Dong’anzhen Formation of Dong’an area (Figure 2, column 1), upper Dongrong Formation of Suibin-Jixian area (Figure 2, column 2), Padali Formation of Badzhal-Gorin zone (Figure 2, column 8) and Ulitka unit of West Sikhote-Alin zone (Figure 2, column 9). (2) Upper Berriasian Buchia volgensis assemblage. This assemblage is yielded from the lower Dong’anzhen Formation of Dong’an area (Figure 2, column 1) and Golin Formation of Badzhal-Gorin zone (Figure 2, column 8). (3) Valangian Buchia keserlingi-Buchia inflata-Buchi pacifica assemblage. It is distributed in the upper Dong’anzhen Formation of Dong’an area (Figure 2, column 1), Pioner and Pivan formations of BadzhalGorin zone (Figure 2, column 8) and Sandy unit of West Sikhote-Alin zone (Figure 2, column 9). (4) Upper Barremian-middle Albian Aucellina caucasica-Aucellina aptiensis assemblage. Aucellina caucasica-Aucellina aptiensis assemblage is distributed in the Dajiashan and Baiheshan formations of Zhenbaodao-Dajiashan-Xiaomuhe area (Figure 2, column 3), Yunshan Formation of Yunshan-Longzhaogou-PeideZhushan area (Figure 2, column 4), Chengzihe Formation of Jixi basin (Figure 2, column 5), and middle-upper members of Assikaevka Formation of West Sikhote-Alin zone (Figure 2, column 9). The recognition of such globally distributed buchiid assemblages not only results in that the buchiid-bearing formations/units are well correlated, establishing the stratigraphic correlation frame of uppermost Tithonian/Berriasian-middle Albian in Sanjiang-Middle Armur basin, but also enables the precise age determination of the formations below and above these horizons, and especially of the volcanites and coal-bearing conti1886

nental formations. The Suibin Formation of Suibin-Jixian area (Figure 2, column 2), Ulbin Formation of Badzhal-Gorin zone (Figure 2, column 8) and the siliceous unit of West Sikhote-Alin zone (Figure 2, column 9) were confirmed as Callovian and Upper Jurassic respectively by dianoflagellate cysts in China and radiolarians in Russia. The base of Dong’anzhen Formation of Dong’an area (Figure 2, column 1) is confirmed as upper Tithonian by Buchia assemblage, the lower and middle Dongrong Formation of Suibin-Jixian area (Figure 2, column 2) is Oxfordian-Tithonian on the basis of Buchia and dinoflagellate assemblages, and the upper part ranges from uppermost Tithonian (= uppermost middle Volgian)-lower Beriasian (including upper Volgian) to Valnaginian as it contains uppermost Tithonian–lower Beriasian Buchia fischeriana (see above) and Kimmeridgian-Barremian dinoflagellate cysts. Silinka Formation of Badzhal-Gorin zone (Figure 2, column 8) is Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian indicated by radiolarians and siliceous-clay unit of West Sikhote-Alin zone (Figure 2, column 9) is approved an age ranging from Oxfordian to Tithonian also by radiolarians . The ammonites and bivalves, and the overlying Yunshan Formation containing the upper Barremian-middle Albian Aucellina assemblage all indicate a Barremian age for the Qihulin Formation of YunshanLongzhaogou-Peide area (Figure 2, column 4), though some Russian paleontologists[4] have a different opinion, arguing that the Qihulin Formation is Aptian-early Albian age. On the basis of dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, the Xiaomuhe Formation of Dajiashan area (Figure 2, column 3) is Barremian-Aptian in age, but the Upper part of Didao Formation of Jixi basin (Figure 2, column 5) is Hauterivian-Barremian (mainly Barremian). The terrigenous unit of Bira-Beloyan zone (Figure 2, column 7) is assigned as Barremian (probably entering Hauterivian). The Kamenushka Formation of Bira-Beloyan zone (Figure 2, column 7) was dated as Berriasian-early Hauterivian by the plant megafossils. The Peide Formation of Jixi-Boli basin (Figure 2, colum 4) yielding plant megafossils, Nandatashan Formation composed of volcanic rocks of Zhenbaodao-Dajiashan-Xiaomuhe area (Figure 2, column 7) and mostly Didao Formation of both Suibin-Puyang-Jixian-Shuanghua (Figure 2, column 2) and Jixi-Boli-Muling (Figure 2, column 5) areas are assumed as mainly Hauterivian as they are discon-


formably/conformably underlying the Barremian or mainy Barremian formations. There are some arguments on the age of Gornoprotoka Formation, which is 1000―2000 m thick, and Assikaevka Formation of Russia (Figure 2, columns 8 and 9), In the state geological map of the Russian Federation[56], the Gornoprotoka Formation was dated as Aptian on the basis of bivalve Inocerams and plant megafossils. However, according to the fossil list in the explanatory note to the map, all the so-called Aptian taxa of Inocerams are affinis, conformis, and ex grege species. It is, therefore, suggested that the Gornoprotoka Formation could be as old as Hauterivian[55]. The Assi― kaevka Formation was dated as Aptian-Albian[5,66 68]. There is no index fossil record in the lower member (760 m thick) of the formation. However, both the middle and upper members yield the late Barremian-middle Albian index bivalve Aucellina caucasica-Aucellina aptiensis assemblage, indicating the Assikaevka Formation could include Barremian and even part of Hauterivian deposits (see above). On the basis of dinoflagellate cyst assemblages and bivalves, the Muling Formation of the areas of SuibinJixian-Puyang-Shuangyashan-Shuanghua and Jixi-BoliMuling (Figure 2, columns 2 and 5) and Zhushan Formation of Yunshan-Longzhaogou-Peide-Zhusha area (Figure 2, column 4) are mainly Aptian, probably extending upwards into Albian. The Dumuhe Formation of Zhenbaodao-Dajiashan-Xiaomuhe area (Figure 2, column 3) is assigned to correspond to these two formations. Chronologically, the Chengzihe Formation of SuibinPuyang-Jixian-Shuangyashan-Shuanghua area (Figure 2, column 2) could be correlated with the Chengzihe Formation of Jixi-Boli-Muling basin (Figure 2, column 5) and Yunshan Formation of Yunshan-LongzhaogouPeide-Zhushan area (Figure 2, column 4), since the formation contains mainly Aptian dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. The Dongdaling Formation of Xingfu area 1 2

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Sha J G. Discovery of Aucellina (Bivalvia) in eastern Heilongjiang (in Chinese with English abstract). J Stratigr, 1990, 14: 226－230 Sha J G, Fürsich F T, Grant-Mackie J A. A revised Early Cretaceous age for the Longzhaogou and Jixi groups of eastern Heilongjiang, China, previously considered Jurassic: Palaeogeographic implications. Newslet Stratigr, 1994, 31: 101－114 Kirillova G L, Liu Z J, Wang S M, et al. Stratigraphic correlation of the Upper Mesozoic-Cenozoic sequences of the Middle Amur

(Figure 2, column 6) yields Sphaerioides yixianensis (= Tetori? yixianensis), which is associated with Arguniella in western Liaoning, and that is also recorded from the mainly Aptian Chengzihe Formation. The Dongdaling Formation is, therefore, assumed as mainly Aptian and to roughly correspond to the Chengzihe and Muling formations (Figure 2, columns 2, 5). Although there is no fossil record from the Bolshechurki and Shchuki-Poktoy units of Bire-Beloyan zone (Figure 2, column 7), their radiometric age, 112 Ma, indicates the formation is formed around the Aptian-Albian boundary. The overlying Albian-Cenomanian Bira Formation however, probably implies that the two units are mainly Aptian. Huashan Group of China (Figure 2, columns 1―6), the Bira Formation of Bira-Belonyan zone (Figure 2, column 7), and Strelnikov and Alchan formations of West Sikhote-Alin zone of Russia (Figure 2, column 9) are assigned as Albian, probably as late as early Cenomanian, mainly based on the plant megafossils and non-marine bivalves including Trigonioides. Except for the areas of Dong’an and Suibin-Jixian (Figure 2, columns 1 and 2), Upper Jurassic-Valanginian, and probably part of Hauterivian is absent in northeastern Heilongjiang (Figure 2, columns 3―5). In BiraBeloyan zone (Figure 2, column 7) there are no record of Upper Jurassic and probably most of Hauterivian. Part of Hauterivian is absent from the zones of BadzhalGorin and West Sikhote-Alin (Figure 2, columns 8 and 9), which has been discussed above. A correlation chart of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of the Sanjiang-Middle Amur basin could, therefore, be established (Figure 2). The Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous records some significant tectonic, paleogeographic and, coal and oil formation events, which will be discussed elsewhere. We thank Vivi Vajda (Lund University) for critically reading the manuscript.

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(Sangjiang) sedimentary basin. Geol Pacific Ocean, 1997, 13: 1081 －1109 Markevich P V, Konovalov V P, Malinovsky A I, et al, eds. Lower Cretaceous Deposits of Sikhote-Alin (in Russian with English abstract). Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2000 Amel’chenko G L, Golozoubov V V, Volynets E B, et al. Stratigraphy of the Alchansky Cretaceous epicontinental basin, West Sikhote-Alin (in Russian with English abstract). Tikhookeanskaya


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