GEOLOGIJA 26, 109—115 (1983), Ljubljana
IJDK 56.02:551.735(497.12) = 20
A new contribution on the Gzhelian trilobites in the
western Karavanke Mountains
Nov prispevek o gželijskih trilobitih v zahodnih Karavankah
Gerhard Hahn and Renate Hahn
Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften der
Philipps-Universität, Universitätsgebiet Lahnberge, D-3550 Marburg
Anton Ramovš
Katedra za geologijo in palenotologijo, univerza Edvarda Kardelja,
61000 Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12
Abstract
In the new very rich finding place called Na visokih, western Kara-
vanke Mountains, containing the Upper Carboniferous fossils, six taxons
of trilobites have been found; three of them: Pseudophillipsia (Carni-
phillipsia) semicircular is "Kahn & Hahn, 1977, Ps. (C.) Uparoides Hahn &
Hahn. 1977, and Paladin (Kaskia) sp. give new morphological information
to the descriptions given in Hahn, Hahn & Ramovš, 1977 and
Hahn, Hahn & Ramovš, 1981. They are additionally described
in the present study.
Kratka vsebina
V zelo bogatem zgornjekarbonskem najdišču fosilov Na visokih je bilo
najdenih tudi šest trilobitnih taksonov; med njimi so trije — Pseudo-
phillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis Hahn & Hahn, 1977, Ps. (C.)
Uparoides Hahn & Hahn, 1977 in Paladin (Kaskia) sp. — ki dajejo nove
morfološke informacije k prejšnjim opisom v delih Hahn, Hahn &
Ramovš, 1977 in Hahn, Hahn & Ramovš, 1981. Ti taksoni so
dodatno opisani v tem delu.
Biostratigraphy of the locality Na visokih
Jože Bedič, from the town of Jesenice, has discovered a new very
rich finding place containing the Upper Carboniferous fossils (Gzhelian stage,
fig. 1). The finding place was uncovered by the new forest road which leads
from the village Dovje northeastwards to the place called Na visokih. The fossils
occur in a stratum of clayey marl about two metres thick which lies within
110	Gerhard Hahn, Renate Hahn & Anton Ramovš
gray quartz sandstones that contain poorly preserved plant remains. In spite
of the fact that this is the richest finding place of Gzhelian fossils in the area
of the western Karavanke Mountains, we can find the trilobites only rarely
among them, in fact, as regards the trilobite remains, this is one of their
most meagre finding places. Nevertheless six taxons have been found here:
three among them give new morphological information on the interesting
trilobite fauna of the western Karavanke Mountains; for this reason they are
additionally described in the present study.
The fossiliferous clayey marl consists of thicker or thinner sheets; when
fresh, it is of darkly gray colour, when mouldered, it is brownish. The fossils
are sparser in the more sandy parts of the marl. In the middle of these sheets,
which are about 12 cm thick, we can frequently find a very hard bluish gray
limestone.
Among the fossils brachiopods are predominant; most numerous are Spiri-
feridae and Martiniidae; very frequent are Marginiferinae, especially Kozlow-
skia and Karavankininae {Karavankina praepermica). Furthermore, there are
many samples of Meekellidae, while the large samples of the genera Enteletes
and Orthothetes expansum can only very rarely be found. As a characteristics
of the brachiopod fauna from this finding place we may point out the complete
X Finding place - Nahajališče
Fig. 1. Location sketch map of the finding place Na visokih con-
taining very rich Gzhelian fossils
SI. 1. Položajna skica najdišča Na visokih s številnimi gželijskimi
fosili
A new contribution on the Gzhelian trilobites in the western Karavanke	3
absence of Chonetidae which, however, are rather frequent in several other
finding places. Further, it is typical that the genera Echinoconchus and Echinaria
are not present among this brachiopod fauna.
In the finding place Na visokih the lamellibranchs are comparatively rare;
still they are here an important faunal element with some very characteristic
forms. One can also find here gastropods and cephalopods.
A special characteristics of this finding place are the large solitary corals
which can reach a length of even more than 10 cm. In some strata corals only
can be found. They stand close one to the other, in the position as they had
lived, and represent thin coral biostromes. In some other sheets the numerous
corals are accompanied by individual brachiopods and branching bryozoa. So
far this is the only finding place with coral biostromes; in all other finding
places the solitary corals occur only singly. A little more numerous they are
only in the finding place Crni vrh 2.
An other important characteristics of this finding place are algal biostromes
that can be found in individual strata of marly limestone that are about 12 cm
thick. The alga Anthraco por ella is rock building, besides it there are very few
other fossil remains.
A further characteristic of this place is the fact that the crinoids are here
very rare, while in the majority of other Upper Carboniferous finding places
from the western part of the Karavanke Mountains they are very frequent.
Besides individual large non-segmented sponges we can find also small segment-
ed sponges of various forms. Finally we may mention as a characteristics of
this finding place the absence of the fusulinid Rugofusulina alpina antiqua,
a typical microfossil in the Gzhelian strata of the western Karavanke Mountains.
All this fossil material from the new finding place corresponds in age to
other Gzhelian finding places in the western Karavanke Mountains; it shows
the most favourable biological conditions in the shallow marine environ-
ment. Only here favourable conditions existed for the growth of coral and
algal biostromes.
Systematic Palaeontology
The new outcrop Na visokih has brought to light remains of 6 trilobite taxa:
Paladin (Kaskia) bedici Hahn & Hahn. 1977, Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia)
semicircularis savensis Hahn & Hahn, 1977, Ps. (C.) rakoveci Gauri, 1965, Ps. (C.)
liparoides Hahn & Hahn, 1977, Ps. (C.) sp. Hahn & Hahn, 1977 and Paladin
(Kaskia) sp. With the exception of the last named taxon, none of the remaining
species and subspecies is new; they all are known from Spodnja počivala 1
and 3, Savske jame 2 or Planina pod Golico 2. With that, by help of trilobites,
the Gzhelian age of Na visokih outcrop is proved. The cephalopod faunas of
all these outcrops in the region of Jesenice are described in Kullmann &
Ramovš, 1980.
Only the new remains of Ps. (C.) semicircularis savensis, Ps. (C.) liparoides
and Paladin (Kaskia) sp. add new morphological information to the descriptions
given inHahn,Hahn&Ramovš, 1977 and Hahn,Hahn&Ramovs,
1981. Therefore, only these taxa are treated in the following section.
112	Gerhard Hahn, Renate Hahn & Anton Ramovš
Family Phillipsiidae (Gehlert, 1886) Hahn, Hahn & Brauckmann, 1980
Subfamily Ditomopyginae Hupé, 1953
Pseudophillipsia Gemmelaro, 1892
Pseudophillipsia {Carniphillipsia) G. Hahn & Brauckmann, 1975
Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis Gauri, 1965
Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis savensis Hahn & Hahn, 1977
PL 1, fig. 4
*1977 Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis savensis Hahn & Hahn
in Hahn, Hahn & Ramovš, Trii. Ober-Karbon Slowenien: 147 bis
148, pl. 2, figs. 15 a—b, text-figs. 3 d, 5 a—b.
1981	Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis savensis. — Hahn,
Hahn&Ramovš, Neue Trilobitenfunde: Tab. 1.
1982	Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis savensis. — Hahn,
Hahn&Brauckmann, Cat. Foss. Austriae: 63.
Hitherto, from this subspecies only the holotype, a cranidium from Spodnja
počivala 1, was known. Now a nearly complete, slightly distorted specimen,
no. 827, from Na visokih is present. It allows to give the description of thorax
and pygidium. Its systematic position is proved by the unique shape of the
glabella (very broad between ß-ß, quickly narrowed posteriorly), which is
distinguishing Ps. (C.) semicircularis so.vensis.
In no. 827, the left free cheek is missing, the right free cheek is distorted.
The proximal portion of the right genal spine is preserved. It is very broad in
that region, and therefore the complete spine was probably rather long, perhaps
reaching to the end of the thorax. The thorax is composed of 9 segments, as
usually seen in the Phillipsiidae. The pygidium, somewhat distorted, is slightly
broader than long. Its rhachis is composed of about 20 rings, the last rings
being vestigial. Each ring is decorated with 2 nodes, quite similar as in Ph.
(C.) rakoveci (see Hahn, Hahn&Ramovš 1977: pl. 2, fig. 19). The pleural
field has 9—10 ribs; only the anterior 5—6 ribs are well pronounced. The border
is broad, as far as visible, a border furrow is present. The specimen is about
30 mm long. Cephalon, thorax and pygidium are about equal in length.
By the characters of the pygidium, Ps. (C.) semicircularis savensis is very
similar to Ps. (C.) rakoveci. These similarities refer to the shape of the pygidium,
number of rings and ribs, and especially to the nodes being present on the
rings. If our conjecture can be proved in future, that also the genal spines of
savensis are nearly as long as in rakoveci, then savensis should be grouped
(on subspecific level) better with Ps. (C.) rakoveci than with Ps. (C.) semicir-
cularis. Then, the main difference between the true rakoveci and savensis is the
breadth of the glabella in its anterior portion.
Pseudophillipsia {Carniphillipsia) Uparoides Hahn & Hahn, 1977
Pl. 1, figs. 1—3
*1977 Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) Uparoides Hahn & Hahn in Hahn,
Hahn&Ramovš, Trii, Ober-Karbon Slowenien: 149—152, pl. 1, figs.
4—6, text-fig. 7, tab. 1—2.
A new contribution on the Gzhelian trilobites in the western Karavanke	113
1981	Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) liparoides. — Hahn, Hahn&Ra-
m o V Š , Neue Trilobitenfunde: tab. 1.
1982	Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) liparoides. — Hahn, Hahn&Brauck-
mann, Cat. Foss. Austriae: 59—60.
Hitherto, from this species 1 cranidium and 3 isolated pygidia were known,
found in Savske jame 2. Now, from Na visokih 4 new specimens can be added:
no. 826 a, a complete carapax (pi. 1, fig. 3); no 826 b, a thorax with pygidium;
no. 828, the posterior part of the thorax with pygidium (pi. 1, fig. 2) and no. 817,
a cranidium (pi. 1, fig. 1). It is proved by these new specimens that the 3 pygidia
grouped in 1977 with the holotype cranidium are in fact parts of the same
species, liparoides. Moreover, the morphology of the free cheeks can be added,
and also the thorax is knov/n. The most important taxonomic features of
liparoides — the sloping anterior border of the cranidium, the shape of the
palpebral lobes, the structure of the pygidium, and the very slender shape
of all parts of the carapax — are fully expressed in the new specimens.
In one feature both the new cranidia differ from the holotype: the lateral
praeoccipital lobes as well as the medial praeoccipital lobe are much better
pronounced. Apparently, the holotype cranidium has become somewhat distorted
in that region post mortem. In no. 826 a and in no. 817 the medial praeoccipital
lobe is node-like in shape, nearly as long as broad, and as high as the glabella
in its posterior region. The furrow between the medial praeoccipital lobe and
the glabella is well incised; even better incised are the lateral furrows on each
side against the lateral praeoccipital lobe (L 1). These are longer than broad,
anteriorly pointed, posteriorly somewhat broadened. The occipital furrow is
deeply incised, straight medially, but somewhat curved back laterally on each
side behind L 1.
The free cheeks are long and slender, the same as the whole animal. The
eyes are relatively long — as in Paladin (Kaskia) bedici: see Hahn, Hahn&
Ramovš 1977: text-fig. 2 —, a broad eye-furrow is present. From the region
of the eye, the cheek bends steeply downwards to the broad border which is
oriented almost horizontally and separated by a well incised border furrow.
Anteriorly, the border region is covered by the glabella which is expanded
to the anterior rim of the cephalon. The genal spine is medium in length and
pointed; it extends to the sixth segment of the thorax.
The thorax is composed of 9 segments. It is long and slender, the outer
parts of the pleurae are steeply bent downwards. The new pygidia have 18 rings
and (as far as visible) 9—10 ribs on each pleural field. Their quotient breadth:
length is 0, 8—0, 9. In these respects they fit very well with the pygidia described
in 1977. The complete specimen no. 826 a is 29 mm in length, the pygidium
no. 828 is 12,5 mm in length, and the cranidium no. 817 is 13 mm in length.
The cephalon and the pygidium of liparoides are of about the same length,
the thorax is somewhat shorter.
The relationships of Ps. (C.) liparoides, as discussed by us in 1977:151—152,
are not altered by knowledge of the new specimens.
8 — Geologija 26
114	Gerhard Hahn, Renate Hahn & Anton Ramovš
Paladin (Kaslúá) sp.
PL 1, fig. 5
One pygidium, no. 829, is very short and broad, differing in this respect
from most of the other Ditomopyginae know^n from the south Eastern Alps. Its
length is 11 mm, its breadth is 17 mm, its quotient breadth: length is 1,55. Only
Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) sp. Hahn, Hahn&Ramovš, 1977: pL
1, fig. 10 shows a similar shape. The new pygidium has 15—16 rings (the po-
sterior rings are only shadowy visible) and 9—10 ribs on each pleural field.
The border region is broken and not preserved. In number of rings and ribs
and also in their structure this pygidium resembles those of P. (K.) bedici as
seen in Hahn, Hahn&Ramovš 1977: pL 2, figs. 11—13. The rhachis
is rounded in cross-section. The rings have no nodes, and the anterior and
posterior branches of the ribs sprawl against the border. But, also if broadening
by post mortem compression is taken into consideration, no. 829 differs too
much in shape from that of h edici to be grouped with this species. Therefore,
it is named here in open nomenclature as »Paladin (Kaskia) sp.«.
References
Hahn, G., Hahn, R. & Brauckmann, C. 1982, Trilobita. Cat. Foss.
Austriae, österr. Akad. Wiss. Vll/a, 1—148, Vienna.
Hahn, G., Hahn, R. & Ramovš, A. 1977, Trilobiten aus dem Ober-
Karbon (Gshelium) der Karawanken/Slowenien. Geologica et Palaeontologica, 11,
135—160, tab. 1—3, pl. 1—2, text-figs. 1—7, Marburg/Lahn.
Hahn, G., Hahn, R. & Ramovš, A. 1981, Neue Trilobitenfunde aus dem
hohen Ober-Karbon (Gshelium) der Karawanken, Slowenien. Palaeontographica, Abt.
A, 175, 4/6, 170—178, tab. 1, pl. 1, text-figs. 1—2, Stuttgart.
Kulimann, J. & Ramovš, A, 1980, Cephalopoden aus dem Oberkarbon
(Gzhelium) und Unterperm der Karawanken. Geologica et Palaeontologica, 14,195—208,
pl. 1—2, text-figs. 1—5, Marburg/Lahn.
Plate 1 — Tabla 1
Trilobites from the Upper Carboniferous (Gselian) of the locality Na visokih, NW
Slovenia
Zgornjekarbonski (gželij) trilobiti iz nahajališča Na visokih, severozahodna Slovenija
Figs. 1—3 — SI. 1—3
Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) Uparoides Hahn & Hahn, X 2,7
1	Cranidium, no. 817
Kranidij, št. vzorca 817
2	Posterior part of thorax and pygidium, no. 828
Zadnji del oprsja in zadek, št. vzorca 828
3	Complete specimen, no. 826 a
Popolni trilobitov skelet, št. vzorca 826 a
Fig. 4 — 81. 4
Pseudophillipsia (Carniphillipsia) semicircularis savensis Hahn & Hahn, X 2,7
Nearly complete specimen, no. 827
Nepopolno ohranjeni primerek, št. vzorca 827
Fig. 5 — SI. 5
Paladin (Kaskia) sp., X 3,3
Pygidium, no. 829
Zadek, št. vzorca 829
A new contribution on the Gzhelian trilobites in the western Karavanke	115