Biota, sedimentology and dating of terrestrial Permian deposits in the Dead Sea region, Jordan
Final Report Abstract
Funding was requested for fieldwork in the Dead Sea region, Jordan, to study sedimentary sequences and collect Permian fossils. The Permian of Jordan has yielded excellently preserved plant fossils with superb cuticles. The Um Irna Formation exposed at the eastern side of the Dead Sea contains floral associations with typical Cathaysian and Gondwanan taxa. In recent years several new fossil localities were found that needed to be explored. In March 2015 a wealth of new material, partly with excellently preserved cuticles was collected. As a result, the number of plant taxa known from the Um Irna Formation has doubled; other typical Cathaysian and Gondwanan forms were found. In addition, a fresh-water shark egg capsule, an insect wing and many conchostracans were found; despite intensive searches for tetrapod footprints were not successful. Sedimentary sequences were measured and documented and two new ash beds were found near the top of the Um Irna Formation.
Publications
- New data on a mixed flora from the Permian Um Irna Formation, Dead Sea Region, Jordan – Agora Palaeobotanica, Autun (France), July 2015
Kerp, H. & Abu Hamad, A.
- New data on a mixed flora from the Um Irna Formation, Dead Sea Region, Jordan – 102. Jahrestagung der Paläontogischen Gesellschaft, Schiffweiler- Reden, September 2015
Kerp, H., Abu Hamad, A., Voigt, S., Scholze, F. & Schneider, J.W.
