Umm Irna Formation Explained

Umm Irna Formation
Prilithology:Claystone, siltstone, sandstone
Type:Geological formation
Extent:Several exposures along the eastern Dead Sea coast
Country: Jordan
Period:Lopingian
Thickness:60-
Overlies:Unconformity with Umm Ishrin Sandstone
Underlies:Ma'in Formation
Thickness Ts:63m (207feet)
Location Ts:Wadi Himara
Year Ts:1981
Namedby:Bandel & Khoury

The Umm Irna Formation is a geological formation in Jordan. It is found in several outcrops in Jordan in the area around the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. It is Late Permian (likely Changhsingian) in age, and is the oldest unit in the succession, overlying the Cambrian aged Umm Ishrin Sandstone Formation. The formation predominantly consists of sandstones, claystones and mudstones deposited in fluvial and lacustrine conditions.[1] The formation is of considerable paleobotanical interest, as it preserves the earliest known remains of plant groups that would become widespread during the Mesozoic, including corystosperm "seed ferns", represented by the widespread Triassic genus Dicroidium, cycads (cf. Ctenis), conifers (which were originally suggested to be podocarps, but this was later questioned[2]), as well as Bennettitales.[3] Other plant groups present in the formation include Noeggerathiales, gigantopterids, lyginopterids and possible ginkgophytes.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Stephenson. Michael H.. Powell. John H.. 2013-07-01. Palynology and alluvial architecture in the Permian Umm Irna Formation, Dead Sea, Jordan. GeoArabia. en. 18. 3. 17–60. 10.2113/geoarabia180317 . 2013GeoAr..18...17S . 140176430 . 1025-6059. free.
  2. Andruchow-Colombo . Ana . Escapa . Ignacio H . Aagesen . Lone . Matsunaga . Kelly K S . 2023-08-04 . In search of lost time: tracing the fossil diversity of Podocarpaceae through the ages . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society . 203 . 4 . 315–336 . en . 10.1093/botlinnean/boad027 . 0024-4074. 11336/227952 . free .
  3. Blomenkemper. Patrick. Kerp. Hans. Hamad. Abdalla Abu. DiMichele. William A.. Bomfleur. Benjamin. 2018-12-21. A hidden cradle of plant evolution in Permian tropical lowlands. Science. en. 362. 6421. 1414–1416. 10.1126/science.aau4061. 0036-8075. 30573628. 2018Sci...362.1414B . free.
  4. Zavialova. Natalia. Blomenkemper. Patrick. Kerp. Hans. Hamad. Abdalla Abu. Bomfleur. Benjamin. 2021-03-04. A lyginopterid pollen organ from the upper Permian of the Dead Sea region. Grana. en. 60. 2. 81–96. 10.1080/00173134.2020.1772360. 2021Grana..60...81Z . 224931916 . 0017-3134.