2004 Denver Annual Meeting (November 7–10, 2004)

Paper No. 29
Presentation Time: 1:30 PM-5:30 PM

OSTRACODE ASSEMBLAGES WITHIN THE MURRAY CANYON SYSTEM, OFFSHORE KANGAROO ISLAND, AUSTRALIA


WRIGHTSMAN, Brian K.1, THOMAS, Jellinek2, RATHBURN, Anthony E.1, KLUESNER, Jared1, ADAMIC, Jessica1, SWANSON, Kerry3 and DEDEKKER, Patrick4, (1)Geography, Geology, and Anthropology, Indiana State Univ, Science Building 159, Terre Haute, IN 47809, (2)Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany, (3)Geological Sciences, Univ of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Cristchurch, New Zealand, (4)Deparment of Geology, Australian National Univ, Canberra ACT, Australia, bwrightsman@indstate.edu

Ostracode assemblages were examined from sediment cores taken from the Murray Submarine Canyon System on the eastern edge of the Great Australian Bight. This study is a part of ongoing international research to assess the biology, geology, and paleoceanography of the region. Ostracode assemblages from the >150 micron fraction in the uppermost(0-1cm)sediment interval are similar between cores taken in water depths of 1634m and 2476m. Samples from these depths have high abundances and relatively high diversities. Three common taxa(Bairdia, 'Leptocythere',and Krithe)showed appricabledifferences between sites. Through the examination of modern ostracode assemblages at this site, we hope to gain insight into the ecology and taxonomy of ostracodes living in the region. Significantly, well-preserved valves of littoral taxa have also been recovered from these assemblages. These results will be used as modern analog information to assess paleoceanographic conditins from the fossil record.