Early Miocene silicified limestone from Temma, northwestern Tasmania: further evidence of substantial post-Early Miocene uplift or tilting of Tasmania

Silicified shallow-water Early Miocene (Longfordian) marine limestone occurs in altitudes to over 160m, 12km east of Temma in northwestern Tasmania, the highest elevation known to date for rocks of this age and environment of deposition. Age and environmental data are provided by Foraminifera, calcareous algae and poorly preserved macrofauna. Mode of silicification of Foraminifera varies systematically between suborders - miliolids and agglutinated species as internal moulds, nodosariids, rotaliids and cibicidids as vohune-for-volume replacements. Foraminifera are benthic only. Miliolids dominate but preservation is too poor to allow statistically valid analysis. The locality provides only the second occurrence of Tenisonina tasmaniae Quilty, and, for the first time, it occurs with Sherbornina atkinsoni Chapman.