Upper Cretaceous

The fouling of skeletons and shells of benthic organisms and the formation of multi-tiered skeletal formations are characteristic of carbonate-producing Porifera, which participated in the structure of reef communities during the Phanerozoic. The accretion of flint sponges, Hexactinellidas, to the solid elements of the substrate is a little-known phenomenon, since many representatives of this group were fixed on the sediment surface by rhizoid outgrowths.

Preserved oriented samples from the reference Campanian–Maastrichtian section near Levashi village (Dagestan), sampled in 1990 by the staff of the SSU Research Institute of Geology, were studied in terms of rock magnetism and paleomagnetism. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages and calcareous microproblematica (gilianelles) were identified in selected samples, and layers with fauna were distinguished. Thin sections were made from a number of samples for microscopic examination of rocks.

The description of the representatives of the genus Labyrintholites is presented. The type species of the genus was published I. F. Sinzov in 1879. The considerable amount of the fossil material from the Santonian rocks found in the Saratov Volga Region has made it possible to substantiate the diagnosis of this genus within the order Hexactinosa and to present its taxonomic diversity within eight species. Among the Hexactinellids, the Labyrintholites are distinguished for their attachment to the substrate solid immobile elements.

The Polyptycha sponges have been registered for the first time in the Upper Cretaceous beds from the Volga Region. The skeletons of those true colonies are peculiar for bushy morphotype complicated by anastomoses of the parent modules at their bending. The systematic position of the genus is disputable. This results from the incomplete understanding of the diverse skeleton morphologies in the Late Cretaceous hexactinellids and, correspondingly, from the lack of any standard criteria as regards the taxa of the “family” and the “genus” levels.

The discovery of a tooth of the cow shark Hexanchus microdon (Ag., 1835) from carbonate deposits of the Karsun Formation in the ‘Krasny Oktyabr’ quarry (Volsk, Saratov Volga River Right Bank) is described. Based on the associated foraminifera complex, the stratigraphic position of the find was determined as Lower Maastrichtian, benthic foraminifera LC20 Falsoplanulina multipunctata Zone. It was calculated that the individual size of the described shark species H. microdon was 153–166 cm.

A representative complex of the Turonian-Santonian carbonate-producing invertebrates has been revealed. It comprised benthic foraminifers, diverse echinoderms, brachiopods, calcareous and siliceous sponges.

The paper presents detailed biostratigraphical division and lithological characteristics of the Turonian-Lower Santonian interval within the compiled Chukhonastovka section. The presence of the Lower Turonian deposits has been ascertained alongside with the unusual structure of the rock interval synchronous to the Lower Santonian “sponge” horizon.

Representatives of the genus Sororistirps, distinguished among the Ventriculites, have been detected in the Santonian – Maastrichtian rocks from the southeast of the Russian Plate. The structures of the skeletons and of the irrigation systems have been considered, the Sororistirps morphogenesis has been traced; the forms characteristic of the Santonian, Campanian and Maastrichtian spongiocomplexes have been determined.

Arterial directions in formation of module organization of skeleton hexactinellids are caused by vegetative forms of reproduction. It is supposed that some tendency of selection of protozoa module forms can be traced in morphogenesis of separate generic types of late Cretaceous sponges. The concept “polyosculumic„ sponges is considered in vast context personally in reference to skeletons with some osculumics formed in the result of partial regeneration of organism

In the course of this work we cast the light on the state of research of the Late Cretaceous sea urchins in the Volga region as well as the development of ideas about their distribution in the rocks of the Upper Cretaceous in the region. Resources used in the research include studies about this group of invertebrates since the beginning of the XIX century up to the present day. It was estab­lished that the vast majority of publications consist of fragmentary information containing mentions of echinoderm remnants findings.