Lower Permian Unit exposed in the northwestern part of Zwekabin Range, Hpa-an

Township, Kayin State: its palaeogeographic implication

Kyi Pyar Aung

Associate Professor, Department of Geology, Taunggyi University, Shan State (south)
[email protected]

Abstract
The Lower Permian unit is well exposed in the Kya Inn Taung located in the northwestern part of
Zwekabin Range. The unit consists of a sequence of siliciclastic sediments and lime mudstone with abundant
brachiopods, bryozoan and conodonts, etc. The present fauna (Stenoscisma quasimutabilis, Spiriferella salteri,
Spinomartinia prolifica, Martinia sp., Phricodothyris asiatica, Vediproductus punctatiformis, Retimarginifera
alata, Urushtenoidea sp., Stereochia kayaoensi, Spiriferellina sp.) indicate late Early Permian age (Kungurian).
This fossiliferous Lower Permian unit is strongly confirmed that it is the transitional part between the Taungnyo
Group and Moulmein Limestone. It may be correlated with Yinyaw beds of southern Shan State and the
fossiliferous unit from Lebyin area. Although the new data are still continually being obtained, the fauna from
Kya Inn Taung have been used to establish the climatic conditions and reconstructing the palaeogeography
during Permian time.
Keywords: Kya Inn Taung, Brachiopods, Conodonts, Kungurian, Yinyaw beds, Lebyin area

Introduction (1997), Moe Moe Lwin (1998), Thura Oo (1997),

Moe Zet (2006), Ye Yint Aung (2016), etc. The
The Sibumasu Terrane, which consists of
Lower Permian unit is very well exposed at Kya Inn
althochthonous tectonic blocks derived from the
Taung (Pt. 1156), in the northwest part of the
vast paleocontinent of Gondwana, is one of the
Zwekabin Range, Hpa-an Township, Kayin State.
component forming modern SE Asia. The terrane
This unit is between the Taungnyo Group and
geographically occupies parts of China, Myanmar,
Moulmein Limestone. The location and general
western Thailand, western Peninsular Malaysia, and
geological map of the study area and its environs are
northwest Sumatra (Metcalfe, 2011a, 2013).
shown in Fig. (1).
Sibumasu separated from Gondwana in the late
Paleozoic, then drifted north and collided with Objectives
another Gondwana-derived block, the Indochina
The objectives of this study are to discover
Terrane, in the early Mesozoic (Metcalfe, 2011a,
the Lower Permian unit and fauna and correlate with
2013). This terrain formed as a result of separation
others from the neighboring areas on Eastern
and accretion and is characterized by widely
Highlands. Fossil faunal and floral assemblages
distributed Paleozoic peri-continental deposits.
have been used to establish the climatic condition
Myanmar, part of Sibumasu, is a key region for
and the environment of deposition and they play an
understanding the tectonics and palaeogeographic
important role for paleogeographic reconstruction
evolution of Southeast Asia, evolution of Tethyan
during Permian time.
ocean basins and migration of continental terranes
from Gondwana to Asia.
New data are still continually being obtained. Material and Methods
The Permian strata have been studied by several
authors (La Touche, 1913; Pascoe, 1959; The four sections across the Permian strata
were examined in the last year are Lebyin (still need
Brunnschweiler, 1970; Gramann et al., 1972; Amos,
to field work), Yinyaw (Kyi Pyar Aung et al., 2018
1975; Garson et al., 1976; Kyaw Htin Khaing, 2001;
JMGS), Taungnyo Range (still need to identify the
Thura Oo et al, 2002; Zaw Win and Kyaw Htin
fossils) and Kya Inn Taung. Therefore, the only
Khaing, 2006; Than Sein, 2007; Zaw Win, 2009;
Metcalfe and Kyi Pyar Aung, 2014; Kyi Pyar Aung section, Kya Inn Taung will be selected for this
et al., 2012, 2014, 2018a, b; Tin Tin Latt et al., research work. All the fossils collected from Kya
Inn Taung are identified by Shuzhong Shen, School
2014; Aung May Than et al., 2014, 2015; Ohnmar
of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing
Soe Yin et al., 2018, etc). The general correlations
University, China.
with preliminary identification of brachiopods from
Taungnyo Group have been published in Kyaw Min
 Study
Lebyin area
Yinya
w
Kyain Taung
Taungnyo
Range

Fig. 1. A. Sections of Lower Permian unit; B. Geological sketch map and Kyaikto-
Moulmein area showing Wunbye Limestone, Taungnyo Group and north of
Taungnyo Range (From Mitchell, 2018)

Geologic Setting Moulmein Limestone

Taungnyo Group The name 'Moulmein Series' was first applied
by Oldham (1856) to the reddish sandstone, marl
The name “Taungnyo series” is for a rock
and associated massive limestone conspicuously
sequence of sandstones, quartzites, shales and slates
developed in the neighbourhood of Mawlamyine.
exposed along the Taungnyo Range located about
The fossils have been found in the limestones,
two miles southeast of Mawlamyine (formerly
resting upon the clastic sequence of Taungnyo
Moulmein) in Mon State of Myanmar (Leicester,
Group. It is forming isolated rock pillers but
1930). He inferred the age as of Early Carboniferous
distribution is widespread and formerly believed to
simply because of its position below the “Permo-
be Permo-Carboniferous in age. Brunnschweiler
Carboniferous” Moulmein limestone.
(1970) separated out the limestone sequence from
Brunnschweiler (1970) redesignated the series as the
the upper part of Oldham's Moulmein system and
Taungnyo Group. He suggested a sequence of
named as the 'Moulmein Limestone'. On the basis of
sandstone, shale, mudstone and siltstone exposed in
the known fossil evidence (Kyaw Htin Khaing,
the surroundings of Pa-an town and along the
2001; Tin Tin Latt et al., 2014), therefore the rock
northwestern flank of the Zwekabin Range as the
of Moulmein limestone as being of Middle Permian
upper part of the Taungnyo Group.
age, and tentatively they be regarded as the general
On his discovery of some brachiopods equivalent of the Thitsipin Limestone of Shan State.
together with gastropods, ostracods and bryozoans
from the upper part of the sequence at the Zwekabin Results
Range, Brunnschweiler (1970) referred the Lower Permian unit (equivalent to Yinyaw beds)
brachiopod fauna to Late Carboniferous (early This unit is a sequence of shale, mudstone
Pennsylvanian) in age. Unfortunately, he neither and siltstone is well exposed at Kya Inn Taung. This
described nor illustrated the fossils although he sequence is well-stratified and some mudstone is
could give a list of taxa and geologic age estimate also concretionary mudstone (Fig. 2-3). The term
(Zaw Win, 2009). “Lower Permian unit” is now preferred to use
because of its realistic and more complete
descriptions.
 A Kya Inn Taung Zwekabin Taung
Pt. 1156 Pt. 2372

8 9
8
3 4 5 6 7?
?

B
9

10 8
8

6 7
4 5
3 1 km

Fig. 2. A. View of the Kya Inn Taung (Pt. 1156) with Zwekabin Range (Pt. 2372), south of Hpa-an
Township, Kayin State showing the lithologies of Taungnyo Group and Moulmein Limestone; B.
Section across the Kya Inn Taung (pt. 1156) and Zwekabin Taung, south of Hpa-an, Kayin State:
3- Mudstone and siltstone, Taungnyo Group, 4- sandy shale, Taungnyo Group, 5- Pa-an
sandstone, Taungnyo Group, 6- Shale, Taungnyo Group, 7- fossiliferous calcareous sandstone,
Taungnyo Group, 8- bedded biostromal facies of Moulmein Limestone, 9- Reef facies of
Moulmein Limestone, 10- alluvium (Brunnschweiler, 1970)

Fauna and age Stratigraphic correlation

The unit contains fairly abundant fossils The Lower Permian unit from Kya Inn
including, branchiopods, bryozoan, conodonts, Taung, northwestern part of Zwekabin Range is
corals, etc. Bryozoans are common in the upper part correlated with the Yinyaw beds of southern Shan
of the intercalated siltstone bands, but are branching State (Hobson, 1941; Kyi Pyar Aung et al., 2018),
or encrusting. Corals are present but they are not and Early Permian Unit from east of Lebyin area
abundant and are composed of solitary rugosa and (Thura Oo, 1997, Mitchell, 2018). The
tabulate. Unfortunately the bryozoa and corals are Spinomartinia prolifica Zone was established based
not identified due to poor preservation. The Lower on its abundance from the Ko Yao Noi Formation,
Permian unit comprises the following faunal which was considered to be close in age to a part of
assemblages (Fig. 4-5). Chihsian of South China (Waterhouse, 1981).
Brachiopods:
Stenoscisma quasimutabilis, Spiriferella salteri, Discussion
Spinomartinia prolifica, Martinia sp., Permian marine sequence and invertebrate
Phricodothyris asiatica, Vediproductus sp., faunas are widely distributed in all mainland terrane
Vediproductus punctatiformis, Retimarginifera of SE Asia (Shi and Archbold, 1998). The Permian
alata, Urushtenoidea? sp., Stereochia kayaoensi, was a particularly important period in the geological
Spiriferellina sp., Derbyia regularis (11 genera) evolution of SE Asia and it was interpretations of
The Stenoscisma-Stereochia sp. assemblage the Permian rocks of the region, together with
is assigned to the Kungurian. On the basis of the Palaeozoic biogeographic data, that established a
above faunal assemblage and stratigraphic position, Gondwana origin for mostly of SE Asia (Metcalfe,
it is inclined to regard this formation as being 2002).
probably of late Early Permian (Kungurian).
 A B

C D

E F

Fig. 3. Outcrop nature of the Lower Permian unit between Taungnyo Group and Moulmein Limestone: A-
B. Black mudstone; C-D. Buff color fossiliferous shale and siltstone; E-F. Well-bedded black
lime mudstone or mudstone with limestone lenses along the road of Kya Inn Taung.

The SE Asia region comprises a complex Stereochia sp.) assemblage and the conodonts are
assembly of allochthonous continental lithospheric assigned to the late Early Permian (Kungurian).
blocks set in a matrix of stretched continental crust, This Lower Permian unit is still debated by
accreted continental crust or oceanic crust (Fontaine, many authors that whether it is the upper of
2002). The brachiopods from Sibumasu terrane are Taungnyo Group or whether it is the basal part of
dominated by Spinomartinia prolifica Waterhouse. Moulmein Limestone. Nevertheless, this unit is
Another distinctive feature of this terrane is the correlated with Yinyaw beds of Shan State (Hobson,
presence of an endemic genus and species, 1941, Kyi Pyar Aung et al., 2018) and Early
Spinomartinia prolifica, which dominate the fossiliferous unit from Lebyin area (Thura Oo,
assemblage in terrane of abundance of specimens 1997, Mitchell, 2018). It is unfortunate that the
(Shi and Archbold, 1995, 1998). fossils occurring in the lower part of Taungnyo
The fauna found in the calcareous siltstone Group (type section Taungnyo Range) are too
beneath Pt.1156 contain gastropods, brachiopods, poorly preserved for reliable identified (Clegg,
polyzoa and some corals. Bryozoa (Stenopora 1953; Kyaw Min, 1997; Moe Moe Lwin, 1998; Moe
Fenestella assemblage) are also widely present in Zet, 2006: Ye Yint Aung, 2016).
the Sibumasu. According to the brachiopods It is thus not known whether the Taungnyo
(Spinomartinia prolifica and Stenoscisma- Group in it’s entirely is Carboniferous or whether
their upper parts reach up to Early Permian. Overall,
this brachiopod fauna can be closely compared with transitional interval from cool water Early Permian
the Spinomartinia prolifica assemblage of southern to warm water Middle to Late Permian.
Thailand and western Peninsular Malaysia. Paleogeographically, theses units were deposited in
Moreover, the boundary between Taungnyo Group the southern Paleotethys and near the peri-
and Moulmein Limestone represents a paleoclimatic Gondwana margin during the Early Permian.

A B C D

E F

H I J

K L

M N O

Fig. 4. Fossils from Kya Inn Taung, northwestern part of the Zwekabin Range: A-C, F, H-O. Bryozoa; D.
Derbyia regularis; E, G. Coral?
 A B C D

E F G H

I J K L

M N O P

Q R S T

U V W X

Fig. 5. Brachiopods from Kya Inn Taung: A-C. Stenoscisma quasimutabilis; D-F. Spiriferella salteri; G-
J. Spinomartinia prolifica; K-L. Martinia sp.; M. Phricodothyris asiatica; N-O. Vediproductus
sp.; P. Vediproductus punctatiformis Q-S. Retimarginifera alata; T. Urushtenoidea sp.; U-W.
Stereochia kayaoensi; X. Spiriferellina sp.

Thus, the Moulmein Limestone can be suggests that either the palaeoclimate had greatly
restricted to an age from late Kungurian to changed from a cold condition to a warm condition
Guadalupian (Middle Permian). This is in contrast after the late Kungurian in the peri-Gondwanan
to the warm-water faunas consisting of abundant region, or the palaeogeographical position of the
fusulinids, compound and large solitary corals, and Sibumasu Block had drifted northward into the
warm-water conodonts in the upper part of the warm-water regime from the late Kungurian to
Moulmein Limestone. This dramatic faunal change Guadalupian (Metcalfe, 2011b) (Fig. 6).
Fig. 6. Palaeogeographic reconstructions of the Tethyan region for Late Early Permian (Kungurian)
showing relative positions of the East and SE Asian terranes and distribution of land and sea. Also
shown is the late Early Permian biogeographical provinces and distribution of biogeographically
important conodonts and the bipolar fusulinid Monodiexodina; and Late Permian tetrapod
vertebrate Dicynodon localities on Indochina and Pangaea in the Late Permian. SC, South China;
T, Tarim; I, Indochina; EM, East Malaya; WS, West Sumatra; NC, North China; SI, Simao; S,
Sibumasu; WB, West Burma; QI, Qiangtang; L, Lhasa; SWB, SW Borneo; WC, Western
Cimmerian Continent. (Metcalfe, 2011b)

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