20
The Devonian–Lower Carboniferous succession in Northwest Peninsular Malaysia Hakif Hassan Meor * , Chai Peng Lee Geology Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia Received 1 March 2003; accepted 18 September 2004 Abstract A new stratigraphic nomenclature is proposed for the approximately 600 m thick, mainly clastic transitional sequence between the underlying Mempelam Limestone and overlying Kubang Pasu/Singa Formation in northwest Peninsular Malaysia. This sequence represents shallow marine deposits of the continental margin of the Sibumasu Terrane during the Middle Palaeozoic (Devonian–Carboniferous). It is separated into several formations. The Timah Tasoh Formation is an approximately 76 m sequence consisting of 40 m of laminated tentaculitid shales at the base, containing Monograptus yukonensis Jackson and Lenz and Nowakia (Turkestanella) acuaria Alberti, giving an Early Devonian (Pragian–Emsian) age, and about 36 m of rhythmically interbedded, light coloured argillo-arenites. The Chepor Formation is about 90 m thick and consists mainly of thick red mudstone interbedded with sandstone beds, of Middle to Late Devonian age. A new limestone unit is recognized and named the Sanai Limestone, which contains conodonts of Famennian age. The Binjal Formation consists of red and white mudstone interbedded with sandstone beds showing Bouma sequences. The Telaga Jatoh Formation is 9 m thick and consists mainly of radiolarian chert. The Wang Kelian Formation is composed of thick red mudstone beds interbedded with silty sandstone, and contain fossils indicative of an Early Carboniferous (Visean) age. The succession was deposited on the outer shelf, with depositional environments vertically fluctuating from prodelta to basinal marine. The Devonian–Carboniferous boundary is exposed at Hutan Aji and Kampung Guar Jentik, and indicates a major regressive event during the latest Devonian. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Sibumasu; Continental margin sequence; Unconformities; Transgression/regression; Hangenberg event 1. Introduction Early work on the Devonian of Peninsular Malaysia focused mainly on well exposed coastal outcrops on the islands of Langkawi. However, these outcrops are structu- rally complex, and stratigraphic relationships between certain units confusing. Recently, several new outcrops of equivalent rocks exposed in the mainland state of Perlis have been discovered and reported (Lee and Azhar, 1991; Meor and Lee, 2002). The new findings are used here to propose a new stratigraphic nomenclature for the Devo- nian–Carboniferous succession of northwest Peninsular Malaysia, and to further resolve the Devonian–Carbonifer- ous history of the Sibumasu Terrane. 2. History of stratigraphic nomenclature Jones (1966) was the first to make a detailed map of the Palaeozoic rocks in the northwestern part of what was then called Malaya. He recognized four Palaeozoic formations exposed on the islands of Langkawi; the Cambrian Machinchang Formation, the Ordovician to Silurian Setul Formation, the Carbo-Permian Singa Formation (and its equivalent on the mainland, the Kubang Pasu Formation) and the Chuping Limestone. The scarcity of Devonian rocks was explained by a regional unconformity proposed between the Setul Formation and Singa Formation (Jones, 1981). The unconformity was said to be between the areno- argillites of the Upper Detrital Member of the Setul Formation, and the red pebbly mudstone of the Langgun Red Beds, considered as the base of the Singa Formation. This unconformity was never observed, but was inferred 1367-9120/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2004.09.005 Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 www.elsevier.com/locate/jaes * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (H.H. Meor).

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Page 1: The Devonian–Lower Carboniferous succession in Northwest ...repository.um.edu.my/6332/1/jaes2005.pdf · The Devonian–Lower Carboniferous succession in Northwest Peninsular Malaysia

The Devonian–Lower Carboniferous succession

in Northwest Peninsular Malaysia

Hakif Hassan Meor*, Chai Peng Lee

Geology Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia

Received 1 March 2003; accepted 18 September 2004

Abstract

A new stratigraphic nomenclature is proposed for the approximately 600 m thick, mainly clastic transitional sequence between the

underlying Mempelam Limestone and overlying Kubang Pasu/Singa Formation in northwest Peninsular Malaysia. This sequence represents

shallow marine deposits of the continental margin of the Sibumasu Terrane during the Middle Palaeozoic (Devonian–Carboniferous). It is

separated into several formations. The Timah Tasoh Formation is an approximately 76 m sequence consisting of 40 m of laminated

tentaculitid shales at the base, containing Monograptus yukonensis Jackson and Lenz and Nowakia (Turkestanella) acuaria Alberti, giving an

Early Devonian (Pragian–Emsian) age, and about 36 m of rhythmically interbedded, light coloured argillo-arenites. The Chepor Formation is

about 90 m thick and consists mainly of thick red mudstone interbedded with sandstone beds, of Middle to Late Devonian age. A new

limestone unit is recognized and named the Sanai Limestone, which contains conodonts of Famennian age. The Binjal Formation consists of

red and white mudstone interbedded with sandstone beds showing Bouma sequences. The Telaga Jatoh Formation is 9 m thick and consists

mainly of radiolarian chert. The Wang Kelian Formation is composed of thick red mudstone beds interbedded with silty sandstone, and

contain fossils indicative of an Early Carboniferous (Visean) age. The succession was deposited on the outer shelf, with depositional

environments vertically fluctuating from prodelta to basinal marine. The Devonian–Carboniferous boundary is exposed at Hutan Aji and

Kampung Guar Jentik, and indicates a major regressive event during the latest Devonian.

q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Sibumasu; Continental margin sequence; Unconformities; Transgression/regression; Hangenberg event

1. Introduction

Early work on the Devonian of Peninsular Malaysia

focused mainly on well exposed coastal outcrops on the

islands of Langkawi. However, these outcrops are structu-

rally complex, and stratigraphic relationships between

certain units confusing. Recently, several new outcrops of

equivalent rocks exposed in the mainland state of Perlis

have been discovered and reported (Lee and Azhar, 1991;

Meor and Lee, 2002). The new findings are used here to

propose a new stratigraphic nomenclature for the Devo-

nian–Carboniferous succession of northwest Peninsular

Malaysia, and to further resolve the Devonian–Carbonifer-

ous history of the Sibumasu Terrane.

1367-9120/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2004.09.005

* Corresponding author.

E-mail address: [email protected] (H.H. Meor).

2. History of stratigraphic nomenclature

Jones (1966) was the first to make a detailed map of the

Palaeozoic rocks in the northwestern part of what was then

called Malaya. He recognized four Palaeozoic formations

exposed on the islands of Langkawi; the Cambrian

Machinchang Formation, the Ordovician to Silurian Setul

Formation, the Carbo-Permian Singa Formation (and its

equivalent on the mainland, the Kubang Pasu Formation)

and the Chuping Limestone. The scarcity of Devonian rocks

was explained by a regional unconformity proposed

between the Setul Formation and Singa Formation (Jones,

1981). The unconformity was said to be between the areno-

argillites of the Upper Detrital Member of the Setul

Formation, and the red pebbly mudstone of the Langgun

Red Beds, considered as the base of the Singa Formation.

This unconformity was never observed, but was inferred

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738

www.elsevier.com/locate/jaes

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738720

based on angular strike relations and the occurrence of red

pebbly mudstones interpreted as a basal conglomerate.

The presence of this unconformity was, however, later

refuted (Ahmad Jantan, 1973; Yancey, 1975). The contact

between the Upper Detrital Member and the Langgun Red

Beds was demonstrated to be conformable. The two once

separate Devonian units were now continuous, and this

led to suggestions by Yancey (1975) of a single Devonian

unit. Gobbett (1972) proposed the name Rebanggun Beds

(combination of the names Rebak and Langgun Island,

where outcrops of the unit were found) for the Langgun

Red Beds. The Upper Detrital Member was also clearly

different from the main Setul Formation, as the Setul

Formation was predominantly bedded limestone, while the

Upper Detrital Member was composed of siliciclastics.

Yancey (1975) was the first to propose the melding of the

Upper Detrital Member and the Langgun Red Beds into

one continuous Devonian unit, which, unfortunately, he

left unnamed. A new stratigraphic nomenclature has been

proposed by Cocks et al. (2005), in which separate

formations were erected for the Upper Setul Limestone

and Lower and Upper Detrital Members of the former

Setul Formation.

Recently, new exposures in the state of Perlis show the

presence of a sedimentary succession equivalent to the

Devonian and Carboniferous rocks of Langkawi, but

relatively less deformed, giving us a clearer view of the

middle Palaeozoic stratigraphy of northwest Peninsular

Malaysia.

Fig. 1. Locality map of outcrops of the Middle Palaeozoic succession in northwes

District, Perlis; (2) Hutan Aji, Kangar District, Perlis; (3) Teluk Mempelam, Pu

Kampung Jelutong, north Kedah.

3. Study area

The study focused on isolated outcrops throughout

Perlis and north Kedah, in northwest Peninsular Malaysia

(Fig. 1). Four main outcrops were recognized and studied

in detail:

1.

t Pe

lau

Kampung Guar Jentik

2.

Hutan Aji

3.

Kampung Wang Kelian

4.

Teluk Mempelam, Pulau Langgun.

3.1. Kampung Guar Jentik

The first locality is Kampung Guar Jentik (Kam-

pungZvillage), in the Beseri District of Perlis (68

33.129 0N; 100812.524 0E). Middle Palaeozoic rocks are

exposed as a hilly ridge trending roughly north–south

along the R121 road linking Kangar and Kaki Bukit, just

south of the Timah-Tasoh Dam. The ridge is locally

called Guar Sanai, and is separated into three small hills,

here referred to as Hills A, B and C from south to north

(Fig. 2). The outcrop is completely isolated as a faulted

block, and is surrounded by lowland developed into

paddy fields. It is bounded by the Setul Boundary Range

on the west, and karstic hills of the Chuping Limestone

far towards the east. The rocks were exposed due to

quarrying.

ninsular Malaysia. (1) Guar Sanai ridge, Kampung Guar Jentik, Beseri

Langgun, Langkawi; (4) Kampung Wang Kelian, north Perlis; and (5)

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Fig. 2. Geological outcrop map of the Kampung Guar Jentik, Perlis, exposure. Location of the map in Fig. 1.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 721

3.2. Hutan Aji

There is a quarry site, called the Bumita Quarry, at

Kampung Binjal, Hutan Aji (68 33.2 0N; 100812.4 0E), just

5 km south of Kangar, the capital of Perlis state. The quarry

is situated around a hill, encompassing an area of roughly

300 km square, at Kampung Binjal and adjacent Kampung

Behor Chepor (Fig. 3). Similar to Kampung Guar Jentik, the

exposure is also a large, isolated, faulted block, this time

surrounded by villages. This area was studied by Kobayashi

and Hamada (1973) and Jones (1981).

3.3. Kampung Wang Kelian

The Kampung Wang Kelian outcrop was briefly

described by Lee and Azhar (1991). It is located south of

Kampung Wang Kelian (6840 0N; 100812.1 0E) on hilly

terrain, at an elevation of roughly 200–300 m above sea-

level. The exposures are in the form of roadcuts along the

road connecting Kaki Bukit and Kampung Wang Kelian.

3.4. Teluk Mempelam, Pulau Langgun

The most famous exposure of Devonian rocks in

Peninsular Malaysia, Teluk Mempelam is on the north-

western coast of Langgun Island (PulauZIsland), offshore

of the west coast, and just northeast of Langkawi Island (68

26 0N; 99853 0E). The type section for the Upper Detrital

Member is located here. The exposure on Pulau Langgun is

in the form of low cliffs, promontories and boulders along

the northwest coast. The rocks are not well exposed farther

inland due to thick vegetation.

4. Stratigraphic nomenclature

A preliminary description of newly exposed Devonian–

Carboniferous rocks in Perlis state was published in Meor

and Lee (2002), in which the authors proposed a single

stratigraphic unit for rocks of the transitional sequence

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Fig. 3. Geological outcrop map of the Hutan Aji, Perlis, exposure. Location of the map in Fig. 1.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738722

between the Upper Setul Limestone and the Singa/Kubang

Pasu Formation, called the Jentik Formation.

The Jentik Formation was defined as a mainly siliciclas-

tic unit consisting predominantly of pure, massive, grey,

red, yellow or brown coloured mudstone and shale, clean

quartz sandstone, with minor black laminated shales, cherts

and bedded limestone. An unconformity was inferred to be

present between the Jentik Formation and Kubang Pasu

Formation. The Jentik Formation was divided into six

separate subunits at that time. However, continuing work

has shown that the subunits are sufficiently distinct

lithologically to form separate formations. A major para-

conformity has also been identified lower in the Jentik

Formation type section, increasing the complexity. The

authors here discard the stratigraphic nomenclature pro-

posed in Meor and Lee (2002), and reject the notion of

a single, Jentik Formation, due to the influx of new data. A

new nomenclature is erected, with the subunits of the former

Jentik Formation upgraded to formation status.

Six formations are recognized from oldest to youngest:

the Timah Tasoh, the Chepor, the Binjal, the Sanai

Limestone, the Telaga Jatoh and the Wang Kelian

formations (Fig. 4).

4.1. Timah Tasoh Formation

The name Timah Tasoh Formation is proposed by Cocks

et al. (2005) for the siliciclastic sequence formerly known as

the Upper Detrital Member of the Setul Formation (Jones,

1981). The name is derived from the Timah Tasoh

Reservoir, just north of the type section, in north Perlis.

The exposure on Pulau Langgun, Langkawi, reaches 170 m

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Fig. 4. Proposed stratigraphic nomenclature for the Middle Palaeozoic succession in northwest Peninsular Malaysia.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 723

in thickness, but mainland outcrops show a thickness of

about 76 m. The Timah Tasoh Formation is further divided

into two separate members.

4.1.1. Lalang Member

This subunit is exposed in Kampung Guar Jentik and

Hutan Aji, and Pulau Langgun, and overlies the Upper Setul

Limestone (renamed as the Mempelam Limestone For-

mation in Cocks et al., 2005—their nomenclature is used

here). The name Lalang Member is derived from the village

of Kampung Behor Lalang, which is just southwest of

Kampung Binjal, Hutan Aji area, and is closer to the outcrop

of the unit. The Lalang Member encompasses the basal beds

of the former Upper Detrital Member of Jones (1981), and is

the name proposed for Unit 1 of the former Jentik Formation

(sensu Meor and Lee, 2002). The unit is observed to be

conformably underlain by the Mempelam Limestone at

Teluk Mempelam, Pulau Langgun, while the contact is

faulted at Kampung Guar Jentik and Hutan Aji. The Lalang

Member is overlain by areno-argillites of the Bukit Raja

Member (Fig. 5a). The exposed thickness in Hutan Aji is

estimated to be about 40 m (Fig. 6). The unit is almost

wholly argillaceous, made up mainly of black, grey and

brown, laminated, tentaculitid shale and siltstone.

The lower boundary of the Lalang Member is earliest

Devonian (Lochkovian) in age, based on the occurrence of

Lochkovian aged conodonts in the uppermost beds of the

Mempelam Limestone on Pulau Langgun (Igo and Koike,

1973) and scyphocrinoid loboliths (Lee, 2001). But the

upper parts of the unit range into the Pragian and earliest

Emsian. The shales are highly fossiliferous, with abundant

dacryoconarid remains, including Nowakia (Turkestanella)

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Fig. 5. Representative lithologies of the Middle Palaeozoic succession in northwest Peninsular Malaysia. (a) Black shales of the Lalang Member (at bottom)

underlying sandstone and mudstone of the Bukit Raja Member, Timah Tasoh Formation. Hill C, Kampung Guar Jentik, Perlis. (b) Distal turbidites with

scoured bottoms of the Chepor Formation, at Hill C, Kampung Guar Jentik, Perlis. (c) Devonian–Carboniferous boundary section at Hill B, Kampung Guar

Jentik. The Sanai Limestone is paraconformably overlain by cherts of the Telaga Jatoh Formation. Paraconformity marked by stippled line. (d) Turbidite

sandstone showing Bouma sequence, Binjal Formation.

Fig. 6. Stratigraphic columns and correlation of main exposures of the Lalang Member and Bukit Raja Member, Timah Tasoh Formation. N. (T) a, Nowakia

(Turkestanella) acuaria; N (A), genus Nowakia (Alaina); M, genus Monograptus; y, species yukonensis.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738724

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Fig. 7. Representative fossils of the Lalang Member, Timah Tasoh Formation (Early Emsian) in Perlis. (a) and (b) Plectodonta (Plectodonta) forteyi Boucot

and Cocks. (a) Pedicle valve. Hill C, Kampung Guar Jentik. GSCU1012a. (b) Brachial valve. Hill C, Kampung Guar Jentik. GSCU1003. (c) Plagiolaria

poothai Kobayashi and Hamada, partial cephalon. Hill A, Kampung Guar Jentik. GSCU1007. (d) and (e) Nowakia (Alaina) matlockiensis Alberti. (d) Hill C,

Kampung Guar Jentik. GSCU1014. (e) Hill C, Kampung Guar Jentik. GSCU1014-2. (f) Nowakia (Turkestanella) acuaria posterior Alberti. Hill C, Kampung

Guar Jentik. GSCU1013-1. (g) Monograptus langgunensis Jones. Bumita Quarry, Hutan Aji. Mal/Bum/001b. (h) Monograptus yukonensis fangensis Jaeger,

Stein and Wolfart. Bumita Quarry, Hutan Aji. Mal/Bum/001. Scale barZ1 mm.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 725

acuaria acuaria Richter, Nowakia (Turkestanella) acuaria

posterior Alberti, Nowakia (Alaina) matlockiensis Chap-

man, Metastyliolina sp. and Styliolina sp. (Fig. 7). Also

present in lesser numbers are the brachiopods Plectodonta

(Plectodonta) forteyi Boucot and Cocks, Lissatrypa? sp.

Boucot, Cocks and Racheboeuf and Orbiculoidea sp.

(Fig. 7), and unidentified pelecypods. Some horizons

contain monograptid fossils. Several specimens of Mono-

graptus langgunensis Jones and Monograptus yukonensis

fangensis Jaeger, Stein and Wolfart were found in the

exposure at Hutan Aji (Fig. 7), and remains of Monograptus

aequabilis? associated with a fragmentary rhabdosome

probably belonging to M. yukonensis fangensis Jaeger, Stein

and Wolfart were collected from the exposure at Hill C,

Kampung Guar Jentik. Monograptus langgunensis Jones

was first reported from the black tentaculitid shales of Teluk

Mempelam, Pulau Langgun, by Jones (1973a). The

occurrence of M. yukonensis is indicative of the M.

yukonensis Zone (Jaeger, 1988), which gives an Early

Devonian (Early Emsian) age. The tentaculitids Nowakia

(Turkestanella) acuaria posterior Alberti and Nowakia

(Alaina) matlockiensis Chapman are also characteristic of

the Early Emsian (Alberti, 1997). The abundance of pelagic

tentaculitids are indicative of Boucot’s (1975) Benthic

Assemblages 4–5, which suggest relatively deep waters,

between 50 and 200 m in depth (Brett et al., 1993).

Carbonaceous, laminated shale and sparse benthic fauna

suggests a dysoxic environment. Lack of coarse grained

siliciclastics and current structures show a low energy

setting. The overall interpretation is that of a basin starved

of sediment with sluggish circulation.

4.1.2. Bukit Raja Member

This represents the remainder of the Upper Detrital

Member, also known as Unit 2 of the former Jentik

Formation. The unit is about 18 m thick at Kampung Guar

Jentik (Fig. 5a) and Hutan Aji, but the exposures are

tectonically controlled. The name is derived from the local

name of a small hill being actively quarried at Hutan Aji,

where the thickest section is exposed. The observed

thickness of the unit on Pulau Langgun is 130 m, but there

are repetition and deletion of beds due to the complex

folding and faulting. The unit is predominantly made up of

light coloured sandstone beds interbedded with shales. The

unit is barren of body fossils, but contains abundant trace

fossils in the form of short, vertical to oblique burrows,

identified as Psilonichnus? and Macanopsis (Fig. 8).

The predominance of arenaceous deposits and vertical

burrows indicate a shallower, moderate to high energy

environment compared to the underlying Lalang Member.

The trace fossils are characteristic of the Psilonichnus

ichnofacies, indicative of a supralittoral, moderate to high

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Fig. 8. Trace fossils in the Bukit Raja Member, Timah Tasoh Formation (Emsian-Eifielian?) of Kampung Guar Jentik, Perlis. (a) Macanopsis. GSCU2001. (b)

and (c) Psilonichnus?. (b) Top view of bedding surface showing paired burrows. GSCU2002. (c) Side view of single burrow. GSCU2001. Scale barZ1 cm.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738726

energy environment (e.g. beach-backshore, dune areas and

supratidal flats on the coast). Exposures of this unit in Pulau

Langgun are highly folded, but also show a predominance of

quartzites, and limonitisation.

4.2. Chepor Formation

The name Chepor Formation is used for the red beds

exposed in the Bumita Quarry of Hutan Aji and at Hill A

and C, Kampung Guar Jentik. The most complete section,

at Bumita Quarry, shows a maximum thickness reaching

90 m (Fig. 3). The name is derived from Kampung Behor

Chepor, which is located just east of the Bumita Quarry.

Fig. 9. Representative sections of the Chepor Formation. Location of the lo

The lithology is mainly thick, red and grey coloured

fossiliferous mudstone interbedded with quartz sandstone

(Fig. 9). The Chepor Formation can be divided further into

two smaller subunits, i.e. member CF-1 and member CF-2.

Member CF-1 represents the bottom half of the Chepor

Formation, and is exposed at Kampung Guar Jentik (65 m

thick) and Hutan Aji (40 m thick). The lithology is

predominantly thick red, fossiliferous mudstone inter-

bedded with thin quartz sandstone. The beds in the bottom

half of the unit show thin, normal grading from fine

sandstone to mudstone, with scoured bases (Fig. 5b). These

beds are interpreted as turbidites. Abundant fossils of

brachiopods, bivalves, trilobites, gastropods, crinoids and

gged sections shown in Fig. 2 (C1, C2, C3) and Fig. 3 (C4, C5, C6).

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 727

corals are found in concentrated assemblages. Ambocoeliid

brachiopods are characteristic of the Chepor Formation.

The occurrence of ‘Emanuella’ malayensis Hamada gives a

Middle-Late Devonian age for member CF-1.

Member CF-2 is exposed only at Hutan Aji, conformably

overlying member CF-1. This subunit, consists mainly of

grey mudstone interbedded with thin siltstone, thin to

medium thick beds of laminated, pebbly or massive

sandstone, and minor red mudstone, with a 9 m black

mudstone facies forming the boundary between the Chepor

Formation and the Binjal Formation. The maximum

exposed thickness at the Bumita Quarry is about 49 m, but

a large thrust fault runs through the middle of the exposure

(Fig. 3).

The trilobite Waribole perlisensis Kobayashi and

Hamada is found in the unit. Waribole ranges from the

Middle Famennian to the Visean. The brachiopod Chone-

tipustula Paeckelmann, which is represented by a single

valve in member CF-2 (Fig. 10c), also ranges from the Late

Devonian into the Early Carboniferous. The age of member

CF-2 is more likely to be Late Devonian, based on the

occurrence of the gastropod Australonema Tassel associated

with the trilobites in the same rocks (Fig. 10a and b). Based

on all the evidence, it is considered that the age of the

Chepor Formation is Middle-Late Devonian (Givetian or

Frasnian–Famennian). The depositional environment of the

Chepor Formation is interpreted as a marine prodelta, based

on the predominance of mud, abundance of shell accumu-

lations and the abundance of ambocoeliid brachiopods.

Turbidites were deposited by turbidity currents moving

down the delta slope. The facies association in the Chepor

Formation shows all the characteristics of a marine prodelta

environment. Prodelta environments are usually predomi-

nated by fine grained siliciclastics, with a maximum grain

size of very fine sand, with beds showing planar and cross

laminations, and abundance of shell accumulations (Allen,

1964). The Chepor Formation differs only in having a

coarser grained element, up to medium sand, but generally

fits well with a prodelta depositional model. The peculiar

ambocoeliid brachiopods Echinocoeliopsis sculpta Hamada

and ‘Emanuella’ malayensis Hamada are characteristic of

Fig. 10. Representative fossils of member CF-2, Chepor Formation (Famenni

(a) FL5002a. (b) FL5002b. (c) Chonetipustula sp. FL8001. Scale barZ1 mm.

the red beds. The ambocoeliids provide the biofacial

evidence of a prodelta to delta front interpretation, as they

are often associated with such deposits (Bowen et al., 1974;

Goldman and Mitchell, 1990).

A 9 m thick black to dark grey mudstone layer forms the

top boundary of the Chepor Formation with the overlying

Binjal Formation at the Bumita Quarry. The layer does not

contain any benthic fossils, except for monospecific

assemblages of large Posidonia bivalves. The only fossils

present are unidentified ammonoids. Finely dispersed pyrite

is abundant. The position of this black mudstone layer

between Late Devonian red beds of the Chepor Formation

and the overlying Early Carboniferous (Tournaisian) beds of

the Binjal Formation is intriguing, as it might be possible to

correlate it with the global Hangenberg Anoxic Event,

which is marked worldwide by black shale deposition just

before the end of the Famennian.

4.3. Binjal Formation

There is an upper red bed unit exposed in Hutan Aji,

Perlis and north Kedah which is not observed in Kampung

Guar Jentik, Perlis. This unit is named the Binjal Formation,

after the type locality Kampung Binjal, Hutan Aji, Perlis.

The boundary between the Binjal Formation and the

underlying Chepor Formation is marked by a sequence

boundary, in the form of a paraconformity, at Bumita

Quarry, Hutan Aji, Perlis (Fig. 11). The unit is observed to

be in fault contact with the Bukit Raja Formation at Teluk

Mempelam, Pulau Langgun. The sandstone beds of the

Binjal Formation are thicker and coarser grained, and beds

are more grey than red (Fig. 12). The sequence also shows

alternating deposition of graded sandstone and pebbly

sandstone beds showing Bouma sequences, with fossilifer-

ous mudstone (Fig. 5d). Fossils are abundant, especially

brachiopods, including ambocoeliids. The brachiopod

Tournquistia burtonae Hamada is common in this unit.

The genus Tournquistia is known from the Early Carbon-

iferous of Europe. The bivalve Posidonia intermedia

Sarkar is restricted only to the Binjal Formation in vertical

distribution. Comparisons with other members of the genus

an), at Bumita Quarry, Hutan Aji, Perlis. (a) and (b) Australonema sp.

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Fig. 11. Comparison of the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary exposed at Bumita Quarry, Hutan Aji, and Kampung Guar Jentik, both in Perlis.

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738728

Posidonia indicate that the Perlis species is indistinguish-

able from Posidonia becheri Bronn, which is characteristic

of the Carboniferous. The fossils indicate an Early

Carboniferous age for the Binjal Formation. The fact that

the unit is overlain by Late Tournaisian chert beds (Telaga

Jatoh Formation) further restricts the age to Earliest

Carboniferous (Tournaisian). The predominance of mud,

shell accumulations and ambocoeliid brachiopods indicate

a prodelta depositional environment similar to the Chepor

Formation, but the Binjal Formation is sandier, with more

numerous and thicker sandstone beds. Perhaps the Binjal

Formation represents the transition between the delta slope

and the prodelta, i.e. the delta front. The Binjal Formation

may be correlated to the Langgun Red Beds on Pulau

Langgun, but the Pulau Langgun exposure is very small, and

a detailed restudy of the palaeontology is needed to confirm

their relationship.

4.4. Sanai Limestone

Meor and Lee (2003) reported a Late Devonian lime-

stone unit exposed at Kampung Guar Jentik. This unit was

named the Sanai Limestone Member, and was considered

part of the former Jentik Formation. It is here upgraded to

formation status, with the name Sanai Limestone. It is

located stratigraphically above the Chepor Formation red

beds at Kampung Guar Jentik, but is laterally equivalent to

the upper half of the Chepor Formation sequence at Hutan

Aji (member CF-2). The unit is faulted, but is at least 20 m

thick. The lower boundary with member CF-1, Chepor

Formation is not exposed, but the upper boundary is clearly

observed at Hill B, Kampung Guar Jentik.

The lithology changes abruptly at the upper boundary

from carbonates of the Sanai Limestone to shales and cherts

of the Telaga Jatoh Formation (Figs. 5c and 15). The

lithology is mainly grey coloured, bedded micritic lime-

stone, with shaley partings and stylolites. Polygonal

surface marks are interpreted as synaeresis cracks. The

Sanai Limestone contains abundant pelagic fossils,

including tentaculitids, conodonts and straight-coned

nautiloids. Also found are ostracod remains and trilobites.

The occurrence of the conodonts Palmatolepis glabra

Ulrich and Bassler and Palmatolepis quadrantinodosalo-

bata Sannemann give a Late Devonian (Lower Famennian)

age for the limestone (Fig. 13), which makes it roughly

equivalent to the Famennian aged Waribole bearing beds of

the upper half (member CF-2) of the Chepor Formation

exposed at Hutan Aji.

Planar bedding, micritic texture and predominance of

pelagic fossils is characteristic of pelagic limestone

deposited in relatively deep water. The conodonts are

mostly palmatolepids and polygnathids (Meor and Lee,

2003), which are characteristic of biofacies II of Sandberg

and Dreesen (1984), interpreted as slope to basinal facies.

The Sanai Limestone is interpreted as pelagic limestone

deposited near the continental margin, either on the outer

shelf region, slope or even in a basinal environment.

4.5. Telaga Jatoh Formation

The unit is exposed at Hill B, Kampung Guar Jentik in

Perlis, and at Bukit Telaga Jatoh, Bukit Beringin and

Kampung Jelutong in north Kedah (Basir Jasin, 1995).

Early Carboniferous chert beds exposed in northwest

Peninsular Malaysia were previously considered to be part

of the base of the Kubang Pasu Formation (Basir Jasin, 1995;

Basir Jasin and Zaiton Harun, 2001). However, the beds are

lithologically distinct enough to form their own stratigraphic

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Fig. 13. Conodonts from the Sanai Limestone (Famennian) of Kampung Guar Jentik, Perlis. (a) Palmatolepis quadrantinodosalobata Sannemann. GSBU4S0-7.

(b) and (c) Palmatolepis glabra Ulrich and Bassler. (b) GSBU4S002. (c) GSBU4S001. (d) Palmatolepis minuta Branson and Mehl. GSBU4S0-2. Scale

barZ200 mm.

Fig. 12. Representative sections of the Binjal Formation. Location of the logged sections shown in Fig. 3 (C7, C8, C9, C10, C11).

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 729

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738730

unit, here named the Telaga Jatoh Formation, derived from

Bukit Telaga Jatoh, a hill exposing the thickest sequence of

the unit in the Pokok Sena area, north Kedah. The thickness at

Kampung Guar Jentik is only about 10 m. The lithology

consists mainly of rhythmically alternating, planar beds of

grey coloured chert and black shale. Slump structures are

common. Basir Jasin and Zaiton Harun (2001) reported Early

Carboniferous (Late Tournaisian) radiolaria from the chert

beds. The bedded chert was deposited in deep water during

high plankton productivity, and is considered to be a

relatively deep water, continental margin chert by Basir

Jasin et al. (2003).

4.6. Wang Kelian Formation

The name Wang Kelian Red Beds, proposed for the red

bed unit at Wang Kelian, northernmost Perlis, by Lee and

Azhar (1991) is preserved here, but changed from bed to

formation status. This red mudstone unit is stratigraphically

younger in age compared to the Chepor Formation and

Binjal Formation. Exposures of the unit are found at the type

Fig. 14. Representative sections of the Wang Kelian Formation, in

locality in Kampung Guar Jentik, Kampung Wang Kelian

and also in Kampung Jelutong, north Kedah (Kobayashi and

Hamada, 1973). The exposed thickness at Kampung Guar

Jentik is about 35 m, but the unit is in fault contact with the

overlying and underlying rocks. Geologic mapping at

Kampung Wang Kelian indicates a possible thickness of

300 m. The lower boundary with the underlying Telaga

Jatoh Formation at Kampung Guar Jentik is faulted. The

contact at Kampung Jelutong is gradual, with the lithology

gradually changing from bedded chert, to black shale,

followed by red mudstone of the Wang Kelian Formation.

The predominant lithology of the Wang Kelian Formation is

thick, brownish red to purple mudstone interbedded with

medium thick, muddy sandstone beds (Fig. 14). Some of the

beds show channel-like structures. At Kampung Guar Jentik

the Wang Kelian Formation is observed to be overlain

unconformably by dark pebbly siltstone and greywackes of

the Kubang Pasu Formation. Meanwhile, in Kampung

Wang Kelian, the red mudstone passes into black pebbly

siltstones of the Singa Formation. The exact contact

between the units is not observed, due to thick vegetation

Kampung Wang Kelian and Hill B, Kampung Guar Jentik.

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 731

and soil cover, but the dip angle and direction do not change

between the two units.

Fossils are sparse in the Wang Kelian Formation. Most of

these are ambocoeliid brachiopods, pelecypods and the

trilobite Macrobole kedahensis Kobayashi and Hamada.

The age of the unit is most probably Early Carboniferous

(Visean), based on the occurrence of Macrobole (Famen-

nian to Visean) and the stratigraphic position of the unit

overlying Late Tournaisian chert beds. The sedimentology

is very similar to that of the Chepor Formation and Binjal

Formation. Concave upwards, erosive bases of some

sandstone beds are here interpreted as bowl-shaped slump

scars.

The Wang Kelian Formation is also characterized by the

occurrence of ambocoeliid brachiopods. Ambocoeliids are

characteristic of marine, delta front to prodelta environ-

ments, and Boucot (1975) puts them in Benthic Assem-

blages 4–5.

Overall, the deposits of the Wang Kelian Formation are

interpreted as sediments of a marine, prodelta to delta front

facies, strongly influenced by tidal currents.

5. Correlation

The stratigraphic correlation of Middle Palaeozoic rocks

on the Sibumasu Terrane is summarized in Fig. 15.

Fig. 15. Stratigraphic correlation of the Middle Palaeozoic successions on the Sibu

5.1. Mempelam Limestone Formation (formerly upper Setul

Limestone)

Homologous to the Silurian-Earliest Devonian aged

Mempelam Limestone (Cocks et al. (2005) is the Kuan

Tung Formation (Wongwanich et al., 1990), also known as

part of the Thung Song Limestone (Brown et al., 1951), in

Satun, southernmost Thailand. This unit is the northern

extension of the Mempelam Limestone and is similar in

lithology and faunal composition. The Linwe Formation

(Myint Lwin Thein, 1973) of Myanmar is a 550 m

argillaceous limestone unit with phacoidal texture similar

to the Mempelam Limestone, and it contains graptolites of

Silurian age. The Mempelam Limestone is replaced east-

wards by rocks of the basinal facies, i.e. the Mahang

Formation in Kedah, which contains Upper Silurian

(Wenlock) aged graptolites (Jones, 1973a) and the Baling

Group in north Perak (Upper Llandovery graptolites

reported from Sungai Rui Valley, north Perak; Gobbett

and Hutchison, 1973).

Limestone deposition was widespread in parts of present

day southern Perak and Kuala Lumpur during the Upper

Silurian, represented by the Kim Loong No. 1 Beds at

Kampar (of possible Silurian to Lower Devonian age;

Suntharalingam, 1968), and the Kuala Lumpur Limestone

(Upper or Middle Silurian in age, based on fossils described

in Thomas, 1963; Boucot et al., 1966).

masu Terrane. Map on the right showing location of stratigraphic columns.

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738732

5.2. Lalang Member, Timah Tasoh Formation

The Lower Devonian (Emsian) is represented in Perlis by

the basinal facies of the Lalang Member of the Timah Tasoh

Formation. Homologous to this unit in the north are black

tentaculitid shales of Member 1 of the Pa Samed Formation

in Satun Province (Wongwanich et al., 1990), which

contains dacryoconarids indicative of the Early Emsian

(Boucot et al., 1999). The Pa Samed Formation is actually

the northern extension of the mid-Palaeozoic succession in

Perlis. Both these units are likely to be extensions of the

basinal facies which were still being deposited in the east as

black shales of the Mahang Formation and Bendang Riang

Formation of the Baling Group, exposed in parts of Penang,

south and central Kedah, and northwest Perak. Dacryoco-

narid tentaculitids including Nowakia acuaria Richter,

monograptids, brachiopods and trilobites of Early Emsian

age are found in all of these units (Burton, 1967a,b).

Monograptus cf. yukonensis was found associated with

tentaculitids in the Mahang Formation of central Kedah

(Jones, 1973a). Farther north, in Myanmar, a 60 m sequence

of black shales and grey limestone called the Zebingyi Beds

also contains a similar fauna. Monograptus atopus Boucek

has been reported from the rocks (Anderson et al., 1969;

Berry and Boucot, 1972), associated with tentaculitids

identified as Tentaculites elegans, a species now regarded as

Nowakia acuaria s.l. (Boucek, 1964). The first author has

had the opportunity to personally analyze some of the

Myanmar material in the Jaeger collection (Museum fur

Naturkunde) and they do resemble Nowakia acuaria s.l. The

occurrence of M. atopus clearly indicates an Emsian age.

The Kanthan limestone in the north Kinta Valley ranges

from the Early Devonian to the Permian (Lane et al., 1979;

Metcalfe, 1979, 1981, 2002) and the dolomites of the Kim

Loong No. 1 Beds in Kampar may also be Early Devonian

(Suntharalingam, 1968).

5.3. Bukit Raja Member, Timah Tasoh Formation

and member CF-1, Chepor Formation

The age of the Bukit Raja Member is not known, as no

body fossils have been found. But it is most probably

Middle Devonian in age. The Chepor Formation probably

ranges from the Givetian, or Frasnian, to the Early

Famennian. Sandstone and red mudstone beds in Satun

Province, known as Member 2 of the Pa Samed Formation,

are probably the lateral equivalent of the Chepor Formation

and Bukit Raja Member. Wongwanich et al. (1990) suspect

a Mid-Devonian age for the whole Pa Samed Formation, but

no faunal data has been published. The Chepor Formation

extends into northern Kedah. Alexander and Muller (1963)

reported Late Devonian conodonts from the Kanthan

Limestone. Mid-Late Devonian limestone at Kampar have

been named the Thye On Beds (Suntharalingam,1968). The

shales of the Wetwin Member of the Maymyo Dolomite

Formation (Amos, 1975) in Myanmar contains Givetian to

Frasnian aged fossils. The Middle and Late Devonian of

Yunnan is represented by several facies, including dolomitic

limestone interbedded with shale and ribbon-bedded cherts

in the Changning–Menglian Suture Zone (Metcalfe, per-

sonal communication).

5.4. Sanai Limestone and member CF-2, Chepor Formation

An extension of the Early Mid Famennian Sanai

Limestone may be represented by Member 3 of the Pa

Samed Formation, which is also made up of bedded

limestone. The limestone overlies Mid-Devonian red beds

in Satun Province, but the fossil composition and age have

yet to be described. The Sanai Limestone is replaced in

south Perlis and Kedah by Famennian-aged grey, red and

black mudstone beds of the Chepor Formation. It can be

roughly correlated to the Kanthan Limestone and the Thye

On Beds of central and south Perak.

5.5. Telaga Jatoh Formation and Binjal Formation

The Binjal Formation is Tournaisian in age. Unfortu-

nately bedded cherts are not exposed near the Binjal

Formation outcrop in Bumita Quarry, but white mudstone

and sandstone is observed to underlie the Telaga Jatoh

Formation in Kampung Jelutong, north Kedah. These

mudstone and sandstone beds may be extensions of the

Binjal Formation in north Kedah. The Langgun Red Beds of

Langkawi maybe the lateral equivalent to the Binjal

Formation. The rocks of the Langgun Red Beds lie

paraconformably above the Timah Tasoh Formation on

Pulau Langgun (Cocks et al. (2005). No Early Carbonifer-

ous bedded cherts have been observed in the Pa Samed

Formation. Instead, massive fine sandstone (Member 4) is

seen to be overlying Member 3. Unfortunately, this unit has

not been dated yet. The Telaga Jatoh Formation extends into

north Kedah, where the rocks were previously classified as

part of the basal Kubang Pasu Formation (Basir Jasin,

1995). The bottom part of the Kuan On Beds in Kampar

might be a correlative of the unit (Suntharalingam, 1968).

Tournaisian aged radiolaria have also been reported from

cherts of the Dengkil Beds in Dengkil, Selangor (Zaiton

Harun and Basir Jasin, 2003), which might be a part of the

Kenny Hill Formation.

5.6. Wang Kelian Formation

Red mudstone of the Wang Kelian Formation, probably

of Visean age, extends into north Kedah. The unit might be

represented by red shales of Member 5 of the Pa Samed

Formation. Unfortunately, this unit also has not been dated.

The Kuan On Beds of Kampar can be correlated to the

Wang Kelian Formation, where the occurrence of Siphono-

phyllia indicates a Visean age (Suntharalingam, 1968).

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 733

It is also possible that part of the Kenny Hill Formation in

Kuala Lumpur is of the same age.

6. The Devonian–Carboniferous boundary

and Mid-Palaeozoic paraconformity

Two of the studied localities are observed to expose

sequences which pass from the Late Devonian into the Early

Carboniferous, i.e. Bumita Quarry, at Hutan Aji, and

Kampung Guar Jentik (Fig. 11).

6.1. Sanai limestone-Telaga Jatoh formation boundary

The boundary between the underlying Sanai Limestone

and the Telaga Jatoh Formation, exposed at Kampung Guar

Jentik, is abrupt, with the lithology sharply changing from

limestone to light coloured, friable mudstone. The lithology

then gradually changes into black mudstone and chert,

before being abruptly overlain by brownish red mudstone of

the Wang Kelian Formation. Conodont data indicate an

Early to Mid Famennian age for the top of the Sanai

Limestone, while radiolarian data from the Telaga Jatoh

Formation give an Early Carboniferous (Late Tournaisian)

age (Basir Jasin and Zaiton Harun, 2001). The record for the

Latest Devonian and Earliest Carboniferous is absent from

the Kampung Guar Jentik section. The abrupt change in

lithology, sharp contact (with the uppermost limestone bed

having an even and mineralized surface), and significant

biostratigraphic age gap between the Sanai Limestone and

the Telaga Jatoh Formation is interpreted here as a

paraconformity, representing a period of non-deposition or

erosion, which would explain the lack of a Late Famennian

and Early Tournaisian record.

6.2. Chepor Formation–Binjal Formation boundary

The Chepor Formation is dated by fossils as Late

Devonian (Frasnian–Famennian) in age, while the Binjal

Formation is Tournaisian in age. Therefore the Devonian–

Carboniferous boundary should be somewhere near the

boundary of the two units. A thin black mudstone facies

forms the upper boundary of the Chepor Formation. This

facies is barren of benthic fossils, except for accumulations

of large Posidonia shells. Ammonoids are occasionally

found in the black mudstone. Black shale deposits in

uppermost Famennian beds have been reported throughout

the world, where they are interpreted to indicate a mass

extinction during the end-Famennian, called the Hangen-

berg Event, and is associated with a major transgressive

episode, followed by a major regression, forming uncon-

formities in numerous Devonian–Carboniferous boundary

sequences throughout the world (for a review of the event,

see Hallam and Wignall, 1997, chapter 4). The black

mudstone at the top of member CF-2 can be correlated with

the Hangenberg Shale of Germany, which is slightly below

the D/C boundary. Therefore, the Devonian–Carboniferous

boundary would be somewhere above the black mudstone

facies, in the lower part of the Binjal Formation, possibly in

the interval 90–100 m of the Hutan Aji composite section.

The sharp contact between the black mudstone facies of the

Chepor Formation and the overlying red beds of the Binjal

Formation is interpreted as a paraconformity representing

the major regression that occurred after the Hangenberg

Anoxic Event. A major stratigraphic break cutting out the

latest Devonian and most of the Tournaisian is also

observed in the Kanthan Limestone of north Kinta Valley,

where Metcalfe (2002) reports a paraconformity based on

conodont evidence. He also reports a second paraconformity

of Early Visean age in the Kanthan Limestone.

6.3. Implications of a Mid-Palaeozoic paraconformity

in northwest peninsular Malaysia

A Mid-Palaeozoic orogeny has been suggested for the

rock succession of the Shan-Thai/Sibumasu Terrane by

numerous authors. Koopmans (1965) interpreted a Mid-

Palaeozoic orogeny (Langkawi Folding Phase) based on

differences in deformation, regional metamorphism and

granite intrusion between the lower and upper Palaeozoic

successions in northwest Peninsular Malaysia, but this

interpretation was rebutted by Yancey (1975). A Devonian

unconformity between Early Devonian tentaculitid shales

(Unit 1, Jentik Formation, basal Upper Detrital Member),

and Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous red beds in north-

west Peninsular Malaysia was suggested by Jones (1973b),

which was interpreted as an uplifting event (Hutchison,

1996, p. 236). Again this interpretation has proved to be

erroneous (Ahmad Jantan, 1973; Yancey, 1975; Meor and

Lee, 2002). The interpretation of the red beds in this paper

as deeper water, outer shelf, prodelta deposits further

weakens the Mid-Palaeozoic orogeny hypothesis. But the

idea persists, due to the scanty distribution of Devonian

aged sedimentary rocks. Wongwanich (in preparation, cited

in Boucot, 2002) reports the occurrence of a possible major

disconformity between Early Devonian tentaculitid shales

and Namurian aged shales. Meanwhile, Bunopas (1981) and

Metcalfe (1999) suggested that the regional unconformity at

the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary detected in the

Southeast Asian terranes was caused by Devonian rifting

of South China, Indochina, East Malaya and Southwest

Borneo from Gondwanaland. The paraconformity near the

Devonian–Carboniferous boundary at the Kampung Guar

Jentik and Hutan Aji sequences represents the depositional

hiatus on the Sibumasu/Shan-Thai terrane during the Mid-

Palaeozoic, previously suggested by Baum et al. (1970) and

Metcalfe (2002). There are no observed structural differ-

ences between the sections underlying the paraconformity

and the sections overlying it, implying that the depositional

hiatus was not associated with tectonic movement. The

possible correlation of the black mudstone facies of the

Chepor Formation, which lies just below the paraconformity

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738734

surface, with the global Hangenberg Anoxic Event indicates

that the cause of the depositional hiatus is most probably

the global regression occurring near the end of the

Famennian, just after the transgressive episode which

marked the Hangenberg Anoxic Event (Schonlaub, 1986;

Xu et al., 1986; Bai and Ning, 1988; Chlupac, 1988; Krstic

et al., 1988; Ulmishek, 1988; Feist, 1990; Klemme and

Ulmishek, 1991; Paproth et al., 1991; Wang et al., 1993).

7. Sea level fluctuations

A generalized sea-level curve for the Middle Palaeozoic

succession in northwest Peninsular Malaysia is recon-

structed using sedimentological and palaeontological data

presented here (Fig. 16). Several trends are observed.

Comparisons are made with sea-level curves for Euramerica

(Johnson et al., 1985) and Australia (Talent, 1989).

7.1. Pragian–Emsian transgression

A major transgression occurred on the Sibumasu Terrane

during the Late Pragian–Early Emsian, marked by gradual

vertical transition from pelagic limestone of the Mempelam

Limestone to Lalang Member, deeper water tentaculitid

shales. Water depth is estimated to be between 150 and

200 m. No transgressive episode during this period has been

observed in Euramerica (Johnson et al., 1985). A major

regressive episode was taking place in Euramerica, and sea-

levels remained low up to the Late Emsian. Mid-Palaeozoic

sea-level records for Australia are sketchy, but a regression

is recorded during the Pragian (Fig. 17), followed by a

transgression from the Late Pragian to the Early Emsian

(Buchan Caves Limestone transgression). A marine trans-

Fig. 16. Reconstructed sea level curves for the Middle Pala

gression occurred in the southern part of the South China

Block, starting in the Lochkovian and persisting into the

Pragian (Zhao et al., 1996). The Palaeo–Tethys Ocean was

forming during the Devonian, due to rifting of several

terranes (Indochina, Tarim, South China Block and North

China Block) from north Gondwana (Metcalfe, 1999). The

Early Devonian transgressive event of the Sibumasu

Terrane (marked by the Lalang Member) can be correlated

to the contemporaneous transgression occurring on the

southern part of the South China Block. The South China

transgression is interpreted as marking the initial rifting of

the terrane from Gondwana (Zhao et al., 1996), which led to

opening of the Palaeo–Tethys Ocean (Wu et al., 1994;

Metcalfe, 1999). The Lalang Member transgression also

marks this rifting, but on the side of Gondwanaland, as the

Sibumasu Terrane was probably still attached to Gondwana-

land during the Early Devonian (Bunopas, 1981; Sengor et

al., 1988; Metcalfe, 1988, 1999, 2000).

7.2. Late Famennian transgressive episode

A major flooding event is marked by an abrupt transition

from relatively shallow water red mudstone to a thin band of

black, pyritic mudstone in the Chepor Formation. As has

been discussed earlier, this probably marks the Hangenberg

Event, a transgressive episode recorded worldwide, and was

contemporaneous with a major extinction event (Fig. 17).

7.3. Latest Famennian paraconformity

A major paraconformity marks the boundary between the

Mid-Famennian aged Sanai Limestone and Early Carbon-

iferous cherts of the Telaga Jatoh Formation, exposed at

Kampung Guar Jentik. The Late Famennian record is absent

eozoic succession in northwest Peninsular Malaysia.

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Fig. 17. Comparison of reconstructed sea level curve for the Middle Palaeozoic succession of northwest Peninsular Malaysia with eustatic sea level curves for

Euramerica (Johnson et al., 1985; Ross and Ross, 1988) and Australia (Talent, 1989).

H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738 735

here. This same regressive episode is marked by the abrupt

transition from deep water black mudstones at the top of the

Chepor Formation, to shallower prodelta to delta front

deposits of the Binjal Formation. The paraconformity may

have been caused by the global regression occurring during

the End Famennian, just below the D–C boundary

(praesulcata Zone), and just after the Hangenberg Event

(Fig. 17).

7.4. Late Tournaisian transgression

Bedded chert and black shale deposition during the Late

Tournaisian marks a major transgressive episode, where

Late Devonian shallow water mudstone is replaced by

deepwater radiolarian chert. This event correlates well with

the global Burlington Cycle transgressive event (Ross and

Ross, 1988)

8. Geological history

The geological history of northwest Peninsular Malaysia

during the Middle Palaeozoic (Silurian-Early Carbonifer-

ous) is summarized here.

8.1. Early Devonian

Black shale deposition (Lalang Member) gradually

replaced the pelagic limestone deposits of The Mempelam

Limestone during the Lochkovian. This transition marks a

transgressive stage during the Late Silurian to Early

Devonian. The basin was already gradually deepening in

the Silurian, with deepwater pelagic limestone slowly being

replaced by siliciclastics. The basin was deep during the

Emsian, as indicated by fauna of Benthic Assemblage 4–5

(Boucot et al., 1999), which would give a water depth of

about 150–200 m. Sluggish circulation (probably a result of

a tropical climate) resulted in dysoxic and periodically

anoxic waters. But the basin was still connected to the open

sea, as evidenced by abundant pelagic dacryoconarid

tentaculitids and monograptids. This deepening of the

present day eastern margin of Sibumasu was tectonically

controlled, indicating subsidence probably due to block

faulting caused by rifting of the Indochina, Tarim, South

China Block and North China Block, which initiated the

formation of the Palaeo–Tethys Ocean (Metcalfe, 1999).

Later, possibly in the Eifelian, the basin started to be

filled with thick coarse grained siliciclastics, and benthic

fauna thrived, as evidenced by trace fossils in the Bukit Raja

Member. This marks a regressive phase, as the Bukit Raja

Member has the characteristics of a shallow water deposit.

8.2. Mid-Late Devonian

The start of a regressive event during the Mid-Devonian

is indicated by transition from basinal black shale to

prodelta siliciclastic deposition during the Mid-Late Devo-

nian. Thick mud of the Chepor Formation was being

deposited on the prodelta of an offshore delta fan. The water

depth of modern day prodeltas ranges from 10 to 30 m

(Sutton et al., 1970), and the Devonian basin prodelta was

probably similar in depth. Occasional turbidity currents

transported coarser grained material onto the prodelta. The

sea bottom was teeming with benthic life. The basin was

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H.H. Meor, C.P. Lee / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 24 (2005) 719–738736

remotely connected with shelf areas in western peri-

Gondwana, explaining similarities with faunae from

southern Europe. Red coloured sediments do not indicate

an oxidizing depositional environmental, but is the colour of

the source rock of the sediments on the continent. The red

sediments of the Chepor Formation show a coarsening

and thickening upward sequence from the Mid-Devonian to

the Late Devonian. This is a shallowing upward, prograda-

tional sequence. A regression occurred in the Frasnian.

8.3. Late Devonian–Famennian

Red mudstone sedimentation continued in the area of

south Perlis. Coarse grained deposits became more

abundant during the Famennian, indicating progradation

of the Chepor Formation sequence. The siliciclastics did

not persist to the present day north during the Famennian.

Red mudstone deposition was replaced by pelagic lime-

stone (Sanai Limestone) here. This was probably because

of migration of the delta complex southwards, which

distanced the northern part of the basin from the sediment

source. This channel migration was coupled with tectonic

subsidence of the northern part of the basin (block

faulting), resulting in the localized deepening of the

northern part, leading to deposition of pelagic limestone

of Benthic Assemblage 4–5.

8.4. End Devonian: Hangenberg event

An abrupt transgressive event occurred near the end of

the Fammenian, represented in the Chepor Formation by a

thin black mudstone containing only Posidonia and

ammonoids. An anoxic–dysoxic pulse coincided with the

transgression. This black mudstone layer can be roughly

correlated to the global Hangenberg Event, an extinction

event marked worldwide by sudden black shale deposition,

just below the Famennian-Tournaisian boundary. The

stratigraphic record for the D/C boundary has been

completely eroded away in north Perlis, due to an erosive

hiatus marked by a paraconformity atop the Sanai Lime-

stone. This marks the global regression which occurred after

the Hangenberg Anoxic Event.

8.5. Early Carboniferous (Tournaisian)

Red prodelta mud deposition still continued in south

Perlis. Progradation of the Chepor Formation led to a facies

transition from prodelta to delta front deposits in the south

Perlis area. This represents another regression, which led to

redevelopment of the delta complex. The Earliest Carbon-

iferous in north Perlis is marked by a non-depositional

unconformity at the top of the Sanai Limestone. Both the

Chepor Formation regression and Guar Jentik paraconfor-

mity represents a global regressive episode which occurred

just after the Hangenberg Event. Prodelta to delta front

deposition was later replaced by deep water ribbon cherts.

Deep water, continental margin cherts of the Telaga Jatoh

Formation mark the global transgression event in the Early

Carboniferous (Burlington Cycle). Deposition of bedded

chert was widespread, and covered the areas of north Perlis

and north Kedah.

8.6. Early Carboniferous (Late Tournaisian–Visean?)

Prodelta to delta front deposition resumed again in the

Visean. The benthic fauna recovered after the Hangenberg

Event, but the diversity decreased. New genera of trilobites

and brachiopods, but from similar families as the Famen-

nian fauna, occupied ecological niches left open by extinct

taxa.

9. Concluding remarks

The Devonian–Carboniferous succession in northwest

Peninsular Malaysia is represented by a varied assem-

blage of depositional facies, ranging from black tentacu-

litid shales to pelagic limestone, all forming part of the

continental margin deposits of the Sibumasu Terrane.

The dramatic facies changes and the occurrence of

several unconformities in such a relatively thin sequence

is explained by rapid sea-level fluctuations during the

Middle Palaeozoic. The Early Devonian (Emsian)

transgression, represented by the Lalang Member black

shales, marks the initial rifting of the Palaeo–Tethys

Ocean. Also of particular interest is the structural

geology of the Perlis outcrops. The reverse and thrust

fault sets (Figs. 2 and 3) which affect the continental

margin sequence are reminiscent of a westward directed

foreland fold and thrust belt developed due to the

collision of the Sibumasu Terrane with the Indochina

Terrane in the Triassic (Metcalfe, 1999).

Acknowledgements

This paper presents work undertaken for Meor Hakif’s

MSc Thesis, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr Lee Chai

Peng at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, and

was supported financially by University of Malaya short

term research grants. We are grateful to Prof. Bernd

Erdtmann, Dr Doris Heidelberger, Dr Robert Blodgett,

Prof. Arthur Boucot, Prof. Ian Metcalfe, Dr Robin Cocks

and Dr Anthony Barber for stimulating discussion and

advice. Thanks to Dr Christian Neumann for access to

the Jaeger Collection at the Museum fur Naturkunde,

Berlin. Thanks also to Anuar Ismail, Ahmad Tarmizi,

Tam Chie Fatt and Mr Drasman for their assistance in

the field.

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