Upper Triassic Coral and Sponge Fossils from Northwestern Australia

Late Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian) fossil data from the Rowley Terrace, offshore Canning Basin, northwestern Australia. The dataset documents a branching spongiomorph (Spongiomorpha sp.) and two coral taxa (Pamiroseris rectilamellosa and Retiophyllia tellae), collected during BMR Cruise 95. It is published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze the taxonomic composition of the reported fossil association, including the genus Spongiomorpha sp. and coral species Pamiroseris rectilamellosa and Retiophyllia tellae.
• Compare the Rowley Terrace fossil fauna with the Late Triassic reef site ODP 764 on the Wombat Plateau to assess biogeographic connections.
• Investigate the implications of the fossil occurrences for understanding the eastward extension of Wombat reefs along the rifted Gondwanan margin.
• Use the reported Late Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian) age to correlate these reef facies with counterparts in the Northern Limestone Alps of central Europe.

Strengths

• Provides specific taxonomic identifications for three fossil taxa.
• Includes a defined temporal coverage (Late Triassic, Norian-Rhaetian).
• Offers a spatial comparison to a known reef site approximately 350 km away.

Limitations

• The dataset size, row count, and sample data are unknown.
• Data is presented in document formats (HTML, PDF), limiting direct computational analysis.
• The geographic coverage is limited to a specific dredge location on the Rowley Terrace.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Fossils were dredged during BMR Cruise 95.

Time Range

Late Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian).

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Rowley Terrace, offshore Canning Basin, northwestern Australian shelf.