Sedimentology (1995) 42, 375-378
DISCUSSION
Origin of quartz cements in some sandstones from the Jurassic
of the Inner Moray Firth (UK)
SIMON K . HASLETT
Faculty of Applied Sciences, Bath College of Higher Education, Newton Park, Newton St. Loe, Bath,
Avon BA2 SBN, UK
Block Vagle et al. (1994) have confirmed that the
extent of quartz cementation in shallow marine
sandstones of the Brora Arenaceous Formation
(Oxfordian) is closely related to the occurrence
and abundance of Rhaxella perforata sponge
spicules (Block Vagle et al., 1994, p. 363). Their
study illustrates the significance of rhaxellid
sponges in sandstone diagenesis, with direct
relevance to the formation of potential hydro-
carbon reservoir rocks. However, I would like
to comment and expand on some remarks and
statements made by Block Vagle et al. (1994)
concerning rhaxellid palaeontology (taxonomy,
stratigraphy, and palaeoecology), because I feel
some clarification is needed.
Throughout their paper, Block Vagle et al.
(1994) refer to spicules of the sponge Rhaxella
perforata Hinde as the main contributor of bio-
genic silica to the sediment. For some time now,
however, it has been known that the specific
name R. peflorata is invalid (Haslett, 1992a). The
confusion over specific names arose when Hinde
(1890) discovered that reniform bodies, pre-
viously described in 1876 as Renulina sorbyana
Blake, were in fact siliceous sponge spicules and
not Foraminifera as Blake (1876) initially thought.
Hinde (1890) transferred the species to Porifera
under the new name Rhaxella perforata Hinde;
however, Hinde (1890) should have retained
the original specific name; therefore, Rhaxella
sorbyana (Blake) is the correct name, and not
Rhaxella perforata Hinde as stated by Block Vagle
et a]. (1994).
Generally, sponge skeletons are entirely made
up to spicules held together by tissue, which
are released on death and decomposition (see
Robinson & Haslett, in press). The main skeletal
framework comprises a mesh of spicules known
as megascleres, which are classified according to
the number of axes they possess (e.g. monaxon,
triaxon, etc.). However, supplemental to this
megasclere mesh are smaller, more robust, spic-
ules called microscleres. Many sponge taxa
comprise both megascleres and microscleres, but
some, such as rhaxellids, appear not to possess
megascleres and are composed entirely of micro-
scleres. The classification of microscleres is based
on size, shape and surface pattern, and unfortu-
nately as a consequence many terms have been
established to describe microscleric morphology
(Reid, 1968),of which the modern sterrasters and
selenasters are morphologically similar to rhaxes.
Thus, the sponge spicules studied by Block Vagle
et al. (1994) should be referred to more precisely,
and correctly, as microscleres.
Stratigraphically, Rhaxella sorbyana (Blake)
ranges from the Bajocian (Derin & Reiss, 1966) to
the Portlandian (Haslett, 1992b); however, in the
British Isles its first appearance occurs in the
Callovian (Maclennan & Trewin, 1989), and in
southern Britain are encountered in the Oxford
Clay (S. K. Haslett, unpublished data) as well as
in the Corallian and Portlandian, as mentioned by
Block Vagle et al. (1994). Thus, rhaxellids are
restricted to the Middle and Upper Jurassic, but
durable rhaxellid spiculate cherts are commonly
recovered as reworked clasts in younger deposits.
With reference to Fig. 5b,c of Block Vagle et al.
(1994), it is interesting to note that moulds of the
rhaxellid microscleres are approximately 100 pm
at their greatest dimension. This is somewhat
smaller than for R. sorbyana specimens extracted
from Portlandian cherts from Dorset (Haslett,
1992b). Furthermore, Block Vagle et (11. (1994)
state that the morphology of Rhaxella is preserved
in the Clynelish Quarry sandstones. It is not clear,
however, from their figure and text, whether the
distinctive reniform morphology of Rhaxella
microscleres is preserved or not. These two fac-
tors (i.e. small size and indistinctive morphology)
lead me to suggest that the microscleres encoun-
tered by Block Vagle et al. (1994) may not be
derived from R. sorbyana sponges, but from a
closely related form Rhaxelloides sphaerica
375
376 S. K. Haslett
Trejo. Rhaxelloides sphaerica ranges throughout
the Upper Jurassic, but has been found previously
in Britain only from the Portlandian cherts
(Haslett, 1992b); furthermore, microscleres of
R. sphaerica from Dorset are smaller than those of
R. sorbyana, and are spherical rather than reni-
form. Thus, unless one is certain of identification
at either the specific or the generic level, it is
advisable to refer to these microscleres simply as
rhaxellids or rhaxes. Of course, as Block Vagle
et al. (1994) rightly state, rhaxellid microscleres
are prone to post-mortem transport, reworking
and size sorting, and results from a single locality
may in many cases be unrepresentative of the
living fauna, with microsclere size range varying
from site to site. Until further systematic research
has been undertaken on microsclere assemblages
from a number of different areas, measuring the
true size range of rhaxellid microscleres, it will
remain difficult to assess the degree of rework-
ing and size sorting that an assemblage has
undergone.
Finally, Block Vagle et al. (1994) contemplate
an analogy between rhaxellids and other members
of the Family Geodiidae Gray, to which both
Rhaxella and Rhaxelloides belong (Haslett,
1992b). The Family Geodiidae Gray is certainly
not a recent sponge family (Block Vagle et al.,
1994, p. 371), because the family possesses a
geological record extending back to the Carbon-
iferous (De Laubenfels, 1955); however, one
Geodiidae genus, Geodia (Cretaceous-Recent), is
closely related and may be somewhat ecologically
analogous to rhaxellids (although there is no
direct evidence). It is not clear whether Block
Vagle et al. (1994) consider Rhaxella a member of
the Geodiidae, but they go on to suggest that if
Rhaxella had a similar habitat to the Geodiidae, it
may be inferred that spicules occurring in the fine
grained sandstones . . . have been reworked from
deeper parts of the shelf, and transported inshore
by tidal currents (Block Vagle et al., 1994,
REPLY
GRETE BLOCK VAGLE,* ANDREW HURSTt a n d HENNING DYPVIKS
*BP Norway Limited, U.A.P. 0. Box 197, 4033 Forus, Norway
tProduction Geoscience Research Unit, Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology,
University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
$Geology Department, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
The origin of quartz cements in sandstones from
the Brora Arenaceous Formation of Inner Moray
Firth have been discussed recently in Block Vagle
p. 371). However, if Block Vagle et al. (1994) are
considering an analogy with Geodia, they need
not invoke a deep water setting for the living
rhaxellid colonies. Rutzler & Macintyre (1978)
have reported Geodia living off Belize in waters
less than 25m, also a similar depth has been
suggested for Portlandian rhaxellid and Tertiary
selenaster assemblages (Haslett & Robinson,
1992). Perhaps the best evidence, however, for
rhaxellid palaeoecology comes from Townsons
(1975) model of Portlandian depositional
environments (see Haslett, 1992b). Townson
(1975) suggested Rhaxella sponges thrived in a
low-medium energy environment on the seaward
slope of an offshore swell. Here rhaxellids lived
epifaunally attached to the fine sand substrate
supported by a lime and mud matrix. The water
would have been clear and well suited to filter
feeders; however, the low concentrations of food
available would have been largely consumed by
rhaxellid thickets to the exclusion of competing
filter feeders (Sellwood, 1978). This high degree
of competition resulted in high sponge popu-
lation density, but with a low faunal diversity
(Haslett, 1992b).
The remarks I have made above do not affect the
findings of Block Vagle et al. (1994), other than to
question some aspects of their palaeoenvironmen-
tal interpretations. Rhaxellids are very important
rock-forming fossils, and in the Upper Jurassic of
the North Sea area Block Vagle et al. (1994) have
demonstrated the important role rhaxellid micro-
scleres play in sandstone diagenesis, with impli-
cations for determining hydrocarbon reservoir
potential. In order to produce more meaningful
results, however, it is imperative that further
work should be underpinned by a good under-
standing of rhaxellid palaeontology. Admittedly,
large gaps in our knowledge exist at present, and
clearly these shortfalls need to be addressed by
any future systematic research into this very
important group of fossils.
et al. (1994). Using oxygen isotope data the study
showed extensive quartz cementation to have
taken place between 35 and 66C in marine-