Abstract:

Many microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) in Mesoproterozoic Changzhougou Formation were found in Huangyadong Geopark and beside road of Pengzhuang to Dajingpan in Licheng County, Shanxi Province. It mainly developed on the surface of sandstones and were often mistakenly regarded as a special kind of trace fossils or irregular mudcracks because of its distinctive structural forms. On the basis of previous classification schemes, according to their  MISS in Licheng County were divided into three genetic categories morphological features and origins (mat growth feature, mat destruction feature and mat destruction feature) and nine types small growth postulas, big dome growth postulas, irregular lateral growth ridges,big growth ridges, spindle-shaped cracks, polygonal desiccation cracks, curved cracks, microbial sand chips and sand volcano.These nine types of MISS were described and discussed in detail.Compared with MISS and strata characteristics of Lushan area of western Henan, Suyukou area of Helan Mountain, Nankou area of Beijing and Xinglong area of Hebei Province, we conclude that the MISS of the Mesoproterozoic in North China Platform is significant to the study of stratigraphic correlation and paleoenvironment.

Key words: microbially induced sedimentary structure, Mesoproterozoic, Changzhougou Formation, stratigraphic correlation, Licheng County, Shanxi Province