in the Miocene of East 

Kalimantan 
Nadia Santodomingo 

Coral diversity 
Progress Report NTA-5 
 
Contents 
• Research questions 
• Planning 
• Preliminary results 
• Next steps 
 
Questions 
1. Which coral species were present during the 
Miocene in SE Asia (East Kalimantan)? Extinct 
vs. Extant 
2. How were the environmental conditions 
where coral assemblages developed in the 
Miocene? 
3. Can corals help to untangle the systematics 
and evolution of Scleractinian corals? i.e. 
Faviidae and Acroporidae 
 
Planning 
 
Planning 
 
Planning 
 
Bengalon 
Kutai Basin 
Mahakan Delta 
Bontang 
Samarinda 
Mangkalihat Peninsula 
Sangkulirang Bay 

Geology 
Mahakan Delta → Early Miocene 
Reef Limestone Sandstone + Clay / Shale + Lst + Coal 
Geological Maps, 1995 (PSG) Wilson, 2005 
 
Bengalon 
Kutai Basin 
Mahakan Delta 
Bontang 
Samarinda 
Mangkalihat Peninsula 
Sangkulirang Bay 

Geology 
Mahakan Delta → Early Miocene 
Reef Limestone Sandstone + Clay / Shale + Lst + Coal 
Geological Maps, 1995 (PSG) Wilson, 2005 
 
Bengalon 
Kutai Basin 
Mahakan Delta 
Bontang 
Samarinda 
Mangkalihat Peninsula 
Sangkulirang Bay 

Geology 
Mahakan Delta → Early Miocene 
Reef Limestone Sandstone + Clay / Shale + Lst + Coal 
Geological Maps, 1995 (PSG) Wilson, 2005 
 
Low river influence 
Kutai Basin 
Bengalon 

High river influence 

Mahakan Delta 
Bontang 
Samarinda 
Mangkalihat Peninsula 
Sangkulirang Bay 

Geology 
Mahakan Delta → Early Miocene 
Reef Limestone Sandstone + Clay / Shale + Lst + Coal 
Geological Maps, 1995 (PSG) Wilson, 2005 
 
Low river influence 
Kutai Basin 
Bengalon 

High river influence 

Mahakan Delta 
Bontang 
Samarinda 
Mangkalihat Peninsula 
Sangkulirang Bay 

Geology 
Mahakan Delta → Early Miocene 
Reef Limestone Sandstone + Clay / Shale + Lst + Coal 
Geological Maps, 1995 (PSG) Wilson, 2005 
 
Ma 
5.3 
7.2 
11.6 
13.8 
16.0 
20.4 
23.0 

East Kalimantan 
Sulawesi 
(Preliminary) 
Aquitanian 
Makassar Straits 

Samarinda 
Mahakan River 
 
Ma 
5.3 
7.2 
11.6 
13.8 
16.0 
20.4 
23.0 

East Kalimantan 
Sulawesi 
(Preliminary) 
Aquitanian 
Makassar Straits 

Bontang 
 
Ma 
5.3 
7.2 
11.6 
13.8 
16.0 
20.4 
23.0 

East Kalimantan 
Sulawesi 
(Preliminary) 
Aquitanian 
Makassar Straits 

Bengalon-Sangkulirang 
 
49 localities 
Samples collected 
 
49 localities 
Samples collected 
→ 282 samples →453++bags 
 
49 localities 
Samples collected 
→ 282 samples →453++bags → ~3.5 
Tons 
 
Arrival in UK Washing up ... 
Cataloging... 

Processing the samples... 

 
Summary of 
examined samples 
Total: 164 sample bags 57 sites 
 
Summary of 
examined samples 
Total: 164 sample bags 57 sites 
 
Summary of 
examined samples 
~150 morphospecies 
Total: 164 sample bags 57 sites 
 
Samarinda (Batu Putih TF76) 
 
Samarinda (Batu Putih TF76) 
 
Samarinda (Batu Putih TF76) 
 
Samarinda (Batu Putih TF76) 
 
Samarinda: Top reef Stadion 
(TF51-TF57) 
Halimeda 
Platy corals in Clay matrix 
Lst algae, LBF, platy 
Lst platy & Lenses of branching 
Sandstone Bran/Tabular 
Coal 
 
Samarinda: Top reef Stadion 
(TF51-TF57) 
Halimeda 
Platy corals in Clay matrix 
Lst algae, LBF, platy 
Lst platy & Lenses of branching 
Sandstone Bran/Tabular 
Coal 
 
Samarinda: Top reef Stadion 
(TF51-TF57) 
Halimeda 
Platy corals in Clay matrix 
Lst algae, LBF, platy 
Lst platy & Lenses of branching 
Sandstone Bran/Tabular 
Coal 
 
Sangatta: Hauling road (TF522) 
 
Sangatta: Hauling road (TF522) 
 
Sangatta: Hauling road (TF522) 
 
Sangatta: Hauling road (TF522) 
 
Sangatta: Hauling road (TF522) 
 
Sangatta: Hauling road (TF522) 
 
Bontang: Dragonfly brook (TF502) 
ic M 
r 
itic 
L 
S 
Base 
S 
e 
(b 
-c 
la 
y 
in 
flo g 
a 
c 
ts o 
ra to 
ls n 
) 
ilty r 
a 
n 
c 
h 
 
Bontang: Dragonfly brook (TF502) 
ic M 
r 
itic 
L 
S 
Base 
S 
e 
(b 
-c 
la 
y 
in 
flo g 
a 
c 
ts o 
ra to 
ls n 
) 
ilty r 
a 
n 
c 
h 
 
Bontang: Dragonfly brook (TF502) 
ic M 
r 
itic 
L 
S 
Base 
S 
e 
(b 
-c 
la 
y 
in 
flo g 
a 
c 
ts o 
ra to 
ls n 
) 
ilty r 
a 
n 
c 
h 
 
Bontang: Dragonfly brook (TF502) 
ic M 
r 
itic 
L 
S 
Base 
S 
e 
(b 
-c 
la 
y 
in 
flo g 
a 
c 
ts o 
ra to 
ls n 
) 
ilty r 
a 
n 
c 
h 
 
Bontang: Dragonfly brook (TF502) 
ic M 
r 
itic 
L 
S 
Base 
S 
e 
(b 
-c 
la 
y 
in 
flo g 
a 
c 
ts o 
ra to 
ls n 
) 
ilty r 
a 
n 
c 
h 
 
Sangatta: Orangutan garden (TF516) 
 
Sangatta: Orangutan garden (TF516) 
 
Sangatta: Orangutan garden (TF516) 
 
Sangatta: Orangutan garden (TF516) 
 
Bengalon: Tortonian 3D Reefs (TF511) 
 
Bengalon: Tortonian 3D Reefs (TF511) 
 
Sangkulirang Bay: TF530 
 
Sangkulirang Bay: TF530 
 
Sangkulirang Bay: TF530 
 
Objective 1-2 
First and Last Occurrences 
 
Objective 1-2 
First and Last Occurrences 
 
Objective 1-2 

Genera through time 

 
Objective 2 
Carbonates 
 
Objective 2 
Carbonates 
 
Objective 2 
Carbonates 
 
Objective 2 
Localities-Carbonates 
 
Objective 2 
Localities-Carbonates 
 
Objective 2 
Localities-Carbonates 
 
Objective 2 
Representative Outcrops 
 
Objective 2 
Representative Outcrops 
 
Objective 3 
Acroporidae 
? Cretaceous Eocene (Mediterranean-NE 
Atlantic) Most diverse genus with 120 species 
(~90 Indonesia) 
 
Objective 3 
Acroporidae 
? Cretaceous Eocene (Mediterranean-NE 
Atlantic) Most diverse genus with 120 species 
(~90 Indonesia) 
 
Objective 3 
Faviidae Origins of IP diversity. Adding fossils 
to the Scleractinia phylogenetic analysis 
 
Objective 3 
Faviidae Origins of IP diversity. Adding fossils 
to the Scleractinia phylogenetic analysis 
 
Objective 3 
Faviidae Origins of IP diversity. Adding fossils 
to the Scleractinia phylogenetic analysis 
 
Summary 
 
• ~150 morphospecies in 70 genera (~7000 
specimens) Nine genera extinct 

Summary 
 
Summary 
• ~150 morphospecies in 70 genera (~7000 
specimens) Nine genera extinct 
• Preliminary analysis of corals/environments 
through Miocene 
 
Summary 
• Preliminary analysis of corals/environments 
through Miocene 
• Faviidae and Acroporidae 
• ~150 morphospecies in 70 genera (~7000 
specimens) Nine genera extinct 
 
Next steps... 
 
Next steps... 
 
1. Australian package 
• Workshop on coral taxonomy/evolution 
• 12 Int. Coral Reef Symposium 
• Acropora revision (Townsville museum) 
• Miocene Coral Collections (Brisbane QU) 
2. More work on taxonomy (Objective 1-2) 
3. Conferences: GSA → Top reef stadium 

Next steps...