Late Ordovician and Early Devonian conodonts from Onoo Tolgoi area of Mongolia

Conodont samples were collected from three localities in the Onoo Tolgoi area, Mongolia, and many conodonts have been found. Conodonts from the Onoo Tolgoi Formation （M288-M294） lack index fossils; its age could be Late Silurian. Samples from the Hutul us hudag Formation （M295-M299） contain Ozarkodina pandora alpha Morph. （ P element）, clearly indicating that this formation is Early Devonian late Lochkovian in age. Samples collected from so-called Silurian Onoo Tolgoi Formation at other localities （M300-M303） yield many Ordovician conodonts, including Icriodella baotaensis, Icriodella cf. baotaensis, Eoplacognathus fianyeen- sis, Eoplacognathus protoramosus ; Baltoniodus alobatus ; and ？ Ambalodus triangularis ; the age is Late Ordovician, more precisely, early-middle Late Ordovician.

Age of Berh Hairhan Formation of Mongolia dated by conodonts

Conodont Caudicriodus angustus angustus （Steward et al. , 1956 ） and Catuticriodus angustus cauda （Wang et al. , 2005） were found from a big limestone lens of the Berh Hairhan Formation in the place of W 150 km to Ulaanbaatar City. The discovery indicates that the Beth Haihan Formation should be assigned to Middle Devonian Eifelian Stage. This conodont fauna was from a shallow cooler water facies in the relatively high latitude.

The Conodonts from Carboniferous and Permian of Iran

During the last five years conodont faunas of 6 Carboniferous-Permian sections of the Eastern and Central Iran have been investigated.Recently fusulinids from these sections(Anarak,Zaladu,Halvan,Tangale -Mokhtar,Kaviz and Bage-Vang) were studied by E.Ja.Leven.The provincial Permian scale in the Tethys (Leven,1980) is based on fusulinids.The occurrence of fusulinids and conodonts in the same samples

Conodonts from Lower Silurian Strata of the Subpolar Urals

The distribution of Lower Silurian conodonts from the sections on the Kozhym River was studied first by S.V. Melnikov.After additional studies of the Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian strata,Oulodus? aff.nathani, Walliserodus cf.curvatus,Panderodus sp.and Ozarkodina sp.were identified by P.M(a|¨)nnik in the Subpolar Urals.Studies of conodonts from the

Conodonts from the Upper Cambrian Sesong and Hwajeol Formations in the Sabuk Area, South Korea

This paper presents a conodont biostratigraphic study on the Upper CambrianSesong and Hwajeol Formations in the Sabuk area, Korea. Two samples near the base of the SesongSlate at the Pukil section contain lower Upper Cambrian conodonts, comprising Furnishina furnishi,F. kranzae, F. pernica?, F. triangulata, Hertzina elongata, Laiwugnathus doidyxus?, Phakeloduselongatus, Muellerodus? obliquus, Westergaardodina matsushitai and W. moessebergensis. This is thefirst conodont record of the Upper Cambrian formations recovered yet in the northern limb of thePaekunsan syncline. The faunal assemblage is correlatable with the lower Upper Cambrian W.matsushitai Zone of North China. Four local biozones are recognized in the Hwajeol Formation, i.e.the Proconodontus, Eoconodontus notchpeakensis, cambrooistodus minutus and Cordylodus proavus Zonesin ascending order. This zonal scheme is essentially equivalent to that of the southern limb of thePaekunsan syncline and they are correlatable with zones in other parts of the world, including NorthAmerica, Australia, Iran and China.

Early Permian Conodonts from the Baoshan Block, Western Yunnan, China

The Rabeignathus bucaramangus fauna was recently found from the limestone beds of the top part of the elastics-dominated Dingjiazhai Formation in the Aluotian section, southern Baoshan Block, western Yunnan. With Rabeignathus bucaramangus as the dominant species, this fauna includes Rabeignathus bucaramangus (Rabe), Homeoiranognathus huecoensis (Ritter), Sweetognathus inomatus Ritter, Sweetognathus whitei (Rhodes), Mesogondolella cf. bisselli (Clark and Behnken) and a few of ramiform elements. The characteristies of the fauna suggest that it can be correlated with the upper part of the Sweetognathus whitei Zone and assigned to the Middle Artinskian.

An Update of Conodonts in the Induan-Olenekian Boundary Strata at West Pingdingshan Section,Chaohu,Anhui Province

The Lower Triassic in Chaohu （巢湖） area, Anhui （安徽） Province, China, is well developed and its sequence is typical in South China. After a brief introduction of the Induan-Olenekian boundary of Chaohu, this article presents some new data on conodonts. More than ten times of conodont samplings and investigations have recovered thousands of conodont specimens, which are especially rich in the Induan-Olenekian boundary strata at the West Pingdingshan Section in Chaohu City, Anhui Province. The most distinctive forms are the conodonts of the Neospathodus dieneri group and N. waageni group. The first occurrence of N. waageni eowaageni, which is regarded as the indicator of the Induan-Olenekian boundary, is situated at 40.49 m above the base of Yinkeng （殷坑） Formation. Some key conodonts and seven new specimens are introduced.

Morphological Variation of Conodonts Platyvillosus from Yinkeng Formation in Chaohu,Anhui Province,China

A preciously undescribed Lower Triassic sequence of a series of multiple cycles of mud-lime rocks, with the argillaceous content decreasing upward while limestone becomes the dominant lithology in the upper part, contains abundant fossils such as conodonts, ammonoids and bivalves. The Yinkeng Formation is the oldest Triassic unit represented, and it conformably overlies dark-gray thin-bedded argillaceous silicalite and intercalated grayish illite clay interbeds of the Upper Permian of Dalong Formation. Conodont samples collected from west Pingdingshan Section, one of four measured sections in Chaohu, yielded abundant Lower Triassic conodonts from the middle part of the Yinkeng Formation. Most interesting and unusual is the abundant occurrence of Platyvillosus in seven samples from the Flemingites-Euflemingites bearing (Smithian) mudstone, rhyolitic clay and limestone part of the section. The associated conodonts are Neospathodus dieneri type 1, N. dieneri type 2, N. dieneri type 3, N. cristagalli, N. waageni eowaageni (nov. subsp.), N. waageni elongata (nov. subsp.), N. waageni waageni, N. sp. G (nov. sp.), N . sp. L (nov. sp.), N . sp. H (nov. sp.), N. alberti, N. novaehollandiae, N. peculiaris, N . aff. discretus, N. conservativus, Parachirognathodus sp. and ramiform elements. The species Platyvillosus , which is restricted to a 1.32 m interval, reveals great variety in shape and denticle ornamentation pattern on the platform. The morphological study of the samples indicates that all speciemens with denticles on the upper surface can be included in intraspecific variation in Platyvillosus costatus (Staesche). Platyvillosus hamadai (Koike), marked by smooth upper surface, also appears to be connected by transitional forms in some samples. The fauna corresponds closely with that of the Taho limestone in Japan, although the depositional environments differ. The associated lithologies of the Yinkeng Formation within Chaohu area reflect a deeper and low energy remaining basin of the northern edge of the Lower Yangtze block.

Application of R-Mode Cluster Analysis to Multielement Taxonomy of Early Triassic Conodonts

The multivariate statistical analysis is profitably applicable to the study of conodont multielement taxonomy.R- mode duster analyses of quantitative and 0-1 data are carried out here to classify more than 6000 discrete Lower Triassic conodont specimens belonging to 108 kinds of conodont elements from Western Guangxi . The results of R-mode cluster analysis reveal more directly the relationship among many isolated conodont elements , and they also prove that the results of the logical inference are basically correct,i.e. 108 kinds of conodont elements can be identified into 32 species belonging to 11 genera of conodonts . The application of R- mode duster analysis multielement taxonomy by the method . has brought about 4 significant conclusions , which can be used by conodont researchers as reference .

Discovery of Early Triassic conodonts in western Gangdisê and the establishment of the Tangnale Formation

Most geologists believe that there are no Early and Middle Triassic strata in the W. Gandisê stratigraphic subregion, but the present authors have found Early Triassic conodonts for the first time in the Shiquanhe area, including five conodonts genera (Form genera): Pachycladina, Neohindeodella, Cornudina, Hadrodontina and Hibbardella sp. etc. Then we affirm that Early Triassic deposits exist in the Gandisê stratigraphic subregion, and establish the Tangnale Formation. The conclusion is new important complementary basal data for Triassic stratigraphy division of Gangdisê, reconstructing palaogeography and studying Gangdisê from Paleozoic to Mesozoic island-arc evolution and transi-tion.

Succession of Cambrian conodonts from South China

More than 4 200 kg, the total weight, of 980 productive conodont samples mainly from four key sections in western Hunan and northwestern Hunan, South China have been processed. It is found that the paraconodonts occurring below Fengshanian (upper Upper Cambrian) may be used for stratigraphic subdivision and correlation. Accordingly, eight conodont zones ranging from upper Middle Cambrian to upper Upper Cambrian in South China are erected for the first time. The correlation between these zones and those of North China, North America and Iran is discussed. These eight zones are in ascending order as follows:Gapparodus bisulcatus-Westergaardodina brevidens zone, Shandongodus priscus-Hunano-gnathus tricuspidatus zone, Westergaardodina quadrata zone, Westergaardodina matsushitai-W. grandidens zone, Westergaardodina proligula zone, Westergaardodina cf. behrae-Prooneotodus rotundatus zone, Proconodontus zone, Cordylodus proavus zone.

New Advances in Biostratigraphy of the Lower/Middle Norian Transition:Conodonts of the Dov?ko Section,Slovenia

This study presents the results of the conodont biostratigraphy and microfacies analysis carried out on the pelagic limestones of the Upper Triassic Dov?ko Section in Slovenia,which represents the eastern part of the Slovenian Basin.The age of the section ranges from the Lacian 1 to the Alaunian 1.The Lacian part of the succession is predominantly characterized by the representatives of the genus Ancyrogondolella.Transitional morphologies towards Alaunian faunas first appear in the Lacian 3 and become common during the Lacian-Alaunian transition.This evolutionary development coincides with a shift in microfacies from a dominantly radiolarian-bearing mudstone-wackestone-packstone to a filament-dominated wackestone-packstone,and the formation of small neptunian dykes,which may reflect environmental perturbations and/or a change in basin geometry.The proliferation of the genera Epigondolella and Mockina is observed in the Alaunian part of the section,though the genus Ancyrogondolella is still present in this interval.Systematic description of the conodont taxa is provided,and seven new species and two new subspecies are established.The new advances will be of great value in further biostratigraphic studies,especially in areas without ammonoid faunas,and in the reconstruction of the paleogeography of the Slovenian Basin.

The first discovery of the middle Lochkovian (Devonian) conodonts in South Gobi, Mongolia

The Tsagaanbulag Formation of the Ulaan-Shand section in the Shine Jinst area was assigned to Silurian (Wenlock-Pridoli) previously. But the present authors have found some very important conodonts, including Lanea omoalpha, Amydrotaxis johnsoni, "Ozarkodina"planililingua, Pedavis sp., from the Tsagaanbulag and Amansair formations, clearly indicating that these two formations should be assigned to middle Lochkovian which are widely distributed in China and Mongolia. The existence of the marine Wenlockain and early Ludlovian deposits in Mongolia is a noteworthy problem.

Middle Cambrian (Upper Series 3)Protoconodonts and Paraconodonts from the Machari Formation at Eodungol Section,Yeongwol,Korea

The Machari Formation ranges from the ＂upper Series 3＂ （Middle Cambrian） to Furongian （Upper Cambrian） in the Yeongwol area, Korea. It has been known to yield relatively diverse invertebrate fossils. Particularly, the trilobite biozones of the formation have been well defined. On the other hand, little has hitherto been studied on conodont microfossils for the formation. This paper reports a diverse and well-preserved protoconodonts and paraconodonts of Series 3 from the formation in the Eodungol Section, exposed along a southern mountain trail of Mt. Sambangsan, Yeongwol, Korea. Five of the 13 samples collected for conodont contain a rich protoconodont and paraconodont assemblage and numerous shelly fossils including trilobites, brachiopods, sponge spicules, hyolithids, and incertae sedis. Sample Eo 5 is extremely fossiliferous （465 elements, 96.5% of total collection）, and the most abundant species was Phakelodus elongatus （236 elements, 62% of the Eo 5 collection）. The preservation is relatively good, but some specimens are corroded and fragmentary. Some of the protoconodonts are exfoliated. Relatively larger ones were commonly preserved as phosphatized internal molds, particularly in specimens of Furnishina bigeminata, Furnishina leei n. sp., Muellerodus pomeranensis, Nogamiconus sinensis, and westergaardodids. Phakelodids were commonly preserved as clusters. Among 20 species referable to nine genera, Furnishina bigeminata, Furnishina leei n. sp., Nogamiconus sinensis, Huayuanodontus tricornis, Proscandodus obliquus, and Westergaardodina grandidens were previously undescribed species in Korea. This assemblage is named herein as the Westergaardodina matsushitai Zone, which is a new biozonal name replacing the old one, i.e., Gapparodus bisulcatus-Westergaardodina matsushitai-Westergaardodina moessebergensis Assemblage. The W. matsushitai Zone corresponds to the Lejopyge armata trilobite Zone and is well correlated with the upper Series 3 conodont biozones of the Westergaardodina matsushitai-Westergaardodina grandidens Zone of South China and the Westergaardodina matsushitai Zone of North China, respectively. The present data allow a useful correlation to China and Baltica in relation to new subdivision of the Cambrian. Furnishina leei n. sp. is newly described.

Permian–Triassic Conodonts from Dajiang(Guizhou, South China) and Their Implication for the Age of Microbialite Deposition in the Aftermath of the End-Permian Mass Extinction

The widespread microbialites deposition that followed the End-Permian mass extinction in the Tethyan realm have been intensively studied because of the evidence they provide on the nature of this crisis and its aftermath. However, the age of the microbialite event remains controversial. New conodont collection across the Permian–Triassic（P–T） transition from Dajiang（Guizhou Province, South China） in this study enable us to discriminate four conodont zones, in ascending order, they are： Hindeodus parvus zone, Isarcicella lobata zone, Isarcicella isarcica zone and Hindeodus sosioensis zone. The age of microbialite in the P–T transition at the Dajiang Section is considered to be within the Hindeodus parvus zone and thus to clearly post-date the main extinction crisis. Reviewing the age of onset of microbialites throughout the Tethyan regions reveals two different ages： a Hindeodus changxingensis zone age is dominant in south-western and westernmost Tethys, whilst most other regions show microbialite deposition began in the Hindeodus parvus zone. Our investigation also indicates that two conodont changes occur at this time： an increase of hindeodid species immediately following a sequence boundary and the mass extinction, and a phase of extinction losses in the earliest Triassic Isarcicella isarcica zone during highstand development.

Conodonts and Carbon Isotopes during the Permian-Triassic Transition on the Napo Platform, South China

Two Permian-Triassic boundary(PTB) sections(Pojue and Dala) are well exposed in an isolated carbonate platform(Napo Platform) on the southwestern margin of the Nanpanjiang Basin, South China. These sections provide an insight into the transition across the PTB and a detailed investigation of the conodont biostratigraphy and inorganic carbon isotopes is presented. The PTB at the Pojue Section is placed at the base of Bed 10 B(a dolomitized mudstone found below a microbialite horizon), defined by the first occurrence of Hindeodus parvus. At the Dala Section, four conodont zones occur. They are, in ascending order, the Hindeodus parvus Zone, Isarcicella staeschei Zone, Isarcicella isarcica Zone and Clarkina planata Zone. Comparison with the Pojue Section suggests the PTB at Dala also occurs at the base of dolomitized mudstone below a microbialite horizon, although the first occurrence of Hindeodus parvus is near the top of a microbialite bed: an occurrence that is also seen in other platform sections. The succeeding microbialite beds developed during the ongoing PTB mass extinction phase. This time was characterized by low carbon isotope values, and a microbialite ecosystem that provided a refuge for selected groups(bivalves, ostracods and microgastropods) that were likely tolerant of extremely high temperatures.

Late Changhsingian radiolarian biostratigraphy from Guangxi,South China and its correlation to conodonts

A well-preserved, abundant radiolarian fauna was obtained from three sections: the Dongpan, Liuqiao, and Paibi sections, in southern Guangxi, South China. Sixteen species belonging to Albaillella and Neoalbaillella, including seven undetermined species, are recognized. On the basis of stratigraphic distribution of these species, two radiolarian zones, the Albaillella triangularis Zone and the Albaillella yaoi Zone, are established. The correlation between radiolarian zones and conodont zones is suggested based on the discovery of coexisting conodonts. Albaillella triangularis and Albaillella yaoi zones correspond to Neogondolella postwangi and Neogondolella yini zones respectively.

Advance in the study of the Lower Triassic conodonts at Meishan Section, Changxing, Zhejiang Province

Meishan Section in Changxing County of Zhejiang Province is one of the four candidates of the global stratotype section and point (GSSP) of the Permian and Triassic boundary (PTB), and currently the conodonts have been widely accepted as the index fossils to define the Permian and Triassic boundary. The previous studies on the Lower Triassic conodonts at Meishan Section are summarized and the recent discovery of the Lower Triassic conodonts there is reported. The recognized data from the section indicate that Meishan is the best selection of the GSSP of PTB.

Biostratigraphy,Microfacies,Sedimentary Environments and Sequence Stratigraphy of the Late Devonian-Carboniferous Deposits at the Anarak Section,Central Iran

The Late Devonian-early Carboniferous deposits of the Anarak section in northeastern Isfahan,Central Iran,evaluated based on conodont biostratigraphy,sedimentary environment and sequence stratigraphy.According to the field observations,five lithological units were identified.Investigating the conodont fauna of the Late Devonian-Carboniferous(Mississippian-Pennsylvanian)deposits of Bahram,Shishtu,and Qaleh(Sardar 1)formations in Anarak section led to the identification of 67 species of 18 conodont genera,and accordingly 22 conodont biozones were differentiated.The correlation of sea-level change curves,regarding to the conodont biofacies with the global sea-level curve,demonstrates the relative correlation in the mentioned times due to the shallow condition of the central Iran basin compared to the European and American basins.The microfacies analysis led to the identification of 12 microfacies related to the open sea,bioclastic barrier,lagoon and tidal flat sub-sedimentary environments in a homoclinal carbonate ramp environment.Based on sequence stratigraphy studies,three 3rd order sequences were identified.The first sequence,which is of the Late Devonian(upper part of the Bahram Formation,32.5 m),the second sequence(12.5 m)is the Late Devonian(uppermost part of the Bahram Formation),and the third sequence(68 m)is the early Carboniferous(the Shishtu I Formation).

Stratigraphic Implications of Skeletal Microfossils from the Cambrian of Korea:A Preliminary Report

Diverse small shelly fossils and other associated fossils were recently recovered from the Cambrian Hanaeri section, southwestern Mungyeong, Korea. The fauna includes conoidal problematica, poriferans （sponge spicules）, coeloscleritophorans （chancelioriids）, brachiopods, monoplacophorans, trilobite （？） fragments, echinoderms, and conodonts. A preliminary assessment of faunal associations, stratigraphic implications, and the correlation of these skeletal fossils is given, based on occurrences of Actinotheca cf. mira （He）, Microcornus sp., Torellela laevigata （Linnarsson）, Torellela sp., Archiasterella quadratina Lee, Chancelloria sp., LinguleUa sp., Prototreta sp., Phakelodus tenuis （Miiller）, Phakelodus elongates （An）, Hertzina sp., and Furnishina sp.