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Conodonts across the Devonian/Carboniferous boundary: a review and implication for the redefinition of the boundary and a proposal for an updated conodont zonation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2016

CARLO CORRADINI ,
CLAUDIA SPALLETTA ,
ANGELO MOSSONI ,
HANNA MATYJA  and
D. JEFFREY OVER
CARLO CORRADINI*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, via Trentino 51, I-09129 Cagliari, Italy
CLAUDIA SPALLETTA
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, via Zamboni 67, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
ANGELO MOSSONI
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, via Trentino 51, I-09129 Cagliari, Italy
HANNA MATYJA
Affiliation:
Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Rakowiecka 4, PL-00-975 Warsaw, Poland
D. JEFFREY OVER
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, State University of New York College at Geneseo, Geneseo, NY 14454, USA
*
†Author for correspondence: corradin@unica.it
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Abstract

This paper is a contribution to the redefinition of the base of Carboniferous system. At present the criterion for the definition of the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary is the first occurrence of a conodont species. In order to evaluate the stratigraphic potential for new criteria for the definition of the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary, the distribution of conodont species of Bispathodus, Branmehla, Palmatolepis, Polygnathus, Protognathodus, Pseudopolygnathus and Siphonodella across the boundary is presented and discussed. An updated biozonation scheme across the boundary based on the First Appearance of Bispathodus ac. aculeatus, Bispathodus costatus, Bispathodus ultimus, Protognathodus kockeli, Siphonodella bransoni and Siphonodella duplicata is proposed, and it is suggested that the new criterion for the definition of the base of the Carboniferous system be the First Appearance Datum of Pr. kockeli or Si. bransoni.

Keywords

conodontsDevonian–Carboniferous boundarybiostratigraphybiozonation
Type
Review Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 154 , Issue 4 , July 2017 , pp. 888 - 902
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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