The biostratigraphy and formational relationships of the upper aeronian and lower telychian (llandovery,silurian) formations of western mid-wales

The stratigraphical relationships of the upper Aeronian-lower Telychian formations in the Aberystwyth area are examined in the light of a new biostratigraphical subdivision of this interval based on graptolites, in which part of the Monograptus turriculatus Biozone is divided into six subzones and the Stimulograptus halli Biozone is resurrected. In the Aberystwyth area (B.G.S. 1:50 000 Sheet 163 (1984)) there is shown to be greater diachroneity of formational —boundaries than previously recognized. Notably, the Cwmsymlog Formation facies persisted in the northeast of the area far longer than anywhere else, due to the persistence of a bathymetric high into the lower Telychian. Also, the basal beds of the Aberystwyth Grits in the west of the area are shown to be of the same age as the uppermost beds of the Devil's Bridge Formation in the east. Thus for a short period the area was subject to turbiditic incursions from two sources. The degree of diachroneity of the base of the Aberystwyth Grits Formation as a whole is less than previously thought — the oldest beds are approximately one subzone older in the south than in the north. The core of the in the clinal pericline responsible for the crescentic outcrop pattern of the Aberystwyth Grits is demonstrated to lie in the vicinity of Llanrhystud, rather than at Aberarth as previously suggested. Four new graptolite species are described and one new genus is erected.     

Ordovician and Silurian coronates (echinodermata) from Czechoslovakia

Coronates form a small but distinctive group of lower Palaeozoic echinoderms, most closely related to eublastoids. The coronate fauna of Czechoslovakia includes Mespilocystites bohemicus Barrande 1887 from the Lower and Middle Caradoc, characterized by a conical theca, coronal processes which diverge markedly upwards, and distinctly angled radial furrows; Stephanoblaslus mints (Barrande 1887), from the Wenlock, typified by an elongate bud-shaped theca with three radiating keels at the base and a very narrow stem; and ‘Stephanocrinus’ gemmiformis (Hall 1852) from the Ludlow, with a cup-shaped theca and low coronal processes. ‘S.’ gemmiformis has not previously been reported from outside North America or above the Wenlock.     

Carbon isotope composition of graptolite periderm and whole-rock from the Aeronian (Silurian, Llandovery) in Wales and Scotland and its use in chemostratigraphy

Here we show the use of graptolite periderm for chemostratigraphic study. Using material from the Aeronian (Silurian) interval from Wales and Scotland as examples, we show that the carbon isotope composition of the periderm (δ¹³C_grap.) provides a signal that is locally different but not consistently so from surrounding whole-rock samples (δ¹³C_whole-rock). Graptolite periderm δ¹³C seems not influenced by astogenetic stage of development or gross rhabdosome type and differences between δ¹³C_grap. from different metamorphic grades are minimal. Taken as a whole, the Aeronian interval examined shows little overall change, but large variations are seen on the small scale, possibly reflecting very local carbon cycling. For carbon isotope stratigraphy in such rocks, therefore, large-scale bulk sampling will likely reduce inhomogeneities and give more reproducible results. Furthermore, in situations (for instance associated with sea level fluctuations) where terrestrial organic matter has been incorporated into the sediment, then graptolite carbon may more faithfully reflect bulk marine organic matter.     

Llandovery Crinoidea of the British Isles,including description of a new species from the Kilbride Formation (Telychian) of western Ireland

A new species of cladid(?) crinoid, Segmentocolumnus (col.) clarksoni, based on distinctive, disarticulated stem material, is described from the Upper Llandovery Kilbride Formation. Hitherto, this unit has yielded two taxa based on single, nearly complete crinoids. In contrast, S. (col.) clarksoni is known from numerous specimens, including common long pentagonal, pentameric, heteromorphic pluricolumnals with symplectial articulations, broad pentagonal lumina and narrow claustra. A related morphospecies is known from the Ashgill (Upper Ordovician) of Ireland. The fossil echinoderms of the Llandovery (Lower Silurian) are poorly known globally. Where present in this interval, echinoderms are more commonly preserved as disarticulated ossicles and rarely as complete specimens. Complete crinoids have now been identified from nine horizons in the Llandovery of the British Isles, making this one of the better known pelmatozoan faunas from this time interval. However, only two of these occurrences have yielded as many as five or more identifiable taxa. Seven of the nine occurrences are Upper Llandovery (Telychian). Genera are typical of the Silurian or (Upper Ordovician + Silurian); the only remnant Ashgill taxon that did not survive the Llandovery was the morphogenus Segmentocolumnus (col.) Donovan, an ‘extinction’ that probably owes more to taxonomic method than any evolutionary pattern. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Storm-dominated sedimentation along a rocky transgressive shoreline in the Silurian (Llandovery) of Western Ireland

Sedimentation patterns are described from the Kilbride Formation west of the Maam Fault zone, north Galway, Ireland. Seven distinct facies are described using faunal and lithological parameters. Environments of deposition range from marginal marine to deep shelf conditions. Lateral facies distributions were largely controlled by a rocky topographic high which influenced sedimentation until being buried by outer shelf sediments in middle-upper Kilbride Formation times. Four distinct sequences are described: in the lower Kilbride Formation, sequences I and IV are dominated by proximal storm deposits; sequence II was deposited in the lee of the topographic high and is interpreted as barred estuarine deposits; and in sequence III, at the topographic high, no deposition took place. In the upper Kilbride Formation the barrier was buried and uniform outer shelf conditions prevailed throughout the area. Faunal assemblages were strongly controlled by local environmental conditions and do not conform directly with the expected pattern of depth-related brachiopod communities. The Lingula and Eocoelia communities are amalgamated and alloch-thonous, the Pentameroides and Costistricklandia communities are absent, and only the Clorinda community is well represented, though parautochthonous.     

下扬子地区晚奥陶世凯迪期—早志留世鲁丹期岩相古地理及其油气地质意义

下扬子地区奥陶—志留纪之交岩相分异明显,发育了多种类型的岩石地层单位,其沉积岩的颜色、岩性、厚度、赋存化石组合等方面存在显著的差别。笔者通过对研究区内野外露头及钻井剖面的考察,总结前人研究成果,利用岩石学、古生物学、生态学及室内分析方法将其划分为滨岸相、孤立台地相、浅海陆棚相、陆棚坡折相、欠补偿盆地相和盆地浊积岩相6种沉积相类型。岩相古地理研究表明,晚奥陶世凯迪晚期,受加里东构造运动影响,华南板内碰撞挤压作用显著,"江南古陆"不断抬升和扩张,直接导致了旧的"台-坡-盆"格局的消失和新的古地理格局的形成,之前发育的自西北向东南方向水体变深的古地理格局彻底转变为北西、南西、南东三面被古陆包围,向东北方向水体加深的古地理格局。晚奥陶世赫南特期,由于南极冰盖凝聚导致的全球海平面下降和气候变冷,扬子地台海域变浅,致使海底盆地上升到最低含氧深度面之上处于充氧水层中,富氧环境代替了缺氧环境,岩相由五峰组黑色页岩转变为更浅水的观音桥层泥灰岩或新开岭层泥岩;江南沉积区长坞组—于潜组的复理石沉积组合转变为更浅水的的文昌组—堰口组近磨拉石沉积组合。早志留世鲁丹期,随着全球海平面重新上升,隆起面积继续扩大,构造围限作用加剧,黑色页岩重新出现。尤其是安徽南部的安庆—铜陵—巢湖一线,江苏中部的南京—句容一线五峰组—高家边组底部的黑色硅质页岩和炭质页岩,笔石带与中上扬子的五峰—龙马溪组具有很好的一致性,厚度均在40～60 m,TOC含量1.2%～4%,具很好的生烃潜力,应视为下一步烃源岩及页岩气勘探开发的重点研究区域。     

An Aeronian (Middle Llandovery) graptolite from the Pentamerus Beds near Hillend Farm,Shropshire, UK

A specimen of Clinoclimacograptus retroversus is recorded from the Pentamerus Beds of the A489 road section near Hillend Farm, Shropshire, England. This specimen, combined with the presence of the brachiopod Eocoelia hemisphaerica, demonstrates that the beds here must be of mid to late Aeronian (Mid Llandovery) age. The fossiliferous horizons lie only a few metres above the Precambrian unconformity and thus help to constrain the timing of the transgression here. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

黔西赫章志留纪晚期小莱采贝动物群的发现及其古地理意义

志留系在黔西的分布范围很小,已知仅限于赫章县境内。赫章的志留系发育不全,由于缺少古生 物证据,其具体时代长期难以肯定。最近在赫章草子坪志留系中发现腕足动物、三叶虫和双壳类化石群。腕足 类研究结果显示,它应属于小莱采贝动物群（Retziella Fauna） 和新建立的Nikiforovaena Retziella组合。该化石层 下伏紫红色泥岩地层。这段近岸、浅水、杂色碎屑岩层在岩性上与滇东曲靖的关底组类同,可部分对比,推测 其时代为罗德洛世晚期（Late Ludlow）,但不宜另立新名,仍称关底组为好。在讨论关底组含义之后,笔者赞同 取消岳家山组的意见。对赫章志留系具体时代的确定使对华南志留纪晚期岩相古地理的传统认识得到修正,罗 德洛世晚期的海侵从滇东的曲靖地区扩大到黔西的赫章一带。     

Palaeotopography of the northern portion of the Telychian (Silurian) turbidite basin in central Wales

New palaeocurrent data from the country northeast and southwest of Corris (central Wales) indicate that Telychian sandstones in the Devil's Bridge Formation hereabouts were transported from both the northeast and northwest, consistent with topographical control by down‐to‐southeast movement on the Bala Lineament. This conclusion is supported by considerations of thickness variation and by evidence for listric detachment faulting in the formation at Bwlch y Groes. Towards Plynlimon, flow is broadly southerly and suggests confinement by the northward extension of the Bronnant Fault. A facies and palaeocurrent map is presented for the utilis sub‐Biozone of the Telychian which links with work by the British Geological Survey between Aberyswyth and Rhayader where, by contrast, palaeoflow is to the NNW. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Macrostylocrinus bornholmensis Laursen, 1940, a forgotten Silurian crinoid from Denmark

The monobathrid camerate crinoid Macrostylocrinus bornholmensis Laursen has an unfortunate history. It was published in a journal not commonly consulted by echinoderm workers and, worse, in time of war; written in a language not in common use for crinoid studies; and described by a stratigrapher, not an expert on pelmatozoans. These and other factors combined to ensure that M. bornholmensis has not been reassessed since it was first described almost 80?years ago, despite belonging to a genus well-known from the Lower Palaeozoic. Macrostylocrinus bornholmensis is Llandovery (Telychian) and not Wenlock as has been reported elsewhere. Diagnostic features include a column that does not bear radices close beneath the cup; a heteromorphic mesistele with five orders of regularly inserted internodals; three basal plates; smooth thecal plates with central folds following rays; and ten pinnulate free arms that are biserial distally. Macrostylocrinus bornholmensis is distinctly different in morphology from well-known, congeneric species described from the Lower Palaeozoic of northern Europe.     

吉林中部中—上志留统三叶虫动物群

描述了吉林中部永吉县中—上志留统张家屯组与二道沟组的三叶虫群6科的10属、12种及2未定种,其中新属3个、新种8个,并简要讨论了华北板块北缘三叶虫群的生物古地理特征。     

Late Llandovery thelodonts and conodonts from the Kilbride Formation,Co. Galway,western Ireland

Acid etching of a calcareous sandstone horizon within the lower part of the upper Llandovery Kilbride Formation, exposed at Coolin Lough, Co. Galway, has yielded a phosphatic microfauna dominated by conodont elements and thelodont scales. The thelodonts are identified as Loganellia ex gr. scotica and provide the first record of fishes from the Lower Silurian of Ireland; they suggest a Telychian age. The conodont fauna is dominated by Icriodella, indicative of a nearshore environment of deposition. The microfossils were extracted from a shell bed packed with Eocoelia curtisi curtisi Ziegler, confirming a late Telychian age and also suggesting a shallow water depositional environment. This fauna developed marginal to Laurentia and is similar to coeval assemblages from the Anglo–Welsh area and Baltoscandia. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ludlow (Silurian) stromatoporoid biostromes from Gotland, Sweden: facies, depositional models and modern analogues

Stacked stromatoporoid‐dominated biostromes of the Ludlow‐age Hemse Group (Silurian) in eastern Gotland, Sweden, are 0·5–5 m thick and a few tens of metres to >1 km in lateral extent. They form one of the world's richest Palaeozoic stromatoporoid deposits. This study compiles published and new data to provide an overall facies model for these biostromes, which is assessed in relation to possible modern analogues. Some biostromes have predominantly in‐place fossils and are regarded as reefs, but lack rigid frameworks because of abundant low‐profile non‐framebuilding stromatoporoids; other biostromes consist of stromatoporoid‐rich rudstones interpreted here as storm deposits. Variation between these two `end‐members' occurs both between interlayered biostromes and also vertically and laterally within individual biostromes. Such variation produces problems of applying established reef classification terms and demonstrates the need for the development of terminology that recognizes taphonomic destruction of reef fabrics. An approach to such terminology is found in all four categories of a recent biostrome classification scheme that are easily recognized in the Hemse biostrome facies: autobiostromes (>60% in place); autoparabiostromes (a mixture of in‐place and overturned reef‐building organisms, 20–60% in place); parabiostromes (builders are overturned and damaged, <20% in place); and allobiostromes (transported and detrital reef material, nothing in place). These categories provide a broad taphofacies scheme for the Hemse biostromes, which are mostly autoparabiostrome to allobiostrome. The biostromes developed on crinoidal grainstone sheets and expanded laterally across relatively flat substrates in a marine setting of low siliciclastic input. Planar erosion surfaces commonly terminate biostrome tops. Three broadly similar modern analogues are identified, each of which has elements in common with the Hemse biostromes, but none of which is an exact equivalent: (a) laterally expanded and coalesced back‐barrier patch reefs behind the Belize barrier, an area influenced by limited accommodation space; (b) a hurricane‐influenced shelf, interpreted for Grand Cayman, where reef cores consist of rubble and lack substantial framework; the wide distribution of rounded pebbles and cobbles of stromatoporoids in the Hemse biostromes most probably resulted from hurricanes; (c) coral carpets in 5–15 m water depth of the northern Red Sea, where lateral expansion of low‐diversity frames dominated by Porites coral has produced low‐profile biostromes up to 8 m thick and several km long. Such carpets accumulated large amounts of carbonate, with little export, as in the Hemse biostromes, although the latter did not build frameworks because of the nature of growth of the stromatoporoids. The notable lack of algae in the Hemse biostrome facies is also a feature of Red Sea coral carpets; nevertheless, coral carpets are ecologically different. Hemse biostromes lack evidence of a barrier reef system, although this may not be exposed; the facies assemblage is consistent with either a storm/hurricane‐influenced mid‐ to upper ramp or back‐barrier system.     

Alluvial fan and wetland interactions: evidence of seasonal slope wetlands from the Silurian of south central Wales,UK

Distal environs of the Ludlow‐age Trichrug Formation from south central Wales (UK) detail deposition on the outer fringe of an ephemeral debris flow‐dominated alluvial fan. Debrites and subordinate sheetflood deposits are interbedded with sporadic thin sandstone‐dominated heterolithic units deposited in shallow, ephemeral ponds in the axial valley. The latter slope wetland system fringed the permeable alluvial fan deposits, being maintained by streamflow, precipitation and ground water recharge. A prolonged high water table is indicated by low chroma intervals interpreted as the result of gleying. A variety of redoximorphic indicators, including colour mottling and ferricrete concretions, are evidence of iron mobilization and concentration associated with a seasonally fluctuating water table. The slope wetlands were colonized periodically by Skolithos‐generating organisms, most likely to have been arthropods. The widespread occurrence of redoximorphic indicators and ferricrete contrasts markedly with calcrete Vertisols in penecontemporaneous continental deposits (Lower Old Red Sandstone) of the region. It is likely that the alluvial fan‐toe area was the site of a wetland depression, which maintained a high, though fluctuating, water table. In contrast the alluvial channel reaches of the surrounding drainage network were significantly better drained, with floodplains prone to wetting and drying and Vertisol palaeopedogenesis.     

A New Species of Jiangxialepis (Galeaspida) from the Lower Telychian (Silurian) of Jiangxi and its Biostratigraphic Significance

A new species of Shuyuidae (Eugaleaspiformes, Galeaspida), Jiangxialepis jiujiangensis sp. nov., is described from the lower Telychian (Llandovery, Silurian) Qingshui Formation in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China. The new species differs from the type species J. retrospina from Wuhan, Hubei Province in its sharp and posteriorly positioned median dorsal spine and narrow spine-shaped inner cornual processes. The Silurian strata in Xiushui–Wuning area has provided a standard framework for the correlation of Silurian shallow marine red beds in South China. Thus, the finding of J. jiujiangensis from the Silurian Lower Red Beds (LRBs) in Jiangxi Province bears very important biostratigraphic significance. It can directly compare to Jiangxialepis retrospina from the Fentou Formation in Wuhan, Hubei Province in the genus level. This indicates that the age of the fish-bearing strata in Wuhan is most likely to be the early Telychian rather than middle Telychian as previously assumed.     

Geochemistry and potential correlation of Silurian (Telychian) metabentonites from Ireland and SW Scotland

New occurrences of metabentonites from the Telychian Stage of the Silurian successions in SW Scotland, Co. Down and Co. Mayo, Ireland, are described in terms of their biostratigraphical setting and geochemical characteristics. The Co. Mayo occurrence extends the known distribution of Telychian metabentonites in Europe by 280 km WSW from the coast of Co. Down. Comparisons between samples based on selected trace element ratios suggest three potential correlations. One is between a tuffaceous clay from the Finny School Member, Upper Kilbride Formation of Co. Mayo, and a metabentonite from the Tara Sandstone Formation, Gala Group, Co. Down. One pair of metabentonites from the Carghidown Formation of Kirkcudbrightshire can be related to one pair from the Ardglass Formation of Co. Down. In addition, a unique alkaline chemical composition is identified in two samples from the Kirkmaiden Formation of Kirkcudbrightshire and one sample from the Ballyquintin Formation of Northern Ireland, which implies the existence of a local extensional tectonic regime at that time, consistent with a back‐arc basin. These metabentonites extend across at least two Caledonian suspect terranes and a variety of different sedimentary facies. These data may assist future discoveries and be able to improve stratigraphic correlations across three terranes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Upright crinoids of the Thornton Reef,Wenlock (Silurian) of Illinois,USA

The rare preservation of columns perpendicular to bedding may provide convincing evidence that ancient crinoids adopted an upright attitude during life. However, taphonomic and sedimentological analyses are important in determining whether such occurrences are truly in situ or represent unusual allochthonous accumulations. The Crinoid Biosome of the Thornton Reef Complex, Silurian of Illinois, USA, includes pluricolumnals preserved perpendicular to bedding, in association with more common specimens parallel or angled to bedding. Upright pluricolumnals are relatively shorter (<150 mm) than the longest non-upright specimens; they sometimes occur as imbricate accumulations and lack attachment structures (although these are preserved separately). Brachiopod valves and colonial corals may also be preserved perpendicular to bedding. These features suggest that the Thornton beds were formed as viscous mass flow deposits and that the upright crinoid columns are allochthonous or, at best, parautochthonous. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

从牙形刺动物群论依木干他乌组的时代

从牙形刺动物群论依木干他乌组的时代张师本，王成源（江汉石油管理局勘探开发研究院，湖北潜江，４３３１２４）（中国科学院南京地质古生物研究所，南京，２１０００８）关键词依木干他乌组，志留系，牙形刺，塔里木盆地，新疆依木干他乌组由地矿部１３大队（１９５６年...     

陕西紫阳志留系文洛克统底界附近弓笔石带的划分

根据最近在陕西紫阳地区芭蕉口仙中沟口剖面文洛克统底界附近采到的弓笔石之层位分布,划分出5个连续的弓笔石带C.lapworthi带—C.sakmaricus带—C.insectus带—C.centrifugus带—C.murchisoni带。这是目前世界上最完整的文洛克统底界附近弓笔石带序列之一,为文洛克统底界的确定提供了一个重要地点。