Glyptograptus? persculptus (Salter), its tectonic deformation,and its stratigraphic significance for the Carys Mills Formation of N.E. Maine,U.S.A.

The Carys Mills Formation of NE Maine represents the SW extension of the Matapedia Group and the White Head Formation of southern Gaspé, Quebec. This formation has yielded two main collections, one hitherto considered of Middle Ordovician age (zone 13 of Berry's 1960 Marathon, Texas, zonation) with 7 species referred to 4 genera, and one of the Early Silurian age. A revision of the supposed Middle Ordovician collections reveals that the graptolites are basal Silurian and consist of only one species, Glyptograptus? persculptus. Several hundred specimens, preserved both flattened and in three dimensions, the latter in iron pyrites, allow an analysis of both the rhabdosome changes wrought by diagenetic flattening and those caused by severe tectonic deformation. It is shown that those specimens lying parallel to the bedding plane lineation caused by a high-angle main cleavage have a silhouette appearance close to Glyptograptus tamariscus (Nicholson), whilst those at right angles to this direction superficially resemble robust Amplexograptus spp., or Diplograptus s.s., or Diplograptus s.l. spp., thus explaining the stratigraphic assignment of earlier workers. An analogue video reshaper confirms the above conclusions. This determination assigns the whole Carys Mills Formation to the Lower Silurian, but the possibility that part of the formation is of Late Ordovician age cannot be excluded. This much is suggested by the Matapedia Group and the White Head Formation which are of Late Ordovician to Early Silurian age, and the Honorat Group, which has yielded graptolites of late Middle Ordovician age.     

Graptolite biostratigraphy of the Lower Silurian (Llandovery and Wenlock) of Bohemia

Nearly 50 sections through the Llandovery and Wenlock black shales of the Barrandian area (Bohemia) have been examined bed by bed. This has made possible the compilation of an improved and well defined graptolite zonal scheme with much new biostratigraphic data included. A total of 268 graptolite species and subspecies have been found. Their stratigraphic distribution allows the recognition of 27 graptolite zones: ascensus–acuminatus, vesiculosus, cyphus, triangulatus–pectinatus, simulans, convolutus, sedgwickii, linnaei, turriculatus, crispus, griestoniensis, tullbergi, spiralis, grandis, insectus, centrifugus, murchisoni, riccartonensis, dubius, belophorus, rigidus, ramosus–perneri, lundgreni, parvus, nassa–frequens, praedeubeli–deubeli, ludensis, and several subzones. The biozones are defined by the vertical ranges of their ‘index’ species and are characterized by rich accompanying associations. The zonal scheme is correlated with graptolite sequences elsewhere.     

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.     

Early Telychian changes in graptoloid diversity and sea level

It is suggested that a decrease in graptoloid diversity in the utilis Subzone (early Telychian) resulted from a eustatic fall in sea level induced by the spread of ice sheets from the highlands of central Gondwanaland. Major extinctions occurred within the retiolites and the genera Glyptograptus, Petalolithus, Stimulograptus and Rastrites. The selectivity of the extinction may reflect the degree of environmental tolerance of the various graptoloid taxa, with those exhibiting water mass specificity most seriously affected. Lithological changes, here correlated with the glacial interval, are recognized from the Yangtze Platform of China and from Europe.     

辽东半岛南部晚寒武世凤山组笔石的发现兼论寒武系顶界

笔者(1988)在辽东半岛南部的瓦房店、复州湾和金州七顶山的晚寒武世凤山组中发现二层笔石化石,第一层笔石产在湾湾沟段中,它们为 Dictyonema wutingshanense Mu,Dendrograptus pennatus Lin,Dendrogra-ptus viminalis Lin,Callograptus sp.等;第二层笔石产在下楸树沟段中,它们为 Dictyonema kelanenseLin,Dendrograptus sp.,Callograptus sp.等,与笔石共生的三叶虫为?Calvinella sp.,牙形石为Proconodontus mueller。根据笔石和三叶虫等化石产出的情况及岩性特征,笔者认为辽东半岛南部晚寒武世凤山组可以从下向上划分为燕州段、湾湾沟段、下楸树沟段,寒武系的顶界即为下楸树沟段的顶界。     

龙门山北段志留纪地层研究

作者通过对龙门山北段志留纪牙形石和笔石的研究,自下而上初步建立了该区的牙形石带:Paraspothognothodus obesus 带,Paraspothognathodus parahassi-P．guizhoweusis 组合带,Pterospathogwa-wodus oelloui 带:笔石带:Demirastriles (?) 带,Spirograptus (?) 带和 Streptograptus nodifer 带.在此基础上,将该区地层自下而上划分为:龙马溪组、磨刀垭组、后蒿坪组和宁强组,其中磨刀垭组和后蒿坪组为2个新建组。本区绝大部分地层为下志留统,只有宁强组上部可能为中志留统。     

A re-examination of the type Arenig Series

The stratotypc of the Arenig Series (Ordovician System) and its boundaries are critically re-examined. The lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Tremadoc, Arenig, and Llanvirn age rocks at Arenig Fawr, North Wales that were constructed by Feamsides in 1905 are amended. The Arenig Series at Arenig is represented by the Camedd Iago Formation which was established by Lynas (1973) in the Migneint area. Examination of the sparse graptolite faunas indicates that the type Arenig Series is incomplete, only the extensus Zone having been recognized with certainty. There is a possible unconformity at the base and a probable unconformity at the top, and on present knowledge the succession cannot be correlated precisely with what are considered to be Arenig sequences elsewhere. It therefore may prove necessary to redefine the Arenig Series at a more useful type section. It is suggested that the Carmarthen district may provide a suitable stratotype.     

Graptolite dating of Ordovician vulcanicity in the Arenig area,North Wales

Graptolite assemblages of multidens Biozone age have been recovered from mudstones immediately above and below the Llyn Conwy Formation, the local representative of the regionally extensive acid tuffs that mark the end of vulcanicity in the south and east of the Harlech Dome. They include several taxa new to Wales and are markedly different to contemporaneous faunas from the Welsh Borders. One new species, Pseudoclimacograptus isknos, is described.     

A revision of the age of the hen-dy-capel ooidal ironstone (ordovician), llanengan,N. Wales

Pendent didymograptid graptolites are described from mudstones immediately overlying the Hen-dy-capel ironstone (St. Tudwal's Peninsula, Lly̌n, North Wales). The graptolites indicate a Llanvirn age for these beds, implying a Llanvirn or Arenig age for the ironstone, in contrast with the previous interpretation of a gracilis Biozone age. The redating of the ironstone horizon suggests that the Pen-y-gaer mudstones may be at the base of the local Nant Ffrancon Formation, rather than being equivalent to the lower Caradoc Tyddyn Dicwm beds above the Tremadog ironstone as widely supposed. The ironstones at Trefor, Betws Garmon, and Llandegai, which have been correlated with the Hen-dy-capel ironstone on the basis of acritarch assemblages, may also have a similar age. A reinterpretation of the age of these localities as Llanvirn would remove the stratigraphic problems introduced by their previously suggested early gracilis Biozone age. The Hen-dy-capel ironstone forms one of a large number of ironstones recorded from close to the Arenig-Llanvirn boundary in N. Wales, and elsewhere at high southern palaeolatitudes.