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 Cambrian Sesong and Hwajeol Formations in the Sabuk area, Korea. Two samples near the base of the Sesong Slate at the Pukil section contain lower Upper Cambrian conodonts, comprising Furnishina furnishi, F. kranzae, F. pernical, F. triangulate, Hertzina elongata, Laiwugnathus doidyxus?, Phakelodus elongatus, Muellerodus? obliquus, Westergaardodina matsushitai and W. moessebergensis. This is the first conodont record of the Upper Cambrian formations recovered yet in the northern limb of the Paekunsan syncline. The faunal assemblage is correctable 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 Zones in ascending order. This zonal scheme is essentially equivalent to that of the southern limb of the Paekunsan syncline and they are correlatable with zones in other pa

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

Abstract This paper presents a conodont biostratigraphic study on the Upper Cambrian Sesong and Hwajeol Formations in the Sabuk area, Korea. Two samples near the base of the Sesong Slate at the Pukil section contain lower Upper Cambrian conodonts, comprising Furnishina furnishi, F. kranzae, F. pernical?, F. triangulata, Hertzina elongata, Laiwugnathus doidyxus?, Phakelodus elongatus, Muellerodus? obliquus, Westergaardodina matsushitai and W. moessebergensis. This is the first conodont record of the Upper Cambrian formations recovered yet in the northern limb of the Paekunsan 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 Zones in ascending order. This zonal scheme is essentially equivalent to that of the southern limb of the Paekunsan syncline and they are correlatable with zones in other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, Iran and China.