Stratigraphische Untersuchungen im Paläozoikum des Montseny (Katalonien/Spanien)

The Catalonian Coast Bange and Inner Bange are the connecting link between the East-Pyrenees in the North and the Celtiberic Chains in the Southeast. During the Paleozoic the Catalonian Ranges differ from both areas by extreme eugeosynclinal conditions with very low rates of sedimentation. Similar conditions in the Hercynian of Spain are to be found in the “pelagic” areas of the southwestern part of the Sierra Morena from upper Ordovician to Lower Carboniferous times. Based on the mapping of the Avencó-Valley (a part of the Montseny-Mountains/Catalonia) the Paleozoic layers are described and a stratigraphic subdivision is worked out. The conformable sequence begins in the upper Ordovician (Caradoc) and continues to the Visean. Buntsandstein is unconformably overlying the Paleozoic. The Ordovician/Silurian boundary is determined by Graptolithes; the Silurian/Devonian boundary is located within a sequence of Orthoceras-limestone as elsewhere in the Catalonian Range. For lack of fossils the Devonian/Carboniferous boundary is not clearly defined; instead a lithologic boundary was used. Special stress has been laid upon sedimentary structures.