Review of Devonian-Carboniferous Boundary sections in the Rhenish Slate Mountains (Germany)

Thirty Devonian-Carboniferous Boundary sections of the Rhenish Slate Mountains and adjacent subsurface areas are reviewed with respect to litho-, event, conodont, ammonoid, sequence, and chemostratigraphy. In the interval from the base of the uppermost Famennian (Wocklum Beds, Wocklumian) to the base of the middle Tournaisian (base Lower Alum Shale), 11 conodont and 16 ammonoid (sub)zones are distinguished. The terminology of the Hangenberg Crisis Interval is refined, with an overall regressive Crisis Prelude below the main Hangenberg Extinction, which defines the base of the transgressive Lower Crisis Interval (Hangenberg Black Shale). The glacigenic and regressive Middle Crisis Interval (Hangenberg Shale/Sandstone) is followed by the overall transgressive Upper Crisis Interval that can be subdivided into three parts (I to III) with the help of conodont stratigraphy (upper costatus-kockeli Interregnum = upper ckI, Protognathodus kockeli Zone, and lower part of Siphonodella (Eosiphonodella) sulcata s.l./Pr. kuehni Zone). Protognathodus kockeli includes currently a wide range of forms, which variabilities and precise ranges need to be established before a precise GSSP level should be selected. Returning to its original definition, the former Upper duplicata Zone is re-named as Siphonodella (S.) mehli Zone. It replaces the S. (S.) jii Zone, which is hampered by taxonomic complications. The S. (S.) quadruplicata Zone of Ji (1985) is hardly supported by Rhenish data. The entry of typical S. (S.) lobata (M1) characterises an upper subdivision (subzone) of the S. (S.) sandbergi Zone; the new S. (S.) lobata M2 enters much earlier within the S. (S.) mehli Zone. The ammonoid-defined base of the Wocklum-Stufe (Upper Devonian = UD VI) begins with the Linguaclymenia similis Zone (UD VI-A1). The oldest S. (Eosiphonodella) enter within the Muessenbiaergia bisulcata Zone (UD VI-A2). The traditional Parawocklumeria paradoxa Zone of Schindewolf (1937) is divided into successive P. paprothae (VI-C1), P. paradoxa (VI-C2), and Mayneoceras nucleus (VI-C3) Subzones. In the lower Tournaisian (Lower Carboniferous = LC I), the Gattendorfia subinvoluta Zone is subdivided into G. subinvoluta (LC I-A2) and “Eocanites” nodosus (LC I-A3) Subzones. The Paprothites dorsoplanus Zone (LC I-B) can be divided into Pap. dorsoplanus (LC I-B1) and Paragattendorfia sphaeroides (LC I-B2) Subzones. Potential subdivisions of the Pseudarietites westfalicus (LC I-C) and Parag. patens Zones (LC I-D) are less distinctive. The unfossiliferous or argillaceous upper part of the Hangenberg Limestone and the overlying Lower Alum Shale Event Interval remain regionally unzoned for ammonoids.

Correlation of the base of the Serpukhovian Stage (Mississippian) in NW Europe

The Task Group charged with proposing the GSSP for the base of the Serpukhovian Stage (Mississippian, Lower Carboniferous) is likely to use the global First Appearance Datum (FAD) of the conodontLochriea ziegleriin the lineageLochriea nodosa–L.zieglerifor the definition and correlation of the base of the stage. It is important to establish that the FAD ofL.ziegleriin different basins is penecontemporaneous. Ammonoids provide high-resolution biostratigraphy in the Late Mississippian but their use in international correlation is limited by provincialism. However, it is possible to assess the levels of diachronism of the First Occurrence Datum (FOD) ofL.ziegleriin sections in NW Europe using ammonoid zones. Published conodont distribution in the Rhenish Slate Mountains of Germany show the FOD ofL.ziegleriin theEmstites novalisBiozone (upper part of the P2czone of the UK and Ireland) butL.zieglerihas also been reported as occurring in theNeoglyphioceras spiraleBiozone (P1dzone). In the Yoredale Group of northern England, the FOD ofL.ziegleriis in either the P1cor P1dzone. In NW Ireland, the oldest records of bothL.nodosaandL.ziegleriare from theLusitanoceras granosumBiozone (P2a). Although there is some discrepancy in the recorded levels of the FOD ofL.ziegleriin NW Europe, this may be as a result of collection failure. The base of the Serpukhovian based on the FAD ofLochriea ziegleriwill be in the middle of the Brigantian regional Substage.