Pragian conodont biostratigraphy of the western slope of the Southern Urals (Mindigulovo section)

Abstract

Research subject. Pragian conodonts from the Mindigulovo section on the western slope of the South Urals. Aim. Conodont-based biostratigraphy of the Pragian deposits. Materials and methods. This study is based on the biostratigraphic method: identification of conodonts using conventional techniques, recognition of Pragian conodont associations, zonal scale proposal and correlation. Results. The Pragian beds in the Mindigulovo Section in the latitudinal flow of the Belaya River are characterized using conodonts for the first time. The following conodont-based subdivisions at the rank of beds with fauna are recognized (from bottom to top): Beds with Gondwania irregularis, Latericriodus steinachensis, Beds with Pelekysgnathus serratus, Beds with Gondwania profunda, Pseudogondwania kindlei and Beds with Polygnathus cf. pireneae. Conclusions. The recognized conodont-based units can be directly correlated with the standard zonal scale of the Pragian. The conodont assemblage studied contains taxa characterizing the Gondwania irregularis–Gondwania profunda, Pseudogondwania kindlei–Eognathodus zeravshanicus, Polygnathus pireneae lineage, also known in the Pragian successions of Australia and the South Tien Shan. The co-occurrence of the deep-water family Eognathodidae and the shallow-water Icriodontidae in the Mindigulovo Section enables the correlation of different facies sections.