Wenlockian (Silurian) conodont biostratigraphy, biofacies, and carbonate lithofacies, Wayne Formation, central Tennessee

Tex. Tech Univ., Dep. Geosci., Lubbock, TX, United States

The Wayne Formation of central Tennessee ranges from latest Llandoverian (C ₆ ) to early Ludlovian in age. Three intergrading conodont biofacies occur in the Wenlockian part of the Wayne Formation. The Panderodus unicostatus biofacies occurs in the upper part of the Maddox Member in northernmost Tennessee, and dominates the Lego and basal beds of the Dixon Member. It is characteristic of shallow-water, high-energy environments where the destruction of elements was greatest. The mixed biofacies, more diverse and abundant, occurs in the lower part of the Maddox Member, in the Waldron Member, and the southernmost sections of the Lego Member and is characteristic of relatively quiet-water environments. The Dapsilodus obliquicostatus biofacies, the result of a dramatic increase in the abundance of the nominal species in the most offshore environments, is restricted to a few samples near the base of the Maddox Member and the southernmost sections of the Waldron Member.--Modified journal abstract.

This record provided courtesy of AGI/GeoRef.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. D. E. CHATTERTON, G. D. EDGECOMBE, and P. A. TUFFNELL Extinction and migration in Silurian trilobites and conodonts of northwestern Canada Journal of the Geological Society, August 1, 1990; 147(4): 703 - 715. [Abstract] [PDF]