Early Ordovician conodonts from the Santa Rosita Formation at Pantipampa, Iruya area, northwestern Argentina

Abstract

A conodont assemblage recovered from the middle part of the Santa Rosita Formation at Pantipampa (Iruya area, northwestern Argentina) is described herein. It includes Cordylodus angulatus Pander, C. cayesi Druce and Jones, C. lindstromi Druce and Jones, C. hastatus Barnes, Furnishina furnishi Müller, Kallidontus gondwanicus Zeballo and Albanesi, Phakelodus elongatus An, Phakelodus tenuis (Zhang), Proconodontus muelleri Miller, Semiacontiodus sp. and Teridontus nakamurai Nogami, which are characteristic of the Cordylodus angulatus Zone (upper lower Tremadocian). In the Iruya area, the C. angulatus Zone correlates with the trilobite Kainella meridionalis Zone and the lower part of the Kainella teiichii Zone. Taxonomic diversity and relative frequency of conodont species enables the recognition of the Semiacontiodus-Teridontus community, which is characteristic of shallow marine environments.