Article: Lower Carboniferous conodont biostratigraphy of New South Wales

Based on collections totalling some thousands of specimens, the distribution of conodont elements in three main and several other subsidiary sections in the Carboniferous of New South Wales is summarized in terms of seven successive conodont faunas, six of which are regarded as indicating biostratigraphic zones. In upward succession these are individually characterized by (a) Siphonodella spp., (b) Gnathoduspunctatus, (c) Gnathodus semiglaber, (d) Gnathodus sp. A, (e) Scaliognathus anchoralis, (f) Pseudopolygnathus cf. nodomarginatus, and (g) Patrognathus ? cf. capricornis.Correlations with other Australian areas and with North American and European sections are briefly discussed on the basis of conodont distributions and comparison is made with previous intercontinental correlations of the New South Wales Carboniferous based on ammonoids. A conflict emerges between the conodont and ammonoid evidence on Visean correlations.