The role of conodonts in the global stratigraphic correlation on example of southern Siberia (Russia) and eastern Serbia

Abstract

Conodonts are very precise tools for global stratigraphic correlation of Devonian deposits. They can be correlated at the level of standard conodont zones even for basins having very different geological structure. In this paper Devonian conodont correlations between north-western margin of the Kuznetsk Basin (Siberia) and eastern Serbia are demonstrated. The geology of both regions is quite different. East Serbian zone is the southern tip of the Carpathian folded area (Carpatho-Balkanides). Middle Paleozoic carbonate and terrigenous deposits (Silurian, Devonian and Lower Carboniferous) are replaced by Hercynian molasse, and sedimentation continued throughout the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras. Rocks were exposed to repeatedly tectonic effects, olistoliths, olistostromes are widespread. Middle Paleozoic sediments, including Devonian, are localized within separate small tectonic blocks, often shifted from its place and form allochthons. In the western part of the Altai-Sayan folded area the Middle Paleozoic sediments have undergone folding and orogeny during the Hercynian phase of tectonic and magmatic activity, but since that time the continental conditions have been dominant in this region. The Devonian deposits are well represented in the marginal parts of the Kuznetsk Basin. In both regions the Devonian rocks have been well studied and the standard conodont zones varcus, gigas (rhenana) - linguiformis, crepida, expansa and praesulcata were established.