Conodonts from the Cambrian Succession of South Korea

Abstract

The Lower Paleozoic Choseon Supergroup is widely distributed in the northeastern part of Ogcheon Zone, mid-eastern Korea, including the well-known sequences of Duwibong and Yeongweol. Since 1970, conodonts have been intensely studied to adve at a precise biostratigraphic framework for the Cambro-Ordovician succession of Korea. Conodonts from the Middle Cambrian Daegi Formation of Duwibong sequence and Sambangsan Formation of Yeongweol sequence are very low in abundance and diversity and are poorly preserved. Six Late Cambrian conodont zones are recognized in Duwibong area, while two faunal assemblages are identified in Yeongweol area. The conodont zones and assemblages are defined and briefly discussed. Conodont faunas between the two areas are correlated and their biostratigraphic implications are evaluated in terms of correlation with equivalent global zonal schemes.