The Ordovician genus Pygodus (conodont) in the Cuyania Terrane, Argentina

Abstract

This contribution deals with the record of the Ordovician genus Pygodus in Cuyania, Argentina. Several classical sections have been sampled for conodonts in the Precordillera and the San Rafael Block, involving diverse sedimentary deposits: coarse clastic rocks with carbonate cement, carbonate beds intercalated in fine clastic deposits, green shale, and black carbonate deposits. The recovered species of this genus are Pygodus lunnensis Zhang, P. anitae Bergström, P. serra (Hadding), P. protoanserinus Zhang and P. anserinus Lamont & Lindström. These key conodonts indicate middle to upper Darriwilian – lower Sandbian age for the bearing strata. The species P. protoanserinus is recorded for the first time from the Precordillera. Detailed observations were made on specimens of P. anitae, P. lunnensis and P. protoanserinus; the two last species are described for the first time from Cuyania.