Middle Fentou Formation at Fentou, Jiangsu Province (Silurian of China)

Where: Jiangsu, China (32.1° N, 119.1° E: paleocoordinates 4.2° S, 125.2° E)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Fentou Formation, Wenlock (433.4 - 427.4 Ma)

• Except where otherwise stated, ref. 7624 uses Lower Silurian as equivalent to Llandovery, Middle Silurian as equivalent to Wenlock, and Upper Silurian as equivalent to Ludlow plus Pridoli. "The age of the Fentou is still debated. There are two opinions, one... Late Llandovery-Early Wenlock..., and the other considering that the presence of Sinacanthus and Kiangsuaspis indicates a Late Silurian, or possibly even a Devonian age. However, we feel that this last opinion is of dubious validity, particularly in view of the uncertainty concerning the taxonomic status of both S. and K. [After consideration of other vertebrate material from various localities], little doubt now remains about the early Middle Silurian age of this long-discussed material that includes some vertebrates." [Vertebrates are in lower and middle beds. Correlation chart shows formation as a whole spanning much of the Wenlock.]

• member-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: marine; gray, green, yellow, argillaceous siltstone and green, yellow shale

• Yangtze Platform. Correlation chart indicates BA 3 position lower in formation and BA 1-2 higher up.
• "grayish-yellow or green, argillaceous siltstone, silty argillite, some interbedded, fine-grained quartzite, and a few yellowish-green shales rich in fossils."

Primary reference: E.-z. Mu, A. J. Boucot, X. Chen and J.-y. Rong. 1986. Correlation of the Silurian rocks of China. In A. J. Boucot and W. B. N. Berry (eds.), Geological Society of America Special Paper 202:1-80 [M. Foote/M. Foote/P. Wagner]more details

Purpose of describing collection: biostratigraphic analysis

PaleoDB collection 27751: authorized by Michael Foote, entered by Michael Foote on 08.01.2003

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Trilobita
 Phacopida - Encrinuridae
Coronocephalus sp. Grabau 1924 trilobite
 Proetida - Proetidae
Latiproetus sp. Lu 1962 trilobite
Lingulata
 Lingulida - Lingulidae
Lingula sp. BruguiƩre 1797
Rhynchonellata
 Spiriferida - Cyrtiidae
Striispirifer sp. Cooper and Muir-Wood 1951
 Orthida - Draboviidae
"Salopinella sp." = Salopina
"Salopinella sp." = Salopina Boucot 1960
Bivalvia
 Solemyida - Ctenodontidae
Praectenodonta sp. Philip 1962 clam
 Ostreida - Pterineidae
? Pteronites sp. McCoy 1842 oyster
 Solenida - Orthonotidae
 Pholadomyida - Edmondiidae
Edmondia sp. de Koninck 1841 clam
 Modiomorphida - Modiomorphidae
 Trigoniida - Eoschizodidae
? Eoschizodus sp. Cox 1951 clam
Gastropoda
 Eogastropoda - Sinuopeidae
? Umbospira sp. Perner 1903 snail
 Euomphalina - Pseudophoridae
Rotellomphalus sp. Perner 1903 snail
 Murchisoniina - Hormotomidae
Hormotoma sp. Salter 1859 snail
 Murchisoniina - Trochonematidae
Trochonema sp. Salter 1859 snail
Cephalopoda
 Orthoceratoidea - Protobactritidae
Protobactrites sp. Hyatt 1900
 Orthocerida - Sichuanoceratidae
Sichuanoceras sp. Chang 1962
Pteraspidomorphi
 Pteraspidomorphes -
Chondrichthyes
  -
Sinacanthus sp. P'an Kiang 1958 spiny fish