Arenigian chitinozoans from the Klabava formation, Bohemia

The lower Paleozoic succession in Bohemia progressively emerges as a first-order reference in the international stratigraphical scale. This is the reason why investigations have been carried out on chitinozoans from the Klabava Formation which represents the Arenig Series in the Prague Basin.

For this preliminary study seventeen samples were collected so that a stratigraphical control based on Arenigian Bohemian graptolite zones is available (namely the Corymbograptus v. similis, Schizograptus tardibrachitus and Tetragraptus cf. pseudobigsbyi zones). However, for a more accurate biozonation more closely spaced sampling will be necessary.

Chitinozoans are lacking in some samples while in others abundant but poorly diversified assemblages are present. Among the key species recorded, Conochitina symmetrica, Tanuchitina achabae, Lagenochitina esthonica, D. (Desmochitina) bulla allow biostratigraphical correlations with the Sahara, Armorican Massif, Scandinavia, the Russian Platform, and Quebec. Yet we must emphasize the absence of the genus Eremochitina which is still unrecorded in the Klabava Formation.