High-resolution biostratigraphy of the Tournaisian-Visean (Carboniferous) boundary interval, Mokra quarry, Czech Republic

This paper summarizes the results of investigations carried out in the Mokrii quarry since 2006 on the biostratigraphy of the Tournaisian-Visean (T-V) boundary interval. It also integrates previous results obtained by J. Kalvoda and collaborators. The main focus is on the boundary itself, but stratigraphically lower and higher levels have been investigated as well to provide a biostratigraphical context spanning the late Tournaisian to early Visean. This stratigraphical level has been the focus of intense international research in the recent years under the auspices of the Subcommission on Carboniferous Stratigraphy (SCCS) in order to find a new criterion and reference section (Global Stratotype Section and Point, GSSP) for the base of the Visean Stage. The appearance of Eoparastaffella simplex from its ancestor E. ovalis and the Pengchong section (Guangxi, southern China) have recently been proposed by the Task Group on the Tournaisian-Visean Boundary and ratified by the SCCS as the new biostratigraphic criterion and GSSP for the base of the Visean, respectively. The sequence exposed in Mokra is not suitable as a GSSP, notably because it is an active quarry, but it contains most of the foraminifer and conodont guides allowing a high-resolution biostratigraphy of the boundary interval. in addition, it contains abundant trilobites. For these reasons, it constitutes one of the best sections across the T-V boundary in Europe and can serve as a useful additional reference. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.