SILURIAN BIOCHEMOSTRATIGRAPHY OF A CORE FROM THE MOOSE RIVER BASIN, ONTARIO, CANADA

The Silurian marine succession in the Moose River Basin has been studied for more than a century however its precise correlation globally has not been constrained. Lithostratigraphic nomenclature for these strata is currently being revised by the Ontario Geological Survey. Integrated conodont biostratigraphic and carbon (δ¹³C_carb) isotope chemostratigraphic data from a core in the Moose River Basin were examined to constrain the relative age and generate a detailed chronostratigraphic framework for these lithostratigraphic units. The presence of Icriodella discreta, Aspelundia expansa, Distomodus staurognathoides, Aspelundia fluegli fluegli, Pterospathodus sp., Aulacognathusbullatus, and the lower and upper Aeronian positive carbon (δ¹³C_carb) isotope excursions permit precise chronostratigraphic correlation of the Llandovery strata in this cratonic basin. The Severn River Formation can be constrained to at least part of the Rhuddanian Stage, but the disconformity between the Severn River and overlying Ekwan River Formation cannot be constrained with biostratigraphic data from this core. The Ekwan River is restricted to the Aeronian Stage, and there is a disconformity between the Ekwan River and overlying Attawapiskat Formation (constrained to the Telychian Stage) in which the lower portion of the Telychian Stage is missing.