STUDIES IN THE BRANSON HOUSE SPRING AREA OF MISSOURI SHOW LOWER MISSISSIPPIAN STRATOTYPE OF THE COMPTON, PIERSON, ROSALEA, AND FERN GLEN MEMBERS MATCH THOSE IN EXSHAW, AB, MINGUS MT, AZ AND BOWDEN, W. VA

The lower Compton member at Ridgedale, MO is a thin bedded limestone with the conodont Siphonodella isosticha (Thompson and Fellows 1969). The Middle Lodgepole base is Sloss' Double of coarse crinoidal limestone. The middle units are silty and the upper part grainstone (Smith 2) with the Siphonodella cooperi conodont (Thompson and Fellows 1969). The phosphatic disconformity K/O is a ravinement with a lag deposit of phosphatic crinoids. The overlying Northview member is cherty and red with the cocodont S. cooperi hasssi (Thompson and Fellows 1969). The Pierson member is crinoidal with the Gnathodus semiglauber conodont (Thompson and Fellows 1969). The Rosalea shale marker is gray to the west and red in West Virginia, the conodont Polygnathus mehli (Boardman (2012) is an example of a fossil zone following a rock bed. The lower Fern Glen is a marker bed of three bands traceable from Bowden, WV to Cadomin, AB. The upper Fern Glen is dark limestone with thin shales traceable across central Missouri at House Springs. Posters show Marker beds are traceable across North America and to Norway and Patagonia.