CONODONT BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE ORDOVICIAN (DARRIWILIAN) SUCCESSION AT WEST BAY CENTRE PICCADILLY HEAD QUARRY, PORT AU PORT PENINSULA, NEWFOUNDLAND

The upper part of the Table Point Formation and the lower part of the Goose Tickle Group (Table Cove Formation and lower Black Cove Formation) are exposed the West Bay Centre Piccadilly Head Quarry on the Port au Port Peninsula, Newfoundland. Near the base of the Table Cove Formation there is a well-dated K- bentonite bed (464.57±.95 Ma) within the Holmograptus spinosus graptolite Zone. Conodont samples were collected around the K-bentonite bed to add conodont biostratigraphic context to the K-bentonite age, and to link the conodont and graptolite biozones together in this well-dated succession. Histiodella cf. holodentata is present from the base of the section to just above the K-bentonite bed in the Table Cove Formation. Histiodella kristinae is present in the upper part of the Table Cove Formation and in the Black Cove Formation. Histiodella cf. holodentata is an index fossil for the uppermost subzone of the Periodon macrodentatus Zone. Histiodella kristinae is an index fossil for the lowermost subzone of the P. zgierensis Zone and is referred to the Nicholsonograptus fasciculatus graptolite Zone. The bentonite bed from the Table Cove Formation is thus fixed within the H. cf. holodentata Zone and the equivalent H. spinosus Zone (Stage slice Dw2) and provides a firm radiometric age date for both of these zones.