Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) graptolites from Sierra de Lina and Cauchari, Argentine Puna

Abstract

This contribution reports two graptolite assemblages from the Puna Turbidite Complex, outcropping in Sierra de Lina and Cauchari locality, western Puna, Jujuy and Salta provinces, Argentina. In Sierra de Lina, the graptolite assemblage comprises Didymograptus sp., Glossograptus fimbriatus, Cryptograptus schaeferi, Archiclimacograptus sp., Pseudamplexograptus distichus, Pseudamplexograptus latus, ?Urbanekograptus retioloides and Hustedograptus sp. The graptolite fauna collected from Cauchari locality includes Didymograptus spp., Archiclimacograptus caelatus, Archiclimacograptus sp. cf. A. micidus, scarce and incomplete specimens doubtfully referred to the genera Archiclimacograptus and Acrograptus and scarce siculae of Cryptograptus sp. The associations allow us to identify the Pseudamplexograptus distichus Zone in Sierra de Lina and possibly the Pterograptus elegans Zone at Cauchari locality. Graptolite assemblages recorded in both zones allow assigning a middle‐late Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) age for the bearer levels.