Biofacies and palaeoenvironments of conodonts in Cambro‐Ordovician sequences of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, Cordillera Oriental of Jujuy, Argentina

A study of conodont biofacies in the Santa Rosita Formation, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina, reveals distinct palaeoenvironmental patterns linked to shallow and deeper water environments. Three biofacies were identified: Variabiloconus–Teridontus (unconstrained by environment), Utahconus–Acanthodus (associated with shallow-water sandstones), and Tilcarodus–Drepanoistodus (dominant in deeper siliciclastic lithofacies). The analysis suggests a nektobenthic lifestyle for Utahconus and Acanthodus, while other taxa exhibit pelagic adaptations. The faunal composition indicates a mix of Baltic, Laurentian, and endemic Gondwanan species, confirming the presence of an oceanic corridor facilitating faunal migration during the late Cambrian–early Ordovician.

Zeballo, F. J., & Albanesi, G. L. (2012). Biofacies and palaeoenvironments of conodonts in Cambro‐Ordovician sequences of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, Cordillera Oriental of Jujuy, Argentina. Geological Journal, 48(2-3), 194–211. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/gj.2435