The Ordovician of Scandinavia: a revised regional stage classification

Abstract

The Ordovician of Scandinavia (i.e. Denmark, Norway and Sweden) has been investigated for over two centuries and, through time, various chronostratigraphic schemes have been introduced, facilitating regional correlation. However, a modern chronostratigraphy has never been proposed. Here, we delineate ten regional stages for the Ordovician of Scandinavia, comprising, in ascending order, the Slemmestadian, Otten-byan, Billingenian, Volkhovian, Kundan, Segerstadian, Dalbyan, Moldåan, Jerrestadian and Tommarpian. We propose to discontinue the use of the term Hunnebergian Regional Stage despite its Scandinavian origin; this interval is included in the new Ottenbyan Stage. The base of each stage, as (re)defined here, is selected to coincide with the appearance of a characteristic fossil taxon and delimited at the top by the base of the overlying stage. The stage boundaries generally coincide with or approximate to significant changes in the depositional environment that are recognizable across Scandinavia from the carbonate platform to the foreland basin. Local efficacy has been the primary criterion for the recognition of Scandinavian stage boundaries rather than approximating to the global or East Baltic stage boundaries. It is proposed to abolish the Baltoscandian regional series and subseries, as correlation with the global series is sufficiently precise to make these higher rank regional schemes redundant.