Trilobites and inarticulate brachiopods from the devonian floresta formation of Colombia: A review

Abstract

The study of Devonian Colombian trilobites and inarticulate brachiopods allows to recognize two biostratigraphic levels within the Floresta Formation. The first level, in the lower part of the formation, is late Emsian in age, and yields 14 distinct trilobite taxa, including Colombianaspis carvalhoaegen. et sp. nov. The second one, in the upper part of the formation, is assigned to the Givetian based on the co-occurrence of the genera Dipleura and Greenops; this is the first record of a Givetian age for the upper part of the Floresta Formation. The inarticulate brachiopods collected from the uppermost part of the formation suggest a Givetian age. Inarticulate brachiopods as well as the trilobites show close affinities with the North Eastern Americas Realm, but they also suggest European affinities. The late Emsian occurrence of calmoniids from Colombia is indicative of restricted faunal exchanges with the Malvinokaffric Realm.