The earliest ostracods from the Ordovician of the Prague Basin, Czech Republic

Abstract

The earliest ostracods from the Bohemian Massif (Central European Variscides) have been recorded from the Middle Ordovician of the Prague Basin (Barrandian area), in the upper Klabava Formation, and became an abundant component of fossil assemblages in the overlying Šarka Formation. Both early ostracod associations consist of eight species in total, representing mainly eridostracans, palaeocopids, and binodicopids. The revision, description, or redescription of all species and their distribution in the basin is provided. Their diversification patterns and palaeogeographical relationships to ostracod assemblages from other regions are discussed.