Lower Carboniferous ostracodes from the Maritimes Basin of eastern Canada: a review

Abstract

Lower Carboniferous ostracode assemblages of marine affinity occur in sediments of the Codroy Group in southwestern Newfoundland and the Windsor Group in central Nova Scotia. Three ostracode assemblages are defined from Nova Scotia and five from Newfoundland. The assemblages can be characterised by their responses to varying degrees of physiological stress, and are dominated by members of the Paraparchitacea, although bairdiaceans, hollinomorph and kirkbyacean palaeocopids and kloedenellaceans may be locally abundant. In the Maritimes Basin, the combined effects of tectonism, eustatic fluctuation and a semi-arid climate resulted in palaeoenvironments that were characterised by low temporal and spatial stability. As a consequence, total ostracode species richness relative to individual species abundances was low. -from Author