Holts Summit (Devonian) conodonts from Missouri

Abstract

The conodonts of a previously unrecognized Upper Devonian formation, the Holts Summit, are unusually abundant and include unique forms which have not been elsewhere reported from strata of North America. An assemblage from Germany as described by Sannemann is closely allied to the fauna of the Holts Summit. The Devonian fauna and the stratigraphic relationships exclude the Holts Summit from the Bushberg and "Basal Mississippian" of previous authors. Lack of recognition in the past of the Holts Summit as a unit has led to the inclusion of its fauna in other faunal lists preventing correlation with these units in this report on the basis of the fauna. The highly plastic state of development of the fauna is discussed and three new genera are recognized. A partial faunal list is submitted which will enable recognition of the Holts Summit fauna and permit correlation with this unit.