Ordovician conodont biofacies of the upper La Silla and San Juan formations (middle Tremadocian-lower Dapingian) at Cerro La Silla, Argentine Precordillera

Conodonts from the upper La Silla (9.6 m thick) and San Juan formations (264.7 m thick) at the Cerro La Silla section are analyzed for the identification of faunal dynamics, biofacies and sea-level changes. The conodont collection of 11 388 specimens was recovered after digestion of 41 samples of carbonate rocks, totalizing 88.155 kg. Conodont total abundance and generic diversity graphs, as well as cluster analysis, reveal seven biofacies. The Colaptoconus, Tropodus-Reutterodus, Oepikodus-Prioniodus, Juanognathus-Bergstroemognathus, Juanognathus-Oepikodus-Protopanderodus, Juanognathus-Protopanderodus, Juanognathus-Semiacontiodus biofacies are determined. These biofacies represent middle to outer carbonate ramp environments for the San Juan Formation. The associated analysis of biofacies and lithology allow for the recognition of two transgressive events in the San Juan Formation at the Cerro La Silla section, which could be related to transgressive systems tracts (TST) that occurred during the Early and Middle Ordovician (middle Tremadocian-early Dapingian).