虽然在华南中泥盆世艾菲尔期(Eifelian)较深水或斜坡相地层中产有许多国际标准的牙形类带化石,但在广阔的浅海相地层中却很难寻觅到其踪影。华南浅海相沉积地区是否缺失艾菲尔阶?在野外众多剖面的实地考察中表明,从下泥盆统埃姆斯阶到中泥盆统吉维特阶都是连续沉积,中间并没有发现地层的缺失或间断现象。浅海相的艾菲尔阶与其上覆的吉维特阶和下伏的埃姆斯阶都是连续沉积,说明可能是由于海水太浅,不太适合那些国际标准分子的生存而已。艾菲尔期中期末发生一次生物灭绝事件(Mid-Eifelian event),favositids,heliolitids和许多古老类型的珊瑚在地球上灭绝。华南艾菲尔期四射珊瑚可以划分成下、上两个完全不同的组合:1)Utara-tuiasinen sis-Sociop hyllum minor组合(牙形类partitus带—costatus带);2)Columnaria spinosa-Dendrostella praerhenana组合(牙形类australis带—kocklianus带)。

The Eifelian Stage has been divided from bottom to top into four conodont zones: partitus, costatus, australis and kocklianus by SDS. However, we have rarely found the above-mentioned standard zonation conodonts in the near-shore deposits from South China though we have found some important Devonian organism groups such as conodonts, ammonoids, tentaculites and others in the pelagic deposits of South China. Up to now, we have only found some long-term conodonts such as Eognathodus bipennatus bipennatus, Eognathodus bipennatus montensis and Icriodus corniger corniger in the Eifelian shallow water environments from South China.Devonian near-shore deposits are widespread in South China and rich in benthic brachiopods and corals. Based on a revised taxonomy and biostratigraphic range of rugose coral assemblages in South China, a coral biostratigraphy has been established, which indicates a subdivision of Eifelian into two discrete coral assemblages.Their correlation with the standard conodont zonation allows age determination of coral-bearing sequences. Lower-Middle Eifelian and Upper Eifelian rugose coral assemblage sequences in South China are shown as follows (in descending order): Upper Eifelian(2) Columnaria spinosa-Dendrostella praerhenana Assemblage (australis and kocklianus zones)Lower-Middle Eifelian(1) Utaratuia sinensis-Sociophyllum minor Assemblage (partitus and costatus zones).The Upper Eifelian coral assemblage is quite different from the Lower-Middle ones. Favositids, heliolitids and some rugose coral genera were extinct at the Mid-Eifelian bioevent. Some older elements of corals which lasted from Silurian and Lower Devonian survived in the Lower-Middle Eifelian. While the Upper Eifelian contained some advanced taxa of Rugosa.Biogeographic provincialism increased in late Lochkovian and Pragian time and reached a maximum during the early Emsian fauna. Lower Emsian rugose corals of South China are relatively endemic. However, after this time they became gradually cosmopolitan. The Eifelian rugose corals of South China are close to those of West Canada, Russia, West Europe and Australia. They all belong to the same Old World Realm.

Q915.813.4 P544.4

国家自然科学基金项目(No.40472009)，国家重点基础研究发展规划项目(2006CB806400)资助