On course, this depends on how everything is going with the gobal Covid-19 pandemic… here hoping!  This exciting presentation will be given by ESCONI member John Catalani.

The “Gonioceras Fauna”: Inhabitants of the Mohawkian Sea

The Upper Ordovician “Gonioceras Fauna” of the Mohawkian Sea is remarkably abundant, diverse, and often well-preserved. I will start with an introduction to the Platteville Formation of the Ordovician System, the paleogeography of the Ordovician focusing on Laurentia (North America), and characteristics of the Mohawkian Sea of Laurentia. A bit about nautiloids and a description of Gonioceras, the namesake of the fauna, will follow. The fossiliferous rock units and different facies of the Platteville will be described and compared using quarry sections and specimens. The remainder of the program will feature photos of the major components of the “Gonioceras Fauna” including molluscs, brachiopods, and trilobites. Remarks on the “extinction” of the Fauna will conclude the program.