EVOLUTION AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF CARBONIFEROUS AMMONOIDS

(Algeria and Morocco). The appearance of new or modified morphological features provides the basis for recognition of some 12 important events in the evolution of the ammonoids that are common to all these successions. A total of 17 ammonoid-based zones may be used to subdivide the Carboniferous. Since they are founded on evolutionary changes and appear in all successions studied, these divisions provide a good basis for the erection of intercontinental chronostratigraphic divisions.