Lower Cambrian (Atdabanian/Botomian) Shallow-Marine carbonates of the Görlitz Synclinorium (Saxony/Germany)

Summary Geological, papaeontological and microfacies studies in the Lower Cambrian carbonate complex of the G?rlitz Synclinorium (eastern Germany/Saxony/Lusatian region) provide new data for the fossil content, depositional history and palaeogeography. The Lower Cambrian of the G?rlitz Synclinorium belongs to the facies zones 5, 7 and 8 ofWilson (1975)-platform rim with connections to the open ocean and to the restricted platform areas. An extraordinarily rich fauna was found with elements which are in some cases new for Europe (Rhombocorniculum cancellatum Cobbold,Fordilla sibirica Krasilova, Calodiscus lobatus Hall,Archaeooides granulatus Qian,Archiasterella pentactina Sdzuy,Allonia sp.,Obliquatheca aldanica Sysoiev,Conotheca circumflexa Missarzhevsky,Microcornus elongatus Missarzhevsky,Lenalituus sp.,Pelagiella cf.lorenzi Kobayashi,Beshtashella sp.,Comluella sp.,Cambroclavithidae gen. et sp. indet., Helcionellidae gen. et sp., indet. Eocrinoidea gen. et sp. indet.) This fauna indicates Lower Cambrian (higher Atdabanian/Botomian) age and reveals palaeobiogeographical connections to the Siberian Platform, to the Mediterranean area and to China. A somewhat new stratigraphical subdivision of the Lower Cambrian sequence (Zwetau Formation) is described. New units are established within the Ludwigsdorf Member (the carbonatic lower part of the sequence), the ‘Lower Ludwigsdorf Member’ (massive dolostone) and the ‘Upper Ludwigsdorf Member’ (bedeed limestones and their equivalents). The subsequentLusatiops Member is subdivided intoSerrodiscus Bed (claystones) andLusatiops Bed (siltstones).