Conodont Biostratigraphy of the Carbon Ridge Formation, Secret Canyon, Fish Creek Range, Nevada

The main purpose of this thesis is to study the conodont biostratigraphy of the Lower Permian Carbon Range Formation at Secret Canyon, Fish Creek Range, Nevada. The Secret Canyon section is located in the southern part of the Pennsylvanian-Permian Dry Mountain trough. Seven genera and twelve species are recognized in the study area, they are: Hindeodus minutus, Diplognathodus stevensi, Sweetognathus inornatus, S. whitei, S. behnkeni, Sweetognathus new sp. A, Sweetognathus new sp. B, Neostreptognathodus peqopensis, Mesogondolella bisselli, Mesogondolelle sp., Streptognathodus elongatus cf, and Gnathodus bilineatus. Using conodonts as index fossils, the boundary between the Sakmarian (upper Wolfcampian) and Artinskian (Leonardian) is recognized. The Secret Canyon conodont zones are correlated to the Ural Mountains in Russia and the Portuguese Springs, which is located in the northern part of the Dry Mountain trough