Uppermost Wenlock and lower Ludlow plectograptine graptolites, Arctic Islands, Canada: new isolated material

Beautifully preserved, isolated and uncompressed plectograptine graptolites from the uppermost Wenlock “Pristiograptus” ludensis Biozone and the lower Ludlow Lobograptus progenitor Biozone are described from the Arctic Islands. Described species comprise Agastograptus robustus Obut and Zaslavskaya from the ludensis and progenitor zones; Agastograptus sp., Gothograptus chainos Lenz, and Plectograptus (Sokolovograptus?) sp., from the ludensis Zone; and Holoretiolites (Balticograptus) erraticus (Eisenack) from the progenitor Zone. The dozens of specimens of A. robustus from one locality are covered with almost continuous periderm and interthecal tissue, a feature rarely seen in plectograptines.