A new section of Kaili Formation (Cambrian) and a biostratigraphic study of the boundary interval across the undefined Cambrian Series 2 and Series 3 at Jianshan, Jianhe County, China with a discussion of global correlation based on the first appearance datum of Oryctocephalus indicus (Reed, 1910)

A trilobite biostratigraphic study of a new section of the Kaili Formation at Jianshan, Chuandong Village, Jianhe County, Guizhou is reported. Additional occurrences of key species associated with the Ovatoryctocara granulata–Bathynotus holopygus Zone and the overlying Oryctocephalus indicus Zone that were originally defined from the trilobite assemblages at the Wuliu-Zengjiayan section of the Kaili are reported from this new section. The first appearance datum (FAD) of Oryctocephalus indicus occurs at the 44.52 m above the base of the unit. Based on study of abundant specimens ( n = 800) from the Kaili Formation, we argue that Oryctocephalus indicus is a widespread taxon with a global distribution. O. reticulatus (Lermontova, 1940) from the middle part of the Kounamkites Zone of the Amganian Stage in the Molodo River region of Siberia and O. americanus (Sundberg and McCollum, 2003) from Nevada, North America are similar to representatives of O. indicus which occur in the O. indicus Zone of the Kaili Formation. O. reticulatus and O. americanus are here synonymized with O. indicus (Reed, 1910). This study strengthens the Wuliu-Zengjiayan section of the Kaili Formation as a candidate section for a Global Stratotype for the base of the unnamed Cambrian Series 3.