GEOLOGY AND FAUNA, AND PRELIMINARY CORRELATION OF SEDIMENTS OF THE MAIN LATE CENOZOIC SITES OF THE TRANSBAIKAL AREA

Abstract

The Pliocene and Pleistocene sediments exposed in eight sections of Transbaikalia have been correlated using geological and palynological data, together with information on fossil mammals and some paleomagnetic characteristics. The most complete sequence of fossiliferous deposits (spanning the time interval from the Middle Pliocene to the Late Pleistocene) is exposed in the Tologoi key section. The sequence was correlated with other sections primarily on the basis of mammal faunas. During deposition of the Chikoi Suite, Udunginian, Chikoian and Itantsinian faunal complexes appeared in succession. Four successive stages in mammal evolution are recognized within the Early Pleistocene.Deposition of the Krivoyarskaya Suite proceeded throughout the time when the Tologoi faunistic complex, Ivolginian and other Pleistocene faunas followed each other in the Transbaikalian region.