The overall occurrence, composition, stratigraphic distribution and palaeobiogeographic and biostratigraphic significance of ostracod faunas in the Silurian of the Southern Tien Shan in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, central Asia is, for the first time, documented herein. The faunas are diverse in each of the four Silurian series, with podocopes, palaeocopes and mydocopes present and podocopes dominant throughout. The faunas are species rich, with some 300 ostracod species recorded, predominantly from shallow water mostly shelf and shelf slope carbonates of various kinds. The ostracod faunas are dominantly (95%) endemic to the area, and the endemicity is apparent throughout the Silurian. The occurrence of benthic podocope and palaeocope ostracods endorses the palaeogeographic model of a close assembly of several microcontinental blocks (e.g., Karakum-Tadjik, Uratyube-Osh, Kyzyl-Kum/Alai) associated with a putative (Turkistan) Ocean during the Silurian. There is also evidence, from the co-occurrence of some ostracod species, that supports tectonic models indicating proximity of the Urals (‘Urals Ocean’) to central Asia (areas bordering the ‘Turkistan Ocean’) during the Silurian. Ostracods provide markers for dating and correlation at various stratigraphic levels of the Silurian within and between localities across central Asia. Ostracods are also valuable in intercontinental biostratigraphy and correlation in the Ludlow Series, using cosmopolitan myodocope species that occur in deeper slope facies in Uzbekistan.

本文首次记录了乌兹别克斯坦和中亚塔吉克斯坦南部天山志留系中的兽类动物的总体发生，组成，地层分布以及古生物地理学和生物地层学意义。在四个志留纪系列中，动物群各不相同，其中有足足类，古足类和近足类，而足足类则占主导地位。动物区系种类丰富，记录了约300种兽脚类，主要来自浅水区，大部分为陆架和陆架斜坡的各种碳酸盐。兽足类动物是该地区特有的（95％）地方性，整个志留纪地区的地方性很明显。底栖足足类和古腔类成龙的出现支持了几个微大陆块的紧密组装的古地理模型（例如，Karakum-Tadjik，Uratyube-Osh，Kyzyl-Kum / Alai）与志留纪期间的推定（突厥斯坦）海洋有关。从某些成龙类物种的共生中也有证据支持构造模型，表明志留纪期间乌拉尔（“乌拉尔海洋”）与中亚（与“突厥斯坦海洋”接壤的区域）接近。鸵鸟纲为中亚地区内部和地区之间志留纪的各种地层水平提供了测年和相关的标志。使用在乌兹别克斯坦更深的斜坡相中出现的大都会Myodocope物种，兽类在Ludlow系列的洲际生物地层学和相关性中也很有价值。支持构造模型，表明志留纪期间乌拉尔（“乌拉尔海洋”）与中亚（与“突厥斯坦海洋”接壤的区域）接近。鸵鸟纲为中亚地区内部和地区之间志留纪的各种地层水平提供了测年和相关的标志。使用在乌兹别克斯坦更深的斜坡相中出现的大都会Myodocope物种，兽类在Ludlow系列的洲际生物地层学和相关性中也很有价值。支持构造模型，表明志留纪期间乌拉尔（“乌拉尔海洋”）与中亚（与“突厥斯坦海洋”接壤的区域）接近。鸵鸟纲为中亚地区内部和地区之间志留纪的各种地层水平提供了测年和相关的标志。使用在乌兹别克斯坦更深的斜坡相中出现的大都会Myodocope物种，兽类在Ludlow系列的洲际生物地层学和相关性中也很有价值。