Early Permian conodont fauna and stratigraphy of the Garden Valley Formation, Eureka County, Nevada

The lower part of the Garden Valley Formation yields two distinct conodont faunas. One of late Asselian age dominated by Mesogondolella and Streptognathodus and one of Artinskian age dominated by Sweetognathus with Mesogondolella. The Asselian fauna contains the same species as those found in the type area of the Asselian in the southern Urals including Mesogondolella dentiseparata, described for the first time outside of the Urals. Apparatuses for Sweetognathus whitei, Diplognathodus stevensi, and Idioprioniodus sp. are described. The Garden Valley Formation represents a marine pro-delta basin and platform, and marine and shore fan delta complex deposition. The fan-delta complex was most likely deposited from late Artinskian to late Wordian. The Garden Valley Formation records tremendous swings in depositional setting from shallow-water to basin to shore.