Llanfallteg Track Section
Also within
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Ordovician
Description
Description A key Ordovician locality with a stratigraphic sequence of international significance. The Llanfallteg section exposes an underformed Arenig-Llanvirn succession with stratigraphically critical trilobite and graptolite faunas in both Series. This close biostratigraphic control at the Series' boundary is lacking at the standard Llanvirn section at Abereiddy. Llanfallteg is therefore a rival for the stratotype of the Llanvirn Series, and thus a site of international importance to stratigraphic studies. In layman's terms, the interest of this site may be expressed more simply, and such a statement is provided below. This should not be taken as definitive and further information as to details of the interest can be obtained from the Nature Conservancy Council. Llanfallteg is regarded as a site of international geological significance since it provides fine exposures of rocks deposited during an interval of geological time known as the Arenig- Llanvirn. Some 500 million years ago this area was entirely covered by sea and the strata seen today at Llanfallteg were laid down on the sea floor at this time. The fossilised remains of marine animals which lived in this sea are abundant in the rocks here, and the section is now recognised as showing one of the finest sequences of rocks of this particular age anywhere in Britain.