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Rare earth elements (REEs) have been analysed from fossil vertebrate microremains (thelodont scales) from the Vesiku Bone Bed, Saaremaa, Estonia, using in situ microsampling by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Well-preserved scales of three species of the genus Thelodus (T. carinatus, T. laevis and Thelodus sp.) show very uniform REE patterns with slightly lower overall REE concentrations in enameloid than in dentine, with enrichment in middle REEs, depletion in heavy REEs and pronounced negative europium anomaly, but no cerium anomaly. The results of this study suggest a similar diagenetic history and possibly contemporaneous habitats for all three Thelodus species, as well as possible suboxic to anoxic conditions of the bottom and pore waters during the formation of the Vesiku Bone Bed.

Abstract. The biostratigraphic and palaeogeographical distributions of early vertebrate microfossils from a number of Lower Silurian localities in northwestern Mongolia, Tuva and southern Siberia were reviewed. Vertebrate microremains showed high taxonomic diversity, comprising acanthodians, chondrichthyans, putative galeaspids, heterostracans, mongolepids, tesakoviaspids, thelodonts and possible eriptychiids. The majority of taxa have lower stratigraphic levels of occurrence compared to other Silurian palaeobiogeographical provinces, such as the European-Russian or Canadian Arctic. Vertebrate microremains are numerous within the samples, which may indicate warm-water low-latitude palaeobasins with rich shelf faunas. This disagrees with the recent interpretations of the territory as a northern high-latitude Siberian palaeocontinent. The palaeobiogeographical distribution of vertebrate taxa indicates an endemic palaeobiogeographical province of connected epeiric palaeoseas with external isolation during the early Silurian. In previous works separation between Tuvan and Siberian palaeobiogeographical provinces has been suggested. After careful revision of the vertebrate microfossil record of the region, we find that differences in a few vertebrate taxa do not provide not strong enough evidence to reliably distinguish these provinces. We therefore dispute the hypothesis of two biogeographical provinces in the early Silurian of the Siberian palaeocontinent, and propose a single unified Siberian–Tuvan palaeobiogeographical province.

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