Ostracodes of the suborder Palaeocopa in the Downtonian of the western part of the Russian Platform

Terrigenous-carbonatic deposits of the Downtonian Series of the western part of the Russian Platform (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Kaliningrad District, the Brest basin, and Podolia) are described. Complexes of the Downtonian Palaeocopa are presented, and their geographical and stratigraphical distribution discussed. On the base of palaeocope faunas a detailed stratification of the Downtonian deposits and the correlation of the sections of different parts of the studied area are made. A new interpretation of the boundary between the lower and upper Downtonian in the Baltic region is suggested.