Caradocian and Ashgillian Chitinozoa from the subsurface of Gotland

The chitinozoans from three borings penetrating the Caradocian and Ashgillian sequence and erratic boulders of late Ashgillian age from Gotland have been investigated. Forty-three species of the genera Acanthochitina, Ancyrochitina, Angochitina, Conochitina, Cornochitina, Cyathochitina, Desmochitina, Eisenackitina, Eremochitina, Fungochitina, Lagenochitina, Rhabdochitina, Spinachitina, and Tanuchitina are described. Conochitina villosa and Cyathochitina costata are described as new species. Local range zones of the Caradocian and Ashgillian subsurface of Gotland are established. The Chitinozoa are compared with those from the Swedish mainland and Estonia and show great similarity with the chitinozoans from Estonia. Chitinozoan palaeoecology is briefly discussed.