Fossils from the Dunnage Mélange, north-central Newfoundland
Arenig conodonts and Tremadocian graptolites recovered from the Dunnage Melange supplement previous fossil discoveries from the melange and support the recent correlation of melange lithologies with Exploits Group strata. The new fossil finds indicate that a block within the melange is younger than portions of the matrix of this unit. This seemingly problematic relationship is resolvable in light of previous interpretations of a slump origin for the melange as Tremadocian shales and Arenig carbonates were probably part of a pre-slump sedimentary–volcanic pile. The wide range in ages of fossils within the melange is compatible with the interpretation that the melange formed on a lower Paleozoic trench slope.