Palaeogeographic significance of rugose corals: El Guadiato Area (Southwestern Spain) as a case study

Abstract Carboniferous rugose corals are useful for palaeoecological, palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographic studies. However, most analyses qualitative and/or comprise from long stratigraphical intervals, detailed studies in the western Palaeotethys scarce. This report presents a quantitative analysis of late Visean coral assemblages El Guadiato Area (Southwestern Spain), which has been thoroughly studied during last 30 years. case study aims to check utility studies, reconstructing tectonic movements suture zone between Ossa Morena Centroiberian domains Iberian Massif. Sixty-one species were included analyses. Moreover, two other faunas have added as an external reference: Los Santos de Maimona Spain) Kingscourt (Ireland). The presence/absence datasets treated with paired group (UPGMA) Hierarchical Clustering Detrended Correspondence Analysis. results this support previous observations about palaeogeography Area, backing hypothesis that strike slip faults area produced large lateral displacements. conducted at level detail appear be conditioned by differences, but comparison Kingscourt’s look promising future larger comparisons different basins.