Abstract
The lower Middle Ordovician succession of Tazewell County, in southwestern Virginia, is herewith subdivided into 29 distinctive zones. Detailed tracing and mapping have led to the recognition of inconsistencies in the use of the stratigraphic names Stones River, Murfreesboro, Mosheim, Lenoir, Blount, Holston, Ottosee, Lowville, and Moccasin.
The authors propose to revise the stratigraphic nomenclature by grouping the newly recognized zones into mappable formations and members, from oldest to youngest: (1) Cliffield formation, composed of the Blackford, Five Oaks, Lincolnshire, Ward Cove, and Peery members; (2) Benbolt limestone, composed of the Shannondale and Burkes Garden members; (3) Gratton limestone; (4) Wardell formation; (5) Bowen formation; (6) Witten limestone; (7) Moccasin formation; and (8) Eggleston formation. Blackford, Moccasin, and Eggleston have been used previously; the other terms are new. Further use of the terms Stones River, Murfreesboro, Mosheim, Lenoir, Blount, Holston, Ottosee, Lowville, and Lowville-Moccasin in Tazewell County and other parts of southwestern Virginia seems inadvisable.
