A new means of correlation which does not require the presence of guide fossils has been developed and successfully tested. This method is new in that it utilizes the complex inter-relationships formed by overlapping occurrence patterns of individual species to develop time correlations instead of developing correlations by the matching of faunas. It augments but does not supplant present methods. It provides a means of determining sedimentary foraminiferal controls and of separating them from other environmental controls. It also provides a means of testing the reliability of guide markers.