MIDDLE PALEOZOIC CORALS FROM THE SOUTHERN SLOPE OF THE CENTRAL RANGES OF IRIAN-JAYA, INDONESIA

Rugose and tabulate corals of Frasnian (early Late Devonian) and pre-Frasnian Devonian and Silurian(?) ages from Irian Jaya (western New Guinea), Indonesia, art described and illustrated for the first time. The Frasnian corals are the most important; they occur in the uppermost part of the Modio Formation (redefined), are well-preserved and suggest a biogeographic linkage to Western Australia. The source carbonates may represent a reef environment. The pre-Frasnian corals are from stream cobbles at two localities. They indicate the presence or former presence of a more complete Middle Palaeozoic sequence than was previously known in Irian Jaya.