The Alexander terrane has the longest and most complete Paleozoic stratigraphy of the Alaskan suspect terranes, with a stratigraphic and fossil record extending back to the early Ordovician. It lies outboard of several younger terranes and it is one of the key sections in understanding the accretionary history of northwestern North America. Many workers believe it began its long history in the western "Protopacific" and only arrived in the vicinity of North America in late Mesozoic time. Faunal evidence gained from ongoing studies does not support this view but suggests that the Alexander terrane was more closely associated with the continent of North America than with Australia or Asia. The faunas belong to the Old World Realm and show mainly Cordilleran Region affinities that contrast with the affinities of faunas in eastern Australia and China. However, the affinities are not wholly Cordilleran and there are some Siberian aspects that need further explanation. P.I. will collect and describe brachiopods of Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian age to see if these also show a North American affinity or if they indicate a continuing Siberian influence. The gaps in knowledge of Asiatic faunas are being rapidly filled by workers in China and the USSR so that comparisons are possible once we have collected adequate material in our own sections. The work will concentrate on brachiopods, because these are benthic and sensitive to biogeographic factors, but will make use of our recent work on donodonts from southeastern Alaska because these provide the best available age control in these calcareous sections.
