The Silurian of Sardinia: facies development and palaeoecology

Main features of the Silurian sequences exposed in Sardinia (Italy) are here described. Oldest sediments are represented by black shales, rich in graptolites, grading into a calcareous facies throughout the middle Silurian; however, the sequences exposed in the southeast and in the southwest are different, even if some similitude is evident. The spectacular variety of invertebrate fossils is briefly outlined and their environmental settings are discussed in the attempt of giving a contribution to the global picture of Silurian events.