Vendian-Cambrian of Western Gondwana: Introduction

Abstract

Gondwana (Suess, 1875) formed as a result of the Pan African-Brasiliano orogenies, and survived until the opening of the Atlantic in late Mesozoic times. For researchers dealing with the genesis of this remarkable supercontinent, the time period represented by the Vendian to Cambrian (ca. 600-500 Ma) is crucial.