In order to analyze the habitats of Early Carboniferous conodonts, we studied the distribution of conodont elements in various open marine siliceous and carbonate facies in the Atbashi-Kokshaal area of the South Tianshan. The analysis was carried out using a collection of 2500 platform conodont elements collected from 39 sections and belonging to 14 genera and 65 species and subspecies. Based on their connection with specific sedimentary facies and parts of the basin, the studied conodonts are divided into three groups, the differences in composition of which apparently reflect the primary vertical depth stratification in the distribution of conodont taxa. The presence of conodonts of the First Group, both in deep-water cherty facies and in shallow-water sediments of carbonate shoals and lagoons, indicates that representatives of this community apparently inhabited the highest, near-surface levels of the pelagic zone. The distribution of taxa of the Second Group in the deep-water facies of uncompensated depressions with siliceous sedimentation in both the external and internal parts of the basin and their absence in shallow-water carbonate facies suggest that the conodonts of this group were likely inhabitants of the middle depths in the pelagic zone and for this reason did not spread into shallow-water areas. And conodonts associated only with deep marine sediments in the outermost near-oceanic part of the basin, but absent from the sediments of the internal zones, are interpreted as inhabitants of the deepest pelagic levels. Taxa represented only in shallow-water facies, but absent from deep-water sediments, were not found in the studied region, and this agrees with the conclusion that all the communities were inhabitants of the pelagic zone. The absence of endemic genera characteristic of shallow-water shelves and platform areas of the continents suggests that in the Early Carboniferous the studied region located at a significant distance from the continental massifs. © 2025 St. Petersburg University Press. All rights reserved.