WUCHIAPINGIAN (LOPINGIAN, LATE PERMIAN) BRACHIOPODS FROM THE EPISKOPI FORMATION OF HYDRA ISLAND, GREECE

Abstract:  Twenty-three species of silicified brachiopods are described from four samples in the middle and upper parts of the Episkopi Formation from Hydra Island, Greece. These brachiopods are newly recorded from the region and together with previously described brachiopods from the same localities constitute the most diverse Lopingian (Late Permian) brachiopod fauna reported in southern Europe. The brachiopod fauna is Wuchiapingian as indicated by the associated conodonts. The fauna from Hydra exhibits strong palaeobiogeographical links with the faunas from South China. In addition, palaeobiogeographical affinities with the faunas of Thailand and the northern peri-Gondwanan region are also present, which implies a peri-Gondwanan origin for Hydra. Palaeoecologically, the brachiopod assemblage from sample EP in the middle part of the Episkopi Formation is dominated by pedically-attached and cementing genera and reflects moderate energy conditions above storm wave base and an abundance of hard substrates provided by sponges in the biohermal habitat. By contrast, the brachiopod assemblage in the other three samples from the upper part of the Episkopi Formation is dominated by spinose genera with a free-resting life habit, suggesting soft substrates in a quiet water environment below storm wave base on the outer part of the shelf. New taxa are Petinospiriferina gen. nov., Hustedia episkopiensis sp. nov., Waterhouseiella hydraensis sp. nov. and Xenosaria tenuis sp. nov.     

Middle Ordovician Aporthophyla brachiopod fauna from the roof of the World,southern Tibet

A Darriwilian (late Middle Ordovician) brachiopod fauna from the Lower Formation of the Chiatsun Group at Jiacun, northern Nyalam, southern Tibet, consists of ten brachiopod species, forming a distinct Aporthophyla–Paralenorthis Association. Its taxonomic composition is typical of the Aporthophyla Fauna that occupied lower BA2 to upper BA3 benthic environments on sandy lime mud substrates. The occurrence of Paralenorthis in southern Tibet is confirmed for the first time, represented by P. costata sp. nov. Numerical analyses (PCA and CA) of 18 Darriwilian brachiopod faunas from ten palaeoplates or terranes indicate that: (1) the Aporthophyla Fauna was confined to a specific latitudinal belt although it had a wide lateral distribution from the large palaeocontinents of Gondwana to Laurentia; (2) the Saucrorthis Fauna, a typical late Middle Ordovician regional fauna, is limited to a much smaller area, marginal to the Gondwana supercontinent; (3) the strong provincialism persistent in the late Middle Ordovician contributed to increased gamma biodiversity during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.     

Oldest known Dicoelosia and Epitomyonia,deep water brachiopods from the Beiguoshan Formation (Middle Katian,Upper Ordovician), Shaanxi,north China

Abstract: A diverse brachiopod fauna from a relatively deep water carbonate facies of the Upper Ordovician Beiguoshan Formation (uppermost Caradoc – lower Ashgill, middle Katian) is characterized by small shells and contains the oldest known Dicoelosia and Epitomyonia, two diagnostic taxa of deep water brachiopod palaeocommunities during the Late Ordovician and Silurian. Three new species are recognized: Dicoelosia cordiformis sp. nov., Dicoelosia perbrevis sp. nov. and Epitomyonia fui sp. nov. These pioneer forms of the family Dicoelosiidae show a relatively high degree of morphological plasticity. The shells of Dicoelosia from the Beiguoshan Formation range from the typical slender‐lobed form with a concavoconvex profile to the strongly equibiconvex, fat‐lobed morphotype that was not known previously until the late Silurian. The Beiguoshan dicoelosiids point to an important attribute of the deep water brachiopods: small generalists with high morphological plasticity, which make them ideal candidates as progenitors for the evolution of shallow water brachiopod faunas in shelf and platform depositional environments.     

Tremadoc (earliest Ordovician) brachiopods from Purmamarca and the Sierra de Mojotoro, Cordillera Oriental of northwestern Argentina

The Late Tremadoc storm-dominated shoreface to inner platform deposits exposed west of the Purmamarca village (Coquena Formation) contain a considerably more diverse brachiopod fauna than previously reported. Coquinite horizons from the lower heterolitic succession have yielded monospecific associations of Nanorthis purmamarcaensis nov. sp. (formerly assigned to N. christianiae KJERULF), which is also reported from the Late Tremadoc rocks of the Cerro San Bernardo area. The fine-grained Upper Member of the Coquena Formation contains a more diverse fauna composed by Nanorthis brachymyaria nov. sp., Astraborthis quebradensis nov. sp. and the new plectorthid genus Lipanorthis (type species L. andinus nov. sp.). A different species of Lipanorthis (L. santalaurae nov. sp.) from the Mid Tremadoc Floresta Formation of the Sierra de Mojotoro is also described.     

Early Ordovician bivalves from Dali, West Yunnan, China

A bivalve fauna of Early Ordovician (late Arenig) age is described from the Hsiangyang Formation of the eastern part of West Yunnan, China. The fauna contains elements in common with Early Ordovician faunas of southern Gondwanan areas such as the Montagne Noire and Morocco and with those of Avalonia, together with several previously undescribed taxa. The following taxa are new: Biseriodonta simplex gen. et sp. nov.; Glyptarca sinensis sp. nov.; Trigonoglyptarca magna gen. et sp. nov.; Erhaiconcha xiangyangensis gen. et sp. nov.; Fasciculodonta impressa gen. et sp. nov.; Yunnanoredonia laevis gen. et sp. nov.; Daliella gen. nov.; Goniophorina ( Goniophorina ) contracta sp. nov.; Haidongoconcha radialis gen. et sp. nov.; Eopterinea aequiconcha gen. et sp. nov. The bivalve fauna includes the most diverse glyptarcid fauna and the earliest nuculanid and paracyclid known hitherto.   Eastern West Yunnan belonged to the Indochina terrane and it is concluded that the bivalve fauna represents a high-latitude assemblage and that the Indochina terrane should be considered a component part of the Peri-Gondwanan continent in the Ordovician; its bivalve faunas contrast with those of neighbouring terranes which have affinities with those of lower latitudes.     

西藏南部色龙二叠纪腕足动物携螺贝类一新属:Gruntea gen.nov.

根据西藏南部色龙西山剖面色龙组新材料建立了二叠纪腕足动物一新属Ｇｒｕｎｔｅａｇｅｎ．ｎｏｖ,并对模式种Ｇｒｕｎｔｅａｇｒｕｎｔｉ（ｓｈｉａｎｄＳｈｅｎ）作进一步的讨论和重新描述。     

川南布拖县乌科志留纪早期介形类丽足介目(Myodocopida)

乌科剖面位于四川布拖县乌科乡境内。在此剖面的石门坎组上碎屑岩段中产有相当丰富的介形类丽足介目,特别是球茎介科的化石。经研究、鉴定,初步划分出2个属和6个种,其中包括3个新种(Entomozoe bispinosa sp.nov.,E.suboblongasp.nov.,E.wukeensis sp.nov.),1个比较种和2个未定种。在分析上述属、种,特别是相关种的地质、地理分布特征的基础上,并参考其他门类化石(如腕足类动物群)和岩石性质,提出石门坎组上碎屑岩段可能要低于笔石M.crispus带上部,大致相当于志留纪兰多维列世特列奇期早期。Entomozoe和球茎介科的最早代表推测是产自石门坎组上碎屑岩段Entomozoe的那些分子,如E.suboblongasp.nov.,而非E.tuberosa(Jones),1861(或其亲缘种E.aff.tuberosa)(Siveter et al.,1990,2006)。文中还就上述丽足介目动物群的生态环境进行了分析,指出石门坎组上碎屑岩段可能是在陆棚浅水到相对较深水、能量较低的、温暖的开阔海环境下沉积的。     

新疆吐鲁番盆地桃树园晚二叠世非海相腹足类

提要新疆吐鲁番盆地桃树园地区晚二叠世地层称作下仓房沟群,自下而上分为泉子街组、梧桐沟组和锅底坑组,为河–湖相碎屑沉积,剖面连续,层序清楚,动、植物化石丰富。文中研究的腹足类标本产于桃东沟剖面梧桐沟组下部和中部的介壳灰岩层和灰岩透镜体中,见有2层,计有2科4属6种:Xinjiangospira rotundata Yu et Zhu,Xinjiangospira habita sp.nov.、Hydrobia turpanensis Wei、Hydrobia orientalis sp.nov.、Pseudamnicola taodonggouensis sp.nov.和Valvata complanusa sp.nov.;与腹足类共生的有双壳类、叶肢介、介形类,以及植物和脊椎动物化石等,其中双壳类主要是Palaeanodonta,Palaeomutela和Anthraconauta等属。该腹足动物群由Hydrobiidae和Valvatidae的属种组成,标本数量多,壳体小,保存完好,是迄今已知属种最丰富的古生代淡水腹足类动物群。当前梧桐沟组腹足动物群面貌与准噶尔盆地大龙口剖面小龙口组...     

西藏岗巴地区始新世介形虫化石组合

对西藏岗巴盆地层位最高的海相地层——遮普惹组所含介形虫化石进行了分析和研究,共鉴定出22属、33种,建立两个介形虫组合：Paracypris mayaensis sp. nov.-Bairdia zongpuxiensis sp. nov. 组合(下部)和 Phlyctenophora zongpuensis-Semicytherura subsyrnmetros组合(上部);讨论介形虫组合的特征及其地质时代,并与世界上其它地区有关地层进行对比,结合与之共生的有孔虫组合的时代特征,认为含该介形虫组合的海相地层——遮普惹组的时代应为始新世Ypresian-Priabonian早期。描述6种,其中有2新种：Paracypris mayaensis sp. nov.和Bairdia zongpuxiensis sp. nov.。     

Early Silurian (Telychian) rugose coral fauna of Daguan area, northeast Yunnan province, China

Study on rugose coral fauna of the Sifengya Formation (early Telychian) and Daluzhai Formation (mid-late Telychian) in Daguan area, northeast Yunnan Province, China was carried out. Rugose coral fauna of the Sifengya Formation included 18 genera and 34 species, while Daluzhai Formation with nine genera, ten species. We described rugose coral fauna (12 genera, 19 species) including one new genus and five new species, i.e. Protoketophyllum daguanense gen. et sp. nov., Crassilasma huanggexiense sp. nov., Pseudophaulactis heae sp. nov., P. convolutus sp. nov., and Shensiphyllum minor sp. nov. The characteristics and geological significance of rugose coral fauna of Sifengya Formation and Daluzhai Formation were analyzed. Particularly, rugose coral fauna of the Sifengya Formation represent early Telychian rugosan fauna in the Upper Yangtze region and improve the sequences of early Silurian (Llandovery) rugose coral assemblages in Yangtze region. It is therefore very meaningful to further analyze radiation period of rugose coral fauna in such epoch. __________ Translated from Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, 2005, 44(2): 229–246 [译自: 古生物学报, 2005, 44(2): 229–246]     

Early Silurian(Telychian)rugose coral fauna of Daguan area, northeast Yunnan Province,China

Study on rugose coral fauna of the Sifengya Formation(early Telyehian)and Daluzhai Formation (mid-late Telychian)in Daguan area,northeast Yunnan Province,China was carded out.Rugose coral fauna of the Sifengya Formation included 18 genera and 34 species,while Daluzhai Formation with nine genera,ten species.We described rugose coral fauna(12 genera,19 species)including one new genus and five new species,i.e.Protoketophyllum daguanense gen.et sp.nov..Crassilasma huanggexiense sp.nov.,Pseudophaulactis heae sp.nov.,P.convolutus sp.nov.,and Shensiphyllum minor sp.nov..The characteristics and geological significance of rugose coral fauna of Sifengya Formation and Daluzhai Formation were analyzed.Particularly,mgose coral fauna of the Sifengya Formation represent early Telychian rugosan fauna in the Upper Yangtze region and improve the sequences of early Silurian(Llandovery)mgose coral assemblages in Yangtze region.It is therefore very meaningful to further analyze radiation period of rugose coral fauna in such epoch.     

Brachiopods from the Jurassic (Callovian) of Hamakhtesh Hagadol (Kurnub Anticline), Southern Israel

The Callovian Zohar and Matmor formations in the Negev, southern Israel, consisting of marls, shales and limestones, have yielded 13 brachiopod species (2 rhynchonellids, 11 terebratulids), referred to 12 genera, of which one genus and five species are new: Apatecosia inornata, Bihenithyris mediocostata, Digonella boylani sp. nov., Dissoria bretti sp. nov., Burmirhynchia jirbaensis, Kutchithyris landeri sp. nov., Pleuraloma triangulatum, Polyplectella debriani gen. et sp. nov., Ptyctothyris daghaniensis, Somalirhynchia africana, Striithyris saudiarabica, S. telemi sp. nov., and Zeilleria sp. The brachiopods described herein from Hamakhtesh Hagadol (Kurnub Anticline) comprise a fauna located at the northernmost part of the Indo-African Faunal Realm within the Jurassic Ethiopian Province.     

吉林李家窑范家屯组中的二叠纪北温带牙形刺动物群

在吉林省九台市三台乡李家窑附近的二叠系范家屯组中采到一特殊的牙形刺动物群。多数牙形刺都较小,锯齿发育,齿脊细齿不愈合。由一些未见报道的新分子组成。本文描述了４个新种（Ｍｅｓｏｇｏｎｄｏｌｅｌｌａ ｃｈａｎｇｃｕｎｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｍ．ｊｉｌｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｍ．ｍｕｌｔｉｓｅｒｒａｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｍ．ｐｓｅｕｄｏａｌｔｕｄａｅｎｓｉｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．）和３个未命名新种     

New brachiopod species from the order acrotretida from the Cambrian of central Kazakhstan

Four new brachiopod species from the order Acrotretida (class Lingulata): Picnotreta saryarkensis sp. nov., Stilpnotreta propria sp. nov., Anabolotreta firma sp. nov., and Batenevotreta variabilis sp. nov. are described from the Agyrek Mountains, northeastern Central Kazakhstan from two olistoliths of limestones, which contain the uppermost Middle and lowermost Upper Cambrian fauna and are located in the Upper Ordovician olistostrome. These new species supplement the described earlier brachiopod assemblage from this region (Koneva and Ushatinskaya, 2008). Strong age and intraspecific variability of some Kazakh acrotretids is shown.     

Late Ordovician brachiopods from Peru and their palaeobiogeographical relationships

A Sandbian brachiopod association from the Calapuja Formation, in the Peruvian Altiplano, north‐west of Lake Titicaca, has allowed a re‐examination of the palaeobiogeographical relationships between Gondwana and Avalonia during the Late Ordovician, when the palaeocontinents are considered to be already very distant from one another. The brachiopod fauna includes the new species Onnizetina calapujensis sp. nov., Horderleyella chacaltanai sp. nov., Drabovinella minuscula sp. nov. and Tasmanella curtiseptata sp. nov., as well as Caeroplecia sp., Dinorthis cf. flabellulum and Tunariorthis cardocanalis. In addition, Colaptomena expansa expansa and Heterorthis retrorsistria, known from the British Burrellian Stage of the Caradoc Series (late Sandbian) in Wales and the Welsh Borderlands, have also been identified. The brachiopod collection is the most diverse known from a single locality in the whole Central Andean Basin. Within it, forms with clear Gondwanan links occur, such as the new species of Onnizetina, Drabovinella and Horderleyella, and typical representatives of the Avalonian faunas, such as the Welsh Colaptomena expansa expansa and Heterorthis retrorsistria. The brachiopod species exchange between the Proto‐Andean margin of Gondwana and Avalonia, now believed to be possible during the late Sandbian, allows a reconsideration of the global taxonomic affinities of both regions. With this in mind, detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and cluster analysis have been applied to an updated rhynchonelliformean brachiopod matrix consisting of presence/absence data. The scatter plot resulting from the DCA allows a vivid visualization of the grouping and geographical trends of the South American localities with respect to Avalonia–Baltica and the Mediterranean margin of Gondwana during the Sandbian. Our results agree with previous palaeogeographical reconstructions, depicting Avalonia very close to Baltica and already distant from Gondwana. As a few brachiopod species, with low dispersal potential, would have been able to migrate between those distant palaeocontinents, the existence of intermediate islands in the Rheic Ocean, permitting the transit by island hopping of eurythermal species, must be considered.     

A new ammonoid fauna from the Carnian (Upper Triassic) Kasimlar Formation of the Taurus Mountains (Anatolia,Turkey)

We describe a new ammonoid fauna from the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey. The Carnian ammonoid fauna from A?a?iyaylabel is presented for the first time. Ammonoids were obtained from limestone to marl beds of an approximately 35‐m‐thick section, which presents the rare opportunity to investigate ammonoid faunas across the Lower–Upper Carnian boundary. Intense sampling near the village of A?a?iyaylabel led to the recognition of a new Lower Carnian (Julian 2) to Upper Carnian (Tuvalian 1) ammonoid fauna from the Kasimlar Formation. The genus Kasimlarceltites gen. nov. is reported for the first time from the Taurus Mountains, which represents the main faunal element and occurs as huge mass occurrence (n ? 1 million). Kasimlarceltites krystyni gen. et sp. nov., Klipsteinia disciformis sp. nov. and Anasirenites crassicrenulatus sp. nov. occur within the Lower Carnian Carbonate member (Units A–B) of the Kasimlar Formation from the Taurus Platform Units. Ammonoids described from the marls of the Tuvalian Marlstone member were deposited during a major, Tethyan‐wide climate crisis – the so‐called Carnian crisis – characterized by a demise of carbonate platforms. Based on the biostratigraphic relevance of certain ammonoid taxa described herein, the age of the analysed parts of the Kasimlar Formation is Julian 2 to Tuvalian 1. The discovery of the new ammonoid assemblages from A?a?iyaylabel substantiates the significance of Upper Triassic faunas within the Taurus Mountains and facilitates the correlation with faunal assemblages from other regions in the Tethyan Realm. The ammonoid fauna and facies indicate a general deepening from open‐platform margins, over deeper shelf settings down to an open marine‐influenced basinal environment. The tentative habitat for Kasimlarceltites gen. nov. is a shallow platform environment to upper mid‐ramp.     

SILICIFIED RHYNCHONELLIFORM BRACHIOPODS FROM THE KUNIUTAN FORMATION (DARRIWILIAN: MIDDLE ORDOVICIAN), GUIYANG, SOUTH CHINA

Abstract: A silicified brachiopod fauna from the Middle Ordovician Kuniutan Formation (lower–middle Darriwilian, i.e. uppermost Arenig to lower Llanvirn) at Wudang, Guiyang, central Guizhou, South China, includes abundant specimens of Yangtzeella, Orthambonites and Leptellina together with common Parisorthis, Saucrorthis, rare Anomalorthis?, Hemipronites?, Leptestia? and, significantly, Aporthophyla; associated are rare trilobites, gastropods, crinoids and nautiloids. The Yangtzeella kueiyangensis‐Orthambonites delicata Association is defined for this shallow‐water, Benthic Assemblage 3, association. This first record of Aporthophyla in South China may indicate a link between South China and the Toquima‐Table Head Province, where the Aporthophyla fauna is more typically developed. However, this association is significantly different from the latter in having three endemic genera, Yangtzeella, Saucrorthis and Parisorthis, rare numbers of Aporthophyla and Anomalorthis?, and the absence of many other typical elements of the Aporthophyla fauna. The occurrence of Orthambonites, Hemipronites? and Leptestia? suggests some relationships between South China and the Baltic Platform during the Mid Ordovician. The various brachiopod associations bearing Aporthophyla may be quite different in nature, composition and diversity, and may possess different background palaeobiogeographical signatures. The assemblages containing Aporthophyla in South China, Qaidam, Malaysia, Australia and possibly Tibet are clearly different biogeographically from those associated with the Toquima‐Table Head and the Celtic provinces. Two new species, Aporthophyla sinensis sp. nov. and Leptellina orientalis sp. nov. are described.     

Cephalopod and brachiopod fossils from the Pacific: Evidence from the Upper Cretaceous of the Magellan Seamounts

Maastrichtian cephalopods and a brachiopod were dredged from the Butakov, Fedorov, Kotsebu, Il’ichev, Govorov, Gelendzhik, and Ita-Mai-Tai guyots in the Magellan Seamounts. The ammonoids Hypophylloceras sp., Phyllopachiceras sp., Anagaudryceras? sp. A, Anagaudryceras? sp. B, Gaudryceras aff. propemite Marshall, Gaudryceras sp., and Pseudophyllites cf. indra (Forbes), and the single brachiopod Basiliolidae gen. and sp. indet. are a first discovery in this oceanic region, following earlier finds of belemnites (Dimitobelus? sp., Dimitobelidae gen. and sp. nov., and Belemnitella? sp.), and two ammonoid species (Zelandites aff. japonicus Matsumoto and Tetragonitidae gen. and sp. indet.). The Late Cretaceous Magellan Seamounts dimitobelid belemnite fauna shows affinities with southern high latitude forms (New Zealand) and the ammonoid fauna with northern, middle and high latitude ones (Hokkaido-Sakhalin and/or Kamchatka). This suggests by the end of the Cretaceous major surface palaeo-currents from S and N sides in direction of the central Palaeo-Pacific, a position coinciding with the plate tectonic reconstruction of the Magellan Seamounts.     

西藏南部江孜地区早白垩世甲不拉组底栖有孔虫动物群的发现

根据最新的国际年代地层表,侏罗/白垩系界线是显生宇系一级唯一没有GSSP(全球界线层型与点位)的界线。位于特提斯喜马拉雅北亚带的江孜地区,发育了连续的侏罗/白垩系界线地层,是目前国内海相侏罗/白垩纪界线生物地层学研究最具潜在竞争力的地区之一。本文在西藏南部江孜地区甲不热北沟剖面甲不拉组底部往上3.9米处及19.3米处首次发现了胶结壳底栖有孔虫动物群,共计4属11种:Ammobaculites agglutinans,Ammobaculites sp.1,Ammobaculites sp.2,Ammobaculites sp.3,Ammobaculites sp.4,Ammobaculites sp.5,Glomospira charoides,Haplophragmoides gigas minor,Haplophragmoides sp.1,Haplophragmoides sp.2,Reophax texanus。根据该动物群重要分子的地质时限推测,甲不拉组底部往上3.9米处就已经属于白垩系地层。因此甲不拉组底部胶结壳有孔虫动物群的发现支持了将甲不拉组划归白垩系的意见。     

Lopingian (Late Permian) brachiopods around the Wuchiapingian-Changhsingian boundary at the Meishan Sections C and D, Changxing, South China

The strata below the defined Wuchiapingian-Changhsingian boundary GSSP are mostly covered and obscured by faulting at the Meishan Section D. Therefore, it is very difficult to collect fossils there. After an intensive excavation at Meishan Section C, a diverse fauna based on high-resolution biostratigraphy comprising brachiopods, ammonoids, conodonts, fusulinids and small foraminifers were found. Among these fossils, brachiopods are the most dominant. Eleven species of 10 genera based on more than 1300 specimens are identified. This brachiopod fauna is of late Wuchiapingian-Changhsingian of Lopingian (Late Permian) in age as well constrained by the associated ammonoid Pseudogastrioceras sp., Jinjiangoceras and Konglingites sp., the fusulinid Palaeofusulina and the conodont lineage from C. longicuspidata to C. wangi. In terms of the changes of brachiopod fauna composition around Wuchiapingian-Changhsingian boundary, it clearly indicates a continuous transgression from the upper part of the Lungtan Formation to the lower part of the Changhsing Formation. A new species, Neochonetes (Huangichonetes) meishanensis, is described and some other species are discussed based on the new collection from Meishan Sections C and D.