A new trilobite species from the upper Rhuddanian (lower Silurian) of South China,and its biogeographical implications

Anacaenaspis yanpingensis sp. nov., from the lower Niuchang Formation (upper Rhuddanian, lower Llandovery, lower Silurian), is the first record of this genus from South China. The biogeographical distribution of Anacaenaspis and some other trilobite genera from South China (e.g., Gaotania, Hyrokybe, Aulacopleura and Raphiophorus) in the Llandovery evidences faunal exchanges between Avalonia–Baltica, Laurentia, Australia and South China. We attribute these dispersals to prevailing ocean currents, and especially equatorial countercurrents, which would have propagated dispersals during the Rhuddanian, shortly after the end-Ordovician mass extinction.     

The radiation of early Silurian spiriferide brachiopods,with new taxa from the Llandovery of Iran

Popov, L.E. & Cocks, L.R.M., 2013. The radiation of early Silurian spiriferide brachiopods, with new taxa from the Llandovery of Iran. Alcheringa 38, 560–566. ISSN 0311–5518.

Although there were Late Ordovician spiriferides in the superfamily Cyrtioidea, namely Eospirifer and Odakella, only the former genus survived the terminal Ordovician extinction, and only Eospirifer is known from the earliest Llandovery (Rhuddanian). However, in the succeeding mid-Llandovery (Aeronian), the spiriferides radiated to include not only more species within Eospirifer and Striispirifer in the Eospiriferidae, but also the new genus Iranospirifer described here, which is the earliest representative of the other family within the superfamily, the Hedeinopsidae. The Ordovician species were confined to the South China continent and the Boshchekul volcanic island arc in Kazakhstan, but by the Aeronian the superfamily had spread westwards to various other continents, including the main Gondwanan superterrane (which included Iran) in the early Aeronian, and Avalonia-Baltica and Laurentia in the late Aeronian. The new species Eospirifer ghobadiae and Iranospirifer qarabilensis are both described from the lower Aeronian of Iran, and there is a note on the Aeronian rhynchonellide Stegocornu, which is endemic to Iran and nearby areas.

Leonid E. Popov [lepbarry@yahoo.co.uk; leonid.popov@museumwales.ac.uk] Department of Geology, National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP, UK. L. Robin M. Cocks [r.cocks@nhm.ac.uk], Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. Received 29.5.2013, revised 12.7.2013, accepted 21.7.2013.     

A global analysis of distribution and endemism within Late Llandovery (Telychian) brachiopods

Cocks, L.R.M. & Jiayu, R. 10 July 2019. A global analysis of distribution and endemism within Late Llandovery (Telychian) brachiopods. Alcheringa 43, 406–422. ISSN 0311–5518

The genera of brachiopods of early Silurian (late Llandovery: Telychian) age have been critically reviewed and are listed from the major continental areas: South China, Avalonia-Baltica, Laurentia, Siberia and adjacent areas, and Gondwana (including the adjacent Kazakh terranes, Southwest Tien Shan and Iran). All those continents lay within tropical latitudes, apart from the South American sector of Gondwana, which hosted the Clarkeia Fauna, the earliest constituent of the largely high-latitude Devonian Malvinokaffric Province in the southern hemisphere. Additionally, the then northern (today’s southern) part of the Siberian continent, which included parts of Mongolia and North China, was at temperate latitudes in the northern hemisphere so that it hosted the Tuvaella Fauna, which was also dominated by endemic brachiopod genera. Of the 202 genera listed, 50 are endemic to one of the six regions, and a further eight must have lived during Telychian times since they are known from both the underlying Aeronian and the overlying Sheinwoodian.

L. Robin M. Cocks [rcocks@nhmacuk], Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Rong Jiayu [jyrong@nigpasaccn], State Key Laboratory, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China.     

Ngapakaldia bonythoni (Marsupialia,Diprotodontidae): new material from Riversleigh,northwestern Queensland,and a reassessment of the genus Bematherium

A latest Permian (late Changhsingian) radiolarian fauna is recorded from the upper Talung Formation, Hushan, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, South China. This fauna includes 24 species belonging to 16 genera; new species are Albaillella hushanensis, Copicyntroides stellatus and Trilonche crassus. The presence of the radiolarian fauna and its taxonomic composition reveal that the Eastern Qinling-Dabie deep sea, which was located along the northern margin of the northeastern Yangtze Basin, persisted at least until the end of the Palaeozoic and that the collision between the North China and South China plates had not occurred by the end of the Permian.     

Archaeocyaths from Yorke Peninsula,South Australia and archaeocyathan Early Cambrian zonation

Zhuravlev, A. Yu., & Gravestock, D. I., 1994:03:28. Archaeayaths from Yorke Peninsula, South Australia and archaeocyathan Early Cambrian zonation. Alcheringa 18, 1–54. ISSN 0311-5518.

Two assemblages of archaeocyaths are documented from Lower Cambrian outcrops and drillholes on Yorke Peninsula. South Australia. The older assemblage (11 species) occurs in the uppermost Kulpara Formation and conformably overlying basal Parara Limestone, and is equivalent to Lower Faunal Assemblage II in the Flinders Ranges. The younger assemblage (28 species plus Acanthhcyathus and Rodiocyathus) occurs in the Koolywurtie Member near the top of the Parara Limestone. Equivalent taxa are widespread in the Flinders Ranges, western New South Wales and Antarctica. Archaeocyathan distribution is now sufficiently well known to propose three assemblage zones and two informal assemblages for regional correlation. No new taxa have been added, but Erugatocyathus scutatus (Hill) and Pycnoidocyathus latiloculatus (Hill), hitherto known only from Antarctica, are found in the upper assemblage on Yorke Peninsula. Irregular archaeocyathan systematics are discussed, the ontogeny of Archaeopharetra irregularis (Tylor) clarified, and Kruseicnema Debrenne. Gravestock & Zhuravlev, represented by K. gracilis (Gordon), is fully described.     

Foraminiferal linings and other organic walled microfossils from the Devonian of the Tamworth Belt,northern New South Wales,Australia

Early to Late Devonian (Emsian to late Famennian) organic walled microfossils were recovered from nineteen localities throughout the Tamworth Belt, northern New South Wales. The microfossil assemblages included poorly preserved chitinozoans and scolecodonts, spores and moderately well preserved foraminiferal linings. Fourteen species of foraminiferal linings from six genera are documented. At least three species of foramininferal linings (Inauris tubulata, Saccammina mea and Thurammina pustulosa) show potential for global correlation. Saccammina sp. cf. S. ampullacea and Thurammina mirrka may have application for correlation within Australia.     

The genera Cryptaulax and Procerithium (Procerithiidae,Caenogastropoda) in the Early Jurassic of Patagonia,Argentina

Ferrari, S.M., September 2012. The genera Cryptaulax and Procerithium (Procerithiidae, Caenogastropoda) in the Early Jurassic of Patagonia, Argentina. Alcheringa 36, 325–339. ISSN 0311-5518.

New species of Cryptaulax and Procerithium (Procerithiidae, Caenogastropoda) are reported from the Lower Jurassic (Pliensbachian–Toarcian) marine deposits of west-central Chubut province, Argentinean Patagonia. Three new species are described: Cryptaulax redelii, Procerithium (Rhabdocolpus) patagoniensis and Procerithium (Infacerithum) nodosum; and the diagnoses of Cryptaulax damboreneae Ferrari and Procerithium nulloi (Ferrari) are emended. The new fossils derive from the Mulanguiñeu and Osta Arena formations and expand the known diversity of the Procerithiidae, extending its palaeobioeographical distribution into the South American Jurassic.     

Chonetoidea (Brachiopoda) from the Lopingian (Late Permian) of South China

Ten species of the superfamily Chonetoidea from the Lopingian (Late Permian) of South China are described or revised. A review of all recorded Chonetoidea species from the Lopingian (Late Permian) of South China indicates that some 22 species of five genera can be recognised. Species of Tethyochonetes and Neochonetes are characteristic in the lithofacies dominated by mudstone, siltstone or siliceous rocks in the Lopingian and some argillaceous limestone and clay rock facies near the Permian-Triassic boundary. New taxa are Neochoneles (Zhongyingia) subgen. nov., Neochonetes (Huangichonetes) subgen. nov. and Tethyochonetes flatus sp. nov.     

Late Mississippian (Early Carboniferous) brachiopods from the western Daba Mountains,central China

Qiao L. & Shen S.Z., September 2012. Late Mississippian (Early Carboniferous) brachiopods from the western Daba Mountains, central China. Alcheringa 36, 287–309. ISSN 0311–5518.

Fifteen brachiopod species in 12 genera are described for the first time from four intervals in the middle and upper parts of the Zhanpo Formation at the Huoyanxi section near Zhenba in the western Daba Mountains, southern Shaanxi, central China. The Zhenba brachiopod fauna is dominated by diverse and abundant species of Productida, together with some species of Athyridida, Orthida, Orthotetida and Spiriferida. It ranges from late Viséan to Serpukhovian in age based on the presence of Gigantoproductus species in association with diagnostic foraminifera and conodonts. This fauna generally shows palaeobiogeographical links with the palaeoequatorial realm, including Western Europe, the Moscow Basin, the Ural Mountains, Japan, eastern Tibet and South and North China. Its closest palaeobiogeographical affinity is with South China assemblages rather than those of North and Northwest China, therefore, indicating that the Zhenba area was palaeogeographically close to the South China Block and relatively far from the blocks in Northwest China (e.g., the Qilian Mountains and Qaidam Basin, Kunlun Mountains, Tarim Basin and Tianshan Mountains) during the late Viséan–Serpukhovian.     

Two new cowries (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae) from the middle Miocene of South Australia

Yates, A.M., December, 2008. Two new cowries (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae) from the middle Miocene of South Australia. Alcheringa 32, 353–364. ISSN 0311-5518.

The South Australian specimens of the cypraeids Umbilia leptorhyncha (McCoy, 1877) and Lyncina (Austrocypraea) contusa (McCoy, 1877) are re-examined. Umbilia caepa sp. nov. differs from U. leptorhyncha in its smaller size, more strongly pyriform shape, weaker and less extensive apertural dentition, plate-like columellar margin of the posterior canal and more extensive basal flanges. True U. leptorhyncha is also recorded from the Cadell Formation of South Australia, demonstrating that the two species were sympatric in the Murray Basin. The specimens originally referred to Cypraea contusa var. from the Cadell Formation have had a confusing taxonomic history and they are here named as a new species Lyncina (Austrocypraea) cadella sp. nov. The new species differs from true L. (A.) contusa in its smaller size, less extensive malleations of the dorsal surface, fewer apertural teeth and a projecting internal margin of the fossula. These two new species boost a small but growing list of species that were endemic to the Murray Basin during the middle Miocene.     

Significance of Claraia from the Late Permian of South Guizhou,China

Recently collectée material of two Claraia taxa, Claraia zhiyunica Yang et al, 2001 and Claraia sp. nov. from the Late Permian of South China, are described. Late Permian Claraia species are compared with those from the Early Triassic, and the survival of Claraia across the mass extinction period across the Permian- Triassic boundary (PTB) is discussed.     

First appearance datum of the Silurian graptolite Oktavites spiralis,and its evolution on the northern margin of South China

Wang, X., Wang, J. & Zhang, J., May 2016. First appearance datum of the Silurian graptolite Oktavites spiralis, and its evolution on the northern margin of South China. Alcheringa 41, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

Xin Wang [wx200315046@163.com], Early Life Institute and State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xian 710069, PR China & Research Center for Orogenic Geology, Xian Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Xian 710054, PR China; Jian Wang [332891824@qq.com], Ju Zhang [710726657@qq.com], Research Center for Orogenic Geology, Xian Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Xian 710054, PR China.

Graptolites represent the standard tools for biozonation and correlation of Ordovician and Silurian strata. Oktavites spiralis, one of the index graptolite species of the Telychian Age (late Llandovery, Silurian), is of great significance in biostratigraphy. However, the broad definition of the species and the lack of data on its evolutionary changes have led to controversies regarding its stratigraphic range and, consequently, to difficulties in regional correlations. Recent investigations in multiple Telychian profiles in the Ziyang–Langao area, along the northern margin of South China, reveal that the first appearance datum of Oktavites spiralis is located at the base of the Spirograptus turriculatus Zone, and its last appearance datum lies at the top of the Cyrtograptus lapworthi Zone (Telychian stage). The thecae vary markedly up-section and such change is consistent across all studied sections. This morphological change can be used as the basis for accurate stratigraphic subdivision and, hence, for effective regional correlation. In addition, this species has a wide range in population size and population density relative to other coexisting graptolite species, and can be better distinguished by using a more precise set of criteria.     

New Archaeocyatha from the Early Cambrian of the Mt. Wright area,New South Wales

An archaeocyathan fauna from a single limestone lens in the upper Cymbric Vale Formation at Mt. Wright shows species in common with the historic Ajax Mine fauna of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The Cymbric Vale fauna is considered equivalent to the lower Sanashtykgol ‘horizon’ of the Altay Sayan fold belt of Siberia.

New taxa described are the genera Hyptocyathus (Inessocyathacea, Hyptocyathidae fam. nov.), Aporosocyathus (Annulocyathidae), Wrighticyathus (Sigmocyathacea, Wrighticyathidae fam. nov.), Flexicyathus (Porocoscinidae) and Bractocyathus (Polycoscinidae), and the species Erugatocyathus cymbricensis and Veronicacyathus concavus.     

Palaeobiogeography of the Ordovician trilobite Prosopiscus,with a new species from western New South Wales

Prosopiscus is particularly important in Ordovician palaeobiogeography because of its wide geographic distribution in Gondwana and peri-Gondwanan regions. It appears to have been confined to low palaeolatitudes, representing a characteristic member of the warm water eastern Gondwanan shelf faunas. Trends in the distribution of the Ordovician genus can be observed due to its long stratigraphic range. Prosopiscus was restricted to, and may have originated in, Australia during the late Early Ordovician (Bendigonian-Chewtonian). By the Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian), Prosopiscus had dispersed to other parts of Gondwana and peri-Gondwana, including the North and South China blocks, Tarim, central Himalayas, and the Argentine Precordillera (South America). Possible explanations for the distribution of Prosopiscus are that: (1) there were no oceanic barriers preventing dispersal of trilobites between different regions of Gondwana, thus permitting uninhibited migration over vast distances; (2) Prosopiscus was not restricted to a specific biofacies; (3) a major eustatic transgression during the early Darriwilian may have facilitated the dispersal of Prosopiscus in allowing further development and expansion of marine environments; and (4) a prolonged planktonic larval stage may have permitted wide dispersal.

Prosopiscus lauriei sp. nov. is described from the late Early Ordovician (Bendigonian-Chewtonian) Tabita Formation at Mount Arrowsmith, northwestern New South Wales, Australia. The new species is closely related to P. praecox, from the Nora Formation, Georgina Basin, central Australia, and to P. magicus from northwest China.     

Fusulinoideans from the early Midian (late Middle Permian) Metadoliolina dutkevitchi-Monodiexodina sutchanica Zone of the Senkina Shapka section,South Primorye,Far East Russia

Fusulinoideans from the Metadoliolina dutkevitchi-Monodiexodina sutchanica Zone of the lower part of the Chandalaz Formation in the Senkina Shapka section in South Primorye, Far East Russia, are described. The fusulinoidean zone is assigned to the early Midian (=Capitanian: late Middle Permian) based mainly on the morphologie and biostratigraphic characteristics of Metadoliolina dutkevitchi. Previously, a Midian age has been established for the Metadoliolina dutkevitchi-Monodiexodina sutchanica Zone by the coexistence of Lepidolina species. However, the occurrence of Lepidolina with the two zonal species in this area has not been verified by the illustration of Lepidolina specimens. We examined a fusulinoidean-bearing sample from the Metadoliolina dutkevitchi-Monodiexodina sutchanica Zone, and three fusulinoidean species, Monodiexodina sutchanica, Pseudofusulina sp. and Metadoliolina dutkevitchi, are de-scribed and illustrated.     

Conodont fauna and biostratigraphy of the Honghuayuan Formation (Early Ordovician) of Guizhou,South China

Serratognathus diversus An, Cornuodus longibasis (Lindström), Drepanodus arcuatus Pander, and eleven other less common conodonts, including Cornuodus? sp., Oistodus lanceolatus, Protopanderodus gradatus, Protoprioniodus simplicissimus, Juanognathus variabilis, Nasusgnathus dolonus, Paltodus? sp., Scolopodus houlianzhaiensis, Semiacontiodus apterus, Semiacontiodus sp. cf. S. cornuformis and Serratognathoides? sp., are described and illustrated from the Honghuayuan Formation in Guizhou, South China, concluding revision of the conodont fauna from this unit, which comprises 24 species in total. The most distinctive species in the fauna, S. diversus, consists of a trimembrate apparatus, including symmetrical Sa, asymmetrical Sb and strongly asymmetrical Sc elements. This species concept is supported by the absence of any other element types in a large collection represented by nearly 500 specimens of this species. The fauna indicates a late Tremadocian to mid-Floian age (Early Ordovician) for the Honghuayuan Formation, which was widely distributed on the Yangtze Platform in shallow water environments. Previously published biostratigraphic zonations for the Honghuayuan Formation are reviewed, and revised on the basis of our knowledge of the entire conodont fauna, supporting the establishment of three biozones, Triangulodus bifidus, Serratognathus diversus, and Prioniodus honghuayanensis biozones in ascending order. Species of Serratognathus enable correlation between Ordovician successions of South China, North China (North China Platform and Ordos Basin), Tarim Basin, and further afield into Malaysia and northwestern Australia.     

A new Triassic Palaeolimnadiopsis (Crustacea: Conchostraca) from the Sydney Basin,New South Wales

Palaeolimnadiopsis bassi sp. nov. is described from the mid-Triassic Hawkesbury Sandstone of the Sydney Basin, New South Wales. It is distinguished from other species of the genus by its paired growth lines, moderately large size, nonterminal umbo, and small larval valve. Macrolimnadiopsis, Pteriograpta, and Limnadia (Falsisca) are considered to be synonymous with Palaeolimnadiopsis, and Belgolimnadiopsis with Euestheria.     

A new Changhsingian (Late Permian) Rugosochonetidae (Brachiopoda) fauna from the Zhongzhai section,southwestern Guizhou Province,South China

Zhang, Y., He, W.-H., Shi, G.R. & Zhang, K.-X., 2013. A new Changhsingian (Late Permian) Rugosochonetidae (Brachiopoda) fauna from the Zhongzhai section, southwestern Guizhou Province, South China. Alcheringa 37, 221–245. ISSN 0311-5518.

This paper describes 20 species (including three undetermined species) of Rugosochonetidae (Brachiopoda) in an upper offshore fauna from the Permian–Triassic Boundary Zhongzhai section, southwestern Guizhou Province, South China. New taxa are Tethyochonetes sheni, Tethyochonetes cheni, Neochonetes (Huangichonetes) archboldi, Neochonetes (Sommeriella) waterhousei, Neochonetes (Sommeriella) rectangularis and Neochonetes semicircularis.

Yang Zhang [zyan@deakin.edu.au] and G.R. Shi [guang.shi@deakin.edu.au] (corresponding author), School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia; Weihong He [whzhang@cug.edu.cn] (corresponding author) and Kexin Zhang [kx_zhang@cug.edu.cn], State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Hongshan, Wuhan 430074, PR China. Received 8.6.2012; revised 19.9.2012; accepted 7.10.2012.     

A new crustacean clam shrimp (Spinicaudata: Eosestheriidae) from the Upper Triassic of Argentina and its importance for ‘conchostracan’ taxonomy

A new species of a fossil crustacean clam shrimp (Spinicaudata: Eosestheriidae) Menucoestheria wichmanni is described from the lower Upper Triassic Vera Formation (Los Menucos Complex) in Río Negro Province, southern Argentina. This discovery represents the first record of this family in the Triassic of Argentina and the southernmost record of South American Triassic ‘conchostracans’ (Spinicaudata). The new species shows close affinities with Middle Jurassic faunas from Antarctica and offers important data on the taxonomy (notably the use of ornamentation characters), palaeobiogeography (as South America hosts the oldest-known fossils of this family) and evolution of the Gondwanan faunas. Other South American eosestheriid species are tentatively recognized. Menucoestheria is hypothesized to be the ancestral form of the Triassic–Jurassic Gondwanan eosestheriids. Relationships between European and Gondwanan eosestheriids remain unresolved.     

Ordovician trilobites from Deh-Molla,eastern Alborz,Iran

Ghobadi Pour, M., 21 June 2019. Ordovician trilobites from Deh-Molla, eastern Alborz, Iran. Alcheringa 43, 381–405. ISSN 0311-5518

Seventeen species from 14 genera of Tremadocian and Darriwilian trilobites, plus two taxa recognizable only down to family level, have been documented from the Lower to Middle Ordovician succession of the Deh-Molla area, southeast of Shahrud in northern Iran. Two species, Asaphellus intermedius and Conophrys multituberculatus, are new to science. Unlike previously documented Iranian faunas, the early Tremadocian trilobite assemblage is characterized by proliferation of the olenid Chungkingaspis sinensis, which is also known as the eponymous taxon of the basal Ordovician trilobite biozone in South China. This is the first record of the occurrence of the olenid biofacies in the Ordovician of Iran. Overall, both the Tremadocian and Darriwilian trilobite assemblages show distinct similarity to the contemporaneous faunas of South China down to species level. Trilobite-based correlation with the Ordovician succession of South China confirms the existence of a hiatus at the base of the Ordovician succession in the eastern Alborz and a significant gap, with the upper Tremadocian, Floian and Dapingian parts of the succession completely missing in Deh-Molla.

Mansoureh Ghobadi Pour [mghobadipour@yahoo.co.uk and m.ghobadipour@gu.ac.ir], Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan 49138-15739, Iran. *Also affiliated with Department of Natural Sciences, Natural Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP, UK.