比利时新基尔里斯(Senzeilles)地区是西欧晚泥盆世地层研究的一个经典地区, 也是法门期石燕贝类腕足动物的重要比产区。然而针对本区弓石燕类的现代研究却较为匮乏，此外, 早期的分类工作已难以满足现代专题性的课题资料要求（即层位清楚、鉴定准确的系统分类工作）, 因此对比利时地区法门期的“弓石燕属”足动物进行系统古生物学研究及对比具有重要意义。当前研究在华南现有成果的基础上, 通过对壳面特征(贝体大小、基面特征、微细纹饰特征、中槽壳褶发生方式)及内部构造(齿板特征、内窗板特征等)的系统研究及对比, 拓展了 Plicapustula属的定义, 即: 褶上和褶间均发育微瘤纹饰。欧洲的Plicapustula属分子褶间均发育放射状细瘤微细纹饰, 而华南的该属分子褶间均缺失微瘤纹饰。由于该特征存在明显的地域性, 因此当前研究以此为依据建立了 Paraplicapustula亚属, 并将欧洲的标本归入该亚属。此外, 本文还首次识别并描述了欧洲的Sinospirifer属。大部分西欧Sinospirifer属和Plicapustula属与华南地区相比, 在种级组成上存在明显的差异, 包括标本大小、齿板是否增厚、壳褶数目及分枝情况、微细纹饰类型等。本文共描述了上述2属的5种, 包括1新亚属、3新种[Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) eleganta subgen. et sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) magna subgen. et sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Sinospirifer transversus sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) sp.及Sinospirifer subextensus (Martelli, 1902)]。

Senzeilles in the Namur province of Wallonia, Belgium, a traditional area for the study of Upper Devonian stratigraphy in western Europe, yields abundant and well-preserved Famennian spiriferide brachiopods. Nevertheless, modern studies of these brachiopods are rare; in addition, earlier taxonomic works do not meet the demands of modern thematic studies (i.e., accurate stratigraphy and correct identification of the brachiopods). Therefore, it is significant to conduct thorough investigations on brachiopod faunas across the Famennian–Frasnian (F–F) boundary in terms of modern taxonomy. This study aims at a systematic description of the early Famennian “Cyrtospirifer” brachiopods from the Senzeilles area. Our comparative study of this group of brachiopods from South China and western Europe shows that the circumscription of the genus Plicapustula should be expanded (i.e., with pustules both on plications and in grooves). The European species of Plicapustula possess pustules both on plications and in grooves as well as fewer sinal plications, whereas those from South China possess pustules only on plications as well as more, numerous sinal plications. Considering such differences, a new subgenus Paraplicapustula is proposed to include Plicapustula species from western Europe. In addition, the genus Sinospirifer is first recognized and described from western Europe in the present paper. Five species in two genera, including one new subgenus and three new species, are described based on shell size, nature of posterior shell thickenings, number and pattern of flanks and sinal plications, and microornamentation. These taxa are: Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) eleganta subgen. et sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) magna subgen. et sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Sinospirifer transversus sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) sp., and Sinospirifer subextensus (Martelli, 1902).

国家自然科学基金(41872003、42072042)联合资助