Spiriferide brachiopods from the early Famennian (Late Devonian) of western Europe
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Abstract:
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, Sinospirifertransversus sp. nov. Ma and Wang, Plicapustula (Paraplicapustula) sp., and Sinospirifersubextensus (Martelli, 1902).
