GASTROPODS FROM THE PERMIAN OF GUANGXI AND YUNNAN PROVINCES, SOUTH CHINA

Abstract

Latest Permian gastropod faunas are relatively poorly known, limiting our understanding of the behavior of the group during the end-Permian mass extinction. Here we describe an assemblage of silicified microgastropods from the Heshan Formation of Guangxi Province, China, as well as some related Permian gastropods from elsewhere in south China. This is the youngest described Permian gastropod assemblage, and demonstrates that gastropod diversity remained high until the latest Changhsingian stage, immediately before the mass extinction. A total of 73 species are described, including one new family, nine new genera and 51 new species. The new family is the Plicatusidae. New genera are: Naticasinus, Zhonghuaspira, Microlampra, Propupaspira, Laxella, Plicatus, Luoguella, and Ninglangella. The new species are: Bellerophon (B.) yochelsoni, Retispira sinensis, Naticasinus sinus, Peruvispira jucunda, Manzanospira turrita, Porcellia paucituberculata, Microlampra heshanensis, M. orcula, Glyptospira pinna, Anomphalus fusuiensis, Straparella rotella, Holopea bacca, H.? teres, Aclisina multicarinata, Platyzona pulchella, P. nitella, P. luculenta, Goniasma fusuiensis, Straparollus minutus, Naticopsis (N.) shizishanensis, N. (N.) ninglangensis, N. (N.) heshanensis, N. (Jedria) quangxiensis, Trachydomia minuta, Trachyspira quangxiensis, T. heshanensis, Ploceozyga (Plocezyga) yunnanensis, P. (P.) varica, Pseudozygopleura micra, Microptychis charma, Palaeostylus fusuiensis, Soleniscus micidus, S. pactus, Leptoptygma laetus, Propupaspira eleganta, Girtyspira delicata, Ninglangella ninglangensis, Donaldina heshanensis, D. eleganta, D. quinquecarina, Streptacis regularis, S. fragilis, S. pravis, Laxella micra, Plicatus scalaris, P. multifilaris, Luoguispira micra, L. lineata, L. multilinea, Luoguella elegantula, and L. diana.