Judahella kangpla: a new marine ostracod from the Upper Triassic of Thailand

Abstract

The record of Mesozoic marine ostracods from South-East Asia is poorly known. This lack of data has led to uncertainty regarding their diversity and geographical distribution during this key interval of the Phanerozoic. Here, we report ostracod fossils from the Rong Kwang-Ngao highway section in northern Thailand, type locality for Upper Triassic (Carnian) Kang Pla Formation of the Lampang Group. The studied material comprises almost 100 specimens, most representing a new species, Judahella kangpla sp. nov., which is the first to be formally described from the Upper Triassic of Thailand. The morphology of Judahella kangpla, together with its diagnostic normal pore pattern and sexual dimorphism are discussed. The stratigraphical and geographical distribution of Judahella from the Upper Permian to Upper Triassic is summarized. Although preliminary, our work adds significant information to the biodiversity of marine ostracods during the Triassic along the eastern Tethyan coast. Marie-Béatrice Forel [marie-beatrice.forel@mnhn.fr], Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CR2P, MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université, 8 rue Buffon (CP38), 75005 Paris, France; Anisong Chitnarin [anisong@sut.ac.th], School of Geotechnology, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, 111 University Avenue, Mueang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province 30000, Thailand.