Late Early Devonian brachiopods from Montys Hut Formation, central Victoria, Australia

Abstract

Earp, C., December 2015. Late Early Devonian brachiopods from Montys Hut Formation, central Victoria, Australia. Alcheringa 40, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518A distinctive low-diversity fossil assemblage is reported from the Montys Hut Formation (Walhalla Group; Early Devonian), central Victoria, Australia. The fauna is dominated by two species of chonetoid brachiopods; two other brachiopods also occur in sufficient quantities to warrant description. Taungurungetes gen. nov. (?Devonochonetinae) is created to accommodate the nominate species of the assemblage, T. taggertyensis (Gill) comb. nov., and an additional species is described in open nomenclature from the underlying Norton Gully Sandstone. The other principal chonetoid is Parachonetes sp. cf. P. buchanensis (Gill). Capillate spiriferids from the assemblage were previously reported as Mauispirifer Allan. A redescription of M. hectori Allan shows the Victorian material is not congeneric and it is assigned to Tapongaspirifer melodiae gen. et sp. nov. (Filispiriferidae). The other minor constituent is Mesoleptostrophia belli sp. nov. Other (undescribed) fossils include ammonoids, a placoderm, dacryoconarids and vascular plants. A mid- to late Emsian age is indicated. It is concluded that the assemblage structure is consistent with the well-known high level of endemism in Emsian faunas.C. Earp [omaiosys@yahoo.com.au], 16B Ebony Place, Massey, Auckland 0614, New Zealand.