New Permian fusulinids from Conglomerate Mesa, southeastern Inyo Mountains, east-central California

Abstract

In the Conglomerate Mesa area in the southeastern Inyo Mountains, east-central California, a series of distinctive fusulinid assemblages ranging in age from late Artinskian to Kungurian or Roadian was developed in units 7–10 of the sedimentary rocks of Santa Rosa Flat (part of the Owens Valley Group). The fauna of unit 7 shows some eastern Klamath Mountains affinity, but most of the species in unit 7 and the lower half of unit 8 are highly endemic and comprise three new genera with 12 new species, two unusual unassigned forms, and two other new species assigned to previously described genera. New taxa include:Crenuloseptanew genus with five new species,C. inyoensis,C. delicata,C. fusiformis, C. rossi, andC.wahlmani;Nigribaccinusnew genus with three new species,N. giganteus, N. elegans, andN.?nestelli; and the new genusInyoschwagerinawith four new species,I.magnifica, I.elayeri, I. elongata, andI.?linderae. CuniculinellaSkinner and Wilde, 1965, is represented by one new species,C. parva, andSkinnerellaCoogan, 1960 by one new species,S.?mcallisteri.Faunas from the upper half of unit 8, unit 9, and unit 10 have a strong West Texas affinity. New species from these units areSkinnerella davydovi, S. hexagona, Parafusulina cerrogordoensis, P. complexa, P. halli, P. owensensis, andP. ubehebensis.