Reconstruction of the multielement apparatus of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Neogondolella&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; ex gr. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;regalis&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Mosher, 1970 (Conodonta) from the Anisian (Middle Triassic) in British Columbia, Canada

Martyn Lee Golding

doi:10.5194/jm-37-21-2018

Abstract

Abstract. The multi-element apparatus of the Middle Triassic conodont Neogondolella ex gr. regalis has been reconstructed based on material collected from the upper Anisian in British Columbia, Canada. The apparatus of this species group is distinguished by the presence of a segminiplanate P1 element with a high, fused carina, and an alate S0 element with anterior processes that bifurcate at the cusp. This S0 element morphology is unlike those of other species from the upper Anisian of North America, but similar to those from the Lower Triassic. The new reconstruction demonstrates that Neogondolella ex gr. regalis does not belong to the genus Neogondolella, nor to any other Triassic gondolellid genus. It is therefore proposed that Neogondolella ex gr. regalis should be referred to a new genus.

Highlights

The earliest multielement reconstructions of Triassic conodonts were carried out by Huckriede (1958), who recognized recurring associations of elements in his collections from the Middle Triassic
Golding: Multielement apparatus of Neogondolella ex gr. regalis (Tatge, 1956), has not been illustrated; both types of S0 element were illustrated by Tatge (1956), and they occur together in Anisian collections of N. mombergensis (Orchard, 2005)
It has been suggested that species with this type of S0 element should be referred to Clarkina or Neoclarkina instead of Neogondolella (Henderson et al, 2006; Henderson and Mei, 2007); the apparatuses of the type species of these genera, Clarkina leveni (Kozur et al, in Kozur, 1975) and Neoclarkina discreta (Orchard and Krystyn, 1998), have not been reconstructed either

Summary

Introduction

The earliest multielement reconstructions of Triassic conodonts were carried out by Huckriede (1958), who recognized recurring associations of elements in his collections from the Middle Triassic. The discovery of fused clusters (Ramovs, 1977, 1978; Mietto, 1982; Huang et al, 2010; Goudemand et al, 2012) and natural assemblages (Rieber, 1980; Orchard and Rieber, 1999; Goudemand et al, 2011) has subsequently demonstrated that Triassic conodonts were multimembrate, and both types of elements existed together in the same apparatus.

Results

Conclusion