The transitional beds between Bellerophon and Werfen Formations, few centimetres thick and latest Permian in age, contain a brachiopod fauna with a relatively rich athyridoid assemblage, among which Janiceps is the most common and characteristic genus. The internal morphology of the type species ( J. peracuta ) is here described for the first time, and a taxonomical revision of the South Alpine species is proposed. The new subfamily Janiceps inae is proposed, which contains Janiceps and the new genus Comelicothyris . Among the latter genus, Comelicothyris laterosulcata n. sp. is suggested. Lectotypes are selected and illustrated for Spirigera janiceps Stache, S. confinalis Stache, S. bipartita Stache, S. ? archimedis Stache, Spirifer ? sextensis Stache, Athyris irregularis Merla, A. semilunaris Merla, and A janiceps var globulus Merla. The athyridoids of the transitional beds are characterized by a broad morphological variability which induced past authors to create many species and ivarietiesi generally on the bais of a single or few individuals. As concerns Janiceps , only four species-versus the 14 species and 7 ivarietiesi cited in the literature of the Souther Alps-are here considered valid ( J. peracuta (Stache), J. cadorica (Stache), J. papilio (Stache), and J. bipartita (Stache)). Besides other four species are identified here; these are Comelicothyris recticardinis (Merla), Septospirigerella ? sp., Spirigerellinae gen. et sp. indet., and Comelicania merlai Posenato.