Novispathodus gryphus, Leu & Bucher & Vennemann & Bagherpour & Ji & Brosse & Goudemand, 2022

Leu, Marc, Bucher, Hugo, Vennemann, Torsten, Bagherpour, Borhan, Ji, Cheng, Brosse, Morgane & Goudemand, Nicolas, 2022, A Unitary Association-based conodont biozonation of the Smithian-Spathian boundary (Early Triassic) and associated biotic crisis from South China, Swiss Journal of Palaeontology (19) 141 (1), pp. 1-61 : 29

Novispathodus gryphus n. sp.

Fig. 17G–I, K ?, L

Etymology: from the Greek root ‘gryph’ referring to the hooked shape of the P 1 element.

Holotype: specimen illustrated in Fig. 17H .

Paratype: specimen illustrated in Fig. 17L .

Type locality: Qiakong, Luolou formation, Guizhou Province, China.

Type level: Luolou Formation, within latest Smithian black shales.

Number of specimens. ca. 10 specimens.

Diagnosis. A species with a short segminate-to-segminiscaphateP 1 element with 3 to 5 highly recurved denticles and a relatively large, sub-rounded basal cavity.

Description. Te P 1 element is segminate to segminiscaphate, the sub-rounded basal cavity extending to most of the length of the element with a tapering at the anterior end. Te denticles are mostly fused and highly recurved posteriorly: although the denticles get larger from the anterior to the posterior, except for the posteriormost one, the height of the carina looks sub-uniform because of the way the denticles are recurved. Te length-to-height ratio is about 1:1.

Remarks. Tese elements resemble strongly the homologous ones of Nv. pingdingshanensis , except that they are much shorter and bear less denticles, which are usually more recurved. Still, some may be confused with broken elements of Nv. pingdingshanensis whose anteriormost end is missing ( Fig. 17G ). Hence the anterior end must be inspected for traces of breakage. Although the specimens we have seen do not show obvious, surfacial traces of breakage, it is not excluded that some of these elements were broken and were subsequently repaired, thus covering such traces at the surface of the crown. Goudemand and Orchard (in Goudemand et al., 2012b) differentiated similar but longer elements as Nv. aff. pingdingshanensis ( Goudemand et al., 2012b, figs. 2K, 2L) because they are lower and their denticles more recurved than in elements of Nv. pingdingshanensis : their denticles are so recurved that their upper profile appears straight; as such they are reminiscent of the present species, with whom they may be closely related. In comparison with Nv. soleiformis ( Zhao & Orchard, 2008) Nv. gryphus n. sp. has a higher carina with less numerous but more posteriorly recurved denticles. Furthermore, the basal cavity of Nv. gryphus n. sp. does not extend as a wide deep groove anteriorly like in Nv. soleiformis .

Occurrence. Luolou Formation, within the latest Smithian black shales, Guangxi and Guizhou, South China (this study).

Figures

Fig. 17 Novispathodinae from Qiakong,Laren, Shanggang,and Lilong. Magnification is × 80.The scale bar is 400 μm. All elements are considered to be P1 elements if not specifically identified otherwise. A–C, J, T, AA Novispathodus ex gr. pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard);A, QIA138,PIMUZ 39226; B QIA138, PIMUZ 39227; C LAR202, PIMUZ 39228; J QIA136, PIMUZ 39229;T LIL504, PIMUZ 39230; AA LIL508,PIMUZ 39231. D–F, M–P, R, S, U, X, AB, AD Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard); D QIA135, PIMUZ 39259; E LIL508,PIMUZ 39260; F LIL506, PIMUZ 39261; M LIL506, PIMUZ 39262; N LIL506,PIMUZ 39263; O LIL507, PIMUZ 39264; P LIL506, PIMUZ 39265; R LIL508,PIMUZ 39266; S LAR204,PIMUZ 39267; U LIL507, PIMUZ 39268; X LIL508, PIMUZ 39269; AB LIL508, PIMUZ 39270; AD LIL508, PIMUZ 39271. G, I, Q Novispathodus cf.?gryphus n. sp.; G QIA136, PIMUZ 39204; I QIA136, PIMUZ 39205; Q QIA135, PIMUZ 39206. H, K, L Novispathodus gryphus n. sp.; H QIA135, PIMUZ 39243; K LIL506, PIMUZ 39244; L LIL506,PIMUZ 39245. V Novispathodus praebrevissimus n. sp.; LIL507, PIMUZ 39273. W, Y, Z, AE Novispathodus ex gr. abruptus (Orchard); W LIL505, PIMUZ 39208; Y SHA346,PIMUZ 39209; Z LIL506, PIMUZ 39210; AE SHA346, PIMUZ 39211. AC sp. indet.; LIL504, PIMUZ 39295. AF Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (P1 cluster) (Zhao & Orchard); QIA136, PIMUZ 39272