Early Triassic Neospathodus (Conodonta) apparatuses from the Taho Formation, southwest Japan

Abstract

Two conodont apparatuses, Neospathodus symmetricus Orchard, 1995 and N. chionensis (Bender, 1967) are reconstructed on the basis of the material from the Spathian (Lower Triassic) limestone in the Taho Formation of Ehime Prefecture, southwest Japan. The Neospathodus apparatuses are composed of eight types of elements: digyrate (cypridodelliform) M, alate S0, digyrate (enantiognathiform) S1, digyrate (grodelliform) S2, bipennate S3/4, angulate P2, and segminate P1 elements. This apparatus structure is the same as that for Neogondolella and is comparable to the standard 15-element plan of the Carboniferous zarkodinids. © by the Palaeontological Society of Japan.