Original paper

Middle Miocene (Badenian) brachiopods from Yasen, northwestern Bulgaria: taxonomic composition and biogeographical significance

Bitner, Maria Aleksandra; Motchurova-Dekova, Neda

Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen Band 279 Heft 1 (2016)

published: Jan 21, 2016

DOI: 10.1127/njgpa/2016/0536

BibTeX file

ArtNo. ESP155027901001, Price: 29.00 €

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Abstract

Nine brachiopod species, i. e. Discradisca sp., Novocrania anomala (Müller, 1776), Cryptopora lovisati (Dreger, 1911), Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1791), Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), Joania cordata (Risso, 1826), Megerlia truncata (Linnaeus, 1767), Platidia anomioides (Scacchi & Philippi, 1844), and Minutella bulgarica sp. nov., have been identified in the Middle Miocene (Badenian) assemblage of Yasen, northwestern Bulgaria. The genera Discradisca, Cryptopora, Megathiris are noted for the first time from Bulgaria, and this is the first fossil report of the genus Minutella. The dominance of megathyridids (Megathiris, Argyrotheca, Joania) and the presence of thecideides (Minutella) indicate a shallow-water, warm environment. The presence of Minutella in the Miocene of the Paratethys explains the disjunct recent distribution of this genus as a Tethyan legacy.

Keywords

bulgaria • new species • brachiopoda • taxonomy • paleobiogeography • middle miocene • badenian