GEOL. CROAT. 1 49/2 1129 ~ 1341 3 Figs. 1 1 Tab. ZAGREB 1996 lranognathus sosioensis n.sp., a New Conodont Species from the Changxingian (Late Permian) of Western Sicily H einz KOZUR' and He lfri ed MOSTLER' Key words: Conodonts, Iranognathus sasioensis n.sp. , Changxingian, weste rn Sicily. Abstract Ironogllat!Jus sosiOCllsis n.sp., a Changxingian (latest Permian) conodonl species of western Sici ly, is the youngest IranognolJws species occurring immediately below the Permian -Triassic bou ndary. The Middle Permian and part of lhe LaIc Permian pelagic conodo nt faunas of western Sicily afC cold baHom-w,ller faunas, vcry di f ferent form the contemporaneoll S pelagic warm water faunas . The facial pre­ tensions of I. m.I'iocl/sis arc nOl yet known. Schliisselworte: Conodonten, Iralloglwthlfs sosioensis n.sp., Changxingian, West-Sizilien. Zusammcnfassung !u/llognothils sosioel1sis I1. Sp. , ei ne Conodonlenan aus dem Changxingian (o\)ersles Perm) von Westsizilien, wird beschrieben. Es handelt sich lim di e stratigraphiseh jungste frOlwgllatfllls -Art, die lll1miltclbar unlcrhalb dcr Pcrm{l'rias-Grcnzc vorkomml. Di c 111i t­ tclpcrrnischen lind ein Tei l der obcrpermischcn pclagischcn Conodon­ lcnfaull CIl VOIl Wcslsizil icIl waren Bewohncr dcs kal ten Dodcn ­ wasscrs. Sic si nd sehr verschieden von den gleichaltrigen pelagischen Warmwasscrfaunen . D ic Faziesanspriiche von f. sosioensis konnten !loch nichl gekl;lrt wcrden. 1. INTRODUCTION Pelagic Permian rocks of western Sicily contain very rich co nodo nt faunas. The ri chest samples are Cathedra l ian and Changxingian calcarenites that partly contain more than 1000 conodonts per kg sample. Most o f the occurring conodont species were described or figu red by BENDER & STOPPEL (1965), KOZUR (1975, 1990a, b. 1992b, 1993a). CATALANO et al. (1988, 1989, 1991 . 1992) and GULLO & KOZUR (1992,1993). The age determinations of the Permian deep-water sequence of western Sicily are based mostly on th ese conodont s (CATALANO et al., 1988, 1991, I Rezsli u. 83, H- I029 Budapest, Hungary. 2 Ins litul fUr Gcologic lind Paliion lologic, Universit1it Innsbruck, Innrain 72, A-G020 Inn sbruck, Au stria. IU S UNES 0 359 1992; KOZUR, 1989a, b, 1992a, b, e, 1993a. b, 1994. 1995; GULLO & KOZUR. 1992, 1993). lranognathus sosioeJlsis n.sp. belongs to the rare conodont elements. Only one specimen of this spccics is found among 100~ IOOO specimens of other Changxin~ gian conodont spec ies and most of the conodont-rich samples d id not yield any l. sosiocJlsis. 2. GEOLOGICAL SETTING AND AGE OF THE INVESTIGATED FAUNA The hololype of lranognathus sosiocnsis was found in the Claystone Unit of the Tonente San Calogero sec­ tion, SSW of the Pietra di Salomone block in the Sosio Valley (western Sici ly). near Palazzo Adriano (Fig. I). Locality and section data are given in CATALANO et al. (1991). The stratig raphic success ion is shown in Table I. The predominantly red-coloured Claystone Un it is mostly of Changxingian age. Dzhulfian conodonts were found only in the lowermost part with predominating li ght-gray claystones, but thi s part is presently no t exposed. The Claystone Un it contains some thin (0.6-2 cm) intercalation s of calcarenites that represent distal turbidites . Only one. partly silicified bed is th icker (-20 cm), from which thc holotype of Iranognathus sosiocl1 - sis n.sp, was derived. Th is bed also contains rich conodont and si liceous sponge spicule associations. The sponge spicules COIl­ sist of forms that lived dominant ly on thc upper sl ope in water less than a few hundred metres deep. In contrast, all species res tricted to shallow-pelag ic warm water conodont faunas (C. subcarinata group) , arc absenl. 130 b • 2( o 60 km ~ N t PALAZZO ADRIANO Fig. I Location of the investigated outcrops in wes lern Sicily, Italy. Legend: Black} Predominan tly Wordian Sosio Limestone klippes (slope facies with fllsulinid -bearing shallow-water limestone blocks); a) Rupe di San Calogero and Pielra dei Saracini, three adjacent isolated limestone blocks, no longer accessible; b) Rupe del Passo di Burgio; Pietra di Salomone. Stars) Permian base of slope facie s and Triassic cover ; I) Several outcrops c. 350 m south of Pietra dci Saracini covering the Roadian (basal Middle Permian, Guadalupian Series) to Julian (m iddle Carnian) interval; 2) outcrops c. 100 m SSW of Rupe del Passo di Burgio. Mainly lower Cathedral ian (Cis -Ural ian, Early Permian) turbidites well exposed west of a small road, along the road lower Cathedralian turbidites (part ly exposed) and tectonically adjacent Changxin­ g ian rcd marls and thick calcarenites, no longer exposed, but small floated blocks of calcareni tes still present. Crosses) Tor­ rente San Calogero section, Perm ian deep basin facies and parts of the Tri assic cover. Clarkilla cilangxingensis (WANG & WANG) and C. sosioeJlsis GULLO & KOZUR dominate this fauna, but C. def/ecla (WANG & WANG) and C. cf. carillala (CLARK) are subordinate elements. H. latidentallis (KOZUR, MOSTLER & RAHIMI-Y AZD), H. Iypicalis (SWEET), Sweelocr;slallis ga/eallls (BENDER & STOPPEL) and the new franognathus sosioensis arc very rare. Clarkino sosioensis occurs in basinal sections of northwestern Iran and Azerbaidzhan in the uppermost 10 em of the Changxingian. It is also rare at the same level in the strato type of the Changxi ngian Stage in South China (Meishan). C. changxillgensis and C. de/lecla are dominating late Changxingian species, but their known ranges begin earlier, at least in the early Changxingian . Hilldeodlls fatidelltatus is a characteris­ tic conodont of the uppermost Changxingian both in pelagic sed iments (S outh China, Azerbaidzhan, north- Geologia Croatiea 49/2 western and central Iran) and from shallow-water deposits (Tesero Oolite of the Southern Alps) , but is more common in the latter fac ies. The age of the fauna is therefore lates t Changxingian. Despite the fact that the characteristic shallow pelagic warm water conodont C. su/Jearinala and near related forms are missing, the sponge spicules indicate a strong input of faunal elements from the warm water upper shelf. Therefore, the absence of C. subearinata may also be strat igraphicall y controlled , because this species is missing in the uppermost centimetres of the Changxingian in South China, Transcaucasia and Cen­ tral Iran. For thi s reason, it is not obvious, whether r. sosioensis is a representative of the cold bottom-water fauna or of the warm water shallow pelagic fauna. I . sosioensis is absent both in typical cold bottom -w ater faunas of the red Changxingian deep sea clays, and in the late Changxingian slope facies (calcarenites without in tercalations of red deep-water clays) with exclusively shal low pelagic warm water conodo nt faunas and fusulinids. On the other hand, most specimens were round in a facies, transitional between these two COI1 - sisting of red deep-water clays wi th several thick cal­ careni te intercalations formerly exposed along a small road about 100 m south of the Rupe del Passo di Burgio block (Fig. J). Seemingly ironognathlls sosioellsis lived on the slope and is absent both in the basin and in the uppermost part of the slope and on the shel f. 3. DESCRIPTION OF IrwlOgnathus sos;oells;s Genus: Iranognalhus KOZUR, MOSTLER & RAHlMI-Y AZD, 1975 Type species: Iranognathlls unicoslatlfs KOZUR, MOSTLER &RAHIMI-YAZD, 1975 Iranogllat/llls sosioensis n.sp. (Figs. 2, 3) Derivation of name: According its occurrence in the Sesie Valley area. Holotype: The specimen on Fig. 2; rep. -no. KoMo 13-2-95/11-50. Type locality: Torrente San Calogero section SSW of Pietra di Salomone (near Palazzo Adriano), western Sicily (Italy), see Fig. I and Table I. Type stratum: The only thick (about 20 em) cal­ carenite within red clays or the Claystone Unit. Latest Changxingian. Material: 4, partly broken specimens from the only thick (late Changxjngian) calcaren ite bank within the Claystone Unit of the Torrentc San Calogero section, 12 broken specimens from late Changxingian thick cal­ carenites south of the Rupe del Pas so di Burgio block. Diagnosis: An Iranognathus species with numerous smal l pustulose nodes on the platform. Nodes partly fused 10 narrow, irregular, but generally longiludinal ribs. K02l1r ~ M OS11 'r' Ir{/llO~tl(fl'W\' \'OJ;(! e l1~i~ n sp '1 New Conodont Spec ics , , c, .. ' 131 Series Stage Lithology - Fossils Red, mainly in the lower part also light-g ray, deep-water claystones, with Upper Permian Changxingian a few thin intercalations of calcarenites. Claystones with albaillellid radiolarians, deep-water sponge spicules, palaeopsychrospheric ostracods = and a few conodonts. Calcarenites with common pelagic conodonts, Lopingian transported sponge spicules from the slope, palaeopsychrospheric deep- water ostracods and transported ostracods from the slope. Dzhulfian p Capitanian unknown E Wordian Gray, ye ll owish weathering claystones . Conodonts (M. siciliensis) , R radiolar ians. M I Middle Permian = Olistostrome Unit: Matrix of gray claystone with reworked sand and garnet A Guadalupian grains. Olistoliths up to 1 m diameter consisting of turbid itic sandstones, N siltstones (often with flute casts and plant debris) and rare sandy calcarenites. Roadian Matrix with conodonts (Mesogondolelfa phosphoriensis, Sweetognathus subsymmetricus) , albaillellid radiolarians and sporomorphs. Olistoliths with conodonts (M. idahoensis, M. intermedia) , albaillellid radio larians and sporomorphs. • Cathedralian Gray and red flyschoid turbidites : Graded sandstones , partly fine- • Early Permian (Kungurian) conglomerat ic, siltstones, shales and few calcarenites. Agglutinating · = foraminifers , conodonts, deep-water trace foss ils. Calcarenites also contain • Cisuralian fusulinids, ammonites, trilobites, brachiopods, bryozoans, calcareous algae. • Artinsk ian • Table I Basi nal Permian suile in lhe Sosio Valley, western Sicily. Legend: I - presen t in tile Torrenle San Calogero section SSW of Picl ra eli Salomone; : - present in fOfll1 or olisloliths in th e Road ian Oli stostrome Unit. Description: Platform broadly arrow~like , covered with nUlllerous pustulose small nodes that are partly fu sed to narrow , irregular , but generally longitudinal ridges or connected by elevated single rows of pustules . Free blade very long, bearing up to 9 denticles decreasing in size posteriorly. Carina fused to a pus tll ~ lose ridgc that is in its anterior half often undulate , ind i­ catin g the position of the fused denticlcs. The flaring basal cavity compriscs the ent ire lower surface of the platform. Occurrence: Single thi ck calcarenite bank in the late Changxingian red part of the Claystone Un it of the TOlTcntc San Calogero section and from Changxingian thick calcarenites intercalated with red claystones south of the Rupe del Passo di Burgio block, Remarks: The platform sculpture of the WlIchi ­ apingian to early Changxingian Iranognalhlls lara zi KOZUR , MOSTLER & RAHIMI-Y AZD, 1975 and l. lIl1iCOSla lliS KOZUR, MOSTLER & RAI-IIMI-Y AZD, 1975 consists of a few high and rather broad longitudi ­ nal ribs (one in 1. unicostalliS and two~three in 1. tarazi) . The Early Permian Iranognalhus hllccocllsis (RIT~ TER, 1986) displays broad longitudinal ribs that Illay disintegrate into several large, hi gh pu stulose nodes. Thesc lauer representatives arc similar to 1. sosioel/sis, but their platform is suboval and the nodes arc consid~ erably larger and higher than in I. sosioensis. 4. REMARKS ON THE PALAEOECOLOGY OF THE MIDDLE/LATE PERMIAN CONODONTS IN WESTERN SICILY The Middle Permian pelagic conodont faunas of western Sicily consist cxclusively of cold bottom~water faunas despite the [act tha t shallow-water faunas from adjacent shelves indicate a tropical climate. The ex is­ tence of cold bottom -water condit ions of an open sea environment at the margin of an ocean is also indicated by Ihe presence of palaeopsyeilrospheric oSlracod fau ­ nas (KOZUR, 1989c, 199 I a, b). In Ihe cold bollom­ wate r conodont fauna s serrated Mesogolldo/ella , the decisive Guadalupian guideforms of pelagic warm water faunas, are missing. They are replaced by unser­ rated McsogoJ/dolel/a of the M. p/tosplioriellsis - M. siciliellsis group. The exact correlations of these smooth Mesogondo/e/la with the Middle Permian time Fig . .l frollOgliothlls sosioellsis n.sp ., upper view, Torrc nl C San Calogero section, from the only thick ca lcarcnitc bcd within red late Changxingian cl ays tones, sample TSC 1/94: spec im en wi th somewhat damaged cup, rep.-no . KoMo 13-2-95/[1- 18, x iOO. Geologia Croatica 49(2 Fig. 2 fr(/lI ogll(Jth lls sosioellsis Il.Sp., uppe r view, Tor­ re nte San Caloge­ ro section, from the only thick ca l­ carenit e bed with ­ in red lal e Chang­ xingian claysto­ nes, sampl e TSC 1/94; a) xIOO, b) detail of the pustu­ lose nodes, x500. scale is not yet known in detail, but the first appearance of Ihe serrated Mesogondo{ella, M. serrata (CHING), at the base of the Guadalupian Series nearly coincides with thc first appearance of M. pilosphoriensis YOUN­ GQIST, HAWLEY & MTLLER and relaled form s. During the Changxingian, both pelagic cold boltOI11- waler conodont faunas and pelagic warm wate r faunas are present in wcstern Sicily. The cold bottom -water faunas characterise the basin and lowc r s lope, the pelagic warm water faunas the upper slope. The Changxingian cold bottom-water fauna is characte rized by common C. cf. carinata (CLARK), C. cliangxingell­ sis (WANG & WANG) and C. sosioensis GULLO & KOZUR (only in the deep-basin faci es) and a few C. procerocarinata KOZUR, C. tulaugeusis (T1AN) (only in the late Changxingian) , C. taylorae (ORCHARD) and Hindeodus typicalis (SWEET). The pel agic warm water conodont fauna is characterized by C. c/zongxin.­ gensis, C. dejlecta (WANG & WANG), C. dicerocari­ uata (WANG & WANG) , C. postwangi (TIAN), C. subcarinata (SWEET), C. wangi (DAI & Z HA NG) and C. xiangxicl/sis (TlAN). Some species, like C. c/tang­ xiugensis (W ANG & WANG) and H. typicalis occur both in cold water and warm water pelagic environ­ ments. The latter speci es is a dominant shallow-watcr conodont, but occurs subordinately also in pelag ic deposits. The Changxingian pelagic cold (cool ) water conodont fau na is very similar 10 the conodont fauna of the Boreal OWceras Beds. Wuehiapingian cool water fauna s are known from the Sail Range, Kashmir and from eastern Greenland. The cady Wuchiapingian conodont faunas are charac­ terized by Clarkina rosenkrantzi (BENDER & STOP- KOZlir & Mosller: //"mlOgllal//IIS JUJiocnsis n.sp .. a New Conodonl Species ... PEL) and its rclated forms, /-/indeodlfs typica/is and in the peri-Gondwana faunas additionally by undescribed species of Irall ognathlls and Vjafovognalhlls. In the lale Wuchiapingian with Cycloloblls (e.g. upper Zewan For­ mation of Kashmir and upper Chhidru Formation of the Salt Ran ge) a low diversity conodont fauna is known which is sim ilar to that of the Boreal Otoceras faunas. This fauna is dominated by C. cf. carinafa and H. typi­ calis. The Changxingian warm water conodont fauna of western Sicily corresponds LO the typical Changxingian co nodont faunas of South China (e.g. from the Changxingian st ratotype at Meishan), Armenian and Azerbaidzhanian Transcaucasia (with the stratotype of the Dorashamian at Dorasham) as well as northwestern and central Iran. In calcarenites (distal turbidites) pelagic cold and warm water faunas may occur togethcr bccause of thc transport of faunas from the upper slope into the basin. Iranogllafhus sosioel/sis n.sp. is on ly known from cal­ carenit es. It co-occurs both with co ld water conodont fau nas (but not in the red deep- water clays without the input of slope material), with mixed cold and warm watcr conodont faunas and with warm water conodont faunas. Because calcarenites with cold bottom -water conodon t faunas also contain sponge spicules and ostra­ cods transporlcd from the upper slope, it is not clear, whether I. sosioel/sis lived in the cold bottom-water or whether it is a transported element from the warm water conodont faunas. Perhaps this species lived both in cold boltOIll-water and in warm surface water, becausc fra ­ nognalhus is known both from the tropical Changxin­ gian warm water conodont faunas and from peri-Gond­ wana cool-water faunas. Acknowledgement The invest igat ion s by H. KOZUR were sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft whose help is gratcfullyacknowlcdged . 5. REFERENCES BENDER, H. & STOPPEL, D. ( 1965): Perm-Conodon­ ten.- Geol. Jb. , 82/3 , 331-364, Hannover. CATALANO, R., DI STEFANO, P & KOZUR, H. (1988): Ncw results in the Permian and Triassic stratigraphy or western Sicily with special reference to the section at Torrcnte San Calogero SW of the Piel ra di Salomone (Sosio Valley).- Atti 74° Congr. Soc. Geol. It. , A, 126-135, Benevento. CATA LANO, R. , DI STEFANO, P. & KOZUR, H. (1989): Lower Perm ian Albai llellaeea (Radiolaria) from Sicily and their stratigraphic and paleogeo­ graphic significance. - Soc. Naz. Sci. Lett. Arti Napoli, Rend. Ace. Sci . Fis. Mat., Ser. IV , 56 (128), 1-24. 133 CATALANO , R., DI STEFANO, P. & KOZUR, H. (1991): Permian Circumpacifi c deep-water faunas from the Western Tethys (Sicily, Italy) - ncw evi­ dences for the pos iti on of thc Permian Tethys.­ Palacogeogr., Palaeoclimato1., Palaeoecol., 87/1-4, 75 -108. CATALANO, R., DI STEFANO, P. & KOZUR, 1-1. (1992): Ncw data on the Permian and Triassic stratigraphy of westcrn Sicily.- N. Jb. Geo1. Palliont. , Abh., 184/1 ,25-61. GULLO , M. & KOZUR, H. (1992): Conodonts from the pelagic deep-water Permian or central Western Sicily (Italy).- N. Jb. Gcol. PaUiont., Abh., 184/2, 203-234. GULLO, M. & KOZUR, 1-1. (1993): First ev idence of Scythian conodonts in S icily.- N. Jb. Geol. Palaont. , Mh., 1993 (8),477-488. KOZUR, H. (1975): Beitragc zur Conodontenfauna des Pcrm. - Geol. PaWont. Mitt. Innsbruek, 5/4, 1-44. KOZUR, H. (1989a): Microfossils (conodonts, radiolar­ ians and ostracods) of the Permian " Lercara Forma­ tion" from Western Sicily and their bioracial value.- 10 Centenario Mem. Giuseppe Seguenza Nal. Pal., Program, Abstracts, Field-t rip book, 7, Mess ina. KOZUR, H. (l989b): Unter-, mittel - und oberpermis­ che pclagische zirkumpazifische Tiefwasser[aunen in Westsizilien und ihre paJaogcographischc Bcdcu­ tung. - SO. Jahrestagung Paltiontoiogische Gcsell ­ schar!. Programm, Zusammenfassungen, Teil ­ Hehmcr, 51, Bonn. KOZUR, 1-1. (l989c): Middle/Late Permian psyehros ­ pheric deep-water ostracods [rom Sicily.- First European Ostracodologists' Meeting, Abstracts, 13, Frankfurt a. M. KOZUR , H. (l990a): S ignificance of events in con­ odont evolution for the Permian and Triassic stratig­ raphy.- Cour. Forsch.-Inst. Senckcnbcrg, 11 7,385- 408. KOZUR, [-I. (l990b): The taxonomy of thc gondolellid conodonts in the Permian and Triassic.- Cour. Forseh. -Inst. Senckenberg, 1l7, 409-469. KOZUR, H. (199Ia): Permian deep-water ostracods from Sicily (Italy). Part I: Taxonomy.- Geol. Palliont. Mitt. Innsbruek, Sonderbd., 3, 1-24. KOZUR, I-I. (1991 b): Permian deep-water ostracods from Sicily (Italy). Parl 2: Biofacial evaluation and remarks to the Si lurian to Triassic paleopsychros­ pheric ostracods.- Geol. Palaont. Mitt. Innsbruck, Sonderbd., 3, 25-38. KOZU R, H. (I 992a): The pelagic Perm ian and Triassic deep-water sequencc of western Sicily and its con­ tinuation in the Eastern Mediterranean arC:1.- 6th Congr. Oeo!. Soc. Grecce and 5th Field Meeting IGCP Project No. 276, 19-20, Athens. 134 KOZUR, H. (1992b): Age and paleoecology or the con­ odont ClarkiI/o cizallgxillgellsis (WANG & W ANG).- Geo!. Pabont. Mitt. Innsbruck, 18, 83-86. KOZUR, H. (1992c): New stratigraphic, paleoecologic and paleogeographic results in the Pcrmian and Tri­ assic of the Western Tethys. - 29th Intern. Geo!. Congr., Kyoto, Japan, Abstrac ts, I, 117, Kyoto. KOZUR, T-l. (19930): Gul/odus n. gen. - a new con ­ odont genus and remarks to the pelagic Permian and Triassic of' western Sicily.- Jb. Gco!. B. -A ., 136/1, 77-87. KOZUR, H. (1993b): Upper Permian radiolarians from the Sosio Valley area, western Sicily (Italy) and from the uppermost Lamar Limestone or West Tcxas. - Jb. Geo!. B.-A., 136/1,99-123. Geologia Cromica 49/2 KOZUR, H. (1994): The early evolution of the southern Tethys on the example of western Sicily and the interaction of the southern Tethys with the Alpine­ Carpathian Belt.- In: ALCAPA II: Geological evo­ lu tion of the Alps-Carpathian-Pannonian System. Romanian J. Tecl. Reg. Geo!., 75, supp!. 1, 29-30, Bllcure§ti. KOZUR, H. (1995): Pcrmian conodont zonation and its importance for the Permian stratigraphic standard scale.- Geol. Paniont. Mitl. Innsbruck, 20, Fest ­ schrift zlIm 60. Geburtstag von I-Ielfried Mostlcr, 165-205. Manuscript received PebruaIY 12, 1996. Revised manuscript accepted September 11 , 1996.