New occurrences of Malvinokaffric Chonetoidea (Brachiopoda) in the Paraná Basin, Devonian, Brazil

Abstract

Brachiopods of the superfamily Chonetoidea are abundantly found in Devonian rocks in the Paraná Basin (Brazil). Despite this, only two species were formally known: Pleurochonetes falklandicus and Australostrophia mesembria, while at least 34 other taxa are known in other locations also within the Malvinokaffric Realm. In this contribution we present nine new taxa of Chonetoidea from the Ponta Grossa (late Pragian–early Emsian) and São Domingos (late Emsian–Frasnian) formations in the Paraná Basin: Babinia parvula maxima ssp. nov., Kentronetes? iclaense, Kentronetes? ortegae?, Sanjuanetes? sp., Chonostrophia? aff. truyolsae, Chonetidae indet., Pleurochonetes? comstocki?, Notiochonetes skottsbergi and Pleurochonetes surucoi?. Additionally, we emended the diagnosis of Babinia parvula. This expands the known diversity of Devonian Chonetoidea of the Paraná Basin. We also discuss the likely living environment of the identified taxa, based on the outcrops from which they came. The identification of these taxa provide new paleobiogeographic and chronostratigraphic information, allowing interpretations about possible affinities and migration routes of these benthic organisms within the Malvinokaffric Realm regions. Keywords: chonetoideans, Malvinokaffric Realm, Lower–Middle Devonian, systematic, paleoenvironments, paleobiogeography.