Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T21:39:06.389Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Apparatus composition and structure of the Pennsylvanian conodont genus Gondolella based on assemblages from the Desmoinesian of northwestern Illinois, U.S.A.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Peter H. von Bitter
Affiliation:
Royal Ontario Museum and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada M5S 2C6
Glen K. Merrill
Affiliation:
University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, TX 77002

Abstract

Gondolella pohli new species assemblages, from the Desmoinesian of Illinois, confirm that the initial apparatus reconstruction of the conodont genus Gondolella was incomplete and support later reconstructions based on discrete elements.

Gondolella pohli is the first species of a biostratigraphically important conodont genus to be based primarily on assemblages and to be placed within a known phylogeny. The 43 assemblages confirm the presence of seven distinct element types in the Gondolella apparatus and permit the reconstruction of each of these to a greater degree than previously possible. Because the assemblages are probably all fecal, the apparatus of the closely related Neogondolella is used to interpret the apparatus plan—the position and identity of the 15 elements—single pairs of Pa, Pb, M, Sb1, and Sb2 elements, two pairs of Sc elements, and an unpaired bilaterally symmetrical Sa element in the Gondolella apparatus. Using the similarity of the latter to the apparatuses of the better known ozarkodinids, we infer a three-dimensional fanlike apparatus architecture for the prioniodinid Gondolella. Gondolella is apparently restricted to the Pennsylvanian and probably evolved in the Early Pennsylvanian from the Idioprioniodus-Embsaygnathus lineage by loss of the Pa element posterior process and by remodelling of the other apparatus elements. Some species in the Idioprioniodus-Gondolella lineage are atypical among prioniodinids in having developed a Pa element platform; the lineage is also noteworthy because both ancestor and descendant inhabited low-energy, low pH environments during the Pennsylvanian.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aldridge, R. J., Smith, M. P., Norby, R. D., and Briggs, D. E. G. 1987. The architecture and function of Carboniferous polygnathacean conodont apparatuses, p. 6376. In Aldridge, R. J. (ed.), Palaeobiology of Conodonts. Ellis Horwood, Chichester.Google Scholar
Aldridge, R. J., Purnell, M. A., Gabbott, S. E., and Theron, J. N. 1995. The apparatus architecture and function of Promissum pulchrum Kovács-Endrödy (Conodonta, Upper Ordovician) and the prioniodontid plan. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (London), 347:275291.Google Scholar
Baesemann, J. F. 1973. Missourian (Upper Pennsylvanian) conodonts of northeastern Kansas. Journal of Paleontology, 47:689710.Google Scholar
Bischoff, G., and Ziegler, W. 1957. Die Conodontenchronologie des Mitteldevons und des tiefsten Oberdevons. Abhandlungen des Hessischen Landesamtes für Bodenforschung, 22:1136.Google Scholar
Briggs, D. E. G., Clarkson, E. N. K., and Aldridge, R. J. 1983. The conodont animal. Lethaia, 16:114.Google Scholar
Chauffe, K. M. 1981. Multielement conodont species from the Osagean (Lower Carboniferous) in Midcontinent North America and Texas. Palaeontographica Abhandlungen, Abteilung A, 175:140169.Google Scholar
Chauffe, K. M. 1985. Phylogeny of the multielement conodont genera Bactrognathus, Doliognathus and Staurognathus . Journal of Paleontology, 59:299309.Google Scholar
Chauffe, K. M., and Nichols, P. A. 1995. Differentiating evolution from environmentally induced modifications in mid-Carboniferous conodonts. Palaeontology, 38:875895.Google Scholar
Clark, D. L. 1972. Early Permian crisis and its bearing on Permo-Triassic conodont taxonomy. Geologica et Palaeontologica, 1:147158.Google Scholar
Clark, D. L., and Behnken, F. H. 1971. Conodonts and biostratigraphy of the Permian. Geological Society of America Memoir, 127:415439.Google Scholar
Clark, D. L., and Mosher, L. C. 1966. Stratigraphic, geographic, and evolutionary development of the conodont genus Gondolella . Journal of Paleontology, 40:376394.Google Scholar
Clark, D. L., Sweet, W. C., Bergström, S. M., Klapper, G., Austin, R. L., Rhodes, F. H. T., Müller, K. J., Ziegler, W., Lindström, M., Miller, J. F., and Harris, A. G. 1981. Conodonta, p. W1W202. In Robison, R. A. (ed.), Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part W, Miscellanea, Supplement 2. Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press, Lawrence.Google Scholar
DuBois, E. P. 1943. Evidence on the nature of conodonts. Journal of Paleontology, 17:155159.Google Scholar
Dzik, J. 1991. Evolution of oral apparatuses in the conodont chordates. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 36:265323.Google Scholar
Dzik, J., and Trammer, J. 1980. Gradual evolution of conodontophorids in the Polish Triassic. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 25:5589.Google Scholar
Forke, H. C. 1995. Biostratigraphie (Fusuliniden; Conodonten) und Mikrofazies im Unterperm (Sakmar) der Karnischen Alpen (Nassfeldgebiet, Österreich). Jahrbuch der Geologischen Bundesanstalt, 138:207297.Google Scholar
Gunnell, F. 1933. Conodonts and fish remains from the Cherokee, Kansas City, and Wabaunsee groups of Missouri and Kansas. Journal of Paleontology, 7:261297.Google Scholar
Hass, W. H. 1953. Conodonts of the Barnett Formation of Texas. U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 243-F:6994.Google Scholar
Jones, D. J. 1938. The conodont fauna of the Seminole Formation of Oklahoma. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Chicago, 55 p.Google Scholar
Jones, G. L. 1991. A new species of Embsaygnathus (Conodonta) from the Arundian (Carboniferous) of Co. Dublin, Ireland. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 10:127132.Google Scholar
Klapper, G., and Lane, H. R. 1985. Upper Devonian (Frasnian) conodonts of the Polygnathus biofacies, N.W.T., Canada. Journal of Paleontology, 59:904951.Google Scholar
Kosenko, Z. A. 1975. New species of conodonts from the deposits of the Moskovian Stage in the south-western part of the Donets Basin. Akademy Nauk USSR, Geological Journal, 35:126133. [In Russian.]Google Scholar
Lindström, M. 1970. A suprageneric taxonomy of the conodonts. Lethaia, 3:427445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Merrill, G. K. 1973. Pennsylvanian conodont paleoecology. Geological Society of America Special Paper, 141:239274.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K. 1975. Pennsylvanian conodont biostratigraphy and paleoecology of northwestern Illinois. Geological Society of America Microform Publication 3, 130 p.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K. 1979. Desmoinesian (Pennsylvanian) conodont localities of northwestern Illinois. Guidebook prepared for The Pander Society and Ninth International Congress of Carboniferous Stratigraphy and Geology, 20 May 1979, 48 p.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K. 1980. Preliminary report on the restudy of conodonts from the Barnett Formation, p. 103107, 184-185. In Windle, D.H. (ed.), Geology of the Llano region, central Texas. Guidebook, Annual Field Trip, West Texas Geological Society, Publication 80-73.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K., and King, C. W. 1971. Platform conodonts from the lowest Pennsylvanian rocks of northwestern Illinois. Journal of Paleontology, 45:645664.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K., and von Bitter, P. H. 1976. Revision of conodont biofacies nomenclature and interpretations of environmental controls in Pennsylvanian rocks of eastern and central North America. Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Contributions, 108:146.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K., and von Bitter, P. H. 1977. Apparatus of the Pennsylvanian conodont genus Neognathodus . Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Contributions, 112:122.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K., and von Bitter, P. H. 1995. Natural assemblages of the conodonts Neognathodus and Cavusgnathus from the Carbondale Formation (Pennsylvanian, Desmoinesian) of northwestern Illinois. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, 27(3):7374.Google Scholar
Merrill, G. K., and von Bitter, P. H., and Grayson, R. C. Jr. 1990. The generic concept in conodont paleontology—growth, changes and developments in the last two decades. 1st International Senckenberg Conference and 5th European Conodont Symposium (ECOS V) Contributions IV. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 118:397408.Google Scholar
Metcalfe, I. 1980. Conodont faunas and age of the Raygill Quarry limestones (Embsay Limestone), Lothersdale, Yorkshire. Proceedings, Yorkshire Geological Society, 43(2): 169-178.Google Scholar
Metcalfe, I. 1981. Conodont zonation and correlation of the Dinantian and early Namurian strata of the Craven Lowlands of northern England. Report, Institute of Geological Sciences, 80/10:170.Google Scholar
Nicoll, R. S. 1977. Conodont apparatuses in an Upper Devonian palaeoniscoid fish from the Canning Basin, Western Australia. Bureau of Mineral Resources, Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics, 2:217228.Google Scholar
Nicoll, R. S. 1985. Multielement composition of the conodont species Polygnathus xylus xylus Stauffer, 1940 and Ozarkodina brevis (Bischoff and Ziegler, 1957) from the Upper Devonian of the Canning Basin, Western Australia. Bureau of Mineral Resources, Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics, 9:133147. p.Google Scholar
Over, D. J. 1992. Conodonts and the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary in the Upper Woodford Shale, Arbuckle Mountains, south-central Oklahoma. Journal of Paleontology, 66:293311.Google Scholar
Pander, C. H. 1856. Monographie der fossilen Fische des silurischen Systems der russisch-baltischen Gouvernements. Akademie der Wissenschaften St. Petersburg, 91 p.Google Scholar
Purnell, M. A. 1993a. The Kladognathus apparatus (Conodonta, Carboniferous): Homologies with ozarkodinids, and the prioniodinid Bauplan. Journal of Paleontology, 67:875882.Google Scholar
Purnell, M. A. 1993b. Feeding mechanisms in conodonts and the function of the earliest vertebrate hard tissues. Geology, 21:375377.Google Scholar
Purnell, M. A. 1995. Microwear on conodont elements and macrophagy in the first vertebrates. Nature, 374:798800.Google Scholar
Purnell, M. A., and Donoghue, P. 1995. Nature, 374:cover.Google Scholar
Purnell, M. A., Aldridge, R. J., Donoghue, P. C. J., and Gabbot, S. E. 1995. Conodonts and the first vertebrates. Endeavour n.s., 19:2027.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramovs, A. 1977. Skelettapparat von Pseudofurnishius murcianus (Conodontophorida) in der Mitteltrias Sloweniens (NW Jugoslawien). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen, 153:361399.Google Scholar
Ramovs, A. 1978. Mitteltriassische Conodonten-clusters in Slowenien, NW Jugoslawien. Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 52:129137.Google Scholar
Rhodes, F. H. T. 1952. A classification of Pennsylvanian conodont assemblages. Journal of Paleontology, 26:886901.Google Scholar
Rhodes, F. H. T. 1962. Recognition, interpretation, and taxonomic position of conodont assemblages, p. W70W83. In Moore, R. C. (ed.), Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part W, Miscellanea. Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press, Lawrence.Google Scholar
Rieber, H. 1980. Ein Conodonten-cluster aus der Grenzbitumenzone (Mittlere Trias) des Monte San Giorgio (Kt. Tessin/Schweiz). Annalen, Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien, 83:265274.Google Scholar
Ritter, S. M. 1986. Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of post-Early Permian crisis bisselli-whitei Zone conodonts with comments on Late Paleozoic diversity. Geologica et Palaeontologica, 20:139165.Google Scholar
Schmidt, H. 1934. Conodonten-Funde in ursprünglichem Zuzammenhang. Palontologische Zeitschrift, 16:6785.Google Scholar
Scott, H. W. 1934. The zoological relationships of the conodonts. Journal of Paleontology, 8:448455.Google Scholar
Stauffer, C. F., and Plummer, H. J. 1932. Texas Pennsylvanian conodonts and their stratigraphic relations. University of Texas Bulletin, 3201:1350.Google Scholar
Swade, J. W. 1985. Conodont distribution, paleoecology, and preliminary biostratigraphy of the upper Cherokee and Marmaton groups (upper Desmoinesian, Middle Pennsylvanian) from two cores in south-central Iowa. Iowa Geological Survey Technical Information Series, 14:171.Google Scholar
Sweet, W. C. 1988. The Conodonta. Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics No. 10. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 212 pp.Google Scholar
van den Boogaard, M. 1966. Post-Carboniferous conodonts from south-eastern Spain. Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen Proceedings, Series B, 69:18.Google Scholar
von Bitter, P. H. 1972. Environmental control of conodont distribution in the Shawnee Group (Upper Pennsylvanian) of eastern Kansas. University of Kansas Paleontological Contributions, 59:1105.Google Scholar
von Bitter, P. H. 1976. The apparatus of Gondolella sublanceolata Gunnell (Conodontophorida, Upper Pennsylvanian) and its relationship to Illinella typica Rhodes. Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Contributions, 109:144.Google Scholar
von Bitter, P. H., and Merrill, G. K. 1977. Neogondolelliform conodonts of Early and Middle Pennsylvanian age. Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Occasional Paper, 29:112.Google Scholar
von Bitter, P. H., and Merrill, G. K. 1980. Naked species of Gondolella (Conodontophorida): Their distribution, taxonomy, and evolutionary significance. Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Contributions, 125:149.Google Scholar
von Bitter, P. H., and Merrill, G. K. 1991. New natural assemblages of a new species of Gondolella from the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) of northwestern Illinois. First Canadian Paleontology Conference and Pander Society Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., Program and Abstracts: 17.Google Scholar
von Bitter, P. H., and Merrill, G. K. 1995. Apparatus structure and taphonomy of Gondolella n. sp. (Conodonta) based on new natural assemblages from the Desmoinesian of N.W. Illinois. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, 27(3):92.Google Scholar
Zangerl, R., and Richardson, E. S. Jr. 1963. The paleoecological history of two Pennsylvanian black shales. Fieldiana Geology Memoirs, 4:1352.Google Scholar
Ziegler, W. (ed.) 1973. Catalogue of conodonts, volume 1. Stuttgart, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 504 p.Google Scholar