Guadalupian (Middle Permian) brachiopods from Sungai Toh, a Leptodus Shale locality in the Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia Part I: Lower Horizons

Abstract

\n\t\t\t\t\tThis work presents a systematic study of Permian Brachiopoda from the Sungai Toh <i>Leptodus</i> Shale locality, Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia. This locality lies within the Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia, a tectonic unit characterised.by tuffaceous sediments and limestones of Late Palaeozoic age. Two brachiopod-bearing horizons were studied in detail at this locality, the lower one (Horizon 2) bearing a mixed plant and invertebrate assemblage, including the brachiopods <i>Urushtenoidea chaoi </i>(CHING), <i>Leptodus richthofeni </i>KAYSER, <i>Anidanthus </i>cf.<i> sinosus</i> HUANG, <i>Acosarina dorashamensis </i>(SOKOLSKAJA), <i>A. minuta</i> (ABleH) and unidentifiable species of <i>Linoproduetus</i>, <i>Neochonetes</i>, and <i>Strophalosiina.</i> Horizon 3 contains a more abundant and diverse brachiopod fauna, comprising a total. of 57 species representing 47 genera, including <i>Vediproductus punetatiformis </i>(CHAO), <i>Permianella typica</i> HE & ZHU, <i>Tranrennatia gratiosa</i> (WAAGEN), <i>Leptodus richthofeni</i> KAYSER, <i>Leptodus </i>cf. <i>tenuis</i> (WAAGEN) and "<i>Semibrachythyrina</i>" [= <i>Alphaneospirifer</i>] cf. <i>pyramidiformis</i> LIANG. It is<br />suggested in this study that the age of the Sungai Toh locality is Capitanian (late Guadalupian) to possibly Wuchiapingian (early Lopingian),<br />as it appears to correlate well with the Lengwu fauna from Zhejiang in eastern China. The palaeobiogeographical affinities of the Sungai Toh fauna are interesting, mainly indicating strong Palaeo-equatorial affinities, while there are also some elements more typical of the cooler periGondwana<br />Region.<br />\n\t\t\t\t