Gzhelian (latest Carboniferous) Pseudoacutella partoazari foraminiferal assemblage from the Tabas Block (Central Iran)

Abstract

A foraminiferal assemblage is reported from the Zaladou Formation in the Tabas Block (Shishtu Section), Central Iran. This assemblage comprises 16 species belonging to 14 genera, and encompasses the fusulinids Pseudoacutella partoazari, Grovesella tabasensis, Gr. aff. australis, Gr. sphaerica, Gr. sphaerica var. quadrata, Gr. cf. staffelloides, Schubertina sp., Schubertella sp., and the smaller foraminifers Eotuberitina sp., Lasiodiscus tenuis, Raphconilia cf. minor, R. multihelicis, R. modificata, Tetrataxis cf. parviconica, Globivalvulina ex gr. bulloides, Gl. graeca, Calcivertella heathi, Tansillites sp., Palaeonubecularia? sp., Hemigordiellina sp., Nodosinelloides longa, and N. longissima. The age of this assemblage is considered to be Gzhelian. The assemblage is dominated by the fusulinid Pseudoacutella partoazari with a low total diversity of smaller foraminifers. This assemblage is compared to similar assemblages in other parts of Iran and well as the USA. An evolutionary lineage of Pseudoacutella partoazari is also proposed. It is confirmed that Pseudonovella differs from Pseudoacutella by the periphery rounded-carinate (carinate in Pseudoacutella), pseudochomata less developed, and the type of coiling (Pseudoacutella is truly planispiral involute). Pseudonovella is suggested here as the ancestor of Pseudoacutella. This assemblage bears one unusual attribute, the overwhelming dominance of the fusulinid Pseudoacutella and the relatively low total diversity, compared with similar foraminifera from Alborz, Sanandaj-Sirjan, Sabzevar and central Iran, which present warm and humid conditions during the Late Carboniferous.