Notes on Some Upper Silurian Multielement Conodonts

Abstract

Seventeen types of conodont elements, fifteen previously described as form species, have been grouped into three multielement species. The type species of the form genera Ozarkodina Branson and Mehl, 1933, Plectospathodus Branson and Mehl, 1933, Spathodus Branson and Mehl, 1933 (non Boulenger, 1900), and Spathognathodus Branson and Mchl, 1941 are all elements of the same conodont apparatus. Hindeodella Bassler, 1925 is probably the oldest generic name applicable to this type of multielement species. The apparatuses of the multielement species investigated appear to consist of five or six different types of elements that can readily be homologized from species to species. This fact appears to offer a most useful basis for the continued grouping of form species into multielement species within the genera Hindeodella. and Ligonodina.