Stenolaemate bryozoans from the Latest Devonian (Uppermost Famennian) of western Germany
Institut für Geowissenschaften der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 10, D-24118 Kiel, Germany. E-mail: ae@gpi.uni-kiel.de.
2. Institut für Geologie der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Str. 49a, D-50674 Köln, Germany. E-mail: herbig.paleont@uni-koeln.de.
Abstract
Abstract. Three bryozoan species are described from the uppermost part of the Velbert Formation (“Strunian”, uppermost Famennian), Velbert Anticline (Rhenish Massif, Germany), including two new species: Stenophragmidium velbertensis sp. n. and Nikiforovella gracilis sp. n., and one species in open nomenclature: Dyscritella sp. The bryozoans thrived on a shallow high-energetic clear-water carbonate ramp characterized by the microbiota Girvanella, Paracaligelloides and Quasiendothyra. The discovery of Nikiforovella suggests the existence of faunal migrations between Europe and eastern Palaeotethys realms (China, Kazakhstan, Russian Far East).