On Classification of Pridoli (Silurian)-Lochkovian (Devonian) Spathognathodontidae (Conodonts)

The Spathognathodontidae are common conodonts in the Pridoli (Silurian) and Lochkovian (Devonian) in the areas investigated, Nevada, Spain, Germany, and the Czech Republic, and form the basis of most of the biostratigraphic zonation within the interval. This paper continues the subdivision of the genus Ozarkodina Branson & Mehl, 1933, which, since Silurian-Devonian conodont workers changed-over to multielement taxonomy around 1970, has included a large and diverse group of taxa; discusses the nomenclature of the type species of Ozarkodina, O. typica Branson & Mehl; describes Wurmiella n. gen. (type species Ozarkodina tuma Murphy & Matti); describes Zieglerodina n. gen. (type specie Spathognathodus remscheidensis Ziegler); and the need for further subdivision of Ozarkodina. Pandorinellina Müller & Müller is maintained as a genus separate from Ozarkodina because its skeletal apparatus is reconstructed with an alate Sa element that has a denticulate posterior process (diplododellan) rather than the Sa of Ozarkodina, which normally is without a posterior process.