Frasnian scolecodonts from the Grassy Creek Shale, eastern Iowa, United States

Four scolecodont species are described from the lower 1ft of the Grassy Creek Shale at the type section of the Sweetland Creek Shale. This stratigraphic interval yields abundant and well-preserved Maxillae I and II scolecodont elements of Paulinites and Kielanoprion, and some partial apparatuses of Kielanoprion. The scolecodont assemblage recovered from the Grassy Creek Shale is similar to other Devonian assemblages from shales, and is distinct from other Devonian assemblages found in carbonates. Comparison of the species from this reportwith previous publications suggest that the scolecodonts from the Grassy Creek Shale have different stratigraphic ranges and may be useful biostratigraphic tools.