Late Tournaisian (Carboniferous) brachiopods from Mouydir (Central Sahara, Algeria)

A small-sized brachiopod fauna, representing an orthid, rhynchonellid and spiriferid community which lived in a low-energy environment, is reported from the lower part of the Argiles de Teguentour and was collected around Oued Tamertasset (or Temertasset) and Oued Habadra in north-western Mouydir (Algerian Sahara). Associated goniatites indicate an early Late Tournaisian age (Pericyclus-Progoniatites assemblage). Thirteen brachiopod species belonging to 12 genera and 5 orders (Productida, Orthida, Rhynchonellida, Athyridida and Spiriferida) are described. Mouydirhynchus is proposed as a new rhynchonellid genus and the species Rhipidomella prolifica, Mouydirhynchus quietus and Eomartiniopsis mouydirensis are new. The other described taxa are the following: Chonetipustula? sp., strophalosioid gen. et sp. indet., Schizophoria sp., trigonirhynchiid gen. indet. sp. A, trigonirhynchiid gen. indet. sp. B, Hemiplethorhynchus? sp., Coveenia? sp., Crurithyris cf. fissa, Punctothyris? sp., and elythid gen. et sp. indet. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.