Papers in Press

“Papers in Press” includes peer-reviewed, accepted manuscripts of research articles, reviews, and short notes to be published in Paleontological Research. They have not yet been copy edited and/or formatted in the publication style of Paleontological Research. As soon as they are printed, they will be removed from this website. Please note they can be cited using the year of online publication and the DOI, as follows: Muto, S., Okumura, Y. and Mizuhara, T Late Kungurian of the pelagic Panthalassa from seamount-capping limestone in Ogama, Kuzuu, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Paleontological Research, doi: 10.2517/2020PR012. doi:10.2517/2020PR012

29 Late Kungurian conodonts of the pelagic Panthalassa from seamount-capping 30 limestone in Ogama, Kuzuu, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

31

32 SHUN MUTO

33 The Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Science and

34 Technology (e-mail: [email protected]) (present affiliation)

35 Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, the University

36 of Tokyo (previous affiliation)

37

38 YOHOKO OKUMURA

39 Kuzuu Fossil Museum, 1-11-15, Kuzuuhigashi, Sano, Tochigi 327-0501, Japan (e-mail:

40 [email protected])

41

42 TAKESHI MIZUHARA

43 Sugaya 629-1, Ranzan-machi, Hiki-gun, Saitama 355-0221, Japan (e-mail:

44 [email protected])

45

46 Abstract

47 48 AcceptedBiostratigraphy of conodonts is widely used Manuscript for age assignment of strata. In 49 this paper, we report conodonts that occurred from the limestone of the Nabeyama

50 Formation deposited on a pelagic seamount in the Panthalassa, which is an oceanic

51 realm where Permian data are scarce compared to other oceanic realms. 52 Samples collected from the lower part of the Nabeyama Formation yielded

53 idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller) and

54 hanzhongensis (Wang), which indicate a late Kungurian age. Previous studies and

55 fusulinids obtained in this study indicate the studied samples belong to the Parafusulina

56 yabei biozone. Therefore, the Parafusulina yabei Zone includes the uppermost

57 Kungurian. Mesogondolella idahoensis and Sweetognathus hanzhongensis are

58 respectively regarded as cool and warm water species. Hence, the distribution of cool

59 and warm water conodont species may have overlapped in the pelagic Panthalassa

60 during the late Kungurian.

61

62 Key words: conodont, fusulinid, Nabeyama Formation, Panthalassa, Permian

63

64 Introduction

65

66 The study of Permian conodonts began in the western North America as early as the

67 1930s (Branson, 1932). In the following decades, the Great Basin region was the centre

68 of Permian conodont research (Youngquist et al., 1951; Clark and Ethington, 1962;

69 Wardlaw and Collinson, 1979). Studies in the Great Basin lead to the establishment of 70 theAccepted rough framework of conodont biozones forManuscript the Permian (Clark and Behnken, 1971; 71 Clark et al., 1979). The pioneer work in western North America were followed by

72 studies in Europe (Bender and Stoppel, 1965), southern Urals (Chernykh and

73 Reshetkova, 1987), South China (Ching, 1960; Wang, 1978; Wang and Wang, 1981), 74 the Arctic region (Bender and Stoppel, 1965; Szaniawski and Malkowski, 1979;

75 Sobolev and Nakrem, 1996), Iran (Teichert et al., 1973), Japan (Igo and Koike, 1966,

76 Igo, 1981) and elsewhere. Based on the global-scale data of ,

77 correlation of regional biozones were attempted, resulting in the proposal of biozones

78 that are traceable across the globe (Kozur, 1995). At present, conodonts are recognised

79 as one of the most useful taxa for biostratigraphic division of the Permian System, so

80 much so that all the Stage and substage boundaries of the Permian ratified to date are

81 based on conodonts (Henderson et al., 2012; Henderson, 2016).

82 While the accumulation of knowledge on Permian conodonts has led to refinements

83 in and improvements in the resolution of biozones in the well-studied regions,

84 some regions have been left behind from the progress. One such region is Japan, where

85 Permian strata occur most typically as allochtonous rocks within accretionary

86 complexes (e.g., Isozaki et al., 1990, 2010). Such strata potentially provide precious

87 biostratigraphic and biogeographic records of the pelagic Panthalassa that occupied a

88 large part of the surface of the Earth (Figure 1.1).

89 In Japan, Permian conodonts have been reported from seamount-capping limestones

90 (Hayashi, 1971; Sobajima, 1972; Makino, 1976; Ishida, 1977, 1985; Matsuda, 1980; Igo,

91 1981, 1989; Igo and Hisada, 1986; Shen et al., 2012) and deep-sea bedded chert 92 (ToyoAcceptedhara, 1976, 1977; Ishida, 1977, 1979, 1985Manuscript; Kitao, 1996; Nishikane et al., 2011) 93 within the accretionary complexes. In particular, the seamount-capping

94 limestones yield abundant specimens of conodonts, based on which a biostratigraphic

95 framework for the Permian was built (Igo, 1981). However, the taxonomy of Permian 96 conodonts has gone under significant revision since this framework was constructed.

97 For example, platform conodonts previously assigned to the genus (as in

98 Clark and Mosher, 1966), were split into Mesogondolella, and

99 (Kozur, 1989; Mei and Wardlaw, 1994). Unfortunately, only a limited number of

100 specimens were illustrated by previous studies on Permian conodonts in Japan.

101 Therefore, it is important that new conodont specimens are obtained and described from

102 Panthalassic seamount-capping carbonates.

103 Investigation of conodont biostratigraphy in pelagic seamount-capping limestone

104 deposited in central Panthalassa can also aid the establishment of an integrated

105 conodont-fusulinid biostratigraphy. Fusulinid biostratigraphy has traditionally been used

106 for biostratigraphic division of Panthalassic seamount-capping limestones of Japan (e.g.,

107 Toriyama, 1967). However, fusulinid biozones are not readily correlated with the

108 international standard Geological Time Scale (Leven, 2003). Recently, correlation of

109 fusulinid biozones with conodont and radiolarian biozones and magnetic polarity

110 reversals were established for the Permian in South China (Shen et al., 2018). Igo

111 (1981) presented parallel biozonation of conodonts and fusulinids in the Panthalassic

112 seamount-capping limestone in Japan, but the conodont biostratigraphic framework

113 needs to be brushed up, as mentioned earlier. 114 AcceptedThis study reports conodonts obtained frManuscriptom the Panthalassic seamount-capping 115 limestone of the Nabeyama Formation in Ogama, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.

116 The Nabeyama Formation in the Kuzuu area has been a target of many biostratigraphic

117 and tectonostratigraphic studies (see also Geological setting). The age of the Nabeyama 118 Formation was previously studied based on conodonts and fusulinids. Fujimoto (1961)

119 dated the Nabeyama Formation as middle Permian based on fusulinids. Hayashi (1971)

120 reported the occurrence of conodonts from this formation, but Hisayoshi

121 Igo (1972) and Hisaharu Igo (1981) insisted that the “Carboniferous” species in Hayashi

122 (1971) were Permian species. Subsequently, Igo (1981) assigned the Nabeyama

123 Formation to the middle Permian based on conodonts, and Kobayashi (2006) also

124 implied a middle Permian age based on fusulinids. Herein, we reassess the age of the

125 Nabeyama Formation based on our new conodont specimens. The biogeographic

126 significance of the conodonts is also discussed.

127

128 Geological setting

129

130 The samples treated in this study are limestone samples obtained in a valley east of

131 Ogama in the northern part of Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, Kanto District, Japan

132 (36°29’18”N 139°33’54”E). The studied limestone belongs to the Nabeyama Formation

133 (defined by Yoshida, 1956), which is a part of the Kuzuu Complex (Kuzu Complex

134 sensu Kamata, 1996, 1997) of the Tamba–Mino–Ashio Belt (also known as the

135 Mino–Tamb–Ashio Belt). The Tamba–Mino–Ashio Belt is mostly composed of Jurassic 136 accretionaryAccepted complexes (Yamakita and Otoh, 2Manuscript000; Isozaki et al., 2010; Kojima et al., 137 2016) (Figure 1.2). The Jurassic accretionary complexes of the Tamba–Mino–Ashio

138 Belt mainly comprise Carboniferous to Middle Jurassic oceanic rocks (ocean floor

139 basalt, deep-sea chert, hemipelagic siliceous mudstone, seamount basalt and 140 seamount-capping carbonate), and Jurassic to lowermost trench-fill

141 terrigenous clastic rocks (mudstone and sandstone). The Carboniferous to Middle

142 Jurassic oceanic rocks were deposited in the pelagic Panthalassa several thousand

143 kilometres from the nearest continent (Figure 1.1), after which they traveled to a

144 subduction zone along the palaeo-continent and formed a part of the accretionary

145 complexes by the tectonic movement of the oceanic plates (Matsuda and Isozaki, 1991;

146 Wakita and Metcalfe, 2005; Isozaki et al., 2010).

147 The Kuzuu Complex is the southernmost part of the Tamba–Mino–Ashio Belt in the

148 Kanto District of east Japan (Figure 2). Our studied samples belong to the limestone of

149 the Nabeyama Formation (Yoshida, 1956; Fujimoto, 1961). The Nabeyama Formation

150 conformably overlies the Izuru Formation that is composed mainly of basaltic volcanic

151 and volcaniclastic rocks (Yoshida, 1956; Fujimoto, 1961; Kamata, 1996). The

152 Nabeyama and Izuru formations together form a thrust sheet (Yanagimoto, 1973), which

153 is named as tectonostratigraphic “Unit 2” of the Kuzuu Complex (Kamata, 1996, 1997).

154 The Izuru and Nabeyama formations are considered to be derived from a seamount in

155 the pelagic Panthalassa (Kamata, 1996).

156 The limestone of the Nabeyama Formation is divided into three parts: the lower,

157 middle and upper parts (Yoshida, 1956; Fujimoto, 1961; Kobayashi, 1979). Fujimoto 158 (1961)Accepted and Yanagimoto (1973) classified these Manuscriptthree parts as members of the Nabeyama 159 Formation, but Kobayashi (1979) noted that this stratigraphic division is not valid,

160 because the dolomitisation of the middle part is secondary, and is also recognisable in

161 the lower and upper parts. We will follow Kobayashi (1979) and refrain from using the 162 members defined by Fujimoto (1961) and Yanagimoto (1973). The lower part of the

163 Nabeyama Formation is mainly composed of black, dark grey or grey well-bedded

164 limestone that is frequently dolomitised and includes chert nodules (Figure 3; Fujimoto,

165 1961; Kobayashi, 1979). The middle part is dominated by light grey, grey or dark grey

166 massive dolostone (Figure 3; Fujimoto, 1961; Kobayashi, 1979). The upper part is

167 mainly composed of light grey, grey, dark grey or black massive limestone that is

168 frequently dolomitised and includes chert nodules (Figure 3; Fujimoto, 1961;

169 Kobayashi, 1979).

170 The Izuru Formation has been dated as middle Permian by fusulinids (Kobayashi,

171 2006). The Nabeyama Formation has been dated as middle Permian by conodonts (Igo,

172 1981; Koike et al., 1974), fusulinids (Fujimoto, 1961; Igo, 1964; Kobayashi, 1979,

173 2006) and brachiopods (Tazawa et al., 2016). Fusulinids are the most thoroughly

174 studied index fossils in the Izuru and Nabeyama formations, and three biozones of the

175 middle Permian have been established: the Parafusulina nakamigawai, Parafusulina

176 yabei and Parafusulina tochigiensis zones in ascending order (Kobayashi, 2006). The

177 Nabeyama Formation is overlain unconformably by a limestone conglomerate that

178 yields conodonts of middle Permian to late age (Conodont Research Group,

179 1972, 1974; Yanagimoto, 1973; Koike et al., 1974) and middle to late Permian 180 fusulinidsAccepted (Figure 3; Igo and Igo, 1977; Kobayashi, Manuscript 1979). This conglomerate is thought 181 to be correlative with cave deposits that occur within the Nabeyama Formation

182 (Kobayashi, 1979).

183 In Ogama, the lower to middle part of the Nabeyama Formation is exposed (OG in 184 Figure 3; Kobayashi, 1979). Here, the Parafusulina yabei and Parafusulina tochigiensis

185 fusulinid biozones have been recognised (Figure 3; Kobayahsi, 2006). The locality we

186 studied is exactly the same as that studied by Tazawa et al. (2016) (note that the locality

187 is mislocated in their paper), and is apparently a lateral extension of the strata within the

188 Parafusulina yabei Zone of Kobayashi (2006) (Figures 3 and 4). This is further

189 supported by the finding of Parafusulina yabei Hanzawa from this locality by Tazawa et

190 al. (2016).

191

192 Methods 193

194 We conducted a field survey at the Ogama locality and collected limestone samples

195 for extraction of conodonts. We also observed the lithology of the limestone for

196 comparison with the lithostratigraphic section drawn by Kobayashi (1979). The

197 collected limestone samples were treated by 4.8 wt% formic acid. Conodonts were

198 picked up from the residue and photographed with a scanning electron microscope

199 (SEM: Keyence-VF8800) and an optical stereoscopic microscope at the University of

200 Tokyo. For observation of fusulinids, we made thin sections of the limestone and

201 observed them under a microscope through transmitted light.

202 203 AcceptedResults Manuscript 204

205 In the studied locality in Ogama, outcrops of limestone occur structurally above

206 outcrops of sandstone (Figure 4). The distribution of these two lithofacies is consistent 207 with the geological map by Kobayashi (1979, 2006) (Figure 4). Two lithostratigraphic

208 sections were observed in the limestone outcrops: Section 1 and Section 2 in

209 structurally ascending order (Figure 4). The top of Section 1 corresponds approximately

210 with the base of Section 2 according to the orientation of the bedding plane. Both

211 sections are composed of well-bedded or weakly bedded dark grey fossiliferous

212 limestone (Figures 5 and 6.1). Black chert nodules are present in the middle to upper

213 part of Section 1 and the upper part of Section 2.

214 We obtained two limestone samples from the middle part of Section 2 (2013-12 and

215 2014-236; Figure 5). We also obtained two samples from limestone floats that lay in

216 front of the outcrop of the base of Section 2 (2014-188 and 2014-215; Figure 4).

217 Treatment of these samples with formic acid yielded conodonts along with brachiopods,

218 icthyoliths, foraminifera, bryozoans, ostracods, trilobite fragments and placoid scales,

219 some of which were silicified. A total of 41 conodont elements were obtained by

220 dissolving 97 kg of limestone. A large part of the extracted conodont specimens was

221 broken, but some were valid for taxonomic investigation (Figures 7 and 8). The

222 conodonts were uniformly of black colour corresponding to conodont alteration index

223 (CAI) 5 of Epstein et al. (1977) (Figure 9). The surface of the conodont skeletons is

224 generally well-preserved, exemplified by the preservation of honeycomb structures on 225 theAccepted platform of segminiplanate elements (Figu resManuscript 7 and 8). Obvious evidence indicating 226 reworking such as abrasion was not found. Both the outcrop samples and the float

227 samples yielded Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller),

228 Mesogondolella sp. and Sweethognathus hanzhongensis (Wang) (Figures 7 and 8). Thus, 229 the conodont assemblages from the middle part of Section 2 and the floats are identical.

230 It is noteworthy that some of our specimens retain the basal bodies of conodont

231 elements, which are relatively fragile tissues that occupy the basal part of the element

232 (Donoghue, 1998). Basal bodies of conodonts are fragile due to having less densely

233 mineralised structures and are also easily broken off from the rest of the element: the

234 more resistant crown (Donoghue, 1998; Souquet and Goudemand, 2019). Therefore, the

235 basal bodies of conodonts are rarely preserved and poorly described. In our samples,

236 some specimens of Mesogondolella retain the basal bodies as white to transparent

237 tissues (Figure 9). It is rather surprising that the fragile basal bodies were found in

238 conodonts from sedimentary rocks that have experienced considerable thermal

239 maturation and tectonic deformation during subduction-accretion.

240 We also observed fusulinids from the sample obtained from Section 2. Observation

241 of thin sections confirmed the presence of Parafusulina yabei Hanzawa (Figure 6.2).

242 Since the range of Parafusulina yabei defines the Parafusulina yabei Zone of

243 Kobayashi (2006), our finding assures that the sampled horizon is within this fusulinid

244 biozone (Figures 3). This is consistent with the results of Tazawa et al. (2016) as well as

245 the position and lithofacies of the studied section (Figures 3, 4 and 5).

246 247 AcceptedDiscussion Manuscript 248

249 Age

250 Here, we will discuss the age of our samples based on the specimens obtained in this 251 study.

252 Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller) is a widely distributed

253 species found from western USA (Youngquist et al., 1951; Mytton et al., 1983;

254 Behnken et al., 1986; Wardlaw and Collinson, 1986; Lambert et al., 2007), Svalbard

255 (Szaniawski and Malkowski, 1979; Nakrem, 1991), central Tibet (Yuan et al., 2016),

256 South China (Wang, 1994; Zhang et al., 2010; Sun et al., 2017) and Japan (Igo, 1981).

257 Based on a global compilation of conodont occurrences, the range of M. idahoensis falls

258 within the late Kungurian (latest Cisuralian; latest early Permian) (Henderson, 2016).

259 Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang) has been reported from Shaanxi (Wang, 1978),

260 Guangxi (Mei et al., 2002; Sun et al., 2017) and Guizhou (Mei et al., 1999) of South

261 China, Oman (Kozur and Wardlaw, 2010) and Tunisia (Angiolini et al., 2008). Based on

262 a compilation of these data, the range of S. hanzhongensis is from the

263 Kungurian–Roadian (Cisuralian–) boundary to the late (latest

264 Guadalupian; latest middle Permian) (Henderson, 2016). According to high-resolution

265 investigations in Guangxi (Sun et al., 2017) and Guizhou (Mei et al., 1999), S.

266 hanzhongensis begins to occur below the first occurrence (FO) of Jinogondolella

267 nankingensis (Ching), which is a marker for the Cisuralian–Guadalupian boundary (i.e.,

268 the Kungurian–Roadian boundary) (Henderson et al., 2012). Thus, the range of S. 269 hanzhongensAcceptedis is from the latest Kungurian to Manuscriptlate Capitanian. The co-occurrence of M. 270 idahoensis and S. hanzhongensis narrows the age of our samples to the latest Kungurian

271 (latest early Permian). Our age assignment is consistent with the brachiopod-based age

272 by Tazawa et al. (2016). Comparison with fusulinid-based age assignment is a little 273 more complicated, as noted below.

274 When first established in the Izuru and Nabeyama formations, the Parafusulina

275 nakamigawai Zone and the middle part of the Parafusulina tochigiensis Zone were

276 respectively correlated to the early middle Permian (Kubergandian in the Tethyan Scale)

277 and the middle middle Permian (Murgabian in the Tethyan Scale) (Kobayashi, 2006).

278 This means that the Parafusulina yabei Zone, which lies between the Parafusulina

279 nakamigawai and Parafusulina tochigiensis zones, is within the middle Permian.

280 However, correlation with the global standard Geological Time Scale (Henderson et al.,

281 2012) was not determined, which can now be attempted based on conodonts from our

282 samples and previous studies (Igo, 1981).

283 The co-occurrence of M. idahoensis and S. hanzhongensis in our samples indicate

284 that the age of the Parafusulina yabei Zone includes the latest Kungurian. Previously, M.

285 idahoensis has been found to occur with lanceolatus Igo from the

286 lower part of the Nabeyama Formation in Yamasuge in Kuzuu (Igo, 1981; see Figure 2

287 for location). The latter species is identical to S. hanzhongensis (see Plate 9 Figures 1–5,

288 7, 8, 13 of Igo, 1981), and is here considered as a junior synonym of S. hanzhongensis.

289 This is concordant with the fact that the stratigraphic range of both “D. lanceolatus” and

290 S. hanzhongensis overlap in their lower part with the range of M. idahoensis (in the 291 uppermostAccepted Kungurian). Because the horizons Manuscript in Yamasuge span a large part of the 292 Parafusulina yabei Zone of Kobayashi (2006) (compare Text-fig. 4 of Igo, 1981 and

293 “YS” in Figure 3 of this paper), much of the Parafusulina yebei Zone is probably of

294 latest Kungurian age. The upper part of the Nabeyama Formation in Nagaami, which is 295 assigned to the Parafusulina tochigiensis Zone of Kobayashi (2006), yields “D.

296 lanceolatus” but lacks M. idahoensis (Igo, 1981). Therefore, the Parafusulina

297 tochigiensis Zone may be of Guadalupian age (Henderson, 2016).

298

299 Biogeography

300 Our samples are characterised by the co-occurrence of M. idahoensis and S.

301 hanzhongensis. As mentioned above, the co-occurrence of the two species in the lower

302 part of the Nabeyama Formation can also be observed in the illustrations of Igo (1981)

303 (respectively treated as idahoensis and Diplognathodus lanceolatus in

304 his paper). According to Igo (1981), some horizons from the Yamasuge area in Kuzuu,

305 which are roughly correlative with the studied section in Ogama (Figure 2), yield

306 abundant specimens of both “D. lanceolatus” and M. idahoensis. Although the

307 specimens obtained in our study are not numerous, they seem to represent major

308 constituents of a typical latest Kungurian conodont fauna recorded in the Nabeyama

309 Formation.

310 Outside Japan, the co-occurrence of M. idahoensis and S. hanzhongensis has been

311 reported from South China (Sun et al., 2017), but not from other geographic areas.

312 Apart from Japan and South China, almost all of the localities of M. idahoensis are in 313 SvalbardAccepted that was located in northern high latitudes Manuscript (Szaniawski and Malkowski, 1979; 314 Nakrem, 1991) and the northwestern Pangaean margin, where the northern gyre of the

315 Panthalassa would have brought cold waters from the north (Youngquist et al., 1951;

316 Mytton et al., 1983; Behnken et al., 1986; Wardlaw and Collinson, 1986; Lambert et al., 317 2007). An exception is central Tibet that was positioned in southern mid latitudes (Yuan

318 et al., 2016). Hence, this species is regarded to represent cool water province of the

319 north Panthalassa and Boreal Ocean (Mei and Henderson, 2001; Henderson and Mei,

320 2007), while it also inhabited parts of cool waters of the southern hemisphere. In

321 contrast, Kungurian species of Sweetognathus are abundant only in equatorial regions,

322 and therefore are regarded as warm water taxa (Mei and Henderson, 2001; Mei et al.,

323 2002). In particular, S. hanzhongensis are limited to South China, Oman and Tunisia,

324 which were all positioned in low latitudes (Wang, 1978; Mei et al., 2002; Angiolini et

325 al., 2008; Kozur and Wardlaw, 2010; Sun et al., 2017). Thus, a fauna that includes M.

326 idahoensis and S. hanzhongensis as main constituents, such as that suggested for the

327 Nabeyama Formation and perhaps South China, is irregular in terms of conodont

328 provincialism. It is possible that the pelagic Panthalassa and South China was a

329 biogeographic province where cool water taxa and warm water taxa coexisted during

330 the latest Kungurian, and further research on faunal compositions will shed light on the

331 significance of these provinces.

332

333 Conclusions

334 335 AcceptedWe obtained well-preserved specimens of MesogondolellaManuscript idahoensis (Youngquist, 336 Hawley and Miller) and Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang) from limestones of the

337 Parafusulina yabei Zone of the Nabeyama Formation in Ogama, Kuzuu area, Tochigi

338 Prefecture, Japan. The conodonts indicate a latest Kungurian age, which is consistent 339 with brachiopods reported from the same locality. The conodont data indicate that the

340 Parafusulina yabei fusulinid biozone includes, and is probably mostly correlated to the

341 latest Kungurian. Biogeographically, our data suggests that the conodont fauna of the

342 Nabeyama Formation may have been characterised by mixed cool water and warm

343 water taxa in the latest Kungurian.

344

345 Systematic palaeontology

346

347 Multielement taxonomy of Permian conodonts is still debated at the genus level

348 (Henderson and Mei, 2003). Therefore, only the synonym list for the P1 element is

349 presented. All specimens are deposited in the Kuzuu Fossil Museum.

350 Class Conodonta Eichenberg, 1930

351 Subclass Conodonti Sweet and Donoghue, 2001

352 Order Dzik, 1976

353 Superfamily Gondolellacea Lindström, 1970

354 Family Lindström, 1970

355 Genus Mesogondolella Kozur

356 Type species.—Gondolella bisseli Clark and Behnken 357 AcceptedRemarks.—Mesogondolella was defined forManuscript segminiplanate P1 elements with the 358 following features: a platform that is not reduced; no sculptures on the platform or only

359 weak serration on the anterior part of the platform; no free blade; a lower surface with

360 shallow V-shaped keel; a terminal basal cavity. Species with serrations on the anterior 361 part of the platform were separated to the genus Jinogondolella (Mei and Wardlaw,

362 1994). Consequently, Mesogondolella is restricted to species with an unornamented

363 platform (Lambert et al., 2007). Multielement apparatus of species of Mesogondolella

364 was proposed by Lambert et al. (2007).

365

366 Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller)

367 Figure 7

368 Gondolella idahoensis Youngquist, Hawley and Miller, 1951, p. 361, pl. 54, figs. 1–3,

369 14, 15; Clark and Mosher, 1966, p. 388, pl. 47, figs. 9–12.

370 Neogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller). Clark et al., 1979, pl. 1,

371 fig. 10; Szaniawski and Malkowski, 1979, p. 246–247, pl. 4, figs. 1–4, 6 (only), pl. 5,

372 fig. 5?; Wang and Wang, 1981, p. 230, pl. 2, figs. 15, 23; Behnken et al., 1986, p.

373 179–181, figs. 4.12–16, 4.18; Wardlaw and Collinson, 1986, figs. 17.11, 12; Wang,

374 1994, p. 211, pl. 3, figs. 3–6 (only); Kozur, 1995, pl. 3, fig. 18.

375 Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller). Wardlaw, 2000, p.44,

376 pl. 3-10, figs. 1–3; Lambert et al., 2007, pp. 215–216, figs. 4e, 6j.

377 Mesogondolella idahoensis idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller). Henderson

378 and Mei, 2003, pl. 2, fig. 15; Zhang et al., 2010, p. 152, figs. 3H, 3Q–3R. 379 AcceptedMesogondolella? cf. idahoensis (Youngquist Manuscript et al.). Sun et al., 2017, pl. 5, fig. 4. 380 Material.—One specimen each from two samples from the outcrop (KFM-1999 from

381 2014-12 and KFM-2008 from 2014-236), and five specimens from float samples

382 (KFM-2000, 2001 from 2014-188 and KFM-2002–2004 from 2014-215). 383 Description.—The specimens obtained in our study are segminiplanate elements

384 characterised by a markedly high and thick terminal cusp. the cusp is around 3 times

385 higher than the posterior denticles. The cusp is weakly reclined to the posterior. The

386 denticles are low and discrete in the posterior, and becomes higher and fused towards

387 the anterior. The low posterior denticles are circular in cross section, while the higher

388 anterior denticles are laterally compressed. The platform that runs the full length the

389 element and is widest around mid-length. The platform tapers anteriorly, while its lateral

390 margins are sub-parallel in the posterior half. The posterior end of the platform is a

391 rounded square shape in upper and basal views. The keel has a wide v-shaped groove

392 ending around a terminally located basal pit surrounded by a wide loop.

393 Remarks.—The features of our specimens agree well with those of Mesogondolella

394 idahoensis (Youngquist et al.). Although the anterior denticles of M. idahoensis were

395 originally described to be low and widely spaced (Henderson and Mei, 2003, Plate 2

396 Figure 15; holotype), forms with high, closely spaced and fused anterior denticles have

397 been reported to occur alongside such forms (Behnken et al., 1986, Lambert et al., 2007,

398 Figures 4d, e; Figures 4.14, 16; Wardlaw and Collinson, 1986, Figure 17.11). Hence, we

399 regard that our specimens belong to M. idahoensis.

400 Mesogondolella idahoensis is similar to Mesogondolella lamberti Mei and 401 HendersonAccepted in denticulation and platform morphology. Manuscript M. lamberti was split from M. 402 idahoensis as a new subspecies by Mei and Henderson (2002), then elevated to species

403 status by Lambert et al. (2007). M. idahoensis can be separated from M. lamberti by

404 having a larger cusp. 405 Mesogondolella siciliensis (Kozur) has a similar denticulation to M. idahoensis, but

406 differs in that the cusp of the former is at most only slightly larger than the posterior

407 denticles. Furthermore, the platform of the former is widest at the middle and tapers

408 posteriorly, while that of the latter has sub-parallel lateral margins from the middle to

409 the posterior.

410

411 Mesogondolella spp.

412 Figures 8.1, 8.2

413 Material.—Two specimens (KFM-2005, 2006) from a float sample (2014-215).

414 Remarks.—These specimens differ from M. idahoensis in having very high and fused

415 anterior denticles. The specimen illustrated in Figure 8.1 has a thick cusp, has a square

416 posterior end in upper and basal views, and is strongly arched in lateral view. The

417 specimen illustrated in Figure 8.2 has a similar cusp, but has a more rounded posterior

418 end in upper and basal views, and is less arched in lateral view. Therefore, these two

419 specimens may belong to different species, although the preservation is too poor to

420 make a conclusion.

421

422 Genus Sweetognathus Clark 423 AcceptedType species.— Manuscript whitei Rhodes 424 Remarks.—Sweetognathus is represented by carminiscaphate P1 elements with

425 pustulose ornamentation on a flat-topped carina that passes gradually into the anterior

426 blade (Mei et al., 2002). 427

428 Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang)

429 Figures 8.3–8.5

430 hanzhongensis Wang, 1978, p. 217, pl. 1, figs. 33–35, 40, 41.

431 Diplognathodus lanceolatus Igo, 1981, p. 30–31, pl. 9, figs. 1–5, 7, 8, 13.

432 Sweetognathus iranicus hanzhongensis (Wang). Mei et al., 2002, p. 85, fig.

433 10.6–10.12; Angiolini et al., 2008, fig. 7.

434 Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang). Sun et al., 2017, p. 60, pl. 3, fig. 15–18, pl. 7,

435 figs. 9–10.

436 Material.—Two specimens (KFM-2009, 2010) from a sample from the outcrop

437 (2014-236) and one specimen (KFM-2007) from a float sample (2014-217).

438 Description.—The specimens are carminiscaphate elements with an anterior blade of

439 fused denticles and a posterior process that is formed above an expanded basal cavity. In

440 lateral view, the anterior blade is the highest part of the element, and the upper margin

441 decreases height gradually to the posterior end where it meets the basal margin. The

442 carina on the posterior process is composed of a low and narrow row of pustulose nodes

443 that continues to the posterior end. The anterior blade is composed of laterally

444 compressed denticles that are fused to around 90% of its height. The anterior three 445 denticlesAccepted of the blade are subequal in height. TheManuscript anterior blade and carina is connected 446 by a narrow carinal ridge, which is positioned at the mid-length of the unit and above

447 the anteriormost part of the basal cavity. In lateral view the length of this ridge is around

448 three times the width of the carinal nodes. The basal cavity occupies around 60% of the 449 basal margin in lateral view. In upper and basal views, the basal cavity tapers both

450 anteriorly and posteriorly. The upper surface of the basal cavity is unornamented.

451 Remarks—The characteristics of our specimens agree well with those of

452 Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang). The carinal ridge that connects the anterior

453 blade with the posterior nodes is the key feature that differentiates this species from

454 others. Note that Mei et al. (2002) regarded this species to be a geographical subspecies

455 of Sweetognathus iranicus, and treated it as S. iranicus hanzhongensis.

456 Sweetognathus iranicus (Kozur) is similar, but differs from S. hanzhongensis in

457 having discrete nodes instead of a ridge where the anterior blade connects with the

458 posterior part of the carina. In addition, S. iranicus typically has laterally broader nodes

459 on the carina.

460 Diplognathodus lanceolatus Igo from Panthalassic seamount capping limestones in

461 Kuzuu and Mt. Ibuki in Japan has all the features of S. hanzhongensis, including a

462 carinal ridge that connects the anterior blade with the posterior nodes. The stratigraphic

463 distribution of D. lanceolatus is in the middle Permian, consistent with that of S.

464 hanzhongensis. Therefore, we regard that D. lanceolatus is a junior synonym of S.

465 hanzhongensis.

466 467 AcknowledgementsAccepted Manuscript 468 We are deeply grateful for Ichiro Morishita (Senba, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture)

469 for allowing our field survey in his property. We would like to express our sincere

470 gratitude to Yukio Miyake for his assistance in the field and fossil extraction. We are 471 also grateful to Toshihiro Tada of the University of Tokyo for his assistance in the field.

472

473 References

474 Angiolini, L., Chaouachi, C., Soussi, M., Verna, V., Davydov, V. I., Henderson, C. M.,

475 Nicora, A., Rettori, R. and Carabelli, L., 2008: New fossil findings and

476 discovery of conodonts in the Guadalupian of Jebel Tebaga de Medenine:

477 Biostratigraphic implications. Permophiles, vol. 51, p. 10–21.

478 Behnken, F. H., Wardlaw, B. R. and Stout, L. N., 1986: Conodont biostratigraphy of the

479 Permian Meade Peak phosphatic shale member, Phosphoria Formation,

480 southeastern Idaho. Contributions to Geology, University of Wyoming, vol. 24,

481 p. 169–190.

482 Bender, H. and Stoppel, D., 1965: Perm-Conodonten. Geologishces Jahrbuch, vol. 82, p.

483 331–364. (in German with English abstract)

484 Branson, C. C., 1932: Discovery of conodonts in the Phosphoria Permian of

485 Wyoming. Science, vol. 75, p. 337–338.

486 Chernykh, V. V. and Reshetkova, N. P., 1987: Biostratigraphy and conodonts of

487 Carboniferous-Permian boundary beds of western slope of southern and

488 central Urals, 50 p. Acad. Sci. USSR, Ural Scientific Center, Institute of 489 AcceptedGeology and Geochemistry, Preprint, Manuscript Sverdlovsk. (in Russian; original title 490 translated)

491 Ching, Y., 1960: Conodonts from the Kufeng Suite (Formation) of Lungtan, Nanjing.

492 Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, vol. 8, p. 230–248. (In Chinese and English.) 493 Clark, D. L. and Behnken, F. H., 1970: Permian conodonts and biostratigraphy. In,

494 Sweet, W. C. and Bergstrom, S. M. eds., Symposium on conodont

495 biostratigraphy, p. 415–439. Geological Society of America Memoirs, vol. 127,

496 Geological Society of America, Boulder.

497 Clark, D. L. and Ethington, R. L., 1962: Survey of Permian condonts in western North

498 America. Brigham Young University Geological Studies, vol. 9, p. 102–114.

499 Clark, D. L. and Mosher, L. C., 1966: Stratigraphic, geographic, and evolutionary

500 development of the conodont genus Gondolella. Journal of Paleontology, vol.

501 40, p. 376–394.

502 Clark, D. L., Carr, T. R., Behnken, F. H., Wardlaw, B. R. and Collinson, J. W., 1979:

503 Permian conodont biostratigraphy in the Great Basin. Brigham Young

504 University Geology Studies, vol. 26, p. 143–150.

505 Conodont Research Group, 1972: Conodonts at the Permian-Triassic boundary in

506 Japan—Conodonts from the basal part of the Adoyama formation—. Journal of

507 the Geological Society of Japan, vol. 78, p. 355–368. (in Japanese with

508 English abstract)

509 Conodont Research Group, 1974: Conodonts at the Permian-Triassic boundary in

510 Japan—Stratigraphy and faunas of the Nabeyama and Adoyama formations in 511 AcceptedKarasawa area, southeast Ashio Moun Manuscripttains—, Earth Science (Chikyu Kagaku), 512 vol. 28, p. 86–98. (in Japanese with English abstract)

513 Dzik, J., 1976: Remarks on the evolution of conodonts. Acta

514 Palaeontologica Polonica, vol. 21, p. 395–455. 515 Donoghue, P. C., 1998: Growth and patterning in the conodont skeleton. Philosophical

516 Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Ser. B: Biological Sciences, vol.

517 353, p. 633–666.

518 Eichenberg, W., 1930: Conodonten aus dem Culm des Harzes. Palaeontologische

519 Zeitschrift, vol. 12, p. 177–182. (in German)

520 Epstein, A. G., Epstein, J. B. and Harris, L. D., 1977: Conodont color alteration—an

521 index to organic metamorphism. United States Geological Survey Professional

522 Paper, ser. 995, p. 1–27.

523 Fujimoto, H., 1961: Explanatory Text of the Geological Map of Japan, Scale 1:50000,

524 Tochigi. Geological Survey of Japan. (in Japanese with English abstract)

525 Hayashi, S., 1971: Conodonts from the Nabeyama Formation, Kuzuu District, Tochigi

526 Prefecture, Japan. Earth Science (Chikyu Kagaku), vol. 25, p. 251–257. (in

527 Japanese with English abstract)

528 Henderson, C. M., 2016: Permian conodont biostratigraphy. Geological Society of

529 London, Special Publications, vol. 450, SP450-9.

530 Henderson, C. M. and Mei, S., 2003: Stratigraphic versus environmental significance of

531 Permian serrated conodonts around the Cisuralian–Guadalupian boundary: new

532 evidence from Oman. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 533 Acceptedvol. 191, p. 301–328. Manuscript 534 Henderson, C. M. and Mei, S., 2007: Geographical clines in Permian and lower Triassic

535 gondolellids and its role in taxonomy. Palaeoworld, vol. 16, p. 190–201.

536 Henderson, C. M., Davydov, V. I., Wardlaw, B. R., Gradstein, F. M. and Hammer, O., 537 2012: The Permian Period. In, Gradstein, F. M., Ogg, J. G., Schmitz, M. D. and

538 Ogg, G. M. eds., The geologic time scale 2012, vol. 2, p. 653–679.

539 Igo, Hisaharu, 1981: Permian conodont biostratigraphy of Japan. Palaeontological

540 Society of Japan, Special Papers, vol. 24, p. 1–51.

541 Igo, Hisaharu, 1989: Mixed conodont elements from Hachiman Town, Mino Terrane,

542 central Japan. Transactions and Proceedings of Palaeontological Society of

543 Japan, New Series, no. 156, p. 270–285.

544 Igo, Hisaharu and Hisada, K., 1986: Lower Permian conodonts from the Kawanori

545 Formation of the southwestern Kanto Mountains, Tokyo. Transactions and

546 Proceedings of Palaeontological Society of Japan, New Series, no. 144, p.

547 516–527.

548 Igo, Hisayoshi, 1964: Fusuinids from the Nabeyama Formation (Permian), Kuzu,

549 Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Memoirs of the Mejiro Gakuen Woman's Junior

550 College, vol. 1, p. 1–28.

551 Igo, Hisayoshi, 1972: Conodonts, as a new index fossil in Japan. Journal of Geography

552 (Chigaku Zasshi), vol. 81, p. 142–151. (in Japanese with English abstract)

553 Igo, Hisayoshi and Igo, Hisaharu, 1977: Upper Permian Fusulinaceans contained in the

554 pebbles of the basal conglomerate of the Adoyama Formation, Kuzu, Tochigi 555 AcceptedPrefecture, Japan. Transactions and Manuscript Proceedings of the Palaeontological 556 Society of Japan, no. 106, p. 89–99.

557 Igo, Hisayoshi and Koike, T., 1966: Recent progress of conodont research in

558 Asia. Mejiro Gakuen Woman's Junior College, Memoirs, vol. 3, p. 9–17. 559 Ishida, K., 1977: Reexamination of the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic formations in the

560 Southern Zone of the Chichibu Belt in eastern Shikoku by means of conodonts

561 and fusulinids. Journal of the Geological Society of Japan, vol. 83, p. 227–240.

562 (in Japanese with English abstract)

563 Ishida, K., 1979: Studies of the South Zone of the Chichibu Belt in Shikoku, Part

564 2—Stratigraphy and structure around Nagayasu-guchi Dam, Tokushima

565 Prefecture—. Journal of Science, University of Tokushima, vol. 12, p. 61–92.

566 (in Japanese with English abstract)

567 Ishida, K., 1985: Pre-Cretaceous sediments in the southern North Zone of the Chichibu

568 Belt in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku. Journal of the Geological Society of

569 Japan, vol. 91, p. 553–567. (in Japanese with English abstract)

570 Isozaki, Y., Maruyama, S. and Furuoka, F., 1990. Accreted oceanic materials in

571 Japan. Tectonophysics, vol. 181, p. 179–205.

572 Isozaki, Y., Maruyama, S., Aoki, K., Nakama, T., Miyashita, A. and Otoh, S., 2010:

573 Geotectonic Subdivision of the Japanese Islands Revisited: Categorization and

574 definition of elements and boundaries of Pacific-type (Miyashiro-type) orogen.

575 Journal of Geography, vol. 119, p. 999–1053. (in Japanese with English

576 abstract) 577 Kamata,Accepted Y., 1996: Tectonostratigraphy of the sedimentManuscriptary complex in the southern part 578 of the Ashio Terrane, central Japan. Science Reports of the Institute of

579 Geoscience, University of Tsukuba, Sec. B, vol. 17, p. 71–107.

580 Kamata, Y., 1997: Reconstruction of the chert-clastic sequence of the Ashio Terrane in 581 the Kuzuu area, central Japan. Journal of the Geological Society of Japan, vol.

582 103, p. 343–356. (in Japanese with English abstract)

583 Kitao, K., 1996: Middle and upper Permian conodont biostratigraphy in bedded cherts

584 of the Mino Terrane, central Japan. Journal of Geosciences, Osaka City

585 University, vol. 39, p. 61–81.

586 Kobayashi, F., 1979: Petrography and sedimentary environment of the Permian

587 Nabeyama limestone in the Kuzuu area, Tochigi Prefecture, central Japan.

588 Journal of the Geological Society of Japan, vol. 10, p. 627–642. (in Japanese

589 with English abstract)

590 Kobayashi, F., 2006: Middle Permian foraminifers of the Izuru and Nabeyama

591 Formations in the Kuzu area, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan Part 1. Schwagerinid,

592 neoschwagerinid, and verbeekinid fusulinoideans. Paleontological Research,

593 vol. 10, p. 37–59.

594 Koike, T., Igo, Hy., Igo, Hh. and Kinoshita, T, 1974: Geological significance of the

595 unconformity between the Permian Nabeyama and Triassic Adoyama

596 Formations in the vicinity of Kuzuu, Tochigi Prefecture. Journal of the

597 Geological Society of Japan, vol. 80, p. 293–306. (in Japanese with English

598 abstract) 599 Kojima,Accepted S., Hayasaka, Y., Yoshikunihiroi, A., ManuscriptSano, H., Sugamori, Y., Suzuki, N. and 600 Takemura, S. 2016: 2b Pre-Cretaceous accretionary complexes. In, Moreno, T.,

601 Wallis, S., Kojima, T. and Gibbons, W. eds., The Geology of Japan, p. 61–100.

602 The Geological Society, London. 603 Kozur, H., 1989: The taxonomy of the gondolellid conodonts in the Permian and

604 Triassic. Courier Forschungs Institut Senckenberg, vol. 117, p. 385–406.

605 Kozur, H., 1995: Permian conodont zonation and its importance for the Permian

606 stratigraphic standard scale. Geologisch Paläontologische Mitteilungen

607 Innsbruck, vol. 20, p. 165–205.

608 Kozur, H. W. and Wardlaw, B. R., 2010: The Guadalupian conodont fauna of Rustaq

609 and Wadi Wasit, Oman and a West Texas connection. Micropaleontology, vol.

610 56, p. 213–231.

611 Laya, J. C., Tucker, M. E., Gröcke, D. R. and Perez-Huerta, A., 2013: Carbon, oxygen

612 and strontium isotopic composition of low-latitude Permian carbonates

613 (Venezuelan Andes): climate proxies of tropical Pangea. Geological Society,

614 London, Special Publications, vol. 376, SP376-10.

615 Lambert, L. L., Wardlaw, B. R. and Henderson, C. M., 2007: Mesogondolella and

616 Jinogondolella (Conodonta): Multielement definition of the taxa that bracket

617 the basal Guadalupian (Middle Permian Series) GSSP. Palaeoworld, vol. 16, p.

618 208–221.

619 Leven, E. J., 2003: The Permian stratigraphy and fusulinids of the Tethys. Rivista

620 Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, vol. 109, p. 267–280. 621 LindströAcceptedm, M., 1970: A suprageneric taxonomy Manuscript of the conodonts. Lethaia, vol. 3, p. 622 427–445.

623 Makino, Y., 1976: On the stratigraphy of the Chihibu System in the Kashiwagi district,

624 central part of the Kii Mountainland, central Japan. Journal of the Geological 625 Society of Japan, vol. 82, p. 297–310. (in Japanese with English abstract)

626 Matsuda, T., 1980: Discovery of Permian-Triassic mixed conodont assemblage from the

627 Akasaka Limestone, Gifu Prefecture. Journal of the Geological Society of

628 Japan, vol. 86, p. 41–44. (in Japanese with English abstract)

629 Matsuda, T. and Isozaki, Y., 1991: Well-documented travel history of Mesozoic pelagic

630 chert in Japan: from remote ocean to subduction zone. Tectonics, vol. 10, p.

631 475–499.

632 Mei, S. and Henderson, C. M., 2001: Evolution of Permian conodont provincialism and

633 its significance in global correlation and paleoclimate implication.

634 Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 170, p. 237–260.

635 Mei, S. and Hendersom, C. M., 2002: Conodont definition of the Kungurian

636 (Cisuralian) and Roadian (Guadalupian) boundary. Canadian Society of

637 Petroleum Geologists, Memoir, vol. 19, p. 529–551.

638 Mei, S. and Wardlaw, B. R., 1994: Jinogondolella: A new genus of Permian

639 gondolellids. International Symposium on Permian Stratigraphy, Environments

640 and Resources, Abstracts, Guiyang, China, p. 20–21.

641 Mei, S., Henderson, C. M. and Wardlaw, B. R., 2002: Evolution and distribution of the

642 conodonts Sweetognathus and Iranognathus and related genera during the 643 AcceptedPermian, and their implications forManuscript climate change. Palaeogeography, 644 Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 180, p. 57–91.

645 Mei, S. L., Shi, X. Y., Chen, X. F., Sun, K. Q. and Yan, J. X., 1999: Permian Cisuralian

646 and Guadalupian sequence stratigraphy in south Guizhou and central Guangxi 647 and its relation to conodont evolution. Earth Science–Journal of China

648 University of Geoscience, vol. 24, p. 21–31.

649 Mytton, J. W., Morgan, W. A. and Wardlaw, B. R., 1983: Stratigraphic relations of

650 Permian units, Cassia Mountains, Idaho. In, Miller, D. M. Todd, V. R. and

651 Howard, K. A. eds., Tectonic and stratigraphic studies in the eastern Great

652 Basin, p. 281–303. Geological Society of America Memoir, vol. 157,

653 Geological Society of America, Boulder.

654 Nakrem, H. A., 1991: Conodonts from the Permian succession of Bjornoya (Svalbard).

655 Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift, vol. 71, p. 235–248.

656 Nishikane, Y., Kaiho, K., Takahashi, S., Henderson, C. M., Suzuki and N., Kanno, M,

657 2011: The Guadalupian- boundary (Permian) in a pelagic sequence

658 from Panthalassa recognized by integrated conodont and radiolarian

659 biostratigraphy. Marine Micropaleontology, vol. 78, p. 84–95.

660 Shen, S. Z., Yuan, D. X., Henderson, C. M., Tazawa, J. and Zhang, Y. C., 2012:

661 Implications of Kungurian (Early Permian) conodonts from Hatahoko, Japan,

662 for correlation between the Tethyan and international timescales.

663 Micropaleontology, vol. 58, p. 505–522.

664 Shen, S., Zhang, H., Zhang, Y., Yuan, D., Chen, B., He, W., Mu, L., Lin, W., Wang, W., 665 AcceptedChen, J., Wu, Q., Cao, C., Wang, Y. andManuscript Wang, X., 2018: Permian integrative 666 stratigraphy and timescale of China. Science China Earth Sciences, doi:

667 10.1007/s11430-017-9228-4.

668 Sobajima, T., 1972: Conodonts from the Permian Akasaka Limestone. Earth Science 669 (Chikyu Kagaku), vol. 26, p. 175–176. (in Japanese with English abstract)

670 Sobolev, N. N. and Nakrem, H. A., 1996: Middle Carboniferous-Lower Permian

671 conodonts of Novaya Zemlya. 129 p. Norlsk Polarinstitutt, Oslo.

672 Souquet, L. and Goudemand, N., 2019: Exceptional basal-body preservation in some

673 Early Triassic conodont elements from Oman. Palaeogeography,

674 Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.01.028.

675 Sun, Y. D., Liu, X. T., Yan, J. X., Li, B., Chen, B., Bond, D. P. G., Joachimski, M. M.,

676 Wignall, P. B., Wang, X. and Lai, X. L., 2017: Permian ( to

677 Wuchapingian) conodont biostratigraphy in the Tieqiao section, Laibin area,

678 South China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 465, p

679 42–63.

680 Sweet, W. C., 1988: The Conodonta: Morphology, Taxonomy, Paleoecology, and

681 Evolutionary History of a Long-extinct Phylum, 212 p. Clarendon Press,

682 Oxford.

683 Szaniawski, H. and Malkowski, K., 1979: Conodonts from the Kapp Starostin

684 Formation (Permian) of Spitsbergen. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, vol. 24, p.

685 231–264.

686 Tazawa, J. I., Okumura, Y., Miyake, Y. and Mizuhara, T., 2016: A Kungurian (early 687 AcceptedPermian) Brachiopod Fauna from Ogama,Manuscript Kuzu Area, Central Japan, and Its 688 Palaeobiogeographical Affinity with the Wolfcampian—Leonardian (early

689 Permian) Brachiopod Fauna of West Texas, USA. Paleontological Research,

690 vol. 20, p. 367–384. 691 Teichert, C., Kummel, B. and Sweet, W. C., 1973: Permian-Triassic strata, Kuh-e-Ali

692 Bashi, northwestern Iran. Bulletin of the Journal of Comparative Zoology, vol.

693 145, p. 359–472.

694 Toriyama, R., 1967: The fusulinacean zones of Japan. Memoirs of the Faculty of

695 Science, Kyushu University, Series D, vol. 18, p. 35–260.

696 Toyohara, F., 1976: Geologic structures from Sangun-Yamaguchi zone to “Ryoke zone”

697 in eastern Yamaguchi Prefecture. Journal of the Geological Society of Japan,

698 vol. 82, p. 99–111. (in Japanese with English abstract)

699 Toyohara, F., 1977: Early Mesozoic tectonic development of the northwestern Chichibu

700 Geosyncline in west Chugoku, Japan. Journal of the Faculty of Science, The

701 University of Tokyo, Sec. 2, vol. 19, p. 253–336.

702 Wakita, K. and Metcalfe, I., 2005: Ocean plate stratigraphy in East and Southeast Asia.

703 Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, vol. 24, p. 679–702.

704 Wang, C. and Wang, Z., 1981: Permian conodont biostratigraphy of China. Geological

705 Society of America, Special Papers, vol. 187, p. 227–236.

706 Wang, Z., 1978: Permian-Lower Triassic conodonts from the Liangshan area, southern

707 Shaanxi. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, vol. 17, p. 213–231.

708 Wang, Z., 1994: Early Permian conodonts from the Nashui section, Luodian of Guizhou. 709 AcceptedPalaeoworld, vol. 4, p. 203–224. Manuscript 710 Wardlaw, B. R., 2000: Guadalupian conodont biostratigraphy of the Glass and Del

711 Norte Mountains. Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences, vol. 32, p.

712 37–87. 713 Wardlaw, B. R. and Collinson, J. W., 1979: Youngest Permian conodont faunas from the

714 Great Basin and Rocky Mountain regions. Conodont biostratigraphy of the

715 Great Basin region. Brigham Young University Geology Studies, 26, p.

716 151–163.

717 Wardlaw, B. R. and Collinson, J. W., 1986: Paleontology and deposition of the

718 Phosphoria Formation. Contributions to Geology, University of Wyoming, vol.

719 24, p. 107–142.

720 Yamakita, S. and Otoh S., 2000: Tectonostratigraphic division of

721 accretionary-sedimentary complex of the Tamba-Mino-Ashio Belt and

722 comparison with the Northern and Southern Chichibu Belts. Structural

723 Geology, vol. 44, p. 5–32. (in Japanese with English abstract)

724 Yanagimoto, Y, 1973: Stratigraphy and geological structure of the Paleozoic and

725 Mesozoic formations in the vicinity of Kuzuu, Tochigi Prefecture. Journal of

726 the Geological Society of Japan, vol. 79, p. 441–451. (in Japanese with

727 English abstract)

728 Yoshida, S., 1956: Stratigraphical and tectonical studies in the district neighbouring the

729 Kuzu Machi, Tochigi Prefecture. Bulletin of the Geological Committee of

730 Hokkaido, vol. 32, p. 1–9. (in Japanese with English abstract) 731 Youngquist,Accepted W., Hawley, R. W. and Miller , A.Manuscript K., 1951: Phosphoria conodonts from 732 southeastern Idaho. Journal of Paleontology, vol. 25, p. 356–364.

733 Yuan, D. X., Zhang, Y. C., Shen, S. Z., Henderson, C. M., Zhang, Y. J., Zhu, T. X., An,

734 X. Y. and Feng, H. Z., 2016: Early Permian conodonts from the Xainza area, 735 central Lhasa Block, Tibet, and their palaeobiogeographical and palaeoclimatic

736 implications. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, vol. 14, p. 365–383.

737 Zhang, N., Henderson, C. M., Wenchen, X., Guoqing, W. and Haijing, S., 2010:

738 Conodonts and radiolarians through the Cisuralian–Guadalupian boundary

739 from the Pingxiang and Dachongling sections, Guangxi region, South China.

740 Alcheringa, vol. 34, p. 135–160.

741

742 Figure captions

743 Figure 1. 1, palaeogeographic map of the early Permian (Laya et al., 2013) and the

744 depositional site of pelagic Panthalassic sediments in Japan. 2, distribution of

745 the Jurassic accretionary complex of Japan, modified after Isozaki et al.,

746 (2010).

747

748 Figure 2. Geologic maps showing the geology of the Kuzuu area (Kamata, 1997). 1,

749 surface distribution of the Tamba–Mino–Ashio Belt. 2, geologic map of the

750 Ashio Mountains. 3, geologic map of the Kuzuu area and the location of the

751 areas studied by Kobayashi (1979, 2006). OG: Ogama; TJ: Takajikko; NA:

752 Nagaami; KS: Karasawa; YS: Yamasuge. 753 Accepted Manuscript 754 Figure 3. Lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Izuru and Nabeyama Formations.

755 Lithostratigraphy after Kobayashi (1979). Fusilinid biostratigraphy is after

756 Kobayashi (2006) and conodont biostratigraphy is after Igo (1981). See caption 757 for Figure 2 for abbreviation of the names of study areas.

758

759 Figure 4. Map showing the outcrops confirmed in this study (discrete outcrops in the

760 northern part), the location of the studied sections, the location of the sampling

761 point of the float samples (2014-188, 2014-215), and the geological map by

762 Kobayashi (1979, 2006).

763

764 Figure 5. Stratigraphic columns of the studied sections. The samples from the outcrop

765 (2014-12, 2014-236) were obtained from the horizon with the fossil occurrence

766 mark.

767 Figure 6. 1, Outcrop photograph of the horizon from which samples 2014-12 and

768 2014-236 were obtained. The sample for observation of fusulinids was

769 obtained from the point of the arrow. 2, photo micrograph of Parafusulina

770 yabei Hanzawa from Section 2 observed in thin section through transmitted

771 light.

772

773 Figure 7. SEM photographs of conodonts obtained in this study. 1–7, Mesogondolella

774 idahoensis (Youngquist et al.). 1, KFM-1999 from 2014-12, Section 2; 2, 775 AcceptedKFM-2002 from 2014-215, float; 3,Manuscript KFM-2003 from 2014-215, float; 4, 776 KFM-2004 from 2014-215, float; 5, KFM-2008 from 2014-236, Section 2, 6,

777 KFM-2000 from 2014-215, float; 7, KFM-2001 from 2014-215, float. a, upper

778 view; b, lateral view; c, basal view. 779

780 Figure 8. SEM photographs of conodonts obtained in this study. 1, 2, Mesogondolella

781 sp. 1, KFM-2005 from 2014-215, float; 2, KFM-2006 from 2014-215, float.

782 3–5, Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang). 3, KFM-2009 from 2014-236,

783 Section 2, 4, KFM-2010 from 2014-236, Section 2, 5, KFM-2007 from

784 2014-215, float. a, upper view; b, lateral view; c, basal view.

785

786 Figure 9. Photographs of conodonts obtained in this study. 1–3, conodonts with basal

787 bodies. Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist et al.). a, lateral view; b, basal

788 view. 1,. KFM-1999; 2, KFM-2000; 3, KFM-2001 from 2014-215; 4, 5,

789 conodonts without basal bodies. 4, Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist et

790 al.) KFM-2008, basal view; 5, Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang).

791 KFM-2009.

Accepted Manuscript Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 1, palaeogeographic map of the early Permian (Laya et al., 2013) and the depositional site of pelagic 46 Panthalassic sediments in Japan. 2, distribution of the Jurassic accretionary complex of Japan, modified after 47 Isozaki et al., (2010). 48 81x140mm (300 x 300 DPI) 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Geologic maps showing the geology of the Kuzuu area (Kamata, 1997). 1, surface distribution of the Mino- 29 Tamba-Ashio Belt. 2, geologic map of the Ashio Mountains. 3, geologic map of the Kuzuu area and the location of the areas studied by Kobayashi (1979, 2006). OG: Ogama; TJ: Takajikko; NA: Nagaami; KS: 30 Karasawa; YS: Yamasuge. 31 32 221x144mm (300 x 300 DPI) 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 Lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Izuru and Nabeyama Formations. Lithostratigraphy after 46 Kobayashi (1979). Biostratigraphy after Kobayashi (2006). See caption for Figure 2 for abbreviation of the 47 names of study areas. 48 170x234mm (300 x 300 DPI) 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Map showing the outcrops confirmed in this study (discrete outcrops in the northern part), the location of 34 the studied sections, the location of the sampling point of the float samples (2014-188, 2014-215), and the geological map by Kobayashi (1979, 2006). 35 36 714x578mm (72 x 72 DPI) 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 Stratigraphic columns of the studied sections. The samples from the outcrop (2014-12, 2014-236) were 46 obtained from the horizon with the fossil occurrence mark. 47 77x113mm (300 x 300 DPI) 48 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 1, Outcrop photograph of the horizon from which samples 2014-12 and 2014-236 were obtained. The 43 sample for observation of fusulinids was obtained from the point of the arrow. 2, photo micrograph of Parafusulina yabei Hanzawa from Section 2 observed in thin section through transmitted light. 44 45 712x782mm (72 x 72 DPI) 46 47 48 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 SEM photographs of conodonts obtained in this study. 1–7, Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist et al.). 1, 46 KFM-1999 from 2014-12, Section 2; 2, KFM-2002 from 2014-215, float; 3, KFM-2003 from 2014-215, float; 47 4, KFM-2004 from 2014-215, float; 5, KFM-2008 from 2014-236, Section 2, 6, KFM-2000 from 2014-215, float; 7, KFM-2001 from 2014-215, float. a, upper view; b, lateral view; c, basal view. 48 49 175x224mm (300 x 300 DPI) 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 SEM photographs of conodonts obtained in this study. 1, 2, Mesogondolella sp. 1, KFM-2005 from 2014-215, 43 float; 2, KFM-2006 from 2014-215, float. 3–5, Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang). 3, KFM-2009 from 44 2014-236, Section 2, 4, KFM-2010 from 2014-236, Section 2, 5, KFM-2007 from 2014-215, float. a, upper view; b, lateral view; c, basal view. 45 46 175x193mm (300 x 300 DPI) 47 48 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan Paleontological Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Photographs of conodonts obtained in this study. 1–3, conodonts with basal bodies. Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist et al.). a, lateral view; b, basal view. 1,. KFM-1999; 2, KFM-2000; 3, KFM-2001 from 20 2014-215; 4, 5, conodonts without basal bodies. 4, Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist et al.) KFM- 21 2008, basal view; 5, Sweetognathus hanzhongensis (Wang). KFM-2009. 22 23 166x59mm (300 x 300 DPI) 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Accepted Manuscript 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Paleontological Society of Japan