COORDINatING AUTHORS' PREFace JÜRGEN KULL M ANN and ZH OU ZUREN [University of Tübingen, Germany; and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology] In 1938, the first volume of a compre- mostly with simpler Goniatitina, M. R. hensive treatment of every valid taxon (es- House would handle the bulk of Devonian pecially genus and species) in invertebrate forms, and O. H. Schindewolf the clymeni- paleozoology was published in the Handbuch ids. Despite a considerable expansion of the der Paläozoologie by Otto H. Schindewolf introductory portion, a single chapter would (1938–1944). This very ambitious work be processed by editor C. Teichert, who was resulted only in a few parts being issued: appointed as coordinator of the volume. Graptolithina, Gastropoda, and Hydrozoa; it Originally, spring 1970 was considered as was stopped by World War II. Less than ten the target date for completion of manu- years later, Raymond C. Moore in Lawrence, scripts. The first to present a manuscript was Kansas, founded the Treatise on Invertebrate Schindewolf in 1971, and the others were Paleontology, with the first volume, part G, expected at latest by 1975. Bryozoa, being issued in December 1953. In Curt Teichert worked as coordinator of his Editorial Preface, R. C. Moore (1953, p. the ammonoid Treatise revision for more vii) defined the intent of the Treatise: “The than a decade. Though not a specialist, Te- aim of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontol- ichert was recognized for his wide and deep ogy, as originally conceived and consistently knowledge of the Cephalopoda and regarded pursued, is to present the most comprehen- as a superb generalist. A number of revised sive and authoritative, yet compact state- editions of parts of the Treatise were directed ment of knowledge concerning invertebrate and edited by him, beginning with Part V, fossil groups that can be formulated by col- Graptolithina (1970). Teichert resigned from laboration of competent specialists.” the Treatise editorship at end of 1976, but he The first volume dedicated solely to the continued working for the Treatise for several Ammonoidea was published in 1957. It more years. A broad correspondence with the covered not only the different groups of involved specialists ensured that things went ammonoid cephalopods, but included also smoothly, although slowly. chapters on morphology, evolution, paleo- Several so-called first drafts were assem- ecology, and geographic distribution. The bled. The Devonian chapter of 138 pages chapter on Paleozoic Ammonoidea was and more than 100 plates, by M. House; authored by A. K. Miller and W. M. Fur- the Carboniferous part, 277 pages and 75 nish, and embraces the treatment by O. H. plates by Kullmann; the Permian part, 100 Schindewolf (Clymeniida) and B. Kummel pages and more than 100 plates by Furnish (Permian constituents of Ceratitida). and Glenister; and orthocone ammonoids, Between 1954 and 1965, more than 100 by R. T. Becker. new genera were established worldwide. A great event for the Treatise was the inter- Therefore, in February 1967, plans to revise national gathering in 1979 in London at the Treatise Part L were discussed in Lawrence, Systematics Association Symposium on the Kansas. At this meeting, W. M. Furnish, B. Ammonoidea, the first international sympo- F. Glenister, J. Kullmann, and B. Kummel sium ever held to discuss scientific problems agreed upon exact assignments, based on of the group. On this occasion,Treatise taxonomy or stratigraphy. W. M. Furnish authors summarized in “Keynote Lectures” and B. F. Glenister would be responsible for their views on the classification and evolu- all families occuring in the Permian except tion of the group. The final session of the Xenodiscidae. J. Kullmann would work symposium addressed the biostratigraphic xxiv usefulness of the ammonoids and the prob- phylogeny (p. 185 herein). It has led to the lem of correlation and distribution. idea of a much closer affinity of the orders The advent of the computer with its enor- Prolecanitida and Goniatitida. Many repre- mous storage and retrieval capacity allowed sentatives of aberrant endemics, mainly the another step to be taken to provide access to pseudohaloritaceans, kufengoceratins, and the treasures of information about fossils, in- paragastrioceratids reported from South cluding information about taxa insufficiently China, suggest a widespread ecological dif- described and figured from earlier times. In ferentiation among Permian ammonoids. 1990 the Database System GONIAT (and The combination of these special faunas later GONIAT Online 2007) was founded, with special environments has led to a new based on Treatise classification. After 15 years understanding of ammonoid provincialism. of work, about 4000 valid species and more Dimorphism is known to be a common than 700 genera and subgenera of about 120 phenomenon in the Permian period. A families have been included, and approxi- regressive evolution pattern existed in some mately 7500 localities are described. The late Paleozoic ammonoid families: a kind of information provided in GONIAT is inten- terminal paedomorphosis has been verified sively used for the present volume. GONIAT in many genera and their family groups. As is can be found at www.goniat.org. Updates of explained in one of the old Treatise prefaces: the entire database system provided by Svet- the making of a reasonably complete inven- lana V. Nikolaeva, Scientific Editor, Bulletin tory of present knowledge may be expected of Zoological Nomenclature, International to yield needed foundation for future re- Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, search, and it is hoped that the Treatise will The National Museum London, SW7 58D, serve this end. U.K. ([email protected]); technical ACKNOWLEDGMENTS assistance provided by Peter S. Kullmann, Humboldtstr. 32, D-70771 Leinfelden- Many colleagues have supported our in- Echterdingen, Germany (info@elementec. vestigations with significant contributions de). to systematic descriptions and by providing In 2004, W. M. Furnish, B. F. Glenister, essential illustrations. A large number of J. Kullmann, and Zhou Zuren decided to individuals and institutions have generously put together the Carboniferous and Permian helped in bringing together extensive infor- parts and asked the Editorial Office at the mation on the Carboniferous and Permian Paleontological Institute of the University of ammonoids. The authors wish to express Kansas in Lawrence to accept both unified special thanks to R. T. Becker, Münster; V. parts for the Treatise series of revised parts. E. Ruzhentsev,† B. I. Bogoslovskii,† M. F. The uninterrupted evolutionary lines be- Bogoslovskaia, and T. B. Leonova, Moscow; tween the Carboniferous and Permian made J. Dzik, Warzawa; M. R. House,† Hull; D. possible a similar treatment of taxonomic Weyer, and D. Korn, Berlin; L. F. Kuzina, descriptions and literature. Moscow; Liang Xi-luo and Ruan Yiping,† The present volume reflects a consider- Nanjing; Sheng Huaibin, Beijing; Claude able amount of paleontological research Spinosa, Boise; W. W. Nassichuk, Calgary; of the last century. In 1988 Zhou Zuren W. B. Saunders, Boston; W. L. Manger, joined the Iowa group of scientists special- Fayetteville; L. K. Meeks, Warrensburg; S. izing in Permian ammonoids. The new V. Nikolaeva, London and Moscow, the interpretation of the sutural pattern of the Palaeontographical Society, London; J. D. early stages of coiling, EALUI [German] Price, formerly University of Hull; A. L. Ti- and VLU:ID [Russian] instead of ELU2:U1:I tus, Kanab; H. W. J. van Amerom, Heerlen; or VUU1:ID in Prolecanitida may be of W. H. C. Ramsbottom, Sheffield; and D. M. great consequence for the evaluation of Work, Augusta. xxv.