Revision of the Early Carboniferous trilobite Linguaphillipsia, with a new species from Terengganu in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

This study examines the morphology and palaeobiogeography of species assigned to the Early Carboniferous trilobite Linguaphillipsia. We recognize 27 valid species found in Tournaisian and Viséan deposits worldwide. We provide an updated generic diagnosis, with four previously recognized species groups revised. The terapaiensis-group and scabra-group are considered synonymous, while the longicornuta-group and strabonis-group are retained. Linguaphillipsia exhibits a restricted palaeogeographical distribution around the tropical Palaeo-Tethys Ocean, together with the shallow marine margins of eastern Gondwana (Australia). During the Tournaisian, 15 species of Linguaphillipsia ranged across what is now Europe, Asia, and eastern Australia, each showing distinct provincialism. This distribution persisted into the Viséan, although the number of species decreased, particularly in eastern Palaeo-Tethys of Asia. The genus did not survive to the end of the Mississippian. In addition, we describe a new species, Linguaphillipsia buchuensis sp. nov., from Bukit Buchu in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia (East Malaya Block). Based on faunal similarities, we correlate the Bukit Buchu beds with the Charu Formation in Pahang and assign the unit a Viséan (middle Mississippian) age.

Hung Yung Tang [[email protected]], Department of Geology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; Marine Geoscience Program, Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia;

Masatoshi Sone [[email protected]], Department of Geology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;

David K. Brezinski [[email protected]], Maryland Geological Survey, 2300 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA;

Yu He Teng [[email protected]], Academy of Sciences Malaysia, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;

Hasrizal Shaari [[email protected]], Fatin Izzati Minhat [[email protected]], Marine Geoscience Program, Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

Keywords:

• Phillipsiidae
• Tournaisian
• Viséan
• Palaeo-Tethys
• East Malaya Block

Acknowledgements

We thank Carsten Brauckmann (Technische Universität Clausthal), Li Yue (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Eduard V. Mychko (Shirshov Institute of Oceanology), Sven Mecke (Philipps University of Marburg), Pascale Nalon (Bibliothèque de l’École des Mines ParisTech), Ben Dixon (Natural History Museum, London) and Sun Qi (China University of Geosciences) for providing valuable information. Meor Hakif Amir Hassan (University of Malaya) allowed access to specimens. HYT thanks Abigail T.L.S. for inspiring this study. Nigel Hughes (University of California), an anonymous reviewer, and the Editorial Board of Alcheringa contributed constructive comments on our manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was part funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme [FRGS/1/2022/WAB07/UMT/02/1] awarded to FIM. HYT was supported by the Sarawak Foundation Tun Taib Scholarship for a MSc project at the University of Malaya.