Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 80. (Budapest 1988)

Pálfy, J.: Middle Triassic rhynchonellids from the Balaton Highland (Transdanubian Central Range, Hungary)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALÍS HUNGARICI Tormis 80. Budapest, 1988 p. 25-46. Middle Triassic rhynchonellids from the Balaton Highland (Transdamibian Central Range, Hungary) by J. PÁLFY, Budapest J. PÁLFY: Middle Triassic rhynchonellids from the Balaton Highland (Transdanubian Central Range, Hungary). —Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 1988 80: 25-46. Abstract — Nine rhynchonellid species are described from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) of the Balaton Highland. The material was obtained by recent collection. Emphasis is laid on the discussion of the taxonomic problems in the light of the internal characters studied by serial transverse sections, confronted to the recent investigations of other authors. With 15 figures and 3 plates. INTRODUCTION Rhynchonellid brachiopods were discovered as early as 1856 in the Balaton Highland. SUESS (in ZEPHAROVICH 1856) described seven brachiopod species including rhynchonellids as well. In the early 1870s J. BÖCKH carried out geological mapping in the region, devoting special attention to fossils of Triassic age. He described two new rhynchonellid species, including Caucasorhynchia altaplecta (BÖCKH, 1872) from the most important fossiliferous locality, the Forrás Hill near Felsőörs. J. BÖCKH sent another part of his collection to A. BITTNER for further investigation. In the fundamental monograph of BITTNER (1890) nine species are treated (five of them are new) which were found in the localities of the Balaton Highland. As regard of these species (Norella refractifrons, Volirhynchia vivida, Trigonirhynchella attilina, Piarorhynchella trinodosi and Holcorhynchella delicatula) the area and the localities can be considered as topotypic. During the project "Scientific Study of the Balaton", a remarkable effort was made to investigate the fossils of the Balaton Highland by the most prominent paleontologists of that period. BITTNER (1912) and FRECH (1912) also contributed to the paleontological volume of this project. BITTNER provided a list of brachiopods of Anisian age containing nine rhynchonellid species. FRECH described a new species and a new variety in his work. Recently DETRE (1970) compiled a list of the brachiopod assemblage of the Balaton Highland containing 12 rhynchonellids. In the pèsent paper the most common nine species are redescribed in detail. The further results of the systematic study as well as the palaeoecological, biogeographical, stratigraphical and evolutionary significance of this brachiopod fauna are planned to be published in the near future. LOCALITIES Three localities yielded the rich brachiopod assemblages which formed the basis of the present work (Fig. 1). Two of them, Felsőörs and Köveskál have been known for over a century, and there the author collected additional material. At Aszófő a new excavation