Devonian parathuramminids from Taurides, southern Turkey

Devonian shallow marine carbonate rocks of the Taurides (southern Turkey) host rich and diverse faunal assemblages of foraminifera including unilocular organisms of the family Parathuramminidae. This study allowed investigating the calcareous unilocular parathuramminid fauna obtained from three measured stratigraphic sections Halevikdere, Kocadere and Eceli in addition to one detailed, shorter section measured along the Halevikdere section. The investigation revealed that the parathuramminid species, which commonly occur in lagoonal environments, are widely distributed throughout the studied sections. They mostly exist in limestone beds deposited in a time interval from Middle Devonian (Eifelian) to Late Devonian (Frasnian). However, their richness and diversity increased in Givetian period. The systematics of the family Parathuramminidae in the region is here provided. The family consists of 25 species belonging to two subfamilies Parathurammininae and Parathuramminitinae including Proninellites, new genus, and Sabirovellites altineri, new genus, new species. A practical identification key for the parathuramminid genera is introduced.