UPPERORDOVICIANBRYOZOA FROM THEMONTAGNE DENOIRE, SOUTHERNFRANCE.

This study focuses on bryozoans from the Upper Ordovician rocks of the Montagne de Noire, southern France and additional material from contemporary rocks of the Carnic Alps. Based on museum collections, 68 bryozoan species were identified with 18 species being new: Ceramoporella grandissp. nov., Crassalina fungiformesp. nov., Lichenalia nodatasp. nov., Atactoporella magnoporasp. nov., Dekayia buttlerisp. nov., Stigmatella carnicasp. nov., Trematopora gracilesp. nov., Bythopora tenuissp. nov., Nicholsonella divulgatasp. nov., N. rectasp. nov., Matsutrypa elegantulasp. nov., M. rogerisp. nov., Nematotrypa punctatasp. nov., Stellatodictya valentinaesp. nov., Ptilodictya feistisp. nov., Pseudohornera dmitriisp. nov., Ralfinella elegantulasp. nov. and Moorephylloporina contiisp. nov. Trepostomes are the most abundant and diverse group with 40 of the total 68 species, but cyclostomes, cystoporates and cryptostomes are also present. The age of the fauna is Caradoc to Ashgill, according to the distribution of species and genera. The fauna has palaeogeographical connections to the Upper Ordovician of Wales, Estonia and North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]