A mixed Boreal-Tethyan-Panthalassan brachiopod fauna from the lower Permian (Asselian) of Miharanoro, Akiyoshi Belt, southwestern Japan

In this paper a brachiopod fauna (the Miharanoro fauna), consisting of 11 species in 9 genera, is described from the lower Permian limestone (Uyamano Formation) of Miharanoro in the Taishaku area, Akiyoshi Belt, southwestern Japan. The age of the Miharanoro fauna is identified as the Asselian (early Permian, Cisuralian). In terms of palaeobiogeography, the Miharanoro fauna is a mixed Boreal-Tethyan-Panthalassan fauna, and exhibits an affinity with the lower Permian fauna of Texas. Thus, the seamounts of the Akiyoshi Belt, including Taishaku, were probably located between the Sino-Mongolian-Japanese Province and North America (Texas) in Panthalassa during the Asselian.