Reply to comments on: A review of the evolution, biostratigraphy, provincialism and diversity of Middle and early Late Triassic conodonts

Sidelined Seashells: Reappraisal of the Middle Triassic Ammonoids of Samobor and Žumberak Mts. (North-Western Croatia) and Their Systematics and Biostratigraphic Implications

“…The occurrence of Meginoceras in the Tethyan province is somewhat enigmatic. It has been reported, although not figured, from strata in Spiti, Himalaya (Balini et al 1998;Krystin et al 2004), and has been figured, although not described, from localities in Anatolia (Chen et al 2016, fig. 1G).…”

“…The third option is to draw the boundary at the FO of several genera within the subfamily Arpaditinae, namely Meginoceras and Silenticeras. This option is appropriate for the localities in Canada, where these genera are common (Tozer 1994), as well as the eastern parts of the Tethyan province such as the Himalayas and potentially as west as Anatolia (Balini et al 1998;Krystyn et al 2004;Chen et al 2016). Despite this, these two genera remain virtually unreported in the European western Tethys, to the point that the present authors have failed to identify any illustrations of these taxa in the literature, although some mention of their presence exists (e.g., Silenticeras on the stratigraphic column by Krystyn 1983;Mietto & Manfrin, pers.…”

“…Specimens referred to E. curionii from the Sephardic province (Parnes 1962;Goy 1995;Goy & Pérez-López 1996;Pérez Valera 2005;, sometimes more specifically attributed to the subspecies E. curionii ramonensis Parnes, 1962, are somewhat controversial. Specifically, certain conodont workers (Chen et al 2015, Chen et al 2016) and ammonoid workers (Mietto et al 2018) objected to the specific identification of these ammonoids. Even Parnes (1962) originally suggested his juvenile specimen may belong to a separate species.…”

“…Others disagreed (Plasencia et al 2016), threating these specimens as validly attributed to E. curionii. Chen et al (2016) offered compelling arguments against the referral to E. curionii; these specimens, although possessing a similar pattern of ribbing and whorl section, are usually more involute and possess very small and particularly clavate external and marginal tubercules, as well as the apparently more pronounced lateral tuberculation. Although these differences could be explained by intraspecific variation, as attempted by Plasencia et al (2016), this is difficult to justify in absence of a clear morphological overlap between specimens from the Tethyan and the Sephardic province.…”

The evolutionary trend of platform denticulation in Middle Triassic acuminate Gondolellidae (Conodonta)

“…Preliminary remark: Chen et al (2016aChen et al ( , 2016b) transcribed the term Pseudofurnishiinae from Pseudofurnishiidae Ramovš 1977, in replacement of Sephardiellinae Plasencia et al 2007, based on ICZN Article 36.1. However, Ramovš (1977, not providing a description of the family Pseudofurnishiidae, herewith contradicts the requirements for names published after 1930 as shown in ICZN Article 13.1, which stipulates:…”