Type species.—Endothyra bowmani Phillips, 1846.

Plectogyra excellens Nodine-Zeller, 1953, p. 198, pl. 28, figs. 8, 9; Zhao et al., 1984, p. 105, pl. 18, figs. 19, 20.

Endothyra excellens (Nodine-Zeller). Rich, 1980, p. 21, pl. 6, figs. 7, 10, 13; Reitlinger, 1980, pl. 1, figs. 2, 3.

Description.—Test discoidal with broadly rounded periphery and compressed laterally, and with three and a half to four whorls. Diameter 0.59 to 0.67 mm and width 0.23 to 0.28 mm. Proloculus about 0.02 to 0.04 mm in diameter. Inner whorls streptospirally coiled and largely oblique to outer one or two whorls almost planispirally coiled and with distinct septal furrows. Chambers inflated and 6 to 8 in the last whorl. Septa inclined anteriorly and some are gently curved. Secondary deposits more or less variably developed throughout the test and hooklike on the chamber floor of the last whorl. Wall thin, microgranular, and not differentiated.

Remarks.—This species was originally described by Nodine-Zeller (1953) from the upper Chesterian (Clore Limestone) of Illinois. Except for slight differences of longer and more inclined septa, other test characters are closely similar between the present specimens and the types. Nearly centered horizontal axial sections of the present material are also similar to those identified with this species and reassigned to Endothyra by Rich (1980) and Reitlinger (1980). Rich (1980) thought that this species should be placed into a group commonly denoted as Endothyra bowmani based on its mode of coiling and degree of chamber inflation.

Endothyra igoi Kobayashi, 1994, p. 620, figs. 3.1–3.7.

Remarks.—Endothyra having larger tests from four samples of Tatego (T-6, T-8) and two of Kaimori (K-6, K-9) than others from the Yura area is attributed to Endothyra igoi described by Kobayashi (1994) from the Serpukhovian to lower Bashkirian limestone blocks in the southern Kanto Mountains based on many similarities of the test size, mode of coiling, and shallow septal sutures. It is distinguished from Endothyra excellens and E. aff. excellens by its larger test with shallower septal sutures. This species is distinguished from E. rotayi Lebedeva, 1954 from the lower Carboniferous of the Kuznets Basin (Lebedeva, 1954) by more irregular coiling and more rapidly enlarging chambers.

Type species.—Bradyina nautiliformis von Möller, 1878.

Bradyina nautiliformis von Möller, 1878, p. 83, pl. 3, fig. 4a–d; pl. 10, fig. 3a, b; Lee and Chen in Lee et al., 1930, p. 104, pl. 5, figs. 5–9; Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1940, p. 47, pl. 8, figs. 1–3; pl. 9, figs. 1–3; Putrya, 1956, p. 371, pl. 1, figs. 9–11; Bogush, 1963, p. 55, pl. 2, fig. 2; Lin, 1978, p. 36, pl. 7, fig. 16; Igo and Adachi, 1981, p. 110, pl. 6, fig. 15; Zhao et al., 1984 (non), p. 108, pl. 19, figs. 1, 2; Adachi, 1985, p. 115, pl. 18, fig. 1 (= Igo and Adachi, 1981, pl. 6, fig. 15).

Description.—Test nautiloid, broadly rounded, and with shallow umbilicus. Mature test consists of three and a half to four whorls, 1.85 to 2.41 mm in diameter and 0.80 to 1.74 mm in width. The lenticular first whorl followed by two to three rapidly expanding outer whorls. Six or seven highly inflated, hemispherical chambers in the final whorl. Septa thin, rapidly thickened from the second whorl and inclined vertically to arched anteriorly in middle and outer whorls. Pre- and post-septal laminae or plates converging toward the septa form chamberlets or canals near the septa. Proloculus spherical to subspherical, 0.055 to 0.138 mm in longer diameter. Wall of final whorl 0.053 to 0.098 mm in thickness with slightly depressed septal sutures. It consists of a thin microgranular tectum and an inner much thicker, coarsely and rather regularly perforate keriotheca.

Remarks.—Size and shape of the test and proloculus, degree of depth of umbilicus, and thickness of wall of the many specimens that have been identified with this species vary considerably among authors. These variabilities are also evident in the specimens illustrated from the present single sample (K-9). They are supposed to represent the intraspecific variation of Bradyina nautiliformis, though some (e.g. Figure 5.7) having a relatively deeper umbilicus appear to be Bradyina compressa Morozova, 1949, and some others (e.g. Figure 5.5) having a thicker and more coarsely alveolar wall appear to be related to B. magna Roth and Skinner, 1930. Two specimens described by Zhao et al. (1984) from the upper Carboniferous of the southern margin of the Tarim Basin are presumed to be excluded from this species and reassigned to a species of Bradyinelloides by their thicker and coarser wall with irregularly aligned porous keriotheca.

cf. Bradyina cribrostomata Rauzer-Chernousova and Reitlinger in Rauzer-Chernousova and Fursenko, 1937, p. 295, figs. 231a–c, 234a, b; Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1940, p. 51, pl. 8, figs. 4, 5; pl. 9, figs. 4–6.

Remarks.—The two sagittal sections illustrated and a few other oblique sections from sample K-9 are probably differentiated from Bradyina nautiliformis by their smaller test, wall with more coarsely alveolar pores, and shorter septa more gently inclined anteriorly and regularly flanked by thin pre- and post-septal lamellae as long as the septa. By these features, the present specimens are compared to B. cribrostomata first described by Rauzer-Chernousova and Reitlinger in Rauzer-Chernousova and Fursenko (1937) from the core samples of the Samara Bend region of the Volga River. Subsequently, bradyinins identified with the types of this species were described and/or illustrated by many workers (e.g. Grozdilova and Lebedeva, 1960; Brazhnikova et al., 1967; Fomina, 1977; Lin, 1978; Potievskaya in Wagner et al., 1979). Some of them might be more or less different from the present specimens. However, detailed comparisons with them are refrained from on account of the insufficiency of the present material.

Description.—Test nautiloid, broadly rounded, with shallow umbilicus and almost planispiral coiling throughout, and three and a half to four whorls. Diameter 1.82 mm and width 1.28 mm, approximately, in the specimen illustrated in Figure 3.45. Proloculus spherical and 0.072 mm in diameter. Inner one and a half whorls lenticular and tightly coiled. Subsequent two whorls increase their diameter and thickness of wall. Diameter from the first to third whorl is 0.19, 0.48, and 1.12 mm in the specimen shown in Figure 3.44. Remnants of septa and septal sutures are preserved in axial regions. Wall thin throughout whorls for the genus and less than 0.04 mm even in the thickest part. Wall microgranular and not differentiated in the first whorl, then gradually thickened outward and consists of very thin tectum and underlying, thicker, finely perforated granular layer. Finely alveolar structure becomes evident toward the final whorl, though simple and not branching off (Figure 4.32b).

Remarks.—The most diagnostic characters of this unnamed species are its thin wall and a much simpler wall structure than that of the known species of Bradyina. According to Mikhailov (1939), the wall of Janischewskina is agglutinated and cemented by minute equal-grained particles with fibrous structure and without alveolar structure. Therefore, this unnamed species cannot be assigned to Janischewskina due to the finely alveolar structure of the wall in the outer whorls. However, it resembles a species of the genus, in particular J. typica Mikhailov, 1935, type species of the genus described from upper Visean core samples of the Samara Bend region of the Volga River (Mikhailov, 1935). Bradyina sp. Ais assumed to be a new species of the genus having transitional test characters from Janischewskina to Bradyina. However, this possibility is postponed until more specimens are accumulated.

Type species.—Staffella (Eostaffella) parastruvei Rauzer-Chernousova, 1948.

Millerella kanmerai Igo, 1957, p. 175, pl. 1, figs. 20–26; pl. 2, fig. 14. Eostaffella kanmerai (Igo). Sada, 1964, p. 230, pl. 21, figs. 8, 16, 17; Sada, 1967, p. 144, pl. 12, figs. 1–10; Sada, 1969, p. 120, pl. 12, figs. 1–13; pl. 13, figs. 1, 2; Niikawa, 1978, p. 538, pl. 1, figs. 11, 12; Rich. 1980 (non), p. 40, pl. 18, figs. 6, 8–12, 14?; Ueno, l989, pl. 1, fig. 7.

Millerella aff. rossica Rozovskaya, 1963. Ishii, 1985, pl. 3, fig. 1. Eostaffella cf. kanmerai (Igo). Villa and Stavros in Villa et al., 2001, p. 70. pl. 12, figs. 8, 10, 14, 16, 18, 19.

Remarks.—This species was originally described by Igo (1957) and later by Niikawa (1978) from the basal part of the Ichinotani Formation. It is common in the lower part of the Atetsu (Sada, 1964), Taishaku (Sada, 1967, 1969), and Akiyoshi (Ueno, 1989) limestones. The illustrated and other thin sections from the sample of Tatego (T-6), though well oriented ones are few, are similar to these Japanese materials in many respects. They are characterized by rapidly expanding outer whorls with rounded to bluntly pointed periphery and shallow umbilicus. Japanese materials referable to Eostaffella kanmerai are considered to the Visean–Serpukhovian based on their stratigraphic distribution and associated foraminifers. Six specimens compared to this species and described by Villa and Stavros in Villa et al. (2001) from the lower Bashkirian of the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain are closely similar to the types and probably identical with E. kanmerai.

This species resembles the original material of the type species of the genus (Eostaffella parastruvei) by Rauzer-Chernousova (1948) in its size and shape of the test with shallow umbilicus and rapidly expanding outer whorls. However, the expansion of the outer whorls is more conspicuous in the former. Eostaffella kanmerai is similar to Millerella rossica Rozovskaya, 1963, originally described from the Mikhailovsky and Venevsky horizons of the upper Visean of European Russia (Rozovskaya, 1963), in many respects except for having a faintly involute test with more shallowly umbilical poles. One specimen illustrated by Ishii (1985) and presumed to be allied to M. rossica might be better reassigned to E. kanmerai because of its indistinct evolute coiling of the test. Specimens identified with E. kanmerai by Rich (1980) should be reassigned to other species (e.g. E. proikensis Rauzer-Chernousova, 1948) based on their smaller tests and gradually expanding whorls.

Eostaffella mosquensis Vissarionova, 1948, p. 222, pl. 14, figs. 4–6; Ganelina, 1951, 188, pl. 2, figs. 1, 2; Bogush and Yuferev, 1962, p. 172, pl. 6, fig. 26; Rozovskaya, 1963, p. 93, pl. 17, figs. 1–5; Manukalova-Grebeniuk et al., 1969, p. 25, pl. 9, figs. 9–12; Ozawa, 1976, p. 121, pl. 22, figs. 1–19; Rich, 1980, p. 41, pl. 18, figs. 13, 15, 16, 20, 25; Ishii, 1985, pl. 3, fig. 2; Matsusue, 1986, pl. 6, figs. 1, 2; Ueno, 1989, pl. 1, fig. 6; Ozawa and Kobayashi, 1990. pl. 1, figs. 16–18.

Remarks.—As well as specimens reported from the lower Serpukhovian of the Akiyoshi Limestone Group (Matsusue, 1986; Ueno, 1989; Ozawa and Kobayashi, 1990), the Tatego specimens are identified with the types described by Vissarionova (1948) in their somewhat large test for the genus with a rounded periphery, shallowly umbilical poles, and five gradually expanding whorls. They are distinguished from Eostaffella kanmerai by their less rapidly expanding whorls and shallower umbilicus on both sides of the test, and from E. pseudostruvei, described below, by their larger tests with more shallowly umbilical poles.

Eostaffella postmosquensis Kireeva in Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1951, p. 48, pl. 1, figs. 1, 2; Bogush and Yuferev, 1962, p. 178, pl. 7, fig. 3; Manukalova-Grebeniuk et al., 1969, p. 25, pl. 6, figs. 9–11; Watanabe, 1974, p. 377, pl. 51, fig. 9–14; Sashida, 1981, p. 7, pl. 3, figs. 11, 12; Zhao et al., 1984, p. 56, pl. 1, figs. 9–15; Matsusue, 1986, pl. 6, fig. 8; Groves, 1988, p. 388, figs. 13.14– 13.25; Ozawa and Kobayashi, 1990, pl. 2, figs. 3, 4.

Eostaffella (Eostaffella) postmosquensis Kireeva. Brazhnikova et al., 1967, pl. 21, fig. 7.

Eostaffella akiyoshiensis Sada, 1975, p. 9, pl. 1, figs. 15–23; Matsusue, 1986, pl. 6, fig. 9; Sada et al., 1992, p. 98, figs. 4.1–4.6, 4.9, 4.10; Sada et al., 1995, p. 49, figs. 7.3–7.5.

Remarks.—This well known species has been described by many authors. Some differences among specimens previously identified with this species are recognized in size and form ratio of the test, degree of roundness of the periphery and of depression of the umbilicus, and the number of chambers. These differences are also found in the present specimens that are likewise identified with Eostaffella postmosquensis. Eostaffellins named E. akiyoshiensis from the Akiyoshi Terrane, listed above, are considered to be a junior synonym of this species based on broad morphologic variation of this species.

Staffella pseudostruvei Rauzer-Chernousova and Belyaev in Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1936, p. 179, pl. 1, fig. 7.

Eostaffella pseudostruvei (Rauzer-Chernousova and Belyaev). Rauzer-Chernousova in Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1951, p. 58; Bogush and Yuferev, 1962, p. 176, pl. 6, fig. 33.

Eostaffella pseudostruvei var. chomatifera Kireeva in Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1951, p. 59, pl. 1, figs. 32, 33; Brazhnikova et al., 1967, pl. 21, figs. 10, 11; Manukalova-Grebeniuk et al., 1969, p. 27, pl. 6, figs. 19–29.

Eostaffella chomatifera Kireeva. Bogush and Yuferev, 1962, p. 177, pl. 7, fig. 1.

Eostaffella (Eostaffella) pseudostruvei (Rauzer-Chernousova and Belyaev). Brazhnikova et al., 1967, pl. 18, fig. 4; pl. 19, fig. 7; pl. 20, figs. 11–13; pl. 21, fig. 9.

Eostaffella pseudostruvei var. elegantissima Manukalova-Grebeniuk et al., 1969, p. 29, pl. 9, figs. 4–6.

Eostaffella pseudostruvei chomatifera Kireeva. Lin, 1983, pl. 1, figs. 9, 10.

Remarks.—This species was proposed by Rauzer-Chernousova and Belyaev on the basis of monotypic specimen from the Namurian (?) of the Pechora region. The present specimens are ascribed to this species sensu lato based on comparison with many specimens identified by later workers with Eostaffella pseudostruvei and its allies. Similar species to E. pseudostruvei are also reported from East Asia, such as E. bigemmicula (Igo, 1957) and E. intermedia Sheng, 1958. The former, originally described from the Ichinotani Formation (Igo, 1957), resembles this species but for a more rounded periphery. The latter, originally from the Taitzeho Valley, Liaoning, has a more pointed periphery. Although these slight differences are observable, they might still be synonymous with E. pseudostruvei.

Type species.—Pseudostaffella variabilis Reitlinger, 1961.

Eoschubertella bluensis Ross and Sabins, 1965, p. 184, pl. 21, figs. 28, 29.

Remarks.—Small, subglobose fusulines with large proloculus and the first whorl coiled at a large angle to the succeeding two whorls of the Kaimori material are similar to those described by Ross and Sabins (1965) from the Lower Pennsylvanian (Atokan) in the Blue Mountains of southeast Arizona. Two specimens illustrated from Arizona were distinguished from Eoschubertella obscura (Lee and Chen in Lee et al., 1930) by their smaller and more globular test than the types from the lower part of the Huanlung Limestone of South China (Lee and Chen in Lee et al., 1930). They are reassigned to Semistaffella in their having a more rounded test than almost all species of Eoschubertella. Eoschubertella toriyamai Ishii, 1962 from the Itadorigawa Group, Ehime Prefecture should probably be reassigned to Semistaffella. It differs from S. bluensis in its larger test and more poorly developed chomata.

Pseudostaffella minuta Sada, 1975, p. 21, pl. 7, figs. 6–9.

Remarks.—The largest form referable to Semistaffella in the Yura area is identical with Semistaffella minuta, originally assigned to Pseudostaffella by Sada (1975), from the lower Pennsylvanian (probably Bashkirian) of the Akiyoshi Limestone Group in its size, form and coiling pattern of the test, small number of whorls, large proloculus, and massive chomata. The prolocular size in the original specimens is estimated to be much smaller than the actual size due to the thin sections falling considerably away from the center. With respect to the large proloculus and similar mode of ontogenetic change of the coiling, this species resembles Semistaffella multiforme (Villa in Villa and Merino-Tomé, 2016), originally assigned to Schubertella, from the Bashkirian/Moscovian transitional interval of the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain (Villa in Villa and Merino-Tomé, 2016). However, the former has a larger test and larger length and width of the corresponding whorls than the latter.

Pseudostaffella (Semistaffella) sp. Harris et al., 1997, figs. 7.31, 7.32.

Etymology.—From Daniel Vachard for his works on Paleozoic and Mesozoic foraminifers.

Type specimens.—The holotype D2-053089, axial section (Figure 4.18) from K-1. Paratypes D2-053084, axial section (Figure 4.19); D2-053079, sagittal section (Figure 4.20); and D2-053064, sagittal section (Figure 4.21); all from K-1.

Type locality.—Kaimori, Yura Town, Hidaka County, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

Diagnosis.—Subspherical test with shallow umbilical depressions and irregularly changing axis of coiling. Outer one to one and a half whorls almost planispirally coiled. Asymmetrical chomata resulting in a meandering tunnel path in irregularly coiled whorls.

Measurements.—Length = 0.270–0.392 mm, width = 0.319–0.396 mm, length/width = 0.81–1.08, number of whorls = 3.1–3.5, diameter of proloculus = 0.047–0.070 mm, wall thickness in the final whorl = 0.009–0.013 mm, number of septa in the final whorl = 11–13. In the holotype, length = 0.392 mm; width = 0.363 mm; length/ width = 1.08; number of whorls = 3.5; diameter of proloculus = 0.051 mm; wall thickness in the final whorl = 0.011 mm; number of septa in the second whorl = 8.

Description.—Test subspherical with shallow umbilical depressions. Lenticular first and thick lenticular to nautiloid second whorls coiled at large angles. With a more remarkable change of the axis of coiling, the second whorl is followed by an outer subspherical one to one and a half whorls coiled almost planispirally. Proloculus large for the test size and inner whorls tightly coiled against somewhat rapidly expanding outer whorls. Septa plane and some are in contact with the chamber floor. Chomata distinct, asymmetrical, and variable in shape and size resulting in a meandering tunnel path in irregularly coiled whorls. Wall differentiation indistinct in inner lenticular to nautiloid whorls. In outer whorls, wall consists of thin dark layer comparable to tectum and a little thicker inner layer.

Remarks.—This new species is separated from Semistaffella bluensis by its smaller form ratio of the test and from S. variabilis by its larger test with larger length and width of the corresponding whorls. However, the mode and degree of changes of the axis of coiling during growth are similar in these three species. Among the described species, this new species is the closest to S. multiforme from the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain. Villa in Villa and Merino-Tomé (2016) recognized broad intraspecific variations of size and shape of the outer whorls and degree of depression of the umbilicus in S. multiforme. However, the present new species is distinguished from that species by having a smaller proloculus, smaller test with smaller length and width of corresponding whorls, and not so massive chomata. Although a detailed comparison is only tentative due to lack of a description, two unnamed specimens of Pseudostaffella (Semistaffella) illustrated by Harris et al. (1997) from the Morrowan-Atokan boundary in the Brooks Range (Arctic Alaska) are possibly assigned to this new species.

Occurrence.—Rare in K-1.

Pseudostaffella variabilis Reitlinger, 1961, p. 240, pl. 3, fig. 8; Brazhnikova et al., 1967, pl. 21, fig. 22.

Pseudostaffella primitiva Reitlinger, 1961, p. 241, pl. 3, fig. 9.

Semistaffella variabilis (Reitlinger). Reitlinger, 1971, pl. 1, figs. 11, 12; Brenckle, 2005, p. 86, pl. 15, figs. 5, 6.

Semistaffella primitiva (Reitlinger). Reitlinger, 1971, pl. 1, fig. 13.

Pseudostaffella (Semistaffella) variabilis (Reitlinger). Groves, 1988, p. 391, figs. 17.22–17.29.

Remarks.—As discussed by Groves (1988), the taxonomic independence of either variabilis or primitiva, both of which were first described in the same paper (Reitlinger, 1961) and later reassigned to Semistaffella by Reitlinger (1971), is equivocal. Both were later synonymized by Brenckle (2005). Therefore, small and subspherical individuals of Semistaffella in the present material are named S. variabilis, first described from core samples of the lower Akavassky horizon (lower Bashkirian) of the Russian Platform. They resemble the types in their irregularly coiled whorls throughout the test, rounded periphery and poles.

Type species.—Profusulinella pararhomboides Rauzer-Chemousova and Belyaev in Rauzer-Chemousova et al., 1936.

Schwagerina prisca Deprat, 1912, p. 41, pl. 4, figs. 10–14.

Neofusulinella schwagerinoides Deprat, 1913. Lee and Chen in Lee et al., 1930 (pars), p. 124, pl. 11, figs. 1, 2. (non pl. 10, fig. 12 = Fusulinella bocki von Möller, 1877)

Profusulinella deprati (Beede and Kniker, 1924). Chang, 1961, p. 153, pl. 1, fig. 10; Sheng and Sun, 1975, p. 8, pl. 3, fig. 2.

Profusulinella priscoidea Rauzer-Chernousova, 1938, p. 102, pl. 2, figs. 1–3.

Aljutovella priscoidea Rauzer-Chernousova. Rauzer-Chemousova in Rauzer-Chemousova et al., 1951, p. 208, pl. 27, figs. 5, 6.

Profusulinella prisca (Deprat). Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1951, p. 165, pl. 15, figs. 1–4; Putrya, 1956, p. 417, pl. 7, figs. 2, 3; Rui et al., 1996, p. 48, pl. 5, figs. 5–12; Davydov et al., 2001, pl. 1, figs. 3. 4; Leven et al., 2006, figs. 11.10. 12.11. 12.1. 12.2.

Profusulinella prisca var. timanica Kireeva in Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1951, p. 166, pl. 15, figs. 5, 6; Lin, 1983, pl. 2, fig. 21; Rui et al., 1996, p. 50, pl. 4, figs. 1–8.

Profusulinella priscas ar. sphaeroidea Rauzer-Chernousova in Rauzer-Chernousova et al., 1951, p. 167, pl. 16, fig. 1.

Profusulinella timanica Kireeva. Davydov et al., 2001, pl. 1, figs. 6, 7. Profusulinella beppensis Toriyama, 1958. Leven et al., 2006, figs. 11.1, 11.4, 11.5.

Profusulinella n. sp. Ishii, 1985, pl. 2, fig. 11.

Profusulinella hinodensis Kobayashi, 1994, p. 627, figs. 4.3–4.7, 6.5.

Depratina prisca (Deprat). Kulagina, 2009, fig. 4a, b.

Description.—Test inflated to highly inflated fusiform with broadly arched periphery and rounded poles. Mature test of five to six whorls, 1.16 to 1.73 mm in length and 0.96 to 1.12 mm in width, giving a form ratio of 1.07 to 1.72. Proloculus almost spherical, 0.049 to 0.096 mm in diameter. Inner two whorls are oval to thick lenticular and succeeded by outer whorls gradually increasing in length and width. Axis of coiling crossing at a large angle between inner and outer whorls.

Wall thin and structureless in inner one or two whorls. Beyond the third whorl, wall differentiation becomes evident, and consists of a tectum, a continuous translucent to transparent layer, and a thin lower tectorium in the middle and outer whorls. Wall differentiation obscure in the final whorl in specimens with a thinner wall. Thickness of wall in the median part of the test about 0.002 to 0.005 mm, and considerably variable from specimen to specimen.

Septa almost plane, but weakly folded only in the polar regions of outer whorls, perpendicular to the wall or gently inclined anteriorly, and closely spaced. Septal counts from the first to sixth whorl 6, 10, 13, 16, 20, and 21 in the specimen illustrated in Figure 6.29. Tunnel a half to one-third as high as chambers, narrow in inner whorls, and widens outward. Its path not straight in outer whorls. Chomata well developed in middle and outer whorls, and steeply inclined toward tunnel regions and gently sloping down toward poles in most specimens. Axial fillings not present.

Remarks.—Greater or lesser differences are recognized in many test characters, especially in the form ratio of the test and development mode of chomata in the present material, among which 29 specimens from a single sample (K-3) are illustrated to show variability of test characters. This variability continuously displayed from specimen to specimen are considered to represent the broad intraspecific variation of Profusulinella prisca, first described by Deprat (1912) from the Moscovian of eastern Yunnan, South China. Specimens listed above are supposed to be conspecific with this species. They might be better summarized as the P. prisca group for the sake of taxonomic convenience, as done by Groves et al. (2007). On the contrary, P. prisca and P. priscoidea were treated as different taxonomic groups by Solovieva in RauzerChemousova et al. (1996). The former was designated as the type species of Depratina included in the family Profusulinellidae and the latter as that of Piscoidella in the family Aljutovellidae. In the opinion of the present author, the latter species is a junior synonym of the former, both families are not necessary and Profusulinella belongs in the subfamily Fusulinellinae placed under the family Fusulinidae (Kobayashi, 2011).

Profusulinella wangyüi Sheng, 1958 originally described from the lower part of the Penchi Series (Vereyan to Kashirian) of Liaoning, North China closely resembles this species, but has more massive chomata and almost straight lateral slopes. Thirty-five specimens identified with P. ovata Rauzer-Chemousova, 1938 by Kobayashi (2011) from Turkey are discriminated from P. prisca by their smaller tests and more developed chomata throughout growth.

Type species.—Akiyoshiella ozawai Toriyama, 1953.

Remarks.—Akiyoshiella was placed under the family Eofusulinidae in Rauzer-Chemousova et al. (1996). The main reason might be the almost straight periphery of the test characteristic only in the holotype of Akiyoshiella ozawai, making it appear Eofusulina-like. However, Eofusulina has fewer whorls, more regularly and more strongly folded septa, and taller and more rounded septal loops (see e.g. Putrya, 1956) than Akiyoshiella. The described specimens of Akiyoshiella in Japan, if one is forced to compare them, are morphologically closer to the taxa summarized as the species group of Fusulina ozawai Rauzer-Chernousova and Belyaev in Rauzer-Chemousova et al., 1940 (Kashirian to Podolskian) according to Rauzer-Chemousova et al. (1951) than to the eofusulines included in the subfamily Eofusulininae of the family Eofusulinidae by Rauzer-Chemousova et al. (1996). By these reasons, Akiyoshiella is assigned to Fusulininae under Fusulinidae in this paper.

Akiyoshiella ozawai Toriyama, 1953. Ishii, 1985, pl. 2, fig. 4; Kobayashi, 1994, figs. 4.12–4.14.

Akiyoshiella toriyamai Thompson, Pitrat, and Sanderson, 1953. Ishii, 1985, pl. 2, fig. 5.

Etymology.—From Kaimori in the Yura area.

Type specimens.—The holotype D2-036286, axial section from K-2 (Figure 7.1). Paratypes: 27 axial sections (Figures 5.15–5.17, 7.2–7.19, 8.1–8.6) and 12 sagittal sections (Figures 8.7–8.18). Register numbers of the 39 paratypes are given in the explanation of Figures 5, 7, and 8. The paratypes shown in Figure 7.3 and 7.13 are from K-8, and the others from K-2.

Type locality.—Kaimori, Yura Town, Hidaka County, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

Diagnosis.—Inflated to elongate fusiform Akiyoshiella characterized by broadly arched periphery and rounded to bluntly pointed poles in the external shape, and considerably variable height and regularity of septal loops in the outer whorls.

Measurements.—Shown in Table 2 (number of whorls, length, width, and form ratio of the test, proloculus size, length and width from the first to sixth whorl, and number of septa from the first to sixth whorl).

Description.—Test inflated to elongate fusiform in shape with broadly arched periphery, almost straight to broadly convex lateral sides, and rounded to bluntly pointed poles. Mature test of four and a half to five and a half whorls, rarely six, 2.48 to 3.50 mm in axial length and 0.97 to 1.60 mm in median width, giving a form ratio of 1.98 to 3.29.

Proloculus almost spherical, 0.093 to 0.160 mm in diameter. The first whorl inflated fusiform to fusiform and succeeded by outer whorls gradually increasing in length and width. Poles in inner and middle whorls are more pointed than those in outer ones. Axis of coiling almost straight.

Wall thin and its differentiation obscure in the first whorl. Wall also thin in outer whorls and consists of tectum, thicker, well continuous light layer comparable to a diaphanotheca, and a lower tectorium. Thickness of wall in the fourth whorl 0.015 to 0.033 mm. Septa closely spaced throughout the test, and more strongly folded in polar regions than in tunnel regions. Height and regularity of septal loops variable by specimens and in the same specimen, and dome-shaped or mushroom-shaped with variable height and width. Some are filled with secondary deposits. Septal counts from the first to fifth whorl 7 to 9, 13 to 15, 17 to 21, 20 to 25, 26 in eight paratypes.

Tunnel less than a half as high as chambers in inner two whorls, and becomes higher in outer whorls. Its path narrow and almost straight in general, but irregularly zigzag in certain specimens. Chomata distinct in inner three to four whorls, but indistinct or absent in outer whorls. Axial fillings not present or weakly developed only in axial regions of inner whorls.

Remarks.—Many test characters, especially of shape and size of the test and chamber height of corresponding whorls, are more or less variable among specimens. These differences should be interpreted as intraspecific variations, since they change continuously and gradually by specimens from the same sample. The present specimens are distinguished from the known species of Akiyoshiellla by being shorter and wider in the corresponding whorls and having rounded to more bluntly pointed poles of the external test and of middle to outer whorls, by which they are considered to be a new species of the genus. Two specimens named Akiyoshiella ozawai and A. toriyamai by Ishii (1985) from Kaimori are different from the types, and are included in this new species. The former corresponds to the rounded forms and the latter to the elongate forms of this new species. Similarly, three specimens illustrated by Kobayashi (1994) from the Itsukaichi district (southern Kanto Mountains) should be separated from Akiyoshiella ozawai and reassigned to A. kaimoriensis by their smaller test than that of A. ozawai and by their mode of septal folding similar to that of this new species.

Occurrence.—Abundant in K-2 and common to rare in K-8.

Akiyoshiella ozawai Toriyama, 1953, p. 253, pl. 35, figs. 1–9; pl. 36, figs. 1–3; Watanabe, 1974, p. 387, p. 53, figs. 1–4; Ueno, 1989, pl. 2, fig. 10; Ozawa and Kobayashi, pl. 2, figs. 15–17; Kobayashi, 2017, figs. 7.17, 7.18.

Akiyoshiella sp. A Toriyama 1953, p. 255, pl. 36, figs. 4–8.

Akiyoshiella toriyamai Thompson, Pitrat, and Sanderson, 1953, p. 550, pl. 58, figs. 1–16; Watanabe, 1974, p. 387, pl. 53, figs. 5–10, Ueno, 1989, pl. 2, fig. 9.

Akiyoshiella fusulinoides Sosnina in Sosnina and Nikitina, 1976, p. 30, pl. 13, fig. 5.

Akiyoshiella sp. Sosnina and Nikitina, 1976, pl. 13, fig. 6.

Remarks.—Much larger specimens than Akiyoshiella kaimoriensis, though rare, were recognized only in sample K-9. They have five whorls, almost straight periphery and sharply pointed poles in the middle and outer whorls, by which they are identified with A. ozawai. These and other test characters closely resemble those of the holotype of A. ozawai (Toriyama, 1953, pl. 35, fig. 1) from the Akiyoshi Limestone Group. Periphery of the test in all other specimens of Toriyama (1953) is broadly rounded.

For the purpose of morphologic comparison among Akiyoshiella ozawai and A. kaimoriensis from Kaimori and A. ozawai from the Akiyoshi Terrane, nine specimens from three localities representing different stratigraphic levels in the Akiyoshi Limestone Group and two specimens from the Omi Limestone are illustrated in Figure 9. Specimens with an almost straight periphery such as the holotype are rather exceptional and fewer than others in the Akiyoshi Limestone Group (Figure 9). More inflated forms than the holotype and paratypes of the species are interpreted to represent broad morphologic variations of this species, since morphologic changes are continuous from specimen to specimen (Figure 9). Abnormally grown specimens of Akiyoshiella, wordily emphasized in Toriyama (1953), are rare at least in the Japanese materials.

Akiyoshiella fusulinoides proposed by Sosnina in Sosnina and Nikitina (1976) from Primorye is considered to be a junior synonym of A. ozawai because of having almost the same test characters as those of the types, and is attributed to an elongate form of the species. Thompson et al. (1953) proposed A. toriyamai from the Cache Creek Group of British Columbia by its slenderer test, smaller proloculus, and seemingly heavier axial fillings. In this paper, it is supposed to correspond to elongate forms of A. ozawai taking the broad morphologic variation of the species from the Akiyoshi Limestone Group into consideration (Toriyama, 1953; Figure 9). Similarly, specimens identified with A. toriyamai described by Watanabe (1974, pl. 53, figs. 5–10) from the Omi Limestone and that illustrated by Ueno (1989) from the Akiyoshi Limestone Group are attributed to A. ozawai.

Type species.—Fusulina montipara von Möller, 1878.

Triticites matsumotoi Kanmera, 1955, p. 184, pl. 11, figs. 6–25.

Triticites matsumotoi kattoi Suyari, 1962, p. 15, pl. 5, figs. 1–3.

Triticites matsumotoi suitaensis Suyari, 1962, p. 17, pl. 5, figs. 4–6.

Montiparus matsumotoi (Kanmera). Ozawa and Kobayashi, 1990, pl. 4, figs. 4, 5; Kobayashi, 1994, p. 632, figs. 4.17, 4.18; Y. Ota and M. Ota, 1993, pl. 1, figs. 4, 5; Kobayashi, 2017, p. 47, pl. 11, figs. 1–24.

Montiparus matsumotoi matsumotoi (Kanmera). Watanabe, 1991, figs. 18.7–18.12.

Montiparus matsumotoi inflatus Watanabe, 1991, figs. 18.1–18.6 (without description).

Remarks.—Considerable differences supposed to represent the intraspecific variation of Montiparus matsumotoi are recognized in the types from the Yayamadake Limestone (Kanmera, 1955). More inflated forms than M. matsumotoi were informally named as M. matsumotoi inflatus by Watanabe (1991) from the Omi Limestone without description. They resemble this species and might represent its inflated form. Two new subspecies, listed above, proposed by Suyari (1962) from the Miyanokuchi Formation, central part of Shikoku are also thought to be inflated forms of M. matsumotoi, as suggested by Kobayashi (1994).

One illustrated herein and some other, not well oriented specimens from sample S-2 are apparently identified with Montiparus matsumotoi in the close similarity of their test characters to those of the types from the Yayamadake Limestone (Kanmera, 1955) and of many specimens from the Wakatakeyama area of Akiyoshi (Kobayashi, 2017). One specimen illustrated as Triticites aff. montiparus (von Möller, 1878) by Ishii (1985) from the Shirasaki Limestone is distinguished both from M. montiparus and M. matsumotoi by its less developed chomata, though detailed comparison is impossible. Five specimens named T. stuartensis by Thompson (1965) from the Cache Creek Terrane in British Columbia are reassigned to Montiparus. They might be synonymous with M. matsumotoi, though having massive chomata not extending poleward.

Type species.—Fusulina obsoleta Schellwien, 1908.

Remarks.—As pointed out by Kobayashi (2017), significant differences are not easily found out even by the slight difference of wall composition between Obsoletes and Protriticites. Obsoletes obsoletus, designated as the type species of the genus (Kireeva, 1950), was assigned to Protriticites by Rozovskaya (1950), as well as by Putrya (1948) who established the genus Protriticites. Both genera are thought to be independent of each other by most workers without showing clear morphologic differences between the two. In this paper, Obsoletes is provisionally separated from Protriticites by its more elongate test with thinner wall.

Obsoletes burkemensis Volozhanina, 1962, p. 124, pl. 1, fig. 2; Kobayashi, 2017, p. 46, pl. 9, figs. 3, 5–9, 11, 12.

Fusulinella hirokoae Suyari, 1962 (pars), p. 13, pl. 3, figs. 9, 11, 13 (non pl. 3, figs. 10, 12 = indeterminate Protriticites): Sada, 1964, p. 239. pl. 23. figs. 12–15.

Schubertella popensis Thompson, 1965, p. 228, pl. 33, figs. 1–5. Obsoletes obsoletus (Schellwien). Ozawa and Kobayashi, 1990 (pars), pl. 3, figs. 17, 18 (non pl. 3, fig. 16 = Obsoletes obsoletus).

Praeobsoletes burkemensis (Volozhanina). Remizova, 1993, p. 166, fig. 1f, Davydov et al., 2000, pl. 8, figs. 8–10.

Remarks.—The Shirasaki specimens are closely similar to and identified with Obsoletes burkemensis originally described from the Protriticites Zone (lower Kasimovian) of the Timan-Pechora region by Volozhanina (1962) in their not so elongate test as in typical Obsoletes, tightly coiled inner whorls, and thinner wall in inner whorls. They are also identified with the eight specimens from the Wakatakeyama area of Akiyoshi (Kobayashi, 2017), in spite of more tightly coiled inner whorls and smaller proloculus in some of them. Three specimens among five proposed by Suyari (1962) as a new species of Fusulinella are considered to be reassigned to Obsoletes in their thinner wall with a protheca-like translucent layer not referable to a diaphanotheca. They are probably identical with O. burkemensis. The other two specimens among the five should be reassigned to Protriticites in their thicker translucent layer of the wall in the middle and outer whorls. Five specimens named Schubertella popensis by Thompson (1965) from British Columbia are closely similar to the three specimens among Suyari's (1962) five which are attributed herein to O. burkemensis. They are more or less different from almost all species of Schubertella on account of their much stronger chomata and much more rapidly expanding outer whorls.

This species was designated as the type species of Praeobsoletes proposed by Remizova (1993), who thought that Praeobsoletes is a transitional form from Fusulinella to Obsoletes. The species treated as Praeobsoletes was also reported from northern Greenland by Davydov et al. (2001). However, a detailed comparison is impossible on account of the few specimens and no description of morphologic features of the test. It seems to be not easy to separate Praeobsoletes from Obsoletes.

Type species.—Protriticites globulus Putrya, 1948.

Protriticites variabilis Bensh, 1972, p. 22, pl. 1, figs. 1–4; Kobayashi, 2017, p. 46, pl. 9, figs. 18–33.

Protriticites subschwagerinoides Rozovskaya, 1950. Ozawa and Kobayashi, 1990 (pars), pl. 3, fig. 20 (non pl. 3, figs. 19, 21 = Protriticites subschwagerinoides).

Description.—Test elongate fusiform with broadly arched periphery and bluntly pointed poles. Axis of coiling straight. Mature test consists of five and a half to six and a half whorls, about 2.9 to 3.9 mm in length and about 1.1 to 1.6 mm in width. Form ratio about 2.2 to 3.4. Proloculus spherical and 0.04 to 0.08 mm in diameter. The first to second whorls subspherical to inflated fusiform, tightly coiled, followed by succeeding whorls rather rapidly expanding outwards.

Wall thin, structureless in inner two whorls, and composed of tectum and thin lower layer in the next few whorls. In middle and outer whorls, wall consists of a tectum, finely perforate light-colored layer, and discontinuous lower tectorium. Faint alveolar keriotheca-like layer preserved in outer whorls in certain specimens. Thickness of wall about 0.04 to 0.06 mm in outer whorls.

Septa closely spaced, not folded in the median part of the test, but weakly folded in polar regions. Septal counts in the last whorls 17 to 19. Tunnel path almost straight. Chomata massive and well developed, but not present or rudimentary in the last whorl in most specimens.

Remarks.—The Shirasaki specimens of Protriticites are certainly identical with the types of Protriticites variabilis in their shape and size of the test, mode of septal folding, and development of chomata. A perforate layer partly appearing as a diaphanotheca is due to the weak recrystallization of the present material. Protriticites variabilis was originally described by Bensh (1972) from the lower Kasimovian of southern Fergana. Protriticites variabilis is also known from the lower Kasimovian of the Wakatakeyama area of Akiyoshi (Kobayashi, 2017). Although the present and the Akiyoshi specimens have considerably variable test characters, chomata are more massive and the test is a bit slenderer in the latter. One specimen among three identified with P. subschwagerinoides by Ozawa and Kobayashi (1990) is separated and reassigned to this species in its more elongate fusiform test. Protriticites robustus Ueno, 1991 and Protriticites sp. both described from the Akiyoshi Limestone Group by Ueno (1991) should be separated from the genus and transferred to a species of Montiparus on account of their larger test, larger proloculus, and thicker alveolar wall, as suggested by Kobayashi (2017).

Type species.—Fusulinella struvii von Möller, 1879.

Pseudoendothyra umbo Rozovskaya, 1963, p. 89, pl. 16, figs. 6, 7.

Remarks.—This species was proposed by Rozovskaya (1963) from the Protvinsky horizon (upper Serpukhovian) of the Moscow Basin for pseudoendothyrins having a moderately sized test with a more broadly rounded periphery and more deeply depressed umbilicus than other species. One axial and other oblique sections of the present material closely resemble the original ones in these characteristic features of the test.

Type species.—Fusulinella bradyi von Möller, 1878.

Pseudoendothyra musashiensis Kobayashi, 1994, p. 634, figs. 5.2–5.9.

Remarks.—The genus Reitlingerina is distinguished from Nankinella by its smaller test and fewer whorls, and from Pseudoendothyra by its pointed to bluntly pointed periphery. The two specimens (Figures 4.30, 4.31) are surely identical with Reitlingerina musashiensis, originally assigned to Pseudoendothyra, from the upper Serpukhovian (?) to lower Bashkirian limestone blocks of the Itsukaichi district (Kobayashi, 1994). The other (Figure 4.29) appears to be more alike to the type species of Pseudoendothyra, P. struvii illustrated by von Möller (1879) and Mikhailov (1939), by its larger form ratio of the test. However, it is included in this species taking the broad morphologic variation of the Itsukaichi material into account.