FIRST CARBONIFEROUS CONULARIIDS FROM NIGER (WEST-AFRICA)

Two new conulariid species, Paraconularia feldmanni sp. nov. and P. sa hara sp. nov., are described from the Lower Carboniferous (Visean) Tal ak Formation of northern Niger. These are the first examples of the ge nus Paraconularia to be reported from Africa and the first Carbonifero us conulariids from that continent to be assigned to species level. Pr eviously reported Carboniferous conulariids from Africa were collected from Morocco, assigned to other genera, and left in open nomenclature . Paraconularia is interpreted to have been cosmopolitan by the Early Carboniferous, and is the dominant genus in most assemblages of Carbon iferous conulariids.