ATOKAN (LATE BASHKIRIAN OR EARLY MOSCOVIAN) BRACHIOPODS FROM THE HARE-FJORD FORMATION OF ELLESMERE ISLAND, CANADIAN ARCTIC ARCHIPELAGO

The Atokan (late Bashkirian or early Moscovian) brachiopod fauna from the lowermost Hare Fiord Formation in northern Ellesmere Island consis ts of at least 62 species, of which 18 are new, in at least 53 genera, of which three are new. New genera are the productoid Lazarevia, type species L. stepanowensis n. sp., the stenoscismatoid Careoseptum, typ e species C. septentrionalis n. sp., and an externally similar rhyncho nelloid, Exlaminella, type species E. insolita n. sp. Other new specie s include Orthotichia dorsistrigis, Plicatiferina kalashnikovi, Rugive stis pristina, Maemia gelida, ?Fimbrinia borealis, Liraria paucispina, ?Elassonia sverdrupensis, Antronaria annosa, Camarium nuperum, Nucleo spira aquilonaris, Tiramnia walteri, Tiramnia grunti, ?Heteraria canad iensis, Elinoria ellesmerensis, Parachoristites tellevakensis, and Cra naena nassichuki. This diverse fauna bears clear northern European Rus sian affinities, as do similar-age faunas from the northern Yukon Terr itory and southeastern Alaska. This suggests that there was an open se away which allowed free faunal dispersion and communication between no rthern European Russia to the east and also with the northern Yukon Te rritory and the southeastern Alaska Alexander Terrane to the southwest .