Stiptognathus new genus (Conodonta : Ibexian, lower Ordovician), and the apparatus of Stiptognathus borealis (Repetski, 1982)

Collections from upper Ibexian (Tulean Stage) rocks of western United State s, from the Canning Basin in western Australia, and from the Argentine Prec ordillera contain a seximembrate apparatus of multidenticulate conodonts wh ose elements have been included by authors in species of Prioniodus Pander, 1986, and Reutterodus Serpagli, 1974. The individual elements as well as t he complete apparatus are not consistent with assignment of the species to either of these genera or to any other extant genus. A new generic name, St iptognathus Ethington, Lehnert, and Repetski, is proposed with Reutterodus borealis Repetski, 1982, as type species. The apparatus consists of Pa, Pb, Sa-c, and M elements; the genus represents either the Prioniodontidae or t he Periodontidae.