THREE NEW CRINOIDS FROM THE LOWER DEVONIAN OF BOLIVIA

Little is known of crinoid faunas from the Lower Devonian of South America; therefore, the three new Lower Devonian crinoids reported here from Bolivia are important discoveries. Two new taxa are from the Cerro Kochis Formation in the Cochabamba Department, one of which has been identified as a Rhodocrinitidae. An additional camerate from the Melocritinidae family is reported from the Belèn Formation of the Altiplano region in the La Paz Department. In addition, a poorly preserved blastoid was recovered from the Altiplano region. These crinoids are described. These taxa were previously unknown from South America. The specimens from the Cochabamba Department are from below the Franchovichia zone preserved in a carbonate mud. The specimens from the Altiplano are from siliciclastic rocks.