MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE CONODONT GENUS ELICTOGNATHUS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE GENUS SIPHONODELLA

The transition from single-element to multi-element taxonomy was one of the largest advances in conodont paleobiology but the multi-element apparatus for many species are still unknown for several intervals of time. A prime example of this are conodonts of the lower Mississippian, where many zonally significant pectinoform element species are not paired with their ramiform assemblage. One of the most abundant and diverse P₁ element species for this interval is Siphonodella but little is known about its apparatus. Previous work has proposed that Elictognathus likely represents the P₂ element associated with Siphonodella due to the nearly identical stratigraphic range of these two genera.

More than ten Siphonodella species have been named, compared to the fewer distinct Elictognathus species described. First, we performed morphometric analyses on new samples as well as previously published specimens of Elictognathus to evaluate the range of morphological diversity within specimens referred to this genus in an effort to determine if more morphologically distinct species exist than currently recognized. Second, we study the temporal and geographic variability within Elictognathus compared to Siphonodella to see if Elictognathus was truly more conservative throughout the lower Mississippian. Lastly, we will evaluate the stratigraphic relationships and co-occurrences between species of Elictognathus and species of Siphonodella to determine if any potential P₁ and P₂ element pairs are present.