Early Pennsylvanian, Bashkirian, echinoderms from eastern Iran, a potential transitional fauna between Laurentia/Avalonia and the Paleotethys, and a Permian cromyocrinid from central Iran

New echinoderm faunas are reported from the lower part of the Absheni Formation, Early Pennsylvanian, early Bashkirian, of central–eastern Iran. Southeastern localities near Howz-e-Dorah (southwestern side of the Shotori Range) are part of a carbonate-shelf deposit, and a northwestern locality near Shir Gesht is located within a marine bed within a siliciclastic deltaic sequence. The two horizons are considered coeval based on the co-occurrences of several echinoderm taxa and other fossils. The Howz-e-Dorah fauna is more diverse than the Shir Gesht fauna; both areas contain the most diverse micro-echinoderm faunas described. Faunas are transitional between Laurentia/Avalonia and Paleotethyan faunas. Both areas contain few articulated juvenile cups or crowns. However, disarticulated cup and stem ossicles are abundant and preserve the growth stages of some taxa. Similar ossicles occur in both areas. Microcrinoid and microblastoid thecae are also abundant with greater diversity in the Howz-e-Dorah area. In the 2- to 5-mm size fraction a number of radials with the radial facet on a stalk or a protruded platform are considered juveniles of uncertain adult taxa. Diversities of the faunas based on articulated specimens account for only one-quarter to one-third of the estimated diversity, including the disarticulated ossicles. A described microcrinoid thecae and a cup are considered the smallest described juvenile stages of Platycrinites and Synbathocrinus, respectively. New crinoid taxa introduced are Shotoricrinus transitorius n. gen. et sp., Culicocrinus shotoriensis n. sp., Camptocrinus enigmaticus n. sp., Platycrinites pannosus n. sp., Amphipsalidocrinus arendti n. sp., Epihalysiocrinus absheniensis n. sp., Catillocrinus levatus n. sp., Synbathocrinus dastanpouri n. sp., Alcimocrinus? mediaensis n. sp., Dichostreblocrinus inaquosus n. sp., Lampadosocrinus stellatus n. sp., Allagecrinus sevastopuloi n. sp., ?Kallimorphocrinus lanei n. sp., Litocrinus bullatus n. sp., Litocrinus conus n. sp., Desmacriocrinus asperulus n. sp., Desmacriocrinus bulbus n. sp., Trophocrinus granulosus n. sp. and øRhysocamax magnificus n. sp.

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