Late Permian - Early Triassic conodonts of the Zal section at the northwest of Iran

In this research, gray, green, red to cream limestone, shale and marly deposits of the Julfa, Alibashi and lower part of Elikah Formation at the Zal stratigraphic section, NW Iran, with 67.20 meter thickness have been studied based on conodonts. This investigation is led to identification of 27 species and 4 subspecies belong to 5 different genera of conodonts while a proposed new subspecies Clarkina leveni zalensis n. sub sp. belonging to the species Clarkina leveni have been described. Also, 18 conodont zones with the age of Wuchiapingian – Griesbachian have been determined. Amongst them, 5 biozones belong to Wuchiapingian, 10 to Changhsingian and 3 to Griesbachian whereas the Late Permian extinction horizon is located on the upper surface of the Paratirolites Limeston last bed like other sections in the Alibashi Mountains re gion. In addition, Wuchiapingian – Changhsingian boundary is located at the Julfa to Alibashi formations boundary and the Permian – Triassic boundary placed at the gray calcareous parts of the lower Elikah Formation, .90 m above the extinction horizon. Unlike some recent entries, the boundary between Alibashi and Elikah formations are continuous due to the presence of two conodont zones Clarkina meishanensis – Hindeodus praeparvus As. Zone and Merrillina ultima – Stepanovites ?mostleri As. Zone in the marine shaly Araxes member and lower carbonate part of the Elikah Formation, occurrence of small orthotetid brachiopods, bellerophontid gastropods and numerous Bairdiidae ostracods in this shaly member even several preceding geochemical and isotopic studies.