Wuchiapingian and early Changhsingian ammonoid biostratigraphy in northwestern Iran

The Permian–Triassic sedimentary succession in the Julfa region is lithostratigraphically composed of limestones and shales of the Julfa Formation, the Zal Member shales, and the Paratirolites Limestone of the Ali-Bashi Formation, as well as shales and carbonate beds of the Elikah Formation. The Lower Julfa Beds are rich in benthic organisms such as brachiopods and corals, while the Upper Julfa Beds and Ali-Bashi Formation contain pelagic assemblages including ammonoids, fishes, and conodonts. These rocks have already been studied from different palaeontological and geochemical perspectives, but most have focused on the strata near the Permian–Triassic boundary. In the present study, ammonoids from older intervals around the Wuchiapingin–Changhsingian boundary in the four stratigraphic sections Aras Valley, Ali-Bashi 1, Ali-Bashi 4, and Zal are outlined. Fourteen genera and 22 species of ammonoids were identified and assigned to five successive biozones. The Araxocers latissimum Zone in the Lower Julfa Beds and the Vedioceras ventrosulcatum Zone in the Upper Julfa Beds document the Wuchiapingian. Following upwards, the Iranites transcaucasius-Phisonites triangulus Zone, Dzhulfites nodosus Zone and Shevyrevites shevyrevi Zone in the Zal Member confirm an early Changhsingian age. This follows the previously presented ages based on conodonts.