A Late Middle Cambrian fauna from the Que River Beds, western Tasmania

Abstract

A late Middle Cambrian (Ptychagnostus) punctuosus or P. nathorsti Zone) fauna occurs in the Que River Beds, Western Tasmania. Hydroids, dendroids and a possible aglaspid have been described previously. The remaining fauna of ten species of agnostid trilobites, one species of acrotretid brachiopod, various sponge spicules and one bradoriid specimen is described herein. The fauna is unusual in that no polymerid trilobites are known and that there is a very high percentage of complete agnostid specimens. One new agnostid species Ptychagnostus (?) murchisoni is described. One probable new agnostid genus and one probable new species of Diplagnostus are left in open nomenclature, because of their poor preservation.