PERMIAN BRACHIOPODS FROM KARAKORUM (PAKISTAN). Pt.1

Five brachiopod associations were collected in the Permian successions of N Karakorum (Pakistan). The aim of this work is to describe the two oldest brachiopod assemblages. The oldest association has been assembled in the Asselian-Early Sakmarian Gircha Fm. It has been named Trigonotreta lyonsensis/Punctospirifer afghanus assemblage and it is characterized by low diversity and dominance of spiriferids, indicating cold climate conditions. The second assemblage was collected in the Sakmarian Lupghar Fm., Mb.1 of Upper Hunza valley and in the Sakmarian Lashkargaz Fm., Mb. 1 of Baroghil and Lashkargaz (Chitral). It has beennamed Hunzina electa gen. n. sp. n. assemblage and it is characterized by higher diversity than the oldest one, indicating warmer climate conditions. Furthermore Hunzina electa gen. n. sp. n. represents a marker in almost all the stratigraphic sections of N Karakorum. In the appendix two new genera, one new subgenus and nine new species of brachiopods collected in the Bolorian to Murgabian-Midian of Northern Karakorum are named and described