''Mazzaella'' is an extinct genus of Late Triassic ozarkodinid

conodonts Conodonts (Greek ''kōnos'', " cone", + ''odont'', "tooth") are an extinct group of agnathan (jawless) vertebrates resembling eels, classified in the class Conodonta. For many years, they were known only from their tooth-like oral elements, whic ...

in the family

Gondolellidae Gondolellidae is an extinct family of conodonts in the order Ozarkodinida Ozarkodinida is an extinct conodont order. It is part of the clade Prioniodontida, also known as the "complex conodonts". Name Ozarkodinida is named after the Ozark M ...

. They are found in mid-

Julian Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (give ...

sediments of the

Tethys Ocean The Tethys Ocean ( el, Τηθύς ''Tēthús''), also called the Tethys Sea or the Neo-Tethys, was a prehistoric ocean that covered most of the Earth during much of the Mesozoic Era and early Cenozoic Era, located between the ancient continents ...

, including strata in Europe (Germany, Hungary, Italy) and Turkey. The type species of ''Mazzaella'', ''Mazzaella carnica'', was originally designated as ''

Epigondolella ''Epigondolella'' is an extinct genus of conodonts in the family Gondolellidae. Synonyms '' Mazzaella'' is a new genus for ''Epigondolella carnica'' Krystyn (1975). Use in stratigraphy The top of the Norian (or the base of the Rhaetian, in ...

carnica'' Krystyn (1975). It has been used as an index fossil, defining the middle of three Julian conodont biozones according to a 2018 update to Tethyan conodont biostratigraphy. The genus also includes a rarer species, ''Mazzaella baloghi'', originally ''

Metapolygnathus ''Metapolygnathus'' is an extinct genus of platform conodonts. Synonyms '' Mazzaella'' is a new genus that also includes ''Metapolygnathus baloghi'' Kovacs (1977). Use in stratigraphy The top of the Carnian or the base of the Norian The ...

baloghi'' Kovacs (1977). ''Mazzaella'' appears to be a descendant of ''Metapolygnathus ( Quadralella)'' ''auriformis''. Relative to ''Metapolygnathus'', ''Mazzaella'' has a moderately elongated free blade and strong platform nodes. The platform is broader and the free blade is proportionally longer in ''M. baloghi'', relative to ''M. carnica''. Although its overall shape is similar to ''

Carnepigondolella ''Carnepigondolella'' is an extinct genus of conodonts of the Late Triassic The Late Triassic is the third and final epoch (geology), epoch of the Triassic geologic time scale, Period in the geologic time scale, spanning the time between annu ...

'', the platform of ''Mazzaella'' is smaller and not laterally restricted, and there appears to be no direct link between the two genera. The name is a tribute to Italian paleontologist

Michele Mazza Michele (), is an Italian male given name, akin to the English male name Michael. Michele (pronounced ), is also an English female given name that is derived from the French Michèle. It is a variant spelling of the more common (and identically ...

References

Ozarkodinida genera Triassic conodonts Late Triassic fish Triassic fish of Europe Fossils of Germany Natural history of Hungary Fossils of Italy Fossils of Turkey {{conodont-stub