Oepikodus Lindström, 1955

Zhen, Yong Yi, Percival, Ian G. & Webby, Barry D., 2003, Early Ordovician Conodonts from Far Western New South Wales, Australia, Records of the Australian Museum 55 (2), pp. 169-220 : 199

Oepikodus Lindström, 1955

Type species. Oepikodus smithensis Lindström, 1955 .

Remarks. Revision of the original form species concept ( Lindström, 1955) led to recognition of a trimembrate apparatus consisting of prioniodiform, oepikodiform, and oistodiform elements ( Lindström, 1971; Lindström, in Ziegler, 1975; Lindström, in Ziegler, 1977; Bergström & Cooper, 1973; van Wamel, 1974). Subsequently, Sweet (1988) and Johnston & Barnes (2000) interpreted the genus as consisting of a quinquimembrate apparatus incorporating three morphotypes of ramiform S elements . Further recognition of two pastinate (Pa and Pb) elements (Stouge & Bagnoli, 1988; Albanesi, in Albanesi et al., 1998) and four morphotypes of ramiform S (Sb1, Sb2, Sc, and Sd) elements ( Repetski, 1982) imply a seximembrate or septimembrate apparatus for the genus, including pastinate Pa and Pb, makellate M, and ramiform S elements . In a more recent revision (Stewart & Nicoll, in press; Nicoll & Ethington, in press), Oepikodus was defined as consisting of a septimembrate apparatus, including pastinate Pa and Pb, makellate M, and quadriramate or modified quadriramate S elements . Nicoll & Ethington (in press) suggested that Oepikodus can be distinguished from Prioniodus (and Baltoniodus ) mainly on the basis of the morphology of their Sa elements , those of Oepikodus being quadriform alate, while Sa elements in the other two genera are triform alate.