Study of Late Permian (Wuchiapingian) brachiopods of sedimentary succession at the Zal section, Northwest Iran

Julfa Beds at Zal section, northwest Iran, with 33 meter thickness, are composed of gray, cream to red limestones, nodular in some parts with intercalations of green, gray to red shales. They are very important because they are very rich in the Late Permian brachiopod. This research, which is focused on the mentioned fauna from the Zal section, is led to identification of 38 species of 21 genera belong to orders: Athyridida, Orthotetida, Orthida, Productida, Rhynchonellida, Spiriferida and Terebratulida. Three taxon range zone, including Araxilevis intermedius Zone, Permophricodothyris ovata Zone and Transcaucasathyris araxensis Zone and one Permophricodothyris ovata - Transcaucasathyris araxensis Interval Zone are defined in this section. The mentioned biozones and their comparison with the same sequences in Iran, Transcaucasica and South China confirm the age of Wuchiapingian (Dzhulfian) for this succession.