New ammonoid localities from the southern Delaware Mountains and Seven Heart Gap, Culberson County, west Texas

Abundant literature and faunal descriptions for the northern Delaware Mountains are available whereas few exist for the southern Delaware Mountain region. Using +300 ammonoid samples collected by Dr. Lambert and Dr. M. Nestell over seven localities in the southern Delaware Mountains and Seven Heart Gap area, this study aims to increase the knowledge of the Permian ammonoid taxa of this region. Adding to the regions known taxa, Mexicoceras guadalupense, Altudoceras serratum, the following species and families are newly identified: Altudoceras altudense, Altudoceras spp., Daubichites sp., Cibolites uddeni?, Paraceltites elegans, P. hoeferi, P. spp., Roadoceras spp., Thalassoceras sp., and other unidentified Cyclolobidae, Paraceltitinae, and Pseudogastrioceratinae. These ammonoids firmly place the studied southern Delaware Mountain region localities in the Wordian and Roadian. A synthetic chart of Permian ammonoids with order, family and genus was compiled from up-to-date literature in order to review current knowledge of those fossils. A new non-destructive investigation technique was proven efficient and effective for analyzing ammonoid molds and casts. Identification of features and characteristics of very small and damaged specimens, using 3-D imaging microscopy, can be easily viewed and recorded. This new technique will revolutionize the study of ammonoids.