Carboniferous Brachiopods from Akiyoshi, Southwest Japan Part Ⅰ

A large collection of brachiopods made from the Millerella zone of the Akiyoshi limestone group at Yobara, Akiyoshi limestone plateau thirteen species distributed among ten genera. Known species of Phricodothyris, Spirifer, Cleiothyridina, Actinoconchus, Composita, Dielasma, Pugnax, Schizophoria, and new species of Brachythyris and Yanishewskiella are described in this paper. Brachiopods are rare in Japanese Carboniferous rocks, but the fauna herein described is the richest and best preserved yet found. It constitutes a unique faunal assemblage allied to the Upper Visean brachiopods of Europe and to those of southern Asia and Australia.