422 
A.M. De Pomeroy 
Schreiner 1983). There are no reports of these scales 
occurring elsewhere in horizons of varais Zone or 
younger age. Correlation with associated 
conodonts at Broken River gives a definite age 
range for the species in eastern Australia, possibly 
the youngest occurrence globally. 
Nostolepis Pander, 1856 
Type species 
N. striata Pander, 1856. 
Remarks 
In the almost 150 years since Pander erected the 
genus, scales and platelets with widely varying 
morphology have been ascribed to Nostolepis. 
Denison (1979) describes Nostolepis scales as being 
'variously ornamented with converging or parallel 
ridges, or with strong ribs', and, along with more 
recent workers, emphasises the importance of 
histological examination to reveal the distinctive 
Nostolepis-lype structure. Histological features 
typical of the genus include wide vascular canals, 
mesodentine in the crown, and Stranggewebe (C. 
Burrow, pers. comm.). It is likely that some 
specimens described as Nostolepis are a different 
taxon, and indeed, the whole concept of the genus 
is in need of review and clarification. However, the 
specimens from Broken River are ascribed to this 
genus for the present because of similarities with 
published forms (see below). 
The genus is commonly found worldwide in Late 
Silurian and Early Devonian horizons (Obruchev 
and Karatajute-Talimaa 1967; Gross 1971; Goujet 
1976; Denison 1979; Vieth 1980; Blieck et al. 1984; 
Wang 1984; Macadie 1985; Valiukevicius 1985,1988; 
Mader 1986; Pan Jiang and Dineley 1988; Turner 
and Murphy 1988; Boucot et al. 1989; Forey et al. 
1992; Lelievre et al. 1993). Nostolepis has been 
reported from later than Early Devonian at only 
two other localities (Valiukevicius 1985,1988) - N. 
kemavensis Valiukevicius, 1985 from the Upper 
Narva Regional Substage (Narov "Gorizont") of 
Lithuania, broadly equivalent to costatus Zone 
(Reshenie 1990), and Nostolepis sp. no. 11 from the 
Frasnian Gauja Regional Stage of the Baltic Region 
of the former USSR. Scales assigned to Nostolepis 
have been reported from several Australian Early 
Devonian localities - Cravens Peak Beds of 
Queensland, Tumblong, Trundle Beds, Condobolin 
Formation and Yarra Yarra Creek Group of NSW, 
Silverband Formation, Coopers Creek Limestone, 
Tyers and Buchan in Victoria (Long and Turner 
1984; Pickett et al. 1985; Turner 1991). No Nostolepis 
scales have been figured or described from the 
Broken River region, but N. striata is recorded as 
occurring in the Late Silurian Martins Well 
Limestone, and at Broken River Gorge, in strata of 
no given age (Long and Turner 1984). Two 
nostolepid scales in varais Zone at Broken River 
(Nostolepis cf. costata and Nostolepis sp. 1 - see 
below) are thus, with the exception of the Frasnian 
species from the Baltic, the youngest recorded 
occurrence of the genus. 
Nostolepis cf. costata Goujet, 1976 
Figures 3H, I, L 
Material 
Nine scales (QMF 31823, 4 + seven others). 
Localities 
SD128/78m, SD170/200-710 m, SD204/120 m 
and SAGW/20 m; Lomandra and Chinaman Creek 
limestones, Papilio Formation. 
Stratigraphic range 
Emsian to Givetian (specimens occur in serotinus, 
kockelianus, ensensis and varcus zones). 
Remarks 
These scales are similar to those of N. costata 
Goujet, 1976, described from the Early Devonian of 
Saint-Cenere, France. However, the crown of the 
Broken River scales lacks lateral blades with a 
denticulate margin as in N. costata. This may 
simply be the result of abrasion, as all specimens 
show some signs of wear. Also, the Broken River 
scales are smaller than those from France; the latter 
reach up to about 2 mm in length and width 
(Goujet 1976). 
These scales differ from those assigned to C. 
comptus (above) in the extension of the coronal ribs 
to the posterior point, the presence of bifuractions 
or short secondary ribs anteriorly, and the 
extension of the base beyond the crown on all 
sides. 
Description 
The flat crown, rounded anteriorly and tapering 
to a point posteriorly, has four or five strong, 
radiating ribs extending to the posterior point. 
These ribs may bifurcate at the anterior margin 
(Figure 3H), and there may be smaller, short 
secondary ribs between the main ones (Figure 3L). 
The shallow neck is indented and is deeper at the 
back (Figure 31). The diamond-shaped base is 
strongly convex and extends beyond the crown on 
all sides (Figure 3L). Size of unbroken specimens is 
in the range 0.5-0.7 mm in length and width, with 
depth about 0.4-0.5 mm. Histological sections were 
not attempted because of the small number of 
specimens and the generally poor state of 
preservation. 
Discussion 
Forms assigned to N. costata are said to be 
