The Early Triassic Ammonoids of the Genus <i>Churkites</i> Okuneva, 1990: New findings in South Primorye and Phylogenetic Reconstructions

Data on the distribution of early Olenekian ammonoids of the genus Churkites (family Arctoceratidae Arthaber, 1911) from a new locality in South Primorye (Artyomovka River basin, Shtykovskiye Prudy) are given. The new species of Churkites (Ch. ungunensis sp. nov. and Ch. subungunensis sp. nov.) are described on the basis of material from the lower Olenekian zones of the Khabarovsk region (T.M. Okuneva’s collection) and South Primorye. The type species of the genus Churkites (Ch. egregius Zharnikova et Okuneva, 1990) is described in a different volume than previously proposed. It is proposed to distinguish three phylogenetic lineages within the genera Arctoceras (A. tuberculatum) and Churkites (six species): (I) Arctoceras tuberculatum – Churkites noblei – Ch. egregius, (II) Ch. egregius – Ch. syaskoi и (III) Ch. syaskoi – Ch. subungunensis – Ch. ungunensis.