Bryozoans from the lower Silurian (Telychian) Hanchiatien Formation from southern Chongqing, South China

Eight bryozoan species are described from the Hanchiatien Formation (lower Silurian, Telychian) of southern Chongqing, South China. Four species are new: the trepostomes Asperopora sinensis n. sp., Trematopora jiebeiensis n. sp., and Trematopora tenuis n. sp., and the fenestrate Moorephylloporina parvula n. sp. One species, the cystoporate Hennigopora sp. indet., is described in open nomenclature. Moorephylloporina parvula n. sp. is eurytopic, occurring in all types of facies within the bioherms. Erect MoorephylloporinaBassler, 1952, TrematoporaHall, 1852, and LeioclemaUlrich, 1882 formed pioneering communities on weakly cemented substrata, whereas encrusting FistuliporaM‘Coy, 1849, HennigoporaBassler, 1952, and AsperoporaOwen, 1969 occurred on hardgrounds and formed densely compact framestones. Robust branched Trematopora and Leioclema tend to occur out of the reef core (framework) where they could have formed reef-flank thickets in more agitated conditions. The generic composition of the studied fauna correlates with other localities in South China, and they show general paleobiogeographic relations to Siberia and Indiana, USA.