Leymeriellidae (Cretaceous ammonites) from the lower Albian of Esfahan and Khur (Central Iran)

Leymeriellid ammonite faunas are described from northeast of Esfahan and the Khur area (Central Iran). The faunas comprise Leymeriella (L.) tardefurcata, L. (L.) germanica and L. (L.) acuticostata? as well as L. (Neoleymeriella) regularis, L. (N.) diabola and L. (Neoleymeriella) pseudoregularis?. The leymeriellids of Iran are closely related to faunas from northwest Europe, the Vocontian Basin and Transcaspia (Mangyschlak) and thus allow for biostratigraphic correlations, indicating the earliest Albian Leymeriella tardefurcata Zone with its superimposed L. acuticostata and L. regularis subzones. We suggest that the sudden appearance of common representatives of the genus Leymeriella in the northern and Central Iranian basins (Leymeriella acme) can be used as a useful proxy marker to define the base of the Albian Stage in Iran.