New records and new taxa of Permian brachiopods from the Khuff Formation, Midhnab Member, central Saudi Arabia

Brachiopods are described for the first time from outcrops of the lower part of the Midhnab Member of the Khuff Formation in central Saudi Arabia. The very rare fauna discovered includes Kotlaia sp. ind. of the order Orthida and Omanilasma husseinii n. gen. n. sp. of the order Terebratulida. Besides this new taxon, another new species Omanilasma desertica n. gen. n. sp. from the Khuff Formation of Interior Oman is here erected. The brachiopods were collected from an open-marine horizon and are associated with nautiloids, bactritids, bivalves, foraminifers, algae, and ostracods. A probable Late Permian age is assigned to the lower part of the Midhnab Member based on foraminifers. The brachiopods are compared to similar faunas from the Middle Permian Khuff Formation of Interior Oman, Amb Formation of Salt Range (Pakistan) and Rat Buri Limestone of Southeast Thailand.