The fusulinid genus Afghanella, with Afghanella schencki as the genotype, first was proposed and described by M. L. Thompson in 1946. The specimens came from the Bamian Limestone 7 km west of the summit of Shibar Pass, northwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. At that time he assigned to this genus Neoschwagerina sumatrinaeformis Gubler from what is now Cambodia and Sumatrina pusuliensis Ozawa and Tobler from Greece, and stated that Afghanella occurred widely in the Permian Tethyan regions of Europe and Asia. Afghanella has now been reported or described (11 species at last count) from many localities in the Tethys region (e.g., Tunisia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Soviet Tadzhikistan, China, and Japan) where it is associated with fusulinids of the Verbeekina-Neoschwagerina zone.

Cutbill and Forbes (1967) have suggested that the prolocular diameter and its effect on comparisons by volution can lead to difficulties in the description of fusulinids. They suggest that the comparison of measurements at equal radii instead of by volution may help eliminate this problem. The present study concerns a discussion and comparison of species of Afghanella from the Tethys region and the use of ideas of Cutbill and Forbes in attempting to differentiate populations of Afghanella.

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