Rhabdophyllia

Milne Edwards, 1851, p. 83

Erroneously put in synonymy with Calamophyllia in Vaughan and Wells 1943 and Wells 1956

Type Species

Rhabdophyllia phillipsi Milne-Edwards and Haime 1851, p. 83; Subsequent Designation

Type Specimen: Syntype; NHMUK 56270; Verified; Dry Preserved

Type Locality: Coral rag (Oxfordian, Upper Jurassic) of Malton (Great Britain)

The type material was figured and redescribed by Edwards and Haime 1851, p. 87, pl. 15 fig. 3. Edwards and Haime used syntypes whose the specimen 56270 is kept in the British Museum and is not the figured specimen. A small transverse polishing allows some observations

Description

Phaceloid or dendroid corallum with corallites cylindrical to elongated in outline. Epitheca absent. Subequal regularly granulated roof shaped costae. Intracalicular increase. Radial elements are compact, free, bicuneiform, straight to tortuous costosepta. Septal part highly unequal in thickness. Distal edge not observed, inner edge with detached trabeculae that form a papillose columella. Lateral faces with strong granules, no pali. Microstructure unknown. Hexameral symmetry not deciphered, bilateral symmetry linked to the elongation of the calice during the intracalicular budding. Endotheca not visible on the syntype , columella papillose, synapticulae absent, parathecal wall.

Remarks

On the syntype sample, there is an independent fragment of colony, which is similar but completely smooth, without costae. Then, the relationship with Calamophylliopsis should be investigated more thoroughly. Eight nominal species in Jurassic, 20 in Cretaceous

This page has been in preparation since 20-Aug-2009 07:33

This version was contributed by Bernard Lathuilière on 05-Feb-2010 13:18.

Page authors are: Bernard Lathuilière. Please contact the editor if you would like to contribute to the diagnosis of this taxon.

The editor is: Bernard Lathuilière