Tethocyathus
Kuehn, 1933, p. 200
Tethocyathus Kuehn, 1933, p. 200 is junior synonym (available and invalid), see Trochocyathus Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848.
Type Species
Thecocyathus microphyllus Reuss, 1871, p. 220, pl. 2, figs. 8-9, pl. 19, fig. 1; Original Designation
Type Specimen: Holotype; ; Verified; Dry Preserved
Type Locality: Miocene: Moravia
Classification
Diagnosis
Corallum solitary, turbinate to ceratoid, attached by a polycyclic base or free; septotheca covered with thick, wrinkled epitheca; paliform lobes occur before all but last septal cycle in 2 crowns; columella papillose.
Comparisons
The genus Tethocyathus Kühn, 1933, had been distinguished from Trochocyathus by the presence of both a narrow edge zone and an extensive epitheca (Wells 1956). Because the development of an epithecal wall is dependent on the presence of a narrow edge zone (opinion S. Cairns 2008), it first of all means that the two genera are actually only distinguished by a single characteristic (=presence of a narrow edge zone). In addition, while it seems questionable whether the feature of a wide or narrow edge zone could be used to separate genera (opinion S. Cairns 2008), this distinguishing characteristic (= “epithecal wall absent in Trochocyathus but present in Tethocyathus”) does not exist because the presence of an epithecal wall in Trochocyathus was observed (see discussion in Baron-Szabo, 2008, p. 55).
Remarks
Tethocyathus Kühn is like Trochocyathus but with extensive epitheca. Two fossil species and 7 Recent species have been described as having this feature.
Distribution
This page has been in preparation since 08-Oct-2008 15:21
This version was contributed by Rosemarie Baron-Szabo on 11-Sep-2010 18:48.
Page authors are: Stephen D. Cairns Rosemarie Baron-Szabo. Please contact the editor if you would like to contribute to the diagnosis of this taxon.
The editor is: Stephen D. Cairns
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