Agatheliopsis
Loeser, 2014, p. 308
Agatheliopsis Loeser, 2014, p. 308 is a junior synonym (available and invalid), see Tubastraea Lesson, 1829, p. 93.
Type Species
Agatheliopsis orientalis Loeser, 2014, p. 308; Original Designation
Type Specimen: Holotype; NHMUK AZ 562; Verified; Dry Preserved
Type Locality: Upper Campanian-Maastrichtian of UAE/Oman border region.
Classification
Description
In having 1) a porous, synapticulothecal wall; 2) costae that are present or absent; 3) corallites that are frequently covered by fibrose layers that are genetically unrelated to the synaticulothecal walls of the corallites; 4) branching corallite integration with subsequent development of exothecal coenosteum (=subdendroid-subfasciculate; plocoid-subcerioid generally only referring to corallite integration of individual branches); 4) an often rather large spongy columella that generally fused to axial ends of septa; and 5) septa with (rare) pores, the holotype of the type species of Agatheliopsis differs from the agatheliid type but closely corresponds to the dendrophylliid genus Tubastraea. In the nominate taxon of the family Agathelia, 1) costosepta are compact and often have strongly developed costae; 2) synapticulae are absent; 3) the corallite integration is plocoid (and not branching with subsequently developed exothecal filling); and 4) septothecal walls are with or without thick perithecal developments.
Remarks
Originally, the type material of the type species of Agatheliopsis was assigned to the dendrophyllid taxon Dendrophyllia nodosa Reuss in Baron-Szabo, 2000, p. 112. While all its features (as described above) are characteristic of Dendrophyllia, the lack of septa that are developed according to Pourtales plan excludes it from the genus Dendrophyllia but closely agrees with the dendrophylliid genus Tubastraea.
Distribution
- East Asia; Late Cretaceous
This page has been in preparation since 12-Sep-2014 15:03
This version was contributed by Rosemarie Baron-Szabo on 29-Oct-2014 14:18.
Page authors are: 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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