epitheca

Summary

commonly used to refer to the thin, external, non-trabecular, thecal sheath surrounding an individual corallite. The structure is also typically wrinkled with fine growth ridges more or less parallel to the distal margin of the corallite. True epitheca (previously distinguished by some authors as 'pellicular epitheca') strictly shows centripetal (inward) growth. Tectura is superficially very similar but shows centrifugal (outward growth). Most corals have not yet been investigated for this distinction, so epitheca has been retained here as the default term. Epitheca (default sense) encloses all the corallites within the colonies of most, if not all, tabulate and rugosan taxa, and is seen in transverse thin sections as a median line. See also Holotheca, Median line.

Orthography

Not yet available.

Modifiers

• pellicular epitheca
• groove-and-tubercle structure epitheca

Description

Not yet available.

This version was contributed by Ken Johnson on 22-Apr-2008 14:35.