Tethocyathus
Kuehn, 1933, p. 200
Tethocyathus Kuehn, 1933, p. 200 is a 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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