Cellulastraea
Blanckenhorn, 1890, p. 62
Cellulastraea Blanckenhorn, 1890, p. 62 is a junior synonym (available and invalid), see Cladophyllia Milne Edwards, 1851, 2: 363.
Type Species
Cellulastraea crenata Blanckenhorn, 1890, p. 62, pl. 2, figs. 13-15.; Original Designation
Type Specimen: Holotype; SMNS 60381; Verified; Dry Preserved
Type Locality: Lower Aptian of Lebanon (Abeih).
Classification
Remarks
The systematic position of the genus Cellulastraea Blanckenhorn, 1890, has long been discussed. Because of the presence of closely packed long individual corallites, it was believed to be a plocoid colony, belonging to the faviids or stylinids. Recently, it was grouped as a junior synonym of the genus Stylina (Löser et al., 2013, p. 11). Like Blanckenhorn himself, Felix (1913, p. 106-110) was of the opinion that this genus showed close affinities to forms of the Cyphastrea-Solenastrea-group. Vaughan and Wells (1943, p. 174) interpreted it to be a junior synonym of Solenastrea, and Wells (1956, p. F405) grouped it with Montastraea. However, investigations carried out by the author of the current work in 2013 revealed that by its thecal developments, Cellulastraea shows close affinities to the genus Cladophyllia Milne Edwards and Haime. Felix (1913) already pointed out such similarities, specifically referring to thecal developments seen in Cladophyllia articulata (Michelin). Because the holotype of the type species of Cellulastraea (C. crenata) is characterized by: 1) closely packed corallites in branching-phaceloid to subfasciculate integration; 2) has frequently but temporarily fused walls or is connected by exothecal developments (as seen e.g., in C. minor L. Beauvais, C. conybearei Milne Edwards and Haime, and the type material of the type species of the genus Cladophyllia [C. dichotoma]); 3) has compact septa that have small and sharply pointed granulae; 4) shows tabulate endothecal dissepiments in the corallite center and seem to have large vesicular ones in the peripheral areas; 5) has a mainly styliform to sublamellar columella (not mentioned by Blanckenhorn); 6) shows polyps in the process of septal division by fusion of opposite septa (typical of Cladophyllia; absent in Stylina); and 7) bears thecal developments which correspond to the type species of the genus Cladophyllia, C. dichotoma, the genus Cellulastraea is considered synonymous with Cladophyllia (Baron-Szabo, in press).
Distribution
- West Asia; Early Cretaceous
This page has been in preparation since 16-Aug-2010 18:28
This version was contributed by Rosemarie Baron-Szabo on 21-Aug-2014 14:58.
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: Rosemarie Baron-Szabo
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