Comophyllia

Orbigny, 1849: 9

Type Species

Comophyllia elegans d’Orbigny, 1849: 9; Monotypy d’Orbigny, 1849: 9

Type Specimen: Holotype; MNHN coll. d'Orbigny, no 4565; Verified; Dry Preserved

Type Locality: Poisat near Nantua (Ain), France. “Corallian” , Late Jurassic.

Type species was briefly characterized in d’Orbigny 1850, 2: 40, and in Cottreau 1931: 178, pl. 63, fig. 12.

Diagnosis

Colony meandroid increasing by intracalicular budding with lamellar linkges; initial circumoral budding is followed by terminal budding and formation of radial, polycentric series. Collines tectiform, with synapticular wall in the middle; series composed of well delimited calices connected by septes-of–valleys. Septa irregularly perforated near the internal margin, with projections which form parietal columella; septal faces covered with pennulae. Endotheca dissepimental, abundant.

Description

Comophyllia elegans, indicated as the type species in d’Orbigny 1849, was briefly described by d’Orbigny 1850, vol. 2: 40. The genus was discussed by Alloiteau (1957: 240 and 293-294) who pointed to similarity between genera Comophyllia and Microphyllia d’Orbigny. Beauvais 1964: pl 36, fig.2 well presented a typical colony organization on the example of C. turbiformis. First description of septal micromorphology based on thin sections of C. polymorpha (Koby)was presented in Roniewicz 1976: 100, pl. 29, fig. 3a-c, 4a,b.

Comparisons

The genus was discussed by Alloiteau (1957: 240 and 293-294) who pointed to similarity between genera Comophyllia and Microphyllia d’Orbigny, and their possible synonymy. The similarity between the genera is observed in corallite structure, septal micromorphology and serial arrangement of corallites, but complex calicular series distinguish Comophyllia from monoserial Microphyllia. In corallite stucture, Comophyllia is similar also to thamnasterioid Fungiastraea Alloiteau, 1952, from which it differs in having radially distributed collins.

Remarks

Genus frequently described from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of Europe.

Distribution

• Western Europe; Late Jurassic
• Central Europe; Late Jurassic
• Southern Europe; Early Cretaceous

This page has been in preparation since 07-May-2009 10:29

This version was contributed by Ewa Roniewicz on 27-Nov-2010 16:00.

Page authors are: Ewa Roniewicz. Please contact the editor if you would like to contribute to the diagnosis of this taxon.

The editor is: Bernard Lathuilière