Ellipsoidastraea
Alloiteau, 1957, p. 348
The familial assignation could be Procyclolitidae or Conophyllidae ??
Type Species
Ellipsoidastraea lucasi Alloiteau, 1957, p. 347, pl. 7 fig. 1; Monotypy
Type Specimen: Holotype; MNHN J08919; Verified; Dry Preserved
Type Locality: Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) of Raha Zerga (Algeria)
The holotype is figure pl.7 fig. 1. Around 150 paratypes exist in the MNHN collection and thin sections of another specimen. We got two new sections more from a paratype. Another species was created by Brede et al 1989 with good illustrations.
Description
Cyclolitoid solitary coral. Circular in outline but a very elongate fossa gives a strong bilateral symmetry. Radial elements are numerous, compact, straight or slightly curved (depending on the angular position to the elongated fossa), with a global thickness rather constant (if the ornamentation is neglected), anastomosed. Ornamentation made of pennules and more often mi-pennules. No strict pennular alternation. Synapticules absent but edge of pennules often join the neighbouring septum, vesicular dissepiments numerous. Wall absent or present. Parietal columella.
Remarks
The above description is based on the observation of the holotype of the type-species and on new longitudinal radial sections. There are important discrepancies between the original description by Alloiteau (1957) and with Brede et al 1989 especially with regards to the misinterpretation of septal ornamentation (pennules, mi pennules) and the so-called endotheca and synapticulae. The new sections show that there are no rod-like structures joining neighbouring septa. A distinction is to be done between septal ornamentation and dissepiments. Two nominal species known
Distribution
- North Africa; Early Jurassic - Middle Jurassic
This page has been in preparation since 18-Aug-2009 17:35
This version was contributed by Bernard Lathuilière on 28-Apr-2012 18:35.
Page authors are: Bernard Lathuilière. Please contact the editor if you would like to contribute to the diagnosis of this taxon.
The editor is: Bernard Lathuilière
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