Mixastraea
Roniewicz, 1976: 97
Type Species
Mixastraea danubica Roniewicz, 1976:98, pl. 28, fig.2a,b 3, 4; Monotypy Roniewicz,1976: 97
Type Specimen: Holotype; GGUB 168; Verified; Dry Preserved
Type Locality: Topalu, Dobrogea, Rumania. Early Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic
Classification
Diagnosis
Cerioid, massive, composed of polygonal corallites, or subphaceloid. Calices with tectiform walls. Radial elements thin, non-confluent, anastomosing. Septal faces pennular; pennules thin. Columella parietal. Wall septothecal. Increase intracalicular with lamellar connections; in later stage, the connection interrupts and corallites become limitd by walls.
Description
The type species is known only from original description and illustrations; its inner structure is presented in thin sections. Cretaceous species, well documented with clear illustrations of thin sections, were described by Morycowa and Marcopoulou-Diacantoni 2002: 56-58, fig. 36A-E).
Comparisons
From the most similar Latiastrea Beauvais, a cerioid coral with pennular micromorphology of septa, it differs in the mode of budding with lamellar linkages, while in Latiastrea no skeletal elements are linking the centers. From Comophyllia d’Orbigny it differs in cerioid, not serial corallite arrangement. Other homeomorphic genera, like Trigerastrea Alloiteau, or Siderastreites Roniewicz have granular, not pennular septal ornamentation, so, they differ in the microstructure of the skeleton.
Remarks
Three species are known.
Distribution
- Central Europe; Late Jurassic
- Southern Europe; Early Cretaceous
- Central America; Early Cretaceous
- Western Europe; Late Cretaceous
This page has been in preparation since 19-Aug-2009 16:01
This version was contributed by Ewa Roniewicz on 23-Nov-2010 17:01.
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
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