Icaunhelia menchikoffi ( Beauvais, 1986 ) Vasseur & Lathuilière, 2021

Vasseur, Raphaël & Lathuilière, Bernard, 2021, Pliensbachian corals from the Western Tethys, Geodiversitas 43 (22), pp. 1187-1291 : 1197-1198

Icaunhelia menchikoffi ( Beauvais, 1986) , n. comb.

( Fig. 4 )

Archaeosmilia menchikoffi Beauvais, 1986: 12 , pl. 2, fig. 3 and txtfig. 4. — Vasseur 2018: 127-128, fig. 3.9.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype MNHN.F.R11594 ( Beauvais 1986: 12, pl. 2, fig. 3 and txt-fig. 4). TYPE HORIZON. — Pliensbachian . TYPE LOCALITY. — Beni Tadjit, Maroc. STUDIED SAMPLES. — Nine specimens: holotype: MNHN.F.R11594 ; paratypes: MNHN.F.R11595, CPUN1703 A4-1, CPUN 2303 A1-5, CPUN 2303 A1-7, CPUN 2303 A1-8, CPUN 2303 A4, CPUN AM16177-7, CPUN AM16188-13. GEOGRAPHIC AND STRATIGRAPHIC RANGES. — Pliensbachian from Beni Tadjit and Amellagou ( Morocco).

DESCRIPTION

Solitary corallum of various morphologies: tends to be cylindrical, ceratoid or subconical, circular to elliptic in outline. Radial elements are compact, free, straight or curved septa with smooth lateral faces. The inner edge is sometimes rhopaloid in depth. Septa show a lamellar mode of growth with successive deposits of sclerenchyme (as “glove fingers” according to Beauvais 1986), resulting in wedge-shaped septa characteristic of Archaeosmiliidae family. Endotheca sometimes observed, made of vesicular dissepiments in continuity with the wall and septa. Parathecal wall. An epitheca s.l. wraps the corallum. Calicular diameter: 11 to 26 mm – Number of septa: 12 to 20 – Septal density: 1 to 3 for 5 mm.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Icaunhelia menchikoffi (Beauvais,1986):A, distal view of the holotype MNHN.F.R11594; B, distal view of the specimen MNHN.F.R11595; C, distal view of the specimen CPUN 2303A1-7, D, lateral view of the holotype MNHN.F.R11594; E, transverse thin section in sample CPUN 2303A1-5; F, lateral peripheral view of the endotheca in continuity with septa in the specimen MNHN.F.R11595. Scale bars: A, B, C, E, F, 5 mm; D, 1 cm.