Distichophyllia pauciseptata, Vasseur & Lathuilière, 2021

Vasseur, Raphaël & Lathuilière, Bernard, 2021, Pliensbachian corals from the Western Tethys, Geodiversitas 43 (22), pp. 1187-1291 : 1248-1249

Distichophyllia pauciseptata n. sp.

( Fig. 42 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:09CE1D0D-E0FA-473B-A598-9ED47CECA2E4

Distichophyllia sp. 1 – Vasseur 2018: 176-177, fig. 3.29.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: CPUN AM16179-4; paratypes: CPUN 2703 A3-4, CPUN CDAm2. STUDIED SAMPLES. — Three specimens: CPUN 2703 A3-4, CPUN AM16179-4, CPUN CDAm2. ETYMOLOGY. — Refers to the low number of septa among the specimens of this species. TYPE HORIZON. — Upper Pliensbachian . TYPE LOCALITY. — Amellagou , 31°57’25”N, 5°2’11”W, Morocco. GEOGRAPHIC AND STRATIGRAPHIC RANGES. — Pliensbachian from Amellagou ( High Atlas , Morocco) .

DESCRIPTION

Solitary, conical corallum, subcircular to elliptical with varying apical angle. Radial elements are bicuneiform costosepta for the first order, thin for the last ones, often in zigzag and organized in 3 or 4 size orders following a relatively strict hexameral symmetry. Septa are compact, free, ornamented with granules sometimes attenuated by stereome layers on lateral faces. No columella but an axial fossa sometimes elongated defining a bilateral symmetry. Endotheca made of vesicular dissepiments. Wall parathecal, incomplete. An epicostal epitheca s.l. covers the external parts of the corallum.

Calicular diameter: 18.5 to 26 mm – Number of septa: 45 to 50 – Septal density: 2 to 3 per 2 mm.

REMARK

The present species has no equivalent among Triassic Distichophyllia in terms of number of septa and hierarchy of septal thickness.

Figures

FIG. 42. — Distichophyllia pauciseptata n. sp.: A, distal view of the specimen CPUN CDAm2; B, transverse section in the specimen CPUN AM16179-4; C, transverse polished section in the specimen CDAm2; D, lateral view of the specimen CPUN CDAm2 before section; E, detail in transverse thin section of the septal structure of the specimen CPUN 2703A3-4; F, transverse thin section of the specimen CPUN AM16179-4. Scale bars: A, 5 mm; B, F, 4 mm; C, D, 1 cm; E, 2 mm.