Smilotrochus cornucopiae ( Duncan, 1869 )

Baron-Szabo, Rosemarie C., 2008, Dendrophylliina, Caryophylliina, Fungiina, Microsolenina, and Stylinina, Zootaxa 1952, pp. 1-244 : 81-82

Smilotrochus cornucopiae ( Duncan, 1869)

Pl. 7, figs 5a, b

v*1869 Coelosmilia cornucopiae , n. sp.: Duncan, vol. 2, p. 8, pl. 3, figs 6–10.

1914 Coelosmilia cornucopiae Duncan 1869 : Felix, pars 7, p. 219.

1922 Smilotrochus faxoensis, Forchhammer and Steenstrup : Nielsen, p. 29, pl. 3, figs 1, 1a, pl. 4, figs 19–22.

1987 Smilotrochus ponderosus (Forchhammer and Steenstrup, 1850) : Kuzmicheva, p. 132, pl. 22, fig. 8, pl. 23, fig. 1.

2000 Coelosmilia cornucopiae, Duncan 1869 : Löser, p. 20.

(v)2005 Smilotrochus faxoensis: Bernecker & Weidlich , p. 16ff, fig. 7A, figs 7 (1, 4, 5).

Dimensions. d (min)= 8–21 mm; d (max)= 8–25 mm; d (min)/d (max)=0.8–0.92; s=30–48; h= 20–70 mm.

Description. Solitary, trochoid, slightly elliptical in outline; costosepta arranged in 4 complete cycles in 6 irregular system in corallites that are 15 mm and larger in diameter; in more adult corallites of around 15 mm in diameter S1 and S2 are nearly equal and reach the axial region; in younger specimens 6 septa reach corallite centre; remaining septa irregularly alternate in length and thickness.

Remarks. The specimens assigned to Smilotrochus ponderosus in Kuzmicheva (1987) are slightly larger and have more septa than the species S. cornucopiae . However, the ratio of the corallite diameter completely corresponds to Duncan’s species and has a number of septa that would expected to be found in a slightly larger corallum. Therefore, it is suggested that the larger specimens represent ontogenetically later stages of the spe- correspond to the juvenile to nearly adult stages observed in the type specimen of S. cornucopiae . Therefore, they are intepreted to be synonymous.

Type locality of species. Maastrichtian of England ( Trimmingham , Norfolk)

Distribution. Maastrichtian of England, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine, Danian of Denmark (Stevns Klint) and Sweden (Limhamn).