Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899

Baron-Szabo, Rosemarie C., 2008, Dendrophylliina, Caryophylliina, Fungiina, Microsolenina, and Stylinina, Zootaxa 1952, pp. 1-244 : 31-32

Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899

Pl. 1, Figs 1a, b

v1828 Caryophyllia fasciculata Lamarck : Morren, p. 48.

v*1899 Dendrophyllia candelabrum , n.sp.: Hennig, p. 8, pl. 1, figs 6–12 (topotypes studied).

v1925 Galaxea fasciculata (Morren spec. gen. nov. nom.): Umbgrove, p. 106, pl. 10, fig. 15. (older synonyms cited therein)(topotypes studied).

1987 Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899 : Kuzmicheva, p. 149, pl. 26, figs 2a, b.

v1988 Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig : Drobne et al., p. 185, pl. 29, figs 4–6.

1990 Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899 : Bernecker & Weidlich, p. 113, pl. 26, figs 1, 2, pl. 29, figs 1–4, pl. 30, figs 1, 2.

? 1993 Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899 : Carbone et al., p. 227.

1997 Denddrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1902 : Vecsei & Moussavian, p. 128, pl. 35, fig. 3.

v1998 Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899 : Turnšek, in Turnšek & Drobne, p. 135, pl. 4, figs 1, 2.

parsv2004 Placocoenia macrophthalma ( Goldfuss, 1826) : Leloux, p. 319, pls 1–3, non pl. 4.

v2005 Dendrophyllia candelabrum Hennig, 1899 : Bernecker & Weidlich, p. 11ff., figs 5C, D, 6 (1), A (9) (topotypes studied).

Dimensions. d=3.5– 5 mm, juvenile around 2 mm, up to 12 mm in latest adult stages; s=24–60, latest adult stages up to 96.

Description. Colonial. dendroid; corallites generally 3.5– 5 mm in diameter, bud off in any direction at angles around 90º; costosepta, up to 12 of which reach the center of the calice, arranged clearly or indistinctly according to the Pourtalès plan; columella weakly developed; endothecal dissepiments sparse, subtabulate; wall septothecal-synapticulothecal, often thick with irregularly occurring pores.

Remarks. The taxonomic position of Caryophyllia (Galaxea) fasciculata sensu Morren, 1828 , from the Maastrichtian of The Netherlands has long been discussed. Leloux (2004) assigned this specimen to Placocoenia macrophthalma ( Goldfuss, 1826) . However, in a recent evaluation Baron-Szabo (2006, p. 46) pointed out that Morren’s form showed the presence of porous septa and synapticulae (in ‘steinkern’ preservation), and therefore differed from the concept of the placocoeniid group. In fact, Morren’s specimen very closely corresponds to the parts of steinkern preservation that are present in Dendrophyllia as shown on Pl. 1, fig. 2 of the current work. Therefore, the taxon Caryophyllia (Galaxea) fasciculata sensu Morren, 1828 , is grouped with the genus Dendrophyllia . In the dimensions of its skeletal elements it corresponds well with the ones observed in D. candelabrum .

Type locality of species. Danian of Denmark (Fakse limestone) .

Distribution. Danian of Denmark, Slovenia, and Sweden (Limhamn), Paleocene of Italy and Russia, Upper Paleocene-Lower Eocene of? Somalia.