Balanophyllia besairiei (Alloiteau, 1958)

Baron-Szabo, Rosemarie C., 2008, Dendrophylliina, Caryophylliina, Fungiina, Microsolenina, and Stylinina, Zootaxa 1952, pp. 1-244 : 42-43

Balanophyllia besairiei (Alloiteau, 1958)

Pl. 3, figs 6a, b

v*1958 Ceratopsammia Besairiei nov. sp.: Alloiteau, p. 200, pl. 34, figs 7–9.

?1958 Eupsammia lehmani nov. sp.: Alloiteau & Tissier, p. 263, pl. 1, figs 10a–b, 10a’.

1987 Balanophyllia subcylindrica (Philippi, 1851) : Kuzmicheva, p. 148, pl. 26, figs 1a–b.

v2001 Balanophyllia (= Eupsammia ) besairiei (Alloiteau, 1958) : Cairns, p. 17ff., pl. 2, figs b, f.

2000 Ceratopsammia besairiei, Alloiteau 1958 : Löser, p. 18.

Dimensions. d=4–6 (? up to 7.9) mm; d (min)/d (max)=0.75–0.83; s=48–60 (? up to 98); h=10–15 (? up to 16.5) mm.

Description. Trochoid to subcylindrical, elliptical or slightly elliptical in outline; septa arranged in 3 cycles in 12 systems with the beginning of a fourth cycle.

Remarks. In forming a long and slim corallum that is elliptical in outline, and having 98 septa in a maximum corallite diameter of 7.9 mm, the species Eupsammia lehmani Alloiteau & Tissier, 1958 , from the Paleocene of France most likely represents an ontogenetically older image of Balanophyllia besairiei (Alloiteau, 1958) . However, because the development of the septal apparatus could not be identified, the species is only provisionally grouped with B. besairiei .

Type locality of species. Campanian-Maastrichtian of Madagascar (Analavelona) .

Distribution. Campanian-Maastrichtian of Madagascar, Paleocene of Ukraine and? France.