Fouanoucyathus tafraoutiensis El Bakhouch & Kerner, 2024

Bakhouch, Asmaa El, Kerner, Adeline, Azizi, Abdelfattah, Debrenne, Françoise, Jalil, Nour-Eddine, Hafid, Ahmid & Hariri, Khadija El, 2024, New archaeocyath genus from the early Cambrian of the western Anti-Atlas, Morocco, Geodiversitas 46 (12), pp. 445-455 : 449

Fouanoucyathus tafraoutiensis El Bakhouch & Kerner , n. gen., n. sp.

( Figs 2-5 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B5367302-7B81-4539-A744-818C17549559

ETYMOLOGY. — Named after Tafraout, the city from where the specimens were collected.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Tafraout, Morocco.

TYPE AGE. — Early Cambrian (Cambrian age 4 or Botoman).

TYPE MATERIAL. — Morocco • 1 specimen; western Anti-Atlas , Tata Group, Issafen Formation, Tafraout , section FO.IS8; holotype: AA-FOU-CI-2 • 3 specimens; western Anti-Atlas , Tata Group, Issafen Formation, Tafraout ; paratypes: AA-FOU-CI-1 from section FO.IS4; AA-FOU-CI-3 from section FO.IS10; AA-FOU-CI-4 from section FO.IS24 .

MEASUREMENTS. — See Table 2.

DIAGNOSIS. — Intervallum 4-9 mm wide; outer wall with 3 to 5 vertical rows of canals per intersept; septa completely porous; some synapticulae grouped into synapticular tabulae ( Fig. 2F , 3B, D ); in cups of diameter 22-50 mm.

DESCRIPTION

Cup conical, diameter 22-50 mm with intervallum 4-9 mm wide, outer wall with 3-5 rows of canals (diameter 0.09-0.2 mm, lintels 0.06-0.07 mm, porosity coefficient 1.3-3.3), wall thickness (0.2-0.3 mm). Inner wall with one row of straight canal per intersept (diameter 0.4-0.7 mm, lintels 0.11-0.23 mm, porosity coefficient 1.9-6.4), wall thickness (0.6-1.2 mm).

Septa are perced by numerous vertical pore rows, with the number varying from 6 to 21 rows; (perforation diameter 0.14-0.22 mm, lintels 0.17-0.34 mm) ( Fig. 2C , 3B ). Some synapticulae grouped into synapticular tabulae.

RK 1.4-2.3. IC 1/4,0-1/9,0. GPC 1.1-1.9

REMARKS

The canals on the inner wall for this new taxon are quite regular in size and shape ( Fig. 5B ) and their direction varies from horizontal to upward with all the intermediate directions. Septa are completely porous (6-21 rows) and their pores have round to slightly longitudinally elongate shape ( Fig. 3C ).

Figures

FIG. 2. — Fouanoucyathus tafraoutiensis El Bakhouch & Kerner, n. gen., n. sp., holotype AA-FOU-CI-2 from section FO.IS8: A, transverse view of specimen prior to preparation;B, transverse section showing wall and septal porosity (inner wall at right);C, detail of longitudinal section showing the outer and inner walls with canalsand septal porosity;D, detail of longitudinal section showing inner wall porosity (central cavity at right);E, detailof longitudinal section showing outer wall porosity (intervallum at right); F, longitudinal section showing wall,septal porosity and a synapticular tabulae (inner wall at right).Scale bars:A,9 mm;B, 0.5 mm;C, E, F, 1 mm; D, 0.2 mm.

FIG. 3. — Fouanoucyathus tafraoutiensis El Bakhouch & Kerner, n. gen., n. sp., paratype AA-FOU-CI-3 from FO.IS10: A, transverse view of specimen prior to preparation; B, detail of longitudinal section showing walls, septal porosity and synapticular tabulae (inner wall at left); C, detail of longitudinal section showing inner wall canals (central cavity at left); D, detail of longitudinal section showing outer wall canals and synapticular tabulae (intervallum at right). Scale bars: A, 8.5 mm; B, 2 mm; C, 1 mm; D, 0.5 mm.

FIG. 4. — Fouanoucyathus tafraoutiensis El Bakhouch & Kerner, n. gen., n. sp., paratype AA-FOU-CI-4 from FO.IS24: A, transverse view of specimen prior to preparation; B, detail of transverse section showing inner wall porosity and synapticulae (central cavity at upper left); C, detail of longitudinal section showing septal porosity and inner wall canals (central cavity at right); D, detail of longitudinal section showing outer wall canals. Scale bars: A, 7.5 mm; B, 0.3 mm; C, 1 mm; D, 0.6 mm.

FIG. 5. — Fouanoucyathus tafraoutiensis El Bakhouch & Kerner,n. gen., n. sp., paratype AA-FOU-CI-1 from section FO.IS4:A, longitudinal view of specimen prior to preparation; B, oblique transverse section showing details of walls and septa porosity; C, longitudinal section (inner wall at right); D, detail of C showing inner wall porosity (central cavity at right); E, detail of C showing outer wall porosity. Scale bars: A, 4 mm; B, 0.4 mm; C, 1.5 mm; D, 1 mm; E, 0.3 mm.