Paradisphyllinae Jell, 1969

Schröder, Stefan & Soto, Francisco, 2003, Lower Devonian (Emsian) rugose corals from the Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 48 (4), pp. 547-558 : 552

Subfamily? Paradisphyllinae Jell, 1969

Remarks.—The Paradisphyllinae are a group of predominantly Lower Devonian corals which include genera characterized by fine monacanth septal trabeculae, arranged in a fan like system because of their slightly everted calices ( Hill 1981: F271). The subfamily is further defined as a group of genera with fusiform or carinate septa and steeply arched dissepimentarial floors ( Jell 1969: 67) and was separated from the Disphyllidae because of their upward spreading trabeculae. The closely related Hexagonariinae are separated by their arrangement of monacanth trabeculae, which show a half−fan in longitudinal section and a different calice morphology, which is not strongly evert. The taxonomic value of external− or calice−forms of corals is generally regarded as not very high, and the proposed separation of a subfamily based on differences in external morphology is therefore questionable ( Sorauf 1994). Although carinae are highly variable in the Paradisphyllinae they are usually developed as yardarm−like structures. Some species show only slightly carinate or peripherally incomplete septa of swollen trabeculae, which may give an impression of constituting a string of pearls. Athorough revision of the Hexagonariinae and dis − cussion of their separation from the Paradisphyllinae has been given recently by Sorauf (1994: 333).

Occurrence.—Widely distributed in the Upper Silurian to Middle Devonian of Australia, Western North America, and Asia.