Dpaul7 Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Hi! I just received a couple nice works on Fossils. In Index Fossils of North America (1959) I see Pycnostylus (Fletcheria) listed as a Tabulate! (Subclass Schizocoralla) (Whitleaves 1884) Fossilworks lists subclass Rugosa fosillid shows the following: Hill, 1981. Rugosa and Tabulata Ivanovskiy, 1965. Fossil Rugosa Wow! What a way to confuse a newbie! My specimens I found match the illustrations and descriptions in Index Fossils, I am happy to say. It must be the German in me, but I go nuts for accurate taxonomy (when I can get it). How can this change? How can it be BOTH rugosa and tabulata? Can it? I know some things change with further research.... but THIS should be fairly elementary!!??!! I know the index is older... but I would not think THIS would change much up to today! Species, yes. Even genus, perhaps. But subclass? Sorry if I'm a bit confused! Hoping someone can shed some light on this! David Ruckser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Pycnostylus is rugosa. Fletcheria is allowed its own generic status in Hill 1981 (the Treatise actually). It's placed in rugosa but with a note that it's just possibly tabulate, an auloporid. The septa are very short, like a lot of the septal ridges you get in some tabulates. At the time, she said that more study was required to confirm its status, I don't know if that's been done yet. Here's the entry: 1 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dpaul7 Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 Thank you for the reply! I had suspected this might be the case here. I tend to think of it (based on our specimens) as a colonial Rugose...but thought perhaps the experts were not yet totally clear on the matter! My book The Rugose Coral Genera (1973) gives the following (see attached picture) - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 If yours are definitely Pycnostylus then they're clearly rugose. In Hill (1981) (who is generally excellent), Fletcheria is only listed from the Silurian of Europe (Gotland). Pycnostylus is American/Asian/Australian but not European. Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dpaul7 Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 Thanks for your reply! I do believe Rugose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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