Thamnasterites, Roniewicz, 2011

Roniewicz, Ewa, 2011, Early Norian (Triassic) corals from the Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria, and the intra-Norian faunal turnover, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 56 (2), pp. 401-428 : 425

Genus Thamnasterites nov.

Etymology: Resembling genus Thamnasteria in the shape and small size of corallites and pennula−like septal micromorphology, although differing from it in the astreoid, not thamnasterioid type of colony, and in thin elements of the microstructure.

Type species: Thamnasterites astraeoides sp. nov., by monotypy; see below.

Diagnosis.—Colony astraeoid. Costosepta nonconfluent, fusiform. Septa with flat pennular structures. Endotheca vesicular. Axial cavity empty. Budding intercalicular.

Remarks.—Monotypic genus, distinguished by its small corallites with fusiform, thick costosepta, septa with pennular structures, and a lack of wall and peritheca (astraeoid colony). There are no comparable forms among Triassic corals described so far.