Retiophyllia aff. tolminensis Turnšek, 1987

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 : 414

Retiophyllia aff. tolminensis Turnšek, 1987

Fig. 4D .

Material.—GBA 2009/019/3, a fragment of corallite in detrital limestone, with thin section.

Measurements (in mm):

d s 6 <40 (8S1+S2+S3+S4)

Description.—Calices with a narrow, elongated axial fossa. Radial elements thin, differentiated into four size orders. Costal parts coalesced into a stereozonal wall of an obscure structure. The S1 septa approaching the fossa, the S2 septa shorter or subequal to the S1 septa, the S3 septa ca. threefifths of the S1 septa in length, the S4 septa variable in length or lacking. In transverse sections, the course of the radial elements is zigzag, and granulations are located at the protruding points of the zigzag line of septa.

Remarks.—The coral has a distinctive shape and septal ornamentation. It is close to the late Carnian–early Norian R. tolminensis Turnšek, 1987 from Perbla, Slovenia (Turnšek et al. 1987: 44, pl. 2: 1–4, pl. 3: 1, 2, without synonymy). The Dachstein taxon and R. tolminensis are related to each other; their conspecificity, however, cannot be proven from the limited Dachstein material available.

Stratigraphic and geographic range.— Austria: Northern Calcareous Alps, Dachstein Plateau, north of Feisterscharte, lower Norian, Epigondolella quadrata Conodont Zone.

Figures

Fig. 4. Reimaniphylliid corals from vicinity of Feisterscharte, Austria, early Norian, Triassic. A. Retiophyllia sp.; GBA 2009/019/4g. Septal apparatus with + thick S1 septa, transverse section. B. Retiophyllia aranea sp. nov.; GBA 2009/019/14. corallites circular in section (B1) with a large axial space (B2); longitudinal/oblique section (B3) showing sub−horizontal, large dissepiments in the axial space, and longitudinal section of distal part of the corallite (B4) show− ing convex dissepiments at the periphery.C. Retiophyllia aff. fenestrata (Reuss, 1854); GBA 2009/019/11a, b. Corallites in transverse (C1) and longitudinal (C2) sections showing small number of septa and large dissepiments. D. Retiophyllia aff. tolminensis Turnšek, 1987; GBA 2007/152/3f. Corallite in transverse section showing zigzag septa. E. Retiophyllia vesicularis sp. nov.; GBA 2009/019/12g, c. Corallites in longitudinal (E1) and transverse (E2) sections; note large and convex dissepiments and irregular shape of septa. F–G. Craspedophyllia? sp. F. GBA 2009/019/16b; transverse sections with corallites showing rare, obliquely directed menianes. G. Zigzag traces of septal microstructure; GBA 2009/019/17a (G1), GBA 2009/019/17b (G2).