Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

Contribution to the systematics and phylogeny of Amphiastraeina (Scleractinia)

Galina K. Melnikova and Ewa Roniewicz

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 21 (1), 1976: 97-114

Amphiastraeina are connected with their presumed ancestors, Permian Polycoeliidae, by a transitional link - Triassic corals of the family Pachythecalidae Cuif, 1975. During the early Jurassic they differendiated into a few phylogenetic lines and developed certain structural patterns of corallites homeomorphic with those of Rugosa, which had not been, however, recognized in their ancestral group (lonsdaleoid septa/dissepiments, gemmation). Four families are recognized: Amphiastraeidae Ogilvie, Donacosmiliidae Krasnov emend. Roniewicz, Carolastraeidae Eliasova, and Intersmiliidae Melnikova & Roniewicz, fam.n. The earliest Amphiastraeina are described from the ?Hettangian-Sinemurian through the Bajocian and the Callovian of South-East Pamir. One new genus, Prodonacosmilia Melnikova is distinguished.


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