Article: Sclerochronology and carbonate production in some Upper Jurassic reef corals

Annual banding evident from epithecal increments and associated internal structural changes in phaceloid and massive Oxfordian corals show a range in growth rate from 5 to 10 mm yr-1 in branching colonies (Thecosmilia) and 1.5 to 3 mm yr-1 for massive colonies (Thamnasteria, Fungiastraea, Isastraed). High- and low-density growth bands are identified in massive colonies. The denser part of each couplet is consistently the broader, in contrast with that of most shallow-water modern corals. This is interpreted as due to high local turbidity. The formation time for two sections is estimated with gross carbonate production of 2000 to 3300 g CaCO3m2 yr-1.