Article: Variation in the Viséan coral Caninia benburbensis from north-west Ireland

Caninia benburbensis Lewis occurs in abundance in upper Visean marine limestones and shales in north-western Ireland. Study of a single assemblage reveals a range of variation which expands Lewis's concept of the species. The morphological affinity of certain variants to C. cylindrica (Scouler) strongly suggests that this Tournaisian or lower Visean species is ancestral to C. benburbensis. The morphological mode clearly distinguishes this species from all earlier caniniid populations.