Skip to content Skip to navigation

Article: A new western European Cretaceous bryozoan genus from the early Cenomanian radiation of neocheilostomes

Papers in Palaeontology - Volume 2 Part 2 - Cover
Publication: Papers in Palaeontology
Volume: 2
Part: 2
Publication Date: May 2016
Page(s): 311 321
Author(s): Silviu O. Martha, and Paul D. Taylor
DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1042
Addition Information

How to Cite

MARTHA, S.O., TAYLOR, P.D. 2016. A new western European Cretaceous bryozoan genus from the early Cenomanian radiation of neocheilostomes. Papers in Palaeontology, 2, 2, 311-321. DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1042

Author Information

  • Silviu O. Martha - Sektion Marine Evertebraten III (Bryozoologie) Senckenberg Forschungsinstitute und Naturmuseen Frankfurt am Main Germany (Email: silviu.martha@senckenberg.de)
  • Paul D. Taylor - Natural History Museum Department of Earth Sciences Cromwell Road London UK (Email: p.taylor@nhm.ac.uk)

Publication History

  • Manuscript Accepted: 29 January 2016
  • Manuscript Received: 08 November 2015

Funded By

European Community Research Infrastructure Action
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Grant Number: SCHO 581/12‐1

Online Version Hosted By

Wiley Online Library
Get Article: Wiley Online Library [Pay-to-View Access] |

Abstract

Neocheilostomes possessing ovicells for larval brooding originated in the late Albian and radiated explosively in the Late Cretaceous. Our understanding of this radiation is hampered by poor knowledge of the taxonomy of the earliest neocheilostomes. Here we describe a new neocheilostome genus, Ehrhardina, from shallow‐water sediments in the early Cenomanian of Western Europe. Two species (Ehrhardina voigti sp. nov. and E. pikeae sp. nov.) are referred to the new genus. Ehrhardina gen. nov. is an onychocellid characterized by large opesiae with proximolateral, symmetrical opesiular constrictions and proximolateral, long opesiular indentations, bilaterally symmetrical interzooidal avicularia and lacking spine bases, but with hyperstomial ovicells that have ectooecia formed of exterior wall calcification. Colonies are unusually large for encrusting onychocellids and multilaminar; ovicells are primitive in showing a median suture in the ectooecium. Similarities between Ehrhardina gen. nov. and Aechmella, Floridina, Floridinella, and Onychocella are discussed, and a key for the discrimination of these genera is provided. Ehrhardina gen. nov. is the oldest neocheilostome known to construct large, multilaminar colonies.

PalAss Go! URL: http://go.palass.org/hn3 | Twitter: Share on Twitter | Facebook: Share on Facebook | Google+: Share on Google+