THE HOLOTYPE OF ALVEOLATA GOLDFUSS
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Reprinted from JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY Vol. 38, No. 5, September, 1964 THE HOLOTYPE OF COLUMNARIA ALVEOLATA GOLDFUSS ERWIN C. STUMM Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan In his well known monograph, Petrefacta Germaniae, G. A. Goldfuss (1826, v. 1, p. 72, pl. 7a,b) described and illustrated a new coral species Columnaria alveolata. The holo type is from the " Kalkversteinerung vom Seneca See im Staate von Neu-York." Almost constant controversy has waged about the proper taxonomic position of this species. Is it from an outcrop or is it a drift specimen? Is it conspecific with Favistella stellata Hall, or is it a Silurian or Devonian favosi tid ? Through the courtesy of Dr. H. K. Erben of the Geologisch-palaont Institut, Bonn Uni- versity, I was permitted to examine a fragment of the holotype. It is undoubtedly a drift speci- men, for, in addition to being silicified and free from matrix, the interstices between the septa and broken down tabulae are filled with quartz sand and silt, apparently of glacial origin. The corallites are tetragonal, pentagonal, or hexag- onal and range from 4 to 7 mm. in diameter. All the septa are lamellar and are of two orders of which the major number 12 and extend to the axis. The minor septa alternating with the major also number 12 and form very short ridges not extending more than 0.5 mm. from the periphery. No trace of mural pores is present. The tabulae are badly broken down by silicifica- tion and subsequent glacial handling but the few remaining ones appear to be complete and rela- tively horizontal. No traces of dissepiments are present. The specimen compares closely with speci- mens of Favistella stellata Hall (now placed in the new genus Favistina by Flower, 1961), but it is not well enough preserved for me to say more than that the species are congeneric and possibly conspecific. REFERENCES FLOWER,ROUSSEAU, 1961, Montoya and related colonial corals: N. Mex. Inst. Mining and Tech- nology, Mem. 7. GOLDFUSS, G. A., 1826, Petrefacta Germaniae, v. 1, Diisseldorf . TEXT-FIG. I-A, View along side of fragment showing lamellar septa1 ridges and a few broken down tabulae; B, section cut across top of fragment showing major and minor septa. Both X3.
Transcript of THE HOLOTYPE OF ALVEOLATA GOLDFUSS
Reprinted from JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY
Vol. 38, No. 5, September, 1964
T H E HOLOTYPE O F COLUMNARIA ALVEOLATA GOLDFUSS
ERWIN C. STUMM Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan
In his well known monograph, Petrefacta Germaniae, G. A. Goldfuss (1826, v. 1, p. 72, pl. 7a,b) described and illustrated a new coral species Columnaria alveolata. The holo type is from the " Kalkversteinerung vom Seneca See im Staate von Neu-York."
Almost constant controversy has waged about the proper taxonomic position of this species. Is i t from an outcrop or is i t a drift specimen? Is i t conspecific with Favistella stellata Hall, or is i t a Silurian or Devonian favosi tid ?
Through the courtesy of Dr. H. K. Erben of the Geologisch-palaont Institut, Bonn Uni- versity, I was permitted to examine a fragment of the holotype. I t is undoubtedly a drift speci- men, for, in addition t o being silicified and free from matrix, the interstices between the septa and broken down tabulae are filled with quartz sand and silt, apparently of glacial origin. The corallites are tetragonal, pentagonal, or hexag- onal and range from 4 to 7 mm. in diameter. All the septa are lamellar and are of two orders
of which the major number 12 and extend to the axis. The minor septa alternating with the major also number 12 and form very short ridges not extending more than 0.5 mm. from the periphery. No trace of mural pores is present. The tabulae are badly broken down by silicifica- tion and subsequent glacial handling but the few remaining ones appear to be complete and rela- tively horizontal. No traces of dissepiments are present.
The specimen compares closely with speci- mens of Favistella stellata Hall (now placed in the new genus Favistina by Flower, 1961), but i t is not well enough preserved for me to say more than tha t the species are congeneric and possibly conspecific.
REFERENCES
FLOWER, ROUSSEAU, 1961, Montoya and related colonial corals: N. Mex. Inst. Mining and Tech- nology, Mem. 7.
GOLDFUSS, G. A., 1826, Petrefacta Germaniae, v. 1, Diisseldorf .
TEXT-FIG. I-A, View along side of fragment showing lamellar septa1 ridges and a few broken down tabulae; B, section cut across top of fragment showing major and minor septa. Both X3.
![FIG. l.-Holotype of Dendrobates sirensis, NHMW 31892, · PDF fileMarch 1991] HERPETOLOGICA o I 5mm 3 FIG. 2.- Dorsaland lateral view of the head of the holotype of Dendrobates sirensis,](https://static.fdocuments.in/doc/165x107/5a79a5cf7f8b9ab45c8d88dd/fig-l-holotype-of-dendrobates-sirensis-nhmw-31892-1991-herpetologica-o.jpg)
