Ceratopea Ulrich is interpreted as a gastropod whose description has been based heretofore only on its thickened operculum. Terminology is introduced, predicated on the assumption that the operculum is that of a dextral, low-spired shell. The operculum of Ceratopea is distinguished from that of Maclurites and other opercula occurring in Ordovician strata, by its muscle pit or pits and its peculiar tusklike shape. The orientation in life of the operculum is inferred from its morphology, witti the carina of the operculum being a reflection of the shell periphery. Other generalizations can be made about the shell. Most occurrences of opercula suggest sorting, but six collections of shells and opercula are known. Three of these contain well-preserved pleurotomarian shells fitting the general form inferred from the operculum.A new family, Ceratopeidae, is proposed for pleurotomarian gastropods with thickened opercula. The opercula alone do not furnish clear evidence as to whether the group is monophyletic or polyphyletic. Study of three associations of opercula and shells suggests that these shells are congeneric. From this, it is inferred that Ceratopea is monophyletic, though additional associations of shell and operculum are needed to prove this conclusively. Five species groups are recognized, based on the opercula, but they do not warrant formal taxonomic treatment or rank.Several Ceratopea species are widely distributed geographically and occur within well-defined stratigraphic units; thus, they are valuable guides to interregional correlation. All available geographic and detailed stratigraphic data on all species are summarized. All known species of Ceratopea are figured and described. Of 14 species recognized, 7 are new; 9 formerly named species are placed in synonymy. Ceratopea? pygmaea Stauffer is rejected from the genus but is redescribed.
Preliminary Correlation of the Paleozoic Rocks from test wells inFlorida and adjacent parts of Georgia and Alabama Josiah Bridge and Jean M. BerdanThe following conclusions are based on preliminary studies of the cores, cuttings and fossils recovered from 52 test wells drilled in central and northern Florida and adjacent parts of Georgia and Alabama. Detailed faunal lists are omitted, partly because the studies of the faunas are as yet incomplete, and partly because most of the fossils are types that are more readily correlated with faunas found in South America and Europe than with known faunas elsewhere in the United States, It is believed that the correlations postulated here are essentially correct, but they are preliminary and may be modified slightly in the light of more detailed studies. At the present time these studies indicate:
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