Revision of the Genus Conophyllia d'Orbigny 1849 (Anthozoa, Scleractinia, Triassic) and Conophyllia from the Renacuo area of Gêrzê, Tibet

Abstract

There have been divergent opinions on whether Conophyllia develops synapticulae and dissepiments since its erection in 1849, with different views existing on the morphology of columella in Conophyllia. This paper presents a comprehensive review of Conophyllia, and revises the diagnosis according to new material from the Renacuo area of Gêrzê, Tibet. The revised diagnosis emphasises the following features: solitary coral; abundant radial elements subequal in thickness, lateral faces with granules and synapticulae; parietal, papillar or incompact columella, a few species lacking in columella; developed dissepiments. Individuals of Conophyllia have laminar septa of Triadophyllum type in earlier ontogenetic stages, while their septa in later ontogenetic stages are more fenestrate. The geological and geographical distribution of this genus is discussed, with five species of Conophyllia from the Renacuo area of Gêrzê, Tibet being described and illustrated, including one new species and two in open nomenclatue.

Triassic Scleractinian Corals in China: A Review of Present Knowledge

“…Duan (1983) described and illustrated 10 genera and 24 species of corals collected from northwestern Sichuan, and classified the Hanwang Formation where the corals were found as the Carnian Stage. Bo et al (2015, one articles for publication) reviewed and revised the diagnosis of two genera, Conophyllia and Paravolzeia, based on fossils from Gêrzê in Tibet and Guanling in Guizhou respectively. In addition, Qi and Stanley (1989), Huai and Qi (2004), Bo et al (2017) reported on 3 groups of coral fossils, collected from the Qingyan Formation in Guiyang, Bianyang Formation in Luodian, and Poduan in Ceheng respectively, indicating the geological ages were Anisian, Ladinian, and the Illyrian substages of the Anisian stage accordingly.…”

“…,Deng, 2006; [22],Liao and Deng, 2013; [23],Bo et al, 2015, [24], Bo et al, 2017 Triassic scleractinian corals inChina: Ji et al (2010a, 2010b) showed 10 species of late Triassic corals from Guoganjianian Mountain in Gêrzê and 5 Norian coral species from Mamuxia Formation in Coqên respectively; Li et al (2012) indicated that late Triassic corals were enriched in the bank of the Jinsha River of western Sichuan; Huang et al (2014) reported Carnian-Norian corals from Jiangrang Formation in Coqên, Tibet; and Luo et al (2015) announced a late Triassic coral fauna were identified from purported Zhanjin Formation in Gêrzê, Tibet.…”