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A Lower Devonian hexacrinitid crinoid (Camerata, Monobathrida) from south-west England

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Abstract

The most species-rich and widespread crinoid clade in the type area of the Devonian of south-west England is the monobathrid camerate family Hexacrinitidae Wachsmuth and Springer. These crinoids occur either as thecae (Middle Devonian) or pluricolumnals and columnals (Lower to Upper Devonian). The first new, nominal species of hexacrinitid, probably Oehlerticrinus Le Menn, to be described from this region since the nineteenth century is Oehlerticrinus peachi sp. nov. from the Lower Devonian Looe Basin of southern Cornwall. This specimen is mouldic and somewhat flattened, retaining the proxistele and arms. Diagnostic features include the heteromorphic proxistele with circlets of long, unbranched radices directed towards the crown; the high, box-like (=skyphosiform) theca with a flattened base; a thecal plate sculpture of tubercles and ridges arranged in triangles; and the pinnulate arms. Any uncertainty in identifying this species at the generic level rests with the arms being pinnulate, not ramulose as is common in Hexacrinites Austin and Austin, indicating that O. peachi is closer to Oehlerticrinus Le Menn.

Kurzfassung

Die artenreichste und am weitesten verbreitetste Crinoiden-Klade in der Typuslokalität des Devons von Südwest-England ist die monobathride camerate Familie Hexacrinitidae Wachsmuth und Springer. Diese Crinoiden kommen hier entweder in Form von Kelchen (Mittel-Devon) oder in Form von Pluricolumnalia und Columnalia (Unter- bis Ober-Devon) vor. Die erste neue nominelle Art eines Hexacrinitiden (möglicherweise Oehlerticrinus Le Menn) welche seit dem 19. Jahrhundert aus dieser Region beschrieben wird, ist – Oehlerticrinus peachi sp. nov. – aus dem Unter-Devon des Looe-Beckens im südlichen Cornwall. Dieses Exemplar ist einerseits als Abdruck erhalten und andererseits ist dieses (unter Beibehaltung der Proxistele und der Arme) etwas abgeflacht. Zu den diagnostischen Merkmalen der neuen Art gehören die heteromorphe Proxistele mit Ringen aus langen, unverzweigten Radices, welche der Krone entgegen gerichtet sind; eine kastenartige, skyphosiforme Theka mit abgeflachter Basis; eine Knötchen- und Rippenförmige Kelchskulptur, die in Dreiecken angeordnet ist; sowie pinnulate Arme. Unsicherheiten bei der Gattungsidentifizierung dieser Art beruhen darauf, dass die Arme von O. peachi sp. nov. pinnulat (nicht ramulos wie in Hexacrinites Austin und Austin üblich) sind, was darauf hindeutet, dass die neue Art Oehlerticrinus Le Menn näher steht.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by an award from the Richard Owen Research Fund of the Palaeontographical Society to SKD and also by research funds from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. Louise Neep and Simon Harris, both of BGS, are thanked for their hospitality and technical assistance. Christina Fisher (Natural History Museum, London) is thanked for her help in the field around Looe by F.E.F. We thank our peer reviewers, Professor W.I. Ausich and Dr. J. Bohatý, for their particularly thought-provoking comments. We dedicate this paper to the memory of our late colleague and friend, Ron Cleevely (1934-2017).

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Correspondence to Stephen K. Donovan.

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Handling editor: Mike Reich.

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Donovan, S.K., Fearnhead, F.E. A Lower Devonian hexacrinitid crinoid (Camerata, Monobathrida) from south-west England. PalZ 91, 217–222 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-017-0344-x

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