Goniocladia, Etheridge, 1876

Ernst, Andrej, Claussen, Anna Lene, Seuss, Barbara & Wyse Jackson, Patrick N., 2022, Stenolaemate bryozoans from the Graham Formation, Pennsylvanian (Virgilian) at Lost Creek Lake, Texas, USA, Palaeontologia Electronica (a 15) 25 (2), pp. 1-56 : 11

Genus GONIOCLADIA Etheridge, 1876

Type species. Carinella cellulifera Etheridge, 1873 , subsequently designated by Etheridge (1876). Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous); Carluke ( Scotland) .

Diagnosis. Reticulate colonies with polygonal fenestrules. Branches bifoliate, joined by anastomoses or rarely by dissepiments. Autozooecia in two or more rows on each side of the mesotheca. Apertures with more or less developed lunaria and apertural styles. Thin mesotheca protruding as ridge on the circular reverse side and as sharp keel on peaked obverse side. Median rods in mesotheca usually lacking, in few species present. Thinwalled autozooecia usually separated by vesicular skeleton.

Remarks. Goniocladia Etheridge, 1876 , differs from Aetomacladia Bretnall, 1926 , and Goniocladiella Nekhoroshev, 1953 , in having a reticulate colony shape rather than a pinnate one (main branch with diverging lateral branches).

Occurrence. Carboniferous – Permian; worldwide.