Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis, Vachard, D, Krainer, K & Lucas, SG, 2015

Vachard, D, Krainer, K & Lucas, SG, 2015, Late Early Permian (late Leonardian; Kungurian) algae, microproblematica, and smaller foraminifers from the Yeso Group and San Andres Formation (New Mexico; USA), Palaeontologia Electronica (English ed.) 3 (8), pp. 1-77 : 24-26

Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis n. sp.

Figures 11.10 , 12.1-12.8 , 18.12 , 24.8, 24.12

zoobank.org/ 6CFC3DB1-DD93-4AEA-81FC-8B0B92D57395

? v. 2009 Tubiphytes (“ Rigidicaulis ”) sp.; Krainer, Lucas and Vachard, pl. 3, fig. 7.

v. 2013b Tubiphytes sp. 1 ; Vachard, Krainer and Lucas, p. 348 (no illustration).

Etymology. Relatively similar to Epimonella Vachard in Kolodka, Vennin, Vachard, Trocmé and Goodarzi, 2012.

Holotype. NMMNH P-67517; Figure 12.1 ; sample SAR 12-2 .

Paratypes. NMMNH P-67518-67524; Figures 11.10 , 12.2-8 .

Material. 32 specimens.

Locus Typicus. NMMNH locality 8896; San Andres Formation, reference section near Rhodes Canyon in the San Andres Mountains (New Mexico).

Stratum Typicum. Late? Kungurian (latest Leonardian).

Diagnosis. Tubiphytes with large subquadratic cavities and some prominent, small, cylindrical tubes.

Description. Test elongate rarely subquadratic ( Figure 12.8 ) encrusting a curved to cylindrical substrate, not preserved. Test surface very irregular. Lateral sides inflated. Peripheral margin rounded. Large subquadratic cavities as well as typical tubiphytid small cavities are present within the test ( Figure 24.8 ). Some cylindrical, small tubes are prominent and evidently permit a communication with the exterior. L = (0.50)- 0.81-1.45 mm; H = 0.30-0.70 mm; width of large cavities = (0.10-0.12)- 0.20-0.63 mm; height of large cavities = (0.05)- 0.14-0.34 mm; width of small tubes = 0.04- 0.08-(0.10) mm; maximal length of small tubes = 0.22 mm; large cavities wall thickness = 0.03-0.10 mm; small tube wall thickness = 0.01-0.02 mm.

Remarks. To the typical forms with irregular broad cavities and prominent tubes, we can add some representatives relatively difficult to distinguish from Latitubiphytes and that also show the typical porcelaneous recrystallization “en dents de peigne” (fine-tooth comb-shaped) of Gargouri and Vachard (1988). This observation provides further evidence of a more or less direct relationship with the Miliolata (see also Tubiphytes sp. sensu Krainer et al. (2003, plate 60, figure 4)); and with these tubiphytids, probably Latitubiphytes , illustrated under the name Vermiporella nipponica by Flügel (1966, plate 8, figure 3).

The taxon has also possibly been illustrated as Galaenella? sp. by Kobayashi (2001, plate 2, figure 13) from the earliest Middle Permian of S-W Japan; but this specimen may also correspond to a non-skeletal aggregate grain in the sense of Flügel (2004).

No inclusions in the wall (as described above for typical Tubiphytes ) have been observed in Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis n. sp. With all these particularities, T. epimonellaeformis n. sp. constitutes a very atypical trend among the tubiphytids, and it is suggested here as the ancestor of the genus Epimonella Kolodka et al., 2012 , which is another unusual tubiphytid.

The cavities of Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis can be explained by comparison with some marine species of Rivularia Agardh ex Bornet and Flahault, 1886 , or by an incomplete distribution of the calcium carbonate, where the older thalli are hollow and occupied by gas ( Fritsch, 1945, p. 840), or by an incomplete distribution of the calcium carbonate precipitated in vivo in the cyanobacterial part of the wall (compare with Altermann et al., 2006, figure 3A-D).

Numerous small cylindrical tubes without apparent connections with Tubiphytes have been illustrated by Flügel et al. (1984, plate 31, figure 6, plate 42, figures 8, 9, 10) and Noé (2003, plate 18, figures 7, 8; plate 19, figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Senowbari Daryan and Flügel (1993, plate 2, figure 3) illustrated an “extended tube passing through younger segments.” The connected small tubes are present in several reconstructions of Tubiphytes provided by Wang et al. (1994, figure 7.3-4, 9). The figure 7.9 of these authors is externally very similar to T. epimonellaeformis ; nevertheless, the internal aspect of this specimen is not given, and the other illustrated sections (figures 8.1-11, 11.1-8) more likely correspond to T. obscurus or T. carinthiacus .

Comparison. This form appears to be transitional between true Tubiphytes and Epimonella because of the tubular expansions of the hemispherical masses.

Some parts are similar to Tubiphytes obscurus , and the other ones show large cavities totally unknown in the latter species.

The new species appears relatively similar to Palaeonubeculata (sic) fluxiformis Igonin, 1998 in the dimensions of the larger cavities and the stratigraphic occurrence ( P. fluxiformis is known from the Kungurian of the Northern Pre-Urals and Pechora Basin), but apparently the small open tubes are not present in this species.

The new species is relatively similar to Tubiphytes (“ Rigidicaulis ”) sensu Krainer et al. (2009, plate 3, figure 7), which is older.

Occurrence. Late? Kungurian (latest Leonardian) of New Mexico (San Andres Formation, reference section: samples SAR 3-3, SAR 8a-22, SAR(2) 11- 6, SAR(2) 11-8, SAR(2) 11-9, SAR(2) 11-12, SAR(2) 12-1, SAR 12-3, SAR(2) 12-3, SAR(2) 12- 3a, SAR(2) 12-5, SAR(2) 12-7, SAR(2) 12-8, SAR(2) 12-9, SAR(2)12-10, SAR(2) 12-12, SAR(2) 12-13).

Figures

FIGURE 11. 1-4, 6-7. Boueina? crassundia n. sp. 1. NMMNH P-67506, holotype. Oblique section showing all the types of siphons. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 6-7a. 2. NMMNH P-67494, paratype. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-13. 3. NMMNH P-67495, paratype. Axial section with medullar siphons. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-11. 4. NMMNH P-67507, paratype. Oblique section with cortical siphons. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 6-27. 6. NMMNH P-67507, paratype. Oblique sections with cortical siphons (already illustrated in Brose et al., 2013, figure 6.8). San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-9. 7. NMMNH P-67496, paratype. Oblique section with cortical siphons. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 6-28. 5. Undetermined Chlorophyta. NMMNH P-67516, oblique sections with siphons or L2 and L1 laterals (bottom, left). San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 6-10. 8-9. Gymnocodium? johnsonii n. sp. 8. NMMNH P-67511, paratype. Axial section with well preserved medullar zone. Yeso Group. Sample MG(2) 12-3. 9. NMMNH P-67512, paratype. Axial section more recrystallized than Figure 11.8. Specimen already illustrated in Lucas et al. (2013b, figure 8J). Yeso Group. Sample MG(2) 12-5. 10. Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis n. sp. NMMNH P-67518, a paratype encrusting a productoid spine (left); another paratype (right); and an isolated brachiopod spine (centre). San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 12-3.

FIGURE 12. 1-8. Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis n. sp. 1. NMMNH P-67517, holotype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-2. 2. NMMNH P-67518, paratype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-3a. 3. NMMNH P-67519, paratype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-3. 4. NMMNH P-67520, paratype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 11-9. 5. NMMNH P-67521, paratype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-12. 6. NMMNH P-67522, paratype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-8. 7. NMMNH P-67523, paratype with Olgaorlovella davydovi n. gen. n. sp. (paratype; top right). San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 11-8. 8. NMMNH P-67524, paratype. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-13.

FIGURE 18. 1-5. Boueina? tubulata n. sp. 1. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-26. 2. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-9. 3. Subaxial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-2. 4. Oblique section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY 5-18. 5. Subaxial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-19. 6-11. Boueina? crassundia n. sp. 6. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-9. 7. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-19d. 8. Oblique section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-11. 9. Oblique subaxial section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-16. 10. Longitudinal section. San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5-14. 11. Oblique section (left). San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-12. 11. Gymnocodium? johnsonii n. sp. An axial section through the cortical zone (right). San Andres Fm. Sample MLY(2) 5a-12. 12. Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis n. sp. Specimen similar to Latitubiphytes Vachard, Krainer and Lucas, 2012 exhibiting a neosparitization of Miliolata, especially Hemigordiopsis, Baisalina or Pseudobaisalina (see Gargouri and Vachard, 1988; Vdovenko et al., 1993). San Andres Fm. Sample SAR(2) 12-15.

FIGURE 24. 1-4, 7, 10. Olgaorlovella davydovi n. gen. n. sp. 1. NMMNH P-67595, paratype. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-15. 2. NMMNH P-67596, paratype. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11a-7. 3. NMMNH P-67597, paratype. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-8. 4. NMMNH P-67598, paratype. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-12. 7. NMMNH P-67599, paratype. Subaxial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-6b. 10. NMMNH P-67594, holotype. Axial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-2. 5-6, 9, 11. Orthovertellopsis calcitornellaeformis n. gen. n. sp. 5. NMMNH P-67575, paratype. Oblique section showing the costae. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 12-8. 6. NMMNH P-67574, holotype. Transverse section with Olgaorlovella davydovi n. gen. n. sp. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-10. 9. NMMNH P-67592, paratype. Oblique section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11a-13. 11. NMMNH P-67593, paratype. Subaxial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 11-7a. 8, 12. Tubiphytes epimonellaeformis n. sp. 8. Subaxial section. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 12-1. 12. Subaxial section difficult to distinguish from T. obscurus Maslov, 1956. San Andres Fm. Sample SAR 3-3. Scale bars equal 0.10 mm.