Siderastrea conferta ( Duncan, 1863 )

Baron-Szabo, Rosemarie C., 2008, Dendrophylliina, Caryophylliina, Fungiina, Microsolenina, and Stylinina, Zootaxa 1952, pp. 1-244 : 155

Siderastrea conferta ( Duncan, 1863)

Pl. 14, fig. 1

v*1863 Isastrea conferta , spec. nov.: Duncan, p. 422, pl. 14, fig. 2 (topotypes studied).

v1867 Isastrea conferta, Dunc. : Duncan, p. 25 (topotypes studied).

v1900 Siderastrea hexagonalis sp. nov.: Vaughan, p. 155, pl. 18, figs 1–4.

v1919 Siderastrea conferta (Duncan) : Vaughan, p. 451, pl. 117, fig. 3, pl. 120, figs 1–4, pl. 121, figs 1–2a.

1925 Siderastrea conferta Duncan sp. 1863: Felix, pars 28, p. 131.

1925 Siderastrea hexagonalis Vaughan 1919 : Felix, pars 28, p. 132.

1974 Siderastrea (Siderastrea) conferta (Duncan) : Frost & Langenheim, p. 206, pl. 66, figs 1–6.

1974 Siderastrea (Siderastrea) hexagonalis Vaughan : Frost & Langenheim, p. 210, pl. 68, figs 1–3.

1989 Siderastrea conferta: Budd et al. , pp. 267ff.

1994 Siderastrea conferta: Budd et al. , pp. 957, 965, 974.

Dimensions. d (max)=3.5–7.5 mm, juveniles as small as 2.5 mm; c-c= 3–6 mm; s=50–82.

Description. Massive, cerioid; costosepta arranged in 4 complete and a beginning fifth cycle in 6 systems; up to 12 septa reach corallite center; columella formed by a small number of papillae or spongy.

Remarks. The forms listed in synonymy above are all characterized by corallite diameter ranging between 3.5–7.5 mm, septa in more than 4 complete cycles in 6 systems and reaching nearly 5 complete cycles in latest adult stages, and a corallite wall generally formed by 1 to 2 synapticular rings.

Type locality of species. Lower-Middle Miocene of Anguilla ( Anguilla Formation) .

Distribution. Paleocene of the USA (Midwayan, Alabama), Lower Eocene (Lecheria limestone) and Upper Oligocene of Mexico (Rancho Berlin Sandstone and La Quinta Formation), and Puerto Rico, Lower- Middle Miocene of Anguilla ( Anguilla Formation).