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Insights into the morphology of Sphenothallus (Cnidaria): new features identified in an old genus from the Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian, Bashkirian) of western Ireland

Doyle, Eamon ; Ahlberg, Per LU and Harper, David LU (2024) In Irish Journal of Earth Sciences 42. p.237-247
Abstract
The recent discovery of well-preserved fragments of Sphenothallus in the Central Clare Group (Pennsylvanian) of western Ireland provides new insights into the morphology of this enigmatic, putative cnidarian. The specimens demonstrate a morphological plasticity, including features not previously described for Sphenothallus, such as the presence of flat sides and angular lateral margins, non-bilateral symmetry in sigmoidal cross-sections suggestive of growth torsion, and a new type of bifurcating branching (new term ‘railtrack junction branching’ introduced herein), not related to known budding. We propose that these structures were all growth-related features during life, and not post-mortem
artefacts of collapse or compaction. The... (More)
The recent discovery of well-preserved fragments of Sphenothallus in the Central Clare Group (Pennsylvanian) of western Ireland provides new insights into the morphology of this enigmatic, putative cnidarian. The specimens demonstrate a morphological plasticity, including features not previously described for Sphenothallus, such as the presence of flat sides and angular lateral margins, non-bilateral symmetry in sigmoidal cross-sections suggestive of growth torsion, and a new type of bifurcating branching (new term ‘railtrack junction branching’ introduced herein), not related to known budding. We propose that these structures were all growth-related features during life, and not post-mortem
artefacts of collapse or compaction. The flat sides and growth torsion are compared with similar features in conulariids, supporting the previously proposed phylogenetic linkage between the two groups, which may be an example of atavism. However, the bifurcating ‘railtrack junction branching’ is unknown in conulariids or (Less)
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publication status
published
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in
Irish Journal of Earth Sciences
volume
42
pages
237 - 247
publisher
Royal Irish Academy
external identifiers
  • scopus:85202976246
ISSN
0790-1763
DOI
10.1353/ijes.2024.a935031
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
625c1d2d-fbc9-47ba-8a0b-35d9bdf4309b
date added to LUP
2024-11-27 22:09:09
date last changed
2025-05-29 18:52:30
@article{625c1d2d-fbc9-47ba-8a0b-35d9bdf4309b,
  abstract     = {{The recent discovery of well-preserved fragments of Sphenothallus in the Central Clare Group (Pennsylvanian) of western Ireland provides new insights into the morphology of this enigmatic, putative cnidarian. The specimens demonstrate a morphological plasticity, including features not previously described for Sphenothallus, such as the presence of flat sides and angular lateral margins, non-bilateral symmetry in sigmoidal cross-sections suggestive of growth torsion, and a new type of bifurcating branching (new term ‘railtrack junction branching’ introduced herein), not related to known budding. We propose that these structures were all growth-related features during life, and not post-mortem<br/>artefacts of collapse or compaction. The flat sides and growth torsion are compared with similar features in conulariids, supporting the previously proposed phylogenetic linkage between the two groups, which may be an example of atavism. However, the bifurcating ‘railtrack junction branching’ is unknown in conulariids or}},
  author       = {{Doyle, Eamon and Ahlberg, Per and Harper, David}},
  issn         = {{0790-1763}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  pages        = {{237--247}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Irish Academy}},
  series       = {{Irish Journal of Earth Sciences}},
  title        = {{Insights into the morphology of Sphenothallus (Cnidaria): new features identified in an old genus from the Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian, Bashkirian) of western Ireland}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/ijes.2024.a935031}},
  doi          = {{10.1353/ijes.2024.a935031}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}