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A monograph of the British fossil corals - kreidefossilien.de

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CORALS OF THE UPPER CHALK. 46<br />

towards <strong>the</strong> basis, but presenting towards tlie calice slightly-marked costa, which are<br />

closely set, glabrous, or very <strong>de</strong>licately granulated, and almost equal in size. Calice<br />

circular, or sometimes ra<strong>the</strong>r oval, shallow. Columella mo<strong>de</strong>rately <strong>de</strong>veloped, not projecting<br />

in <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> calicular fossula, composed <strong>of</strong> six or eight twisted, vertical processes,<br />

and terminated by an equal number <strong>of</strong> papillic. Septa forming four cycla, <strong>the</strong> last <strong>of</strong><br />

which is in general incomplete ; <strong>the</strong> septa <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fourth and fifth or<strong>de</strong>rs not existing in one<br />

half <strong>of</strong> three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> systems or even <strong>of</strong> all six <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se, so that <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />

radiate laminaj is reduced to 42, or even to 3G ; sometimes, however, four <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> systems<br />

are complete, and <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> septa <strong>the</strong>n amounts to 48. These septa are well<br />

<strong>de</strong>veloped, closely set, thin, but slightly granulated, ra<strong>the</strong>r exscrt, and almost equal ; <strong>the</strong><br />

principal ones are, however, a little thicker than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs. The j?;ft/i are narrow, but<br />

very tliick, prominent, and terminated by a curved edge ; <strong>the</strong>y all correspond to <strong>the</strong><br />

tertiary septa, and in <strong>the</strong> specimens where <strong>the</strong> fourth cyclum is complete, <strong>the</strong>y exist in<br />

front <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> septa <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> penultimate cychuja, and are <strong>the</strong>refore twelve in number ; but<br />

<strong>the</strong>y arc never so numerous when <strong>the</strong> fourth cyclum remains incomplete, and never<br />

correspond to tertiary septa that are not separated by septa <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fourth cyclum. As<br />

mentioned above, <strong>the</strong>se latter septa are <strong>of</strong>ten wanting in one half <strong>of</strong> three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> systems,<br />

and in that case <strong>the</strong>re are consequently no pali corresponding to <strong>the</strong> tertiary septa <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />

incomplete half systems, so that <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> pali is reduced to nine ; two belonging to<br />

each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> three complete systems, and one to each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> incomplete ones. The same<br />

rule also holds good when all <strong>the</strong> six systems are <strong>de</strong>ficient <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> septa <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fourth<br />

cyclum in one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir halves ; <strong>the</strong> tertiary septa <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> complete halves are <strong>the</strong> only ones<br />

having corresponding pali, so that <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se organs is only six. The height <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> corallum varies between one inch and one inch and a half; in <strong>the</strong> tall specimens <strong>the</strong><br />

diameter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> calice is about four lines ; in <strong>the</strong> short and broad ones it is sometimes five lines.<br />

This species is easily distinguished from <strong>the</strong> Cyathina Cyatlms} C. SmifJdi,^ and<br />

C. pseudoturhinolia^ by its never having a fifth cyclum <strong>of</strong> septa. C. Giiadulpensis^ and<br />

C. arcuatd' differ from <strong>the</strong> above-<strong>de</strong>scribed <strong>fossil</strong> by <strong>the</strong> existence <strong>of</strong> distinct costa; down<br />

to <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> walls, and by <strong>the</strong> large size <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pali. C. Icsvic/aia most resembles<br />

C. KonincJdi,^ C. Boiverbankii,'' C. Behcyana, C. Bredce, and C cylindrical and it may<br />

1 See our Monograph <strong>of</strong> Turbiuolidoe, Ann. <strong>de</strong>s Sc Nnt., 3"" s(5rie, vol. ix, p. 287, tab. iv, fig. 1.<br />

- Loc. cit., p. 288. » Loc. cit., p. 289, tab. ix, fig. 1. ' Loc. cit., p. 290.<br />

6 Loc. cit., p. 290. " Loc. cit., p. 290. ' Loc. cit., p. 292.<br />

*^<br />

The three last-mentioned species were not known to ua when we published our Monograph <strong>of</strong><br />

Turbinolidae, and in or<strong>de</strong>r to ren<strong>de</strong>r <strong>the</strong> comparison between <strong>the</strong> T. Itevigata and <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> genus more<br />

complete, it appears to us advisable to give a <strong>de</strong>scription <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m here.<br />

Cyathina cylindhica, nob. Corallum fixed by abroad basis, regularly cylindrical, straight, and not<br />

very tall. Costse equal, flat, straight, closely set, not very broad, and very indistinct, especially towards<br />

<strong>the</strong> basis. Calice circular, having a thick edge, and <strong>the</strong> fossula ra<strong>the</strong>r shallow. Columella very small, and<br />

reduced to two or three small, almost indistinct, tubercles.<br />

Septa forming four complete cycla, very closely

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