Radiastraea (Anthozoa, Rugosa) from the Emsian and Eifelian (Devonian) of Aviados, northern Spain

Abstract

This paper describes a colonial rugose coral from the upper Emsian or lower Eifelian of Aviados (Provincia León, northern Spain). This colony, which has been figured as Phillipsastrea torreana (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1851) by Almela & Revilla (1950), belongs in fact to Radiastraea arachne Stumm, 1937. It is the first reported occurrence of the genus Radiastraea from Europe, and an example of close palaeobiogeographical relationships between the Cantabrian Mountains and North America during the Emsian. Cantabriastraea Schröder & Soto, 2003 is probably only a marginal case of Radiastraea Stumm, 1937. The lectotype of Phillipsastrea torreana var. minuta Almela & Revilla, 1950 from the upper Emsian to lower Eifelian or upper Givetian of Aviados (Provincia León, northern Spain) is designated and described in detail. It is a subspecies of Phillipsastrea torreana (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1851) with 10-12 major septa and a tabularium diameter of 1.9-2.1 mm.