Wang et al.—Silurian amplexoid rugose corals from South China 92(6):982–1004


and tabulae. Pending sufficient knowledge of its variability, P. simplex is provisionally regarded as separate from P. angusta.


Pilophyllia intermedia (Cao, 1975) Figure 11


v*1975 Ningqiangophyllum intermedium Cao, p. 186, pl. 39, fig. 3a− d.


Holotype.—XACGS-G368 (transverse section of later growth stage), G369 (transverse section of earlier growth stage) and G370 (longitudinal section), middle Ningqiang Formation (middle Telychian), Erlangba, Ningqiang County, Shanxi Province.


Diagnosis.—Pilophyllia with long, thin, generally straight, and somewhat pinnately arranged major septa. Major septa notice- ably withdrawn in late stage. Peripheral stereozone narrow through ontogeny. Cardinal septum short, in a prominent car- dinal fossula. Tabulae complete, slightly arched, and moder- ately spaced.


Description.—Coralla solitary, cylindrical, to 16mm diameter. Number of major septa 41 at maximum corallum diameter. Marginarium a narrow but distinct peripheral stereozone, com- posed of thick minor septa and thickened peripheral ends of major septa. Major septa amplexoid, somewhat pinnately arranged, thin, extending to axial region in early stage, but withdrawing later from axis, with length 27−84% of corallum radius (Fig. 11.1, 11.3). Minor septa generally confined within peripheral stereozone. Cardinal septum short, in prominent, elongated cardinal fossula (Fig. 11.1, 11.3). Trabeculae club- shaped, thick, of rhabdacanthine type, coated by thick lamellar stereomes (Fig. 11.4 − 11.6). Tabulae complete, slightly arched (Fig. 11.2). Tabular spacing generally regular, with 8 tabulae in 5mm. Dissepiments absent. [Translated from Cao (1975, p. 186) with revisions based on our observations.]


Materials.—Holotype only.


Remarks.—Pilophyllia intermedia was proposed by Cao (1975) based on its holotype consisting of early and late stage trans- verse sections and a longitudinal section. Additional to mor- phological features originally described by Cao (1975), reexamination of the holotype further reveals that the septa are amplexoid, and are composed of club-shaped rhabdacanths coated with lamellar tissues in proximal ends (Fig. 11.4–11.6), as commonly described in Pilophyllia. These features are included here in the revised description. Pilophyllia intermedia shows close similarities to


P. tenuiseptata in having long, straight, pinnately arranged septa, and a prominent cardinal fossula. However, based on available data, it can be distinguished from the latter by having a much narrower peripheral stereozone and much shorter major septa in the late stage of development. Pilophyllia intermedia resembles P. simplex in having


similar corallum size, short major septa, and septal micro- structure, but differs in having pinnately arranged septa and a prominent cardinal fossula.


Genus Neopilophyllia Wang new genus


urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D16A9834-751D-4D8C-A8B1- FC23D945A5DF


Type species.—Ningqiangophyllum crassothecatum Cao, 1975, middle Ningqiang Formation (middle Telychian), Erlangba, Ningqiang County, Shanxi Province.


Diagnosis.—Coralla solitary, ceratoid to cylindrical, large. Marginarium a distinct peripheral stereozone composed of lat- erally contiguous, strongly dilated major and minor septa. Major septa amplexoid, commonly short, rarely extending close to corallum axis, without forming axial structure. Minor septa commonly extending beyond the stereozone a short distance. Cardinal fossula generally distinct, rarely indistinct. Trabeculae coarse, probably of rhabdacanthine type, in some cases coated by thin layer of lamellar tissue particularly in early stages. Tabulae mostly complete, widely to moderately spaced, with commonly broad, subhorizontal central platform and down- turned margins. Dissepiments absent.


Etymology.—Latin, neo=new, a reference to its younger first occurrence and more advanced septal microstructure compared to Pilophyllia.


Remarks.—The new genus Neopilophyllia, characterized by commonly short septa with wedge-shaped rhabdacanths and by generally large corallum size, is introduced based on con- sideration of the evolutionary importance of septal micro- structure in amplexoid corals. Forms with wedge-shaped rhabdacanths, previously included in Pilophyllia, are transferred herein to Neopilophyllia n. gen., as presented in the discussion of Pilophyllia above. Based on its close morphological rela- tionship with Pilophyllia, Neopilophyllia n. gen. is similarly assigned to Amplexoididae n. fam. Neopilophyllia n. gen. shows superficial similarities to


some other amplexoid genera in having commonly short major septa, e.g., Pseudomphyma, Zelophyllum, Amplexoides, Lind- stroemophyllum, Synamplexoides, and Protopilophyllum. It can be clearly distinguished from all of these by its distinctive septal microstructure. The species Ningqiangophyllum crassothecatum, Ning-


qiangophyllum tenuiseptatum irregulare Cao, 1975, Ningqian- gophyllum ephippium Cao, 1975, and Pilophyllia alternata Chen in Wang et al., 1986, all occurring in the Ningqiang Formation (middle Telychian) of Erlangba and/or Dazhuba, Ningqiang County, southern Shanxi Province, are confirmed to be representatives of Neopilophyllia n. gen.


Neopilophyllia crassothecata (Cao, 1975) Figures 12–14


v*1975 v.1975


Ningqiangophyllum crassothecatum Cao, p. 186, pl. 38, fig. 1a, b.


Ningqiangophyllum crassothecatum breviseptatum Cao, p. 187, pl. 38, figs. 2a −d, 3a−c.


v non 1975 Ningqiangophyllum crassothecatum angustum Cao, p. 187, pl. 40, fig. 2a−c.


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