Related Research Articles
Hallopora is an extinct genus of bryozoans of the family Halloporidae, first identified from the Lower Silurian period. They can be found in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky of the Midwestern United States, commonly in the Ordovician Kope Formation.
Trepostomatida is an extinct order of bryozoans in the class Stenolaemata. Trepostome bryozoans possessed mineralized calcitic skeletons and are frequently fossilized; some of the largest known fossilized bryozoan colonies are branching trepostomes and massive dome-shaped trepostomes. Trepostomes did not have many specialized zooecia beyond ordinary feeding autozooecia. The two main known heteromorphs are exilazooecia and mesozooecia, which had the purpose of maintaining regular spacing between autozooecia.
Lunostoma is an extinct genus of bryozoans which existed during the middle Devonian of what is now Germany, precisely from the Gerolstein syncline. It was described by Andrej Ernst, Paul D. Taylor, Jan Bohatý and Patrick N. Wyse Jackson in 2012, and the type species is L. pulchra.
Chasmatopora is an extinct genus of bryozoans which existed in what is now Mongolia, China, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Argentina, the United States and Canada. It was described by Alcide d'Orbigny in 1849, and the type species is Chasmatopora tenella, which was originally described as a species of Retepora by Eichwald in 1842.
Fenestrata is an extinct order of bryozoan, dating from the Upper Arenig. Most fenestrate bryozoans formed net-like colonies, often in funnel- or fan-shaped forms, with a single layer of zooids facing one direction. The colony shape served as a filter-feeding apparatus that water currents flowed through, with autozooecial apertures only on the side of the colony facing into the current. This colony structure was vulnerable to predators, so some fenestrate bryozoans produced skeletal superstructures, likely to strengthen or protect the colony, and others had protective spines surrounding their autozooecial apertures.
Ceramopora is an extinct genus of bryozoan of the family Ceramoporidae. It is one of the earliest genera of bryozoans. Its colonies were thin and discoid, with large autozooecia, abundant communication pores, lunaria, and monticules with depressions in their centers. It had no acanthostyles or diaphragms, distinguishing it from Acanthoceramoporella.
The San Juan Formation is a geologic formation in Argentina. The formation comprising limestones, mudstones and marls was deposited in a shallow marine reefal environment and preserves many fossils dating back to the Ordovician period. The formation overlies the La Silla Formation and crops out in the Precordillera of San Juan Province.
Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 2015.
Dekayia is an extinct genus of Ordovician bryozoans of the family Heterotrypidae. Its colonies can be branching, encrusting, or massive. All species have acanthopores in varying sizes and numbers. The autozooecia appear angular or sub-angular viewed through a cross-section of the colony, and their walls are distinctively undulating or crenulated. Maculae generally protrude from the colony surface very little or at all, and can contain unusually large autozooecia and a cluster of mesozooecia in their centers.
Homotrypa is an extinct genus of bryozoans from the Ordovician and Silurian periods, known from fossils found in the United States. Its colonies are branch-like and have small monticules made of groups of three or four larger zooecia slightly protruding out from the main surface of the colony. In cross section, the zooecia are erect in axis and gently curve toward the surface of the colony.
Eridotrypa is an extinct genus of bryozoans of the family Aisenvergiidae, consistently forming colonies made of thin branches. Diaphragms are very common in colonies. Distinctively, in the exozone there are serrated dark borders separating the autozooecia.
Hemitrypa is an extinct genus of bryozoans that lived from the Devonian to the Permian period, belonging to the family Fenestellidae. Like some other fenestrate bryozoans, it produced a skeletal superstructure to protect the colony.
Diploclema is an extinct genus of bryozoan belonging to the monotypic family Dipoclemidae, found from the Middle Ordovician to the Middle Silurian. It has pear-shaped autozooecia which grow in a biradial pattern, and its colonies have a dichotomously branching shape. Its laminated exterior wall possesses a prismatic structure, which is unique among the cyclostome bryozoans.
Moyerella is an extinct genus of bryozoan of the family Arthrostylidae, known from the Upper Ordovician and Lower Silurian periods. Its colonies are branching or segmented, generally articulated (jointed). Its autozooecia are short tubes that appear triangular in cross section within the endozone, bending abruptly when reaching the exozone. The autozooecial apertures are round and aligned into diagonal rows, and paired heterozooecia occur between the autozooecial apertures.
Arthrostyloecia is an extinct genus of bryozoan of the family Arthrostylidae, that lived in the Ordovician period. Its colonies are articulated, distinctively containing ball and socket joints. It contains a single species, Arthrostyloecia nitida.
Revalotrypa is an extinct genus of bryozoan of the family Revalotrypidae that lived during the late Ordovician period. It was initially placed within the order Trepostomatida, but later moved to Cystoporida, a classification supported by the discovery of the very similar genus Lynnopora, which possesses lunaria in its autozooidal apertures, a quality distinctive of Cystoporida.
Kukersella is an extinct genus of bryozoan of the family Crownoporidae, known from the Ordovician period. Its colonies consist of cylindrical branches growing from an encrusting base.
Crassaluna is an extinct genus of cystoporate bryozoan of the family Anolotichiidae, known from the Ordovician period. It had an encrusting growth habit or, in the case of C. fungiforme, formed cup-shaped colonies. Its colonies possessed a vesicular skeleton and monticules. Its cyst-like interzooecial spaces are a distinguishing feature.
Dybowskites is an extinct genus of bryozoan of the family Ralfimartitidae, found in the Ordovician and Silurian periods. It forms branching, frond-like, or sometimes segmented colonies. In cross-sections of the colonies, the tubular autozooecia are seen growing alongside the branch axis and then bending abruptly to reach the colony surface at a perpendicular angle. There are many mesozooecia and large acanthostyles that protrude from the colony surface.
Tarphophragma is an extinct genus of Middle and Upper Ordovician bryozoans of the family Halloporidae. Its colonies began from an encrusting base and grew into branching structures. Raised maculae made from mesozooecia and large autozooecia covered the colony's surface, and its autozooecia were arranged in a disorderly pattern. Its interzooidal budding pattern and integrate wall structure distinguish it from other genera.
References
- ↑ Andrej Ernst & Marcelo Carrera (2012). "Upper Ordovician (Sandbian) Bryozoan Fauna from Argentine Precordillera". Journal of Paleontology . 86 (5): 721–752. doi:10.1666/12-024.1. hdl: 11336/52220 . S2CID 86306266.
 | This bryozoan-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |