Manual of the Paleontology of the Cincinnati Group: Part IVlibrary.cincymuseum.org/topics/o/files/ordovician... · MANUAL OF THE PALEONTOLOGY OF THE CIN-CINNATI GROUP. BY JOSEPH JAMES

144 Cincinnati Society of Natural History.

MANUAL OF THE PALEONTOLOGY OF THE CIN-CINNATI GROUP.

BY JOSEPH F. JAMES, M. S C , F. G. S. A., ETC.

PART IV.

(Continued from Vol. xv, p. ioo.)

(Read by Title, January 3, 1893.)

Section 2.—Madreporaria rugosa.

This section includes such well-known forms as Zaphrentis,CyathophyHum and Streptelasma. Its general characters aregiven by Nicholson as follows:>:< Corallum simple or com-posite, composed of compact, solid sclerenchyma, the thecacomplete and imperforate; septa usually well developed andlamellar, with smooth or dentated edges; sometimes rudi-mentary, generally alternately long and short; mode of in-crease in the composite corolla mostly by lateral or calicularbudding. Three of the genera of our corals are referred here,viz., Zaphrentis, Streptelasma and Palceophyllum.

Genus 1.—ZAPHRENTIS, Rafinesque and Clifford, 1820.

"Corallum simple and trochoid; calice deep, septal fossulastrongly developed and occupying the place of one of thesepta; no columella; tabulae moderately developed and bear-ing on their upper surface a series of septa, which extendfrom the wall to the center of the visceral chamber, and aredenticulate all along their calicular edge." (Ann. Sci. Phys.de Bruxelles, tome v, 1820, p. 234; Ed. and Haime, Brit. Foss.Cor. (Palseont. Soc. Pub., (London, 1850, p. lxv.)

Remarks.—The above description is not the original one ofRafinesque and Clifford, this not being accessible, but the

-Manual of Palseontol., 1889. vol. 1. p. 276.

Paleontology of the Cincinnati Group. 145

later one of E d w a r d s and Ha ime . Only one species has beenrecorded from the Cincinnati group.

1.—Z. (?) OHIOENSIS, James, 1879.

FIG. 8.—Zaphrentis (?) ohioensis, James. Two examples nat. size. (Original.

Corallum small, simple, sub-cylindrical, expanding quiterapidly from the base upward; sharply curved about themiddle; epitheca thin; slight undulations, and numerous fineencircling lines crossing the small, closely set, longitudinal,sinuous costse ; margin of calice thin ; interior and septa notknown, being covered in all the examples by rock or othercorals; three-fourths of an inch in diameter across the cupand one inch in length. (The Palaeontologist, No. 4, July 10,1879, p. 26.)

Locality.—Mt. Auburn, Cincinnati, O.Remarks. — Subsequent to the published description, the

author of this species was inclined to question its validity.It is inserted here in order that it may receive study fromothers. The figures are from type specimens in Mr. James'scollection.

Genus 2.—STREPTELASMA, Hall, 1847.

Corallum simple, turbinate, free ; epitheca well developed;septa well developed, more or less twisted and united with oneanother toward the center of the visceral chamber, where the}^sometimes form a species of vesicular tissue; no columella andno dissepiments; tabulae remote, irregular, and poorly devel-oped; a single septal fosette. (Pal. of N. Y., vol. 1, 1847, P-69; Nicholson, Pal. of Ohio, vol. 2, 1875, p. 217.)

Re-marks.—The above is the description given by Nicholson,as it is fuller than that of Hall. Numerous species have been


referred to the genus, some of them from our own section,but there does not seem good reason for making more thanone from the Cincinnati group. It has also been questionedwhether it is not the same as Petraia described by Munster in1837. Billings and others have so considered it, but we shallhere regard it as distinct.

1.—S. CORNICULUM, Hall, 1847.

Corallum conical, slightly curved or nearly straight, aver-aging from one to four inches long, and from ten lines to i}4inches in diameter; septa from 90 to 160, alternately largeand small; smaller ones rarely extending much beyond themargin, but the larger ones reaching to the center, wherethey become more or less twisted and united with one an-other, forming a mass of vesicular tissue; calice moderatelydeep; septa very thick, often appearing as if double; tabulseremote and irregular, sometimes elevated toward the centerof the visceral chamber; no dissepiments; epitheca withlongitudinal ridges corresponding to the septa within ; other-wise smooth, or, rarely, with a few encircling folds. (Pal. ofN. Y., vol. 1, 1847, P- 69; Nicholson, Pal. of Ohio, vol. 2,1875, p. 218.

Locality.—Oxford, Waynesville, Lebanon, IyOveland, Cincin-nati and other places in Ohio and Indiana.

Remarks.—One of the most common of the fossils of theCincinnati group, and generally known as the " bull's horncoral." It varies greatly in size—from % inch to 4 inches inlength. It may be nearly straight or considerably curved,and with a sharp, or a rounded, blunt point. The descriptionabove is from the Palaeontology of Ohio. It is possible thatZaphrentis {?) ohioensis may be only a small variety of thisspecies.

Genus 3.— PAIÔPHYIÛM, Billings, 1857.

Corallum fasciculate or aggregate ; corallites surrounded bya thick wall; radiating septa extending the whole length;transverse diaphragms either rudimentary or none ; increasingby lateral budding. (Geol. Sur. of Canada, Rept. Prog, forl853> '54> '55. '56> 1857, p. 168; Nicholson, Pal. of Ohio, vol. 2,1875, p. 219.)


Remarks.—This genus is closely allied to Streptelasma, differ-ing from it only in forming masses instead of being singleand simple.

1.—P. DIVARICANS, Nicholson, 1875.

Corallum usually free, sometimes apparently attached, com-pound, formed of from 2 to 6, conical, turbinate corallites,produced by lateral gemmation, or by fission, directedoutward from the parent at a more or less open angleand not again in contact; septa from 58 to 62, alternatelylarge and small, large ones twisted toward center of visceralchamber; no dissepiments or columella; tabulae unknown;epitheca well developed, with ridges corresponding to thesepta within, with faint encircling striae and a few shallowannulations of growth; calice deep, with a flattened space atbottom; free edges of septa without spines or denticulations.(Pal. of Ohio, vol. 2, 1875, p. 220.)

Locality.—Oxford, etc., O.

Section 3.—Madreporaria perforata.

Simple or composite, with the corallum more or less porousor reticulate ; septa solid or porous, represented by irregulartrabeculae [plates or bars] or calcareous spines; dissepimentsusually present, and tabulae commonly developed. (Nicholson,Man. of Pal., 1889, vol. 1, p. 306.)

This section includes many of the large, widely distributedand best known genera of Paleozoic corals, among them beingFavosites. Only three genera are represented in our section,and these with only a few species. They are Alveolites, Pro-tar tea, and Calapnecia (Columnopora).

Genus 1.—AI.VEOI.ITES, Lamarck, 1801.

Corallum massive, incrusting or ramose, composed of con-tiguous, compressed corallites, which possess thin walls andopen obliquely upon the surface by sub-triangular or semi-lunar calices; septa sometimes obsolete, but often present inthe form of longitudinal rows of spinules, which may beequally developed or reduced to a single, double or treble rowby the suppression of the others; tabulae well developed, com-


plete; mural pores generally few in number, of large size andirregular in their distribution. (Systeme des Animaux sansVertebres, 1801, p. 375 ; Nicholson, Palaeozoic Tab. Corals,1879, p. 117.)

Remarks.—The description given above is that of Nicholson,and it is much more complete than the original of Lamarck.The generic characters are very fully discussed by the formerwriter, (Ibid., pp. 118-125), and those seeking more detailedinformation are referred to the above-cited volume.

1.—A. (?) GRANULOSUS, James, 1872.

FlG. 9.—Alveolites [/] granulosus, James—a, type specimen reduced one-half; (T.Holm, del.); b, corallites enlarged; c, monticule (original).

Corallum massive, irregular in form, apparently built up ofsuccessive layers, variable in thickness, 1 line to J/> inchthick, or more, with apparently solid interlaminar spaces;corallites very thin walled, 3 or 4 in one line; groups of coral-lites sometimes radiating from different points, growingirregularly, at various angles, short or long, and curving indifferent directions; surface covered with granules, oftenwith monticules from ^ to 2̂ an inch apart, and elevated 1 or2 lines; calices apparently irregular, crescentric, oval or trian-gular; tabulae present. (Cat. Foss. Cin. Group, 1872, p. 2.)

Locality.—Warren and Clinton Counties, Ohio.

Paleonlology of the Cincinnati Group. 149

Remarks.—This is a peculiar form, and while the typespecimen seems to be massive, it has some appearance of beingmade up of a number of masses which may have a centralnucleus. The weathered edges show the corallites to be com-plete and with rather numerous tabulae. The surface showsonly granules between quite large monticules, and no clearlydefined openings.

Genus 2.—PROTARÂ, Ed. and Haime, 1851.

" Corallum incrusting; walls simple, polygonal, bearing atthe angles of a majority of the calices small projections;calices shallow, septa less trabeculate than in a majority of thePoritides ; margin dentate, the innermost teeth looking like asmall columella, no pales." (Mon. des Polyp. Foss. des Terr.Palseoz., Archives du Mus. d' Hist. Nat., Paris, 1851, p. 208.)

Remarks.—The above is the description given by Edwardsand Haime for a coral described by Hall as Poriies (?) vetusia.(Pal. of N. Y., vol. 1, 1847, p. 71.) I have been unable to findany additions to it by later writers. Only one species, with apossible variety, is known.

1.—P. VETUSTA, Hall, 1847.

" Corallum expanding so as to form a very thin crust, fixed,ordinarily, upon shells of brachiopods, and from which itsshape is derived; calices polygonal, somewhat unequal, shal-low; walls simple, moderately thick, and often showing attheir angles small, column-like prolongations, such as are seenin Styloccenia; 12 septa, alternating, somewhat unequal, ratherthick outside, slightly prominent, and forming crenulationsupon the wall, free at the margin, dentate, thinner within,where the teeth are much finer, and simulate in the center acolumella; papillae somewhat irregular; calices 1̂ 2 mm. to 2mm. in size." (Ed. and Haime, Ibid., pp. 208-209.) (Porites (?)vehcsta, Hall, 1847.)

Locality.—Oxford, Cincinnati, etc., Ohio.Remarks.—The above is a free translation of Edwards and

Haime's description. The species is also described in theOhio Palaeontology, vol. 2, p. 221. The original descriptionof Hall, which is meager, is as follows : "A sub-hemispheric


coral, composed of irregular concentric laminae ; cells verticalto the laminae; openings upon the surface nearly circular,with internal vertical lamellae, which reach one-half wayto the center." (Pal. of N. Y., 1847, vol. 1, p. 71.) Theform described by Edwards and Haime as Protarcza verneuilitl. c. p. 209) does not show any characters sufficient to sepa-rate it, even as a variety. The description is as follows:" Corallum forming a convex, elevated mass; calices polygonal,somewhat unequal, separated by walls that are rather thin,and show at their angles small, slender columns; a scoreof the septa somewhat unequal, rather fine; size of thecalices three mm. in diameter.—Alexanderville, Ohio."

Genus 3.—CALAPGECIA, Billings, 1865.

" Corallum composite, forming hemispherical or sub-spheri-cal colonies; corallites slender, tubular, perforated as inFavosites, and with their outside striated by imperfectly de-veloped costae; radiating septa (in the species at presentknown), about twenty-four; tabulae thin, and apparently, insome instances, not complete. When the corallites are not incontact, the space between them is filled with a variouslyformed vesicular tissue. This genus resembles Heliolites, butdiffers therefrom in having double the number of septa andthe walls perforated." (Canad. Naturalist, 2d ser., vol. 2,1865, p. 425). (Columnopora Nicholson, Geol. Mag. new ser.,vol. 1, 1874, p. 253; Houghtonia Rominger, Foss. Cor. Michi-gan, 1876, p. 17.)

Remarks.— For a discussion of the affinities of this genussee Nicholson's " Palaeozoic Tabulate Corals," 1879, pp. 159-164. Since that volume was written Dr. Nicholson has aban-doned his genus in favor of that given above. (See Manualof Palaeontology, vol. 1, 1889, p. 317.)

I.— C. CRIBRIFORMIS, Nicholson, 1874.

Corallum massive, hemispheric or pyriform, varying fromten lines to six inches in diameter, and from eight lines tothree inches or more in height; corallites spreading from baseof attachment, polygonal, generally in close contact and thewalls thick and fused together; occasionally sub-circular,


partially separated by interspaces toward their mouths; calicesrounded or polygonal, about i}& lines in diameter, often withsmaller ones intercalated, the margins thick and crenulatedby the septa; septa about twenty, more or less, formingstrong longitudinal ridges passing only a short distanceinward; mural pores large, oval, arranged in rows betweenthe septa, separated generally by a space less than their owndiameter; tabulae numerous, complete, flexuous, often unitingwith one another, about eight in the space of one line.(Geol. Mag., new ser., vol. 1, 1874, p. 253.) (Columnoporacribriformis, Nicholson.)

Locality.—Cincinnati, O.Remarks.—As above noted, this species was originally de-

scribed as a Columnopora, and it has been generally placed inthis genus. Dr. Nicholson has discarded his name in favorof the older one, Calapcecia.

Sub-class.—ALCYONARIA.

This sub-class is characterized by the possession of " polypeswith eight pinnately fringed tentacles, the mesenteries andintermesenteric chambers being also eight in number. Thecorallum is usually sclerobasic or spicular, or formed of bothan axial sclerobasis and detached spicules. In other types,the polypes composing the colony may be provided withseparate thecse." * The eight tentacles and eight mesenterieschiefly distinguish the sub-class from the Zoantharia. Thecorallum is compound and variable in form, being branching,linear, discoid, frondescent, etc., either fixed by a root-likeprocess or floating free. The corallites are tubular and thetabulae well developed.

There are numerous living and comparatively few fossilgenera, at least in our section. Indeed, there are but two occur-ring, so far as known, in the Cincinnati Group in Ohio. Thesehave been referred to separate families, and constitute thetypical genera. They are Heliolites placed in the Heliolitidceand Tetradium in the Tetradiidce. We give here the genericand not the family characters. Heliolites has one species, andTetradium. two or three in our section.

* Nicholson, Manual of Palaeon., vol. 1, 1889, p. 324.


Genus 1.—HELioiyiTES (Guettard) Dana, 1846.

Corallum spheroidal, pyriform, hemispherical, or rarelyramose, composed of numerous closely contiguous corallites,divisible into two series; larger corallites cylindrical, com-paratively few, with twelve lamellar infoldings of the wall, ofthe nature of pseudo-septa, which fall short of the axis of thevisceral chamber; small corallites completely investing thelarger ones, more or less polygonal, with distinct walls, com-pletely amalgamated with one another and with the walls ofthe larger tubes, but not known to be provided with aperturesallowing lateral communication; small tubes without septa,but with numerous straight and complete tabulae, similar butless numerous ones being found in the larger tubes ; no col-umella. (Mem., vol. 3, p. 454, pi. 22, Figs. 13, 14; Dana, U. S.Exploring Exped., vol. 8, Zoophytes, 1846, p. 541 ; Nicholson,Pal. Tab. Cor., 1879, p. 243.)

Remarks.—As noted above, the generic name appears tohave been first used by Guettard, and was adopted by Danain 1846. His description is quite meager, and therefore themore complete one given above has been taken from Nichol-son.

1.—H. SHEPARDI, James, 1878.

Corallum hemispheric or. discoid, from one-half an inch toan inch in diameter; cell apertures one-half a line to a line indiameter, generally two or more lines apart, sometimes onlyone line ; margins thin, little, or not at all elevated above thesurface; septa twelve, well developed; spaces between thecorallites thickly set with pit-like markings (cells); base ofcorallum flat, convex, or with a groove between the outeredge and a saucer-like depression in the center; internalstructure unknown. (The Palaeontologist, No. 1, July 2, 1878,p. 2.)

Locality.—Brush Creek, Adams Co , O.Remarks.—It is to be regretted that it is impossible to figure

this species. Only four specimens were known to Mr. James,and these, together with a description, were deposited withthe publication committee of a scientific society, and havenever been seen since. The publication of the description in


this place may lead to the discovery or identification of otherspecimens.

Genus 2.—TETRADIUM, Dana, 1846.

Corallum massive, composed of long, prismatic and closelycontiguous corallites, without mural pores; septa distinct,few, generally four, short, not reaching to the center of thevisceral chamber, appearing like inflections of the wall;calices generally petaloid; tabulae numerous, complete ; in-crease apparently by fission of old tubes. (U. S. Explor.Exped., vol. 8, Zoophytes, 1846, p. 701 ; Nicholson, Pal. Tab.Cor., 1879, p. 231.)

Remarks.—The above is Nicholson's description of thegenus. That given by Dana, although short, covers the mainpoints. It is as follows: "Corallum massive, consisting offour-sided tubes, and cells with very thin septa or parietes;cells stellate, with four narrow lamellae." Safford made thefollowing remarks later on : (Am. Jour. Science, 2d ser., vol.22, 1856, p. 236.) "The tubes in the different species varyfrom ^ of a line to nearly 1 line in breadth; they are verylong, and are most frequently united throughout laterally,forming massive coralla, resembling, more or less, those ofFavosites and Chcetetes; sometimes, however, they are unitedin a single intersecting series, as in Halysites catenulata, L,inn.;not unfrequently, too, the tubes are isolated, or only united atirregular intervals, thus forming loose fasciculated coralla,resembling certain forms of Syringopora."

1.—T. FIBRATUM, Safford, 1856.

" Coralla massive, hemispherical or flattened hemispherical,composed of diverging tubes; cell tubes four-sided, with thinand slightly rugose walls; the four lamellae distinct, nearlyreaching the center of the tubes; breadth of full-grown tubesusually about, or but little more than 2̂ a line, varying occa-sionally from }i to % of a line; transverse septa usuallyabsent; a few have been seen in one specimen, which wereabout twice the breadth of a tube apart." (Am. Jour. Sci., 2dser., vol. 22, 1856, p. 237.)

Locality.—Oxford, Ohio, and other places in the upper bedsof the group.


Remarks.—This species frequentl}?- forms masses of consid-erable size, and when weathered shows long parallel tubes,like organ pipes on a small scale.

2.—T. MINUS, Safford, 1856.

Corallum massive, hemispherical or amorphous, composed ofslender, closely approximated corallites diverging from animaginary axis; corallites sometimes 3 inches long, about }ito % of a line wide, the walls tolerably thick and four or five-sided ; septa 4, imperfectly preserved and often detected withdifficulty; tabulae well developed, complete and remote, 5 or6 to a line. (Ibid., p. 238; Nicholson, Pal. of Ohio, vol. 2,1875, p. 222.)

Locality.—Cincinnati, Iyebanon, Waynesville, etc, Ohio.Remarks.—The description given of this species by Safford

is very meager, consisting of the statement that the specimensare generally small, the tubes ^ to J/3 of a line broad, regularor irregular, generally four-sided, and with the lamellae as inT. fibratum. We have, therefore, given the above descriptionas printed in the Palaeontology of Ohio.

3.—T. COLUMNARK, Hall, 1847.

Corallum massive, a foot or more in diameter, hemisphericalor sub-globose, consisting of a series of parallel or divergingpolygonal tubes; tubes four or five-sided, simple, withoutvisible transverse dissepiments or connecting pores; interiorof cells apparently rugose or denticulate. ( Chcetetes columnaris,Hall, Pal. of N. Y., 1847, vol. 1, p. 68.)

Locality.—Upper part of Cincinnati Group.Remarks.—This species, originally described as a species

of Chcetetes, is recorded by Ulrich (Cat. Foss. Cin. Gr., 1880,)as occurring in the upper part of the Group. While it differsfrom the two other species in its general appearance and modeof growth, it seems to belong to the present genus, where itwas, in fact, placed by Safford as long ago as 1856. (1. c, p.237.) It has the characteristic square tubes, and, while thecruciform character is not well marked, there are indicationsof indentations of the walls in well-preserved specimens.


A fourth species is given by Ulrich, T. (Phytopsis) cellu-losum, Hall, but this is evidently a form belonging to a lowerhorizon than the Cincinnati Group.

Sub-class.—MONTICULIPOROIDEA.

A group of fossils presenting a great diversity of forms,known only from Paleozoic formations and occurring mainlyin the L,ower Silurian ; corallum varying from massive todiscoid, laminar, ramose or parasitic, and made up of corallitescontiguous throughout their entire length, but each possess-ing a distinct wall; mural pores absent; spiniform corallitesfrequently present about the calices and usually at the anglesof junction of the corallites; cells all of the same size or intwo sets, one large and one small; tabulae generally present,complete and straight, or incomplete and curved; an epithe-cal membrane sometimes present and the cell openings fre-quently closed by opercula.

As the soft parts of the animals are entirely unknown,nothing can be said about their structure. As here consid-ered there is but one genus, with three sub-genera. Someauthors have divided the genus Monticulipora into five sub-genera, and consider the three here placed as sub-genera, viz.,Dekayia, Fistulipora and Constellaria, as distinct. The fivesub-genera given by Nicholson and other conservative authorsare Heterotrypa, Diplotryfra, Monotrypa, Prasopora and Peron-opora. Others have coined a large number of names that mayand may not be considered valid in the future. With that weare not here concerned.

Genus 1. — MONTICULJPORA, D'Orbigny, 1850.

Corallum variable in shape, massive, ramose, laminar, fron-descent, incrusting, or assuming a certain peculiar form;attached or floating free; composed of numerous tubularcorallites, the walls not amalgamated with each other, andwithout pores, tubes mostly of two kinds, one, (interstitial)smaller than the other, and differing in internal features;interior of the tubes with few or many complete tabulae, ordiaphragms, or more or less vesicular (in sub-genus FISTULI-PORA) ; the interstitial cells more closely tabulate than the


larger ones, and sometimes so numerous as to completelyisolate the large tubes from one another (in sub-genus FISTULI-

PORA) ; the apertures of the cells generally straight, sometimesmore or less oblique, varying in shape from circular, oval,hexagonal or polygonal, to square or rhombic ; surface oftenshowing at intervals areas occupied by corallites larger orsmaller than the average; if elevated above the surfacekuown as " monticules," and if on or below it, as " maculae ;"sometimes forming (in sub-genus CONSTKI^LARIA), star-shaped elevations, more or less thickly scattered over thesurface; spiniform corallites more or less numerous, placedeither at the angles, on the edges of the cells, or, at times,projecting into the cell cavity; sometimes (in sub-genus DKKA-

YIA), projecting above the surface as conspicuous blunt spines.(Prodrome de Paleont , tome 1, 1850, p. 25; Nicholson, Pal.Tab. Corals, 1879, p. 269; The Genus Montic, 1881, p. 30et seq.)

Remarks.—The above description has been purposely madebroad enough to cover the many genera that have, from timeto time, been published. The reasons for this are more fullyset forth in another place,* to which the student is referred.Attention is also called to Nicholson's " The Genus Monticu-lipora " for a very full exposition of the features of the genusand descriptions of many species. In the references to thespecies given below, generally only the original place of pub-lication will be cited.

The genus is divided into six groups, founded on the exter-nal form of the corallum. While this may be considered anartificial arrangement, it is, at the same time, believed to beone more useful to the student than what might be termed anatural arrangement based upon internal structure. Thegroups are: I. Massive; II. Discoid; III. Dendroid or Ra-mose ; IV. Laminar or Frondescent; V. Incrusting or Para-sitic ; VI. Species imitating foreign bodies. Bach of thesegroups will be separately considered.

*On the MonticuliporoidiCorals of the Cincinnati Group, with a critical revisionof the species. By U. P. James and Joseph F. James. Jour. Cm. Soc. Nat. Hist.,vol. 10, pp. 118-141.


GROUP I.—Massive; Free, or attached at one point or bythe whole of the base; more or less spheriodal, globose ormassive.

a. Surface smooth ; corallum massive 1Corallum free, spheriodal 2

b. Surface not smooth ; massive, with monticules 3Spheriodal, nodulated 4

1.—M. UNDULATA, Nicholson, 1875.

Corallum forming large, lobed or laterally indented masses,with a maximum diameter of four inches and a height ofabout two inches, the upper surface nearly flat; corallitesthin walled, angular and prismatic; calices sub-equal, withoccasional clusters of six or more, forming small patches,which are faintly or not at all raised above the general sur-face; small corallites sometimes present at the angles of junc-tion of the larger tubes; tabulae few, complete, placed atcorresponding levels in contiguous tubes. (Geol. Mag., decade2, vol. 2, 1875, p. 176.)

Locality.—Ontario.Remarks.—This form, as far as at present known, has only

been found in the Trenton of Canada. A small hemisphericalor spheroidal form occurring in the Cincinnati Group hasbeen placed here by Dr. Nicholson, without a special name.This is described below under a varietal name. The abovedescription is given so that the species may be recognized incase it be found in our region.

var. HEMISPHERICA, n. var.

FIG. to.—Monticulipora undulata, var. hemispherica, n. var. a corallum, nat.size : b tangential section x 18 ; c longitudinal section x 18. (After Nicholson.)


Corallum rounded or irregularly spheroidal, generally 1 to1̂ 2 inches in diameter, and sometimes growing around thestem of a crinoid; calices not observed on the exterior; coral-lites resembling the type (undulata) thin walled, prismatic,with occasional smaller cells placed at the angles ; tabulae fewand remote. (See Nicholson, Genus Montic, 1879, P- T73-)

Locality.—Hudson River group of various places in Ontario.Remarks.—In a previous paper by the author in connection

with U. P. James* this variety was considered the same as M.hirbinata, James. It seems evident now that this dispositionis not a tenable one. It differs greatly externally from M.undulata, and resembles M. hirbinata. Internally it resemblesthe former and differs from the latter. The figure is copiedfrom Dr. Nicholson's monograph.

2.—M. TURBINATA, U. P. James, 1878.

Corallum free, forming globular, pear-shaped or irregularlyrounded masses, from one quarter of an inch to an inch ormore in diameter ; surface smooth; calices polygonal or sub-circular, sub-equal, sometimes larger at the base; maculaeconsisting of groups of six or more slightly larger calicesscattered over, and only a little or not all raised above thesurface; a few minute tubes wedged in at the angles ofjunction of some of the larger tubes ; walls shown, in frac-tured specimens, to be strongly wrinkled; tabulae few innumber. (The Palaeontologist, No. 2, Sept. 14, 1878, p. 11.)(Chcetetes subglobosa, Ulrich, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., (Feb.,1880,) vol. 2, p. 129.)

Locality.—Cincinnati and Batavia, Ohio, and Covington,Kentucky.

Remarks.—As noted in a previous paperf this species wasdescribed in 1878 as Ch&tetes turbinatum. Subsequently(February, 1880), Mr. Ulrich's name of C. subglobosus waspublished. It is an obvious synoym of the present species.

3.—M. FiLiASA, D'Orbigny, 1850.

" Corallum mainly fixed on shells, the surface very stronglyconvex, presenting small, round monticules, sub-conical, a few

*Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 10, p. i6r.fjour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 10, p. 161.


prominent, scarcely larger than 2 mm., and distant from eachother by double their diameter; the largest calices on certainof the monticules are scarcely % or J/s mm. broad." (Prod,de Paleont., 1850, vol. 1, p. 25. Edwards and Haime, Poly.Foss. des Ter. Palaeoz. Archives du Mus. d' Hist. Nat., 1851,vol. 5, p. 266.)

Locality.—-Cincinnati, Oxford, etc., Ohio; Madison, Indiana;Covington, Kentucky, etc.

Remarks.—This is an illy-defined form. It was named anddescribed or characterized in 1850 in a single line by D'Or-bigny. In 1851 Edwards and Haime re-described and illus-trated it, and this description is quoted above. The corallitesare thin-walled and sub-equal, without interstitial cells. Speci-mens are found from 4 to 5 inches in diameter attached to shellsof Ambonychia. I have seen one of these in which the corallumextended an inch beyond the shell upon which it grew, andthe bases of the corallites were plainly visible. The uppersurface showed numerous elevations that seemed almost likethe beginnings of branches. The tabulae of the cells are com-plete and horizontal, and may be close or remote, according tothe point at which the section has been made.

4.—M. IRREGULARIS, Ulrich, 1880.

Corallum small, about Y\ of an inch in diameter, spheroidal,and apparently free; surface nearly smooth or covered withnodules; monticules none; corallites of one kind only, thin-walled, polygonal, radiating outward from one point to allparts of the surface; tabulae almost obsolete, although com-plete, transverse partitions are occasionally developed, gener-erally at corresponding levels in contiguous tubes. (Jour.Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 2, (Feb., 1880,) p. 129; Nicholson,Genus Montic, 1881, p. 177.)

Locality.—Hamilton, Morrow, etc., Ohio.Remarks.—This species is similar to M. turbinata in shape,

but it is easily separated by the nodulated surface and smallercorallites. In the collection of the late Mr. U. P. James is aspecimen with a conspicuous pointed base and a puff-ball likeform. Another has six conspicuous nodulations, the surfaceof these being entirely smooth.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

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Manual of the Paleontology of the Cincinnati Group: Part IVlibrary.cincymuseum.org/topics/o/files/ordovician... · MANUAL OF THE PALEONTOLOGY OF THE CIN-CINNATI GROUP. BY JOSEPH JAMES