ABNORMALITIES IN THE LOWER ORDOVICIAN CORNUTE PHYLLOCYSTIS THORAL, 1935 (ECHINODERMATA: STYLOPHORA) FROM MONTAGNE NOIRE (SOUTHERN FRANCE): IMPLICATIONS FOR PLATE HOMOLOGY AND PHYLOGENY

Abstract

Two specimens of the cornute Phyllocystis crassimarginataThoral, 1935 from the Lower Ordovician of Southern Montagne Noire (Languedoc, France) showing abnormal numbers of marginal plates are described. The first one (UM 310) is characterized by the insertion of one extra plate between the fourth right marginal and the zygal plate Z. Comparison with a new, undescribed Tremadoc boot-shaped cornute suggests that 1) the extra plate of UM 310 is equivalent to M4, and 2) the three right marginals located between M1 and Z in “normal” specimens of Phyllocystis can be identified as M2, Mc, and M3. Plate configurations of the right thecal margin are thus identical in “normal” Phyllocystis, chauvelicystids, and cothurnocystids. This result indicates that Phyllocystis is probably more closely related to these two clades than to scotiaecystids. Consequently, the identification of the four marginals forming the left thecal margin of Phyllocystis (M′2, M′3, M′5, and M5) is deduced from a comparison with the cothurnocystid plate pattern. The second abnormal specimen of P. crassimarginata (R64546) is characterized by the loss of M′3. It confirms that reduction in the number of marginals is a general trend in boot-shaped cornutes.