Symbiosis in Late Devonian-Mississippian corals: a review

Abstract

There are four symbiotic associations involving corals known from the Late Devonian. Corals formed at least six symbiotic associations in the Mississippian, most of which involved crinoids. There was an escalation in the abundance and complexity of coral symbiosis from the Ordovician into the Devonian, and no decline in the Carboniferous. Coral symbiosis after the Kellwasser biotic crises was impoverished and presumably did not recover to Middle Devonian levels in the early Carboniferous. Recovery of symbiotic associations after the Hangenberg Event was due to the re-establishment of associations known from earlier Palaeozoic times and appearance of new symbiotic associations. The lack of various worm bioclaustrations and endobiotic tentaculitoid tubeworms in Carboniferous corals is the main difference from the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian coral symbiosis. Late Devonian symbiotic associations involving corals are different from early Carboniferous associations.