A new Devonian asteroid-like ophiuroid from Spain
Abstract
A Lochkovian (Early Devonian) ophiuroid (Echinodermata), Ophiocantabria elegans n. gen. and sp., is based on a single small, well-preserved specimen collected from a shale-rich horizon of the Furada Formation, Asturias, Spain. Sedimentologic and palaeontologic data suggest its occurrence was in a near-shore setting subjected to frequent storms. Ophiocantabria is assigned to the Encrinasteridae based on the morphology of individual skeletal elements, although overall form of the new species is similar to that of approximately coeval members of the asteroid family Xenasteridae. Such homoplasy, especially among earlier members of asterozoan class-level clades, is an important but not well understood aspect of subphylum evolution.
Keywords
Ophiuroidea; Echinodermata; Devonian; Spain; Phylogeny
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PDFDOI: https://doi.org/10.1344/GeologicaActa2015.13.4.6
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Facultat de Ciències de la Terra Institut de Ciències de la Terra Institut de Diagnosi Ambiental Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Universitat de Barcelona "Jaume Almera" (CSIC) i Estudis de l'Aigua (CSIC)
Geologica Acta (ISSN-1695-6133)
Biblioteca de Ciències de la Terra (UB-CSIC) | Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Martí i Franquès s/n 08028 Barcelona | Spain
Phone: +34 93 403 19 89 | E-mail: geologica-acta@ictja.csic.es
Phone: +34 93 403 19 89 | E-mail: geologica-acta@ictja.csic.es