Research paper
An Upper Mississippian echinoderm microfauna from the Genicera Formation of northern León (Carboniferous, Cantabrian Mountains, N Spain)
JOACHIM PABST
Institut für Geologie und Mineralogie, Universität zu Köln. Zülpicher Str. 49a, D-50674 Köln, Germany. jpabst2@uni-koeln.de
Corresponding author
HANS-GEORG HERBIG
Institut für Geologie und Mineralogie, Universität zu Köln. Zülpicher Str. 49a, D-50674 Köln, Germany. herbig.paleont@uni-koeln.de
ABSTRACT
For the first time an echinoderm microfauna is recorded from the cephalopod limestone facies (‘griotte facies’) of the lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) Genicera Fm. (Alba Fm.). The formation is widespread in the Cantabrian Mountains in NW Spain, but the ossicles are from some sections in the surroundings of the Bernesga valley in northern León. They have been derived from insoluble acetic acid residues from samples of the upper and especially of the uppermost part of the formation (Canalón Mb. and Millaró Beds). The microfauna include taxonomically treated wheel-shaped ossicles, sieve-plates and rods of holothurians, goniodonts of ophiocistioids, and ophiuroid and stenuroid skeletal elements. From the Palaeozoic of Spain Ophiocistioidea, Stenuroidea, Apodida (Holothuroidea), and allagecrinids (microcrinoids) are first reported. Here, we describe two new species: Linguaserra heidii n. sp. (Ophiocistioidea) and Calclyra bifida n. sp. (Ophiuroidea). Indeterminate echinoderm remains are also figured and discussed. The findings stress the importance of a diverse but still poorly documented echinoderm fauna in Upper Mississippian psychrospheric pelagic environments.
Key words: Viséan, Serpukhovian, cephalopod limestone, carbonate microfacies, echinoderm ossicles, taxonomy.
How to cite: Pabst, J. & Herbig, H. 2020. An Upper Mississippian echinoderm microfauna from the Genicera Formation of northern León (Carboniferous, Cantabrian Mountains, N Spain). Spanish Journal of Palaeontology, 35 (1), 47-76.
Received 30 January 2018, Accepted 12 November 2019, Published 30 June 2020
https://doi.org/10.7203/sjp.35.1.17116
