Research paper

An Early Aptian coral fauna from the Prebetic (southern Spain)


HANNES LÖSER
Estación Regional del Noroeste, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Luis Donaldo Colosio S/N y Madrid, 83250 Hermosillo, Sonora, México. loeser@paleotax.de
Corresponding author

LORENZO VILAS
Departamento de Estratigrafía-IGEO (CSIC-UCM), Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. vilasl@geo.ucm.es

CONSUELO ARIAS
Departamento de Estratigrafía-IGEO (CSIC-UCM), Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. ariasc@geo.ucm.es

PEDRO A. RUIZ-ORTIZ
Departamento de Geología y CEAC Tierra, Universidad de Jaén. 23071, Jaén. paruiz@ujaen.es

JOSÉ M. CASTRO
Departamento de Geología y CEAC Tierra, Universidad de Jaén. 23071, Jaén. jmcastro@ujaen.es

GINÉS A. DE GEA
Departamento de Geología y CEAC Tierra, Universidad de Jaén. 23071, Jaén. gadegea@ujaen.es


ABSTRACT

From the Lower Aptian of the Betic Cordillera a small hermatypic coral fauna is reported. The sampled outcrop is located in the Sierra de la Muela (Prebetic, South Spain). The studied corals come from a carbonate platform megasequence, deposited in the Southern Iberian Palaeomargin during the Early-Late Aptian transition. The coral fauna consists of 19 species in 13 genera belonging to the suborders Archeocaeniina, Faviina, Fungiina, Meandrinina, Microsolenina, and Stylinina. The coral fauna consists of typical and common species. It shows relationship of mainly Barremian to Early Albian faunas from the Western Tethys.


Keywords: Shallow marine platform, taxonomy, Cretaceous, western Tethys.

How to cite:  Löser, H., Vilas, L., Arias, C., Ruiz-Ortiz, P.A., Castro, J.M. & de Gea, G.A. 2013. An Early Aptian coral fauna from the Prebetic (southern Spain). Spanish Journal of Palaeontology, 28 (2), 193-214.

Received 16 January 2013, Accepted 03 May 2013, Published 31 December 2013

https://doi.org/10.7203/sjp.28.2.17852