Morphology, palaeoecology and taphonomy of the Devonian mitrate Placocystella langei from Paraná Basin, Brazil

Abstract

Sandro Marcelo Scheffler, Rodrigo Scalise, Horodyski & Elvio Pinto, Bosetti, 2018. Morphology, palaeoecology and taphonomy of the Devonian mitrate Placocystella langei from Paraná Basin, Brazil. Alcheringa 43, 228–240. ISSN 0311-5518.

The original holotype and paratypes of the stylophoran mitrate Placocystella langei (Echinodermata) are definitively lost. A neotype is designated here, based on new material collected in the marine Devonian strata of the Apucarana Sub-basin, Paraná, Brazil. Placocystella langei was the first species of Stylophora to be identified in Devonian basins from Brazil. Its range extends from the late Emsian to early Givetian. Taphonomic data indicate that P. langei specimens were preserved in a storm-influenced, transitional offshore environment, and that skeletal remains were few exposed at the water–sediment surface. Considering that the specimens do not exhibit evidence of reworking, it is possible that their final burial was rapid and definitive, which facilitated their almost complete preservation. Finally, taphonomic, diagenetic and sedimentologic data all suggest a shallow infaunal habit for Placocystella langei.

Sandro Marcelo Scheffler [[email protected]] Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Laborat orio de Paleoinvertebrados (LAPIN), Museu Nacional—UFRJ, Parque Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão 20940040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil; Rodrigo Scalise Horodyski* [[email protected]] Graduate Program in Geology, Vale do Rio dos Sinos University, Av. Unisinos, 950, Cristo Rei, 93022-000 São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil; Elvio Pinto Bosetti [[email protected]] Departamento de Geociências, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Av. Carlos Cavalcanti 9.500, Uvaranas, 84010-919, Ponta Grossa, Paran a, Brazil.

Key words:

• Echinoderm
• Stylophora
• infaunal
• Malvinokaffric Realm
• paleoenvironment
• Gondwana

Acknowledgements

S.M. Scheffler thanks Robson T. Bolzon and Cristina S. Vega for donating the additional specimen for the Museu Nacional/UFRJ. RS Horodyski thanks PNPD-Capes (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for financial support. EP Bosetti thanks CNPq (311483/2014-3) for grants. We acknowledge Grupo Palaios UEPG/CNPq for the fieldwork. This manuscript is part of the results obtained for the CNPq Projects ‘Devonian of the Paraná Basin revised’ (401796/2010-8) and ‘Devonian macroinvertebrate study of the Paraná Basin, with emphasis on the echinoderms, and the correlation with others South American basins: taxonomy, taphonomy, paleoecology and paleobiogeography contributions’ (474952/2013-4). Daniel Sedorko (UNISINOS, Brazil) is acknowledged for reviewing the manuscript and checking the English. We acknowledge also to the reviewer of the paper Bertrand Lefebvre.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.