Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

Morphology and microstructure of oligolamellar teeth in Paleozoic echinoids. Part 1. Teeth of some early lepidocentrid echinoids

Wanda Jesionek-Szymańska

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 24 (2), 1979: 275-293

The ollgolamellar, flat type of echinoid teeth in Kongielechinus magnituberculatus gen.n., sp.n. Is described. The teeth consist of few relatively large, thick, roughly triangular lamellae. Re-interpretation of the teeth structure of the oldest known echlnolds - Upper Ordovician Aulechinus and Ectinechinus is presented. It is suggested that their teeth also belong to the flat, oligolamellar type and have been hitherto wrongly assigned to the grooved type. A new lepidocentrid Kongielechinus magnituberculatus gen.n., sp.n. from the Givetian (Middle Devonian) of Poland Is described on the basis of isolated coronal plates, spines and Aristotle lantern elements.

Key words: Devonian, echinoids, evolution, jaw apparatus, microstructure, taxonomy.


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