A new crinoid morphotaxon from the Silurian (Llandovery) of south-west Scotland (Ayrshire)
A new crinoid morphotaxon from the Silurian (Llandovery) of south-west Scotland (Ayrshire)
Scottish Journal of Geology (September 2024) 60 (2)
- Ayrshire Scotland
- Borders region Scotland
- Crinoidea
- Crinozoa
- Echinodermata
- Europe
- fossil localities
- Great Britain
- Lagerstatten
- Llandovery
- Lower Silurian
- morphology
- new taxa
- Paleozoic
- preservation
- Rhuddanian
- Scotland
- Silurian
- taxonomy
- United Kingdom
- Western Europe
- Pentland Hills
- Mulloch Hill Sandstone Formation
- Pentagonopentagonalis annulus
- Pentagonopentagonalis
There is little known of the diversity of Silurian crinoids in Scotland. Rather than wait in hope for a new Lagerstaette, our knowledge of the fauna can be improved by recognising imperfectly preserved specimens, such as disarticulated columnals. Pentagonopentagonalis (col.) annulus sp. nov. is here recorded from the Llandovery (Rhuddanian) Mulloch Hill Sandstone Formation of Ayrshire. It is known only from disarticulated columnals, most without counterpart, and rare pluricolumnals. The column is xenomorphic, and columnals can vary from pentagonal (probably proximal) to rounded/circular (more distal?), each with a moderately broad lumen that is similarly shaped. There is no areola and the articulation is radial symplectial. Pluricolumnals are heteromorphic, perhaps N3231323. This morphospecies is described to demonstrate something of the wealth of information and inference that may be gleaned from even the most unpromising material.