Abstract

DE MORAES LEME, Juliana; GUIMARAES SIMOES, Marcello  and  VAN ITEN, Heyo. Reinterpretation of Malvinoconularia cahuanotensis (Braniša and Vanek) from the Devonian Altiplano and Western Andean Cordillera, Bolivia, South America. Ameghiniana [online]. 2006, vol.43, n.2, pp.285-292. ISSN 1851-8044.

The holotype of Malvinoconularia cahuanotensis (Braniša and Vanek) (Devonian, Bolivia), the type species of the monospecific genus Malvinoconularia Babcock et al., is redescribed and refigured. M. cahuanotensis exhibits several gross morphological features that together are uniquely shared with Reticulaconularia baini (Babcock and Feldmann). In both taxa, the transverse ribs are nodose, the interspaces bear longitudinal ridges (bars or crests) that are collinear (line up) across the transverse ribs, and the longitudinal centerline (midline) of the faces is marked by a subdued ridge. Additionally, the two species may also be similar in the anatomy and external ornament of the corner sulcus. The slightly undulose geometry of the transverse ribs of M. cahuanotensis also is exhibited by certain specimens of Reticulaconularia; however, whether this feature is primary or taphonomic in origin is unclear at present. Together, these similarities suggest that the genus Malvinoconularia probably is a junior synonym of the genus Reticulaconularia.

Keywords : Bolivia; Devonian; Conulariids; Cnidaria; Systematics.