A new Mississippian problematicum from Ireland and Britain: comparison with the problematicum Draffania

Abstract

Upper Viséan platform limestones from Ireland and northern England contain occasionally hemispherical to bean-shaped structures attached to fenestellid bryozoan colonies. These problematic structures are described and compared with another Mississippian problematicum, Draffania. Both problematic taxa exhibit a similar skeletal structure, but have some different morphological features. They also have comparable stratigraphic records and occupied similar palaeoecological niches. Possible affinities of this new problematicum with foraminiferans, crinoids, algae, and bryozoans are discussed, but its definite taxonomic status remains to be elucidated. I Britain, bryozoans, foraminiferans, Ireland, Mississippian, problematica.