Inventory and analysis of the distribution of Viséan corals from the Guadiato Area (Córdoba, SW Spain)

Abstract

he coral content of the Visean rocks from the Guadiato Area (SW Spain) have been studied during the last 25 years. Part of the coral assemblages have been previously described, but never as whole. The 69 recorded coral species belonging to Rugosa, Tabulata and Heterocorallia are illustrated. The family Antiphyllidae is represented by two genera and three species; the family Laccophyllidae is represented by one species; the family Cyathaxoniidae is represented by one genus and two species; the family Amplexidae is represented by one species; the family Zaphrentoididae is represented by one species; the family Plerophyllidae is represented by one species; the family Polycoeliidae is represented by one species; the family Pentaphyllidae is represented by one species; the family Cyathopsidae is represented by four genera and five species; the family Bothrophyllidae is represented by one species, the family Aulophyllidae is represented by nine genera and ten species; the family Palaeosmiliidae is represented by four genera and four species; the family Lithostrotionidae is represented by five genera and sixteen species; the family Axophyllidae is represented by three genera and thirteen species; the family Geyerophyllidae is represented by one species; the family Heterophyllidae is represented by two genera and two species; the family Syringoporidae is represented by one species; the family Multithecoporidae is represented by one genus and three species; the family Syringolitidae is represented by one species; the family Pyrgiidae is represented by one species. The degree of abundance and diversity is regarded as moderate and the degree of endemism is low. The significance of the coral assemblages for biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography and environmental palaeontology is analysed.