Systematic analysis of Upper Triassic silicified scleractinian corals from Wrangellia and the Alexander Terrane, Alaska and British Columbia

Abstract

Acid processing allowed systematic identification of 458 Upper Triassic silicified scleractinian corals (20 genera, 47 species) from the Alexander terrane (southeast Alaska) and Wrangellia (Wrangell Mountains, southern Alaska and Vancouver Island, Canada). Coral faunas, here presented, show taxonomic affinity with coeval collections from other Cordilleran terranes, specifically the Wallowa terrane (northeastern Oregon and Idaho) and Peru (South America) as well as the distant Tethys region. Genera from the Alexander terrane include:KompsasteriaRoniewicz,GablonzeriaCuif,CuifiaMelnikova,ParacuifiaMelnikova,DistichophylliaCuif,RetiophylliaCuif,KuhnastraeaCuif,MargarosmiliaVolz,DistichomeandraCuif,AstraeomorphaReuss,PamiroserisMelnikova,CrassistellaRoniewicz,StylophyllumFrech, andMeandrostylisFrech. Genera from Wrangellia include:GablonzeriaCuif,DistichophylliaCuif,RetiophylliaCuif,KuhnastraeaCuif,MargarosmiliaVolz,DistichomeandraCuif,AstraeomorphaReuss,ParastraeomorphaRoniewicz,ChondrocoeniaRoniewicz,PamiroserisMelnikova,CrassistellaRoniewicz,Ampakabastraea?Alloiteau,RecticostastraeaStanley and Whalen,MeandrostylisFrech,AnthostylisRoniewicz, and the new genusCampesterian. gen. New species include:Gablonzeria grandiosan. sp.,Paracuifia smithin. sp.,Paracuifia jennieaen. sp.,P. anomalan. sp.,Retiophyllia dendriformisn. sp.,R. obtusan. sp., andCampesteria prolixian. sp.