Miscellaneous Groups
Conchopeltis
CONULARIDA
Conularia quadrata Walcott, 1876 – Description from Walcott, 1876
Conularia quadrata Walcott, 1876, p. 93.
Description: Slender, pyramidal, and quadrate. Angles are sulcate. Surface marked by oblique transverse ridges that alternate upon opposite sides of a central longitudinal ridge. The transverse ridges are sharp near the apex, growing broader at the mouth, toward which they incline. Each side is slightly depressed along the central ridge.
Metaconularia gradulata (?) (Hall, 1847) - Description from Foerste, 1928
Metaconularia sp. Foerste, 1928; Sinclair, 1940, p. 109.
Metaconularia gradulata (?) (Hall, 1847). Foerste, 1928, p. 109, pl. 29, fig. 2.
Conularia gradulata Hall, 1847, p. 223, pl. L9, fig. 2.
Description: Metaconularia grandulata (?) differs from Metaconularia papillata in that both the vertical and the transverse rows of papillae are more numerous and the papillae tend to be elongated in the vertical direction.
Metaconularia papillata (Hall, 1847) - Description from Foerste, 1928
Metaconularia papillata (Hall, 1847). Foerste, 1928, p. 107, pl. 29, fig. 1;. Sinclair, 1940, p. 108, pl. 2, fig, 1; Van Iten, 1992a, p. 342; Van Iten, 1992b, p. 361.
Conularia papillata Hall, 1847, p. 223, pl. 59, fig. 3a-3b.
Description: The shell looks like it consisted of a tough chitinous material and the four angles of the shell are occupied by an impressed groove. Along the middle of each face is a distinct narrow groove, on each side of which there is an additional impressed groove locating the position of the septum in the interior of the shell. The surface of the shell is marked by minute papillae arranged in vertical and transverse rows crossing each other at right angles. The general surface of the specimen is flat, and not raised into distinct transverse ridges alternating with grooves, as in a typical Conularia.
GRAPTOLITHINA
Amplexograptus sp. Elles and Wood, 1907 – Description from Mitchell, 1987
Description: Thecae are amplexograptid with short, slightly outwardly inclined supragenicular walls, a sharp geniculum bearing a genicular flange, and cuspate thecal apertures horizontal to slightly everted. Rhabdosomes may be partly septate, with th31 or some later theca dicalycal, but are more commonly aseptate. Paired antivergellar spines are generally present on dorsal margin of sicular aperture. Th11 invariably bears a subapertural or mesial spine but th12 commonly does not.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
Corynoides americanus (?) (Ruedemann) – Description from Riva, 1974
Corynoides curtus Lapworth. Ruedemann, 1908, p. 240-241, text-fig. 140-144, pl. 13, fig. 4, 17-21; Strachan, 1949, p. 155, 157, 158.
Corynoides curtus var. comma Ruedemann, 1908, p. 242, text-fig. 145-148, pl. 13, fig. 5, 22-24.
Corynoides calicularis var. americana Ruedemann, 1947, p. 359-360, pl.59, fig. 26-29.
Corynoides comma Ruedemann, 1947, p. 360, pl. 58, fig. 49-55; Strachan,1949, p. 155.
Corynoides americanus (Ruedemann). Riva, 1974, p. 37, fig. 10.
Description: Rhabdosomes are thin and short, consisting of gently to strongly curved sicula, from 3.5 to 6.5 mm long, and of a theca originating near the apex of the sicula and growing down on the convex side to about 0.4-0.5 mm from the sicular aperture where it diverges from the sicula. A second theca is seen in some specimens to form near the apex of the first theca. Both the sicula and th1 develop a lamelliform virgellar processes. Growth bands are recognizable in pyritized specimens and they characteristically curve forwards toward the virgellar structure. The edges of the sicular aperture and the virgella are reinforced by secondary thickening as are the aperture and the virgellar structure of the first theca.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
Corynoides sp. Nicholson, 1867 cf. C. curtus – Description from Bulman, 1970
Description: Rhabdosomes consist of sicula with broad lamelliform virgella and 2 adnate thecae bearing broad apertural processes. Where a third theca occurs, it is small and isolate.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
Dicranograptus nicholsoni Hopkinson, 1870 - Description from Ruedemann, 1947
Dicranograptus nicholsoni Hopkinson, 1870, p. 357, pl. 10, fig. 3; Lapworth, 1876, p. 6, p. 3. fig. 79; 1877, p. 141, pl. 7, fig. 2. Tullberg, 1882, p. 20; Gurley, 1896, p. 297; Elles and Wood, 1904, p. 171, pl. 25, figs. 1a-h. Hall, T.S., 1905, p. 24, pl. 6, fig. 7; 1906, p. 274; Ruedemann, 1908, p. 317-320, text-figs. 239-242, pl. 20, figs. 3-5, pl. 21, fig. 1; 1912, p. 79; 1925, p. 52; 1925, p. 53-54; 1947, p. 391, pl. 66, figs. 5-11; Bassler, 1915, p. 416; Ruedemann and Laverdiere, 1935, p. 8.
Dicranograptus cf. nicholsoni Decker, 1936, p. 307; Bulman, 1931, p. 92; Keble and Benson, 1939, p. 78.
Description: Rhabdosomes consist of a short biserial portion (uniformally 5 mm long, with variations to 4 to 6 mm) and long uniserial branches, attaining a length of 130+ mm and forming an axillary angle that varies from 25 to 80 degrees, in majority of specimens lies between 40 to 60 degrees. Branches are frequently straight, but gently curved, either first concave and then convex from beginning, so as to reapproach distally. The biserial section begins narrow (initial width 0.7 mm), but widens to 1.7 mm. The uniserial section branches uniformly 1 mm thick, in some long branches widening gradually to 1.2 mm. Sicula measure 1-1.1 mm, furnished with a short virgella. From its apical end a dividing septum proceeds, and only the first four thecae grow alternately. The biserial section consists of 5 to 6 thecae. Thecae have convex outer walls, which in the biserial section are furnished with strong mesial spines. They overlap about half their length and their apertural parts are introverted and introtored and contained in or almost filling round excavations that occupy fully a third or more of width of branch.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
Geniculograptus typicalis (Hall, 1865) – Description from Berry, 1971
Climacograptus typicalis Hall, 1865, p. 57, pl. A, figs. 1-9; Walcott, 1884, p. 34; Ulrich, 1888, p. 183; Walcott, 1890, p. 339; Winchell and Schuchert, 1895, p. 82, fig. 4; Gurley, 1896, p. 298; Roemer and Frech, 1897, p. 612; Ruedemann, 1901, p. 523, Nickels, 1902, p. 68; Ruedemann, 1908, p. 407-411, text-figs. 354-362, p. 28, figs. 6-7; Bassler, 1915, p. 238; Ruedemann, 1925, p. 59; Decker, 1933, p. 1416; 1934, p. 322; Ruedemann, 1947, p. 440-441, pl. 75, figs 27-38; Berry, 1971, p. 637.
Climacograptus cf. typicalis Decker, 1936, p. 307.
Geniculograptus typicalis (Hall, 1865). Mitchell, 1987, p. 381.
Description: Rhabdosomes are up to 5.5 mm long. They widen from 0.5-0.7 mm at the first thecal aperture to 1.3-1.5 mm at 5 mm from that position, and to their maximum width of 2.0-2.1 mm at 10 to 17 mm from that position. The thecae number 7 to 7.5 in the proximal 5 mm, 15 in the proximal 10 mm, and 10 to 11 in 10 mm in the distal part of the rhabdosome. The supragenicular parts of the free ventral walls are parallel with the rhabdosome axis and apertures are horizontal. The thecae in medial and distal parts of the rhabdosome overlap approximately one-third their length and their apertural excavations occupy one-fourth the width of the rhabdosome. The rapidly tapering aspect of the proximal end of the rhabdosome and the relatively narrow thecal apertural excavations characterize this species.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
Normalograptus mohawkensis (Ruedemann) - Description from Goldman and Mitchell, 1994
Diplograptus (Mesograptus) mohawkensis Ruedemann, 1912, p. 80-81, text-figs. 19-20, pl. 2, figs. 18-19; Ruedemann, 1947, p. 419-420, pl. 71, figs. 24-28.
Climacograptus mohaawkensis (Ruedemann). Walters, 1977, p. 937-938, pl. 2, figs. f, h, i.
not Climacograptus mohawkensis (Ruedemann). Williams, 1982, p. 246-247, fig. 10e-j.
Normalograptus mohawkensis (Ruedeman). Goldman and Mitchell, 1994, p. 97, pl. 1, figs. J-N, pl. 3, figs. A-B, fig. 4R.
Description: The rhabdosome is short, generally less than 15 mm in length. Thecae are climacograptid, numbering 7.5-8.0 in the first 5 mm, decreasing to 7 in 5 mm distally. Narrow rhabdosomes widen gradually. Inter-aperture widths increase from 0.4-0.5 mm at the first thecal pair to a maximum width of 0.75-0.85 mm at the ninth thecal pair. Thecae are geniculate, but lack genicular flanges. Supragenicular wall straight to gently convex, inclined slightly to the rhabdosome, and approximately 0.4 mm high at the th21, increasing to 0.5-0.55 mm distally. Th11 and th12 are relatively long compared to the next few thecae. Thecal apertures are everted proximally, become horizontal distally, and lack well-developed selvages. The rhabdosome generally becomes septate at the base of the sixth thecal pair, although considerable variation is observed in the level of septal insertion. The proximal end structure corresponds to a Pattern H primordial astogeny (Mitchell, 1987). The sicula is relatively short (approximately 1.0 mm) and broad and bears only a short virgella. The proximal end is narrow and fusiform with the virgella slightly incurved across the sicula aperture. The metathecae of th11 is tightly upturned and has a complete dorsal wall.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic
Orthograptus quadrimucronatus (Hall, 1865) - Description from Goldman, 1995
Graptolithus quadrimucronatus Hall, 1865, p. 144, pl. 13, fig. 1-10.
Diplograptus quadrimucronatus (Hall). Lapworth, 1877, p. 133, pl. 6, fig. 20.
Diplograptus (Orthograptus) quadrimucronatus (Hall). Elles and Wood, 1907, p. 223, pl. 28, fig. 1a-1d, text-fig. 145a-f.
Diplograptus foliaceus gorrelensis Caley, 1936, p. 66, fig. 2.
Glossograptus quadrimucronatus (Hall). Ruedemann, 1947, p. 452 (partim), pl. 78, figs. 1, 2, 6-31 (not figs. 3-5), pl. 79, figs. 1-10, 12-27 (not fig. 11), pl. 81, figs. 29-32.
Orthograptus quadrimucronatus quadrimucronatus (Hall). Goldman, 1995, p. 525, fig. 10.1-10.19, 11.1-11.6, 15.1-15.5, 17.5-17.9 [see for full synonymy]; Goldman and Bergstrom, 1997, p. 999, text-figs. 2l-n, 14e-f.
Description: Rhabdosomes widen from a mean width (excluding apertures) of 1.03 mm at first thecal pair to 1.68 mm at tenth thecal pair, generally parallel sided thereafter. Thecae are inclined to rhabdosome axis at an angle of 20-35 degrees, and free ventral thecal lengths average 0.60 mm proximally, increasing to 0.86 mm distally. The th11 has an apertural spine and th12 has a subapertural spine. The length of unenclosed sicula averages 1.15 mm and the total length is not known in flattened material. The mean width of the sicula aperture is 0.46 mm. Rhabdosomes are separate and bear no unusually long thecal spines.
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
Orthograptus rivai Goldman and Mitchell, 1994 - Description from Goldman and Mitchell, 1994
Orthograptus rivai Goldman and Mitchell, 1994, p. 95, pl. 2, figs. a-h, figs. 4P, 4Q, 5B, 5D; Goldman, 1995, p. 535, figs. 15.15, 15.16.
Description: Rhabdosomes narrow (maximum 1.3 mm) parallel sided; thecae orthograptid, th11 with apertural spine , th12 with subapertural spine, remaining thecae with short paired apertural spines. This species can be differentiated from Orthograptus quadrimucronatus by its much narrower, aseptate rhabdosome. Orthograptus rivai also commonly forms synrhabdosomes.
Synrhabdosomes are enigmatic associations of several individual colonies attached either by their nema or, in a few rare cases, by the virgella. The individual nema are intertwined and may have been fused together. Ruedemann (1895, 1904, 1908, 1947) reconstructed float-associated structures based on Mohawk Valley specimens like these, and although his illustrations have been widely reproduced, such structures have never been found in any subsequent fossils. Synrhabdosomes have been found in a disparate suite of graptolite species and occur commonly in a few species (such as Orthograptus rivai), but most species have never been found to form synrhabdosomes. The biological significance of these associations is controversial. They may be breeding or feeding assemblages, or may be preservational artifacts, but the majority view favors feeding assemblages (Gutiérrez-Marco and Lenz, 1998).
Ecology: Planktonic or epiplanktonic.
MACHAERIDIA
General Description of Machaeridia: Marine animals with a metamerically arranged, calcitic exoskeleton, composed of either two or four longitudinal series of posteriorly imbricated sclerites; individual sclerites composed of two distinct calcite layer; outer layer formed by lamellar deposition, bearing fine growth lines and coarser rugae developed parallel to growth lines; inner layer formed by terminal addition of calcite elements in series radiating outward from sclerite umbo; all sclerites with an inner groove running anteriorly from the umbo on the inner surface; muscle scar universally present on inner surface. Historically, Machaeridans have been regarded as echinoderms or possibly descendents of echinoderm ancestors.
Plumulites sp. – possibly P. trentonensis Withers – Description from Ruedemann, 1942
Description: Has kiteshaped plates that are short and broad. The apical part of the plate is not attenuated with proximal angles that are widely and almost equally truncated.
