Trilobites and agnostids from the Goyder Formation (Cambrian Series 3, Guzhangian; Mindyallan), Amadeus Basin, central Australia
Author
Smith, Patrick M.
Author
Paterson, John R.
Author
Brock, Glenn A.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-03-19
4396
1
1
67
journal article
30484
10.11646/zootaxa.4396.1.1
918f2145-a708-460e-b19b-4f67e6c99b30
1175-5326
1202723
8EEBE6DE-0ECC-4B9C-AD14-01438291782B
Catillicephalidae
gen. et sp. indet.
Fig. 27D–F
Material.
A single partial cranidium figured, CPC42402.
Description.
Cranidium outline semicircular, incomplete specimen
3 mm
long (sag.), maximum width across posterolateral projections of fixigenae, narrowest point at anterior tip of palpebral lobes (γ–γ); strongly convex (sag., tr.). Anterior strongly rounded. Posterior margin incompletely preserved, appears to have been bowed forward strongly. Anterior branches of facial suture (γ–α) converge anteriorly in a broad arc. Glabellar anterior strongly rounded, gently expanding anteriorly, obpyriform in outline; strongly convex (sag., tr.), with maximum convexity across midwidth, lateral slopes convex; width:length ratio of 75%, occupying 96% of the cranidial length; axial furrow narrow and deep. All lateral glabellar furrows except SO, effaced. Occipital ring of moderate length (sag.), becoming slightly narrower abaxially; posterior margin bowed backwards strongly; surmounted by a thin (tr.) spine near the posterior margin, spine is incompletely preserved. SO shallow, narrow (sag.), directed transversely. Anterior cranidial border lacking furrow. Preocular and preglabellar field moderately convex, downsloping toward the anterior border; short (sag.), 4% of sagittal cranidial length. Palpebral lobes small (exsag.), incompletely preserved. Eye ridge faint, extending posterolaterally from the axial furrow, just posterior of the anterior axial furrow, in a straight line towards the anterior tip of palpebral lobe. Palpebral area of fixigena slightly downsloping towards the lateral borders, maximum width (tr.) is 31% the adjacent glabellar width. Postocular field long (exsag.) and downsloping towards the posterolateral projections. Posterolateral projections of fixigena are slightly downsloping towards the lateral corners, with a steep downturn at the lateral extremities. Posterolateral corners with a small (exsag.) broad-based spine. Posterior border incompletely preserved.
Prosopon over entire cranidium is smooth.
Hypostome, rostral plate, thorax and pygidium unknown.
Discussion.
This isolated cranidium closely resembles material described as “
Catillicephalidae
, gen. nov. et sp. nov.” by Öpik (1967, p. 207, pl. 9, fig. 5) from the Mindyallan
Georgina Limestone
, later reassigned to
Catillicephalina glasgowensis
(Jago & Cooper, 2005)
by Bentley
et al
. (2009). The Goyder Formation and
Georgina Limestone
material both possess an effaced obpyriform glabella, faintly developed eye ridges, anteriorly situated palpebral lobes, and posterolateral projections of the fixigena that steeply downturn at the lateral extremities (cf. Öpik 1967, pl. 9, fig. 5). However, the presence of a preglabellar field and occipital spine precludes assigning the Goyder Formation specimen to
C. glasgowensis
. The Goyder Formation cranidium also resembles a poorly preserved specimen identified as “
Avonina
sp. nov.
”, also from the Mindyallan
Georgina Limestone
(Öpik 1967, p. 211, pl. 9, fig. 6); however, lack of detail on the GOY cranidium prevents further comparison.
Whilst the Goyder Formation cranidium possesses the typical morphology of a catillicephalid, it also closely resembles
Interalia
serena
Öpik, 1967
from the Mungerebar Limestone of the
Georgina Basin
– a monotypic genus that Öpik (1967) assigned to the
Lonchocephalidae Hupé, 1953
. The only obvious features that separate the Goyder Formation specimen (
Fig. 27D–F
) from
I. serena
(Öpik 1967, pl. 10, figs 6, 7) are the parallel-sided glabella with faint furrows in
I. serena
. It is possible that
Interalia
also belongs to the
Catillicephalidae
, but without an associated pygidium, this remains an open question. Given the paucity of sclerites from the Goyder Formation, this species cannot be confidently assigned to any known catillicephalid genus.
Occurrence.
GOY section horizon
132.7 m
(
Fig. 3
).