A Misissippian Echinoderm Site in Alabame

Abstract

ABsTRACT-Abundancdea ta tabulated for different taxa at individual fossil sites may beuseful in future studies of taxonomic diversity in space and time. An echinoderm site,98 feet below the contact of the Upper Mississippian Monteagle Limestone and the HartselleSandstone on Weatherly Mountain approximately 7 miles south of Huntsville, Alabama,has yielded the following echinoderm genera: Onychaster Meek and Worthen, DiploblastusFay, Pentremites Say, Discocystis Gregory, Acrocrinus Yandell, AllocatillocrinusWanner, Aphelecrinus Kirk, Armenocrinus Strimple and Horowitz, Batocrinus Casseday,Cymbiocrinus Kirk, Decadocrinus Wachsmuth and Springer, Dichocrinus Miinster, DinotocrinusKirk, Linocrinus Kirk, Phanocrinus Kirk, Platycrinites Miller, Rhopocrinus Kirk,and Taxocrinus Phillips. Pentremites, Platycrinites, and Diploblastus are the dominantelements of the echinoderm fauna. Although detailed paleoecologic interpretations mustawait systematic quarrying of the site, the fauna probably was smothered and rapidlyburied. On the basis of stratigraphic position and the presence of Platycrinites penicillusMeek and Worthen, the fauna is probably late Genevievian

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