Flabellum is a genus of marine corals belonging to the family Flabellidae. These are a diverse group of azooxanthellate corals with about 190 species, 47 of which are extant. They are exclusively solitary corals and many are deep water species.[2]

Flabellum
Temporal range: Cretaceous—Present [1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Flabellidae
Genus: Flabellum
Lesson, 1831
Species

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Synonyms
  • Phyllodes

Description

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Corals in this genus are solitary, erect and flattened, with a short, thick peduncle and a long elliptical, slightly curved calyx. The costae are indistinct, simple and flat. The septa are in five complete cycles and are narrow, closely packed, slightly sinuous, and covered with projecting granules.[3]

Fossil record

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Fossils of Flabellum are found in marine strata from the Cretaceous until the Quaternary (age range: from 66.043 to 0.012 million years ago.). Fossils are known from various localities in Europe, North America and Australia.[1]

 
Fossil of Flabellum species

Species

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The following species are considered to belong to the genus Flabellum:[4]

Subgenus Flabellum (Flabellum) Lesson, 1831

Subgenus Flabellum (Ulocyathus) M. Sars, 1851

References

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  1. ^ a b Paleobiology Database
  2. ^ Henry, L.V.; Torres, Joseph J. (2013). "Metabolism of an Antarctic solitary coral, Flabellum impensum" (PDF). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 449: 17–21. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2013.08.010.
  3. ^ Milne-Edwards, Henri (1854). A Monograph of the British Fossil Corals. Palaeontographical society. pp. 6–7.
  4. ^ Cairns, S.; Hoeksema, B. (2013). Flabellum Lesson, 1831. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135114.