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Bicavea d'Orbigny, 1853


D'Orbigny's illustration of Bicavea urnula Scanning electron micrograph of Bicavea urnula Scanning electron micrograph of a fascicle in Bicavea urnula Scanning electron micrograph of kenozooids forming the stalk of Bicavea urnula
Scanning electron micrograph of upper surface of Bicavea urnula Scanning electron micrograph of Bicavea urnula viewed fronto-laterally. Scanning electron micrograph of upper surface of small colony of Bicavea urnula.


Type species

Fasciculipora urnula d'Orbigny, 1850, p. 268
Cretaceous, 'Senonian', Fécamp, France

Type material: MNHN d'Orbigny Collection 8355 (2 colonies)


Diagnostic features

  • colony fungiform, small

  • stalk bulbous, tapering proximally

  • autozooids clustered in 4-8 upwardly-inclined, radiating fascicles that extend beyond the
    normal perimeter of the colony head; fascicles bounded by exterior walls

  • kenozooids free-walled, polygonal, funnel-like, covering stalk and filling areas between
    autozooidal fascicles on head

  • gonozooid unknown


Classification

Order Cyclostomata
?Suborder Tubuliporina
?Family Cytididae


Remarks

This fungiform cyclostome genus ranges from the Turonian to Danian. Contrary to Taylor and Grischenko (1999), the autozooids are fixed-walled in at least one of the two syntype specimens.


References

Orbigny, A. d' 1851-1854. Paléontologie Française, Terrains Crétacé, 5, Bryozoaires. Masson, Paris, 1192 pp, pls 600-800.

Taylor, P.D. and Grischenko, A.V. 1999. Rodinopora gen. nov. and the taxonomy of fungiform cyclostome bryozoans. Species Diversity 4: 9-33.