Baficrinus, Prokop & Nohejlová, 2015

Prokop, Rudolf J. & Nohejlová, Martina, 2015, Baficrinus Gen. Nov. (Crinoidea, Inadunata) From The Bohemian Early Devonian (The Czech Republic), Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae Series B 71 (1 - 2), pp. 25-30 : 26

Family: Zophocrinidae S. A. MILLER, 1892

Baficrinus gen. nov.

Type species: Baficrinus vigilis sp. nov., Early Devonian , Late Emsian (Dalejan), Bohemia .

D i a g n o s i s: Calyx minute, median globe to globular shaped ( Ubaghs 1978, p. T99), widest at midheight, tapering abruptly to the tiny base which is composed of (probably) three low, poorly distinguished basals. Stem facet minute, smooth, tiny lumen not clearly visible. Calyx rounded square in oral or basal views, composed from four large, strongly vaulted, relatively massive radials. Sutures between the basal and radial platelets poorly developed. Tegmen and anal X unknown. Outer surface of the calyxinal platelets bear a complicated network of radial wrinkles in the central parts of radial plates and a similar network of convoluted transversal epispiral channels on their lateral parts. The arms (limbrachioids? after Haude 1993) unknown. In keeping with the straight, gently toothed upper margin of the radials; the tegmen was probably flat, similar to that of the crinoid genus Tiaracrinus (see Schultze 1867, Springer 1926, Moore et al. 1978, Le Menn 1990, Haude 1993).

Baficrinus vigilis sp. nov.

Pl. 1, Fig. 1–10

H o l o t y p e: Isolated almost complete calyx

NM-L42360, figured on Pl. 1, Fig. 1a, 1b.

P a r a t y p e: Isolated almost complete calyx

NM-L42361, figured on Pl. 1, Fig. 2a–2c.

T y p e h o r i z o n: Daleje-Třebotov Formation, Třebotov

Limestone, Lower Devonian, Upper Emsian (Dalejan).

T y p e l o c a l i t y: Praha-Holyně, “V rokli” quarry, along the way to Slivenec

M a t e r i a l. In addition to the type specimens there are more than 38 isolated radial platelets from washings of the weathered well-bedded, light-grey, micritic and biomicritic limestones of the uppermost part of the Třebotov Limestone.

D e s c r i p t i o n. See diagnosis of the genus.

O c c u r r e n c e. Many specimens Baficrinus vigilis gen. et sp. nov. have been found in washings of weathered limestones from the type locality. Rarely, the isolated radials of these crinoids have been found in other localities of the Třebotov Limestone: Praha-Hlubočepy, “U jezírka” quarry, and in the road-cut section of the Praha-Barrandov motorway.

R e m a r k s: Baficrinus vigilis gen. et sp. nov. differs from the very similar crinoid genus Tiaracrinus by its minute, almost globular calyx with low and tiny base but primarily by the very complicated outer surface of radial platelets bearing deformed transversal epispires and various radial wrinkles. Plate boundaries are often poorly preserved.