The tabulate coral Hyostragulum , an epizoan with bearing on hyolithid ecology and systematics

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Abstract
The main generic feature of the hyolithid genus Pterygotheca Novak, 1891, the fringe on the lateral edges and on the dorsal side of the conch, is interpreted here as a colony of a tabulate coral, HYOSTRAGULUM gen. nov. (H. mobile ). This coral covered the living specimens of different hyolithid species in the Bohemian and Moravian Lower and Middle Devonian and occasionally also of nautiloids and gastropods. Because of this discovery it is necessary to withdraw the order Pterygothecida Syssoiev, 1968 and probably also the family Pterygothecidae Syssoiev, 1958. The genus Pterygotheca is questionable, but further study may prove its validity. The character of the epifaunal coral strongly supports the interpretation of a benthic life of hyolithids. A new hyolithid, OTTOMARITES discors (Hyolites discors Barrande 1867), is described.

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