NEW FOSSILS FROM THE UPPER CARBONIFEROUS OF KANSAS.
BY J. W. BEEDE.
With Plate V.
The following will be of interest and value in completing the faunal succession of the uppermost part of the Carboniferous, as well as for the biologic interest of one of them.
Ceriocrinus harshbargeri, n. sp. Plate V, figs. 1–1c.
The distinctive features of this species are: Surface ornamented with both pustules and granules, large interradial supporting plate above calyx, ten short, massive arms.
Description: Calyx basin-shaped, shallow, quite concave below. Infrabasals partly covered, but located entirely within the body cavity. Stem small and apparently round. The five basals are large, recurved below the middle, concave in the center of the more depressed part, four apparently hexagonal and one heptagonal, and larger than the others supporting the interradial; all higher than wide, sutures not much depressed. There are five large, massive radials a trifle more than twice as wide as high, well beveled, faceted, and apparently sagging a little on the upper articular surface. Interradial large, fully half within the calyx, higher than broad, and the upper portion very strongly curved inward. This plate supports another entirely without the calyx, which is comparatively large and appears to be pentagonal when seen from without, the two upper sides being much longer than the rest, making the plate appear triangular at first sight, fitting closely between the arms on either side. The five brachial plates are large, contiguous save on the posterior side, and produced into an obtuse spinous process. Much of the upper surface of these processes is faceted, supporting the costals, and in this manner giving the animal its greater lateral diameter above the calyx, and affording more room for the massive arms which, when closed, form a box around the inner part. The costals are ten in number, two to each brachial, large, nearly three times as broad as high, and convex. The distichals are sometimes present and sometimes wanting, very broad and thin when present. Arms ten, broad, outer surface of each nearly flat massive, composed of two series of interlocking plates, each one of which bears a pinnule. Pinnulæ long and narrow. The articular surface of the arm plates is minutely crenulated. These plates decrease in length though but little in height as they approach the tips of the arms. The surface of almost the entire animal was ornamented with granules, and the lower part with both granules and pustules.
| Measurements: | height. | breadth. | length. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calyx | 11 | mm. | 30 | mm. | ||
| Basals (vertical) | 5½ | „ | 12 | „ | ||
| Radials | 9 | „ | 18+ | „ | ||
| Brachials | 7 | „ | 17 | „ | 8 mm. beyond calyx. | |
| Costals | 4 | „ | 9 | to 11 | mm. | |
| Distichals | 2 | „ | 9 | „ | ||
| Arm plates | 2 | „ | 3 | to 5 | „ | |
| Interradial | 7 | „ | 6 | „ | ||
Aside from the markings mentioned, the calyx is also ornamented with depressions which look at first like borings of some kind, but which have the same granular character as the rest of the surface.
Position and locality: Carboniferous, Upper Coal Measures, Topeka, Kan., from the Osage City shales, over the Osage coal.
The type was collected by Prof. W. A. Harshbarger, in honor of whom it is named. Type now in the collection of Washburn College.
In general appearance this species is strikingly like C. craigii Worthen, but differs in the following respects: The body is not smooth but highly ornamented, and the anal piece is much larger. In all specimens of C. craigii that I have seen the body is smooth and glossy, and shows (even when apparently unworn) no indications of former surface-markings, while this species possesses both pustules and granules, the latter covering about the entire specimen. In mature individuals the interradial is much larger. Two smaller specimens, probably younger ones of this species, are figured in the accompanying plate, showing the relative growth of the calyx and interradial. In both the ornamentation is the same as described in this species. C. monticulatus Beede is from the same locality and horizon, but has long, slender arms, brachials not spinous, and the calyx is deeper. The most fundamental difference, however, is the number of arms possessed by the latter species, the number being sixteen or eighteen, while the one here described has but ten.
C. nodulifera Butts differs from this species in having a node at the upper part of each basal and also on the radials. It also has more acute and apparently longer spines. Mr. Butts makes no mention of finer surface-markings. The Topeka specimen is from a much higher horizon.
Aviculopecten subequivalvus, n. sp. Plate V, figs. 3, 3a.
Shell thick, moderately large, subequivalvular, rather convex, quite oblique, ears well developed. The hinge is nearly straight, the beak does not project, the angle of divergence of its sides is about eighty to ninety degrees. The left valve, exclusive of the ears, is ovate; anterior ear well developed, obtusely angular, marked only by strong lines of growth; the rise from the ear to the body of the shell is abrupt; the marginal sinus separating the ear from the rest of the shell broad, shallow, and ill-defined. The posterior ear is unknown. The anterior margin below the ear forms an ovate curve, which is probably continued on the ventral and postero-ventral margins. The surface of this valve is apparently marked only by stronger and fainter concentric lines except on the front and back sides, where there are radiating rows of vaulted lamellæ. It is entirely probable that these marks once extended over the entire surface, but have been worn off from the more convex portions. Judging from another specimen, the right valve is somewhat flatter than the left and quite as oblique. Posterior ear very small and obtuse; anterior ear quite large, marked by obscure, large, radiating ribs and probably vaulted lamellæ, as well as strong concentric markings; separated from the shell by a deep sulcus. Margin from the beak around the posterior to near the middle of the shell is a regular ovate curve, antero-ventral margin somewhat produced but rounded, extending obliquely toward the beak until the deep byssal sinus is reached. Ornamentation as in the other valve. In this specimen it seems that the radiating rows of scales covered the entire surface before being worn away. Length, 36 mm.; height, 32 mm.; hinge, 17 mm.; thickness, about 5 mm.
Position and locality: Thin limestone, south of Dover, Kan., in Upper Coal Measures. Type in author’s collection.
This shell may prove to be a Pseudomonotis, as the critical characters are not well known. It is not liable to be confused with any other shell from the Coal Measures.
Pinna lata, n. sp. Plate V, fig. 4.
Shell small for this genus, not very convex, probably plain except the usual growth marks, acutely pointed at the beaks, which are terminal. The angle of divergence of the shell is thirty degrees. This species is based on three casts. The type is not distorted, but the posterior end is broken away. There are two other specimens from the same locality, but compressed dorso-ventrically, which show the same characters as the type. The size is about that of Aviculopinna americana Meek, but the form and markings as shown on the cast are very different, and the beaks are terminal. Length of type along hinge, 27 mm.; height (20 mm. back of beak), 11 mm.
Position and locality: Carboniferous, Upper Coal Measures, Howard limestone, Topeka, Kan.
The small size, great angle of divergence at the beak and sharp-pointed beaks easily distinguish this species from other members of the genus from the Coal Measures.
Pleurophorus whitei, n. sp. Plate V, figs. 5, 5b.
Pleurophorus —? White, Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. 77, p. 27, pl. iv, figs. 5–10.
Shell of medium to large size, transversely ovate, with the depth of the shell greater at the anterior than at the posterior end. Beaks moderately prominent, subterminal; umbonal ridge prominent, extending obliquely to postero-ventral margin. Hinge straight or arcuate, usually about three-fourths the length of the specimen. The right posterior lamina is well shown on good casts. The anterior adductor impression is usually prominent, being set apart by the depression produced by the ridge behind it. The impression of the two cardinal teeth is also visible. The anterior margin drops obliquely downward from the beak nearly to the middle of the shell, when it rounds, rapidly at first, into the ventral margin, which may be straight, somewhat sinuous or even convex on approaching the postero-ventral region: at the end of the umbonal ridge it rounds rapidly into the posterior, oblique truncation, reaching the hinge at an oblique angle. The lines formed by the hinge and ventral margins converge toward the posterior, thus leaving the greatest depth of the shell in front. Above the umbonal ridge the shell is obliquely flattened to the hinge. The surface, as shown in excellent molds, is ornamented only by fine lines of growth, which are sometimes a little stronger beneath the beak than elsewhere, and weaken on and above the umbonal slope.
Position and locality: This species is found in the Upper Coal Measures, upper Wabaunsee stage, east of Barrett, Kan. This is the only locality known to the writer where this shell, abundant in the Permian, is found below the Wreford limestone. Types from Permian west of Stockdale, Kan., “about 100 feet above Cottonwood limestone.” Collected by Prof. E. A. Popenoe.
This species is extremely variable, as shown in Professor White’s figures, above cited. The short shell with the posterior shallower than the anterior end is in sharp contrast to most of the species of the genus. In surface ornamentation it resembles P. tropidophorus more closely than any other species. It is distinguished from P. subcuneatus Meek by its short, thick form and larger size. This species is the more abundant of the two in the Permian rocks of the Big Blue series, while P. subcuneata only has been identified from the Cimarron series.
Allorisma kansasensis, n. sp. Plate V, figs. 6, 6d.
Shell small, rather gibbous, transversely subovate. Beaks prominent, incurved, approximate, located about one-third the length of the shell from the anterior end. Anterior outline descending obliquely from the beaks nearly to the ventral margin, where it turns rather abruptly backward along the nearly straight basal edge to the posterior extremity, where it rounds off regularly upward and then forward to meet the hinge. The hinge is apparently straight and more than half as long as the shell. The umbonal ridge is prominent, rounded, ill-defined, fading away at the extremity of the shell. Above this ridge is a depression which, with the smooth, elevated hinge, would cause a strong keel on the shell back of the beaks. The concentric ribs are prominent, fading out at the upper part of the umbonal ridge and near the anterior border. These ribs are quite as prominent on the casts as on the shell itself. On the central and postero-central regions are the characteristic distant, radiating rows of fine, closely set granules. The shell is less convex below and back of the beak than on either side of this region, though it is not concave. The length varies from 1.7 to 1.4 the height.
Position and locality: Upper Coal Measures, Howard limestone, Topeka, Kan.
This species is very closely related to A. curta Swallow, but differs from it in having a straighter hinge and a more remote beak. It is from a lower horizon. In the latter respect it differs from McChesney’s species also.
Paleontological Laboratory, Indiana University,
May 22, 1902.