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Charniodiscus concentricus

Discussion

This species is named on the basis of 12 disc-like impressions from this single locality, found on multiple bedding planes. The author discusses at length the possibility that Charniodiscus concentricus could be the basal disc of Charnia masoni (first described in the same publication), and figures this possibility in a reconstruction (p. 212, Pl. 13, fig. 3). The author concludes "It is concluded that Charnia masoni may most rationally be interpreted as an algal frond and that Charniodiscus concentricus may be the basal part of the same alga.... The only likely alternative is that they represent a primitive coelenterate of unknown affinity".

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Taxonomy
Charniodiscus concentricus was named by Ford (1958) [DIAGNOSIS: As per genus.]. It is considered to be a form taxon. Its type specimen is No. 2383/2 (University of Leicester, U.K.), an other (Discoidal holdfast), and it is an impression. It is the type species of Charniodiscus.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1958Charniodiscus concentricus Ford
2022Charniodiscus concentricus Pérez-Pinedo et al. pp. 785929-7 fig. 2A

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Arboreomorpha
RankNameAuthor
genusCharniodiscus
speciesconcentricus

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. Pérez-Pinedo et al. 2022Charniodiscus with basal disc, stem, and a bifoliate frond, lacking a supporting backing sheet, composed of approximately 25 independent branches that were strongly curved inward and upward in life to form a sub-conical frond, which becomes lanceolate to ovate upon collapse/compression.