Vaingana, Eua Island (Eocene of Tonga)

Also known as Reef 2101

Where: Tonga (21.4° S, 175.9° W: paleocoordinates 31.4° S, 176.8° W)

• coordinate stated in text

• small collection-level geographic resolution

When: Late/Upper Eocene (37.2 - 33.9 Ma)

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: basin reef; lithified, tuffaceous limestone

• The coral fauna is clearly a thanatocoenose that probably accumulated close to its life habitat. They probably derive from banks or thickets, developed on a muddy or silty bottom. The assemblage indicates water depths greater than 200 m.

Size class: macrofossils

Primary reference: J. W. Wells. 1976. Eocene corals from Eua, Tonga. United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 640(G):1-13 [W. Kiessling/U. Merkel]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 70950: authorized by Wolfgang Kiessling, entered by Uta Merkel on 12.04.2007

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Hydrozoa
 Stylasterina -
Crypthelia vetusta n. sp. Wells 1976 lace coral
 Stylasterina - Stylasteridae
Astya nielseni n. sp. Wells 1976 lace coral
 Stylasterina -
Stenohelia boschmai n. sp. Wells 1976 lace coral
Stylaster sp. lace coral
Anthozoa
 Gorgonacea - Parisididae
? Parisis sp. gorgonian
 Gorgonacea -
? Corallium sp. Marsigli 1766 gorgonian
 Scleractinia - Fungiacyathidae
Fungiacyathus euaensis n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
 Scleractinia - Oculinidae
Madrepora sp. Linne 1758 stony coral
 Scleractinia - Anthemiphylliidae
Anthemiphyllia catinata n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
 Scleractinia - Caryophylliidae
Goniocorella eguchii n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Crispatotrochus tenisonwoodsi n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Cyathoceras kondoi n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Desmophyllum lirioides n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Desmophyllum coulsoni n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Desmophyllum decuplum n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Caryophyllia cf. japonica Marenzeller 1888 stony coral
Caryophyllia denaria n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
Deltocyathus sp. Milne-Edwards and Haime 1848 stony coral
Anomocora exilis n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
 Scleractinia - Flabellidae
Javania duncani n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
 Scleractinia - Guyniidae
Stenocyathus hoffmeisteri n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral
 Scleractinia - Dendrophylliidae
Enallopsammia laddi n. sp. Wells 1976 stony coral