The Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian) Crinoids from Hook Head, County Wexford, Ireland

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Lower Carboniferous (late Tournaisian) crinoid fauna from the Hook Head Formation at Hook Head, Co. Wexford, Ireland, is revised. The Hook Head crinoid fauna is composed of 43 species assigned to 25 genera plus five taxa left in open nomenclature, and it is essentially one of the same faunas studied by J. S. Miller in 1821 when he described the Crinoidea as a distinct group. Seven new genera (Borucrinus, Erincrinus, Fiannacrinus, Gaelicrinus, Iotacrinus, Maevecrinus and Thinocrinus) and 11 new species are described. Type species for some of Miller's genera are revised, which has importance for the fundamentals of the classification of the Crinoidea. Neotypes are established for eight species, including Actinocrinites triacontadactylus Miller, Cyathocrinites planus Miller, Playcrinities granulatus Miller, P. laevis Miller, and P. striatus Miller. Lectotypes are established for Fiannacrinus quinquangularis and Iotacrinus dorsatus.