Coral Evolution

http://www.mta.ca/~raiken/Courses/4701/SLIDESHOWS/2aPaleontology.pptx

Naming Corals
Hermatypic
Ahermatypic

build reefs and possess zooxanthellae (= zooxanthellate)

dont build reefs or possess zooxanthellae (= azooxanthellate)

BUT
- not all zooxanthellate corals build reefs
- some azooxanthellate corals build reefs

Naming Corals
z-corals
az-corals

possess zooxanthellae (= zooxanthellate)

dont possess zooxanthellae (= azooxanthellate)

Third group
- can exist with or without symbionts (facultative)
Apozooxanthellate
e.g. Oculina

Middle to late Precambrian

Algal Reefs - from cyanophytes

-layer of
algae forms
-sediment
is trapped

-a second
algal layer
grows

- more sediment
is trapped

Middle to late Precambrian

Algal Reefs Stromatolites

Precambrian-Cambrian
Transition Archaeocyathan Reefs

Precambrian-Cambrian
Transition
Archaeocyathan Reefs

Precambrian-Cambrian
Transition
Archaeocyathan Reefs

Precambrian-Cambrian
Transition
Archaeocyathan Reefs

Ordovician
Solenopora
-a coralline algae

Colonial
Bryozoa

Stromatoporoids
(stony sponges)

Ordovician (2)
Stony cnidarians - first of corals
Tabulate form

Rugose form

Stable association for 130 my

coral

sponge

algae

Late Devonian - Early Carboniferous

Mid Carboniferous
- revitalized assemblage

+
Crinoids

Brachiopods
(lamp shells)
Sponges

Permian Extinction
Ended the second successful reef
association

bryozoan

sponge

algae

originations

extinctions

Triassic

Jurassic

Evolution of sceractinian corals

Number of species

Evolution of sceractinian corals

Jurassic

Scleractinian corals

Coralline
algae

Stromatopori
ds

Jurassic Tethys Sea

Cretaceous

Rudists

Cretaceous

Rudists

Scleractinia
n corals
Stromatoporids

Coralline
algae

30 my

Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary
-meteorite hits earth
Mass extinctions

Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary

Scleractinian corals

Coralline
algae

Rudists

Cenozoic - Palaeocene
z-corals more severely affected

Why loss of coral diversity?

Temperature
decline

Cenozoic - Eocene
Regeneration of z-coral type reefs

Eocene to Present

Five distinct
faunal periods

Evolution of Scleractinia
Problem

?
Permian
extinction

First scleractinian fossils

Evolution of Scleractinia
Hypotheses for Ancestor of Scleractinia
1) Rugosan
-came from some rugosan ancestor

Evolution of Scleractinia
Hypotheses for Ancestor of Scleractinia
1) Rugosan
-came from some rugosan ancestor
Problems
Rugose coral

Scleractinian

Tetrameric

Hexameric

Calcitic

Aragonitic

Evolution of Scleractinia
Hypotheses for Ancestor of Scleractinia
2) Scleractiniamorph
Numidiaphyllum
- aragonite

calcite

-shares structural features with

Scleractinia
Problem - 14 my gap

Evolution of Scleractinia
Hypotheses for Ancestor of Scleractinia
3) Naked coral
- presumes a non-calcifying anemone
Current relationships of scleractinians, zoanthids,
corallimorphs and actinarians
Actinaria
Corallimorphia
Numidiaphyllia
Scleractinia
Zooanthidea

Evolution of Scleractinia
Hypotheses for Ancestor of Scleractinia
3) Naked coral
- presumes a non-calcifying anemone
Support
-anatomical similarities between living
Scleractinians and Zoantharians

-molecular similarities between living

Scleractinians, Actinarians and Zoantharians

Two major zones of reef diversity

Caribbean
Indo-Pacific

North American

Caribbean
Bonaire
Cocos

South American
Nazca

North American

Caribbean

Cocos

South American
Nazca

Strike-slip

Thrust-fault

Subduction

Bonaire Reefs
Brandaris

Quaternary

= limestone cap
= undifferentiated terrain

Recent

11,000

Wisconsonia
n

75,000

Sangamonia
n

130,000

Illinoisian

180,000

Yarmouthian

380,000

Kansan

410.000

Aftonian

600,000

Nebraskan

800,000 to
1,000,000

4
3
2

Bonaire Reefs

Bonaire
Grand Cayman