Actinopora d'Orbigny, 1853

Type species: Actinopora regularis d'Orbigny, 1853 =Ceriopora stellata Koch & Dunker, 1837

Several genera have been considered as subgenera of Actinopora (Bassler, 1953): Discotubigera, Pavotubigera, Radiotubigera and Unitubigera. These are treated here as distinct genera for convenience until their status is clarified by further revision. A further problem is the number of species which have been considered to be synonyms of Defrancia disticha von Hagenow, 1851. As this species is now assigned to Coronopora, a number of records assigned to Actinopora may have to be re-assigned to Coronopora. Serietubigera and Pavotubigera are examples of genera which appear to be now synonyms of Coronopora.

To add to the confusion, Ceriopora stellata Koch & Dunker, 1837 and Ceriopora stellata Goldfuss 1826 are homonyms. The latter is assigned here to Domopora.

Synonyms Author Type Species
Multitubigera d'Orbigny, 1853 Multitubigera gregaria d'Orbigny, 1850

The Natural History Museum site (see below) indicates that this genus may be placed in the Plagioeciidae.

This genus includes the following species, although the status of many of these taxa is questionable.

  1. Actinopora armorica
    		2. (Michelin, 1847) Tertiary (Miocene) W.France WoRMS 1409791
  2. Actinopora auei
    		3. Voigt, 1996 Cretaceous Germany WoRMS 1399470
  3. Actinopora bowerbanki
    		4.  (Haime, 1854) Middle Jurassic Aalenian England WoRMS 1409792
  4. Actinopora brevis
    		5.  Canu & Bassler, 1920 Paleogene Eocene Priabonian USA Georgia WoRMS 1399471
  5. Actinopora brongniarti
    		6. (Milne-Edwards, 1837) Cretaceous Europe WoRMS 1409793
  6. Actinopora campicheana
    		7.  (d'Orbigny, 1853) Early Cretaceous Valanginian Switzerland WoRMS 1409794
  7. Actinopora complanata
    		8. Canu, 1911 Cretaceous Argentina WoRMS 1399472
  8. Actinopora complicata
    		9. Viskova & Endelman, 1971 Tertiary (Paleocene) Russia?, Austria WoRMS 1399473
  9. Actinopora conjuncta
    		10.  (Michelin, 1847) Paleogene Eocene France WoRMS 1409795
  10. Actinopora convexa
    		11.  (Römer, 1840) Late Cretaceous Santonian Germany, England WoRMS 1409796
  11. Actinopora cretacea (?)
    		12.  (Defrance, 1823) Cretaceous France WoRMS 1414541
  12. Actinopora erecta
    		13. (Brood, 1972) Paleogene Paleocene Sweden also Austria WoRMS 1409797
  13. Actinopora excavata
    		14.  (d'Orbigny, 1851) Neogene Miocene France WoRMS 1409798
  14. Actinopora gregaria
    		15. (d'Orbigny, 1850) Cretaceous France WoRMS 1409799
  15. Actinopora incrassata
    		16.  Canu, 1911 Cretaceous Argentina WoRMS 1399474
  16. Actinopora japonica
    		17. Canu & Bassler, 1929 Recent W Pacific WoRMS 471925
  17. Actinopora moneta
    		18.  (d'Orbigny, 1853) Late Cretaceous Santonian France WoRMS 1409800
  18. Actinopora multipora
    		19.  Römer, 1863 Paleogene Oligocene Rupelian Germany WoRMS 1399475
  19. Actinopora philippinensis
    		20. Canu & Bassler, 1929 Recent Philippines WoRMS 471926
  20. Actinopora plana
    		21.  Römer, 1863 Paleogene Eocene Priabonian Germany WoRMS 1399476
  21. Actinopora plicata
    		22.  Canu, 1916 Neogene Miocene Burdigalian France WoRMS 1399477
  22. Actinopora radiata
    		23.  (Woodward, 1833) Cretaceous England WoRMS 1409801
  23. Actinopora regularis
    (Status dubious)
    		24.  Gregory, 1909 Cretaceous Unknown WoRMS 1399478
  24. Actinopora robertsoniana
    		25.  Canu, 1911 Cretaceous Argentina WoRMS 1399479
  25. Actinopora rugosa
    		26. (Canu & Lecointre, 1933) Tertiary France WoRMS 1409802
  26. Actinopora stellata
    		27. (Koch & Dunker, 1837) Cretaceous Germany, France WoRMS 1409803
  27. Actinopora striata
    		28.  Canu, 1911 Cretaceous Argentina WoRMS 1399480
  28. Actinopora sulcata
    		29.  (Gregory, 1909) Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian Netherlands WoRMS 1409804
  29. Actinopora tenuissima
    		30.  Canu & Bassler, 1920 Paleogene Eocene Priabonian USA Florida WoRMS 1399481
[Small Actinopora stellata]
Actinopora stellata
Thanks to Dr Paul Taylor for the SEM illustrations.

Actinopora page at d'Orbigny Home Page, Natural History Museum.

Actinopora dichotoma from Klaus Breitenbach. On this site as Fascigera dichotoma

Actinopora disticha from Klaus Breitenbach.

Actinopora gracilis from Klaus Breitenbach. On this site as Filifascigera gracilis

Actinopora michelini from Klaus Breitenbach. On this site as Discotubigera michelini

Actinopora stipitata from Klaus Breitenbach. On this site as Bicavea? urnula stipitata

Actinopora michelini at Paleontica.org

Voigt, Ehrhard, 1996
Eine neue multilamellare oberkretazisches Actinopora-Art (Bryozoa Cyclostomata) als Geschiebe aus Norddeutschland.
Archiv für Geschiebekunde 2: 43-56.
 

This information is based upon various sources, but no personal knowledge. I am indebted to the late Alan Horowitz for his compilation, and to Dr. J. Pachut.
Now that the type specimen of Actinopora regularis is illustrated, a lot of revision of the other species will be needed. It appears that this genus is close to the Family Plagioeciidae, and the Family Actinoporidae may be unnecessary. The separate family is maintained on this website at present until a definitive revision is proposed.
I would be grateful for corrections to, or critical reviews of this information. This is not a 'final' version (an impossible ideal), but a working document.

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Edited by Phil Bock
Modified on 2/3/2017
Modified on 8/5/2020 (Added WoRMS links)
This URL is http://bryozoa.net/cyclostomata/actinoporidae/actinopora.html