聚类分析法对镣珊瑚类的修订

APPLICATION OF CLUSTER ANALYSIS TO CLASSIFICATION OF CATENIPORIDS

镣珊瑚类是奥陶纪-志留纪地层中常见的以链状珊瑚复体为特征的一类床板珊瑚,地理分布广泛,研究历史较长。但不同学者对其骨骼构造特征的分类学意义认识不一,使得类群中许多属的定义和范围长期存有争议。本文结合我国的已发表材料,对镣珊瑚的分类进行简要讨论,依据隔壁刺的有无将镣珊瑚分为Catenipora和Quepora两属,认为Procatenipora和Eocatenipora分别是前者和后者的同义名。运用聚类分析的方法对我国镣珊瑚类的种进行修订。

Cateniporids as one of the groups of tabulate corals are characterized by having the chainlike corallum. They are commonly distributed in Ordovician and Silurian rocks. The criteria for taxonomy of cateniporids still have been disputed as to diagnosis and scope of genera included in this group. Based on published data of cateniporids in China and considering the presence or absence of septal spinules,the cateniporids can be divided further into two genera：Catenipora（with septal spinules） and Quepora（without septal spinules）. Moreover,Procatenipora is regarded as a junior synonym of Catenipora,as is Eocatenipora as a junior synonym of Quepora. By using the cluster analysis method,the species of cateniporids published in China are revised. 4 species from previously described 8 species and 1 subspecies of Quepora and 7 species from 20 and 1 subspecies of Catenipora are confirmed.