Diversidad de Equinodermos y Capoideos en el Cámbrico Inferior y Medio de la Península Ibérica

Abstract

SEPKOSKI (1987) documented two phases of diversification: an initial phase in the Cambrian (named Cambrian Fauna), a second phase during the Ordovician (named Paleozoicfauna) and a third postulated phase (the Modern Fauna). SEPKOSKI included whitin his Cambrian Fauna inarticulated brachiopods, trilobites, hyolithids, eocrinoids and monoplacophoran molluscs. Spanish Lower Carobrian echinodermos fossil record (Marianense stage) has a very good locality in where the fossils appear articulated and almost to complete in the Saukianda beds. This area is Alanís zone (near Sevilla); the collected material is basically Gogia (Alanisicystis) andalusiae UBAGHS & VIZCAINO, 1991 and perhaps a second undescribed Gogia. Others invertebrates are archaeocyathids, trilobites, hyolithids an inarticulated brachiopods. The second correspond to the middle Middle Cambrian (Caesaraugusiense stage) and includes a variety of localities as Zafra, Cadenas Ibéricas, Cordillera Cantábrica (Asturias and León). The record has a major diversity with many genera: Sotocinctus, Gyrocystis, Progyrocystis, Trochocystoides, Asturicystis, Elliptocinctus, Ceratocystis, Eocystites, isolated plates and an undescribed stemed eocrinoid (gen. nov.) and Gogia? .From a general point of view this material has a good preservation. We can differenciate two modes of life: 1. sessile forms with arm erected (filtering) and 2. a lower tiering level detritivorous vagile forms (Carpoids Cincta and Cornuta). The last appear in the Middle Cambrian and were comtemporaneous with the first.