Aspidiscus cristatus (lamarck) from the cenomanian sediments of wadi quseib, east sinai, Egypt

Aspidiscus cristatus (Lamarck) has been described and illustrated from three coral-bearing horizons of the Cenomanian sedimentary succession of Wadi Quseib, East Sinai, Egypt. The new specimens show well-preserved internal microarchitectures, which corroborate its assignment to family Latomeandridae Alloiteau, 1952. The stratigraphic range of Aspidiscus cristatus suggests that it can be used as index for the Middle to early Late Cenomanian. Based on the morphology of Aspidiscus cristatus and its consistent record, it is suggested here that the coral had a narrow facies range, being adapted to a free mode of life on soft, marly to argillaceous substrate, in low-energy environments subjected to high rates of sedimentation.