A possible archaic precursor of the octocoral structural plan from the Estonian Ordovician

A new species and genus Lindaplylon solovjevi gen. et sp. nov. of colonial octocorals from the Upper Ordovician of Estonia with a sclerite cortex skeleton with solenia network around axial rod is described. It agrees with much of the modern octocoral structural plan, except that it has a twelve-fold corallite symmetry (twelve septa). Based on these features of the new octocoral, a new family Lindaphylonidae fam. nov. and a new order Lindaphylonaceae, order novum are based. The comparison of the skeleton formation and mesenteric apparatus symmetry in different groups of coral polyps are considered in detail.