Papacrinus avignonensis n. gen., n. sp.

Fig. 12D–F.

Type material. A single isolated nodal as holotype (MHNL 20.062726) .

Etymology. From Avignon (reference to the type locality).

Diagnosis. As in description.

Type stratum. Late Burdigalian.

Type locality. Place du Palais des Papes in Avignon .

Description. Nodal with subcircular to pentalobate facets, H: 1.43 mm, D: 4.65 mm, H/D 0.31, identical symplexy on each facet (Fig. 12D–E) with pyriform to triangular closed petaloid zones, 12 Cr/PZ of variable size including 6 marginal ones, weak crenularium relief, massive protuberance curved proximally prolonging PZ (Fig. 12E); deep, subcircular cirrus sockets much lower than the nodal height, nearly tangent to the distal N facet border, with two strong triangular culminae (Fig. 12F).

Remarks. The symplexial crenularium of Papacrinus avignonensis n. gen. n., sp. is of balanocrine-type (see Fig. 2D). Such side protuberances are unknown in extant and fossil Isocrinida . The particular morphology of this nodal justifies the creation of a new genus. Its size and relative thickness suggest that it belongs to the distal stalk of a young individual. The absence of a cryptosymplexy is usually a paedomorphic character of the proximal nodals without phylogenetic significance. It is retained in the distal stalk of Proisocrinus . In this genus, symplexies differ from those of Papacrinus n. gen. in having always open PZ; moreover, rudimentary cirri are restricted to proxistele and in mid to distal stalk there are only nudinodals (Bourseau et al. 1991). Pending new discoveries allowing a more complete description, the symplexial characters lead us to place Papacrinus n. gen. provisionally in the subfamily Balanocrininae .

Occurrence. Only known from Avignon (Palais des Papes), Late Burdigalian.