Silurian Heliolitidae (Anthozoa, Tabulata) from the Chaleurs Bay region, Canada

The Early to Late Silurian sedimentary rocks of the Limestone Point and La Vieille Formations of northern New Brunswick and the Anse à Pierre-Loiselle, La Vieille, and Gascons Formations of the Gaspé Peninsula possess diverse and abundant tabulate coral faunas that include six species of Heliolitidae distributed among Heliolites and Stelliporella. Two species, Heliolites laxus and Heliolites distinctus, are new. A revised concept of the genus Heliolites is proposed. The Heliolitidae from this region show a substantial degree of endemism and are most similar to northern European faunas. The distribution of individual heliolitid species was under a high degree of facies control. The heliolitids are more restricted in distribution than are other groups of Tabulata in this region and are most abundant in open shelf and carbonate bank facies.