The earliest endosymbiotic mineralized tubeworms from the Silurian of Podolia, Ukraine

The earliest endosymbiotic tubeworms have been discovered within skeletons of the tabulate coral Heliolites sp. from the Silurian (Ludlow) of Podolia, Ukraine. The new tubeworm species has a maximum diameter about 1 mm, a slightly conical tube, a smooth lumen in the tube and a lamellar wall structure. The tube wall is 0.05-0.10 mm thick. The new endosymbiotic tubeworm Coralloconchus bragensis n. gen. and sp. shares zoological affinities with the tentaculitids (incertae sedis) and is assigned to the Family Cornulitidae (Tentaculita, Cornulitida)