Tubiphytes in Reef Strata of the Late Carboniferous in South Guizhou Province

Key words: 
• reefbuilding organism

Abstract: Tubiphytes are widespread in reef strata of the Late Carboniferous in South Guizhou. They have a variety of morphological forms. The dense Tubiphytes construct the reef rock mainly by binding. They also form the reef with other reefbuilding organisms in the study area. The Tubiphytes reefs are relative smallsize and localized. In the study area, most of Tubiphytes form boundstone by encrusting the bioclasts and binding bioclastic grains and mud, except for forming reef. Tubiphytes boundstone can offer a stable substrate of coral reef by binding sediments. They can also bind the bioclastic grains that filled in the space of coral reefs framework to form a massive boundstone and enhance the stability of coral reefs. As the important component of the carbonate rocks, Tubiphytes also extensively occur in the strata with other bioclasts. Tubiphytes are the characteristic organism in reef strata of the Late Carboniferous in South Guizhou.