Monticulipora

{{Short description|Extinct genus of bryozoans}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| taxon = Monticulipora

}}

Monticulipora is an extinct genus of Ordovician bryozoans belonging to the family Monticuliporidae. It was first named in 1849, and its description was published the following year by French paleontologist Alcide M. d'Orbigny, making it one of the earliest bryozoans to be recognized in science. It is still one of the most widespread fossil bryozoan genera.{{cite journal |last1=Jackson |first1=Patrick N. Wyse |last2=Jones |first2=Mary E. Spencer |title=The Cincinnati Paleobryozoologists |journal=Annals of Bryozoology: Aspects of the History of Research on Bryozoans. |date=2002|url=https://www.bryozoa.net/annals/annals1/annals_of_bryozoology_1_4_2002_cuffey.pdf}} Though colonies that grow in masses made of multiple layers are characteristic of the genus,{{cite journal |last1=Jimenez-Sanchez |first1=A |title=New Monticuliporidae (Bryozoa, Trepostomata) from the Cystoid Limestone Formation (Upper Ordovician) of the Iberian Chains (NE Spain) |journal=Geodiversitas |date=2010 |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=177–199|doi=10.5252/g2010n2a1 |s2cid=130073253 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/5375809 }} its colonies have varying shapes, able to be encrusting, branching, massive, or frond-like, and are covered in monticules (bumps).{{Cite journal|last1=Boardman|first1=Richard S.|last2=Utgaard|first2=John|date=September 1966|title=A Revision of the Ordovician Bryozoan Genera Monticulipora, Peronopora, Heterotrypa, and Dekayia|journal=Journal of Paleontology|publisher=SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology|volume=40|issue=5|page=1093}} Most Monticulipora species have distinctively granular walls, and Monticulipora and can be distinguished from Homotrypa by the presence of axial diaphragms.{{cite journal |last1=Bork |first1=Kennard B. |last2=Perry |first2=T.G. |title=Bryozoa (Ectoprocta) of Champlainian Age (Middle Ordovician) from Northwestern Illinois and Adjacent Parts of Iowa and Wisconsin. Part III. Homotrypa, Orbignyella, Prasopora, Monticulipora, and Cyphotrypa |journal=Journal of Paleontology |date=1968 |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=1042–1065}}