Palaeozoic corals: their evolution and palaeoecology

In recent years, our understanding of Palaeozoic corals has increased enormously. Several new groups have been discovered, extending the range of corals back to the early Cambrian, and we now have a clearer idea of the relationships between them. None of them was a direct ancestor to the post‐Palaeozoic corals. Similarly, the ecology of Palaeozoic corals differed from that of their living relatives in important respects. Palaeozoic corals were principally adapted for life on soft substrates and were not the spectacular reef‐builders that modern corals have become. However, their contribution to Palaeozoic ecosystems is nonetheless fascinating. Their structural adaptations and growth‐forms can tell us much about life and processes on Palaeozoic sea floors.