Nannotax3 - Coccolithophores

Ceratolithus

Classification: Coccolithophores -> Nannolith families inc sed -> Ceratolithaceae -> Ceratolithus
Sister taxa: Amaurolithus, Ceratolithus, Nicklithus, Orthorhabdus, Triquetrorhabdulus,

Distinguishing features: Ceratoliths strongly birefringent

Daughter taxa: (blue => in age window 0-300Ma)		Granddaughter taxa
	Ceratolithus apiculus Like C. armatus but with short horns and wide, triangular, apical spine.
	Ceratolithus armatus Left arm extends into apical spur producing a triangular apical area. Right arm longer than left
	Ceratolithus atlanticus complex ceratoliths with spines extending from arch
	Ceratolithus cristatus ceratoliths horsehoe-shaped	C. cristatus CER cristatus type C. cristatus CER telesmus type C. cristatus CER rostratus type C. cristatus HET coccolithomorpha type C. cristatus HET nishidae type C. cristatus HET hoops type
	Ceratolithus larrymayeri Delicate ceratolith with thin arms and apical spine; featureless surface.
	Ceratolithus separatus Arms sub-parallel and separated by a broad arch.
	Ceratolithus sp. Specimens which cannot be assigned to established species

Taxonomy:

Citation: Ceratolithus Kamptner, 1950

Rank: Genus

Type species: Ceratolithus cristatus Kamptner, 1950

Synonyms: Heterococcolith stage - Neosphaera Lecal-Schlauder 1950; Craspedolithus Kamptner 1963

Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Ceratolithus * Craspedolithus * Neosphaera *

Distinguishing features: Ceratoliths strongly birefringent

Morphology remarks: Ceratoliths strongly birefringent, c-axis lies in plane of horseshoe, perpendicular to length. THe upper surface of ceratoliths is more ornate than the lower surface, in LM this can be used to tell which way up the specimen is, this is necessary in order to distinguish left and right arms. It is worthwhile since within species the two arms show consistent differences.

Biology & life-cycles: The extant species C. cristatus also produces hoop-shaped coccoliths and "Neosphaera" planoliths. See species description for details.

Search data:

Tags	LITHS: nannolith-other, horseshoe-shaped, V-UNITS: none, R-UNITS: all, DETAILS: 1ou, length-slow,
Metrics	Lith size: 0->0µm; Segments: 1->1; Sources:

The morphological data given here can be used on the advanced search page. See also these notes

Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant Data source: Total of range of species in this database
First occurrence (base): in lower part of Tortonian Stage (24% up, 10.6Ma, in Tortonian stage). Data source: Total of range of species in this database

Plot of occurrence data:

Range-bar - range as quoted above, pink interval top occurs in, green interval base occurs in.
Triangles indicate an event for which a precise placement has been suggested
Neptune data: This is a higher taxon page so Neptune data is not plotted. See also: customisable plot Parent: Ceratolithaceae

References:

Kamptner, E., (1950). Über den submikroskopischen Aufbau der Coccolithen. Anzeiger. Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematische-Naturwissenschafliche Klasse. Wien, 87: 152-158.

Kamptner, E., (1963). Coccolithineen-Skelettreste aus Tiefseeablagerungen des Pazifischen Ozeans. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, 66: 139-204.

Lecal-Schlauder, J., (1950). Notes preliminaires sur les Coccolithophorides d'Afrique du Nord. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord, 40: 160-167.

Raffi, I.; Backman, J. & Rio, D., (1998). Evolutionary trends of tropical calcareous nannofossils in the late Neogene. Marine Micropaleontology, 35(1): 17-41.