Coccolithaceae
Classification: ntax_cenozoic -> Coccolithales -> Coccolithaceae
Sister taxa: Coccolithaceae, Calcidiscaceae, Hymenomonadaceae, Pleurochrysidaceae
| Daughter taxa: (blue => in age window 0-800Ma) | Granddaughter taxa |
 |  |  |  | Coccolithus
Eliptical or circular; central area usually open, may have with simple bar or weak axial cross
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 |  |  |  | Bramletteius
Like Cruciplacolithus but coccoliths small and with large, thin, paddle-like processes.
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 |  |  |  | Campylosphaera
Like Cruciplacolithus but the coccoliths are longitudinally arched and typically near parallel sided, and so appear oblong in outline
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 |  |  |  | Chiasmolithus
Placolith coccoliths with Coccolithus-type shields and tube, but with disjunct diagonal cross bars spanning the central area.
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 |  |  |  | Coronocyclus
Coccoliths ring-shaped without discrete shields
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 |  27.jpg) |  |  | Cruciplacolithus
Coccolith central area spanned by disjunct axial cross that may be rotated by up to 20 degrees.
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 |  |  |  | Ericsonia
Coccolithus-like coccoliths that are typically circular and have broad upper tube elements that dominate the distal shield. The dominance of the R-unit cycle results in a bright LM XPL image that is distinct from Coccolithus.
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 |  |  |  | Solidopons
Rim narrow and central area spanned by an elevated bridge
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| Genera with central grill or plate |
 | |  |  | Birkelundia
Central area covered by perforate plate which appears uniformly dark in xpl
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 |  |  |  | Clausicoccus
Rim structure like Coccolithus; perforate plate covers the central area on the distal side
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 |  |  |  | Craticullithus
Placolith coccoliths with a wide central-area typically spanned by multi-element lattice-like grills or imperforate plates.
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 |  |  |  | Hughesius
Placolith coccoliths showing low birefringence with central area filled by 2 to 4 plates. Lacks a clearly birefringent distal tube cycle
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 |  |  |  | Kilwalithus
Placolith coccoliths, typically small (c. 3 microns), with central-area spanned by a finely perforate net. The distal shield is typically bicyclic and the rim structure appears to be coccolithacean.
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Taxonomy:
Citation: Coccolithaceae Poche, 1913 emend. Young & Bown, 1997Rank: Family
Distinguishing features: Liths with R-unit extending from proximal shield to form upper/inner tube-cyle. Mostly elliptical
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Coccolithaceae [no catalog entry yet]
Morphology: Heterococcoliths are placoliths with rim structure similar to Coccolithus: V-unit forms both distal shield and lower cycle of central-area; R-unit forms both proximal shield and upper cycle of central-area. The proximal shield itself is bicyclic with distinct upper and lower layers but these are both formed from the R-unit. The central-area is often spanned by disjunct structures and these are used to define various fossil genera (see e.g. Perch-Nielsen 1985, Young & Bown 1997,Young & Henriksen 2003).
Biology & life-cycles: Modern Coccolithus pelagicus has a holococcolith stage
Search data:
| Tags | LITHS: |
| Metrics | Lith size: 8->12µm; |
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): at base of Danian Stage (0% up, 66Ma, in Danian 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. For the customisable plot option go to a genus page Parent: Coccolithales
References:
Perch-Nielsen, K. (1985a). Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils. In, Bolli, H. M., Saunders, J. B. & Perch-Nielsen, K. (eds) Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 427-555. gs
Poche, F. (1913). Das System der Protozoa. Archiv für Protistenkunde. 30: 125-321. gs
Young, J. R. & Bown, P. R. (1997a). Cenozoic calcareous nannoplankton classification. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 19(1): 36-47. gs V O
Young, J. R. & Henriksen, K. (2003). Biomineralization within vesicles: the calcite of coccoliths. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry. 54(1): 189-215. gs
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