Taxonomy:
Holodiscolithus macroporus (Deflandre 1954) Roth 1970 is the name usually given to similar fossil forms, at least some of which are almost certainly Scyphosphaera holococcoliths
Discolithus macroporus (Deflandre 1954) - basionym of H. macroporus
Syracolithus schilleri (Kamptner 1927) Loeblich & Tappan 1967 - name widely used in modern literature until th life cycle association with Scyphosphaera apsteinii was recognised.
Syracosphaera schilleri Kamptner 1927 - basionym of S. schilleri
Distinguishing features: Liths similar to quadriperforatus but larger (3-4 µm), with more pores (8-20) and lacking castellations; single irregular boss near centre of lith
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Syracosphaera schilleri * , Discolithus macroporus *
Morphology remarks: LM observations show that the ultrastructure is similar to that of Calcidiscus leptoporus ssp. quadriperforatus HOL. In comparison to quadriperforatus holococoliths the liths are larger (3-4 µm), have more pores (8-20) and a better-developed double wall - outer layer with radial c-axes, inner layer formed by extension of septae so with vertical c-axes.
Size: Liths 3-4 µm long.
Biology & life-cycles: A single, unambiguous, combination coccosphere with Scyphosphaera apsteinii was described and illustrated by Frada et al. (2009) from the North Atlantic.
See also: Scyphosphaera apsteinii - heterococcolith stage;Holodiscolithus macroporus - fossil 'species' probably including records of S. apsteinii HOL;
Search data:Tags | LITHS: holococcolith, H: disk-like, H: septate, elliptical, RIM: H: tube (Holos), CA: pores, CSPH: spherical, monomorphic, V-UNITS: septae, R-UNITS: rim, |
Metrics | Lith size: 2.7->3.7µm; Coccosphere size: 10->14µm; Liths per sphere: 60->100 Sources: morphom data from Cros & Fortuño (2002) |
Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant Data source: present in the plankton (Young et al. 2003)
First occurrence (base): within Eocene Epoch (33.89-55.96Ma, base in Ypresian stage). Data source: [JRY rough estimate]
Plot of occurrence data:
Cros, L. & Fortuño, J. -M. (2002). Atlas of northwestern Mediterranean coccolithophores. Scientia Marina. 66: 186-. gs Deflandre, G. & Fert, C. (1954). Observations sur les coccolithophoridés actuels et fossiles en microscopie ordinaire et électronique. Annales de Paléontologie. 40: 115-176. gs Frada, M., Percopo, I., Young, J. R., Zingone, A., de Vargas, C. & Probert, I. (2009a). First observations of heterococcolithophore-holococcolithophore life cycle combinations in the family Pontosphaeraceae (Calcihaptophycideae, Haptophyta). Marine Micropaleontology. 71(1): 20-27. gs Lohmann, H. (1902). Die Coccolithophoridae, eine Monographie der Coccolithen bildenden Flagellaten, zugleich ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis des Mittelmeerauftriebs. Archiv für Protistenkunde. 1: 89-165. gs Roth, P. H. (1970). Oligocene calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy. Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae. 63: 799-881. gs Young, J. R. (1998). Neogene. In, Bown, P. R. (ed.) Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series. 225-265. gs Young, J. R., Geisen, M., Cros, L., Kleijne, A., Probert, I. & Ostergaard, J. B. (2003). A guide to extant coccolithophore taxonomy. Journal of Nannoplankton Research, Special Issue. 1: 1-132. gsReferences:
![]() |
Scyphosphaera apsteinii HOL compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 10-12-2019
Short stable page link: http://mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/index.php?id=1222 Go to Archive.is to create a permanent copy of this page - citation notes |