Watznaueria britannica
Classification: Mesozoic -> Watznaueriales -> Watznaueriaceae -> Watznaueria -> Watznaueria britannica
Sister taxa: W. barnesiae, W. bayackii, W. cynthae, W. fossacincta, W. manivitiae, W. ovata, W. britannica, W. reinhardtii, W. biporta, W. contracta, W. fasciata, W. okadai, W. quadriradiata, W. rawsonii, C. baticlypeata, W. sp.,
Distinguishing features: Watznaueria with narrow central-area spanned by a transverse bar.
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Taxonomy:
Citation: Watznaueria britannica (Stradner, 1963) Reinhardt, 1964Rank: SpeciesBasionym: Coccolithus britannicus Stradner, 1963Variants:
- Ellipsagelosphaera lucasii Noël, 1965 - form with wide central area, probably an early growth phase (Young & Bown 1991)
- Ellipsagelosphaera gephyrocapsoides Black, 1971 - form with strongly oblique bridge
- Watznaueria communis Reinhardt, 1964 - form with weakly oblique bridge
Notes & discussion: The name W. communis is probably best regarded as a junior synonym or variant of Watznaueria britannica (Stradner, 1963) Reinhardt, 1964. Most authors do not separate the taxa but the distinct obliquity shown in the type specimen is a possible basis for separation.
A few authors, e.g. Casellato (2010) have used the name W. communis for a morphotype with an optically continuous bridge which nearly fills the central area. Whilst this morphotype is probably worth distinguishing it does not correspond to the holotype of W. communis and so it should be given a different name. The specimens illustrated by Casellato (2010) are now included in Watznaueria sp. Synonyms: Ellipsagelosphaera frequens Noël, 1965Notes & discussion: According to de Kaenel (oral comm. during 2016 Jurassic workshop) some industry workers use the name W. frequens for small early forms of W. britannica with a narrow opening. This taxon concept is very close to that of Lotharingius frodoi and the latter name seems preferable, both because the name E. frequens has been widely used with other meanings and because its holotype does not clearly fit this concept.
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Coccolithus britannicus * Ellipsagelosphaera frequens * Ellipsagelosphaera gephyrocapsoides * Ellipsagelosphaera lucasi * Watznaueria communis *
Distinguishing features: Watznaueria with narrow central-area spanned by a transverse bar.
Morphology remarks: Often the dominant coccolith in Middle and Upper Jurassic assemblages, becoming rarer in the lower Cretaceous.
Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): within UC1a subzone (100.03-100.45Ma, top in Cenomanian stage). Data source: Burnett 1998
First occurrence (base): at base of NJ9 zone (0% up, 170.1Ma, in Bajocian stage). Data source: Bown & Cooper 1998 (fig 4) - zonal event
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
- Histogram - Neptune occurrence data from DSDP and ODP proceedings. Interpret with caution & read these notes
- Taxon plotted: Watznaueria britannica, synonyms included - Ellipsagelosphaera britannica; Ellipsagelosphaera communis; Ellipsagelosphaera frequens; Watznaueria britannica; Watznaueria communis; Watznaueria frequens; space-time plot ::
Samples map :: Parent: Watznaueria
References:Bown, P.R. & Cooper, M.K.E., (1998). Jurassic. In: Bown, P.R. (Editor), Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy. British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series. Chapman & Hall, pp. 34-85.
Burnett, J.A., (1998). Upper Cretaceous. In: Bown, P.R. (Editor), Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. British Micropalaeontological Society Publications Series. Chapman & Hall, London, pp. 132-199.
Noël, D., (1965). Sur les Coccolithes du Jurassique Européen et d'Afrique du Nord. Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris.
Reinhardt, P., (1964). Einige Kalkflagellaten-Gattungen (Coccolithophoriden, Coccolithineen) aus dem Mesozoikum Deutschlands. Monatsberichte der Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 6: 749-759.
Stradner, H., (1963). New contributions to Mesozoic stratigraphy by means of nannofossils. Proceedings of the Sixth World Petroleum Congress, Section 1 Paper 4: 167-183.
Young, J.R. & Bown, P.R., (1991). An ontogenetic sequence of coccoliths from the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay of England. Palaeontology, 34: 843-850.
