Blow (1979) and Cifelli and Belford (1977) chose their respective lectotypes from the same sample (CC no. 59499) containing the five specimens deposited by Nuttall in 1930. Blow (1979, p. 990), however, had designated his lectotype based on two specimens; 7) it is difficult to state/determine which of the five specimens Cifelli and Belford (1977) designated as lectotype of aragonensis, although a comparison of their illustration (1977, pl. 1, figs. 7-9) with the five figured specimens of Nuttall (1930, pl. 24, figs. 6-8, 10,11) suggests it may well be that figured by Nuttall (1930, pl. 24, fig. 1) inasmuch as the illustration(s) of the spiral side of that specimen shows a strong similarity to that of Cifelli and Belford (1977, pl. 1, fig. 7). Blow had died in 1972 and his monograph did not appear (1979) until two years after the publication of the Cifelli and Belford paper (1977). Thus, his designation of a lectotype, while intriguing, is irrelevant to the taxonomic status of aragonensis.
Blow (1979, p. 990) indicated that he considered lensiformis to have been the direct ancestor of both crater and aragonensis. We agree with this viewpoint. Blow (1979, p. 1006, 1007) also considered marksi Martin and naussi Martin as “ex interc. lensiformis and aragonensis” and as “primitive aragonensis”, respectively, based on an examination of paratypes in the USNM. Examination of the holotypes of these two taxa (WAB) suggests that the morphologic differences between these forms and “typical” aragonensis are of a minor nature and that separate taxic distinction is not warranted.
Morozovella aragonensis is one of the most distinctive and widely cited morozovellids in Eocene literature. [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Catalog entries: Globorotalia aragonensis, Globorotalia marksi, Globorotalia naussi
Type images:Distinguishing features: Like M. lensiformis but test planoconvex and with more chambers in final whorl (5-7) and nearly circular; terminal chamber generally smooth.
NB These concise distinguishing features statements are used in the tables of daughter-taxa to act as quick summaries of the differences between e.g. species of one genus.
Diagnostic characters: This taxon is characterized by its tightly coiled, nearly circular test (giving the appearance of a truncated cone), narrow umbilicus, distinctly trapezoidal chambers on spiral side and strongly developed muricae on the early chambers.
Wall type: Muricate, nonspinose, normal perforate. [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Test morphology: Test periphery nearly circular, weakly lobulate, planoconvex; 5-7 chambers in last whorl, triangular and inflated on umbilical side, trapezoidal to lozenge shaped on spiral side as a function of the strong curvature of intercameral sutures which are raised or flush with test surface, muricate/beaded and forming distinct, acute angle with periphery; intercameral sutures staight to slightly sinuous and moderately depressed on umbilical side; umbilicus
narrow, deep, and rimmed by rounded tips at circumumbilical chamber confluence; blunt-tipped muricae scattered over chambers of last whorl on umbilical side; terminal chamber generally smooth; strong/thick peripheral muricocarina; early chambers strongly muricate obscuring early whorl(s); muricae on early whorl(s) of test preclude accurate estimate of number of chambers and whorls on test; probably about 12-15 in about 3 whorls; in edge view umbilico-convex; spiral side flat or nearly so; primary aperture a low, umbilical-extraumbilical arch extending to peripheral margin. [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Size: Lectotype dimension(s): not given by Cifelli and Belford (1977); average diameter: 0.6 mm (Nuttall, 1930, p. 288). [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Character matrix
test outline: | Circular | chamber arrangement: | Trochospiral | edge view: | Planoconvex | aperture: | Umbilical-extraumbilical |
sp chamber shape: | Petaloid | coiling axis: | High | periphery: | Imperforate band | aperture border: | N/A |
umb chbr shape: | Subtriangular | umbilicus: | Narrow | periph margin shape: | Subangular | accessory apertures: | None |
spiral sutures: | Raised muricate | umb depth: | Deep | wall texture: | Finely muricate | shell porosity: | Finely Perforate: 1-2.5µm |
umbilical or test sutures: | Moderately depressed | final-whorl chambers: | 6.5-7.5 | N.B. These characters are used for advanced search. N/A - not applicable |
Geographic distribution: Widely distributed in (sub)tropical-Tethyan regions; common in Caribbean, Mediterranean-Pyrenees, North Caucasus, Indo-Pacific, among others. [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Aze et al. 2011 summary: Low latitudes; based on Berggren & Pearson (2006)
Isotope paleobiology: Oxygen and carbon isotopes indicate a shallow mixed-layer habitat (Boersma and others, 1987; Pearson and others, 1993, 2001). [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Aze et al. 2011 ecogroup 1 - Open ocean mixed-layer tropical/subtropical, with symbionts. Based on very heavy δ13C and relatively light δ18O. Sources cited by Aze et al. 2011 (appendix S3): Boersma et al. (1987); Pearson et al. (1993, 2001a)
Phylogenetic relations: This taxon evolved from M. lensiformis and does not appear to have left any descendants.
[Berggren & Pearson 2006]
Most likely ancestor: Morozovella lensiformis - at confidence level 4 (out of 5). Data source: Berggren & Pearson (2006) f11.1.
Geological Range:
Notes: Base of Zone E5 (by definition) to top of Zone E9 (by definition). [Berggren & Pearson 2006]
The LAD of Morozovella aragonensis marks the base of zone E10 / top of E9 (Wade et al. 2011)
The FAD of Morozovella aragonensis marks the base of zone E5 / top of E4 (Wade et al. 2011)
Last occurrence (top): at top of E9 zone (100% up, 43.2Ma, in Lutetian stage). Data source: zonal marker (Wade et al. 2011)
First occurrence (base): at base of E5 zone (0% up, 52.5Ma, in Ypresian stage). Data source: zonal marker (Wade et al. 2011)
Plot of occurrence data:
Primary source for this page: Berggren & Pearson 2006 - Eocene Atlas, chap. 11, p. 349
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Y. & Ogasawara, K. (2001). Tethyan Paleocene-Eocene planktic foraminifera from the Rakhi Nala and Zinda Pir land sections of the Sulaiman Range, Pakistan. Science Reports of the Institute of Geosciences, University of Tsukuba, Section B = Geological Sciences. 22: 1-59. gs Warraich, M. Y., Ogasawara, K. & Nishi, H. (2000). Late Paleocene to early Eocene planktic foraminiferal blostratigraphy of the Dungan Formation, Sulaiman Range, central Pakistan. Paleontological Research. 4(4): 275-301, 218 figures, 273 aendices. gsReferences:
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Morozovella aragonensis compiled by the pforams@mikrotax project team viewed: 7-12-2019
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