Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Discosphaera tubifera Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Discosphaera tubifera

Discosphaera tubifera


Classification: ntax_cenozoic -> Syracosphaerales -> Rhabdosphaeraceae -> Discosphaera -> Discosphaera tubifera
Sister taxa: D. jerkovici, D. tubifera, D. sp.

Taxonomy:

Citation: Discosphaera tubifera (Murray & Blackman 1898) Ostenfeld, 1900
Taxonomic rank: species
Basionym: Rhabdosphaera tubifera Murray & Blackman 1898
Synonyms: Discosphaera thomsoni Ostenfeld, 1899
Rhabdosphaera prijedorensis Jerkovic (1971) - Miocene fossil specimen [my interpretation - JRY 2015]

Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Discosphaera): Body coccoliths with well-developed radial lath cycle; trumpet-like process; coccospheres monomorphic
This taxon: Trumpet width much greater than basal width.

Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: R. tubifer * , D. tubifer * , D. thomsoni * , R. prijedorensis *


Morphology:

Extant coccolithophore: The only described species of Discosphaera; characterised by monomorphc coccosphere with all coccoliths bearing trumpet-like protrusions (see also generic description). 

Crystallography: as in most Rhabdosphaeraceae the column of the process is formed of R-units with slightly downward pinting c-axes. In conical upper part the c-axes remain perpendicular to the surface and so are progressively rotated downward, until at the rim they are directed vertically. So, coccospheres show strongly radial c-axis orientations in the outermost part.


Ecology & Biogeography

Common in oligotrophic surface waters. a characteristic species of the sub-tropical gyres.

Search data:
LITHS: planolith, circular, elliptical, CA: ca_disjunct, grill, process,
CSPH: equant, monomorphic, CROSS-POLARS: V-prominent, R-prominent,
Lith size: 3->8µm; Coccosphere size: 12->20µm; Liths per sphere: 35->70
Data source notes: csph & lith length from illustrated specimens & Kahn & Aubry 2006; csph data from Cros & Fortuño 2003;
The morphological data given here can be used on the advanced search page. See also these notes

Geological Range:
Notes: Never common but specimens occur consistently in well-preserved sub-tropical sediments. Usually the base is detached but appearance of trumpet-like processes is distinctive in LM (see images). Young 1998 recorded occurrence down to NN11 but Galovic & Young (2012) record specimens from NN6 in the Paratethys.
Last occurrence (top): Extant. Data source: present in the plankton (Young et al. 2003)
First occurrence (base): within Middle Miocene Sub-Epoch (11.62-15.97Ma, base in Langhian stage). Data source: Galovic & Young (2012)

Plot of occurrence data:

References:

Andruleit, H., Rogalla, U. & Staeger, S. (2005). Living coccolithophores recorded during the onset of upwelling conditions off Oman in the western Arabian Sea. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 27(1): 1-14. gs

Cros, L. & Fortuño, J. -M. (2002). Atlas of northwestern Mediterranean coccolithophores. Scientia Marina. 66: 1-186. gs

Galovic, I. & Young, J. R. (2012). Revised taxonomy of some Middle Miocene calcareous nannofossils in the Paratethys. Micropaleontology. 58(4): -. gs

Kleijne, A. (1992). Extant Rhabdosphaeraceae (coccolithophorids, class Prymnesiophyceae) from the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. Scripta Geologica. 100: 1-63. gs

Konno, S. & Jordan, R. W. (2006). Lagoon coccolithophorids from the Republic of Palau, NW Equatorial Pacific. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 28(2): 95-110. gs O

Malinverno, E., Leoni , B. & Galli, P. (2022). Coccolithophore assemblages and a new species of Alisphaera from the Faafu Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean. Marine Micropaleontology. 172(102110): 1-16. gs

Murray, G. & Blackman, V. H. (1898). On the nature of the Coccospheres and Rhabdospheres. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 190(1): 427-441. gs

Winter, A., Reiss, Z. & Luz, B. (1979). Distribution of living coccolithophore assemblages in the Gulf of Elat ('Aqaba). Marine Micropaleontology. 4: 197-223. gs

Yang, T. -N., Wei, K. & Wu, J. -T. (2012). Marine coccolithophores around Taiwan. Biodiversity Research Center, Academica Sinica, Taipei. 1-96. 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. S1: 1-132. gs


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Discosphaera tubifera compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 18-2-2025

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Short stable page link: https://mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/index.php?id=521 Go to Archive.is to create a permanent copy of this page - citation notes
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Comments (2)

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But we found it in the Paratethys from NN6 (late Badenian). Please see our article Galovic & Young (2012). Could you please amend the real base of the species? Thank you.

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good point - I've updated the page now

Jeremy