Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Pontosphaera multipora

Citation: Pontosphaera multipora (Kamptner, 1948 ex Deflandre in Deflandre & Fert, 1954) Roth, 1970

Basionym: Discolithus multiporus Kamptner, 1948 ex Deflandre, 1954

Synonyms: P. multipora is both a rather generalised morphotype - moderately developed rim, largish holes -and highly variable in coccolith morphology even on single coccospheres. So, it is unusually difficult to set the limits of the species and numerous similar species have been described.
Straightforward synonyms, from Miocene or younger:

Discolithus vigintiforatus Kamptner, 1948 - very similar to P. multipora and from the same material [JRY 2015] = Pontosphaera vigintiforatus (Kamptner, 1948) Varol 1989.
Discolithus sparsiforatus Kamptner, 1948 - very similar to P. multipora and from the same material [JRY 2015] = Pontosphaera sparsiforatus (Kamptner, 1948) Varol 1989.
Pontosphaera turgida Muller in Muller et al. 1974 - form with very broad rim (similar to plate 11 fig. 5 of Young et al. 2003), described from Late Quaternary, falls within variation observed in modern P. multipora.
Discolithus lineatus Deflandre in Deflandre & Fert (1954) - describedfrom the Pliocene [my identification - JRY 2015]
Pontosphaera indooceanica Cepek (1973) - described from the Holocene [my identification - JRY 2015]
Pontosphaera cribrosa Kamptner (1963) - described from the Holocene [my identification - JRY 2015]
Pontosphaera grani Gaarder (1954) - described from the plankton [my identification - JRY 2015]

Kamptner 1967 described several Discolithus species from a single Challenger dredging, all these fall broadly within the variation shown by modern P. multipora [JRY 2015]:

Discolithus apocresis Kamptner 1967
Discolithus forenus Kamptner 1967
Discolithus giresus Kamptner 1967
Discolithus raclus Kamptner 1967
Discolithus radolensis Kamptner 1967
Discolithus redogenus Kamptner 1967
Discolithus rorsus Kamptner 1967

Possible Paleogene synonyms

Discolithina confossa Hay, Mohler & Wade (1966) = Pontosphaera confossa (Hay, Mohler & Wade 1966) Haq 1971
Discolithina cribraria Perch-Nielsen (1967) = Pontosphaera cribraria (Perch-Nielsen 1967) Haq 1971
Discolithina desueta Müller (1970) = Pontosphaera desueta (Müller 1970) Perch-Nielsen 1984
Discolithus distinctoides Reinhardt (1967) = Pontosphaera distinctoides (Reinhardt 1967) Aubry 1986
Discolithus vescus = Pontosphaera vesca (Sullivan 1965) Aubry 1986
Pontosphaera rigida Roth (1970)
Pontosphaera bukryi Haq (1971)

Variants: Coccolithites anisotrema Kamptner (1955) = Pontosphaera anisotrema (Kamptner 1956) Backman 1980 - outer cycle of large holes, several inner cycles of small holes

Taxonomic discussion: The coccoliths of P. multipora show considerable variation in number of pores and rim width even on single coccospheres. The modern species reasnoably clearly defined but in the fossil record thename is applied rather loosely to a range of forams wirh large pores.

Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Pontosphaera): Coccoliths are muroliths, central area with variable number of perforations. V-units form narrow imbricate outer wall, R-units form inner wall and central-area.
This taxon: Rim elevated, 3 or more cycles of large (0.3-0.5 µm) pores.

Pores in outermost cycle usually elongated radially, inner cycles rather irregular; rim highly variable in width and may obscure the outer pores. There is a narrow rim of imbricate V-uints and broader inner rim of R-units. The inner rim typically shows a concentric fabric as ifi it if formed of narrow laths stacked in tangemtially but cloer exomnition shos that this a surface fabric and thesutures bewteen elements are irregular but approximaly radial [my interpretation - JRY 2025]

See also: Scyphosphaera porosa - body coccoliths are very similar, but with narrow rims.;

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]

References:

Aubry, M-P. (1986a). Palaeogene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of northwestern Europe. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology. 55: 267-334. gs

Backman, J. (1980). Miocene-Pliocene nannofossils and sedimentation rates in the Hatton-Rockall Basin, NE Atlantic Ocean. Stockholm Contributions in Geology. 36: 1-91. gs O

Bown, P. R. & Newsam, C. (2017). Calcareous nannofossils from the Eocene North Atlantic Ocean (IODP Expedition 342 Sites U1403–1411). Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 37(1): 25-60. gs O

Bown, P. R. (2005d). Palaeogene calcareous nannofossils from the Kilwa and Lindi areas of coastal Tanzania (Tanzania Drilling Project 2003-4). Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 27(1): 21-95. gs O

Burns, D. A. (1973). Structural analysis of flanged coccoliths in sediments from the South West Pacific Ocean. Revista Española de Micropaleontología. 5(1): 147-160. gs O

Bybell, L. (1975). Middle Eocene calcareous nannofossils at Little Stave Creek, Alabama. Tulane Studies in Geology and Paleontology. 11(4): 177-247. gs O

Cepek, P. (1973b). Die Art Pontosphaera indooceanica n. sp. und ihre Bedeutung für die Stratigraphie der jungsten Sedimente des Indischen Ozeans. “Meteor” Forschungsergebnisse. 12: 1-8. gs

de Kaenel, E. & Villa, G. (1996). Oligocene-Miocene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and paleoeecology from the Iberian Abyssal Plain. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results. 149: 79-145. gs O

Deflandre, G. & Fert, C. (1954). Observations sur les coccolithophoridés actuels et fossiles en microscopie ordinaire et électronique. Annales de Paléontologie. 40: 115-176. gs

Dunkley Jones, T., Bown, P. R. & Pearson, P. (2009). Exceptionally well preserved upper Eocene to lower Oligocene calcareous nannofossils (Prymnesiophycidae) from the Pande Formation (Kilwa Group), Tanzania. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 7(4): 359-411. gs

Gaarder, K. R. (1954). Coccolithineae, Silicoflagellatae, Pterospermataceae and other forms from the Michael Sars North Atlantic Deep Sea Expedition 1910. Report on the Scientific Results of the ‘‘Michael Sars'' North Atlantic Deep Sea Expedition 1910. 2: 1-20. gs

Haq, B. U. (1971b). Paleogene calcareous nannoflora. Part II. Oligocene of Western Germany. Stockholm Contributions in Geology. 25: 57-98. gs O

Hay, W. W., Mohler, H. P. & Wade, M. E. (1966). Calcareous nannofossils from Nal'chik (northwest Caucasus). Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae. 59: 379-399. gs O

Jones, A. P. & Dunkley Jones, T. (2020). Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene calcareous nannofossils from the Nanggulan Formation, Java, Indonesia. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 38(1): 57-79. gs

Kamptner, E. (1948). Coccolithen aus dem Torton des Inneralpinen Wiener Beckens. Anzeiger der Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien. 157: 1-16. gs

Kamptner, E. (1956). Zur Systematik und Nomenklatur der Coccolithineen. Anzeiger der Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien. 93: 4-11. gs

Kamptner, E. (1967). Kalkflagellaten - Skelettreste aus Tiefseeschlamm des Südatlantischen Ozeans. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. 71: 117-198. gs O

Müller, C. (1970). Nannoplankton-Zonen der Unteren-Meeresmolasse Bayerns. Geologica Bavarica. 63: 107-118. gs

Müller, C., Blanc Vernet, L., Chamley, H. & Froget, C. (1974). Les coccolithophorides d’une carotte Méditerranéenne. Comparaison paléoclimatologique avec les foraminifères, les ptéropodes et les argiles. Tethys. 6(4): 805-828. gs

Nishida, S. (1979). Atlas of Pacific Nannoplanktons. News of Osaka Micropaleontologists, Special Paper. 3: 1-31. gs

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1967). Nannofossilien aus dem Eozan von Danemark. Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae. 60: 19-32. gs O

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1971c). Elektronenmikroskopische untersuchungen an Coccolithen und verwandten Formen aus dem Eozan von Danemark. Biologiske Skrifter, Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab. 18(3): 1-76. gs O

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1977). Albian to Pleistocene calcareous nannofossils from the Western South Atlantic, DSDP Leg 39. Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. 39: 699-823. gs O

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1984). Validation of new combinations. INA Newsletter. 6(1): 42-46. gs

Reinhardt, P. (1967). Fossile Coccolithen mit rhagoidem Zentralfeld (Fam. Ahmuellerellaceae, Subord. Coccolithineae). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte. 1967: 163-178. gs

Roth, P. H. (1970). Oligocene calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy. Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae. 63: 799-881. gs O

Self-Trail, J. (2011). Paleogene Calcareous Nannofossils of the South Dover Bridge core, Southern Maryland (USA). Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 32(1): 1-28. gs

Sullivan, F. R. (1965). Lower Tertiary nannoplankton from the California Coast Ranges. II. Eocene. University of California Publications in Geological Sciences. 53: 1-74. gs O

Varol, O. (1989a). Calcareous nannofossil study of the central and western Solomon Islands. Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources Earth Sciences. 239-268. gs

Wise, S. W. (1983). Mesozoic and Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils recovered by DSDP Leg 71 in the Falkland Plateau region, Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. 71: 481-550. gs O

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

Comments (2)

Mike Styzen(US)

I have seen a top for this species reported at around the base of NN 16. Is this based on the range of some sort of variant?

7 November 2008 00:00

Jeremy Young(UK)

good question - the name P. multipora seems to be used very broadly and I can well imagine that there are different forms with restricted ranges. In terms of taxonomy since Kamptner's type was from the Late Miocene there is no guarantee that the modern species is the same thing

18 May 2011 00:00

Pontosphaera multipora

References:

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