Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Scyphosphaera porosa

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Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Scyphosphaera porosa Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Scyphosphaera porosa

Scyphosphaera porosa

Classification: ntax_cenozoic -> Zygodiscales -> Pontosphaeraceae -> Scyphosphaera -> Scyphosphaera porosa
Sister taxa: S. apsteinii, S. porosa ⟩⟨ S. brevis, S. globulata, S. hamptonii, S. hemirana, S. lagena ⟩⟨ S. campanula, S. intermedia, S. pulcherrima, S. tubifera, S. ventriosa ⟩⟨ S. columella, S. expansa, S. interstincta, S. olla, S. tercisensis, S. tubicena, S. sp.

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Taxonomy:

Citation: Scyphosphaera porosa Kamptner, 1967

Taxonomic rank: species

Synonyms:

Pontosphaera indooceanica Cepek 1973 This apecies was decribed from isolated coccoliths in the sediment which appear to be identical to the body coccoliths of S. porosa [my interpretation - JRY 2025]

Variants:

Scyphosphaera elegans (Ostenfeld, 1910) Deflandre, 1942 [described as Thorosphaera elegans] - appears rather similar although its' equatorial coccoliths are more abundant and narrower. It has more recently been regarded as of uncertain affinities, possibly not a coccolithophore, see Jordan and Chamberlain (1992). Almost all literature records of Thorosphaera elegans relate to specimens of Gladiolithus flabellatus so resurrecting the name would be liable to cause confusion.
Scyphosphaera galeana Kamptner, 1967; described from the same sample as S. porosa (Challenger dredging 338) and with broadly similar morphology.
Scyphosphaera magna Kamptner, 1967; described from the same sample as S. porosa (Challenger dredging 338) and with broadly similar morphology.

Taxonomic discussion: Described from isolated coccoliths in the sediment, but complete coccospheres have been recorded from the plankton (Young 2008, Frada et al. 2010).
The body coccoliths of S. porosa resemble those of Pontosphaera multipora they seem, however, to consistently have narrow rims and narrow bars separating the pores. This criterion has been used here to assign various isolated body coccoliths to S. porosa and to regard P. indooceanica as a junior synonym of S. porosa. However, only a few coccospheres of S. porosa and P. multipora are known, so further observations may result in revision of the taxonomic concepts. [my interpretation - JRY 2025]

Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Scyphosphaera): Coccospheres with Pontosphaera-like body coccoliths and equatorial coccoliths with rims elevated into vase-like structures (lopadoliths).
This taxon: Lopadoliths - large gently-flaring or parallel sided; R-unit only extends to about one third height of lopadolith
Body coccoliths - rim narrow and elevated, pores separated by narrow bars

Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: S. porosa * , S. galeana * , S. magna * , T. elegans * , P. indooceanica *

Size:

Coccosphere excluding lopadoliths ca. 30µm; lopadoliths 15-20µm (Young 2008)

Ecology & Biogeography

Deep photic, only ever recorded from the South Atlantic gyre - unless the S. elegans specimens of Ostenfeld are records of the taxon.

Search data:

LITHS: murolith, cylindrical, elliptical, hollow, CA: plate, pores,
CSPH: equant, BC-dimorphic, CROSS-POLARS: V-prominent, R-prominent, rim-bicyclic,

Lith size: 15->20µm; Coccosphere size: 50->70µm;
Data source notes: lith height from OD & Young 2008; csph height from illustrated specs

The morphological data given here can be used on the advanced search page. See also these notes

Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant. Data source: present in the plankton (Young et al. 2003)
First occurrence (base): within Pliocene Epoch (2.59-5.33Ma, base in Zanclean stage). Data source: [JRY rough estimate]

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. Pale shading <50 samples in time bin. Interpret with caution & read these notes
Taxon plotted: Scyphosphaera porosa, synonyms included - Scyphosphaera elegans; Scyphosphaera galeana; Scyphosphaera magna; Scyphosphaera porosa;
See also space-time plot :: Samples map :: Parent: Scyphosphaera

References:

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

Deflandre, G. (1942a). Coccolithophoridés fossiles d'Oranie. Genres Scyphosphaera Lohmann et Thorosphaera Ostenfeld. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse. 77: 125-137. gs

Frada, M. et al. (2010). A guide to extant coccolithophores (Calcihaptophycidae, Haptophyta) using light microscopy. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 31(2): 58-112. gs

Jordan, R. W. & Chamberlain, A. H. L. (1992). Vexillarius cancellifer gen. et sp. nov., and its possible affinities with other living coccolithophorids. In, Hamrsmid, B. & Young, J. R. (eds) Nannoplankton Research, Proceedings of the 4th INA Conference, Prague 1991, vol II. Knihovnicka ZPN . 14b: 305-325. gs

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

Ostenfeld, C. H. (1910). Thorosphaera, eine neue Gattung der Coccolithophoriden. Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft. 28: 397-400. gs

Siesser, W. G. (1998). Calcareous nannofossil Genus Scyphosphaera: structure, taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and phylogeny. Micropaleontology. 44(4): 351-384. gs

Young, J. R. (2008). Scyphosphaera porosa Kamptner 1967 rediscovered in the plankton. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 30(1): 35-38. gs

Missing or ambiguous references: Cepek 1973;