Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic

Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Sphenolithus Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic - Sphenolithus

Sphenolithus

Classification: ntax_cenozoic -> Discoasterales -> Sphenolithaceae -> Sphenolithus
Sister taxa: Sphenolithus, Furcatolithus

moriformis group ranges from Paleocene to Pliocene, the other groups are arranged in age sequence (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)		Granddaughter taxa
	S. moriformis group Conical and hemispherical sphenoliths without prominent apical spines.	Sphenolithus abies Sphenolithus apoxis Sphenolithus moriformis Sphenolithus grandis Sphenolithus puniceus Sphenolithus acervus Sphenolithus primus
	Oligocene-Miocene groups
	S. heteromorphus group Late Oligocene - Early Miocene sphenoliths with apical spines formed from a single element.	Sphenolithus heteromorphus Sphenolithus milanetti Sphenolithus preasii Sphenolithus pseudoheteromorphus Sphenolithus conicus Sphenolithus calyculus
	S. delphix group	Sphenolithus belemnos Sphenolithus tintinnabulum Sphenolithus bipedis Sphenolithus delphix Sphenolithus microdelphix Sphenolithus spinula
	S. capricornutus group Apical spine formed of radiating elements	Sphenolithus capricornutus Sphenolithus cometa Sphenolithus multispinatus
	S. dissimilis group Bases cylindrical or conical, compound apical spine	Sphenolithus disbelemnos Sphenolithus dissimilis Sphenolithus procerus Sphenolithus compactus Sphenolithus truaxii
	Eocene - Oligocene groups
	S. furcatolithoides group Small Middle Eocene sphenoliths with duocrystaline spines that are dark in the 45° position.	Sphenolithus recolletensis Sphenolithus strigosus Sphenolithus furcatolithoides Sphenolithus pseudofurcatolithoides Sphenolithus perpendicularis Sphenolithus kempii
	S. radians group Eocene to Early Oligocene sphenoliths with compound spines, that are visible but dim at 0° and brightest when at 45° to the polarizing directions.	Sphenolithus pseudoradians Sphenolithus radians Sphenolithus arthurii Sphenolithus richteri Sphenolithus spiniger Sphenolithus orphanknollensis Sphenolithus editus
	S. anarrhopus group Late Paleocene and Early Eocene sphenoliths with monocrystalline spines	Sphenolithus anarrhopus Sphenolithus conspicuus Sphenolithus villae
	Sphenolithus sp. Specimens which cannot be assigned to established species

Towe1979-f8.jpg
Romein 1979 fig39.png

Taxonomy:

Citation: Sphenolithus Deflandre in Grassé, 1952

taxonomic rank: Genus

Type species: Sphenolithus radians Deflandre in Grassé, 1952

Synonyms:

Sphenaster Wilcoxon, 1970
Nannoturbella Brönnimann & Stradner 1960

Taxonomic discussion: More than 40 species of Sphenolithus have been described. We subdivide them here into informal groups which we believe represent clusters of closely related species, or in some cases single morphologically variable species. The primary criteria are the nature of the spine which may be barely developed (moriformis group), formed of numerous elements (radians group), two elements (predistentus and furcatolithoides groups), or a single element (conspicuus and heteromorphus groups). In addition the base may be formed of several cycles of elements (most groups) or only one cycle (predistentus group).
There has been a tendency toward recognition of ever more sphenolith "species", but it is by no means clear that these reflect biological species, as discussed by Towe (1979).
See also - Perch-Nielsen 1985; Aubry 1989; Maiorano & Monechi 1997; Shamrock 201; Bergen et al. 2017; Howe 2021

Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Sphenolithaceae): Conical discoasteralids with a concave base, consisting of a mass of elements radiating from a common origin.
This taxon: Conical nannoliths with a concave base, consisting of a mass of elements radiating from a common origin.

Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Sphenolithus + * , Sphenaster * , Nannoturbella *

Morphology:

see family

Search data:

LITHS: nannolith-radiate, circular, cylindrical, CROSS-POLARS: R-prominent,

Lith size: 4->20µm;

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

Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): at top of NN16 zone (100% up, 2.5Ma, in Gelasian stage). Data source: Total of ranges of the species in this database
First occurrence (base): within NP4 zone (61.51-63.25Ma, base in Danian stage). Data source: Total of ranges of species in this database

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
Neptune data: This is a higher taxon page so Neptune data is not plotted. See also: customisable plot Parent: Sphenolithaceae

References:

Aubry, M. -P. (1989a). Handbook of Cenozoic calcareous nannoplankton. Book 3: Ortholithae (Pentaliths, and others), Heliotithae (Fasciculiths, Sphenoliths and others). Micropaleontology Press, American Museum of Natural History, New York. 1-279. gs

Bergen, J. A., de Kaenel, E., Blair, S. A., Boesiger, T. M. & Browning, E. (2017). Oligocene-Pliocene taxonomy and stratigraphy of the genus Sphenolithus in the circum North Atlantic Basin: Gulf of Mexico and ODP Leg 154. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 37(2-3): 77-112. gs O

Bown, P. R. & Dunkley Jones, T. (2012). Calcareous nannofossils from the Paleogene equatorial Pacific (IODP Expedition 320 Sites U1331-1334). Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 32(2): 3-51. gs O

Deflandre, G. (1952). Classe des Coccolithophoridés. (Coccolithophoridae. Lohmann, 1902). In, Grassé, P. P. (ed.) Traité de Zoologie. Masson, Paris 439-470. gs

Howe, R. (2021). Ultrastructure and taxonomy of the family Sphenolithaceae. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 39(1): 29-75. gs O

Maiorano, P. & Monechi, S. (1997). New Early Miocene species of Sphenolithus Deflandre, 1952 from the North Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 19(2): 103-107. gs

Martini, E. (1965). Mid-Tertiary calcareous nannoplankton from Pacific deep-sea cores. Colston Papers. 17: 393-411. gs O

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1985). Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils. In, Bolli, H. M., Saunders, J. B. & Perch-Nielsen, K. (eds) Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1): 427-555. gs

Romein, A. J. T. (1979). Lineages in Early Paleogene calcareous nannoplankton. Utrecht Micropaleontological Bulletin. 22: 1-231. gs O

Towe, K. M. (1979). Variation and systematics in calcareous nannofossils of the genus Sphenolithus. American Zoologist. 19: 555-572. gs

Wilcoxon, J. A. (1970). Sphenaster new genus, a Pliocene calcareous nannofossil from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Tulane Studies in Geology and Paleontology. 8: 78-81. gs

Sphenolithus compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 20-9-2024

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Comments (4)

David Campbell(US)

The reported Gelasian occurrence seems to be based on the PDBD record at https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicCollectionSearch?collection_no=152368&is_real_user=1. However, the actual ODP record clearly states the actual age for the Sphenolithus specimens. As this PDBD entry also identifies Emiliania huxleyi as a bivalve and wrongly reports it from the Gelasian as well, the PDBD needs editing.

23 January 2024 01:32

Jeremy Young

Thanks for the comment - the posting was delayed because comments with links need to be approved (otherwise we get flooded with spam). We don't use PBDB at all - there is not much useful nannofossil data on it. The range into the Gelasian for Sphenolithus is in fact a rounding problem - S. abies gets into NN16 and NN16 extends into the Gelasian. So, I should emend the code which summarises ranges for higher taxa. In most cases rounding to stage level makes sense but occasionally, as here, it produces unfortunate errors.

Jeremy

23 January 2024 12:35

Kenneth M. Towe(US)

This old paper should be added to the list of references...

1979 K.M. Towe, Variation and systematics in calcareous nannofossils of the genus Sphenolithus. AMERICAN ZOOLOGIST, v. 19, p. 555-572.

It should give pause to the discussion of various "species" in this genus.

20 December 2015 14:03

Jeremy Young(UK)

good point - do you have a pdf copy of the paper. it would be nice to include your reconstruction of sphenolithus sphere.

21 December 2015 18:43