Taxonomy:
Subdivision of the genus is notoriously problematic, numerous species names have been proposed and species concepts vary widely between authors. Some distinctive groups can be recognised but many taxa are separated on arbitrary criteria such as size. In consequence it is good practice for authors to clearly define their adopted species concepts in all publications. Here we distinguish six groups of species. The C. floridanus, R. bisecta, R. lockeri and R. reticulata groups are distinctive sets of species which are rather readily distinguished on straightforward criteria - and indeed have been regarded as separate genera by some authors. The remaining species are all elliptical reticulofenestrids with central openings. These morphotypes occur from the Eocene to the present day, often at very high abundances. They vary greatly in size, central opening size and grill details (when visible and preserved) and almost certainly numerous different species are included. Subdivision is, however, very problematic. At low to mid-latitudes they are usually much less common in the Late Oligocene and Early Miocene and in consequence different species names are usually used before and after this interval, i.e in the Eocene to Early Oligocene and in the Middle Miocene to Pliocene. So, we have separated the species from these two periods, as the R. umbilicus and R. pseudoumbilicus groups.
Extant species the species R. parvula has now been transferred to Gephyrocapsa since it is very closely related to G. ericsonii and so only indirectly related to the fossil Reticulofenestra. This leaves R. sessilis as the only extant species and this is a rather rare and very unusual taxon with a symbiotic relationship with a diatom.
Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Noelaerhabdaceae): Heterococcoliths with Reticulofenestra-type structure, V-units vestigal, R-units forming grill, both shields, and two-layered tube
This taxon: No bridge, no slits
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Reticulofenestra + + + * , Dictyococcites + + * , Crenalithus + * , Apertapetra * , Cribrocentrum * , Ericsoniella * , Stradnerius * , Nannoserratolithus [no catalog entry yet]
Morphology:
Most likely ancestor: Toweius - at confidence level 3 (out of 5). Data source: e.g. Romein 1979, Perch-Nielsen 1985, Gallagher 1989, Young et al. 1991 .
Likely descendants: Bekelithella; Gephyrocapsa; Noelaerhabdus; Pseudoemiliania;
plot with descendants
LITHS: placolith, circular, CA: ca_conjunct, grill, vacant, CSPH: equant, monomorphic, CROSS-POLARS: rim-unicyclic, R-prominent, |
Lith size: 1->20µm; |
Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant. Data source: Total of ranges of the species in this database
First occurrence (base): within NP9 zone (55.86-57.21Ma, base in Thanetian stage). Data source: Total of ranges of species in this database
Plot of occurrence data:
Black, M. & Barnes, B. (1961). Coccoliths and discoasters from the floor of the South Atlantic Ocean. Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society. 80: 137-147. gs Black, M. (1967). New names for some coccolith taxa. Proceedings of the Geological Society of London. 1640: 139-145. gs 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 Jordan, R. W. & Young, J. R. (1990). Proposed changes to the classification system of living Coccolithophorids. INA Newsletter. 12(1): 15-18. gs Krhovsky, J. (1979). Calcareous nannoplankotn from the Eocene/Oligocene boundary of some localities of the Pozdrany and Zdanice units (the West Carpathians, Czechoslovakia). In, V. , P. (ed.) Palaeontological Conference 1977, University Karlova Praha. University Karlova Praha, Prague 775-791. gs Martini, E. & Schiller, W. (1998). Calcareous nannoplankton from Sieblos/Rhoen and the Nieuwied Basin (Lower Oligocene). Geologisches Abhandlungen Hessen. 100: 165-172. gs Young, J. R. (1998). Neogene. In, Bown, P. R. (ed.) Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series . 225-265. gs References:
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Reticulofenestra compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 29-11-2023
Short stables page link: https://mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/index.php?id=1152 Go to Archive.is to create a permanent copy of this page - citation notes |
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