Daughter taxa (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)![]() | Granddaughter taxa | ||||
Coccolith distal rim serrated | |||||
Papposphaera Coccolith distal rim serrated - elements pentagonal; Coccosphere varimorphic, or dimorphic. All coccoliths have spines but CFCs typically have longer spines and larger calices. | Papposphaera lepida Papposphaera obpyramidalis Pappomonas vexillata Papposphaera sp. type 1 Papposphaera sp. type 4 Papposphaera sp. type 5 Papposphaera sp. type 6 Papposphaera sp. type 2 Papposphaera sagittifera Papposphaera sarion Papposphaera arctica Papposphaera iugifera Papposphaera heldalii Papposphaera thomsenii Papposphaera bourrellii Papposphaera sp. type 3 Papposphaera sp. cf. type 3 Pappomonas sp. type 3 Papposphaera simplicissima Papposphaera sp. | ||||
Pappomonas Coccolith distal rim serrated - elements pentagonal; Coccosphere dimorphic or trimorphic. Processes only on CFCs coccoliths. Calices with 2-fold symmetry BCs without axial spine or node | Pappomonas borealis Pappomonas flabellifera Pappomonas garrisonii Pappomonas weddellensis Pappomonas sp. type 1 Pappomonas sp. type 4 Pappomonas sp. type 5 Pappomonas sp. | ||||
Balaniger Coccolith distal rim with separated elements Coccosphere dimorphic - spines only on some coccoliths, calyx of four rods | |||||
Formonsella Coccolith distal rim weakly serrated - elements imbricate rods; Coccosphere dimorphic - BCs with irregular tiles & calicate coccoliths with conical calices | |||||
Quaternariella Coccolith distal rim serrated - elements pentagonal; ?monomorphic, no process | |||||
Coccolith distal rim smooth; process variable | |||||
Ventimolina Coccoliths hoop-shaped with axial cross; BCs with low windmill-like calyx; CFCs with large bladed process | |||||
Wigwamma Coccoliths hoop-shaped with rods rising from rim to form wigwam-like structure | Wigwamma annulifera Wigwamma antarctica Wigwamma arctica Wigwamma armatura Wigwamma triradiata Wigwamma sp. | ||||
Pseudowigwamma Monomorphic - body coccoliths are simple hoop-like coccoliths. | |||||
Coccolith distal rim smooth; long, hollow, quadrate, processes on some liths | |||||
![]() | Kataspinifera Coccosphere dimorphic. CFCs (and some dispersed liths) with very long spines BCs with very low wall, axial cross and short spine; | ||||
Picarola Coccospheres varimorphic. All liths with curved quadrate process, but CFCs with larger processes. | |||||
Vexillarius Coccosphere dimorphic. CFCs (and some dispersed liths) with quadrate central process supported by transverse bar. BCs open or with concetric/longitudinal bars. | Vexillarius cancellifer Vexillarius cereus Vexillarius iaculifer Vexillarius sp. 1 Vexillarius acerviphora Vexillarius sp. | ||||
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | Pocillithus Coccoliths with tall, narrow, quadrate spines; high rim with smooth distal rim. Only known from fossil record, |
Taxonomy:
Additional genera have since been described by Thomsen and co-workers - Formonsella, Porsilidia, and Ventimolina as well as the heterococcolith stage of Quaternariella.
NB Some online databases suggest that the Papposphaeraceae should be considered a junior synonym of the Deflandriaceae (= Prediscosphaeraceae). As discussed by Jordan & Young (1990), this is an outdated suggestion made by Norris (1983) based on superficial similarities between Papposphaera and the Cretaceous genus Prediscosphaera.
Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Coccolith families inc sed): 2N: Various heterococcolith groups not obviously related to the well-defined orders
N: mostly unknown
This taxon: Narrow-rimmed muroliths, mostly with prominent central structures.
Original description: Diagnosis: Coccolithi pappolithiformi; margo anguste muriformis exteriorem versus leviter inclinatis, muro assulis speciarum duarum alterne verticalium tangetialiumque dispositis formato; altera species parva partio proximali muri limitata, altera species assulae verticaliter expansa; processus centralis saepe praesens.
Diagnosis: Coccoliths are pappoliths; rim has form of narrow slightly flaring wall formed of laths of two alternating types. One lath type relatively small, confined to the proximal part of the wall, the other vertically expanded. Central process often present.
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Papposphaeraceae + *
Morphology:
The coccospheres in this group typically show two types of coccoliths; body coccoliths and coccoliths with tall-processes.
The tall-process coccoliths may be confined to the circum-flagellar pole or may also occur elsewhere, at the antapical pole and/or scattered around the edge of the coccosphere. Where they occur away from the flagellar pole they are usually varimorphic, with the processes varying in height and in development of calices.
The body coccoliths often have no central process or only a rudimentary one but in other cases the entire coccosphere is varimorphic with the BCs having processes similar to the tall-process coccoliths.
Ecology & Biogeography
Biology & life-cycles
Phylogenetic relations
See also: Papposphaera HOL ;Trigonaspis ;Quaternariella HOL ;Balaniger HOL ;
Search data:Lith size: 0.5->2µm; |
Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant. Data source: Total of ranges of the species in this database
First occurrence (base): within Late Paleocene Sub-Epoch (55.96-59.24Ma, base in Thanetian stage). Data source: Total of ranges of species in this database
Plot of occurrence data:
Andruleit, H. & Young, J. R. (2010). Kataspinifera baumannii: a new genus and species of deep photic coccolithophores resembling the non-calcifying haptophyte Chrysochromulina. Journal of Micropalaeontology. 29: 135-147. 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 Jordan, R. W. & Young, J. R. (1990). Proposed changes to the classification system of living Coccolithophorids. INA Newsletter. 12(1): 15-18. gs Norris, R. E. (1983). The family position of Papposphaera Tangen and Pappomonas Manton & Oates (Prymnesiophyceae) with records from the Indian Ocean. Phycologia. 22(2): 161-169. gs Thomsen, H. A. & Ostergaard, J. B. (2015). Coccolithophorids in Polar Waters: Trigonaspis spp. revisited. Acta Protozoologica. 54: 85-96. gs Thomsen, H. A., Ostergaard, J. B. & Hansen, L. E. (1991). Heteromorphic life histories in Arctic coccolithophorids (Prymnesiophyceae). Journal of Phycology. 27: 634-642. gs Young, J. R., Geisen, M. & Probert, I. (2005). A review of selected aspects of coccolithophore biology with implications for palaeobiodiversity estimation. Micropaleontology. 51(4): 267-288. gsReferences:
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Papposphaeraceae compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 14-2-2025
Short stable page link: https://mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/index.php?id=1029 Go to Archive.is to create a permanent copy of this page - citation notes |
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