Nannotax3 - ntax_cenozoic

Coccolithus

Classification: ntax_cenozoic -> Coccolithales -> Coccolithaceae -> Coccolithus
Sister taxa: Coccolithus, Bramletteius, Campylosphaera, Chiasmolithus, Coronocyclus, Cruciplacolithus, Ericsonia, Solidopons ⟩⟨ Birkelundia, Clausicoccus, Craticullithus, Hughesius, Kilwalithus

Daughter taxa (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)		Granddaughter taxa
	C. pelagicus group Elliptical to sub-circular with central opening-sometimes with bar or delicate cross	C. crassus C. pelagicus C. eopelagicus C. miopelagicus C. latus C. bownii C. tenuiforatus
	C. formosus group Circular to subcircular	C. crucis C. foraminis C. formosus C. pauxillus C. subcirculus
	C. biparteoperculatus group Central area filled by broad bar	C. biparteoperculatus C. cachaoi C. scheri
	C. gigas group Large to very large; central areas narrow to moderately-wide, with crossbars that are conspicuous in LM.	C. gigas C. hulliae C. opdykei C. mutatus C. staurion
	Coccolithus sp. Specimens which cannot be assigned to established species

Taxonomy:

Citation: Coccolithus Schwarz, 1894

Rank: Genus

Type species: Coccolithus pelagicus (Wallich, 1877) Schiller, 1930

Synonyms:

Coccosphaera; Coccolithophora; Cyathosphaera; Cyatolithus (early names, see Jordan et al. 2004 for an explanation)
Crystallolithus Gaarder & Markali 1957 (holococcolith phase)
Ectalithus Aubry in Aubry & Bord 2009 [name proposed for various poorly described Coccolithus species on the basis of "having flat rather than curved shields, and in having a prominent wall" - these are not especially distinctive characters and are not obviously shown by any of the included taxa]

Taxonomic discussion: Circular species do not occur in Neogene. Differentiation of Cruciplacolithus and Coccolithus can be problematic.

Distinguishing features: Eliptical or circular; central area usually open, may have with simple bar or weak axial cross

Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Coccolithus * , Coccosphaera * , Coccolithophora * , Cyathosphaera * , Cyatolithus * , Crystallolithus * , Ectalithus *

Morphology: Elliptical or circular placolith coccolith showing the typical coccolithaceae rim structure (V-unit forms distal shield and lower cycle of central-area; R-unit forms proximal shield and upper cycle of central-area), central area open or spanned by disjunct bar on proximal surface.

Search data:

Tags	LITHS: placolith, elliptical, CSPH: equant, monomorphic, CROSS-POLARS: rim-bicyclic, V-prominent, R-prominent,
Metrics	Lith size: 3->24µm;

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: Total of range of species in this database
First occurrence (base): at base of Danian Stage (0% up, 66Ma, in Danian stage). Data source: Total of range 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: Coccolithaceae

References:

Bown, P. R. (2005b). Cenozoic calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, ODP Leg 198 Site 1208 (Shatsky Rise, northwest Pacific Ocean). Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results. 198: 1-44. gs V O

Jordan, R. W., Cros, L. & Young, J. R. (2004). A revised classification scheme for living Haptophytes. Micropaleontology. 50(supplement 1): 55-79. gs

Schiller, J. (1930). Coccolithineae. In, Rabenhorst, L. (ed.) Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Leipzig 89-267. gs

Schwarz, E. H. L. (1894). Coccoliths. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 14: 341-346. gs V O

Wallich, G. C. (1877). Observations on the coccosphere. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 19: 342-350. gs V O

Coccolithus compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 27-2-2021

Taxon Search:

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Short stable page link: https://mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/index.php?id=316 Go to Archive.is to create a permanent copy of this page - citation notes

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