Taxonomy:
Distinguishing features: Large species of Gephyrocapsa; bridge at low to intermediate angle to short axis; central area usually wide.
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: G. oceanica * , G. dentata * , G. gracillima *
Morphology: Inner tube often protrudes to form collar around central area. G. oceanica is usually easy to identify in the plankton, the only species it can readily be confused with is G. muellerae but this produces smaller coccoliths with the bridge at a higher angle (nearer the long axis) and a smaller central opening. However, intergrades with other species occur in the fossil record.
Size: Coccospheres, 6 to 10 µm; coccoliths, 3.5 to 6 µm long.
Cultures: strains of this species are maintained in culture, for details see Roscoff culture collection.
Ecology & Biogeography: Coccospheres often occur in clusters in the plankton. Predominantly a low latitude eutrophic species. More widespread in the Pacific Ocean than in the Atlantic Ocean.
Biology & life-cycles: The cytology and life-cycle of G. oceanica is virtually identical to that of E. huxleyi (Bendif & Young 2014)
Tags | LITHS: placolith, elliptical, CA: ca_conjunct, grill, bar, CSPH: equant, monomorphic, CROSS-POLARS: rim-unicyclic, R-prominent, |
Metrics | Lith size: 3.5->6µm; Coccosphere size: 6->10µm; Liths per sphere: 9->35 Data source notes: RCC |
Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant Data source: present in the plankton (Young et al. 2003)
First occurrence (base): within NN19 zone (0.44-1.93Ma, base in Gelasian stage). Data source: [JRY rough estimate]
Plot of occurrence data:
Andruleit, H., Rogalla, U. & Staeger, S. (2005). Living coccolithophores recorded during the onset of upwelling conditions off Oman in the western Arabian Sea. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 27(1): 1-14. gs V O Bendif, E. M. & Young, J. R. (2014). On the ultrastructure of Gephyrocapsa oceanica (Haptophyta) life stages. Cryptogamie Algologie. 35(4): 379-388. gs Bollmann, J. (1997). Morphology and biogeography of Gephyrocapsa coccoliths in Holocene sediments. Marine Micropaleontology. 29: 319-350. gs Bréhéret, J. G. (1978). Formes nouvelles quaternaries et actualles de la famille des Gephyrocapsaceae (Cocolithophorides). Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences, Paris, Série D - Sciences Naturelles. 287: 447-449. gs V O Cros, L. & Fortuño, J. -M. (2002). Atlas of northwestern Mediterranean coccolithophores. Scientia Marina. 66: 1-186. gs V O Heimdal, B. R. & Gaarder, K. R. (1981). Coccolithophorids from the northern part of the eastern central Atlantic II. Heterococcolithophorids. “Meteor” Forschungsergebnisse, Reihe D, Biologie. 33: 37-69. gs Kamptner, E. (1943). Zur Revision der Coccolithineen-Spezies Pontosphaera huxleyi Lohm. Anzeiger der (Kaiserlichen) Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematische-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, Wien. 80: 73-49. gs Konno, S. & Jordan, R. W. (2006). Lagoon coccolithophorids from the Republic of Palau, NW Equatorial Pacific. Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 28(2): 95-110. gs V O Matsuoka, H. & Okada, H. (1990). Time-progressive morphometric changes of the genus Gephyrocapsa in the Quaternary sequence of the tropical Indian Ocean, Site 709. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results. 115: 255-270. gs V O Müller, C. (1974b). Calcareous nannoplankton, Leg 25 (Western Indian Ocean). Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. 25: 579-633. gs V O Okada, H. & McIntyre, A. (1977). Modern coccolithophores of the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans. Micropaleontology. 23(1): 1-55. gs Reid, F. M. H. (1980). Coccolithophorids of the North Pacific Central Gyre with notes on their vertical and seasonal distribution. Micropaleontology. 26(2): 151-176. gs Samtleben, C. (1980). Die Evolution der Coccolithophoriden-Gattung Gephyrocapsa nach Befunden im Atlantik. Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 54: 91-127. gs Winter, A., Reiss, Z. & Luz, B. (1979). Distribution of living coccolithophore assemblages in the Gulf of Elat ('Aqaba). Marine Micropaleontology. 4: 197-223. gs Yang, T-N., Wei, K-Y. & Gong G-C. (2001). Distribution of coccolithophorids and coccoliths in surface ocean off northeastern Taiwan. Botanical Bulletin of the Academia Sinica. 42: 287-302. gs Young, J. R., Geisen, M., Cros, L., Kleijne, A., Probert, I. & Ostergaard, J. B. (2003). A guide to extant coccolithophore taxonomy. Journal of Nannoplankton Research, Special Issue. 1: 1-132. gs V OReferences:
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Gephyrocapsa oceanica compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 1-3-2021
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