Daughter taxa (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)![]() | Granddaughter taxa | ||||
Extant/Late Pleistocene Species (organised by size) | |||||
![]() | ![]() | Gephyrocapsa oceanica Large species of Gephyrocapsa; bridge at low to intermediate angle to short axis; central area usually wide. | |||
Gephyrocapsa muellerae Intermediate size species of Gephyrocapsa; bridge at high angle to short axis; central area rather small. | |||||
![]() | Gephyrocapsa ornata Similar to G. ericsonii but larger, with teeth around tube, much higher bridge; consistently high angle (within 70-80° from short axis). | ||||
Gephyrocapsa ericsonii Very small species of Gephyrocapsa; bridge at high to intermediate angle to short axis; wide central area, thin bridge. | G. ericsonii ericsonii type G. ericsonii protohuxleyi type G. ericsonii protohuxleyi type with half bridge G. ericsonii protohuxleyi type with thorn G. ericsonii crassipons type | ||||
Gephyrocapsa sp elevated bridge | |||||
Extinct/Middle & Early Pleistocene species (organised by age) | |||||
Gephyrocapsa caribbeanica Large to medium sized species of Gephyrocapsa; bridge at intermediate angle to short axis, and low (typically almost flush with the shield); central area almost closed. | |||||
![]() | Gephyrocapsa omega Intermediate to large size species of Gephyrocapsa; bridge at low angle to short axis, central area broad. | ||||
Gephyrocapsa lumina Large Gephyrocapsa species; bridge at intermediate angle (40-60°) to the short axis, central opening size moderate to narrow. | |||||
![]() | Gephyrocapsa small Gephyrocapsa <3µm long - not usually identifiable to species level by light microscopy | ||||
![]() | Gephyrocapsa sp. Specimens which cannot be assigned to established species |
Taxonomy:
Distinguishing features: Bridge across the central area
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Gephyrocapsa *
Morphology: Coccoliths with structure similar to those of Emiliania and Reticulofenestra (see Young 1989 for discussion), but with a conjunct bridge, formed from inner tube-elements spanning central area; shields usually solid, i.e. without slits between the elements.
Biology & life-cycles: Diploid phase non-motile producing heterococcoliths. Haploid phase motile, non-calcifying.
Phylogenetic relations: Gephyrocapsa and Reticulofenestra coccoliths only differ in the presence/absence of a bridge and at the time of origin of Gephyrocapsa the only other member of the Noelaerhabdaceae was Reticulofenestra. So, evoution from Reticulofenestra is very likely.
Most likely ancestor: Reticulofenestra - at confidence level 3 (out of 5). Data source: Perch-Nielsen (1985), and others. .
Likely descendants: Emiliania;
Tags | LITHS: placolith, elliptical, CA: ca_conjunct, grill, bar, CSPH: equant, monomorphic, CROSS-POLARS: rim-unicyclic, R-prominent, |
Metrics | Lith size: 1.5->7µm; Coccosphere size: 3->10µm; |
Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant Data source: Total of range of species in this database
First occurrence (base): at base of Messinian Stage (0% up, 7.3Ma, in Messinian stage). Data source: Total of range of species in this database
Plot of occurrence data:
Bollmann, J. (1997). Morphology and biogeography of Gephyrocapsa coccoliths in Holocene sediments. Marine Micropaleontology. 29: 319-350. 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 Perch-Nielsen, K. (1985a). Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils. In, Bolli, H. M., Saunders, J. B. & Perch-Nielsen, K. (eds) Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 427-555. gs Samtleben, C. (1980). Die Evolution der Coccolithophoriden-Gattung Gephyrocapsa nach Befunden im Atlantik. Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 54: 91-127. gs Young, J. R. (1989). Observations on heterococcolith rim structure and its relationship to developmental processes. In, Crux, J. A. & van Heck, S. E. (eds) Nannofossils and their applications: Proceedings of the 2nd INA Conference, London 1987. British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series. 1-20. gs V O 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:
![]() |
Gephyrocapsa compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 7-3-2021
Short stable page link: https://mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/index.php?id=604 Go to Archive.is to create a permanent copy of this page - citation notes |