Papposphaeraceae
Classification: ntax_cenozoic -> Coccolith families inc sed -> Papposphaeraceae
Sister taxa: Alisphaeraceae, Papposphaeraceae, Umbellosphaeraceae, narrow rimmed placoliths, Coccolith genera inc sed, U. heterococcoliths
Daughter taxa (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma) | Granddaughter taxa |
 |  |  |  | Balaniger
Coccolith distal rim with separated elements
Coccosphere dimorphic - spines only on some coccoliths, calyx of four rods
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 |  |  |  | Formonsella
Coccolith distal rim weakly serrated - elements imbricate rods;
Coccosphere dimorphic - BCs with irregular tiles & calicate coccoliths with conical calices
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 |  |  |  | Kataspinifera
Coccoliths distal rim smooth; with axial cross and spine;
Coccosphere dimorphic, some coccoliths with very long spines
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 |  |  |  | Pappomonas
Coccolith distal rim serrated - elements pentagonal;
Coccosphere polymorphic, processes on only some coccoliths. Calices with 2-fold symmetry
BCs without axial spine or node
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 |  |  |  | Papposphaera
Coccolith distal rim serrated - elements pentagonal;
Coccosphere monomorphic, varimorphic, or dimorphic, calices with 4-fold (or, rarely, 3-fold) symmetry
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 |  |  |  | Picarola
Coccoliths distal rim smooth, with curved quadrate process;
Coccospheres trimorphic
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 |  |  |  | Pocillithus
Coccoliths with tall, narrow, quadrate spines; high rim with smooth distal rim.
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 |  |  |  | Pseudowigwamma
Monomorphic - body coccoliths are simple hoop-like coccoliths.
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 |  |  | | Quaternariella
Coccolith distal rim serrated - elements pentagonal;
?monomorphic, no process
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 |  |  |  | Ventimolina
Coccoliths hoop-shaped with axial cros; BCs with low windmill-like calyx; CFCs with large bladed process
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 |  |  |  | Vexillarius
Coccoliths narrow-rimmed muroliths; equatorial coccoliths with quadrate central process supported by transverse bar.
Coccosphere dimorphic, equatorial coccoliths distinctive, BCs simple muroliths
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 |  |  |  | Wigwamma
Coccoliths hoop-shaped with rods rising from rim to form wigwam-like structure
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Taxonomy:
Citation: Papposphaeraceae Jordan & Young, 1990 emend Andruleit & Young 2010Rank: FamilySynonyms: The group is sometimes informally refered to as "lightly-calcified coccolithophores". Taxonomic discussion: The Papposphaeraceae as originally described only included the genera Papposphaera and Pappomonas. Subsequently Andruleit & Young (2010) extended the family to include the narrow-rimmed muroliths group of Young et al. (2003)- ie the genera Kataspinifera, Picarola, Vexilarius and Wigwamma.
Additonal 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 synoym 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: Narrow-rimmed muroliths, mostly with prominent central structures.
Farinacci & Howe catalog pages: Papposphaeraceae [no catalog entry yet]
Morphology: As noted by Andruleit & Young (2010) five morphological features characterise this group
- The coccoliths have simple narrow murolith rims, i.e. they have a narrow sub-vertical outer wall without flanges. In Pappomonas and Papposphaera the rim has a serrated upper margin whilst it is smooth in the other genera.
- Rim structure. Typically the majority of the rim is formed of a single cycle of directly abutting elements with sub-vertical sutures. In addition a second cycle of elements occurs proximally, with one of these interposed elements between each of the larger elements.
- Central area structure. Most species show either an axial cross or an axial cross plus additional elements.
- Spine structure. The different genera have distinctly different central processes. In each case though these are hollow structures with quadrate cross-section.
- Size. All these genera are characterized by production of small coccospheres (c. 5 µm excluding spines) and minute coccoliths (coccolith length typically 1–2 µm)
Ecology & Biogeography: These occur predominantly in the Arctic and Antarctic and in the deep photic zone at lower latitudes. Chloroplasts have not been observed in these taxa and they have well-developed haptonemata, so they are thought to be heterotrophic (Thomsen & Ostergaard 2015).
Biology & life-cycles: Several species of Papposphaera and Pappomonas are known to have holococcolith stages from obsevations of combination coccospheres (e.g Thomsen et al. 1991). No species have been cultured succesfully.
Phylogenetic relations: No molecular genetic data is available for this group. However, the fact that they form both typical holococcoliths and typical heterococcoliths in alternate life-cycle stages, strongly suggests they fall within the clade of holococcolith producing coccolithophores (Young et al. 2005, Andruleit & Young 2010).
See also: Papposphaera HOL ;Trigonaspis ;Quaternariella HOL ;Balaniger HOL ;
Search data:
| Tags | LITHS: |
| Metrics | Lith size: 0.5->2µm; |
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 Thanetian Stage (0% up, 59.2Ma, in Thanetian 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. For the customisable plot option go to a genus page Parent: Coccolith families inc sed
References:
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 V O
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 V O
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. (2015b). Coccolithophorids in Polar Waters: Trigonaspis spp. revisited. Acta Protozoologica. 54: 85-96. gs V O
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. gs
