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.
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:Citation: Gephyrocapsa Kamptner, 1943Taxonomic rank: genusType species: Gephyrocapsa oceanica Kamptner 1943 Taxonomic discussion: Species included: Gephyrocapsa taxonomy is notoriously confused but the taxa recognised here are a useful starting set.
The definition of Gephyrocapsa based on possession of a bridge has seemed robust, and there is no evidence that the bridge has evolved more than once in the group. However, there is good molecular genetic evidence that the bridge has been secondarily lost at least twice - in the species conventionally known as E. huxleyi and in R. parvula. E. huxleyi is well-separated from most Gephyrocapsa species by several morphological criteria (absence of bridge, slitting between all distal shield elements and often proximal shield elements, formation of mutli-layer coccospheres) and the genus Emiliania is very well-established and monophyletic, so we prefer to retain the genus. However, R. parvula is very close to G. ericsonii and it cannot be retained in Reticulofenestra without making that genus polyphyletic, so we support transfer of that species to Gephyrocapsa, even though it lacks a bridge [my interpretation - JRY 2023, 2025]
Distinguishing features: Parent taxon (Noelaerhabdaceae): Heterococcoliths with Reticulofenestra-type structure, V-units vestigal, R-units forming grill, both shields, and two-layered tube This taxon: Bridge across the central area
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-cyclesDiploid phase non-motile producing heterococcoliths. Haploid phase motile, non-calcifying. Phylogenetic relationsGephyrocapsa 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.
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 ranges of the species in this database First occurrence (base): within Messinian Stage (5.33-7.25Ma, base in Messinian stage). Data source: Total of ranges 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
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, Wien. 80: 73-49. gs
Perch-Nielsen, K. (1985). Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils. In, Bolli, H. M., Saunders, J. B. & Perch-Nielsen, K. (eds) Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1): 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
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. S1: 1-132. gs
Gephyrocapsa compiled by Jeremy R. Young, Paul R. Bown, Jacqueline A. Lees viewed: 12-6-2026
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