Nannotax3 - ntax_main - Goniolithus fluckigeri

Citation: Goniolithus fluckigeri Deflandre, 1957

Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Goniolithus): Small to medium pentagonal liths, with narrow rim and granular central area plate. Dark image in LM.
This taxon: Medium-sized pentagonal liths, with narrow rim and granular central area plate. Dark image in LM.

The marginal elements show weak birefringence with broadly radial c-axis orientation (Deflandre 1957, JRY unpubl obs.). This suggests the c-axes are sub-vertical but slightly inclined radially (similar to D. pentaradiatus).
Complete coccospheres are pentagonal dodecahedra similar to those of Braarudosphaera, as first showed by Martini (1964).

The individual pentaliths are formed of three sets of elements [my interpretation - JRY 2025, based on the images included here]

An outer riim cycle of about 6 to 8 elements per side with sub-vertical sutures.
An inner rim cycle, only visible on the distal surface, of dextrally oblique elements. There seems to be a one to one correspondence of these elements with the outer rim elements and they may be parts of the same crystal units.
Central area elements - a granular mass of elements fills the central area with similar appearance in both distal and proximal view. Stradner & Edwards (168) provide images of a very well-preserved specimen and argue that the structure is analogous to that shown by heterococcoliths such as Cribrosphaerella or Rhagodiscus.

Deflandre (1957) gave a size range of 6-7µm and illustrated specimens only range in size from 5-7 µm, so size seems rather constant.

Geological Range:
Notes: Most common in the Early Danian but rare occurrences have been recorded in the Eocene and Oligocene as well as from the Late Cretaceous
Last occurrence (top): within Oligocene Epoch (23.03-33.89Ma, top in Chattian stage). Data source: rough estimate
First occurrence (base): within Coniacian Stage (85.70-89.39Ma, base in Coniacian stage). Data source: Burnett 1998

References:

Bown, P. R. & Newsam, C. (2017). Calcareous nannofossils from the Eocene North Atlantic Ocean (IODP Expedition 342 Sites U1403–1411). Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 37(1): 25-60. gs O

Burnett, J. A. (1998). Upper Cretaceous. In, Bown, P. R. (ed.) Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series . 132-199. gs O

Bybell, L. M. & Self-Trail, J. (1995). Evolutionary, biostratigraphic and taxonomic study of calcareous nanofossils from a continuous Palaeocene-Eocene boundary section in New Jersey. U.S. Geological Survey, Professional Paper. 1554: 1-36. gs O

Bybell, L. (1975). Middle Eocene calcareous nannofossils at Little Stave Creek, Alabama. Tulane Studies in Geology and Paleontology. 11(4): 177-247. gs O

Deflandre, G. (1957). Goniolithus nov. gen., type d'une famille nouvelle de Coccolithophoridés, à éléments pentagonaux non composites. Comptes rendus hebdomaire de l'Académie des sciences, Paris. 244: 2539-2541. gs

Mai, H. (2001). New coccolithophorid taxa fom the Guelhemmerberg airshaft. Lower Paleocene, The Netherlands. Micropaleontology. 47: 144-154. gs

Mai, H., von Salis, K., Willems, H. & Romein, A. J. T. (1997). Fossil coccospheres from the K/T boundary section from Geulhemmerberg, The Netherlands. Micropaleontology. 43: 281-303. gs

Martini,E. (1964). Ein vollständiges Gehäuse von Goniolithus fluckigeri DEFLANDRE. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen. 119: 19-21. gs

Okada, H. & Thierstein, H. R. (1979). Calcareous nannoplankton - Leg 43, Deep Sea Drilling Project. Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. 43: 507-573. gs O

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1969). Die Coccolithen einiger danischer Maastrichtien- und Danienlokalitaten. Meddelelser fra Dansk Geologisk Forening. 19: 51-68. gs

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1971c). Elektronenmikroskopische untersuchungen an Coccolithen und verwandten Formen aus dem Eozan von Danemark. Biologiske Skrifter, Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab. 18(3): 1-76. gs O

Perch-Nielsen, K. (1979a). Calcareous nannofossil zonation at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in Denmark. In, Birkelund, T. & Bromley, R. G. (eds) Proceedings Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Events Symposium, Copenhagen, 1. Copenhagen 115-135. gs O

Romein, A. J. T., Willems, H. & Mai, H. (1996). Calcareous nannoplankton of the Geulhemmerberg K/T boundary section, Maastrichtian type area, the Netherlands. Geologie en Mijnbouw. 75: 231-238. gs

Stradner, H. & Edwards, A. R. (1968). Electron microscopic studies on Upper Eocene coccoliths from the Oamaru Diatomite, New Zealand. Jahrbuch der Geologischen Bundesanstalt. 13(66): 1-48. gs

Varol, O. (1989b). Eocene calcareous nannofossils from Sile (northwest Turkey). Revista Española de Micropaleontología. 21: 273-320. gs

Varol, O. (1998). Palaeogene. In, Bown, P. R. (ed.) Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series . 200-224. gs

Goniolithus fluckigeri

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Sub-taxa & variants (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)
				Goniolithus fluckigeri - Cretaceous