Turborotalia ampliapertura is a useful zone fossil (Bolli, 1957). Pearson and others (2006b) included Globigerina pseudoampliapertura Blow and Banner in synonymy. The evolutionary origin of ampliapertura has been somewhat problematic, with the first appearance being given as upper Eocene Zone E15 (Blow and Banner, 1962; Pearson and others, 2006b). However the most detailed information is provided by Haggag and Luterbacher (1995) who studied the evolutionary transition between Turborotalia pomeroli and Turborotalia ampliapertura (given as pseudoampliapertura) in the middle Eocene of Egypt. In that study (which was overlooked by Pearson and others, 2006b) two subspecies of pseudo-ampliapertura were named, nukhulensis and sinaiensis. In our view the latter falls within the normal range of variation of ampliapertura. The former is somewhat intermediate between pomeroli and ampliapertura and is here included in questionable synonymy with ampliapertura. The study of Haggag and Luterbacher (1995) demonstrates that ampliapertura evolved around the base of Zone E12, that is, during the middle Eocene climate optimum. Its ancestor was evidently pomeroli, not increbescens as suggested by Blow and Banner (1962) and Pearson and others (2006b). [Pearson et al. 2018]
[Pearson et al. 2018]
Blow and Banner (1962) and Blow (1969, 1979) distinguished the supposed contemporaneous homeomorph Globorotalia (Turborotalia) pseudoampliapertura on the basis of differences in wall texture. The holotypes of both taxa are illustrated here by SEM for the first time (Pl.15.2, Figs. 1-3 and Pl. 15.2, Figs. 9-11), as well as better preserved specimens of ampliapertura from the type Cipero Formation supplied by F. Ro½gl (Pl.15.2, Figs. 4-6). According to Blow and Banner (1962), pseudoampliapertura possesses a “smooth, non-granular wall” and usually achieves greater size than ampliapertura, which has a “rough, ‘granular’ and hispid wall”. We attribute these differences mainly to the variable state of preservation of the material studied by Blow and Banner to the fact that the large final chamber seen in the pseudoampliapertura holotype tends to be smoother than the rest of the test surface. The ranges of the two supposed species are identical (e.g., Premoli Silva and Boersma, 1988) and other authors have experienced difficulty in separating them (e.g., Nishi and Chaproniere, 1994). Globigerina kondoi Todd, 1970, appears to be conspecific. [Pearson et al. 2006]
Catalog entries: Globigerina ampliapertura, Globigerina kondoi, Globigerina pseudoampliapertura, Turborotalia pseudoampliapertura sinaiensis, Turborotalia pseudoampliapertura nukhulensis
Type images:Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Turborotalia): Trochospiral with umbilical-extraumbilical aperture.
Wall smooth pustulose, can be weakly cancellate, & may defoliate.
This taxon: Like T. increbescens but wider, more open umbilicus, more umbilically centered aperture and more globular chamber shape.
Morphology:
Wall type:
Character matrix
test outline: | Lobate | chamber arrangement: | Trochospiral | edge view: | Equally biconvex | aperture: | Umbilical-extraumbilical |
sp chamber shape: | Globular | coiling axis: | Moderate-high | periphery: | N/A | aperture border: | Thin lip |
umb chbr shape: | Globular | umbilicus: | Wide | periph margin shape: | Broadly rounded | accessory apertures: | None |
spiral sutures: | Moderately depressed | umb depth: | Deep | wall texture: | Cancellate | shell porosity: | Finely Perforate: 1-2.5µm |
umbilical or test sutures: | Moderately depressed | final-whorl chambers: | 3-4 | N.B. These characters are used for advanced search. N/A - not applicable |
Geographic distribution
Isotope paleobiology
Phylogenetic relations
Most likely ancestor: Turborotalia pomeroli - at confidence level 4 (out of 5). Data source: Haggag and Luterbacher, 1995; Pearson et al. 2018.
Geological Range:
Notes: This form ranges from around the base of middle Eocene Zone E12 (Haggag and Luterbacher, 1995, fig. 2) to lower Oligocene Zone O2 (used as a zone marker by Bolli, 1957; calibrated to Chron C11r by Leckie and others, 1993; zone denoted O2 by Berggren and Pearson, 2005). [Pearson et al. 2018]
Last occurrence (top): at top of O2 zone (100% up, 30.3Ma, in Rupelian stage). Data source: zonal marker (Wade et al. 2011)
First occurrence (base): in mid part of E15 zone (50% up, 35.3Ma, in Priabonian stage). Data source: Pearson et al. (2006), fig. 15.1
Plot of occurrence data:
Primary source for this page: Pearson et al. 2018 - Olig Atlas chap.14 p.408; Pearson et al. 2006 - Eocene Atlas, chap. 15, p. 441
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Planktonic foraminifera from the Eocene Navet and San Fernando formations of Trinidad. In, Loeblich, A. R. , Jr., Tappan, H., Beckmann, J. P., Bolli, H. M., Montanaro Gallitelli, E. & Troelsen, J. C. (eds) Studies in Foraminifera. U.S. National Museum Bulletin . 215: 155-172. gs Bolli, H. M. (1957b). Planktonic foraminifera from the Oligocene-Miocene Cipero and Lengua formations of Trinidad, B.W.I. In, Loeblich, A. R. , Jr., Tappan, H., Beckmann, J. P., Bolli, H. M., Montanaro Gallitelli & E. Troelsen, J. C. (eds) Studies in Foraminifera. U.S. National Museum Bulletin . 215: 97-123. gs Haggag, M. A. & Luterbacher, H. (1995). The Turborotalia pseudoampliapertura lineage in the Eocene of the Wadi Nukhul section, Sinai, Egypt. Revue de Micropaléontologie. 38: 37-47. gs Jenkins, D. G. (1966b). Planktonic foraminiferal zones and new taxa from the Danian to lower Miocene of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 8 [1965](6): 1088-1126. gs King, D. J., Wade, B. S., Liska, R. D. & Miller, C. G. (2020). A review of the importance of the Caribbean region in Oligo-Miocene low latitude planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and the implications for modern biogeo- chronological schemes. Earth-Science Reviews. 202: 1-27. gs Leckie, R. M., Farnham, C. & Schmidt, M. G. (1993). Oligocene planktonic foraminifer biostratigraphy of Hole 803D (Ontong Java Plateau) and Hole 628A (Little Bahama Bank), and comparison with the southern high latitudes. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results. 130: 113-136. gs Nishi, H. & Chaproniere, G. C. H. (1994). Eocene-Oligocene subtropical planktonic foraminifers at Site 841,. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results. 135: 245-266. gs Pearson, P. N. & Wade, B. S. (2015). Systematic taxonomy of exceptionally well-preserved planktonic foraminifera from the Eocene/Oligocene boundary of Tanzania. Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Special Publication. 45: 1-85. gs Pearson, P. N., Premec-Fucek, V. & Premoli Silva, I. (2006b). Taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and phylogeny of Eocene Turborotalia. In, Pearson, P. N., Olsson, R. K., Hemleben, C., Huber, B. T. & Berggren, W. A. (eds) Atlas of Eocene Planktonic Foraminifera. Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Special Publication . 41(Chap 15): 433-460. gs O Pearson, P. N., Olsson, R. K., Spezzaferri, S. & Leckie, R. M. (2018a). Taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and phylogeny of Oligocene Globanomalinidae (Turborotalia and Pseudohastigerina). In, Wade, B. S., Olsson, R. K., Pearson, P. N., Huber, B. T. & Berggren, W. A. (eds) Atlas of Oligocene Planktonic Foraminifera. Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Special Publication . 46(Chap 14): 403-414. gs Poore, R. Z. & Brabb, E. E. (1977). 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Cenozoic planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the South-Western Atlantic (Rio Grande Rise): Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 72. Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. 72: 623-673. gs Todd, R. (1970b). Smaller foraminifera of late Eocene age from Eua, Tonga. U.S. Geological Survey, Professional Paper. 640-A: 1-23. gs Wade, B. S. & Pearson, P. N. (2008). Planktonic foraminiferal turnover, diversity fluctuations and geochemical signals across the Eocene/Oligocene boundary in Tanzania. Marine Micropaleontology. 68: 244-255. gs Wade, B. S., Aljahdali, M. H., Mufrreh, Y. A., Memesh, A. M., AlSoubhi, S. A. & Zalmout, I. S. (2021). Upper Eocene planktonic foraminifera from northern Saudi Arabia: implications for stratigraphic ranges. Journal of Micropalaeontology. 40: 145-161. gs OReferences:
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Turborotalia ampliapertura compiled by the pforams@mikrotax project team viewed: 6-2-2025
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