Taxa are given in age order (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)
Sphaeroidinellopsis paenedehiscens Like S. seminulina but more spherical and tightly coiled test and with longer primary aperture. (with supplementary apertures becomes S. dehiscens).
Sphaeroidinellopsis kochi Like S. seminulina but somewhat compressed trochospiral test with >3 chambers in final whorl.
Sphaeroidinellopsis seminulina Compact, low trochospiral, subglobular, sutures obscured by secondary cortex Aperture: Umbilical, elongate opening with thickened, crenulated, rim
Taxonomic discussion: Banner and Blow (1959) erected Sphaeroidinellopsis for globigerine-like forms possessing a trochospiral test, globular chambers, no supplementary aperture in the adult, and a heavy, smooth, and shiny cortex with perforations. The genus Sphaeroidinellopsis closely resembles Sphaeroidinella Cushman, but the latter is distinguished by its supplementary sutural apertures in the adult. Parker (1967) and Jenkins (1971) considered Sphaeroidinellopsis to be synonymous with Sphaeroidinella because of close similarities between the two genera. Bé (1965) and Bandy et al. (1967) regarded the genera Sphaeroidinellopsis and Sphaeroidinella to be bathypelagic, isomorphic growth forms of at least two different species of Globigerinoides. They did not consider them to be distinct species within their own right. The concepts of the genera Sphaeroidinellopsis and Sphaeroidinella employed here are essentially those proposed by Banner and Blow (1959). Sphaeroidinella is derived from Sphaeroidinellopsis in the earliest Pliocene (Blow, 1959, 1969; Lamb and Beard, 1972; Salvatorini and Cita, 1979; Srinivasan and Kennett, 1981b).
Distinguishing features: Parent taxon (Globigerinidae): Wall spinose, usually with 3½-6 globular chambers in final whorl, trochospiral or planispiral This taxon: trochospiral test, globular chambers, and a heavy, smooth, shiny cortex
NB These concise distinguishing features statements are used in the tables of daughter-taxa to act as quick summaries of the differences between e.g. species of one genus. They are being edited as the site is developed and comments on them are especially welcome.
Description
Biogeography and Palaeobiology
Phylogenetic relationsThe evolution of Sphaeroidinellopsis from the Globoturborotalita woodi lineage has recently been described by Srinivasan and Kennett (1981b) . It is well known that Sphaeroidinellopsis and Sphaeroidinella are largely restricted to the tropical areas during the Late Neogene and are rare in temperate areas. However, the evolution of the earliest members of this lineage took place from G. woodi not in the tropics but in temperate to warm-subtropical water masses (Text Fig. 23). An Early Miocene gradation from G. woodi to Sphaeroidinellopsis disjuncta has been documented in the temperate and warm-subtropical sites (Sites 206 and 208) but not in a tropical site (Site 289), where both of these elements are missing (Srinivasan and Kennett, 1981b). In the tropics, the first appearance of Sphaeroidinellopsis is as Ss. seminulina, which represents a late migration to the tropics during the Early Miocene. It seems that by the Late Miocene, Sphaeroidinellopsis was largely biogeographically restricted to the tropical and warm-subtropical water mass. Unlike the earlier part of this lineage, the Late Miocene through Quaternary evolution is centered in the tropical areas. [Kennett & Srinivasan 1983; but reference to Globigerina (Zeaglobigierina) woodi changed to Globoturbotalita woodi]
Most likely ancestor:Globoturborotalita - at confidence level 3 (out of 5). Data source: Kennett & Srinivasan 1983 f23 (based on evolution of S. disjuncta from G. woodi). Likely descendants:Sphaeroidinella; plot with descendants
Biostratigraphic distribution
Geological Range: Last occurrence (top): at top of N20 zone (100% up, 3.1Ma, in Piacenzian stage). Data source: Total of ranges of the species in this database First occurrence (base): within N6 zone (17.54-17.59Ma, base in Burdigalian 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
Neptune data: This is a higher taxon page so Neptune data is not plotted. See also: customisable plot Parent: Globigerinidae
Primary source for this page: Kennett & Srinivasan 1983, p.204
References:
Bandy, O. L., Ingle, J. C. & Frerichs, W. E. (1967b). Isomorphism in "Sphaeroidinella" and "Sphaeroidinellopsis". Micropaleontology. 13(4): 483-488. gs
Banner, F. T. & Blow, W. H. (1959). The classification and stratigraphical distribution of the Globigerinaceae. Palaeontology. 2(1): 1-27. gs
Bé, A. , W. H. (1965). The influence of depth on shell growth in Globigerinoides sacculifer (Brady). Micropaleontology. 11(1): 81-97. gs
Blow, W. H. (1959). Age, correlation, and biostratigraphy of the upper Tocuyo (San Lorenzo) and Pozon Formations, eastern Falcon, Venezuela. Bulletins of American Paleontology. 39(178): 67-251. gs
Blow, W. H. (1969). Late middle Eocene to Recent planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy. In, Bronnimann, P. & Renz, H. H. (eds) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Planktonic Microfossils, Geneva, 1967. E J Brill, Leiden 380-381. gs
Fabbrini, A., Zaminga, I., . Ezard, T. H. G. & Wade, B. S. (2021). Systematic taxonomy of middle Miocene Sphaeroidinellopsis (planktonic foraminifera). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 19(13): 953-968. gs
Jenkins, D. G. (1971). New Zealand Cenozoic Planktonic Foraminifera. New Zealand Geological Survey, Paleontological Bulletin. 42: 1-278. gs
Kennett, J. P. & Srinivasan, M. S. (1983). Neogene Planktonic Foraminifera. Hutchinson Ross Publishing Co., Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. 1-265. gs
Lamb, J. L. & Beard, J. H. (1972). Late Neogene planktonic foraminifers in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Italian stratotypes,. University of Kansas Paleontological Contributions, Articles. 57: 1-67. gsO
Parker, F. L. (1967). Late Tertiary biostratigraphy (planktonic foraminifera) of tropical Indo-Pacific deep-sea cores. Bulletins of American Paleontology. 52(235): 115203-. gs
Salvatorini, G. & Cita, M. B. (1979). Miocene foraminiferal stratigraphy, DSDP site 397 (Cape Bojador, North Atlantic). Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. 47/1: 317-373. gs
Srinivasan, M. S. & Kennett, J. P. (1981b). Neogene planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and evolution: equatorial to subantarctic, south Pacific. Marine Micropaleontology. 6: 499-533. gs
Ujiie, H. (1976). Prosphaeroidinella, n. gen.: Probable ancestral taxon of Sphaeroidinellopsis (Foraminifera). Bulletin of the national Science Museum, Tokyo. 2(1): 9-26. gs
Sphaeroidinellopsis compiled by the pforams@mikrotax project teamviewed: 27-4-2025
