Catalog - Wondersella

This page provides data from the catalog of type descriptions. The catalog is sorted alphabetically. Use the current identification link to go back to the main database.

Other pages this level: Whiteinella, Woletzina, Wondersella, Woodringina

Wondersella

Citation: Wondersella Banner and Strank 1987

Type species: Wondersella athersuchi Banner and Strank 1987

A hedbergellid in which the early trochospir- a1 test is followed by a streptospire. The chambers increasingly embrace the umbilical side, even to enclose the umbilicus, and grow irregularly, typically with marked radial elongation and peripheral angularity. There are no supplementary apertures developed on the spiral side.

After Dr. A. A. H. Wonders in recognition of his research into Tethyan Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera.

Remarks. The ventrally-directed streptospirality of the last whorl distinguishes the genus from all others of the Rotaliporidae. It is the only Cretaceous genus of the Globigerinina in which such coiling occurs. It differs from Pulleniatina (Pulleniatininae, Neogene-Recent) in being initially a Hedbergella in its wall, umbilical and (we believe) apertural characteristics. The onset of ventrally-directed streptospirality in Pulleniatina is progressive (Banner & Blow, 1967) whereas in Wondersella it is abrupt, terminating a well developed regular trochospire with its true, deep umbilicus.

This taxon is distinguished from Hedbergella at generic level because, if it were not, the amended diagnosis for Hedbergella would become too broad to retain that genus usefully.

The chambers of the first streptospiral whorl of Wonderella athersuchi become subangular at their peripheries (Fig. 3, Pls. 1-3), and the posterior part of the periphery becomes elongate as in Hedbergella (Asterohedbergella) asterospinosa Hamaoui. In fact, equatorial sections can look very similar indeed (Pl. 2, figs. 2, 7; compare Hamaoui, 1965, pl. 1, figs. 16, 17). However, H. (A.) asterospinosa is not known to develop ventrally-directed streptospirality, and, as it is not known below the Cenomanian (Hamaoui, 1965; Saint-Marc, 1970, p. 92), it cannot be ancestral to Wondersella.

References:

Banner, F. T. & Strank, A. R. E. (1987). On Wondersella athersuchi, a new stratigraphically significant hedbergellid foraminiferan from the Cretaceous Shuaiba Formation of the Middle East. Journal of Micropalaeontology. 6: 39-48. gs V O

CATALOG OF ORIGINAL DESCRIPTIONS: Wondersella Banner and Strank 1987

Wondersella

References:

Comments (0)

Add Comment