Citation: Woodringina claytonensis Loeblich and Tappan 1957Rank: SpeciesBasionym: Woodringina claytonensisSynonyms:
Woodringinaclaytonensis Loeblich and Tappan, 1957:39: fig. la-d [lower Danian, Pine Barren Mbr., Clayton Fm., Alabama]; 1957a: 178, pl. 40:fig.6 [holotype reillustrated],—D'Hondt, 1991:172, pl. 1: figs. 8, 11, 12 [figs. 8, 12, DSDP Site 577/12/5: 94-96 cm; fig. 11, lower Danian, Brazos River, Texas], pl. 2: figs. 4, 12 [DSDP Site 577/12/5: 94-96 cm; Shatsky Rise, northwestern Pacific Ocean],—Liu and Olsson, 1992:341, pl. 1: figs. 4-6 [Zone Pa, Pine Barren Mbr., Clayton Fm., Millers Ferry, Alabama].— MacLeod, 1993:61, pl. 3: figs. 8-14 [ODP Hole 690C/15X72: 28-30 cm; Maud Rise, Southern Ocean].
Woodringinahornerstownensis Olsson.—Keller, 1988:257, pl. 3: fig. 15 [Zone Pa, El Kef, Tunisia]; 1989:319: figs. 3-6 [lower Danian, Brazos River, Texas]. [Not Woodringinahornerstownensis Olsson, I960.]
Woodringinakelleri MacLeod, 1993:63, pl. 4: figs. 1-3 [Danian, DSDP Site 577A/12/2: 44-46 cm; Shatsky Rise, northwestern Pacific Ocean],
Woodringina cf. kelleri MacLeod, 1993:63, pl. 3: figs. 4, 5, 12 [Zone Pa, El Kef, Tunisia]. [Olsson et al. 1999]
Taxonomic discussion: MacLeod (1993:92) described Woodringinakelleri as distinguished from Woodringinaclaytonensis by the former's "laterally compressed adult chambers, and ... its large elongate aperture that is surrounded by a well-developed discontinuous apertural rim;" however, the final chambers of both holotypes are similarly subglobular in edge and plan view (compare c, pl. IV: figs. 1-3 to Loeblich and Tappan, 1957b, pl. 39: fig. 1; see also Plate 13: Figures 6, 7). The only other figured specimen identified by MacLeod (1993) as W. kelleri also lacks laterally compressed chambers and closely resembles the W. claytonensis holotype in the shape of its final chambers (compare D'Hondt, 1991, pl. 2: fig. 4 to Loeblich and Tappan, 1957b, pl. 39: fig. 1). Comparison of the respective apertural characteristics of W. claytonensis and W. kelleri is complicated by the absence of W. claytonensis paratype specimens and the physical obstruction of the W. claytonensis holotype aperture. Nonetheless, the W. claytonensis holotype also appears to have a large elongate aperture surrounded by a well-developed, discontinuous apertural rim (Plate 13: Figure 7). The aperture of the W. kelleri holotype (Plate 13: Figure 8) does appear to be more centrally located than that of the W. claytonensis holotype. This difference appears insufficient to warrant maintenance of W. kelleri as a separate taxon, given the pronounced variability in position, height, and number of apertures exhibited by otherwise similar specimens in populations of Woodringina and other guembelitriid genera (i.e., Guembelitria and Parvularugoglobigerina). Hence, we consider Woodringinakelleri MacLeod, 1993, a junior synonym of Woodringinaclaytonensis Loeblich and Tappan, 1957. [Olsson et al. 1999]
Distinguishing features: Parent taxon (Woodringina): Tests contain an initial whorl of 3 chambers, later whorls of 2 chambers each. Test wall microperforate, marked by a guembelitriid surface texture (smooth walled or bearing perforate pustules). Aperture usually asymmetrically positioned and thin apertural lip infolded on one side. This taxon: Test triserial initially then biserial, twisted with 5 or less chambers pairs. Apertural height appears to vary from high to low.
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
Character matrix
test outline:
Triangular
chamber arrangement:
Biserial
edge view:
Equally biconvex
aperture:
Terminal
sp chamber shape:
N/A
coiling axis:
N/A
periphery:
N/A
aperture border:
Thin lip
umb chbr shape:
Inflated
umbilicus:
N/A
periph margin shape:
Broadly rounded
accessory apertures:
None
spiral sutures:
N/A
umb depth:
N/A
wall texture:
Finely pustulose
shell porosity:
Microperforate: <1µm
umbilical or test sutures:
Moderately depressed
final-whorl chambers:
2.0-2.0
N.B. These characters are used for advanced search. N/A - not applicable
Biogeography and Palaeobiology
Geographic distributionWoodringinaclaytonensis was most abundant in low-latitude open-ocean assemblages (D'Hondt and Keller, 1991; Liu and Olsson, 1992). It was rare in high-latitude open-marine environments (Liu and Olsson, 1992). [Olsson et al. 1999] Isotope paleobiologyThe stable isotopic signature of this species suggests an affinity for relatively warm near-surface water masses (D'Hondt and Zachos, 1993). [Olsson et al. 1999] Phylogenetic relationsThis species is considered to have descended from Guembelitriacretacea (Olsson, 1970, 1982; Smit, 1977, 1982; D'Hondt, 1991; Li and Radford, 1991; Olsson etal., 1992; Liu and Olsson, 1992). D'Hondt (1991) and Liu and Olsson (1992) illustrated forms that are morphologically intermediate between Guembelitriacretacea Cushman, 1933, and Woodringinaclaytonensis Loeblich and Tappan, 1957. Such morphotypes are triserial in early whorls and biserial in later whorls (Guembelitria irregularis Morozova, 1961, of D'Hondt, 1991) (Plate 63: Figure 12; Plate 68: Figure 5). [Olsson et al. 1999]
Geological Range: Notes: Basal Zone Pa to Zone Plb. [Olsson et al. 1999] Last occurrence (top): within P1b subzone (63.90-65.25Ma, top in Danian stage). Data source: Olsson et al. 1999 First occurrence (base): within Pa zone (65.72-66.00Ma, base in Danian stage). Data source: Olsson et al. 1999
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
Histogram - Neptune occurrence data from DSDP and ODP proceedings. Pale shading <50 samples in time bin. Interpret with caution & read these notes
Primary source for this page: Olsson et al. 1999 - Atlas of Paleocene Planktonic Foraminifera, p. 86
References:
Keller, G. (1988). Extinction, Survivorship, and Evolution across the Cretaceous/ Tertiary Boundary at El Kef. Marine Micropaleontology. 13: 239-263. gs
Loeblich, A. R. & Tappan, H. (1957a). Woodringina, a new foraminiferal genus (Heterohelicidae) from the Paleocene of Alabama. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 47: 39-40. gs
MacLeod, N. (1993). The Maastrichtian-Danian Radiation of Triserial and Biserial Planktic Foraminifera: Testing Phylogenetic and Adaptational Hypotheses in the (Micro)Fossil Record. Marine Micropaleontology. 21: 47-100. gs
Olsson, R. K., Hemleben, C., Berggren, W. A. & Huber, B. T. (1999). Atlas of Paleocene Planktonic Foraminifera. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 1-252. gs
Woodringina claytonensis compiled by the pforams@mikrotax project teamviewed: 25-3-2023
Olsson_etal_99_pl13_f08pl68_f05.jpg
Olsson_etal_99_pl68_f02_f04.jpg
Olsson_etal_99_pl68_f11-12.jpg
Olsson_etal_99_pl13_f08pl68_f05.jpg
Olsson_etal_99_pl68_f02_f04.jpg
Olsson_etal_99_pl68_f11-12.jpg
holotype: W. claytonensis
holotype: W. claytonensis
