Nannotax3 - ntax_main - Rhabdosphaera

Nannotax3 - ntax_main - Rhabdosphaera Nannotax3 - ntax_main - Rhabdosphaera

Rhabdosphaera

Classification: ntax_main -> Syracosphaerales -> Rhabdosphaeraceae -> Rhabdosphaera
Sister taxa: Acanthoica, Algirosphaera, Blackites, Cyrtosphaera, Discosphaera, Palusphaera, Rhabdosphaera, Solisphaera

Daughter taxa (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)		Granddaughter taxa
	Rhabdosphaera clavigera Spine with pentameral structure	Rhabdosphaera clavigera var. clavigera Rhabdosphaera clavigera var. stylifera
	Rhabdosphaera gracilenta Rhabdoliths with a thin, narrow coccolith base and a narrow spine with an axial canal.
	Rhabdosphaera poculii Similar to Discosphaera tubifera but with domal rather than open flaring end. A new SEM illustration of this species from Ines Galovic is included here. It supports the inference that this species is close to Discosphaera tubifera, since the structure of both the stem and the base are very similar to that of Discosphaera [my interpretation - JRY 2020].
	Rhabdosphaera vitrea Rhabdoliths with a very narrow styliform spine and four buttress-like structures at the base of the spine, which appear as a collar in LM.
	Rhabdosphaera xiphos Long delicate spines with collar near base
	Rhabdosphaera sp. Specimens which cannot be assigned to established species

Taxonomy:

Citation: Rhabdosphaera Haeckel, 1894

Taxonomic rank: genus

Type species: Rhabdosphaera claviger Murray & Blackman 1898, subsequent designation by Hay and Towe, 1962

Synonyms: Rhabdolithus Kamptner ex Deflandre in Grassé 1952.
Aspidorhabdus Hay & Towe 1962

Variants: Palusphaera -similar to Rhabdosphaera but monomorphic, all coccoliths have spines. In the fossil record these would be included in Rhabdosphaera

Distinguishing features:
Parent taxon (Rhabdosphaeraceae): BCs planoliths with radial lath cycle and highly-variable axial structures. Often polymorphic and/or varimorphic
This taxon: Coccoliths without radial lath cycle; coccospheres dimorphic, only some spine-bearing

Farinacci & Howe catalog pages:
Rhabdosphaera * , Rhabdolithus * , Aspidorhabdus * , Clavosphaera *

Morphology:

Coccosphere: Dimorphic with inner spine-bearing and outer non spine-bearing coccoliths, distributed around coccosphere. Usually non-motile and no differentiation of circum-flagella coccoliths but occasional cells with flagella have been observed (Lohmann 1902, Probert pers. comm.).
Coccoliths: Radial cycle absent, lamellar cycle fills central area and forms spine.
Typ

Search data:

LITHS: planolith, elliptical, CA: ca_disjunct, process,
CSPH: equant, BC-dimorphic, CROSS-POLARS: R-prominent,

Lith size: 3->12µm; Coccosphere size: 8->35µm;

The morphological data given here can be used on the advanced search page. See also these notes

Geological Range:
Last occurrence (top): Extant. Data source: Total of ranges of the species in this database
First occurrence (base): within NP14 zone (46.29-49.11Ma, base in Ypresian 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
See also: customisable plot Parent: Rhabdosphaeraceae

References:

Deflandre, G. (1952a). Classe des Coccolithophoridés. (Coccolithophoridae. Lohmann, 1902). In, Grassé, P. P. (ed.) Traité de Zoologie. Masson, Paris 439-470. gs