Novel heterococcolithophores, holococcolithophores and life cycle combinations from the families Syracosphaeraceae and Papposphaeraceae and the genus Florisphaera
Keuter, S.; Young, J.R.; Koplovitz, G.; Zingone, A.; Frada, M.J. (2021). Novel heterococcolithophores, holococcolithophores and life cycle combinations from the families Syracosphaeraceae and Papposphaeraceae and the genus Florisphaera. J. Micropalaeontol. 40(2): 75-99. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/jm-40-75-2021 In: Journal of Micropalaeontology. Geological Society: London?. ISSN 0262-821X; e-ISSN 2041-4978, more |   |
| Authors | | Top | - Keuter, S.
- Young, J.R.
- Koplovitz, G.
| - Zingone, A., more
- Frada, M.J.
| |
| Abstract | Coccolithophores are a diverse group of calcifying phytoplankton,which are responsible for a large part of the modern oceanic carbonateproduction. Here, we describe novel or poorly known coccolithophores and novel life cycle combination coccospheres detected in samplescollected either in the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea or in the Gulfof Naples in the western Mediterranean. These include Syracosphaera winteri, for which detached coccoliths have previously been recorded but both a formal description and taxonomic affiliation were lacking, and five undescribed sets of combination cells linking HET and HOL forms for S. pulchra, S. mediterranea, S. azureaplaneta, S. lamina and S. orbicula. We also propose the replacement name S. kareniae for the fossil species Deutschlandia gaarderae. We describe a new species of the genus Ophiaster, O. macrospinus, displaying a unique morphological and ecological distribution as well as putative combination cells of two variants of the deep-dwelling Florisphaera profunda, which provide new insights on the affiliation of this genus within the Calcihaptophycideae. Additionally, in the family Papposphaeraceae we detected a new species, Pappomonas vexillata, and combination cells of Picarola margalefi and of a species resembling Papposphaera arctica. Finally, we detected three novel, unpaired holococcolithophore forms (Calyptrosphaera lluisae, Calicasphaera bipora and one form designated as Holococcolithophore A). Overall, this set of novel observations and ensuing discussionsprovide further insights into the diversity, evolution and life cyclecomplexity of coccolithophores in the oceans. |
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