Original paper
Taxonomic revision of the Polycyclolithaceae and its contribution to Cretaceous biostratigraphy
Varol, Osman
Newsletters on Stratigraphy Volume 27 Number 3 (1992), p. 93 - 127
28 references
published: Jun 12, 1992
ArtNo. ESP026002703004, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
In this study, the taxonomic revision of Polycyclolithaceae is undertaken and its contribution to high resolution biostratigraphy is demonstrated. All Polycyclolithaceae are made up of a wall which has two cycles. Each cycle contains the same number of elements in the shape of a ray, petal or brick. Where the two cycles are joined, a diaphragm may be present and it is either median or amedian. The species of Polycyclolithaceae are less affected by provincialism; they even appear to have flourished in adverse environmental settings and survived poor preservational conditions. Their contribution to high resolution biostratigraphy is found to be invaluable throughout the world. Important Polycyclolithaceae markers in the North Sea area, West Africa, South America, the Middle East, India, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are presented. A new genus Farhania and eleven new species are described: Eprolithus eptapetalus, E. octopetalus, E. rarus, Lithastrinus pentabrachius, Quadrum eneabrachium, Q. eptabrachium, Q. giganteum, Q. intermedium, Q. octobrachium, Radiolithus hollandicus and R. laingii. Three new combinations Farhania varolii, Radiolithus orbiculatus and Radiolithus undosus are introduced.
Keywords
Polycyclolithaceae • Cretaceous biostratigraphy • biostratigraphy