overview (8)
Arkhangelskiales (2)
Eiffellithales (3)
Holococcoliths (26)
Nannoliths (10)
Podorhabdales (7)
Watznaueriales (1)
Discoaster brouweri Tan, 1927, emend. Bramlette and Riedel, 1954
Description: Ray tips non-bifurcate and with marked proximal extensions giving it a distinctive concavo-convex form. The distal surface is usually rather smooth, proximal surface more sculpted with proximal boss often present. Probably evolved from D. exilis and first ocurrence is very gradational.
Remarks:
Original description:
Variants:
Eu-discoaster brouweri ssp streptus Theodoridis, 1984 - with twisted proximal boss
Discoaster blackstockae Bukry, 1973 - 4-rayed form with inter-ray angles of 60 and 120° (this is a rare morphotype but such specimens are occasionally produced by most 6-rayed discoasters and do not seem worth describing as separate species)
Eu-discoaster giganteus Theodoridis, 1984 - very large, ray tips blunt but with long proximal extensions. If used should be recombined in Discoaster.
Neogene: Discoaster; Discoaster brouweri
FAMILY DISCOASTERACEAE TAN, 1927
Description. Discoidal nannoliths of 3-40 elements radiating from a common centre. C-axes vertical, so nannoliths appear dark in plane-polarised light. Some early forms also include a cycle of birefringent units.
Taxa included: Discoaster, Catinaster.
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6-rayed discoasters with bifurcations. |
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Discoaster brouweri group 6-rayed discoasters without bifurcations, and forms closely related to D. brouweri with 3 to 5 rays |
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Discoaster pentaradiatus group symmetric 5-rayed discoasters |
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6-rayed discosters in which the birfurcations meet to form a rim, which extends proximally |
Original description: