Algirosphaera

Algirosphaera Schlauder 1945 emend. Norris 1984

Coccosphere: monomorphic or with differentated CFCs.

Coccoliths: Rim and radial cycle show typical Rhabdosphaeraceae structure, but lamellar cycle is modified into/replaced by an elongate domal or double-lipped (labiatiform) protrusion, which is filled by fine rod-like elements. The species were often placed in Anthosphaera in the older literature (see Aubry 1999 for full discussion).

Remarks

Type species: Anthosphaera oryza Schlauder 1954, which is a subjective junior synonym of Algirosphaera robusta (Lohman 1902).

Fossil record: There are rare Neogene records of A. robusta and A. meteora and fossil species were recently described, from Tanzania, by Bown et al. (in press)

Scratchpads developed and conceived by: Vince Smith, Simon Rycroft & Dave Roberts