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GC-TEP discussion taxonomy
Early Miocene (3)
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Discoaster bellus
Edited by Lyndsey on Thu, 10/03/2011 - 12:59
Discoaster bellus Bukry and Percival, 1971
Description: Symmetric 5-rayed species with simple ray tips. Intergrades with D. hamatus.
Remarks: D. bellus is a name available for non-birefringent symmetrical pentaradial discoasters with simple ray ends, and small central areas. Such forms occur commonly in association with D. hamatus (q.v.), and arguably intergrade with them, but in order to preserve the biostratigraphic value of D. hamatus it is important to separate unambiguous D. hamatus specimens from these more non-descript froms. Also D. bellus persists at low abundances after the LO of D. hamatus, and probably gives rise to D. quinqueramus.
Original description:
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Neogene: Discoaster; Discoaster bellus
Comments
Just a junk box?
I've always regarded this species as sort of a place to stash poorly preserved 5 rayed symmetrical discoasters which may really be several other things. Is there really an advantage to using "bellus" rather than something like "Discoaster 5 ray"
fair question, I have always
fair question, I have always been in two minds on this, on the one hand I tend to agree that these are probably mostly small and/or poorly preserved D. hamatus specimens, on the other hand the count category "symmetric 5-rayed discoaster without bifurcations" is complex and D. bellus is a convenient name. As with many of these species a detailed study of samples with well preserved assemblages is probably what is needed - maybe a good student project?
Not just D. hamatus
I think sometimes some poorly preserved/broken D. prepentaradiatus get stuck in this taxon as well.