Abstracted/indexed

We examined the planktonic foraminifera (calcareous zooplankton) from a section in northern Saudi Arabia. We found the assemblages to be diverse, well-preserved and of late Eocene age. Our study provides new insights into the stratigraphic ranges of many species and indicates that the late Eocene had a higher tropical/subtropical diversity of planktonic foraminifera than previously reported.

This study presents a taxonomic revision of calcareous nannoplankton, known as fasciculiths (family Fasciculithaceae). The investigation approach is based on a direct light microscope and SEM comparison of the same individual specimen, providing a key to clarify a correct classification of several taxa. The new findings document the early evolutionary history of fasciculiths, demonstrating the biostratigraphic relevance of this group in the early Paleocene (Danian–Selandian transition).

Coccolithophores are an important group of phytoplankton that produce intricate skeletons of calcium carbonate. They contribute to the base of the marine food web and are important drivers of the global carbon cycle. Here, we describe novel coccolithophores and novel life cycle combinations detected by electron microscopy in samples collected in the Red Sea and the western Mediterranean. Our study advances our understanding of coccolithophore diversity and life cycle complexity.