17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016
Hyalolithus tumescens sp. nov., a siliceous scale-bearing haptophyte from the middle Eocene
Kenta Abe1, Hideto Tsutsui2, and Richard W. Jordan3
Kenta Abe et al.
Kenta Abe1, Hideto Tsutsui2, and Richard W. Jordan3
- 1Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, 1–4–12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990–8560, Japan
- 2Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, 1–4–12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990–8560, Japan
- 3Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, 1–4–12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990–8560, Japan
- 1Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, 1–4–12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990–8560, Japan
- 2Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, 1–4–12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990–8560, Japan
- 3Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, 1–4–12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990–8560, Japan
Correspondence: *Correspondence: sh081@kdw.kj.yamagata-u.ac.jp
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Received: 06 Jul 2015 – Accepted: 20 Dec 2015 – Published: 17 Jul 2016
Keywords: Eocene, Haptophyta, Hyalolithus, Prymnesiales, siliceous microfossils
Siliceous scales resembling those of the living haptophyte Hyalolithus neolepis Yoshida et al. were discovered in middle Eocene outcrop sediments from the Kellogg Shale in California, and Chalky Mount and Springfield in Barbados. Like H. neolepis, the fossil scales have a marginal rim, hyaline margin and numerous openings in the central area. However, they differ in the nature of the pit-like depression on the distal surface and the corresponding swelling on the proximal surface. Such swellings are very rare in H. neolepis and were not part of the original description. The presence of a swelling on all fossil scales found so far is sufficient enough to warrant the erection of H. tumescens Abe, Tsutsui & Jordan sp. nov. These findings represent the oldest known fossil record of the Prymnesiales.
