Nannotax Enabling nannofossil research

Description: Gephyrocapsa coccolith <3µm long.

Remarks: Small Gephyrocapsa coccoliths show diverse morphologies and probably include many species. It is not practical to identify them by light microscopy so they are typically simply refered to the informal category "small Gephyrocapsa". Alternatively the names G. aperta, or in the Late Quaternary G. ericsonii are often used in the same sense.

Range: NN14-21. Small Gephyrocapsa specimens are usually common in the mid Pliocene (around the NN15/16 boundary) and throughout the Quaternary, but are usually scarce though much of the Late Pliocene.

Described species: Small Gephyrocapsa species which have been decribed in the literature include

Extant species

• Gephyrocapsa ericsonii McIntyre & Bé 1967
• Gephyrocapsa ornata Heimdal, 1973

Fossil species

• Gephyrocapsa aperta Kamptner, 1963
• Gephyrocapsa duoalatus (Martini, 1981) Martini, 1993
• Gephyrocapsa mediterranea Pirini Radrizzani & Valleri, 1977
• Gephyrocapsa pelta Samtleben, 1980
• Gephyrocapsa protohuxleyi Gartner, 1977
• Gephyrocapsa rota Samtleben, 1980
• Gephyrocapsa sinuosa Hay & Beaudry, 1973
• Gephyrocapsa theyeri Pujos 1987