Nannotax Enabling nannofossil research

Description: Six rayed discoaster with blunt ended complanate rays. It has a very large stellate boss on the proximal side, and a small one on the distal side.

Remarks: A short-ranging and highly distinctive species, most records from the Indo-Pacific.

Range: NN14 to 15.

Synonym: D. tristellifer Bukry, 1976. As explained by Young (1998) D. tristellifer and D. altus were described from the same material, DSDP Site 242 Core 3 Section 1, but without reference to each other. Both species were described as 6-rayed discoasters with very large proximal bosses and complanate rays. Re-examination of this material reveals, unsurprisingly, that it contains only one such species. The description of Bukry (1976), based on light microscopy, is much better since it mentions the smaller, but very distinct, distal knob. The description of Muller (1974), however, has priority so the correct name is D. altus.