Nannotax Enabling nannofossil research

Description: Coccoliths large sized, 7-11 µm, with 20-35 elements; distal shield sutures smoothly curved on shield then obscured around crest of tube.

Remarks: Separation of this morphotype from the rest of modern Calcidiscus was initially suggested by Kleijne (1993) on morphological grounds and has been strongly supported by culture observations, life-cycle studies (it produces distinctive holococcoliths) and molecular genetics.

References: Geisen et al. 2002, 2004; Saez et al 2003; Quinn et al. 2004.

Range: Recent - fossil range not determined