Coccosphere: monomorphic or with differentated CFCs.
Coccoliths: Rim and radial cycle show typical Rhabdosphaeraceae structure, but lamellar cycle is modified into/replaced by an elongate domal or double-lipped (labiatiform) protrusion, which is filled by fine rod-like elements. The species were often placed in Anthosphaera in the older literature (see Aubry 1999 for full discussion).
Remarks:
Type species: Anthosphaera oryza Schlauder 1954, which is a subjective junior synonym of Algirosphaera robusta (Lohman 1902).
Fossil record: There are rare Neogene records of A. robusta and A. meteora and fossil species were recently described, from Tanzania, by Bown et al. (in press)