Nannotax Enabling nannofossil research

Description: Very small species of Gephyrocapsa. Coccoliths with low to intermediate angle bridge, wide central area, thin bridge. Specimens often show slits between distal shield elements. These morphotypes have sometimes been referred to a separate species, G. protohuxleyi (McIntyre 1970), but they intergrade with normal G. ericsonii.

Remarks: In the fossil record Gephyrocapsa specimens <3µm long are usually simply identified as "small Gephyrocapsa"

Size: Coccospheres, 3 to 5 µm; coccoliths, 1.4 to 2.3 µm long.

Range: Quaternary to recent.

G. ericsonii - coccospheres from the plankton