Lithraphidites aichmoides Aguado in Aguado, Company, O'Dogherty, Sandoval & Martinez

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN001012

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:1012

Author: R. Aguado Merlo

Rank: species

Reference: Aguado, R., Company, M., O'Dogherty, L., Sandoval, J. & Martinez, M. (2022): New insights into the Barremian–lower Aptian calcareous nannofossils of the Mediterranean Tethys: Chronostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications. – Marine Micropaleontology 173: 102114 (24 pp.).

Page of description: 19

Illustrations or figures: fig. 12 A-H

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Diagnosis: Very large (15.3–25.3 μm) Lithraphidites nannolith having an outline similar to a bladed dagger. In the direction opposite to the ‘handle’, the outline is slightly convex and decreases its width slowly before tapering toward the point. The maximum width oscillates between 2.7 and 4.1 μm.

Description: Calcareous rods with cruciform cross-section which are built of long blades of identical optical orientation. The outline is similar to a bladed dagger in which the ‘handle’ (~1.1 μm width and frequently missing by breakage) is followed by a wider expansion (2.7–4.1 μm width) which slowly decreases its width before tapering toward the point.

Dimensions: length = 15.3–25.3 (average 19.6) μm; width = 2.7–4.1 (average 3.6) μm; specimens measured: 30.

Holotype dimensions: length = 20.1 μm, width = 3.2 μm.

Etymology

From the Greek words ‘aichme’ meaning spearhead, and the suffix ‘-oides’ meaning resembling to.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, Barremian
Type level: Uppermost Barremian, sample X.Kv2-235 (NC5E nannofossil Zone; lowermost part of the Gerhardtia sartousiana ammonite Subzone).

Occurrence: Recorded from the uppermost lower Barremian (upper part of the Moutoniceras moutonianum ammonite Zone) to the upper Barremian (uppermost part of the Hemihoplites feraudianus ammonite Subzone), within NC5E Zone of calcareous nannofossils. This species is a rare component of the assemblages, but has a consistent and continuous record. It has been recorded from sections X.CO2, X.CT, X.F, X.Kv, X.Kv2, and X.V1 from the Subbetic domain in the Betic Cordillera (southern Spain). The lowest occurrence (LO) of L. aichmoides has been recorded 67 cm above that of Flabellites oblongus (base of NC5E Subzone) in section X.V1.

Locality

Spain
Type locality: X.Kv2 section (38.053 N; 1.889 W), Province of Murcia, southeastern Spain.