Palynological processing of 19 samples from Site 364 yielded 11 good assemblages. The frequent spores and pollen provide better biostratigraphic data than the useful, but rare, dinoflagellates. Cores 42-46 are considered early Albian, Cores 38-40 middle Albian, Cores 29-32 late Albian, Core 27 Vraconian or Cenomanian, and Cores 23-25 late Turonian to Coniacian, with many reworked Cenomanian-Turonian elements. The site was located a considerable distance from shore during the Cretaceous, or lacked large runoff from major river systems, as most spores and pollen are windborne. The climate may have been tropical but semi-arid; the vegetation was certainly very different from that at Site 361. Although restricted, marine influence in the form of dinoflagellates existed from the south.
Deltoblastus is a genus of Permian blastoid comprised of 15 species, each differing based on subtle thecal morphology differences. Three new species are introduced here, based on characteristics present which distinguish individuals from established morphotypes. In order to guarantee a more complete understanding of the genus, a complex character matrix containing all 15 named and three new species was created, defining all species based on the presence or absence of 30 unique traits. Differences in character compositions give evidence for unique thecal morphologies, supporting the three new species which are proposed.
Deltoblastus batheri and Deltoblastus delta occur concurrently in many Permian deposits from Timor. Closely related sister species living in direct proximity without alteration in feeding habit would be in direct violation of Lotka-Volterra dynamics. These two species were measured and compared to see if any evidence of differentiation along feeding lines has occurred in order to reduce direct competition. P-values obtained via Student’s t test display significant differentiation across all measured parameters. Thin-plate splines were used to visualize these differences, and clearly show the differences which are focused on the ambulacral region of the blastoids, which are the primary food gathering point for these species.
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