Trinocladus divnae and montiella filipovici: A new species (Dasycladales, green algae) from the Upper Cretaceous of the Mountain Pastrik (Mirdita Zone)

Abstract

Two new dasycladalean species from the Upper Cretaceous of the Mountain Pastrik, Kukes Cretaceous Unit of the Mirdita Zone are described: Trinocladus divnae sp. nov. is characterized by variable size of the thallus, relatively narrow main axis, typical Trinocladus organization of the laterals and thin calcification limited to the distal part of the thallus which includes a swollen part of secondaries and short tertiaries. Often, the internal portion of the whorls (except sometimes the main stem membrane), tends to dissolve and form dissolution cavities filled with cement. Montiella filipovici sp. nov. is characterized by a primary skeleton made of a thin individual sheath around a fertile ampullae, often obliterated by recrystallization. Four to six laterals, each giving one secondary and one fertile ampulla located on the upper side of the relatively thick short primary lateral. Upper Cenomanian limestone with Cisalveolina fraasi and Trinocladus divnae sp. nov. was deposited immediately before the events that resulted in sea level rising. The middle and upper Cenomanian eustatic-tectonic processes had different effects in the Pastrik shallow water areas, depending on the distance from the basinal part of the Unit. Bathymetric changes in a part of the Pastrik sedimentary area were not significant, even negligible. Montiella filipovici is found in the post-fraasi shallow water sequence, assigned to the ?uppermost Cenomanian-lowermost Turonian (= Whiteinella archaeocretacea Zone p. p.; a short stratigraphic gap, in a part of the area, is noted). Shallow water limestone with Turonian taxa, corresponding to the helvetca Zone, occurs a few meters upward. Supplementary note: the species Cylindroporella parva RADOICIC is transferred in the genus Montiella, the species Permocalculus elliotti JOHNSON is transferred in the genus Trinocladus, while the species Trinocladus bellus YU JING is transferred in the genus Belzungia.

Upper Cenomanian - Lower Turonian (Cretaceous) calcareous algae from the Eastern Desert of Egypt: taxonomy and significance

“…Most of the species are recorded for the first time from Egypt, and were only recently described in the literature (e.g., Radoičić, 2006;Radoičić and Schlagintweit, 2007). It is interesting to note that three of the identified algae (T. divnae, S. milovanovici and H. elliotti) have also been found to be associated in the Cenomanian limestones from the Mirdita zone, Serbia (Radoičić, 2006), indicating a trans-Tethyan distribution of these taxa during the early Late Cretaceous. However, in the Mirdita zone, Radoičić (2006) found, together with Trinocladus divnae, the following foraminifera: Cuneolina, Nezzazatinella, Pseudolituonella reicheli, Chrysalidina gradata, Cisalveolina fraasi.…”

“…It is interesting to note that three of the identified algae (T. divnae, S. milovanovici and H. elliotti) have also been found to be associated in the Cenomanian limestones from the Mirdita zone, Serbia (Radoičić, 2006), indicating a trans-Tethyan distribution of these taxa during the early Late Cretaceous. However, in the Mirdita zone, Radoičić (2006) found, together with Trinocladus divnae, the following foraminifera: Cuneolina, Nezzazatinella, Pseudolituonella reicheli, Chrysalidina gradata, Cisalveolina fraasi. Of these taxa, only P. reicheli has been recorded from the Galala Formation of the Wadi Ghonima area (Nagm, 2009).…”

“…Local occurrence: Upper Lower Turonian of the Maghra el Hadida Formation. Stratigraphical range: Halimeda elliotti is known from the Cenomanian-Turonian (Conard and Rioult, 1977;Radoičić, 2006).…”

About Trinocladus Raineri, 1922: when some Permocalculus (Gymnocodiacean algae) reveal to be Triploporellacean algae (Revision of the Jesse Harlan Johnson Collection. Part 5)

“…Two authors (i.e., Bucur 1994, andRadoičić 2006), without reexamining the type-material, and followers pointed out that two Permocalculus (Gymnocodiaceae, Bryopsidales) species described by Johnson could be reassigned to the genus Trinocladus (Triploporellaceae, Dasycladales). Both species were nomina nuda because they were lacking the identification of an holotype.…”

“…Trinocladus elliotti (Johnson et Kaska ex Deloffre, 1992, non 1965) Radoičić, 2006, Albian or Cenomanian, Guatemala: a longitudinal oblique section, "long section" according to Johnson and Kaska (1965, pl. 5, fig.…”