Type Species

Heterorhabdus sinuosus Noël 1970

Synonyms

Retecapsa Black, 1971a

Description

Placoliths are constructed of cretarhabdid shields and a tube cycle with radial, non-imbricate segments surrounding a large central area spanned by an axial cross that supports a distal process.

The inter-cross area is occupied by lateral bars that delimit pores arranged in a single complete concentric cycle, a feature characteristic of Heterorhabdus.

The number of pores is used to distinguish species of Heterorhabdus.

Optical Properties

The entire placolith exhibits first-order, greyish-white interference colours. The pelaga of Heterorhabdus shows inclined extinction and length-fast (-) elongation in their natural settling position, in plan view under crossed polars.

References

Black, M. 1971a. Coccoliths of the Speeton Clay and Sutterby Marl. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society 38: 381-424.

Noël, D. 1970. Coccolithes Crétacés: La Craie Campanienne du Bassin de Paris. - Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris. 1-129