Sphenolithus puniceus

Sphenolithus puniceus Bergen & de Kaenel in Bergen et al., 2017

Medium to large size, dome shape sphenolith having very high birefringence displaying first order blue to red interference colours at its plan and lateral view.

Sphenolithus puniceus differs from Sphenolithus pacificus Martini 1965 and Sphenolithus grandis Haq and Berggren, 1978 by very high birefringence. It is further distinguished from Sphenolithus pacificus by its larger size.
Sphenolithus puniceus differs from Sphenolithus moriformis in that its height is greater than its width. Both species exhibit similar interference colours (retardation colours).

Bergen, J. A., de Kaenel, E., Blair, S. A., Boesiger, T. M., Browning, E., 2017. Oligocene-Pliocene taxonomy and stratigraphy of the genus Sphenolithus in the circum North Atlantic Basin: Gulf of Mexico and ODP Leg 154. Journal of Nannoplankton Research 37(2-3), 77-112.

Bramlette, M. N., Wilcoxon, J. A., 1967. Middle Tertiary calcareous nannoplankton of the Cipero section, Trinidad, W.I. Tulane Studies in Geology and Paleontology 5, 93-131.

Brönnimann, P., Stradner, H., 1960. Die Foraminiferen- und Discoasteriden-zonen von Kuba und ihre interkontinentale Korrelation. Erdoel-Zeitschrift 76(10), 364-369.

Haq, B. U., Berggren, W. A., 1978. Late Neogene calcareous plankton biochronology of the Rio Grande Rise (South Atlantic Ocean). Journal of Paleontology 52, 1167-1194.

Martini, E., 1965. Mid-Tertiary calcareous nannoplankton from Pacific deep-sea cores. Colston Papers 17, 393-411.