Set number: 2690

  • Asapholithus anfractus 10905 1
  • Asapholithus anfractus 10907 2
  • Asapholithus anfractus 10909 3
  • Asapholithus anfractus 10912 4
  • Asapholithos anfractus 10906 5
  • Asapholithus anfractus 10908 6
  • Asapholithus anfractus 10910 7
  • Asapholithus anfractus 10911 8
    10µm
Asapholithos anfractus, Early Cenomanian, Culver Cliff, Isle of Wight, England
Final Epithet
Asapholithos anfractus (Jakubowski, 1986) Varol, n. comb.
Basionym

Phanulithus anfractus Jakubowski, 1986

Synonyms

Calculites anfractus (Jakubowski, 1986) Varol & Jakubowski, 1989

Variants

Orastrum colligatum Henderiks & Ziveri, 1997; considered to be well preserved variation of Asapholithos anfractus.

Optical Properties

The segments display whitish-grey interference colours, whereas the wall exhibits a white interference colour.

Remarks

This species of Asapholithos is characterised by four segments that converge to form a swastika-shaped structure in the centre, surrounded by a wall. In well-preserved specimens, tooth-like projections are visible within the central opening when observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). These projections can also be detected by light microscopy when the specimen is oriented north–south. However, under adverse preservation conditions, particularly extensive overgrowth, the tooth-like projections commonly fuse with the rim elements and central segments. As a result, specimens typically appear to consist of four segments separated by zigzag sutures.

References

Henderiks, J. & Ziveri, P. 1997. Orastrum colligatum, a new holococcolith species from the Upper Albian-Cenomanian of the Russian Craton (Ukraine). Journal of Nannoplankton Research. 19(2): 109-111.

Jakubowski, M., 1986. New calcareous nannofossil taxa from the Lower Cretaceous of the North Sea. INA Newsletter. 8, 38-42.

Varol, O. & Jakubowski, M. (1989). Some new nannofossil taxa. INA Newsletter. 11(1): 24-29.