Lychnothamnus major ( Grambast & Paul, 1965 )

Sanjuan, Josep & Martín-Closas, Carles, 2014, Taxonomy and palaeobiogeography of charophytes from the Upper Eocene- Lower Oligocene of the Eastern Ebro Basin (Catalonia, NE Spain), Geodiversitas 36 (3), pp. 385-420 : 404-406

Lychnothamnus major ( Grambast & Paul, 1965) Soulié-Märsche, 1989

( Fig. 8 H-K)

Rhabdochara major Grambast & Paul, 1965: 241 , 242, pl. 2, figs 1-4.

Lychnothamnus major – Soulié-Märsche 1989: 159.

DISTRIBUTION. — Lychnothamnus major has hitherto been recorded from numerous European sites of various ages within the Rupelian. In France, this species occurs in the Paris ( Grambast & Paul 1965; Riveline 1986), Aquitaine ( Feist & Ringeade 1977), Provence (Feist-Castel 1977a) and Languedoc ( Grambast 1962) basins. In Germany, this species has been documented by Feist-Castel (1977a) and Schwarz (1985). Moreover, Kissling (1974) reported this species in the western sector of the Swiss Molasse and Baciu and Feist (1999) from north-western Romania. In Spain, it has already been described from some localities of the Ebro Basin by Choi (1989) and we found it in Sarral and El Talladell (Table 4).

DESCRIPTION

Gyrogonites very large, 780-1000 µm high (mean 900 µm) and 680-840 µm wide (mean 780 µm), ellipsoidal in shape with an isopolarity index ranging from 105-128, (average 117). Spiral cells in the apical zone show a remarkably constant width, which results in a flat apex. Ŋe base is tapered with a star-shaped basal pore, about 180 µm in diameter. Eight to nine (frequently eight) cells visible laterally. Ŋese are normally concave, about 118 µm in width, non-ornamented and separated by prominent sutures which in some specimens are bicarinate.

REMARK

Many authors have reported that transitional morphotypes occur between L. stockmansi and L. major (Feist-Castel 1977a; Baciu & Feist 1999).

Figures

FIG. 8.— Charophytes from the Artés and lateral south-western Formations,Ebro Basin:A-C, Lychnothamnus grambastii (Feist-Castel, 1971), Torre Casanova section; A, apical view, no. 80100 MGSCB, sample TC-9; B, lateral view, no. 80101 MGSCB, sample TC-9; C, basal view,no.80102 MGSCB,sample TC-9;D-F, Lychnothamnus vectensis (Groves,1926),Santpedor and Rubió sections;D, apical view, no. 80103 MGSCB, sample RB-3; E, oblicuous view, no. 80104 MGSCB, sample SP-18; F, lateral view, no. 80104 MGSCB, sample SP-18; G, basal view, no. 80105 MGSCB, sample SP-4; H-K, Lychnothamnus major (Grambast & Paul, 1965), Sarral section and El Talladell outcrop; H, apex, no. 80106 MGSCB, sample BO-1; I, lateral view, no. 80107 MGSCB, sample BO-1; J, lateral view, no. 80108 MGSCB, sample SA-19; K, basal view, no. 80109 MGSCB 09, sample SA-19; L-N, Nitellopsis (Tectochara) merianii (Al. Braun ex Unger, 1852), Vinaixa section; L, apical view, no. 80110 MGSCB, sample VI-5; M, lateral view, no. 80111 MGSCB, sample VI-5; N, basal view, no. 80112 MGSCB, sample VI-5. Scale bar: 500 µm.