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.