Harrisichara vasiformis

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 : 407

Harrisichara vasiformis form vasiformis-tuberculata Feist-Castel, 1977

( Fig. 9 A-C)

Harrisichara vasiformis-tuberculata Feist-Castel, 1977b: 152 , pl. 21, figs 2, 3.

DISTRIBUTION. — Harrisichara vasiformis form vasiformis-tuberculata occurs in the Hampshire Basin, England (Feist-Castel 1977b). In France, it occurs in the Paris ( Riveline 1986) and Provence (Feist-Castel 1977a) basins. It has also been reported from Transylvania ( Romania) by Baciu & Feist (1999). In Spain, this morphotype has been documented by Martín-Closas & Ramos (2005) in the Island of Mallorca and by Choi (1989), Feist et al. (1994) and Sanjuan et al. (2012) in the eastern part of the Ebro Basin. In the present study, it has been recorded in Sant Boi de Lluçanès, Sobremunt, Sant Bartomeu del Grau and Maians ( Tables 2 , 3). Sanjuan & Martín-Closas (2012) showed that in the Ebro Basin, this species grew solely in brackish environments.

DESCRIPTION

Gyrogonites medium to large, 594-756 µm high (mean 655 µm), and 567-675 µm wide (mean 619 µm), ovoidal or sub-ovoidal in shape with an isopolarity index of 96-116 (mean 106). Nine to eleven (frequently ten) convolutions visible laterally. Spiral cells flat or concave, 75-125 µm in width. Ŋe ornamentation consists of regularly spaced elongated tubercles, which may be joined by a fine central crest. Apex flat or rounded, generally without any periapical modification in the spiral cells, but with comma-shaped tubercles in a few specimens. Base rounded, conical or elongated in a small column. Basal pore pentagonal, 54 µm across.

REMARKS

Ŋis taxon was proposed by Feist-Castel (1977) as an informal name to characterise the gradual change from H. vasiformis to H. tuberculata , rather than as a formal species. Later Sille et al. (2004), showed by Eigenshape analysis that these morphotypes are within the variation of H. vasiformis rather than being intermediate with H. tuberculata .

Figures

FIG. 9. — Charophytes from Sant Boi, Artés and lateral south-western Formations, Ebro Basin: A-C, Harrisichara vasiformis form vasiformis-tuberculata Feist-Castel,1977, Serrat Rodó,Sobremunt road and Cal Carreter sections; A, apical view, no. 80113 MGSCB sample SBR-1; B, lateral view, no. 80114 MGSCB, sample SBR-1; C, basal view, no.80115 MGSCB, sample SBR-1;D-I, Harrisichara lineata Grambast,1957,El Perers section;D, apical view, no. 80116 MGSCB,sample PE-1; E, lateral view, no. 80117 MGSCB,sample PE-1; F, basal view, no. 80118 MGSCB, sample PE-1; G, lateral view, no. 80119 MGSCB, sample PE-1; H, lateral view, no. 80120 MGSCB, sample PE-1; I, lateral view, no. 80121 MGSCB, sample PE-1; J-L, Harrisichara tuberculata (Lyell, 1826), Oristà, Santa Maria d’Oló, Torre Casanova, Moià, Santpedor, Rubió and Sarral sections and Solivella outcrop; J, apical view, no. 80122 MGSCB, sample MO-1; K, lateral view, no. 80123 MGSCB, sample SO-2; L, basal view, no. 80124 MGSCB, sample MO-1. Scale bar: 500 µm.