A new polyphysacean alga from the Miocene of Romania and its biomineralization.

• DOI: 10.4202/app.00537.2018
• Publication Date: 2019-01-31T14:04:51Z
• Authors: Filippo Barattolo; Viorel Ionesi; Paul Tibuleac
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Romania; Fossil man. Human paleontology; Polyphysaceae; GN282-286.7; Paleontology; Biodiversity; Miocene; biomineralization; QE701-760; 01 natural sciences; Chlorophyta; Ulvophyceae; Dasycladales, Polyphysaceae, biomineralization, Miocene, Sarmatian, Romania.; Sarmatian; Dasycladales; Plantae; Taxonomy

Polyphysacean algal fertile caps from the Sarmatian near Suceava (NE Romania) are here described as a new species, Acetabularia moldavica, ascribed to extant genus due presence of both inferior and superior coronae.Gametangia preserved closely packed within gametophore.The gametangium wall is strongly mineralized SEM observations show acicular aragonite crystals arranged perpendicularly surface.The occurrence cyst walls distinguishes species other three Acetabularia, namely miocaenica, chiavonica, transylvana.Cyst biomineralization in A. moldavica sp.nov., Chalmasia, Halicoryne appears assist distinguishing taxa at level but not level.Four types intracellular can be recognized polyphysaceans according mineralization intergametangial spaces.The attribution an fossil vice-versa problematic when consists spicule (intracellular biomineralization).Two contrasting examples schenckii (extant species) assigned Acicularia (fossil), morelleti (fossil referred (Halicoryne).When it unclear whether possessed one or two coronae, Cenozoic speculative.Therefore, we support view that should only applied species.In addition, aggregates cysts distinguished their possible counterparts (Chalmasia, Halicoryne, ) coronal structures preserved.In literature has been compared with genera Sedalanella Ioanella.The first must considered junior synonym Oroseina.A interpretation Ioanella supplied.The layers conform poorly small ellipsoidal calcareous bodies morelleti.Therefore, propose Patruliuspora for morelleti.