Gosavisiphon gen. nov. based on Halimeda paucimedullaris SCHLAGINTWEIT&EBLI, 1998: a remarkable macroalga (Udoteaceae?) from the Late Cretaceous of the Northern Calcareous Alps(Austria and Germany) with affinites to Late Paleozoic and Late Triassic phylloids

The new genus Gosavisiphon with the type-species Halimeda paucimedullaris SCHLAGINTWEIT & EBLI, 1998, tentatively referred to the Udoteaceae, is described from the Late Cretaceous (Middle/Late Cenomanian-Santonian) of the Branderfleck Formation and the Lower Gosau Subgroup of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Austria, Germany). It is a plurimillimetric to pluricentimetric marine, hard-substrate dwelling macroalga, with membraneous and partly fused plates and an internal siphonaceous construction but lacking a real medullary zone. Although some thallus details are still unknown, Gosavisiphon gen. nov. can, from a strictly morphological point of view, directly be compared with the Late Palaeozoic and Upper Triassic phylloid algae. Gosavisiphon gen. nov. is the first fossil record of a platy siphonal alga in the Cretaceous, since the Late Triassic Ivanovia triassica REID. The monotypic taxon is most probably endemic to the Northern Calcareous Alps where it dwelled in protected, terrestrially influenced lagoonal environments attaching to hard substrates, (metazoan skeletons, rudistid shells). Based on findings of the cylindrical Halimeda? aff. johnsoni PAL and another taxon described as Halimeda sp. with typically flattened ovate segments, some considerations on the segment-morphological phylogenetic evolution of Halimeda LAMOUROUX are provided. Halimeda species with discoidal-flattened segments, that can morphologically be compared with extant species, are not known prior to the Turonian. Forms possessing cylindrical segments date further back, but can not directly be compared morphologically with modern counterparts, thus placing doubts on the existence of long-lasting methusalemi species by uniting extant and fossil species, as proposed by both botanists and palaeontologists in recent times. The new genus Gosavisiphon with the type-species Halimeda paucimedullaris SCHLAGINTWEIT & EBLI, 1998, tentatively refered to the Udoteaceae, is described from the Late Cretaceous (Middle/Late Cenomanian-Santonian) of the Branderfleck Formation and the Lower Gosau Subgroup of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Austria, Germany). It is a plurimillimetric to pluricentimetric marine, hard-substrate dwelling macroalga with membraneous and partly fused plates and an internal siphonaceous construction but lacking a real medullary zone. Although some thallus details are still unknown, Gosavisiphon gen. nov. can, from a strictly morphological point of view, directly be compared with the Late Paleozoic and Upper Triassic phylloid algae. Gosavisiphon gen. nov. is the first fossil record of a platy siphonal alga in the Cretaceous, since the Late Triassic Ivanovia triassica REID. The monotypic taxon is most probably endemic to the Northern Calcareous Alps where it dwelled in protected, terrestrically influenced lagoonal environments attaching to hard substrates (metazoan skeletons, rudistid shells). Based on findings of the cylindrical Halimeda? aff. johnsoni PAL and another taxon described as Halimeda sp. with typically flattened ovate segments, some considerations on the segment-morphological phylogenetic evolution of Halimeda LAMOUROUX are provided. As one result, Halimeda species with discoidal-flattened segments, that can morphologically be compared with extant species, are not known prior to the Turonian. Forms possessing cylindrical segments date further back, but can not directly be compared morphologically with modern counterparts, thus putting doubts on the existence of long-lasting methusalemi species by uniting extant and fossil species, as proposed by both botanists and palaeontologists in recent times.<--

Neomeris mokragorensis sp. Nov. (Calcareous alga, Dasycladales) from the cretaceous of Serbia, Montenegro and the Northern calcareous Alps, (Gosau group, Austria)

The new species of the genus Neomeris - Neomeris mokragorensis sp. nov. described in this paper from western Serbia originates: from the Albian of Mokra Gora (the succession transgrading on the serpentinite) and from the Turonian of the Skrapež-Kosjerić area (the succession transgrading on the Carboniferous). The presence of this species has been noted in the Turonian of the Kukes and in the Santonian of the Metohija Cretaceous Unit (Mirdita Zone). In the surrounding of Podgorica (Dinaric Carbonate Platform, Montenegro), the same species previously was presented as Neomeris cf cretacea STEINMANN. Well preserved Neomeris specimens from the Turonian to the Santonian strata of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Gosau Group, Austria) previously described as Neomeris circularis BADVE & NAYAK, is assigned to Neomeris mokragorensis sp. nov. Neomeris mokragorensis is characterized by a thin loosed skeleton formed only around ampullae, by which, besides the form of the ampullae, this species is clearly distinct from Neomeris cretacea (Steinmann)

New and poorly known Middle Jurassic larger benthic foraminifera from the Karst Dinarides of Croatia

Some new and poorly known larger benthic foraminifera are described from Middle Jurassic (Upper Aalenian-Bajocian) shallow-water limestones of the Croatian Karst Dinarides. Cymbriaella lorigae FUGAGNOLI is reported for the first time beside its type-locality, the Upper Pliensbachian of the Southern Alps. New taxa described include Bosniella bassoulleti n. sp. and Dubrovnikella septfontainei n. gen., n. sp. (family Biokovinidae). Both Cymbriaella lorigae and Everticyclammina praevirguliana FUGAGNOLI are reported for the first time from Middle Jurassic strata. The new findings allow further insights into the phylogenetic evolution of the larger benthic foraminifera during the Early to Middle Jurassic period.</p

Cretaciclavulina gusici n. gen., n. sp. (?family Valvulinidae BERTHELIN, 1880), a new larger benthic foraminifer from the lower Campanian of Brač Island, Croatia

The larger benthic foraminifera Cretaciclavulina gusici n. gen., n. sp. is described from the lower Campanian Pučišća Formation of the Island of Brač, Croatia. With its elongate test, trochospiral to uniserial coiling, simple chambers, paraporous wall structure, and areal aperture provided with a cribrate apertural plate, Cretaciclavulina is tentatively placed into the family Valvulinidae BERTHELIN, 1880. Besides Neobalkhania bignoti CHERCHI, RADOIČIĆ & SCHROEDER, 1991, Fleuryana adriatica DE CASTRO, DROBNE & GUŠIĆ, 1994, and Reticulinella fleuryi CVETKO, GUŠIĆ & SCHROEDER, 1997, Cretaciclavulina gusici represents the fourth benthic foraminifera newly described from the Upper Cretaceous shallow-water carbonates of Brač Island

The dasycladalean algae of the Plassen Carbonate Platform (Kimmeridgian-Early Berriasian) and the Barmstein Limestone (Late Tithonian): taxonomic inventory and palaeogeographical implications within the platform-basin-system of the Northern Calcareous Alp

The present paper compiles an up-to-date taxonomic inventory of dasycladalean green algae of the Kimmeridgian-Early Berriasian Plassen Carbonate Platform and their resediments in basinal sediments (e.g., Barmstein Limestone, Sillenkopf Formation) of the Northern Calcareous Alps of Austria (p.p. Germany). Today, the Plassen Carbonate Platform sensu lato (or Plassen Group) is divided into three independent carbonate platforms with radiolarite deepwater basins between: the Wolfgangsee Carbonate Platform to the north, the Plassen Carbonate Platform sensu stricto in a central position and the Larchberg Carbonate Platform to the south. All together 42 taxa are reported from these platforms and associated resediments, each shortly commented and illustrated. Amongst these, there are taxa common in all three platforms, others exhibit restricted distributions. These peculiarities can be explained by the different lithostratigraphic and overall geodynamic evolution of the three platforms. In many cases, it allows the assignment of resediments in basinal series to a certain platform as a helpful palaeobiogeographical tool when other data are lacking.</p

Two look-alike dasycladalean algae: Clypeina isabellae masse, Bucur, Virgone & Delmasso, 1999 from the Berriasian of Sardinia (Italy) and Clypeina loferensis sp. N. from the upper Jurassic of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Austria)

New material from the Berriasian of eastern Sardinia, Italy, and from the NW of Sardinia published by PECORINI in 1972 as 'Clypeina sp. A', allows a better characterization and an emended diagnosis of Clypeina isabellae MASSE et al., 1999 from the Berriasian of SW France. Another morphologically somehow similar Clypeina species from the Upper Jurassic of the Northern Calcareous Alps of Austria is described as Clypeina loferensis n. sp. Remarks on the genera Clypeina MICHELIN and Hamulusella ELLIOTT, a Clypeina-type dasycladalean alga with proximal bulged laterals, and Clypeina jurassica-sulcata are also provided

Uteria naghanensis n. sp. (Dasycladale) du Maastrichtien supérieur d' Iran

A new dasycladalean alga is described as Uteria naghanensis n. sp. from the late Maastrichtian Tarbur Formation of the Zagros Zone, SW Iran. It is a small to medium-sized, rather well calcified species with small articles each bearing one fertile ampulla, alternating with close-set verticils of numerous sterile laterals. Another characteristic is its comparably wide main axis. The genus Uteria Michelin was so far only known from the Paleogene (Danian-Lutetian). The discovery of U. naghanensis n. sp. in inner platform wackestone of the Tarbur Fm. documents the origination of the genus already in the uppermost Cretaceous within an area belonging to the Arabian Plate.Une algue dasycladale nouvelle est décrite comme Uteria naghanensis n. sp. du Maastrichtien supérieur de la Formation de Tarbur, Zone de Zagros, sud-ouest de l'Iran. Il s'agit d'une espèce de taille petite à moyenne, assez bien calcifiée, avec des petits articles portant chacun une ampoule fertile, disposés en alternance avec des verticiles serrés de nombreuses latérales stériles. Elle est aussi caractérisée par son axe principal assez large. Le genre Uteria Michelin n'était jusqu'à présent connu que dans le Paléogène (Danien-Lutétien). La découverte d'U. naghanensis n. sp. dans des boues bioclasiques de plate-forme interne de la Formation de Tarbur atteste de l'apparition du genre dès la partie terminale du Crétacé dans un domaine relevant de la Plaque Arabe

Middle Aptian Orbitolinid limestones in Belgrade (Serbia): microfacies and depositional environment

Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) shallow-marine limestones with intercalated polymictic conglomerates were investigated with respect to their biostratigraphic age and their microfacies. They are the younger part of the generally carbonate-siliciclastic Lower Cretaceous deep-water (max. few hundred metres) turbiditic sequences (“Paraflysch”) of the so-called East Vardar zone in the Belgrade area. The biostratigraphic age of the limestones was determined by orbitolinid foraminifera: the co-occurrence of Dictyoconus? pachymarginalis SCHROEDER and Mesorbitolina texana (ROEMER) besides various other microfossils suggest a biostratigraphic age of this shallow- marine limestone succession as middle Aptian (Gargasian). Radiolarite components in the conglomerates are Triassic in age and were derived from the obducted Middle Triassic to Middle Jurassic Neo-Tethys ophiolites and/or their ophiolitic mélanges on the wider Adria plate. From both the first precise biostratigraphic age dating as middle Aptian combined with microfacies analysis of these shallow-marine limestones and the component spectrum in the intercalated conglomerates, it can be concluded that the Lower Cretaceous turbiditic “Paraflysch” succession was deposited on the eastern rim of the Dinarides. The results will allow a better comparison of the different Lower Cretaceous sedimentary successions deposited on the eastern margin of the Dinarides