Salpingoporella donatae n.sp. (Dasycladales) from Upper Cretaceous Limestone of the Environs of Primosten (Dalmatia, Croatia)

A new species of the dasyclad genus Salpingoporella, S. donatae, is characterized by wavy primary ramifications, which makes it easily distinguishable from other species of the genus. It derives from platy algal pelletal packstones and grainstones from the Lower Coniacian to Campanian deposits of the environs of Primosten, Dalmatia. Uragiella matzi SOKAC & VELIC has already been described from the same deposits

Linoporella vesiculifera n.sp., A New Calcareous Alga (Dasycladales) from the Upper Barremian of Mt. Biokovo (Karst Dinarides, Croatia)

According to all the main characteristics, the new species belongs to the genus Linoporella. At the species-specific level, Linoporella vesiculifera n.sp. is characterized by visibly widened distal ends of the secondary branches, which gives a vesiculiferous appearance to the outer surface of the thallus. The distal widenings are spherically or conically shaped and open outwards in a funnel-like form. A short review of the taxonomic validation of some Linoporella species is also given. The new species is derived from the Barremian deposits of Mt. Biokovo (central Dalmatia, Croatia)

On Some Peri-Mediterranean Lower Cretaceous Dasyclad Species (Calcareous Algae; Dasycladales) Previously Assigned to Different Genera

The taxonomic position of some dasyclad species which were previously assigned to the same taxon or, alternatively, were assigned to different genera by different authors, is discussed and revised, respectively. The material described and figured as Cylindroporella lyrata MASSE & LUPERTO-SINNI is shown to be heterogeneous (also partly described as Salpingoporella robusta SOKAC) and some figured sections are shown to possess new characteristic features. These forms are therefore singled out and described as Biokoviella n.gen. with two species: B. robusta (SOKAC) n.comb. and B. gusici n.sp. Macroporella aptiensis SOKAC is shown to represent the infertile (sterile) forms of Neomeris cretacea STEINMANN and, consequently, has to be regarded as the younger objective synonym of the latter. New material, with clearly visible morphological characteristics, has enabled the “resurrection” of the controversial genus Korkyrella SOKAC & VELIC, 1981, and its species, K. texana (JOHNSON), which was originally invalidly described

Dissocladella bystrickyi n.sp., a New Calcareous Alga (Dasycladaceae) from Upper Triassic Dolomites of Mt. Medvednica (Northern Croatia)

Dissocladella bystrickyi n.sp. occurs in early diagenetic Upper Triassic dolomites, that were deposited in tidal flat and tidal channel environments in the carbonate platform interior. The new alga, assigned to the genus Dissocladella, is characterized by verticillate and distally flattened primary ramifications which give rectangular pores and each bear 5-7 club-shaped secondaries. Its stratigraphic position is probably within the Norian-Rhaetian

Lower and Middle Liassic Calcareous Algae (Dasycladales) from Mt. Velebit (Croatia) and Mt. Trnovski Gozd (Slovenia) with Particular Reference to the Genus Palaeodasycladus (PIA, 1920) 1927 and Its Species

Based on the characteristics of individual species, the generic characteristics of Palaeodasycladus have been determined and enlarged. P. mediterraneus (PIA, 1920) 1927 comprises a broad array of varieties that have been taxonomically distinguished on the basis of the variable shape of primary and secondary branches and the way in which the secondaries emerge. The following varieties are represented: P. mediterraneus (PIA, 1920) 1927 var. mediterraneus, P. mediterraneus var. heraki (SOKAC & NIKLER, 1966) n. comb., P. mediterraneus var. illyricus (SOKAC & NIKLER, 1966) n. comb., P. mediterraneus var. gracilis (CROS & LEMOINE, 1967 ex GRANIER & DELOFFRE, 1993) n. stat., P. mediterraneus var. elongatulus PRATURLON, 1966, and P. mediterraneus var. calciticus n. var., and are characterised by specific skeletal form and easily recognisable calcification pattern. Also, the generic assignment of P. barrabei LEBOUCHÉ & LEMOINE, 1963 ex GRANIER & DELOFFRE, 1993 has been confirmed, in spite of its recent transferral to Eodasycladus by BARATTOLO et al. (1994). The following new species have been described: Palaeodasycladus alanensis n. sp., characterised by broadened, bowl-shaped or bushy swollen primary branches; P. multiporus n. sp., characterised by numerous higher-order branches on each primary branch; P. benceki n. sp., with very large primary branches with extremely variable distal ends; and P. asteriscus n. sp., with loosely spaced whorls and variously directed secondary branches, often growing in opposite directions from the same primary branch. Lower Liassic species, previously ascribed to Fanesella, F. dolomitica and F. anae, have also been assigned to Palaeodasycladus with enlarged generic characteristics and are named, consequently, Palaeodasycladus dolomiticus (CROS & LEMOINE, 1966) n. comb. and P. anae (SOKAC, 1988) n. comb., respectively. Fanesella sokaci BARATTOLO & BIGOZZI, 1996 is considered to be a younger synonym of P. dolomiticus. Phylogenetic relationships between various taxa have also been considered and a phyletic lineage P. barrabei - P. alanensis - P. benceki has been shown to exist. As regards the relationship between Palaeodasycladus and Eodasycladus, the latter has been shown to have evolved directly from P. barrabei by enlarged and more pronounced bubble-shaped swelling of one of the secondary branches, which thus becomes a “sporangia-bearing” organ. Also, a new species tentatively assigned to the genus Selliporella, Selliporella? problematica n. sp., has been described. From its morphological characteristics it represents an intermediate form, and a phylogenetic link between Liassic Palaeodasycladus and Middle Jurassic Selliporella. Finally, a new species, Humiella japodica n. sp. has been described, thereby enlarging the stratigraphic range of the genus Humiella into the Lower Liassic

Salpingoporella robusta n.sp. (Calcareous algae; Dasycladales) from the Upper Barremian - Lower Aptian of Mt. Biokovo, Croatia

Salpingoporella robusta n.sp. (Dasycladaceae) is characterized by a narrow central cavity and comparatively thick calcareous sleeve with large ramifications. The new species was found in deposits which indicate a transitional subtidal-lagoonal to restricted shoal or back reef environment of Upper Barremian or, possibly, Lower Aptian age

Carbonate Platform Megafacies of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Deposits of the Karst Dinarides

Platform carbonate deposits of the Karst Dinarides area have a stratigraphic range from the Middle Triassic (or even Carboniferous in some places) to the Middle Eocene, forming a belt nearly 700 km long and, (after reduction by younger tectonics) 80–210 km wide. Besides their significant thickness (4500 to 8000 m) they are characterised by frequent lateral and vertical alternations of different facies, mostly associated with shallow marine environments. Environments ranging from peritidal through low-energy shallow subtidal–lagoons, restricted inner platform shallows, high-energy tidal bars, beach and shoreface to reefal–perireefal predominate, but there are also carbonate slope deposits and those representing temporarily drowned platform facies and intraplatform troughs. The Jurassic to Cretaceous part of this carbonate succession has been subdivided into 19 megafacies units (9 for the Jurassic and 10 for the Cretaceous), the majority of which represent an inner part of the ancient Adriatic Carbonate Platform. Marginal parts of the platform are mostly buried, either by the recent Adriatic Sea along the SW margin, or younger deposits along the NE margin; at some localities such Jurassic and Cretaceous deposits are represented by debrites and/or carbonate turbidites. An additional short review of the overlying Uppermost Cretaceous and Palaeogene deposits (4 megafacies units) enabled a better insight into the post-platform evolution. The very complex vertical and lateral alternation of different megafacies units, including emerged areas which were observed throughout the studied sequence in different parts of the Karst Dinarides, indicate the significant palaeogeographic dynamics of the region. This variability resulted from interaction of the global eustatic signal and local factors, including extensive organic production on the carbonate platform and synsedimentary tectonics controlled by the specific palaeogeographic position of the platform during its geological history