FIRST RECORD OF HARLANJOHNSONELLA ANNULATA ELLIOTT IN GRANIER & DELOFFRE, 1993, NON 1968, A TRIPLOPORELLACEAN ALGA IN UPPER BARREMIAN-LOWERMOST BEDOULIAN STRATA OF LEBANON
International audienceHarlanjohnsonella annulata Elliott in Granier & Deloffre, 1993, non 1968, was originally described from Cenomanian strata in Serbia. Herein, we report its first occurrence outside the type area, i.e., in Lebanon, and in older strata, i.e., earliest Bedoulian or Late Barremian in age. Our specimens are compared with topotypic material. The species was recently revised by Radoičić & Schlagintweit who transferred it to the genus Dissocladella. However, we never observed any secondary branch and therefore we cannot agree with their interpretation. In addition on the basis of calculations and comparisons of the volume ratio of several species, either fossil (Montiella elitzae and Triploporella steinmannii) and living (Dasycladus vermicularis and Neomeris dumetosa) Dasycladalean algae, we assume that Harlanjohnsonella annulata was more probably an endosporate form rather than a cladosporate form
