This revision paper represents the final report by the InterRad Mesozoic Working Group on the taxonomy and stratigraphy of Mesozoic radiolarians at generic level. The review reports 915 genera and encompasses the type species' illustration of all described nominal genera of Mesozoic radiolarians (superorder Polycystina) from 1867, when the first Mesozoic radiolarian was described, to 2008. This work is organized as an image catalogue of genera, where each type species is re-illustrated with a graphic scale bar indicating its magnification. Associated with each image is the most basic information that allows the reader quick location of the original publication where both genus and type species were described and/or illustrated. The review undergone here confirms the taxonomic validity of all genera according to the ICZN rules. Order and family assignment, synonymies and stratigraphic ranges are also fully analyzed. The review is divided in two parts: the Triassic and the Jurassic-Cretaceous. This division is justified by the low number of taxa crossing the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and by the significant change in morphologic patterns and faunal composition that occurred in the latest Triassic. A further reason justifying such division is the very low number of nomina dubia recorded in the Triassic, as opposed to the higher number in the Jurassic-Cretaceous interval. The main purpose of this catalogue is to enable radiolarian paleontologists to arrive to a satisfactory taxonomic system and establish the standards for future description of new radiolarian genera. The revision also includes a brief stratigraphic synthesis (generic range charts) which are only accessible in the electronic version of the journal.

The Catalogue of Mesozoic radiolarian genera is a revision of all described genera with re-illustration of their type species. This project was organized under the auspices of the International Association of Radiolarian Paleontologists (Inter-Rad), and was carried out by the Mesozoic Working Group. This contribution (Part 1), deals with the Triassic period only. There are 381 known Triassic radiolarian genera. Most have been published since the 1970s following the introduction of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which enabled good pictures for most type species. For this reason the Triassic period is characterized by a very low number of nomina dubia (only 14), contrary to the higher number in the Jurassic-Cretaceous interval. The Mesozoic Working Group has carefully reviewed and reexamined the taxonomy of all available genera, their family assignment and stratigraphic ranges. Following careful comparisons, 73 genera were declared synonyms. The review has also detected 11 cases of homonymy that were duly notified to their authors, and were corrected previous to the publication of this catalogue; unfortunately one homonym still remains. Two invalid nominal genera are also reported herein. The systematic revisions have validated 282 genera for the Triassic, and of these only 30 genera cross the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. At the end of the catalogue 15 additional photos are presented as support for those genera having a poor original illustration of the type species.

The catalogue of Mesozoic radiolarian genera is a revision of all described genera with re-illustration of their type species. This project was organized under the auspices of the International Association of Radiolarian Paleontologists (Inter-Rad), and was carried out by the Mesozoic Working Group. This is the second of two contributions, this one devoted to the Jurassic-Cretaceous period. It contains 581 genera with re-illustration of their type species. This part shares 30 genera in common with the Triassic catalogue, most of which arose in the Carnian, Norian and Rhaetian. The sharp difference manifested between the Triassic fauna and the Jurassic-Cretaceous fauna is so evident that it justifies two independent catalogues. A comparable division between the Jurassic and Cretaceous could not be justified however, because of the similarity of the fauna, and by the greater number of genera crossing the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary which is three times that for the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. A distinct characteristic of Jurassic-Cretaceous genera is the high number of nomina dubia (up to 131), contrary to the low number in the Triassic interval. This reflects, in part, the influence of Haeckelian taxonomy in earlier research on Jurassic-Cretaceous faunas prior to the application of SEM techniques.The Mesozoic Working Group has carefully reviewed and re-examined the taxonomy of all available genera, their family assignment and stratigraphic ranges. Following careful comparisons, 91 genera were declared as synonyms. The review has noted 26 homonyms which were duly notified to their corresponding authors, and were corrected previous to the publication of this catalogue. In spite of this effort, unfortunately nine homonyms still remain. Two invalid nominal genera and two nomina nuda are also reported. The systematic revisions have validated 341 genera for the Jurassic-Cretaceous interval. At the end of this catalogue 24 additional photographs are presented as support for those genera having a poor original illustration of the type species.

O'Dogherty L., De Wever P. & Goričč an Š. 2009. — Historical perspective: 140 years of Mesozoic radio larian taxonomy. Geodiversitas 31 (2) : 357-369.

This paper summarises quantitatively the progress made on the taxonomy of Mesozoic radiolarians over the last 140 years and it provides an overview over 170 years of radiolarian literature. The dataset consists of radiolarian genera and species described as new since 1876. These collections contain 915 genera and 6296 species described in 449 publications. The analysis focuses mainly on a descriptive statistics of the genera collection, ensuing the review carried out by the Mesozoic Working Group of InterRad. Twelve diagrams are presented. They illustrate the yearly production of new species and radiolarian publications since 1834, and the number of new species per Mesozoic period, per radiolarian order, and per most prolific authors. A special attention is given to the quantitative analysis of valid vs. invalid genera (synonyms, homonyms, nomina dubia), that are also related to the age of radiolarians, research period and authors.

Perspective historique: 140 ans de taxonomie des radiolaires mésozoïques.

Cer article résume 140 ans de taxonomie des radiolaires et 170 ans de bibliographie sur ces mêmes organismes. Le jeu de données concerne tous les genres et espèces de radiolaires décrits comme nouveaux depuis 1876 soit 915 noms de genres et 6296 espèces décrits dans 449 publications. L'analyse a été focalisée sur les genres, en cohérence avec le travail mené par le groupe de travail Mésozoïque d'InterRad. Douze diagrammes illustrent les résultats. Ils représentent la production annuelle de nouvelles espèces, le nombre de publications depuis 1834, le nombre de nouvelles espèces par période du Mésozoïque, par ordre de radiolaires, et par auteur. Une attention particulière a été portée sur les noms de genres valides/invalides (synonymes, homonymes, nomina dubia), en fonction des âges, des époques d'étude et des auteurs.

This paper presents, for the first time, a complete list of Mesozoic radiolarian species (mainly Polycistina) described between 1867 and 2008. It records 6296 taxa names described originally as new species or subspecies. The list provides only an objective record without revision of taxonomic status, and thus includes invalid taxa, junior objective or subjective synonyms, nomina dubia and nomina nuda.