How to translate text using browser tools
29 October 2021 Morphological Variability of Peteinoid Acritarchs from the Middle Ordovician of Öland, Sweden, and Implications for Aacritarch Classification
David M. Kroeck, Mats E. Eriksson, Anders Lindskog, Axel Munnecke, Michel Dubois, Sylvie Régnier, Thomas Servais
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Investigation of large populations of peteinoid acritarchs recovered from Middle Ordovician strata of the Hälludden and Horns Udde quarry sections (Öland, Sweden) allows for statistical analyses based on morphometric measurements. The results indicate the presence of assemblages with a continuous variability of morphotypes, thus a distinction of different peteinoid acritarch taxa in the sections proved to be impossible. This challenges the currently accepted classification based on a differentiation into the three genera Peteinosphaeridium, Cycloposphaeridium and Liliosphaeridium, and a multitude of different species; individual taxa are essentially arbitrary as morphotypes intergrade. Investigations on modern dinoflagellates show that these can develop variable cyst morphologies depending on environmental factors. By analogy, it can be hypothesised that the different morphologies observed among the peteinoid acritarchs from Öland are cysts produced by only very few phytoplanktic organisms (or even a single species) with high morphological variability.

© 2021 AASP – The Palynological Society
David M. Kroeck, Mats E. Eriksson, Anders Lindskog, Axel Munnecke, Michel Dubois, Sylvie Régnier, and Thomas Servais "Morphological Variability of Peteinoid Acritarchs from the Middle Ordovician of Öland, Sweden, and Implications for Aacritarch Classification," Palynology 45(4), 705-715, (29 October 2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/01916122.2021.1916785
Published: 29 October 2021
JOURNAL ARTICLE
11 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
ecophenotypism
Palaeozoic Darriwilian
phytoplankton
taxonomy
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top