Title: Morphology and Affinity of the Planktonic Foraminifer Cassigerinelloita amekiensis Stolk and Reclassification of Cassigerinelloita Stolk
Abstract: Cassigerinelloita amekiensis Stolk occurs abundantly in lower middle Eocene samples from the Southern Kerguelen Plateau, drilled during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 120 (Hole 749B).It showed little morphological change during its rather short evolutionary history.Because of its microperforate, pustulate wall and a triserial, pseudoplanispiral coiling mode, C. amekiensis appears to be related closely to co-occurring Guembelitria triseriata (Terquem).These affinities indicate that the taxa are phylogenetically related and should be classified together in the family Guembelitriidae.The potential paleoceanographic importance of these forms is also discussed.