Spongites fruticulosus Kützing, 1841

Dey, Rikee, Basso, Daniela, Chakraborty, Arindam, Roy, Lopamudra, Bhaumik, Ajoy Kumar & Ghosh, Amit K., 2023, Rhodolith-forming coralline red algae in the CaCO biofactory - A case study from the Serravallian of tropical northeastern Indian Ocean, Comptes Rendus Palevol 22 (26), pp. 541-567 : 548

Spongites fruticulosus Kützing, 1841

( Fig. 4D, E)

Spongites fruticulosus Kützing, 1841: 33 .

Lithophyllum albanense Lemoine, 1924: 281 .

Spongites albanensis (Lemoine) Braga, Bosence & Steneck, 1993: 544 , pl. 2, figs 1, 3, 4.

DESCRIPTION

Thallus encrusting, monomerous; non-coaxial VC, cells of the VC measure 16 to 24 µm in length and 12 to 18 µm in diameter. Cells of PF irregularly arranged with variable shapes that measure 12 to 22 µm in length and 8 to 18 µm in diameter. Epithallial cells flattened to round, measuring 5 to 7 µm long and 8 to 14 µm in diameter. Cell fusions are present both in the PF and VC ( Table 1 ). Uniporate conceptacles raised above the thallus surface, cell linings in the pore canals more or less parallel to the roof of the conceptacle.

REMARKS

The specimens resemble the material described from the middle Miocene of Gârbova de Sus Formation, Transylvanian Basin, Romania ( Chelaru & Bucur 2016). Spongites fruticulosus Kützing stratigraphically ranges from the Oligocene to Recent ( Chelaru & Bucur 2016 and references therein). This species is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea as a rhodolith-forming coralline alga ( Basso & Rodondi 2006) ( Table 2 ).