New dasycladalean alga with unusual two types of laterals from the Palaocene deposits of Konavle, SE of Dubrovnik (Dinarides, Croatia)

Abstract

A new distinctive calcareous alga Filippoporella barattoloi n. gen n. sp., coming from the rich Lower Palaeogene algal assemblage (partly known from Radoičić, 2004) of the Pločice locality, is described. It is characterized by slightly claviform thallus, bearing whorls with two types of laterals of different form and function. In the lower (older) part of thallus, whorls contain sterile laterals of the Dissocladella-type. Going upwards, globular fertile laterals with several secondaries start to appear, at first irregularly inserted between sterile whorls. In the upper part of the thallus, whorls with different types of laterals alternate quite regularly, giving the appearance to that part of the thallus similar to Chinianella, as distinct from the lower, Dissocladella-type, part. The accompanying algal assemblage points to the uppermost Selandian-Thanetian, which is also confirmed by the accompanying foraminiferal species.