AROUXINA

Hussain, Rowshi, Rogers, Steven L. & Blackburn, Joel A., 2022, Ovummuridae (calcareous microfossils) from the Much Wenlock Limestone Formation, Shropshire, UK, Palaeontologia Electronica (a 27) 25 (2), pp. 1-24 : 9

Genus AROUXINA

Munnecke, Servais, and Vachard, 2000

Derivation of name. After Alain Roux (1944- 1993), French specialist on Palaeozoic calcareous algae and microproblematica; genus feminine.

Type Species. Arouxina pluricellata , the only species known.

Diagnosis (Modified from Munnecke et al. (2000). The test is free and multi-chambered composed of a cluster of 1-20 fine hemispherical chambers irregularly arranged, not necessarily in one plane. Chambers are finely joined or can be disjointed. The two initial chambers differ in shape from the others. They resemble those of Ovummurus or Minourella but differ by having a functional aperture on the second chamber. The group of initial chambers is dolioliform to ovoid in shape; the other chamberlets are more or less hemispherical or bulbous in rare occasions. The wall is composed of more or less linearly arranged, small calcite tablets.

Remarks. The MWL Fm. specimens show only 1-6 hemispherical chambers. The joining of the hemispherical chambers is sometimes disjointed, and the hemispheres are sometimes bulbous in shape. The material from Wenlock Edge shows Arouxina resembles Minourella gotlandica rather than Ovummurus duoportius but can sometimes be unclear due to cross-sectional cuts. The variation based on the initial dorsal and ventral chamber morphologies could form a potentially new species with further observations.