Lithothamnion valens, Foslie, 1909

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 : 546

? Lithothamnion valens

( Fig. 3A, B)

DESCRIPTION

Thallus fruticose, with protuberances 2898-3017 µm in length and 826-1391 µm in diameter. Thallus monomerous, non-coaxial, cell fusions present both in the VC and PF. Cells of the VC measure 16 to 18 µm in length and 8 to 11 µm in diameter ( Table 1 ). Cells of the PF 8 to 15 µm in length and 8 to 10 µm in diameter ( Table 1 ), squarish to rectangular in shape. Conceptacles not observed.

REMARKS

The vegetative anatomy of the described specimens resembles to some extent to that of Lithothamnion valens Foslie (1909) in having large branched thallus, presence of zonation in the PF and numerous and multiple cell fusions ( Basso et al. 1997). However, owing to absence of conceptacles, this form is only tentatively assignable to the genus Lithothamnion . Lithothamnion valens is one of the most common species of non-geniculate corallines identified in the Austrian Leitha Limestone ( Basso et al. 2008). This species commonly shows a free-living, branching growthform and is endemic in present day Mediterranean Sea. Moussavian (1984) reported its oldest occurrence from the Priabonian of Northern Calcareous Alps. During lower to middle Miocene L. valens was distributed from Iraq to the Tertiary Piedmont Basin. However, the species was restricted to the Mediterranean region starting from the upper Miocene ( Basso et al. 1997).