Mercedesia, Thomsen & Østergaard, 2015

Thomsen, Helge A. & Østergaard, Jette B., 2015, Coccolithophorids in Polar Waters: Quaternariella and Porsildia gen. nov. Mercedesia gen. nov., Ericiolus,, Acta Protozoologica 54 (3), pp. 155-169 : 157

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.4467/16890027AP.15.013.3210
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2462E075-FFAE-A66F-65D8-FE9FFE79131F
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Mercedesia
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Mercedesia View in CoL gen. nov.

Diagnosis: Small biflagellate coccolithophorids with a short haptonema. Nannoliths monomorphic and star-shaped (triradiate). A lamina sometimes fills the spaces between the three rays of the stellate nannolith. Small organic underlayer scales not observed.

Type species: Mercedesia aspiphora sp. nov.

Etymology: ‘ Mercedesia ’ is used here because of the reminiscence to the three-pointed star in the centre piece of the Mercedes-Benz logo.

Mercedesia View in CoL is a highly distinct genus that cannot be confused with any extant coccolithophorid taxon. Triradiate stellate nannoliths are known from the geological record, e.g. Discoaster triradiatus Tan ( Young 1998) and Marthasterites tribrachiatus (Bramlette & Riedel) Deflandre View in CoL ( Black 1968). Apart from the morphological differences there is also a profound tenfold size difference between these nannofossils and the nannoliths of the type species M. aspiphora and the other species, rendering a direct relationship very unlikely. The calcified nature of the Mercedesia View in CoL coccosphere has been verified by an X-ray elemental analysis of the periplast ( Thomsen et al. 1988).