Microfossils through Time: An Introduction is the first textbook of micropalaeontology addressing undergraduate students. It presents an introduction to each group of microfossils, from bacteria to microscopical debris of vertebrates, demonstrating the broad range of study of this subdiscipline of palaeontology. Not only those groups of microscopic fossils, which are traditionally considered relevant to micropalaeontology, are presented (e.g., dinoflagellates, charophytes, radiolarians, spores and pollen, ostracods, chitinozoans, etc), but also others that often occur in micropalaeontological samples (e.g., bivalves, echinoderms, fish debris, mammalian teeth, etc).
Each of the more than forty microfossil groups is presented in an order that follows the palaeontological classification, with a history of study and a variety of data on morphology, living habitats, stratigraphical distribution and their evolution, as inferred from the fossil record. The text is intended as the starting point for a new generation of textbooks that presents micropalaeontology in a new structure capable of assuring an efficient transfer of expertise to the younger generations of scientists.
Microfossils through Time: An Introduction will help those making their first steps in micropalaeontology to develop defensible models of what microfossils are, laying the foundations for fundamental and applied studies. It introduces micropalaeontology as a tool for conducting applied studies in biostratigraphy, palaeoecology and for palaeobathymetric estimates, basin analysis and reconstructing geological history, or related to sequence stratigraphy. It also addresses students and specialists in biology and genetics, offering a solid data base to be integrated with the other two principal components of the triad of sciences that studies the evolution of life on Earth.
Rationale IX
About the author XI
Acknowledgements XII
Section A – Micropalaeontology; preliminary concepts and generalities 1
Chapter 1: Preliminary concepts 3
1.1 Science and non-science 3
1.2 Fossils, fossilization and the fossil record 4
1.3 Geological time 5
1.4 Lithostratigraphy, time-rock stratigraphy and time stratigraphy 8
1.5 Sedimentary environments and organism mode of life 9
1.6 Theory of Evolution in palaeontology 10
1.7 Taxonomy and classification methods in palaeontology 11
1.8 Typification 13
1.9 The concept of species and species evolution 14
1.10 Major crises in the history of life 16
Chapter 2: Micropalaeontology and microfossils 19
2.1 Microfossils 19
2.2 Birth of micropalaeontology as science 20
2.3 Studying microfossils 22
2.4 Microfossil classification 24
2.5 Micropalaeontological data: sources and nature 26
2.6 Elements of biostratigraphy 27
Section B – Prokaryotes 31
Chapter 3: Division Bacteriophyta 33
Chapter 4: Division Cyanophyta 35
4.1 Fossil cyanophytes and their role in hydrocarbon source rock formation 35
4.2 Stromatolites and their role in life evolution 37
4.3 Oncolites 40
Section C – Plant-like protistans 43
Chapter 5: Division Rhodophyta 45
5.1 Milestones in the rhodophyte early evolution 45
5.2 Thallus morphology 46
5.3 Palaeobathymetry and role in sediment formation 47
Chapter 6: Division Pyrrophyta 51
6.1 Class Dinophyceae 51
6.1.1 Theca morphology 52
6.1.2 Cyst morphology 54
6.1.3 Classification 56
6.1.4 Stratigraphical distribution, evolution and biostratigraphy 58
6.2 Class Ebriophyceae 62
6.2.1 Skeleton morphology 63
6.2.2 Classification 65
6.2.3 Evolution and biostratigraphy 66
Chapter 7: Division Chrysophyta 67
7.1 Class Chrysophyceae 67
7.2 Class Silicoflagellatophyceae 69
7.2.1 Skeleton chemistry and morphological features 70
7.2.2 Classification 73
7.2.3 Palaeoecology and role in sediment formation 74
7.2.4 Fossil record, major evolutionary trends and biostratigraphy 74
Chapter 8: Division Bacillariophyta 77
8.1 Frustule chemical composition and architecture 78
8.2 Classification 80
8.3 Fossil record, evolution and biostratigraphy 80
8.4 Role in sediment formation 84
Chapter 9: Division Haptophyta 86
9.1 Class Coccolithophyceae 86
9.2 Coccolith composition and mineralogy 87
9.3 Coccolith morphology 87
9.3.1 Heterococcoliths 88
9.3.2 Holococcoliths 90
9.3.3 Nannoliths 91
9.4 Coccosphere morphology 93
9.5 Classification 97
9.6 Evolution and role in sediment formation 98
9.7 Biostratigraphy 99
Chapter 10: Division Prasinophyta 101
10.1 Phycoma morphology 102
10.2 Phycoma role in sediment formation 102
Chapter 11: Division Chlorophyta 103
11.1 Class Chlorophyceae 104
11.2 Class Codiolophyceae 106
11.3 Class Bryopsidophyceae 106
11.3.1 Order Bryopsidales 106
11.3.2 Order Dasycladales 108
Chapter 12: Division Charophyta 113
12.1 Thallus morphology 113
12.2 Classification 116
12.3 Biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy 117
Section D – Animal-like protistans 121
Chapter 13: Order Arcellinida (phylum Sarcodina) 123
Chapter 14: Order Euglyphida (phylum Sarcodina) 125
Chapter 15: Class Foraminifera (phylum Sarcodina) 127
15.1 The beginnings of foraminiferal studies 128
15.2 Test nature and mineralogical composition 130
15.3 Test architecture 134
15.3.1 Chamber shape and arrangement 137
15.3.2 Main aperture 141
15.3.3 Sutures and pseudosutures 142
15.3.4 Test views and symmetry 142
15.3.5 Periapertural structures 146
15.3.6 Relict and supplementary apertures 146
15.3.7 Ornamentation and test wall porosity 147
15.4 Classification 151
15.5 Evolution 167
15.6 Biostratigraphy 169
Chapter 16: Class Radiolaria (phylum Sarcodina) 175
16.1 Subclass Polycystina 175
16.1.1 Skeleton architecture and symmetry 176
16.1.2 Classification 180
16.1.3 Role in sediment formation 185
16.1.4 Stratigraphic distribution and biostratigraphy 185
16.2 Subclass Phaeodaria 188
16.3 Subclass Acantharia 191
Chapter 17: Phylum Ciliophora 193
17.1 Lorica morphology 194
17.2 Lorica composition and fossil record 194
17.3 Biostratigraphy and evolution 198
Chapter 18: Phylum Choanoflagellata 201
Section E – Fungi and plants 203
Chapter 19: Kingdom Fungi 205
Chapter 20: Spores and pollen 207
20.1 Chemical composition and wall ultrastructure 208
20.2 Spore morphology 209
20.3 Pollen morphology 212
20.4 Classification 215
20.5 Geological occurrence, evolution and applications 217
Chapter 21: Class Angiospermae; family Poaceae 221
Section F – Invertebrates 223
Chapter 22: Metazoan embryos 225
Chapter 23: Phylum Porifera 227
23.1 Microscleres and macroscleres 227
23.2 Classification 229
23.3 Earliest sponges: true microfossils 230
Chapter 24: Phylum Conulata 232
Chapter 25: Phylum Cnidaria 235
25.1 Subclass Octocoralia 235
Chapter 26: Superphylum Lophophorata 238
26.1 Phylum Brachiopoda 238
26.2 Phylum Bryozoa 239
Chapter 27: Phylum Mollusca 243
27.1 Juvenile molluscs 244
27.2 Class Helcionelloida 245
27.3 Class Gastropoda; superfamily Pterotracheoidea 246
27.4 Class Gastropoda; order Thecosomata 247
27.5 Class Bivalvia; family Inoceramidae 248
27.6 Class Cephalopoda; subclasses Nautiloidea and Ammonoidea 249
27.7 Class Cephalopoda; subclass Coleoidea 251
Chapter 28: Phylum Coniconcha 252
Chapter 29: Phylum Hyolitha 254
Chapter 30: Phylum Annelida 256
30.1 Class Polychaeta; order Eunicida 256
Chapter 31: Phylum Arthropoda, excepting ostracods 258
31.1 Superclass Trilobitomorpha; order Agnostida 258
31.2 Superclass Crustacea 260
31.2.1 Class Branchiopoda; order Conchostraca 260
31.2.2 Class Cirripedia 261
31.2.3 Class Malacostraca, order Mysidacea 263
31.2.4 Class Malacostraca, order Decapoda 264
31.3 Superclass Hexapoda; class Insecta 265
31.4 Earliest land arthropods 268
Chapter 32: Phylum Arthropoda, class Ostracoda 270
32.1 Carapace components, composition and orientation 272
32.2 Carapace internal features 274
32.2.1 Free margin morphology 274
32.2.2 Hinge 275
32.2.3 Soft body impressions 277
32.3 Carapace external features 279
32.3.1 Outlines 279
32.3.2 Surface lobation, sulcation and truncation 280
32.3.3 Ornamentation 281
32.4 Sexual dimorphism 282
32.5 Carapace porosity 283
32.6 Classification 283
32.6.1 Order Archaeocopida 284
32.6.2 Order Leperditicopida 284
32.6.3 Order Palaeocopida 285
32.6.4 Order Podocopida 285
32.6.5 Order Platycopida 288
32.6.6 Order Myodocopida 289
32.7 Ecology and palaeoecology 291
32.8 Major trends in ostracod evolution 293
Chapter 33: Phylum Chaetognatha 295
Chapter 34: Phylum Echinodermata 296
34.1 Class Crinoidea 298
34.2 Class Asteroidea 299
34.3 Class Ophiuroidea 299
34.4 Class Echinoidea 299
34.5 Class Holothuroidea 301
Section G – Chordates and vertebrates 305
Chapter 35: Phylum Tunicata 307
Chapter 36: Phylum Conodonta 309
36.1 Conodont element composition and morphology 310
36.1.1 Coniform conodont elements 311
36.1.2 Ramiform conodont elements 313
36.1.3 Pectiniform conodont elements 314
36.2 Conodont element internal structure and growth 315
36.3 Morphology of the whole chewing apparatus 317
36.4 Classification 318
36.5 Palaeoecology 320
36.6 Evolution and biostratigraphy 323
Chapter 37: Superclass Pisces 325
37.1 Teeth 326
37.2 Dermal sclerites 327
37.3 Otoliths 328
Chapter 38: Class Reptilia; order Dinosauria 329
Chapter 39: Class Mammalia 331
39.1 Mammalian tooth composition, morphology and orientation 331
39.2 Order Multituberculata 333
Section H – Microproblematica 335
Chapter 40: Microproblematica and incertae sedis taxa 337
Chapter 41: Group incertae sedis Acritarcha 339
41.1 Vesicle morphology 341
41.2 Classification 343
41.3 Palaeoecology and stratigraphical distribution 344
Chapter 42: Group incertae sedis Chitinozoa 348
42.1 Vesicle morphology 348
42.2 Chitinozoan systematic position 351
42.3 Classification 352
42.4 Palaeoecology, biostratigraphy and evolution 352
Cited references 355
Index of Generic Names 393