Retecapsa ficula

Coccolithites ficula Stover, 1966

Heterorhabdus primitivus Perch-Nielsen, 1973; non-pl. 1, fig. 8 (holotype); pl. 1 fig. 3; pl. 10, figs. 39-40.

Species of Retecapsa comprise a cretarhabdid pelaga sloping towards the central area, composed of inclined segments that are typically weakly clockwise-imbricated, though rarely non-imbricate, and a distally arched central area lacking both an axial cross and a distal process.

Proximally, axially aligned elements occupy the median portion of the central area. Approximately twelve closely spaced lateral bars are present; they are irregularly arranged and may define very narrow pores, which are resolvable only under bright-field and phase-contrast illumination.

Optical properties consistent with those of Retecapsa.

Retecapsa ficula differs from Retecapsa primitiva in having approximately twelve lateral bars in the central area, whereas the latter has approximately eight lateral bars.

Burnett, J. A., 1997c. New species and new combinations of Cretaceous nannofossils and a note on the origin of Petrarhabdus (Deflandre) Wise & Wind. Journal of Nannoplankton Research 19(2), 133-146.

Perch-Nielsen, K. 1973c. Neue Coccolithen aus dem Maastrichtien von Danemark, Madagaskar und Agypten. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark. 22: 306-333.

Stover, L. E. 1966. Cretaceous coccoliths and associated nannofossils from France and the Netherlands. Micropaleontology 12(2): 133-167.