Reticulinella reicheli (Cuvillier et al., 1969)

Reticulinella reicheli (Cuvillier et al., 1969) View in CoL

Figure 8 View Fig

? 1915 Loftusia libyca nom. nud. – Parona, p. 25; Cenomanian, Libya [probably associated with Praealveolina fide Gohrbandt, 1966 ].

T 1969 Reticulina reicheli gen. et sp. nov. – Cuvillier et al., p. 209-224, pls. 1–3, 8–16, text-figs. 1–10, 12; “late Cenomanian – Turonian, possibly Senonian”, Sirte Basin, Libya [most likely Cenomanian] and ??Maastrichtian, Algeria.

1970 Reticulinella reicheli nom. subst. pro Reticulina Cuvillier et al., 1969 – Bonnefous et al., p. 39.

1970 Reticulinella reicheli – Deloffre & Hamaoui, fig. 5A; Late Cretaceous, Libya.

1972 Ovalveolina ovum (d’Orbigny) View in CoL – Barr & Weegar, pl. 4, fig. 8; [ fide Hamaoui, 1973 ]; Cenomanian, Libya [Cenomanian age is based on identification of O. ovum View in CoL , but see discussion below].

1973 Reticulinella reicheli View in CoL – Hamaoui, pl. 3, figs. 1-3; pl. 6, figs. 4-7; Late Cretaceous, Libya.

Non 1976 Reticulinella cf. reicheli – Luperto-Sinni, p. 323-324, pl. 45, figs. 7-16; Senonian, southern Italy [= Reticulinella fleuryi Cvetko et al. , fide Schlagintweit et al., 2024a ].

Non 1978 Reticulinella cf. reicheli – Luperto-Sinni & Richetti, pl. 50, figs. 1-4; Senonian, southern Italy [= Reticulinella fleuryi Cvetko et al. , fide Schlagintweit et al., 2024a ].

1985 Reticulinella reicheli – Hamaoui in Schroeder & Neumann, p. 41-42, pl. 17, figs. 1-6; late Cenomanian-?Maastrichtian, global review [see discussion below].

Non 1990 Reticulinella cf. reicheli – Gušić & Jelaska, pl. 14, figs. 4-5; Campanian, Croatia [= Reticulinella fleuryi Cvetko et al. , fide Cvetko Tešović et al., 2001 ].

Non 2012 Reticulinella reicheli – Orabi et al., fig. 3G; Cenomanian, Egypt [=probably an alveolinid, fide Schlagintweit et al., 2024a ].

Non 2017 Reticulina reicheli – Ahmadi et al., pl. 1, fig. 1; late Albian – Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros [indeterminate (possibly a cuneolinid?), but not R. reicheli ].

2018 Reticulinella reicheli – BouDagher-Fadel, pl. 5.4, fig. 3; Cenomanian-Turonian, Libya.

Non 2019 Reticulinella reicheli – Kiarostami et al., pl. 2, fig. l; Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros, [= Rabanitina , probably a new species, research ongoing].

Non 2021 Reticulinella reicheli – Yazdi-Moghadam & Schlagintweit, fig. 2H; middle – late Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros, [= Rabanitina , probably a new species, research ongoing].

Non 2021 Reticulinella reicheli – Dousti-Mohajer et al., pl. 3, fig. c; late Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros [probably not a foraminifera].

Non 2021 Rabanitina basraensis – Dousti-Mohajer et al., pl. 1, fig. k; late Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros, [considered by Simmons et al., 2024b to be Reticulinella reicheli but is probably a new species of Rabanitina , reasearch ongoing].

Non 2021 Reticulinella reicheli – Dehghanian & Afghah, fig. 8.7; late Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros, [= Rabanitina , probably a new species, research ongoing].

Non 2024a Reticulinella reicheli – Schlagintweit et al., p. 232-235, figs. 2-3; middle-late Cenomanian, Iranian Zagros, [= Rabanitina , probably a new species, research ongoing].

Reference Images: Cuvillier et al., pls. 1-3, 8-16, text-figs. 1-10, 12.

Taxonomy/Identity: Superficially, Reticulinella is a homeomorph of globular porcellaneous-walled alveolinids (e.g. Ovalveolina ), although in addition to the fundamental nature of the wall, the subepidermal reticulate wall structure is distinct. Some aspects of higher taxonomy remain equivocal. Described as “ microgranulaire, calcaire imperforé avec de très rares éléments agglutinés ” by Hamaoui in Schroeder & Neumann (1985) (= Order Lituolida ), it is assigned to the

Order Loftusiida (“ possessing a bilamellar wall differentiated into an imperforate outer layer, and a thicker inner layer that is perforate ” by Kaminski (2014).

R. reicheli View in CoL is spherical to ovoid, planispiral involute, wall microgranular calcareous, with a reticulate subepidermal network with a series of radial and transverse partitions (“beams” and “rafters” sensu Hottinger, 2006) that are discussed below. Apertures multiple, a row of small round openings near the septum base (see Cuvillier et al., 1969 and Hamaoui in Schroeder & Neumann, 1985 for excellent descriptions and illustrations).

The terms “radial” and “transverse” to describe chamber partitions have been used somewhat inconsistently in the literature when describing Reticulinella View in CoL and similar genera (e.g., see the type descriptions for the taxa included in Table 3). Hottinger (2006) clarified many aspects of LBF morphological terminology. “Radial” partitions run in the direction of growth and are referred to by Hottinger (2006) as “beams”. Herein we use the term “beam” to point to a shell element that extends vertically from the base to the roof of a chamber and thus occupies the entire chamber height. Given the objective difficulties in defining this skeletal element in some Loftusiida View in CoL , this definition does not distinguish whether a “beam” is a primary or secondary chamber partition. In Reticulinella View in CoL they run (in the direction of growth) from one septum towards the next septum, but do not quite reach it, leaving a “preseptal passage”. In some LBF, beam- like structures run between and parallel to the main beams but do not occupy the full chamber height (sometimes called “intercalary beams”; see Figure 7b View Fig ). Transverse partitions on the other hand run parallel with the primary septa and perpendicular to “beams” in the roof of the chamber. They are minor structures compared with “beams” and are termed “rafters” ( Hottinger, 2006). They run across the entire width of the chamber (roof).

In axial sections Reticulinella resembles Ovalveolina ovum (see comments below and compare Schroeder & Neumann, 1985; pl. 17, fig. 2 with text fig. 10) and Barkerina Frizzell & Schwartz 1950 (although that genus has no subepidermal network). Rabanitina Smout, 1956 is superficially similar but with a distinctive trochospiral initial stage.

There are three species of Reticulinella currently recognised: R. reicheli , Reticulinella kaeveri Cherchi, Radoičić & Schroeder, 1989 and Reticulinella fleuryi Cvetko, Gušić & Schroeder, 1997 . R. kaeveri and R. fleuryi are only known from Turonian and younger strata and are smaller, with fewer whorls and lack a genuinely reticulate wall structure. For example, R. kaeveri lacks rafters (Arriaga et al., 2016). In this respect they probably merit removal from the genus Reticulinella (see Schlagintweit et al., 2023a for a discussion of R. kaeveri ). They may have a closer affinity with the Barremian form Praereticulinella cuvillieri Deloffre & Hamaoui, 1970 . There is also an approximately homeomorphic Late Cretaceous form, Cuneospirella samnitica Cherchi, Schroeder & Ruberti 2009 . The morphological differences between all these taxa and Barkerina barkerensis Frizzel & Schwartz, 1950 and O. ovum is summarised in Table 3 and Table 4.

Confident Stratigraphic Range: not applicable.

Uncertain Stratigraphic Range: late Cenomanian – Maastrichtian.

The type material is from Libya (Lidam Formation) and Algeria (Cuvillier et al., 1969). The Algerian material is assigned a Maastrichtian age, but no supporting data is provided. Since location details are scant, this statement cannot be checked. On the other hand, the Lidam Formation of Libya (the primary location of type material) was considered by the authors as late Cenomanian? – Turonian, possibly younger. Most literature (e.g., Hassan & Kendall, 2014; Hallet & Lowes, 2016; Gumati, 2022) assigns the Lidam Formation to the Cenomanian, although definitive proof is lacking. Arguments that Ovalveolina ovum is present (Barr & Weegar, 1972; Hallet & Lowes, 2016) are most likely misidentifications of R. reicheli ( Hamaoui, 1973) creating circular reasoning for the age of R. reicheli in the Lidam Formation. Nonetheless, on a regional basis the Lidam Formation seems most likely to be Cenomanian.

Based on the type description, a range of late Cenomanian – Maastrichtian is given and repeated without substantiation by Arnaud et al. (1981) and Hamaoui in Schroeder & Neumann (1985). Records from the middle – late Cenomanian part of the Sarvak Formation of the Iranian Zagros ( Kiarostami et al., 2019; Dehghanian & Afghah, 2021; Yazdi-Moghadam & Schlagintweit, 2021; Schlagintweit et al., 2024) are considered to represent a new species of Rabanitina , research into which is ongoing. Its presence in the (late) Cenomanian, although likely, must be considered uncertain in the absence of unequivocal calibration. Older (e.g., Orabi et al., 2012; Gheiasvand et al., 2021 – Aptian) and younger records (e.g., Cvetko et al., 1997; Velić, 2007; Benmansour, 2023) are not supported by plausible illustration. Cvetko et al. (1997) and Cvetko Tešović et al. (2001) in discussions of the genus Reticulinella commented that R. reicheli is “most abundant in the Middle Campanian ”. No substantiation for this statement is provided, although Velić (2007) also commented on the presence of the species in the Campanian.

Geographic Distribution: Southern Neotethys, specifically North Africa. Records from the post-Cenomanian in areas such as the Adriatic are doubted to be this species.