Reissella ramonensis Hamaoui, 1963

Reissella ramonensis Hamaoui, 1963 View in CoL

Figure 6 View Fig

T 1963 Reissella ramonensis n. gen, n. sp. – Hamaoui, p. 62, pl. 1, figs. 1-13, text-fig. 1; late Cenomanian, Israel.

? 1965 Reissella ramonensis – Hamaoui, pl. 13, figs. 8-9; Cenomanian, Israel.

1966 Reissella ramonensis – Hamaoui, pl. 5, fig. 8; Cenomanian, Israel.

Non 1966 Reisella ramonensis – Hamaoui, pl. 3, fig. 6. [prob.= Pseudorhipidionina casertana ( De Castro, 1965) ]. Non 1970 Reissella ramonensis – Hamaoui & Saint-Marc, pl. 40, fig. 8. [probably= P. casertana ].

2023 Reisella ramonensis – Simmons & Bidgood, p. 88, fig. 37; late Cenomanian, global review.

Reference Images: Hamaoui (1963) pl. 1 (1-13), fig. 1.

Taxonomy/Identity: This small but internally complex taxon has an uncertain suprageneric status as the nature of its wall has yet to be unequivocally determined as originally porcelaneous or agglutinated. Similarities with the soritid Pseudorhipidionina casertana ( De Castro, 1965) are clearly evident but subtle differences occur, although these may be difficult to determine in all but pristine, well-oriented thin-sections. De Castro (1981) and De Castro in Schroeder & Neumann (1985) remarked on the similarity between P. casertana and R. ramonensis with the former lacking the “rafters” element of the polygonal subepidermal network. P. casertana also appears to have a greater tendency to fully uncoil compared with R. ramonensis . For the present it appears that R. ramonensis is a possibly agglutinated isomorph of P. casertana (see Simmons & Bidgood, 2023, and the species key chart therein for a more extensive discussion), but an unequivocal clarification of its status awaits more material for study.

Confident Stratigraphic Range: late Cenomanian.

Uncertain Stratigraphic Range: not applicable.

Limited records of this taxon from Israel (illustrated) and from Crete (unillustrated; Leppig, 1976) have so far been noted in late Cenomanian or undifferentiated Cenomanian-Turonian strata respectively. A record of Reissella sp. from the Albian of Türkiye ( Solak et al., 2021) is not this species but could be an ancestral form of R. ramonensis or the Pseudorhipidionina group (see Simmons & Bidgood, 2023). A view that R. ramonensis occurs in the Turonian ( Lipson-Benitah, 2009) has been discounted by Simmons & Bidgood (2023).

Geographic Distribution: Very limited distribution in Central Neotethys; Israel and (unconfirmed) Crete (see Simmons & Bidgood, 2023).