Melanosclerite
| Melanosclerite Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria (?) |
| Order: | †Melanoscleritoitidea Eisenack, 1963 |
| Family: | †Melanoscleritoitidae Eisenack, 1942 |
The Melanosclerites are a group of problematic microfossils obtained by palynological processing.
Morphology
The form-taxon contains a wide array of rod-like fossils, 100 μm to some mm long, that culminate in a broad bulbous 'head', often separated from the stalk by a constriction.[1] The bulbous end may bear broad 'prongs', giving the appearance of the end of a human femur where the prongs are paired, although the prongs often occur in higher number – five, six, a dozen – with some resemblance to Namacalathus.[2]
Affinity
The affinity of melanosclerites is uncertain; algal has been proposed, but hydrozoan (cnidarian) is preferred, though not conclusively established.[1] Melanoscleritoites Eisenack, 1963 is interpreted as a
Occurrence
They have been reported in shallow marine
Taxa include:
- Eichbaumia Schallreuter, 1981
- Eichbaumia incus Schallreuter, 1981
- Melanoarbustum Górka, 1971
- Melanoarbustum balticum Górka, 1971
- Melanoclava Eisenack, 1942
- Melanoclava betaotda Eisenack, 1942
- Melanocyathus Eisenack, 1942
- Melanocyathus dentatus Eisenack, 1942
- Melanoporella Górka, 1971
- Melanoporella polonica Górka, 1971
- Melanoporella bulla
- Melanoporella clava Schallreuter, 1981
- Melanorhachis Eisenack, 1942
- Melanorhachis regularis Eisenack, 1942
- Melanoscleritoites Eisenack, 1963
- Melanosteus Eisenack, 1942
- Melanosteus acutus Eisenack, 1942
- Melanostylus Eisenack, 1963
- Melanostylus coronifer Eisenack, 1963
- Menola Schallreuter, 1981
- Menola os Schallreuter, 1981
- Mirachitina Eisenack, 1963
- Mirachitina quadrupedis Eisenack, 1963
- Semenola Schallreuter, 1981
- Semenola semen Schallreuter, 1981
References
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