Reinterpretation of "Palaeodasycladus" (Chlorophyta, Dasy­cla­dales) from the Lower Jurassic of the Tatra Mountains, Poland

Abstract

The green alga Palaeodasycladus (Pia, 1920) was recognized in shallow marine, high-energy cal­carenites from the Lower Jurassic Choč Nappe (Hronicum domain) in the Tatra Mountains of Poland. The algal structure is described here. The calcareous skeleton has a regular internal cavity, probably close to the central axis, but very irregular outwardly, enveloping the primary laterals at different lengths. The general shape of the thallus is spherical, with only long, acrophorous primary laterals, prob­ably forming a distal cortex. The external gametophores are attached laterally to the primary lat­er­als. The characteristics allow the alga to be assigned not to Palaeodasycladus (Pia, 1920) but to Go­nio­lina Orbigny, 1850.  
The new species Goniolina tatrarum n.sp. is here established. A critical review of the genus Goniolina Or­bigny, 1850, and its type species is also provided. The genus Goniolina Orbigny appears to have been represented so far solely by G. hexagona Orbigny, 1850. G. geometrica Buvignier, 1852, and G. mi­craster Buvignier, 1852, are considered valid and separate species to be assigned to Coniporella Fisher & Thierry, 1971.            
Sphae­rites regularis Quenstedt, 1852, a supposed junior synonym of Goniolina geometrica (Roemer, 1839), is provisionally assigned to the genus Tersella J. Morellet in J. Morellet & Ters, 1952, and in­di­cat­ed as Tersella (?) regularis (Quenstedt, 1852).