New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics abstracts

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Torlessia mackayi and other foraminifera from the Torlesse Terrane, New Zealand

M. J. HANNAH

Research School of Earth Sciences
Victoria University of Wellington
P.O. Box 600
Wellington, New Zealand

H. J. CAMPBELL

Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd
P.O. Box 30 368
Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Abstract  Fossils recovered from the Rolleston Range, Canterbury, are identified as belonging to the foraminiferal genus Hormosina. Comparison of the wall structure of these Hormosina and the common tube fossil Torlessia mackayi suggest that this too is a foraminifer rather than an annelid. Confirmation of this comes primarily from the discovery of several hundred specimens of T. mackayi in an outcrop near Sinclair Head, southwest Wellington. This has allowed a relatively broad range of variation within T. mackayi to be appreciated. A close comparison of this population with the foraminiferal genus Bathysiphon reveals that the two forms are almost identical. However, the presence of longitudinal striations on T. mackayi is sufficient to preclude incorporation of this species within Bathysiphon. Hence, the genus Torlessia is here transferred to the foraminiferal family Bathysiphonidae Avnimelech, 1952.

Keywords  Hormosina; Torlessia mackayi; foraminifera; Bathysiphonidae; Torlesse Terrane

New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 1996, Vol. 39: 75-81

0028-8306/96/0075 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1996

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (2619K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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