Report on the Radiolaria Collected by H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-1876, First Part: Porulosa (Spumellaria and Acantharia): Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-76, Vol. XVIIIHaeckel, Ernst
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Report on the Radiolaria Collected by H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-1876, First Part: Porulosa (Spumellaria and Acantharia): Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-76, Vol. XVIII
Haeckel, Ernst
Radiolaria
C. From the Lias of the Alps and more particularly "from the lower
Liassic beds of the Schafberg near Salzburg," Dr. Emil von Dunikowski in
1882 described 18 species of fossil Radiolaria (L. N. 44, pp. 22-34, Taf.
iv.-vi.); most of these are #Sphæroidea# and #Discoidea# and appear to
have been more or less altered by petrological changes; their spongy
structure is probably secondary.
D. Cretaceous Radiolaria have been hitherto described only in very small
numbers; quite recently Dr. Rüst has found a larger number chiefly in
flints from the English chalk, but they have not yet been published. In
1876 Zittel described 6 very well-preserved species from the upper chalk
of North Germany (L. N. 29, pp. 76-96, Taf. ii.); among them were 1
#Sphæroidea#, 1 #Discoidea#, 1 Dictyocha, and 3 #Cyrtoidea#.
E. Triassic Radiolaria have recently been discovered by Dr. Rüst in
chert, but have not yet been described.
244. _Palæozoic Radiolaria._--The number of Radiolaria which are known from
the Palæozoic or Primary formations is much less than from either the
Mesozoic or Cainozoic periods. Here, however, the investigations of recent
times have yielded important information; a few species, at all events, of
Polycystina (mostly #Sphæroidea#) are now known from various Palæozoic
formations, and not only from the Permian ("Zechstein") and the
Coal-measures, but also from the older Devonian and Silurian systems. Even
in the still older Cambrian rocks a few fossil Radiolaria have been found.
All these Palæozoic Radiolaria are Polycystina of very simple form and
primitive structure, mostly simple SPUMELLARIA (latticed spheres,
ellipsoids, lenses, &c.), but partly also simple NASSELLARIA.
The important discoveries which have recently been made by Dr. Rüst
regarding the occurrence of Radiolaria in all the Palæozoic formations
have not yet been published. From conversations with this estimable
palæontologist I have learned, however, that he has pursued his fruitful
investigation of the Mesozoic quartzites (§ 243), and has met with no
less success in the case of similar Palæozoic structures. Although the
number of species hitherto discovered is relatively small, the important
conclusion appears to be warranted that they extend as far as the
Silurian and Cambrian systems. All these very ancient SPUMELLARIA
(#Sphæroidea#) and NASSELLARIA (#Cyrtoidea#) {clxix}exhibit very
primitive structural relations. The occurrence of fossil Polycystina in
the Carboniferous formation of England has been incidentally mentioned by
W. J. Sollas:--"In the carboniferous beds of North Wales pseudomorphs of
Radiolaria in calcite occur, along with minute quartz crystals" (Ann. and
Mag. Nat. Hist., 1880, ser. 5, vol. vi. p. 439); and in the siliceous
slate-beds of Saxony Rothpletz has shown the existence of a few
#Sphæroidea# (Zeitschr. d. Deutsch. Geol. Gesellsch., 1800, p. 447).
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