Belongs within: Globothalamea.
Contains: Fursenkoinidae, Glabratellidae, Chilostomellidae, Astrononionina, Almaenidae, Nonion, Florilus, Planorbulinida, Lepidocyclinidae, Orbitoididae, Lepidorbitoididae, Rotalioidea, Discocyclinidae, Pellatispiridae, Nummulitidae, Cycloclypeus, Heterosteginidae, Discorbidae, Alabaminidae, Osangulariidae, Globigerinana, Uvigerinidae, Bolivinitida, Sphaeroidinoidea, Cassidulinidae, Buliminidae, Rosalinida, Turrilinidae.
The Rotaliida are a diverse group of Foraminifera, characterised by a perforate test composed of radial calcite. The planktonic Globigerinida, though commonly treated as a separate group, are phylogenetically nested within the rotaliids (Pawlowski et al. 2013). Other subgroups of the Rotaliida include the Serioidea in which the test possesses serial chambers. The Triassic to Recent Discorbida possess trochospiral tests lacking an inner canal system. The Nummulitida have planispiral tests with a highly developed inner canal system involving a marginal cord. The Rotalioidea are planispiral to trochospiral and possess a cover plate.
The Rotaliida: building a wall
Published 9 July 2012
The foraminifers have been featured on this site a number of times before, when various members of this diverse group of unicellular organisms have been introduced. Today, I thought I’d take a look at the broader classification of forams through the lens of one of their major subgroups, the rotaliidans.
The earliest classifications of forams divided them on the basis of the number and arrangement of chambers within the test, but over time the composition of the test walls came to be also recognised as an important feature (Haynes 1990). This reached an apotheosis of sorts in the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology classification of Loeblich and Tappan (1964), in which the forams were divided between five suborders primarily on the basis of test composition. These were the Allogromiina (with membranous or chitinous tests), Textulariina (with agglutinated tests) and three suborders with calcareous tests but differing wall structures: the microgranular Fusulinina, the porcelaneous, imperforate Miliolina and the hyaline, perforate Rotaliina (other authors would treat these groups as orders, with the suffix -ida instead of -ina). However, later authors (including Loeblich and Tappan themselves) regarded this classification as somewhat oversimplified, and divided groups such as the planktonic rather than benthic Globigerinida, the aragonitic rather than calcitic Robertinida, the Lagenida with monolamellar rather than bilamellar walls, and the high-spired or serial rather than planispiral Buliminida from the Rotaliida proper (Haynes 1990). However, many of the subdivisions within forams remained somewhat artificial, and potentially did not reflect true evolutionary relationships.
Molecular phylogenetics of forams got off to a fairly rocky start. For various reasons, extraction of reliably genetic samples from forams is a difficult process (for instance, their tendency to live in symbiotic associations makes contamination a continuing issue). However, studies have progressed to the point where a broad outline is beginning to emerge. One significant agreement between studies has been the monophyly of forams with a perforate calcareous test (Flakowski et al. 2005; Schweizer et al. 2008). The ‘Globigerinida’ and ‘Buliminida’ have both been shown to fall within this clade, and should probably not be distinguished from the Rotaliida. No representatives of the Lagenida or Robertinida appear to have been analysed molecularly; the lagenidans may be an independent lineage, while the robertinidans may be closely related to the Rotaliida (Sen Gupta 2002).
Within the Rotaliida, the most extensive molecular analysis has been that of Schweizer et al. (2008), whose results support a division between three main clades. Though reasonably well supported molecularly, these clades do not correspond to morphological divisions: the ‘Buliminida’, for instance, are divided between at least two clades. The planktonic forms may also be polyphyletic within the Rotaliida, though analyses have been inconsistent on their exact position in the clade (and Schweizer et al. do not include any globigerinidans in their analysis). Not all molecular results clash with the morphology, though: the Nummulitidae, a group of giant discus-shaped forams that get up to five centimetres in diameter, are one of a number of families that remain supported by either data source.
Systematics of Rotaliida
Characters (Pawlowski et al. 2013): Wall of low magnesium calcite, optically radial, bilamellar, perforate; internal canal system may be present; may be planktonic.
<==Rotaliida (see below for synonymy)
|--Pullenia Parker & Jones in Carpenter, Parker & Jones 1862PHT13, LT64 [Pullenidae, PulleniinaeM13]
| |--*P. bulloides (d’Orbigny 1846)LT64 [=Nonionina bulloidesH03; incl. N. sphaeroides d’Orbigny 1826 (n. n.)LT64]
| |--P. coreyelliC40
| |--P. quinqueloba (Reuss 1851) [=Nonionina quinqueloba]H03
| |--P. salisburyi Stewart & Stewart 1930H03
| `--P. subcarinataPHT13
|--+--PlanorbulinidaPHT13
| `--Orbitoidida [Orbitoidacea, Orbitoidoidea]B-F08
| |--LepidocyclinidaeM13
| |--OrbitoididaeM13
| |--LepidorbitoididaeM13
| |--Droogerinella Popescu & Brotea 1995 [Droogerinellidae]M13
| |--Orbitosiphon Rao 1940LT64 [OrbitosiphonidaeM13]
| | |--*O. punjabensis (Davies in Davies & Pinfold 1937) [=Lepidocyclina (Polylepidina) punjabensis]LT64
| | `--O. praepunjabensisB-F08
| `--LinderinidaeM13
| |--Caudriella Haman & Huddleston 1984B-F08
| | `--C. ospinae (Caudri 1974)B-F08
| `--Linderina Schlumberger 1893LT64
| |--*L. brugesi Schlumberger 1893LT64
| |--L. buranensisB-F08
| `--L. floridensisB-F08
|--+--RotalioideaPHT13
| `--Nummulitida [Nummulitacea, Nummulitoidea]M13
| | i. s.: DiscocyclinidaeM13
| | PellatispiridaeM13
| | Asterocyclina Gümbel 1870LT64 (see below for synonymy)
| | |--A. stellata (d’Archiac 1846) (see below for synonymy)LT64
| | |--‘*Cisseis’ astericus Guppy 1886LT64
| | |--A. georgiana [=Discocyclina (Asterocyclina) georgiana]C40
| | |--‘*Asteriacites’ patellaris von Schlotheim 1822LT64
| | |--‘Orthophragmina pentagonalis’ Deprat 1905 (see below for synonymy)LT64
| | |--‘*Orthocyclina’ soeroeanensis van der Vlerk 1933LT64
| | |--A. stella (Gümbel 1861)HSA97 [=Hymenocyclus stellaHSA97, Discocyclina (Asterocyclina) stellaC40]
| | `--‘Orthophragmina (*Asterodiscocyclina)’ stewarti Berry 1928LT64
| |--NummulitidaePHT13
| `--+--CycloclypeusB-F08
| `--HeterosteginidaeB-F08
|--DiscorbidaM13
| |--DiscorbinoideaM13
| | |--DiscorbidaePHT13
| | `--Torresina Parr 1947LT64 [TorresinidaeM13]
| | `--*T. haddoni Parr 1947LT64
| `--AlabaminoideaM13
| |--AlabaminidaeLT64
| |--OsangulariidaeM13
| |--Coleites Plummer 1934LT64 [ColeitidaeM13]
| | `--*C. reticulosa (Plummer 1927) [=Pulvinulina reticulosa]LT64
| |--Quadrimorphina Finlay 1939LT64 [=Gyromorphina Marie 1941LT64; QuadrimorphinidaeM13]
| | `--*Q. allomorphinoides (Reuss 1860) [=Valvulina allomorphinoides]LT64
| `--GloborotalitidaeM13
| |--Conorotalites Kaever 1958HW93
| | `--*C. aptiensis (Bettenstaedt 1952) [=Globorotalites bartensteini aptiensis]LT64
| `--Globorotalites Brotzen 1942LT64
| |--*G. multisepta (Brotzen 1936) [=Globorotalia multisepta]LT64
| `--G. michelinianaLT64
|--+--GlobigerinanaPHT13
| `--SerioideaAB19
| | i. s.: Globobulimina Cushman 1927LT64 [incl. Desinobulimina Cushman & Parker 1940LT64; GlobobuliminidaeAB19]
| | |--*G. pacifica Cushman 1927LT64
| | |--G. affinisJW99
| | |--G. auriculata (Bailey 1851)H03 [=Bulimina auriculataH03, B. (*Desinobulimina) auriculataLT64]
| | | |--G. a. auriculataLT64
| | | `--G. a. gullmarensisLT64
| | |--G. perversa (Cushman 1921) [=Bulimina pyrula var. perversa]H03
| | |--G. spinensisJW99
| | `--G. turgidaLT64
| |--UvigerinidaePHT13
| |--BolivinitidaAB19
| |--SphaeroidinoideaAB19
| `--CassidulinidaM13
| |--CassidulinidaeAB19
| |--CassidinidaeM13
| |--Cassidulinita Suzin 1952HW93 (see below for synonymy)
| | `--*C. prima Suzin in Voloshinova & Dain 1952LT64
| `--OrthoplectidaeM13
| |--Orthoplecta Brady 1884LT64
| | `--*O. clavata (Brady 1884) [=Cassidulina (*Orthoplecta) clavata]LT64
| `--Elongobula Finlay 1939M13
| `--*E. chattonensis Finlay 1939 [=Buliminoides chattonensis]LT64
`--+--BuliminidaePHT13
`--+--Melonis de Montfort 1808PHT13, LT64 (see below for synonymy)
| |--M. pompilioides (Fichtel & Moll 1798) (see below for synonymy)LT64
| |--M. affinisLJ98
| |--M. barleeanumJW99
| |--M. maoricaH90
| |--M. nicobarensis (Cushman 1963) [=Nonion nicobarensis]H03
| |--‘Rotalia’ tuberculifera Reuss 1862 [=Gavelinonion tuberculiferum]LT64
| |--‘Nautilus’ umbilicatulus Walker & Jacob in Kanmacher 1798 [=*Gavelinonion umbilicatulum]LT64
| `--M. zaandamiLT64
`--+--RosalinidaPHT13
`--Turrilinina [Turrilinacea]M13
|--TurrilinidaeM13
|--Tosaia Takayanagi 1953LT64 [TosaiidaeM13]
| `--*T. hanzawai Takayanagi 1953LT64
|--Praeplanctonia Georgescu 2009 [Praeplanctonidae, Praeplanctoniidae]M13
| `--*P. globifer Georgescu 2009M13
|--VirgulinellidaeM13
| |--Pseudobulimella de Klasz et al. 1964HW93
| `--Virgulinella Cushman 1932LT64 [VirgulinellidaeM13]
| |--*V. pertusa (Reuss 1861) [=Virgulina pertusa]LT64
| |--V. gunteri [=Virgulina (Virgulinella) gunteri]C40
| `--V. miocenica [=Virgulina (Virgulinella) miocenica]C40
`--StainforthiidaeHW93
|--GallitelliaAB19
|--Hopkinsina Howe & Wallace 1932HW93
| `--*H. danvillensis Howe & Wallace 1932LT64
`--Stainforthia Hofker 1956PHT13, LT64
|--*S. concava (Höglund 1947) [=Virgulina concava]LT64
`--S. fusiformisPHT13
Rotaliida incertae sedis:
LoxostominaS05
|--L. costulatumS05
|--L. limbataS05
`--L. sorangensis (Haque 1960) [=Bolivina sorangensis]HSA97
Fontbotia wuellerstorfi (Schwager 1866)G91, H03 [=Anomalina wuellerstorfiH03]
Paracibicides edomicaS05
Rugobolivinella pendensS05
FursenkoinidaeM13
Glabratellida [Glabratellacea, Glabratelloidea]M13
|--GlabratellidaeLT64
|--Buliminoides Cushman 1911LT64 [BuliminoididaeM13]
| `--*B. williamsonianus (Brady 1881)LT64, A68 [=Bulimina williamsonianaLT64]
|--Heronallenia Chapman & Parr 1931LT64 [HeronallenidaeM13]
| |--*H. wilsoni (Heron-Allen & Earland 1922) [=Discorbina wilsoni]LT64
| |--H. lingulataS05
| `--H. parriQ72
`--RotaliellidaeM13
|--Rossyatella Pawlowski & Zaninetti 1993M13
`--Rotaliella Grell 1954LT64
|--R. heterocaryotica Grell 1954LT64
`--R. roscoffensisMS98
Chilostomellida [Chilostomellacea]M13
|--ChilostomellidaeM13
|--ChilostominidaeM13
|--Lublinella Gawor-Biedowa 1987G-B87 [LublinidaeM13]
| `--*L. lublinensis Gawor-Biedowa 1987G-B87
`--Pallaimorphina Tappan 1957LT64 [PallaimorphinidaeM13]
`--*P. ruckerae Tappan 1957 [=Quadrimorphina ruckerae]LT64
AstrononioninaM13
NonionaceaHW93
|--AlmaenidaeHW93
|--Nonionidae [Nonioninae]HW93
| |--NonionH03
| |--NonionoidesAB19
| |--Nonionellina Voloshinova 1958AB19, LT64
| | `--*N. labradrica (Dawson 1860)LT64, H03 [=Nonionina labradricaH03]
| |--Chilostomellina Cushman 1926LT64
| | `--*C. fimbriata Cushman 1926LT64
| |--Cribropullenia Thalmann 1937 [=Antillesina Galloway & Heminway 1941]LT64
| | `--*C. marielensis (Palmer 1936) [=Nonion marielensis, *Antillesina marielensis]LT64
| |--FlorilusLT64
| `--Spirotecta Belford 1961LT64
| `--*S. pellicula Belford 1961LT64
`--Nonionella Cushman 1926HW93 [NonionellidaeM13]
|--*N. miocenica Cushman 1926LT64, H03 [incl. N. miocenica var. stella Cushman & Moyer 1930H03]
|--N. auris (d’Orbigny 1839)A68
|--N. bradyiJW99
|--N. globosa Ishiwada 1950 [incl. N. higashiyamaensis Matsunaga 1963]H03
|--N. novozealandicaH90
|--N. turgida (Williamson 1858) [=Rotalina turgida]H03
`--N. zenitens Finlay 1940HSA97
Caucasinidae [Caucasinina]M13
|--Epistominitella Poroshina 1966HW93
|--Baggatella Howe 1939LT64 [BaggatellinaeM13]
| `--*B. inconspicua Howe 1939LT64
`--Caucasina Khalilov 1951LT64 [incl. Aeolostreptis Loeblich & Tappan 1957LT64; CaucasininaeM13]
|--C. schischkinskayae (Samoylova 1947) [=Bulimina schischkinskye; incl. *C. oligocenica Khalilov 1951]LT64
`--C. vitrea (Cushman & Parker 1936) [=Buliminella vitrea, *Aeolostreptis vitrea]LT64
SpirotectinidaeM13
Reussellidae [Reussellinae, Reussiinae]M13
|--Chrysalidinella Schubert 1908HW93 [incl. Chrysalidinoides Uchio 1952LT64]
| |--*C. dimorpha (Brady 1881) [=Chrysalidina dimorpha]LT64
| `--C. pacifica (Uchio 1952) [=*Chrysalidinoides pacificus]LT64
`--Reussella Galloway 1933 [=Reussia Schwager 1877 non McCoy 1854]LT64
|--*R. spinulosa (Reuss 1850) [=Verneuilina spinulosa, *Reussia spinulosa]LT64
|--R. armataS05
|--R. attenuata Hornibrook 1961HSA97
`--R. simplexS05
BuliminellidaeM13
|--Quadratobuliminella de Klasz 1953HW93
| `--*Q. pyramidalis de Klasz 1953LT64
`--Buliminella Cushman 1911LT64
|--*B. elegantissima (d’Orbigny 1839) [=Bulimina elegantissima]LT64
|--B. basicostata Parr 1950A68
|--B. carseyaeC40
|--B. creta [=Elongobula creta]LT64
|--B. garcilis Collins 1953A68
`--B. grataH90
BiedagranciszkinidaeM13
Trimosina Cushman 1927LT64 [TrimosinidaeM13]
|--*T. milletti Cushman 1927LT64
`--T. spinulosa [=Mimosina spinulosa]C40
PappinidaeM13
Tubulogenerinidae [Tubulogenerinina]M13
|--Rectobulimina Marie 1956M13, LT64
| `--*R. carpentierae Marie 1956LT64
`--Tubulogenerina Cushman 1929LT64
|--*T. tubulifera (Parker & Jones 1863) [=Textularia (Bigenerina) tubulifera]LT64
|--T. mooraboolensisC40
|--‘Bifarina’ reticulosaLT64
`--‘Bifarina’ zanzibarensisLT64
Nuttallides Finlay 1939C40 [NuttalidaeAB19, Nuttalidininae]
`--*N. trumpyi (Nuttall 1930) [=Eponides trumpyi]LT64
Rubratella Grell 1956LT64 [RubratellidaeAB19]
`--*R. intermedia Grell 1956LT64
Murrayinella [Murrayinellidae]AB19
Nomen nudum: Nonionella aberrans Rhumbler in Anonymous 1949LT64
Asterocyclina Gümbel 1870LT64 [=Asterodiscus Schafhäutl 1863 nec Ehrenberg 1840 nec Gray 1847LT64; incl. Asteriacites von Schlotheim 1822 non Schlotheim 1820LT64, Asterodiscocyclina Berry 1928LT64, Cisseis Guppy 1886 nec Laporte & Gory 1839 nec Mulsant 1850LT64, Isodiscodina van der Weijden 1940LT64, Orthocyclina van der Vlerk 1933LT64; AsterocyclinidaeM13]
Asterocyclina stellata (d’Archiac 1846) [=Calcarina stellata; incl. *Asterodiscus pentagonalis Schafhäutl 1863, *Asterocyclina pentagonalis]LT64
Cassidulinita Suzin 1952HW93 [incl. Cassidulinella Suzin in Voloshinova & Dain 1952 non Natland 1940LT64; CassidulinitidaeM13]
Melonis de Montfort 1808PHT13, LT64 [=Melonia Bronn 1849 nec Lamarck 1822 nec Schinz 1825LT64; incl. Gavelinonion Hofker 1957LT64, Melossis Pallas in Oken 1815LT64; Melonidae, Melonisinae]
Melonis pompilioides (Fichtel & Moll 1798) [=Nautilus pompilioides, *Melossis pompilioides; incl. *Melonis etruscus de Montfort 1808]LT64
‘Orthophragmina pentagonalis’ Deprat 1905 non Asterodiscus pentagonalis Schafhäutl 1863 [=*Isodiscodina pentagonalis]LT64
Rotaliida [Allomorphinellinae, Basistoma, Biforaminata, Buliminacea, Buliminida, Buliminina, Buliminoida, Cassidulinacea, Cellulacea, Conorbida, Dentata, Deuteroforaminata, Discorbacea, Discorbina, Discorboida, Discorboidea, Eponidacea, Flexostylidia, Helicostegia, Hellenoidea, Milleporita, Nantilites, Nonionida, Nonionina, Nonionoida, Nonionoidea, Orthostili, Perforida, Perforina, Polycyclica, Polythalamacea, Protoforaminata, Rhabdoidea, Rotaliacea, Rotalidae, Rotalidea, Rotaliina, Rotalina, Telostoma, Virgulininae, Vitrea]
*Type species of generic name indicated
References
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