Campanian-Maastrichtian Pseudosabinia from Turkey: Descriptions and Taxonomic Problems

Authors: SACİT ÖZER

Abstract: Specimens of taxa assigned to Pseudosabinia Morris & Skelton, collected from the Campanian-Maastrichtian sequences of different regions of Turkey such as the Kocaeli Peninsula, Amasya, Bayburt (Pontides), Sivas, Malatya, Elazığ (eastern Anatolian platform) and Kahta-Adıyaman and Yaylaçiftliği-Antakya (northernmost part of the Arabian platform), are determined and the taxonomic statuses of the species are discussed. Pseudosabinia klinghardti (Böhm) uniquely presents all the characteristic features of the genus. Other species and subspecies assigned to the genus 'Pseudosabinia' rtanjica (Pejovic), 'Pseudosabinia' serbica (Kühn & Pejovic), 'Pseudosabinia' rtanjica triangularis (Karacabey) and 'Pseudosabinia' rtanjica tunisiensis (Philip) lack the cellular prismatic structure of the outer shell layer in the right valve - a characteristic feature of the type species - despite sharing with the latter a radiolitiform myocardinal apparatus, indicating some taxonomic problems about the definition of Pseudosabinia. Meanwhile, the right valve of 'Pseudosabinia' rtanjica triangularis (Karacabey) is unknown. These problematical species may belong to another genus of, most probably, Radiolitidae; but more detailed study is needed before a new taxon is created. Sabinia ornata Özer & Fenerci is here transferred to Pseudosabinia because it presents all of the generic characteristics.

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