Janospira - an Ordovician microfossil in search of a Phylum |
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Authors: | RICHARD A FORTEY JOHN E WHITTAKER |
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Institution: | R. A. Fortey and J. E. Whittaker, Department of Palaeontology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD |
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Abstract: | Janospira is described from early Ordovician (Arenig) rocks of northern Spitsbergen. It is a curious microfossil, probably calcareous, about 1 mm in length, made up of an initial coil which expands distally into a straight tube, at the same time as producing a narrower tube almost in line with the first but in the opposite direction. Although showing some similarities to Foraminifera, molluscs and polychaetes, there are objections to its inclusion in any of these groups, and it is equally probable that it belongs to an unknown group with a planktic early growth stage. |
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