Acicularia? weisswasserensis n. sp. and Terquemella? microsphaera n. sp., two new Dasycladales from the Upper Cretaceous (Late Turonian-Santonian) of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Gosau Group, Austria)

Two new dasycladalean algae are described from the Gosau Group of the Northern Calcareous Alps in Austria. The tiny spicules of Acicularia? weisswasserensis n. sp. were found in foraminiferal wacke- to packstones associated with rudist limestones of the Weisswasser locality (Middle Coniacian), Lower Austria. The small globulous Terquemella? microsphaera n. sp. occurs in marls to marly limestones of the Pletzachalm locality (Upper Turonian), Tyrol, and Russbach locality (Upper Santonian), Lower Austria. The Terquemella-Acicularia group requires taxonomic revision; the two forms described herein, however, are clearly distinct from other species, and belong to the smallest representatives of these genera. In addition, Acicularia? aff. magnapora Kuss and morphologically similar forms interpreted as gametophores of unknown larger dasycladales are described.