Chlorophycean algae from the Triassic of Australia

Among living green algae assigned to the order Chlorococcales and order Zygnematales certain species develop resistant outer organic walls and/or cysts during their life cycles; as such they have the potential to become fossils. Based on morphology, comparison between living algae and microfossil remains are made with varying degrees of confidence, and a possible evolutionary pathway for certain chlorococcalean coenobial families is suggested. Twelve genera are reviewed from earliest to latest Triassic palynological assemblages from northwestern Australia; and the following taxa are described as new: Plaesiodictyon mosellanum ssp. symmetricum ssp. nov.; Plaesiodictyon mosellanum ssp. variabile ssp. nov.; Plaesiodictyon decussatus sp. nov.; Plaesiodictyon decussatus ssp. decussatus ssp. nov.; Plaesiodictyon decussatus ssp. tetracornuta ssp. nov.; Tetraporina protrusa sp. nov.; Crucigeniella? torques sp. nov.; and Paleoraphidia akestra gen. et sp. nov. (type). Their suggested natural affinities are useful in palaeoenvironmental interpretations of mostly freshwater or low-salinity habitats.