New Late Ypresian (Cuisian) rotaliids (Foraminiferida) from Central and Southern Italy and their biostratigraphic potential

Abstract

Two new rotaliid genera and three new species are described from the Upper Ypresian of Sicily and Central Italy: Ornatorotalia spinosa n. gen. n. sp., Ornatorotalia granum n. sp. and Granorotalia sublobata n. gen. n. sp. The new taxa are all dated as SBZ 11 (middle Upper Ypresian, i.e., middle Cuisian) by the presence of Cuvillierina vallensis and alveolinid biostratigraphical markers such as Alveolina cremae, A. decastroi and A. distefanoi. The systematic position of these distinctive new taxa within the family Rotaliidae Ehrenberg, 1839 and their biostratigraphic potential are discussed.