Periptera tetracornusa sp. nov., a new middle Miocene diatom resting spore species from the North Pacific

Abstract

The fossil diatom resting spore spec i es Periptera tetracornusa sp. nov. is described from Deep Sea Drilling Project Holes 438A and 438B, off Honshu, Japan and the Newport Beach section, California. This species is characterized by four triangular processes on the epivalve. The last occurrence of this species may be dated at ca.10.3 Ma in the early late Miocene. This species may be a useful biostratigraphic marker of the Neogene diatom biostratigraphy of the North Pacific.