On the genus Alisphaera (Alisphaeraceae, Haptophyta) including a new species A. Memoria sp. nov. in the South China Sea

Abstract

Genus Alisphaera including 9 species and was not often reported in different waters. During our investigation of coccolithophorid assemblages in the South China Sea, two species of this genus were found, Alisphaera gaudii and A. memoria sp. nov. The new species is morphologically related to the type species, A. ordinata and to A. capulata because the two parts of the distal flange overlap. A. memoria is primarily characterised by a large and very well developed vertical part of the distal flange, which is about 3 times wider than the horizontal part, and one of the elements of the vertical part of the distal flange usually has a spine.