Origin and Nature of the Zoomorph Subgroup, and the Origin, Nature and Distribution of the Zooclast Group

Abstract

The so-called ‘chitinous’ tectin linings of foraminifera (Hedley 1964) are often conspicuous elements of marine palynological assemblages. A historical review of their study is given by Stancliffe (1989). The linings of planispiral foraminifera are generally predominant (Traverse and Ginsburg, 1966, p. 440; Traverse, 1988, p. 8; Phadtare and Thakur, 1992, p. 248) but all morphological types (uniserial, biserial, etc.) are found (Stancliffe, 1989; Courtinat and Méon, 1991). The linings are typically dark brown in colour, although their outer chambers are often more thin-walled and translucent (McKee et al., 1959, p. 544; Traverse and Ginsburg, 1966, p. 438; Plates E6, E7). The thickness of the lining varies between 1 and 10 μm (Hedley, 1964). Tectin foraminiferal linings are at least as resistant as sporopollenin palynomorphs (Traverse, 1988, p. 36).