ANATOMICAL FEATURES
OF CORALLINE ALGAE:
RECENT AND FOSSIL COMPARED.
by Michael Rasser

PART 1: OVERVIEW

The terminology of anatomical features of Recent coralline algae can easily be applied to fossil material. Three illustrations give an overview.

Thallus organisation and basal filaments

Features of the peripheral and postigenous filament

Reproductive organs

PART 2: THE DETAILS

Here you will learn more about coralline algal anatomy and you will find several images. Each anatomical feature is presented in both fossil and Recent material (if available).

Vegetative anatomy

Thallus organisation:

Monomerous thalli
Non-coaxial monomerous thalli
Coaxial monomerous thalli
Dimerous thalli

Filaments, cells and cell connections:

Cell filaments
Cell fusions
Epithallial cells
Meristematic cells
Palisade cells
Primary pit connections
Secondary pit connections

Reproductive structures

PART 3: FOSSIL PRESERVATION POTENTIAL (DISCUSSION)