Ontogeny and mineralization in Dasycladales: the case of two new species of triploporellaceans (green algae, Dasycladales) from the Lower Cretaceous Rarău Syncline (Romania)

We describe two new species of green algae in Dasycladales from Lower Cretaceous strata of the Eastern Carpathians (Romania), Suppiluliumaella schlagintweitii n. sp. and Triploporella loducai n. sp. The two new species display mineralization that coats most of the thallus, possibly casting light on their growth patterns. Suppiluliumaella schlagintweitii n. sp. displays a differentiated, club-shaped thallus with a very elongated vegetative part below the fertile zone (“head”) and a corticated external layer, suggesting a Neomeris type of growth. We further describe a possible mineralized juvenile growth stage. Triploporella loducai n. sp. is characterized by a rather short cylindrical thallus with a reduced vegetative region (sharp tapering rounded lower end), seemingly following a growth type resembling that of spherical Bornetella.