The Dasycladalean Algae from the Cretaceous of the New World

Abstract

An inventory of the Dasycladalean Algaefrom the Cretaceousof the New World lists 23 species.Among them, five are not valid,two are not well characterizedand one is a junior synonym for a previouslyvalid species. In addition, on the basisof recent developments In algal taxonomy, four of the 15 remaining species are or have recently been emended and a new genus Is erected. Except for some Late Cretaceousspecies.there Is no evidence of aWoE provincialism within the whole Tethys region. It Is however probable that a N-S provincialism has existed as, for example, some species were restricted to southern (tropical) regions during the Early Aptian times. In our opinion. the main factor controlling this latitudinal provincialism Is the specific climatic tolerance of these Algae.