SYSTEMATICS

The taxonomy of Norwegian Sea foraminifers used in this study follows the framework previously established by Kaminski et al. (1990). The following species represent modifications to the taxonomy that have been published subsequently.

Psamminopelta gradsteini Kaminski and Geroch, 1997
(Plate 1, fig. 4)

Psamminopelta sp. Kaminski et al., 1990, plate 4, figures 3, 4.

Spirosigmoilinella compressa Matsunaga; Osterman and Spiegler, 1996, plate 1, figure 17.

Psamminopelta gradsteini Kaminski and Geroch, 1997, plate 1, figures 1-9.

Remarks: This species, formerly lumped under Spirosigmoilinella compressa Matsunaga by various authors, differs in its small dimensions and wholly planispiral coiling. It is common in the deep parts of the Norwegian Sea.

Reticulophragmium rotundidorsatum (Hantken, 1875)
(Plate 1, figs. 5-7)

Haplophragmium rotundidorsatum Hantken, 1875, plate 1, figure 2.

Cyclammina (Reticulophragmium) rotundidorsata (von Hantken); Charnock and Jones, 1990, plate 7, figures 13-15; plate 19, figure 1.

Cyclammina rotundidorsata (Hantken); Gradstein et al., 1994, plate 6, figures 13, 14.

Reticulophragmium rotundidorsatus (von Hantken); Schröder-Adams and McNiel, 1994, plate 8, figures 5-7.

Remarks: Specimens from Hole 985A possess a long, thin basal aperture. and lack any additional supplementary openings in the apertural face. The species indeed conforms to the description of the genus Reticulophragmium as suggested by Schröder-Adams and McNiel (1994). However, the type species of the genus, the Miocene species Reticulophragmium venezuelanum, is not related to R. rotundidorsatum by phylogeny. The Paleogene species of Reticulophragmium are polyphyletic and are derived from different ancestors. Therefore, we only tentatively retain this species in Reticulophragmium pending revision of the whole group of Paleogene alveolar forms.

Karreriella siegliei (Gradstein and Kaminski, 1989)
(Plate 1, fig. 8)

Dorothia siegliei Gradstein and Kaminski, 1989, text figure 3, plate 5, figures 1-5; plate 6, figures 1-5; Kaminski et al., 1990, pl. 8, figures 3, 4.

Karreriella siegliei (Gradstein and Kaminski); Charnock and Jones, 1990, plate 12, figure 16; plate 25, figure 7.

Remarks: This is the nominate taxon of the R. bulimoides-D. siegliei Zone of Gradstein et al., 1994. Charnock and Jones transferred this species to the genus Karreriella because of its areal aperture.

Conotrochammina voeringensis Gradstein and Kaminski, 1997

Conotrochammina sp. Kaminski et al., 1990, plate 8, figures 1, 2; Osterman and Spiegler, 1996, plate 2, figures 33, 34.

Trochammina sp. 1 Charnock and Jones, 1990, plate 11, figures 4-6; plate 22, figure 5.

Conotrochammina voeringensis Gradstein and Kaminski, 1997, text figure 9, figure 10 (1-3).

Remarks: Previous reports of this species are from the Paleocene of the North Sea (Charnock and Jones, 1990) and from the lower Eocene at Site 643 (Kaminski et al., 1990) and Site 913 (Osterman and Spiegler, 1996). This is the first report of this species from the Oligocene.