New insight into the organogenus Ioanella Granier & Berthou, 2002, with description of Ioanella dobrogiaca organosp. nov. from Triassic limestones of the Dobrogea (Romania)

ABSTRACT

Triassic deposits are widespread in the Măcin Unit of Northern Dobrogea (SE Romania). At the Enisala Fortress hill, near the village of Enisala, they are predominantly represented by grey bioclastic limestones of Wetterstein-type facies of the latest Ladinian to Carnian age. Samples collected from the lower part of this unit, i.e. from strata cropping out on the right side of the road from Sarichioi to Enisala, yield an association of calcareous algae, among which one is described in this paper as a new representative of the organogenus Ioanella. Ioanella dobrogiaca organospecies nov. differs from the type-species of the genus, Ioanella lusitanica, by its morphological and dimensional characteristics. Its features allow us to refine the diagnosis of the organogenus Ioanella. Additionally, comparisons with other dasycladalean organogenera demonstrate that Ioanella is a discrete genus.

KEYWORDS:

• Dasycladales
• new species
• Triassic
• Romania

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Phil Salvador for his appreciated help with the original (English) text. We also thank George Pleş for redrawing the Figures 1 and 2, as well as Felix Schlagintweit and an anonymous reviewer for their remarks and corrections

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).