Some new acritarch species from the lower and middle Miocene of Porcupine Basin, North Atlantic Ocean: biostratigraphy and palaeoecology

Six new acritarch species were observed during a high-resolution study on the upper Burdigalian to Serravallian (lower and middle Miocene) of the Porcupine Basin (Integrated Ocean Drilling Leg 307, off southwestern Ireland). The stratigraphical ranges and palaeoenvironmental preferences of the six new species were assessed. <i>Cometesphaera bullatio</i> gen. et sp. nov. is recorded from the upper Burdigalian to the lower Serravallian, while the range of <i>Cymatiosphaera? deverteuilii</i> sp. nov. is restricted to the upper Serravallian. <i>Platycystidia manumii</i> sp. nov. is recorded from the upper Burdigalian to the upper Langhian. <i>Porcupinea collaris</i> gen. et sp. nov. and <i>Porcupinea indentata</i> gen. et sp. nov. range from the upper Langhian to the lower Serravallian, and from the uppermost Burdigalian to the upper Serravallian, respectively. <i>Pusillisphaera solaris</i> gen. et sp. nov. is recorded from the from the upper Burdigalian to the upper Serravallian.