LENTICUZONARIA: A NEW TETHYAN LAGENID BENTHIC FORAMINIFERAL GENUS

Lenticuzonaria n. gen. is introduced here to include the Paleocene benthic Lagenid Foraminiferids from some Southern Tethyan localities (Egypt and Jordan) that characterized by planispirally enrolled symmetrical hyaline calcareous test, ornamented surface by elevated sutures with a row of tubercles or broken into a row of nodes along the sutures, and spinose surface. Some representatives of the new genus have been previously assigned to the genus Vaginulinopsis Reuss (1860), or Lenticulina Lamarck (1804), or Marginulinopsis Silvestri (1904). The new genus has a compiled characters between its lenticular test (as the genus Lenticulina Lamarck, 1804 with its planispirally enrolled test, unbroken continuous sutures and smooth surface), and also another genus Percultazonaria Loeblich & Tappan, 1986 (which has planispiral-uniserial test with ornamented surface mainly by elevated sutures that may costate or broken nodes). Two Paleocene species of the new genus are described here from two countries in the Southern Tethys: Jordan (Lenticuzonaria hodae) and Egypt (Lenticuzonaria misrensis). These two species have planispirally enrolled symmetrical hyaline calcareous test with ornamented surface. L. hodae has spinose ornamented surface, besides the elevated sutures, while L. misrensis has a row of nodes elevated sutures, but without spinose surface.