LEROYI: A NEW TETHYAN LAGENID BENTHIC FORAMINIFERAL GENUS

Abstract

Leroyi n. gen., is introduced to include the Cretaceous-Neogene (predominantly Maastrichtian-Eocene) benthic Lagenid foraminiferids from many Tethyan localities that characterized by its slightly coiled early portion of the smooth test, later slightly arcuate uniserial chambers increasing in length as added, oblique depressed sutures, aperture radial of dorsal angle. I suggest Leroyi as a new genus to accommodate foraminifera with these characters. This new genus have been previously assigned to Marginulina sp. C of LeRoy (1953), and here assigned as a genotype of the new genus. Four species were previously described from two localities in Egypt (Maqfi section, Farafra Oasis and Nekhl section, Sinai) are treated here as a new species of the new genus, and formally named as: Leroyi aegyptiaca Anan, n. sp., L. maqfiensis Anan, n. sp., L. deserti (Said & Kenawy, 1956), L. ghorabi (Said & Kenawy, 1956). One Tunisian species: Leroyi tunisiana Anan, n. sp. is added to these Egyptian species. Another European and American species: Leroyi glabra (d’Orbigny) is added to these Laginid group. These six species of the Lagenid new genus Leroyi are recorded in six localities in the Tethys (USA, France, Italy, Tunisia Egypt, UAE and India).

Keywords

• benthic foraminifera
• lagenid
• leroyi
• cretaceous
• paleogene
• neogene
• tethys.