CALCAREOUS ALGAE OF THE MIDDLE EAST 43 



cell) normally about 50% of external. Closely-set verticils of rather crowded 

 branches, the internal openings of the primaries being 0-16-0-20 mm. apart measured 

 vertically between successive whorls ; about 28 branches per verticil. Each branch 

 shows a short primary of about 0-04 mm. diameter, directed upwards and outwards 

 at about 60 ° from horizontal ; this gives rise to a single globular sporangial cavity 

 of 0-10-0-13 mm - diameter (exceptionally larger), and to four secondary branches of 

 0-026 mm. diameter at their thinnest. These extend outwards and upwards at a 

 lesser angle than the primaries, and at the outer surface they widen conspicuously to 

 occasion the external pattern of closely-set rounded polygonal depressions of about 

 0-065 mm. diameter. 



Horizon. Palaeocene-Lower Eocene of Middle East. 



Material. In Iraqi Kurdistan, from the Sinjar Formation of Banik and Kani 

 Masa, Amadia (both Mosul Liwa) and Koi Sanjak (Erbil Liwa), from the Kolosh 

 formation of Bekhme and Rowanduz (both Erbil Liwa), and from the Kolosh 

 Formation of Surdash and Sinjar Formation of Pila Spi (both Sulemania Liwa). In 

 southern Iraq, Basrah area, poorly preserved subsurface Palaeocene Cymopolia are 

 probably of this species. C. kurdistanensis occurs in the Palaeocene/Lower Eocene 

 Umm er Rhudhama Formation of the southwestern desert near Aidah, Diwaniyah 

 Liwa. In south-east Arabia, from the Palaeocene of Jebel Abiad, and from the 

 Batinah Coast, both Oman ; and from the Palaeocene of Jebel Faiyah, Sharjah, 

 Trucial Oman. Very numerous fragmentary Cymopolia in the Palaeocene-Lower 

 Eocene of the Middle East are probably referable to this, the commonest species. 



Remarks. Cymopolia kurdistanensis is a distinctive but typical species of its 

 genus. Like the common European C. elongata (Defr.) Mun.-Chalm., it varies much 

 in segment-size and proportions. It is, however, a smaller species ; L. & J. Morellet 

 (1913 : 11) describe C. elongata segments as large as 12 mm. by 2-5 mm., and in this 

 species the distance between successive whorls is larger (0-23-0-26 mm.) than found 

 in C. kurdistanensis. An important difference lies in the secondary branches. The 

 terminal widening described above for C. kurdistanensis does not occur in type area 

 (Paris Basin) C. elongata. Hence the Middle East species shows an external pattern 

 of shallow rounded-polygonal depressions (PI. 10, fig. 2) whereas the European 

 species is externally set with more abruptly-opening fine pores (PI. 10, fig. 1). This 

 is not a difference due to wear and tear, since abrasion of C. kurdistanensis would give 

 a pattern more like that of C. elongata, and the European species is often perfectly 

 preserved. 



The Central American Eocene species C. mayaense (Johnson & Kaska, 1965) is said 

 to be similar to C. kurdistanensis and C. elongata. 



C. kurdistanensis is abundant at the localities listed and will no doubt be found 

 elsewhere in the Middle East. Earlier Middle East records of C. elongata (Elliott 

 1955b ; i960) are now considered to be of kurdistanensis (see p. 44). 



Cymopolia barberae sp. nov. 



(PI. 8, fig. 2) 

 Description. Units of 0-9 mm. external diameter (up to 1-22 mm. seen) internal 



