CALCAREOUS ALGAE OF THE MIDDLE EAST 59 



up to 2 mm. external diameter and an estimated length of 10 mm. Some of the 

 indeterminable recrystallized Iraqi specimens reach this diameter. Dimensions of 

 branches and sporangia are comparable in the two occurrences. Fragmentary 

 Cretaceous material referred to the genus Neomeris has been described or recorded 

 from the Danian of Morocco (Pia 1932), Cenomanian of Libya (Pia 1936a), Upper 

 Cretaceous of Morocco (Pfender 1938) and Cenomanian-Turonian of Spain and 

 Southern France (Pfender 1940). See also Massieux (1966b : 115, fig. 1). 



Although the Iraqi evidence is very limited, it seems reasonable, in view of the 

 measurements taken, especially of the sporangia, to refer the specimens to Stein- 

 mann's species. There is a resemblance between PI. 14, fig. 2 of the present work and 

 Steinmann's text-fig. 15, corresponding apparently to similar orientation of section 

 and to individuals of similar development. If published dimensions and measure- 

 ments on illustrations are combined, the Iraqi specimens are seen to be thicker- 

 walled (d/D 41-48%) than the type-material (d/D 48-60%), but this is closer than the 

 very thin-walled French Albian specimens (d/D 62-78%) of Delmas & Deloffre 

 (1962), which should probably be referred to a new species, and which compare in 

 this respect with the Lower Cretaceous N. pfenderae Konishi and Epis (1962). The 

 difficulties of comparing species based on different kinds of fossil evidence (whole or 

 fragmentary, few or numerous well-preserved specimens, etc.) are especially marked 

 with Cretaceous Neomeris. It may be that further material would show the Iraqi 

 form, which is Senonian-Maestrichtian, to be a different species from the type which 

 is Cenomanian-Turonian, but it is closer to it than are the older species. 



Genus PAGODAPORELLA Elliott 1956 



Diagnosis. Small calcified tubular dasyclad showing externally vertical rows of 

 slightly alternating large pores with small interpore portions, the pores widening 

 sharply from within outwards. 



Pagodaporella wetzeli Elliott 

 (PI. 17, figs. 9, 10) 

 1956 Pagodaporella wetzeli Elliott : 333, pi. 2, figs. 3, 4. 



Description. Small tubular calcified dasyclad ; observed length (incomplete) 

 1 mm., external diameter about 0-34 mm., internal diameter 58-66% of external, 

 octagonal in cross-section. Successive verticils of about eight branches each, 11-14 

 verticils per mm. of tube-length ; branches represented by large pores, externally 

 roughly hexagonal and separated only by narrow interstices of calcareous wall- 

 material : internal pore-diameter 0-040-0-050 mm., widening sharply to an extrenal 

 diameter of 0-065-0-090 mm., so that in vertical section the wall-material shows as 

 small well-spaced triangles or wedges, the apices outward. Externally the large 

 window-like pores give an appearance of slightly irregular vertical rows. 



Horizon. Palaeocene-Lower Eocene of Iraqi Kurdistan. 



Material. Solid and thin-section specimens from the Kolosh Formation 



