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Name derivation:
"Crown sphere" -- Crown Corona- sphere –sphaera
Classification:
Coronosphaera Gaarder in Gaarder and Heimdal 1977; all 3 of 3 species descriptions are currently accepted taxonomically (Guiry and Guiry 2013). Order Syracosphaerales; Family Syracosphaeraceae Synonym Syracosphaera mediterranea Lohmann
Morphology:
Spherical unicells, 26 – 53 µm diameter, with two types of calcareous scales (dimorphic coccoliths) (Heimdal 1993).
Similar genera:
Coccolithophora – some species (C. pelagica) are considered synonyms of Coronosphaera species (C. binodata).
Habitat:
Marine plankton, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
References:
Guiry, M.D. and G.M. Guiry 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 30 April 2013. Heimdal, B.R. 1993. Modern coccolithophorids. In: Identifying marine phytoplankton. (Tomas, C.R. Eds), pp. 731-834. San Diego: Academic Press.