Annual Report 2011 of the Calcareous Nannofossils Working Group

The Paleogene calcareous nannofossil working group has continued its work towards a major revision of the early Fasciculithus and the calcareous nannofossil turnover across the Danian-Selandian boundary. Furthermore, has been continued the discussion on reticulofenestrids, initiated in Yagamata (September 2010) during the International Nannoplankton Association, in order to rationalise the complicated taxonomy and produce a review of the group. In 2010-2011 the Paleogene species list was uploaded to the online taxonomic resource 'Nannotax' (nannotax.org) and descriptions and images have been added for most species. The working group will develop this resource over the next year as well as planning a hard copy taxonomic atlas. For the coming year we are planning to focus on Eocene biochronostratigraphy and organize meeting in June or early September.

Report by Simonetta Monechi, Chairwoman.


Annual Report 2010 of the Calcareous Nannofossils Working Group

During this year the Paleogene calcareous nannofossil working group has continued its researches, investigating the major calcareous nannofossil turnover and distribution across the Danian-Selandian boundary, the PETM interval, the Ypresian/Lutetian and the Eocene/Oligocene boundary. Furthermore, in 2009-2010 a comprehensive Paleogene species list was uploaded to the online taxonomic resource 'Nannotax' (nannotax.org) and descriptions and images have been added for most species. The working group will develop this resource over the next year as well as planning a hard copy taxonomic atlas. In September 2010 a subset of the working group met during the INA 13 Meeting in Yamagata, Japan, and initiated a discussion on the reticulofenestrids. This was the dominant coccolithophore group for much of the Paleogene and the coccoliths are widely used in biostratigraphy and paleoceanography. We aim to rationalise the complex taxonomy of the reticulofenestrids and present a scheme for wider discussion amongst the working group in 2011.

Report by Simonetta Monechi, Chairwoman.

Annual Report 2009 of the Calcareous Nannofossils Working Group

During this first year the Paleogene calcareous nannofossil working group has organized several meetings:
-November 2008 at the University College of London under the banner of INA and the ISPS hosted by Paul Bown. During the meeting, attended by around 20 participants, we have agreed on the general aims of the WG: the first one is to develop a taxonomic atlas and at the same time populate the Nannotax web resource and the second one is to address Paleogene nannofossil biostratigraphy. Furthermore, it has been discussed a list of objectives that should be implemented: 1.- A list of species for input into Nannotax (but also to be used as a basis for the IODP Paleogene expeditions). 2.- Once the species list is in Nannotax, we will then add information and images into Nannotax (initially focussing on the principal biostratigraphic marker species and dominant taxa). The information to include a short description, maximum and mininum age data, names of variants. 3.- A case study on the taxonomy of the reticulofenestrids (?+Prinsius and Toweius). 4.- A Paleogene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy revisited. 5.- A PalNWG meeting/presentation at the Houston Microfossil Meeting March 2009.
-A meeting of the Paleogene Nannofossil Working Group was held in Padova (NE Italy) at the beginning of 2009, hosted by Claudia Agnini and attended by 9 members. This short session was mainly focused on the calcareous nannofossil Paleogene biostratigraphy and taxonomy. In particular, was generated a taxonomic list for the entire Cenozoic to be entered in the new IODP dataset system for the future IODP Expeditions (i.e. 320-321 Equatorial Pacific Expeditions). In addition, was extensively discussed about the present status of early Paleogene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, the available dataset and unpublished results and the possibility to improve the standard zonations (NP; Martini, 1971- Okada & Bukry, 1980). Finally, was produced a biostratigraphic and biochronologic scheme for the entire Cenozoic based on most recent and reliable data to be used as a common language for calcareous nannofossil specialist and also entered in the IODP dataset system.
- A workshop on Paleogene calcareous nannofossils has been organized at Houston in March 2009, hosted by Mike Styzen. The workshop was well attended and productive.  The participants examined the species list compiled by PalNWG and discussed issues at the generic and specific levels.

Report by Simonetta Monechi, Chairwoman.

Annual Report 2008 of the Calcareous Nannofossils Working Group

A short workshop of the Working group has been held during the 12 International Nannoplankton Association Conference (INA 12) in Lyon in September 2008. The main objectives of the working group should be:
- to develop a taxonomic atlas and, in collaboration with the INA at the same time populate the Nannotax web resource,
- to address Paleogene nannofossil biostratigraphy.
The President of INA Paul Bown and I we agreed to organize a new planning meeting on the morning of Wednesday 19th November at University College London in order to formalize the objectives and the planning schedule of the working group.

Report by Simonetta Monechi, Chairwoman.