Treatise Online no. 114: Part V, Second Revision, Chapter 26: Family Retiolitidae: Introduction, morphology, and systematic descriptions (original) (raw)

This chapter presents an extensive review of the family Retiolitidae, highlighting its morphological distinctions, systematic classifications, and the implications of fusellum presence in fossil records. It differentiates between two main subfamilies: the paraphyletic Petalolithinae and the monophyletic Retiolitinae, based on the anatomical features of their tubarium. The study further discusses the development of unique structures such as the ancora, detailing its formation and variations across species, and it reviews previous literature to contextualize the current understanding and classifications within the family.