Montseciella, a new orbitolinid genus (Foraminiferida) from the Uppermost Hauterivian -Early Barremian of SW Europe

Montseciella, a new larger foraminiferal orbitolinid genus, is established. It comprises: M. glanensis (Foury, 1968) (uppermost Late Hauterivian to basal Early Barremian) from Serra del Montsec (Lleida Prov., Catalonian Pyrenees, Spain), Basse Provence (France) and the French Subalpine Chains, and its direct phylogenetic descendant M. alguerensis n. sp. (higher Early Barremian) from NW Sardinia (Italy). These two species represent the lower part of a phylogenetic lineage to which also belong 'Dictyoconus' arabicus Henson, 1948 and Rectodictyoconus giganteus Schroeder, 1964, occuring in the Late Barremian and lowermost Early Aptian.

Key words: Foraminifers, Orbitolinidae, Catalonian Pyrenees (Spain), Sardinia (Italy), Subalpine Chains (France), Provence (France), Hauterivian, Barremian.