Architecture and age of the foraminiferal genus taberina keijzer, 1945

This paper revises the architecture of the Paleocene foraminiferal genus Taberina based on reexamination of the type species, T. cubana, from Cuba, supplemented by specimens collected from the Lacandón Formation of SE Mexico. Taberina shells exhibit an initial subglobular shape, later becoming conical to peneropliform. They have multiple apertures and the stolon axes follow a radial pattern. Structural elements consist of septula situated in the peripheral part of the chamber lumen and thick, irregularly shaped pillars located in the central part. The architecture of typical Taberina differs from those of other "taberinas" described from the Middle East, such as the Cenomanian "T". bingistani and Paleocene "7." daviesi, both of which must be removed from the genus. Other taxa of larger benthic foraminifers found in the Lacandón Formation include: Ranikothalia bermudezi, "Quasiborelis" floridanus, Rhabdoritesl sp., Praerhapydionina sp., Miscellanea? nassauensis, Neomurciella cf. N. butterlini, Raadshoovenia guatemalensis, and rotaliids. The age of T. cubana is Paleocene SBZ 2 and SBZ 3, and the species is known only from the Caribbean/American paleobioprovince.