LARGE ASTRORHIZID FORAMINIFERA FROM OLIGOCENE - LOWER MIOCENE DEEP-SEA SEDIMENTS, NORTHERN APENNINES, ITALY: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE GENUS ASTRORHIZINOIDES STSCHEDRINA, 1969

Nulliporites bombicoides Sacco, 1888 and Nulliporites siellaris Sacco, 1888 from the Oligocene - Lower Miocene deep-sea turbiditic sediments of Liguria and Piedmont (Monastero and Rocchetta formations) appear to be large, agglutinated astrorhizid foraminiferids both assigned in this study to the genus Astrorhizinoides Stschedrina, 1969 under a single species, Astrorhizinoides bombicoides (Sacco, 1888). This foraminifer is characterized by a simple, straight to slightly curved or rarely branched test, which displays a thick, smooth, finely agglutinated wall, with constrictions, and a very thin chamber lumen, whose apertures are observed at least at one of the terminal ends of the test. The tests, partly crushed, are preserved mostly on the soles of thin turbiditic sandstones, where they may be aligned. Probably, the foraminifer was originally a semi-infaunal, free-standing form, the test of which was partly flexible.