New Permian Albaillellid Radiolarians from West Texas

Two new species of albaillellid radiolarians, Albaillellaforemanae and Pseudoalbaillella cona, have been recovered in the Permian Bone Spring Limestone of the Delaware Basin of West Texas. Preservation of the radiolarians is exquisite. Internal skeletal structures are sufficiently preserved to verify that Parafollicucullus was derived from Albaillella, but was not directly in the Albaillella to Pseudoalbaillella to Follicucullus lineage. The presence of Pseudoalbaillella in the Bone Spring is compatible with the postulated Pseudoalbaillella Assemblage Zone of Late Morrowan to Leonardian age.