Paraticinella rohri (Bolli, 1959) as the valid name for the latest Aptian zonal marker species of planktonic foraminifera traditionally called bejaouaensis or eubejaouaensis

The planktonic foraminiferal taxon Ticinella bejaouaensis Sigal, 1966 had long been an important zonal biomarker for the latest Aptian characterized by its large test, numerous (8–10) final-whorl chambers, and rugose test surface, usually with an umbilical cover-plate. Upon confirmation that Sigalʹs Madagascan holotype was actually from the upper Albian, this species was renamed as T. eubejaouaensis Randrianasolo and Anglada, 1998 using Sigalʹs Tunisian bejaouaensis paratype, which is late Aptian in age, as the new holotype. Following emendation of the genus, Paraticinella eubejaouaensis has recently become the standard usage. However, the validity of this species is still uncertain because the original designation was given in very obscure publication(s). Meanwhile, albeit tenuous, a presumable senior name “Paraticinella rohri (Bolli, 1959)” has recently been proposed in place of eubejaouaensis. us assessment of the original species designation of T. eubejaouaensis ascertains that the method of publication used does not comply with the criteria required in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, thereby making this species an invalid name, or nomen nudum. New backscattered scanning electron microscopic observations of the primary types of Praeglobotruncana rohri Bolli, 1959 reveal that this hitherto unattended species is indeed synonymous to “T. eubejaouaensis” particularly by exhibiting equatorially aligned rugosities on the wall surface, and that the holotype is sufficiently preserved and well qualified as the name-bearing type. The latest Aptian age of the rohri type level is robustly established by its co-occurrence with Pseudoplanomalina cheniourensis (Sigal, 1952) and Hedbergella trocoidea (Gandolfi, 1942) (= another rohri paratype). Upon confirmation of the absence of any potential nomenclatural acts for conservation of the junior name “[eu]bejaouaensis,” we are obliged to provide formal redescription and establish the valid, objective senior name Paraticinella rohri (Bolli, 1959), the binomen that should be of mandatory use henceforth. Accordingly, the uppermost Aptian “[eu]bejaouaensis” Zone should be referred to as the “Pt. rohri Zone.” reviewed the supraspecific taxonomy, herein the type species of the genus Paraticinella is redefined as Pt. rohri, and the subfamily Pseudoplanomalininae is proposed.