237 In: Bubík, M. & Kaminski, M.A. (eds), 2004. Proceedings of the Sixth International Workshop on Agglutinated Foraminifera. Grzybowski Foundation Special Publication, 8, 237-255. The Year 2000 Classification of the Agglutinated Foraminifera MICHAEL A. KAMINSKI Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WCIE 6BT, U.K.; and KLFR, 3 Boyne Avenue, Hendon, London, NW4 2JL, U.K. [m.kaminski@ucl.ac.uk] ABSTRACT A reclassification of the agglutinated foraminifera (subclass Textulariia) is presented, consisting of four orders, 17 suborders, 27 superfamilies, 107 families, 125 subfamilies, and containing a total of 747 valid genera. One order (the Loftusiida Kaminski & Mikhalevich), five suborders (the Verneuilinina Mikhalevich & Kaminski, Nezzazatina, Loftusiina Kaminski & Mikhalevich, Biokovinina, and Orbitolinina), two families (the Syrianidae and the Debarinidae) and five subfamilies (the Polychasmininae, Praesphaerammininae Kaminski & Mikhalevich, Flatschkofeliinae, Gerochellinae and the Scythiolininae Neagu) are new. The classification is modified from the suprageneric scheme used by Loeblich & Tappan (1992), and incorporates all the new genera described up to and including the year 2000. The major differences from the Loeblich & Tappan classification are (1) the use of suborders within the hierarchical classification scheme (2) use of a modified Mikhalevich (1995) suprageneric scheme for the Astrorhizida (3) transfer of the Ammodiscacea to the Astrorhizida (4) restriction of the Lituolida to forms with simple wall structure (5) supression of the order Trochamminida, and (6) inclusion of the Carterinida within the Trochamminacea (7) use of the new order Loftusiida for forms with complex inner structures (8) broadening the definition of the Textulariida to include perforate forms that are initially uniserial or planispiral. Numerous minor corrections have been made based on the recent literature. INTRODUCTION The agglutinated foraminifera constitute a diverse and geologically long-ranging group of organisms. Morpho- logically, they form a heterogeneous group that has its origins in the Vendian, latest Pre-Cambrian (Gaucher & Sprechmann, 1999). The group is here defined as a subclass consisting of four orders that are based upon gross morphology, wall structure, and cement composi- tion. The cement that binds the test together may be organic (as in the Astrorhizida), calcareous and canaliculate (as in the Textulariida), or of mixed nature (as in the Lituolida and Loftusiida, which contains both organically-cemented, calcareous, and microgranular types). Over the past two decades, a number of studies have emphasised the importance of wall structure and cement composition as an important criterion for suprageneric classification (Desai & Banner, 1987; Bender, 1989, 1995; Brönnimann et al. 1992; Loeblich & Tappan, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992). However, there does not appear to be any consensus regarding the taxonomic level at which wall structure and cement composition ought to be used (see discussions by Haynes, 1990; Mikhalevich & Debenay, 2001; Mikhalevich, this volume). The current classification scheme is based to a large extent on the last-published scheme used by Loeblich & Tappan (1992, 1994), which recognised four orders of agglutinated foraminifera subdivided into 19 superfamilies, 87 families, and 100 subfamilies. However, recent findings have rendered the Loeblich & Tappan classification inadequate to encompass the complete diversity of the group. The number of new genera and higher systematic groupings has been growing at a steady pace since the publication of Loeblich & Tappan’s (1987) monumental book (Figure 1). As new groups of foraminifera are described each year, the need for an updated classification scheme increases. Moreover, the outline classification published by Loeblich & Tappan in 1992 did not list the genera included within the families and subfamilies. The purpose of this paper is to compile a more complete classification that incorporates the 139 new genera, families, and subfamilies of agglutinated foraminifera published subsequent to Loeblich & Tappan’s book, thereby providing a firmer basis for taxonomical studies at the beginning of the 21 st century. RESULTS The Year 2000 Classification For the sake of consistency (if for no other reason), I have used the outline suprageneric framework of Loeblich & Tappan (1992) as a starting point for the updated classi- fication of the agglutinated foraminifera. This scheme is here modified and enlarged to incorporate the new genera and higher taxa described since 1987, and makes 0 5 10 15 20 25 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Figure 1. Annual number of new taxa (genera and higher taxa) described since the publication of Loeblich & Tappan (1987).