Abstract After its first description in Cambrian–Ordovician boundary strata from Gondwana, the acritarch genus Vulcanisphaera Deunff, 1961 has been found subsequently on most other paleocontinents, with a total of 32 species assigned to this genus. A comprehensive revision of the published literature indicates that the genus contains only three species that are easily differentiable: (1) V. africana Deunff, 1961; (2) V. mougnoana Martin, 1973; and (3) V. simplex Jardine et al., 1974. The other species are either synonymous with these three or must be excluded from the genus. The generic and specific diagnoses of Vulcanisphaera are emended herein. The new classification scheme is tested and validated by using quantitative multivariate analyses based on morphometric studies on abundant material from England, Algeria and Iran. The species show large morphological variability, and transitional forms between V. africana and V. mougnoana are observed. The stratigraphic ranges of the species have been determined. V. mougnoana occurs from the Miaolingian to the Early Ordovician, V. africana is found with certainty from the Furongian to the Floian and V. simplex is recorded in the latest Furongian and throughout the Tremadocian. The genus Vulcanisphaera shows a cosmopolitan paleogeographic distribution with most occurrences recorded in higher paleolatitudes.

中文翻译：

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Cambro-Ordovician acritarch 属 Vulcanisphaera Deunff 的修订，1961

摘要 Vulcanisphaera Deunff, 1961 在冈瓦纳纪寒武系-奥陶系边界地层首次被描述后，随后在大多数其他古大陆上被发现，该属共有32种。对已发表文献的全面修订表明，该属仅包含三个易于区分的物种：(1) V. Africana Deunff，1961；(2) V. mougnoana Martin, 1973; (3) V. simplex Jardine et al., 1974。其他物种要么与这三个同义，要么必须从属中排除。此处修正了 Vulcanisphaera 的一般和特定诊断。通过使用基于对来自英格兰、阿尔及利亚和伊朗的丰富材料的形态计量学研究的定量多变量分析，对新的分类方案进行了测试和验证。该物种表现出很大的形态变异性，观察到 V.africana 和 V.mougnoana 之间的过渡形式。已确定该物种的地层范围。V. mougnoana 发生于苗陵期至早奥陶世，V. Africana 从芙蓉阶到弗洛亚纪确定地发现，V. simplex 记录于最新的芙蓉阶和整个特雷马多世。Vulcanisphaera 属显示出世界性的古地理分布，大多数事件记录在较高的古纬度地区。单纯形记录在最新的芙蓉阶和整个Tremadocian。Vulcanisphaera 属显示出世界性的古地理分布，大多数事件记录在较高的古纬度地区。单纯形记录在最新的芙蓉阶和整个Tremadocian。Vulcanisphaera 属显示出世界性的古地理分布，大多数事件记录在较高的古纬度地区。