Ceratolithus acutusGartner and Bukry 1974 (= C. armatusMüller 1974), calcareous nannofossil marker of the marine reflooding that terminated the Messinian salinity crisis: Comment on “Paratethyan ostracods in the Spanish Lago-Mare: More evidence for interb

The calcareous nannofossil Ceratolithus acutus (= C. armatus) is an important species associated with the final flooding that ended the Messinian Salinity Crisis in the Mediterranean. We emphasize its robust identifying features and stratigraphic value in the global ocean. This species is particularly useful in recognising and constraining the Messinian-Zanclean boundary in the Mediterranean, as evidenced by reports from 75 localities and 20 references in addition to our own papers. Our emphasis is prompted by the assessment of Stoica et al. (2016) that Ceratolithus acutus is a “dubious” species with its lowest occurrence an “unreliable” biostratigraphic event. Such assessments by non-specialists, especially when “supported” by selective referencing of the literature warrant an explanation.