Silicoflagellate double skeletons in the geologic record

At present, the doublet configuration in fossil silicoflagellates can only be determined confidently with paired skeletons, but the occurrence, position and orientation of pikes may offer useful clues to interpret the doublet configuration from single skeletons. Unusual pike morphologies of some silicoflagellates from the Eocene strongly suggest a Star-of-David configuration. Silicoflagellate skeletal morphologies with pikes appear to be less abundant in the fossil record as double skeletons, and may disassociate more readily than morphologies that lack pikes and are instead held together by organic material between the basal rings.