Ramathallus

Ramathallus is a genus of sessile lobate alga that represents a probable stem-Rhodophyte from the Upper Statherian, 1600 Million years ago.^[1] The holotype of Ramathallus lobatus shows a cell structure with finger-like protrusions and a coating of non-cellular apatic. The cells have a dark granular material inside of them.^[1] The organism grew by apical growth and possessed pseudoparenchymatous thallus which in turn infer a possible affinity with the Florideophyceae. Many lobate protrusions radiated from the organisms centre composed out of pseudoparenchymatous tissue interpreted as "Cell fountains" made up of variably-sized cells. Ramathallus shares a close morphological similarity with the Ediacaran genera made up of pseudoparenchymatous, lobate fossils (Thallophyca, Thallophycoides, Paramecia and Gremiphyca) from the Doushantuo phosphorites of China .^[1]

Ramathallus Temporal range: Late Statherian, ~1600 Ma Pha. Proterozoic Archean Had. ↓
thin section of holotype
Scientific classification
Clade:	Archaeplastida
Division:	Rhodophyta
Class:	Florideophyceae
Genus:	†Ramathallus Bengston et al., 2017
Species:	†R. lobatus
Binomial name
†Ramathallus lobatus Bengston et al., 2017

See also

• Proterozoic
• Red algae
• Rafatazmia