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Polysphaeridium

From Williams et al., 2017:

[Polysphaeridium, Davey and Williams, 1966b, p. 91–92; Emendations: Bujak et al., 1980, p. 32, 34.

Tax. sr. syn.: Pyrodinium Plate, 1906, an extant dinoflagellate genus, according to Fensome et al. (1993b, p.111) — however, Head (1996b, p.1231) retained Polysphaeridium.

Type species: Polysphaeridium subtile, Davey and Williams, 1966 (pl.11, fig.1)] ; emend. Bujak et al, 1980

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Original description: [Davey and Williams, 1966]:

Description:
Chorate cysts possessing a subspherical to ovoidal central body and bearing numerous processes all similar in size. Number of processes per plate area greater than one, not normally more than four. Processes hollow, open or closed distally, process cavity not connecting with interior of central body. Archaeopyle, when present, apical with angular margin.

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Modified description:

Stover and Evitt, 1978, p. 75-76:

Synopsis:
Cysts skolochorate, body subspherical with numerous hollow, nontabular processes of similar size and shape, which are normally open distally; indications of paratabulation other than archeopyle characteristically lacking; archeopyle apical, Type (tA).
Modified description: Shape: Body subspherical.
Wall relationships: Autophragm only.
Wall features: No parasutural features. Autophragm with numerous hollow, nontabular processes of similar size and shape, which are normally open distally; process tips typically expanded, rarely branched.
Paratabulation: Indicated by archeopyle only.
Archeopyle: Apical, (tA0; principal archeopyle suture zigzag, rarely clearly discernible; operculum free.
Paracingulum: Not indicated.
Parasulcus: Not indicated.
Size: Small to large.

Affinities:
Polysphaeridium differs from Cleistosphaeridium in having generally tubiform processes, which are typically open distally rather than closed distally as in Cleistosphaeridium. It differs from Diphyes in lacking a distinctive antapical process and from Amphorosphaeridium and Exochosphaeridium in possessing an apical rather than a precingular archeopyle.



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Notes:

G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999 - LPP VIEWER CD-ROM 99.5.

Polysphaeridium Davey and Williams, 1966b, emend. Bujak et al., 1980. Emendation from Bujak et al. (1980, p.32,34). Chorate cysts with a spherical to subspherical central body bearing numerous processes that are demonstrably intratabular in some species; the tubular processes are mostly of uniform length on a specimen and are distally open. Processes isolated or forming proximally united linear, arcuate, soleate, or annulate complexes. Within a complex, processes may converge distally, but are never joined along their entire lengths. Process formula when evident is 4`, 6", 6c, 5-6``` , 1p, 1```` , xs (including one posterior sulcal). Paraplates 1p, 1```` and ps are approximately equal in size, with their centers forming an equilateral triangle as in Heteraulacus Diesing, 1850, and Pyrodinium Plate, 1906. Periphragm smooth, granulate or echinate. Endophragm smooth. Archeopyle epicystal, type A + (3A) = 6P. Opercular pieces may be partially or completely detached.
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