Back
Thalassiphora

From Fensome et al., 2019:
Thalassiphora Eisenack and Gocht, 1960, p.513.
Emendations: Williams and Downie, 1966c, p.234; Gocht, 1968, p.153; Benedek and Gocht, 1981, p.59.
Taxonomic senior synonym: Disphaeria, according to Norvick (1973, p.45) -- however, Lentin and Williams (1985, p.353) retained Thalassiphora.
Taxonomic junior synonyms: Erikania, according to Stover and Evitt (1978, p.194); Subathua, according to Lentin and Williams (1985, p.340) and Stover and Williams (1987, p.207).
Type: Eisenack, 1954b, pl.12, fig.17, as Pterospermopsis pelagica.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Original description: [Eisenack and Gocht, 1960]: (Translation: Stover and Evitt, 1978, p. 194):

Description:
Central body spherical to ellipsoidal, hollow, firm-walled, surrounded by an equatorially placed helmet to bowl-shaped, wide, flexible membranous wing that never the less is double walled. The central body commonly has a circular to horseshoe-shaped pylome.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks by Morgenroth, 1966:
A few additions need to be made to the genus diagnosis given by EISENACK & GOCHT in 1961:
1. The wing membrane can be smooth on the one hand, but structured on the other, with the structure being either fibrous or reticular. - The double walledness of the wing membrane stated in the diagnosis could not be determined in any species.
2. Although the wing membrane is helmet- to bowl-shaped in the genotype, it can be different - such as: B. in Thalassiphora succincta n. sp. 一turn inwards on their outer edges, leaving only a clearly narrowed ventral opening. In Thalassiphora reticulata n. sp. Finally, the outer membrane completely encloses the central body - apart from a small opening above the pyloma.
It must be emphasized that Thalassiphora succincta n. sp. has a furrow running transversely across the outer membrane at the level of the lower edge of the pyloma, which can hardly be interpreted as anything other than a transverse furrow. - The keel 3, which runs in the same place in the genotype Thalassiphora pelagica (EISENACK), could also have taken over the function of a transverse furrow, as is the case in some real dinoflagellates (e.g. Lejeunia fallax n. sp.).
However, it must be mentioned here that other species of the genus, e.g. B. Thalassiphora reticulata n. sp., have no hint of a bone or furrow.
Nevertheless, I prefer to leave the genus Thalassiphora among the dinoflagellates.


Emended description:

Gocht, 1968: (Translation: Stover and Evitt, 1978, p. 194):

Description:
Dinoflagellates or dinoflagellate cysts, smooth or tabulated, with flexible outer shell and somewhat firmer inner body. Tabulation, as far as present, regular; complying with a tabulation of 1`, la, 5``-4```, 1````; lists on the outer membrane indicate boundaries of longitudinal furrow. Plate 3`` can be developed as a steep-sided spine; it forms the horseshoe-shaped archeopyle.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modified description:

Stover and Evitt, 1978, p. 194:

Synopsis:
Cysts proximate, cavate; endocyst subspherical; pericyst subspherical to lenticular; endophragm and periphragm appressed or close together dorsally, narrowly to widely separated elsewhere; paratabulation indicated by archeopyle only or by generally faint low parasutural ridges and archeopyle; latter precingular, Type P.

Description:
Shape: Endocyst subspherical; pericyst subspherical to lenticular and may have short antapical projection.
Wall relationships: Cysts cavate in dorsalventral view; endophragm and periphragm appressed or close together dorsally, narrowly to widely separated elsewhere.
Wall features: Parasutural features, when present, consist of linear markings, low ridges, or possibly folds on periphragm. Periphragm smooth, punctoreticulate to reticulate, and of uniform or uneven thickness; occasionally with largeventral hole. Endophragm normally thicker than periphragm and, inconsistently, slender rodlike features may occur within the pericoel, usually dorsally.
Paratabulation: Generally indicated by archeopyle only; less commonly, parasutural features are also present; gonyaulacacean, formula: 4`, la, 5``, 4c, 5```, lp, 1````.
Archeopyle: Precingular, Type P (3`` only); operculum free.
Paracingulum: Not indicated, or expressed by transverse parallel linear markings, low ridges, or folds, generally on dorsal surface only.
Parasulcus: Normally not indicated.
Size: Intermediate to large.

Affinities:
Thalassiphora differs from Stephodinium in having the endophragm and periphragm appressed or close together dorsally and separated else where. In Stephodinium the wall layers are widely separated dorsally and close together elsewhere. Thalassiphora also lacks the prominent paracingular bandlike protrusion present on Stephodinium.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:

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

Thalassiphora Eisenack and Gocht, 1960, emend. Gocht, 1968, emend. Benedek and Gocht, 1981. Emended by Benedek and Gocht (1981, p.59). The cyst is double-walled, with pericoel or consisting of two appressed wall layers. With or without paratabulation on the outer wall. Tabulation 4`, 0-1a, 5-6", 0-4c, 5"" , 0-1p, 1"" . Cingulum spiral, usually developed as a simple crest. Plate 3" my be developed as steeply erect spine. In the typical case, the outer wall opens to form a circular or bowl-shaped winged cyst to which is dorsally attached the inner wall. Other forms remain largely closed; their outer wall develops, ventrally or dorsally, a circular or window shaped opening. Precingular archeopyle corresponding to 3".
Feedback/Report bug