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Explodinium
Explodinium Brinkhuis et al., 2025:
Type: Brinkhuis, 1994, p. 148–149. pl. II, figs. 1–5, as ‘Glaphyrocysta priabonensis’. Restudy of the type material from the Priabona and Bressana, and of new, better-preserved materials from Karaburun, led to the conclusion that this taxon is not characterized by an apical archae
opyle (e.g., typical for Glaphyrocysta), but rather by a (rather large sized) singe-plate, precingular one, likely reflecting the loss of 3″. This
vation, and the irregularly expanded periphragm, is the basis for the erection of the new genus Explodinium. In addition, since, after extensive searches, we unfortunately also must conclude that the holotype of ‘Glaphyrocysta priabonensis’ is lost, as are most slides of the original study, we establish a neotype and paratypes herein, based on the Turkish material, described below, and illustrated on Plate I, figs. a–f.
Etymology: Latin: Explodere, to explode, in reference to the typical irregularly disconnected, perforated, distally spiny periphragm relative to the subspherical endophragm, giving the appearance of an ongoing explosion.
Diagnosis: Intermediate to large-sized, ovoidal to spherical, double- walled, irregularly cavate, proximochorate cysts bearing numerous, often bifurcated spines. Outer wall (periphragm) typically finely to coarsely perforated and highly variably connected to the (smooth to scabrate) inner wall (endophragm). Typically, however, is there no, to little separation between the walls on the postcingular area likely reflecting 4″’, nor are there many processes formed in that sector. The periphragm distally forms numerous, often basally interconnected, solid-fibroid, distally closed, often bifurcated processes, with acuminate to (more typical) bifurcate tips. Archaeopyle precingular, type 1P (3″), operculum free.
Comparison: Explodinium gen. nov. has – besides the same archaeopyle - morphological affinities with certain reticulate to coarsely reticulated species of Operculodinum (e.g., O. eisenackii, O. divergens, O. tiara) but distinctly differs by the typical irregular (semi-) separation of the two wall layers, and the irregular distribution of processes.
Type: Brinkhuis, 1994, p. 148–149. pl. II, figs. 1–5, as ‘Glaphyrocysta priabonensis’. Restudy of the type material from the Priabona and Bressana, and of new, better-preserved materials from Karaburun, led to the conclusion that this taxon is not characterized by an apical archae
opyle (e.g., typical for Glaphyrocysta), but rather by a (rather large sized) singe-plate, precingular one, likely reflecting the loss of 3″. This
vation, and the irregularly expanded periphragm, is the basis for the erection of the new genus Explodinium. In addition, since, after extensive searches, we unfortunately also must conclude that the holotype of ‘Glaphyrocysta priabonensis’ is lost, as are most slides of the original study, we establish a neotype and paratypes herein, based on the Turkish material, described below, and illustrated on Plate I, figs. a–f.
Etymology: Latin: Explodere, to explode, in reference to the typical irregularly disconnected, perforated, distally spiny periphragm relative to the subspherical endophragm, giving the appearance of an ongoing explosion.
Diagnosis: Intermediate to large-sized, ovoidal to spherical, double- walled, irregularly cavate, proximochorate cysts bearing numerous, often bifurcated spines. Outer wall (periphragm) typically finely to coarsely perforated and highly variably connected to the (smooth to scabrate) inner wall (endophragm). Typically, however, is there no, to little separation between the walls on the postcingular area likely reflecting 4″’, nor are there many processes formed in that sector. The periphragm distally forms numerous, often basally interconnected, solid-fibroid, distally closed, often bifurcated processes, with acuminate to (more typical) bifurcate tips. Archaeopyle precingular, type 1P (3″), operculum free.
Comparison: Explodinium gen. nov. has – besides the same archaeopyle - morphological affinities with certain reticulate to coarsely reticulated species of Operculodinum (e.g., O. eisenackii, O. divergens, O. tiara) but distinctly differs by the typical irregular (semi-) separation of the two wall layers, and the irregular distribution of processes.