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Votadinium pontifossatum
From Fensome et al., 2019:
Votadinium pontifossatum Gurdebeke, Mertens, Pospelova, Matsuoka, Li Zhen and Louwye in Gurdebeke et al., 2019b, VRp.11, pl.3, figs.1–13.
Holotype: Gurdebeke et al., 2019b, pl.3, figs.1–4.
Motile equivalent: Protoperidinium paraoblongum, according to Gurdebeke et al. (2019b, VRp.11).
Age: Holocene.
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Original description: [Gurdebeke et al., 2019b]:
Votadinium pontifossatum sp. nov.
Gurdebeke, Mertens, Pospelova, Matsuoka, Li & Louwye
Plate 3, figures 1–13
Synonymy.
1972 ‘Votadinium cyst form 1’: Reid, pl. 11, figs 13–15.
2011 Cyst of Protoperidinium oblongum: Price & Pospelova, pl. 4, fig. 3.
2013 Cyst of Protoperidinium paraoblongum: Sarai et al., pl. 2, figs 1–3, pl. 5.
Motile stage equivalent. Protoperidinium paraoblongum Sarai et al., 2013, according to Sarai et al. (2013).
Holotype. Patricia Bay, Saanich Inlet, SIPB-EOS313-09 core 4–5 cm sample, UVic 2009-179-1 (4839.9970 N, 12329.0140 W), EF V37/0, Plate 3, figures 1–4. Repository. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, Brussels), accession no. IRSNB b7155.
Etymology. From the Latin pons, meaning bridge, and fossa, meaning small depression, in reference to the ornamentation described below.
Diagnosis. The brownish cysts have a dorsoventrally compressed pentagonal ambitus. The length is greater than the width (L/W ¼ 1.18, N¼ 9). The epicyst has straight or slightly convex sides with a pronounced apical horn. The antapical concavity is deep and U-shaped and the antapical horns are elongated. The ornamentation consists of small rod-like elements in circular depressions, covering the entire cyst including the operculum. Archeopyle saphopylic and pentagonal, though occasionally the entire apical part (the horn) can be missing. The cingular area is sometimes devoid of ornamentation.
Description. The thin-walled (less than 1 µm) cysts are fragile and often strongly folded and torn (Plate 3, figures 5, 9). The right antapical horn is often longer and broader than the left antapical horn. The ornamentation consists of small (length 0.83 (1.01) 1.14 µm, width 0.18 (0.20) 0.24 µm, N ¼ 8) rod-like elements bridging a circular crater-like depression in the cyst wall (Plate 3, figure 10). The depressions do not form holes. The rods are mostly fused with the cyst wall but sometimes appear as unattached elements lying in the depression (Plate 3, figure 10). The rods are randomly oriented and distributed over the cyst wall (11/100 µm^2, N ¼ 5). This kind of wall ornamentation is unique and is here named a pontifossate wall texture, in reference to the ornamentation resembling a bridge spanning a depression. Remarks. The characteristic surface ornamentation of Votadinium pontifossatum sp. nov. is visible in the illustrations of the cyst of Protoperidinium paraoblongum provided by Sarai et al. (2013), and was described as ‘granules’ in that publication. The ornamentation was also observed on a number of cysts from a sediment trap (UVic 2009-179-1 in Price and Pospelova 2011) and surface sediments in Saanich Inlet (Plate 3, figures 5–7, 9), as well as in the Holocene sediment samples from Kyuquot Sound (Plate 3, figure 8). Other examples of this species were documented from the Kiel Bight (German Wadden Sea) and the South China Sea. When describing the new species Votadinium calvum, Reid (1977) stated that ‘careful observation under phase contrast showed ‘crater-like’ pits on many specimens’, which relates to the ornamentation described here, though no rods were reported. The ornamentation is not illustrated by Reid (1977), but figures 13–15 on plate 11 in Reid (1972) depict the ornamented type. Some specimens observed here indeed have a number of craters that lack rods, but quantitative information on the range of this presence–absence is not available at present (e.g. Plate 3, figures 11–13).
Dimensions. Sarai et al. (2013): length 65 (80) 90 mm, width 63 (72) 80 mm, L/W 1.19–1.39 (N ¼ 4). Our measurements on the cysts from the NE Pacific are as follows. Holotype: length 85 µm, width 73 µm, range: length 71.6 (79.2) 86.6 µm, width 61.1 (67.7) 75.7 µm, L/W 1.09 (1.18) 1.33 (N ¼ 9).
Comparison. This species differs from all other Votadinium species by its characteristic surface ornamentation. In addition, the new species is distinguished from V. calvum and V. spinosum by a differing L/W (generally > 1), and from V. psilodora in that the latter has a more rounded shape and lower L/W. Votadinium elongatum generally has a higher L/ W. Votadinium nanhaiense differs in having typical shoulders in the epicyst outline, diverging antapical horns and a triangular apical horn. Votadinium reidii has more pronounced apical and antapical horns. Distribution and stratigraphic range. Holocene, surface and trap sediments from Vancouver Island waters in Canada, as well as from recent sediments from Omura Bay in Japan (Sarai et al. 2013), Fangchenggang Port (South China Sea), and coastal waters from Europe (United Kingdom and northern Germany).
Votadinium pontifossatum Gurdebeke, Mertens, Pospelova, Matsuoka, Li Zhen and Louwye in Gurdebeke et al., 2019b, VRp.11, pl.3, figs.1–13.
Holotype: Gurdebeke et al., 2019b, pl.3, figs.1–4.
Motile equivalent: Protoperidinium paraoblongum, according to Gurdebeke et al. (2019b, VRp.11).
Age: Holocene.
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Original description: [Gurdebeke et al., 2019b]:
Votadinium pontifossatum sp. nov.
Gurdebeke, Mertens, Pospelova, Matsuoka, Li & Louwye
Plate 3, figures 1–13
Synonymy.
1972 ‘Votadinium cyst form 1’: Reid, pl. 11, figs 13–15.
2011 Cyst of Protoperidinium oblongum: Price & Pospelova, pl. 4, fig. 3.
2013 Cyst of Protoperidinium paraoblongum: Sarai et al., pl. 2, figs 1–3, pl. 5.
Motile stage equivalent. Protoperidinium paraoblongum Sarai et al., 2013, according to Sarai et al. (2013).
Holotype. Patricia Bay, Saanich Inlet, SIPB-EOS313-09 core 4–5 cm sample, UVic 2009-179-1 (4839.9970 N, 12329.0140 W), EF V37/0, Plate 3, figures 1–4. Repository. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, Brussels), accession no. IRSNB b7155.
Etymology. From the Latin pons, meaning bridge, and fossa, meaning small depression, in reference to the ornamentation described below.
Diagnosis. The brownish cysts have a dorsoventrally compressed pentagonal ambitus. The length is greater than the width (L/W ¼ 1.18, N¼ 9). The epicyst has straight or slightly convex sides with a pronounced apical horn. The antapical concavity is deep and U-shaped and the antapical horns are elongated. The ornamentation consists of small rod-like elements in circular depressions, covering the entire cyst including the operculum. Archeopyle saphopylic and pentagonal, though occasionally the entire apical part (the horn) can be missing. The cingular area is sometimes devoid of ornamentation.
Description. The thin-walled (less than 1 µm) cysts are fragile and often strongly folded and torn (Plate 3, figures 5, 9). The right antapical horn is often longer and broader than the left antapical horn. The ornamentation consists of small (length 0.83 (1.01) 1.14 µm, width 0.18 (0.20) 0.24 µm, N ¼ 8) rod-like elements bridging a circular crater-like depression in the cyst wall (Plate 3, figure 10). The depressions do not form holes. The rods are mostly fused with the cyst wall but sometimes appear as unattached elements lying in the depression (Plate 3, figure 10). The rods are randomly oriented and distributed over the cyst wall (11/100 µm^2, N ¼ 5). This kind of wall ornamentation is unique and is here named a pontifossate wall texture, in reference to the ornamentation resembling a bridge spanning a depression. Remarks. The characteristic surface ornamentation of Votadinium pontifossatum sp. nov. is visible in the illustrations of the cyst of Protoperidinium paraoblongum provided by Sarai et al. (2013), and was described as ‘granules’ in that publication. The ornamentation was also observed on a number of cysts from a sediment trap (UVic 2009-179-1 in Price and Pospelova 2011) and surface sediments in Saanich Inlet (Plate 3, figures 5–7, 9), as well as in the Holocene sediment samples from Kyuquot Sound (Plate 3, figure 8). Other examples of this species were documented from the Kiel Bight (German Wadden Sea) and the South China Sea. When describing the new species Votadinium calvum, Reid (1977) stated that ‘careful observation under phase contrast showed ‘crater-like’ pits on many specimens’, which relates to the ornamentation described here, though no rods were reported. The ornamentation is not illustrated by Reid (1977), but figures 13–15 on plate 11 in Reid (1972) depict the ornamented type. Some specimens observed here indeed have a number of craters that lack rods, but quantitative information on the range of this presence–absence is not available at present (e.g. Plate 3, figures 11–13).
Dimensions. Sarai et al. (2013): length 65 (80) 90 mm, width 63 (72) 80 mm, L/W 1.19–1.39 (N ¼ 4). Our measurements on the cysts from the NE Pacific are as follows. Holotype: length 85 µm, width 73 µm, range: length 71.6 (79.2) 86.6 µm, width 61.1 (67.7) 75.7 µm, L/W 1.09 (1.18) 1.33 (N ¼ 9).
Comparison. This species differs from all other Votadinium species by its characteristic surface ornamentation. In addition, the new species is distinguished from V. calvum and V. spinosum by a differing L/W (generally > 1), and from V. psilodora in that the latter has a more rounded shape and lower L/W. Votadinium elongatum generally has a higher L/ W. Votadinium nanhaiense differs in having typical shoulders in the epicyst outline, diverging antapical horns and a triangular apical horn. Votadinium reidii has more pronounced apical and antapical horns. Distribution and stratigraphic range. Holocene, surface and trap sediments from Vancouver Island waters in Canada, as well as from recent sediments from Omura Bay in Japan (Sarai et al. 2013), Fangchenggang Port (South China Sea), and coastal waters from Europe (United Kingdom and northern Germany).