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Spiniferites hennersdorfensis
From Fensome et al., 2019:
Soliman and Riding, 2017, p.340–341, pl.2, figs.1–4; pl.4, figs.1–8; text-fig.4. Holotype: Soliman
and Riding, 2017, pl.4, figs.1–4. Age: Late Miocene.
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Holotype. Sample HC1-16, slide A, England-Finder coordinate N33/4 (Plate IV, 1–4). Specimen number UMJ G and P 211337 of the Joanneum Museum, Graz, Austria.
Paratype. Sample HC1-23, slide B, England-Finder coordinate R39/0 (Plate IV, 5–8).
Etymology. Named after the type locality.
Type locality. Hennersdorf Clay Pit, Vienna Basin, Austria.
Lithostratigraphy of the type material. The Záhorie Member of the Bzenec Formation, Upper Miocene (Pannonian).
Diagnosis. An ovoidal to subspherical murochorate spiniferate cyst with an apical boss (Plate IV; Fig. 4). Cyst wall is relatively thick with a smooth, scabrate or granulate surface. Processes are gonal, short and connected proximally by high sutural crests. The crests are smooth with a hiate distal margin. The sutural crests are lower at the cingulum and around plate 6″ (Plate II, 4). The archaeopyle is precingular (type P), operculum is free.
Description. A murochorate species of Spiniferites with an ovoidal to subspherical outline. A small (3–6 μm high) apical boss with a distinct trifid process is present (Plate II, 2). The cyst wall is relatively thick (~ 1 μm) with a smooth, scabrate to granulate surface (Plate II, 1, 2). Processes are gonal and triangular in cross-section. The processes are connected by high sutural crests. The crest height can attain up to 20% of the cyst body width at the cingulum. The crests are distally hiate (Fig. 4; Marheinecke, 1992, Williams et al., 2000) with denticulate or undulate margins. The crest surfaces are smooth or finely granulate, occasionally finely perforate or fenestrate (Plate II, 3). High sutural crests are lower at the boundaries of the cingular plates and between plates 5″/6″, 5‴/6‴ and 1″/sulcus (Plate II, 4). Plate 6″ is smaller than the other precingular plates (Plate II, 4). The tabulation is standard S-type gonyaulacacean. The archaeopyle is formed by the loss of precingular plate 3″ with a free operculum.
Comparison. The sutural crests distinguish Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. from other species of the genus; the high, distally hiate nature of these is unique. Spiniferites falcipedius Warny and Wrenn, 1997 is characterised by the two very broad and long antapical processes which is lack in S. hennersdorfensis sp. nov. In addition, Spiniferites falcipedius Warny and Wrenn, 1997 lacks the high sutural crests between processes except the two antapical one. While Spiniferites rubinus (Rossignol, 1964) Sarjeant, 1970 differs in lacking the apical boss. Spiniferites membranaceus (Rossignol, 1964) Sarjeant 1970 has very long trifurcations at the process tips, and a prominent sutural crest between the antapical processes only. Spiniferites mirabilis (Rossignol, 1964) Sarjeant, 1970 differs from Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. in having a high sutural flange which connects the antapical processes only, in having intergonal and gonal processes and the distally trifurcate processes with long tips. Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. also differs from species of Leptodinium and Pterodinium in the absence of high sutural crests between the cingular plates and in the presence of an apical boss.
Dimensions. The maximum length of the cyst body of the holotype is 68 μm, the equatorial width is 42 μm, the maximum length of the processes is 13 μm and the apical boss is 6 μm long. Overall, the maximum length of the cyst body is 47 (58) 68 μm; the equatorial width is 41 (46) 52 μm, the maximum length of the processes is 9 (12) 14 μm and the apical boss is 3–6 μm long. Twelve specimens were measured.
Distribution. Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. was recorded from most of the samples studied herein. This species was recorded from the Pannonian of Hungary as Spiniferites paradoxus by Sütőné-Szentai (1982b, pl. 7, 1).
Soliman and Riding, 2017, p.340–341, pl.2, figs.1–4; pl.4, figs.1–8; text-fig.4. Holotype: Soliman
and Riding, 2017, pl.4, figs.1–4. Age: Late Miocene.
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Holotype. Sample HC1-16, slide A, England-Finder coordinate N33/4 (Plate IV, 1–4). Specimen number UMJ G and P 211337 of the Joanneum Museum, Graz, Austria.
Paratype. Sample HC1-23, slide B, England-Finder coordinate R39/0 (Plate IV, 5–8).
Etymology. Named after the type locality.
Type locality. Hennersdorf Clay Pit, Vienna Basin, Austria.
Lithostratigraphy of the type material. The Záhorie Member of the Bzenec Formation, Upper Miocene (Pannonian).
Diagnosis. An ovoidal to subspherical murochorate spiniferate cyst with an apical boss (Plate IV; Fig. 4). Cyst wall is relatively thick with a smooth, scabrate or granulate surface. Processes are gonal, short and connected proximally by high sutural crests. The crests are smooth with a hiate distal margin. The sutural crests are lower at the cingulum and around plate 6″ (Plate II, 4). The archaeopyle is precingular (type P), operculum is free.
Description. A murochorate species of Spiniferites with an ovoidal to subspherical outline. A small (3–6 μm high) apical boss with a distinct trifid process is present (Plate II, 2). The cyst wall is relatively thick (~ 1 μm) with a smooth, scabrate to granulate surface (Plate II, 1, 2). Processes are gonal and triangular in cross-section. The processes are connected by high sutural crests. The crest height can attain up to 20% of the cyst body width at the cingulum. The crests are distally hiate (Fig. 4; Marheinecke, 1992, Williams et al., 2000) with denticulate or undulate margins. The crest surfaces are smooth or finely granulate, occasionally finely perforate or fenestrate (Plate II, 3). High sutural crests are lower at the boundaries of the cingular plates and between plates 5″/6″, 5‴/6‴ and 1″/sulcus (Plate II, 4). Plate 6″ is smaller than the other precingular plates (Plate II, 4). The tabulation is standard S-type gonyaulacacean. The archaeopyle is formed by the loss of precingular plate 3″ with a free operculum.
Comparison. The sutural crests distinguish Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. from other species of the genus; the high, distally hiate nature of these is unique. Spiniferites falcipedius Warny and Wrenn, 1997 is characterised by the two very broad and long antapical processes which is lack in S. hennersdorfensis sp. nov. In addition, Spiniferites falcipedius Warny and Wrenn, 1997 lacks the high sutural crests between processes except the two antapical one. While Spiniferites rubinus (Rossignol, 1964) Sarjeant, 1970 differs in lacking the apical boss. Spiniferites membranaceus (Rossignol, 1964) Sarjeant 1970 has very long trifurcations at the process tips, and a prominent sutural crest between the antapical processes only. Spiniferites mirabilis (Rossignol, 1964) Sarjeant, 1970 differs from Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. in having a high sutural flange which connects the antapical processes only, in having intergonal and gonal processes and the distally trifurcate processes with long tips. Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. also differs from species of Leptodinium and Pterodinium in the absence of high sutural crests between the cingular plates and in the presence of an apical boss.
Dimensions. The maximum length of the cyst body of the holotype is 68 μm, the equatorial width is 42 μm, the maximum length of the processes is 13 μm and the apical boss is 6 μm long. Overall, the maximum length of the cyst body is 47 (58) 68 μm; the equatorial width is 41 (46) 52 μm, the maximum length of the processes is 9 (12) 14 μm and the apical boss is 3–6 μm long. Twelve specimens were measured.
Distribution. Spiniferites hennersdorfensis sp. nov. was recorded from most of the samples studied herein. This species was recorded from the Pannonian of Hungary as Spiniferites paradoxus by Sütőné-Szentai (1982b, pl. 7, 1).