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Spiniferites oblongus
From Fensome et al., 2019:
Spiniferites oblongus (Sütő-Szentai, 1986, p.36–37, pl.2, fig.3; pl.3, fig.1) Soliman and Riding, 2017, p.341. Holotype: Sütő-
Szentai, 1986, pl.2, fig.3. Originally Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus, subsequently (and now) Spiniferites
oblongus. Age: Late Miocene.
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Basionym. Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, p. 36–37; pl. 23; pl. 3, 1.
Spiniferites bentorii (Rossignol, 1964) Wall and Dale, 1970; Sütőné-Szentai, 1982b, pl. 1, 3.
Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986; Sütőné-Szentai, 1999, pl. 3, 1; Sütőné-Szentai, 2003, pl. 1, 1; Sütőné-Szentai, 2004, pl. 1, 6; Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai, 1991, pl. 5, 3.
Original diagnosis. “The form of the body is oval in shape with a well-developed apical horn. Archaeopyle 3”. The tabulation and the gonal processes are well-developed. There is a process on the apical horn in most specimens. The tabulation is the same as in Spiniferites bentorii. The processes are trifurcate, and the processes at the cingulum are the widest. The cyst wall is 0.5 μm thick, finely granulate, sometimes smooth, and yellow in colour. The cyst body of the holotype is 72 μm long and 35 μm wide. It can be up to 98 μm long and 43 μm wide, and a process is developed on the apical horn” (translation from Hungarian to English by Sütőné-Szentai in 2008).
Diagnosis. Elongate ellipsoidal, spiniferate dinoflagellate cysts with an apical horn. Cyst wall has a smooth to faintly granulate surface. Processes are gonal, germinal equatorially, distally aculeate, with or without distal fenestration. Processes at the cingulum are longer than those in the more polar areas. A standard gonyaulacean tabulation is expressed by sutural crests. Archaeopyle is precingular (type P) with a free operculum.
Description. An elongate to ellipsoidal, rarely ovoidal, spiniferate dinoflagellate cyst. The epicyst is longer than the hypocyst. A prominent (~ 10 μm long) capitate apical horn is present, terminating in an elongate, solid, distally truncate or weakly bifid process (Plate II, 8). The wall is ~ 1 μm thick with a faintly granulate or smooth surface. The processes are gonal, germinal at the cingulum (Reid, 1974), distally aculeate and may have distal fenestration. The cingular processes are longer than those in the precingular, postcingular and polar areas. The sutural crests are ~ 0.5 μm in height and reflect a standard S-type sexiform gonyaulacacean tabulation pattern (Fig. 6). The archaeopyle is type P, formed by the loss of the middorsal precingular plate 3″ and with a free operculum.
Dimensions. The central body length, including the apical boss, is 49 (66) 90 μm; the equatorial width is 29 (34) 45 μm, the length of the equatorial processes are 6 (10) 13 μm; the length of the apical and antapical processes are 4 (6) 7 μm; and the length of the apical process is 6 (11) 21 μm. Twenty-one specimens were measured.
Comparison. Spiniferites oblongus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov. differs from Spiniferites bentorii (Rossignol, 1964) Wall and Dale, 1970 by its elongate ellipsoidal outline, the well-developed capitate apical horn with a truncated or weakly bifid apical termination and in having distally aculeate processes. Spiniferites oblongus is distinct from Spiniferites pannonicus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov. by its elongate cyst body and long apical horn (Fig. 5). Spiniferites oblongus also resembles Spiniferella cornuta (Gerlach, 1961) emend. Stover and Hardenbol, 1994 in having a well-developed apical horn. But S. cornuta is characterised by an apical horn with spurs, intergonal processes and parasutural septa which are moderate in height and straight or concave between the processes. Moreover, precingular plate 6″ in S. cornuta is subquadrangular to pentangular and is in significant contact with plate 1′ which it is not the case in S. oblongus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov (Fig. 6).
Comments. Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986 is considered to be sufficiently distinctive to be elevated to the rank of species. This is based on the elongate to ellipsoidal cyst body outline, the prominent apical boss and horn, and the distinctive processes. This form is biostratigraphically significant; Magyar et al. (1999a, fig. 1) erected a Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Zone within the Pannonian of Hungary.
Spiniferites bentorii has an ovoidal central body, a relatively thick, microgranular cyst wall and a pronounced apical boss. The processes are gonal, occasionally intergonal and may be proximally fenestrate. They are conical to tapering, erect to curved, distally digitate and closed (e.g. Rossignol, 1964, Harland, 1977b, Rochon et al., 1999). Due to the significant morphological variability of Spiniferites bentorii, Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Sütőné-Szentai, 1990 and Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai (1991) erected several subspecies. These are Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “pseudooblongus” Sütőné-Szentai, 1983, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. budajenoensis Sütő-Szentai, 1986, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. pannonicus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “matraensis” Sütőné-Szentai, 1988, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “piriformis” Sütőné-Szentai, 1988, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “coniunctus” Sütőné-Szentai, 1990 and Spiniferites bentorii subsp. granulatus Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai, 1991. The subspecies in quotation marks are not validly published (Fensome and Williams, 2004, Fensome et al., 2008).
Distribution. Spiniferites oblongus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov. has been recorded from the Pannonian of Hungary by Sütőné-Szentai, 1982b, Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Sütőné-Szentai, 1999, Sütőné-Szentai, 2000, Sütőné-Szentai, 2003, Sütőné-Szentai, 2004, and from the Vienna Basin by Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai (1991).
Spiniferites oblongus (Sütő-Szentai, 1986, p.36–37, pl.2, fig.3; pl.3, fig.1) Soliman and Riding, 2017, p.341. Holotype: Sütő-
Szentai, 1986, pl.2, fig.3. Originally Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus, subsequently (and now) Spiniferites
oblongus. Age: Late Miocene.
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Basionym. Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, p. 36–37; pl. 23; pl. 3, 1.
Spiniferites bentorii (Rossignol, 1964) Wall and Dale, 1970; Sütőné-Szentai, 1982b, pl. 1, 3.
Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986; Sütőné-Szentai, 1999, pl. 3, 1; Sütőné-Szentai, 2003, pl. 1, 1; Sütőné-Szentai, 2004, pl. 1, 6; Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai, 1991, pl. 5, 3.
Original diagnosis. “The form of the body is oval in shape with a well-developed apical horn. Archaeopyle 3”. The tabulation and the gonal processes are well-developed. There is a process on the apical horn in most specimens. The tabulation is the same as in Spiniferites bentorii. The processes are trifurcate, and the processes at the cingulum are the widest. The cyst wall is 0.5 μm thick, finely granulate, sometimes smooth, and yellow in colour. The cyst body of the holotype is 72 μm long and 35 μm wide. It can be up to 98 μm long and 43 μm wide, and a process is developed on the apical horn” (translation from Hungarian to English by Sütőné-Szentai in 2008).
Diagnosis. Elongate ellipsoidal, spiniferate dinoflagellate cysts with an apical horn. Cyst wall has a smooth to faintly granulate surface. Processes are gonal, germinal equatorially, distally aculeate, with or without distal fenestration. Processes at the cingulum are longer than those in the more polar areas. A standard gonyaulacean tabulation is expressed by sutural crests. Archaeopyle is precingular (type P) with a free operculum.
Description. An elongate to ellipsoidal, rarely ovoidal, spiniferate dinoflagellate cyst. The epicyst is longer than the hypocyst. A prominent (~ 10 μm long) capitate apical horn is present, terminating in an elongate, solid, distally truncate or weakly bifid process (Plate II, 8). The wall is ~ 1 μm thick with a faintly granulate or smooth surface. The processes are gonal, germinal at the cingulum (Reid, 1974), distally aculeate and may have distal fenestration. The cingular processes are longer than those in the precingular, postcingular and polar areas. The sutural crests are ~ 0.5 μm in height and reflect a standard S-type sexiform gonyaulacacean tabulation pattern (Fig. 6). The archaeopyle is type P, formed by the loss of the middorsal precingular plate 3″ and with a free operculum.
Dimensions. The central body length, including the apical boss, is 49 (66) 90 μm; the equatorial width is 29 (34) 45 μm, the length of the equatorial processes are 6 (10) 13 μm; the length of the apical and antapical processes are 4 (6) 7 μm; and the length of the apical process is 6 (11) 21 μm. Twenty-one specimens were measured.
Comparison. Spiniferites oblongus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov. differs from Spiniferites bentorii (Rossignol, 1964) Wall and Dale, 1970 by its elongate ellipsoidal outline, the well-developed capitate apical horn with a truncated or weakly bifid apical termination and in having distally aculeate processes. Spiniferites oblongus is distinct from Spiniferites pannonicus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov. by its elongate cyst body and long apical horn (Fig. 5). Spiniferites oblongus also resembles Spiniferella cornuta (Gerlach, 1961) emend. Stover and Hardenbol, 1994 in having a well-developed apical horn. But S. cornuta is characterised by an apical horn with spurs, intergonal processes and parasutural septa which are moderate in height and straight or concave between the processes. Moreover, precingular plate 6″ in S. cornuta is subquadrangular to pentangular and is in significant contact with plate 1′ which it is not the case in S. oblongus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov (Fig. 6).
Comments. Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986 is considered to be sufficiently distinctive to be elevated to the rank of species. This is based on the elongate to ellipsoidal cyst body outline, the prominent apical boss and horn, and the distinctive processes. This form is biostratigraphically significant; Magyar et al. (1999a, fig. 1) erected a Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Zone within the Pannonian of Hungary.
Spiniferites bentorii has an ovoidal central body, a relatively thick, microgranular cyst wall and a pronounced apical boss. The processes are gonal, occasionally intergonal and may be proximally fenestrate. They are conical to tapering, erect to curved, distally digitate and closed (e.g. Rossignol, 1964, Harland, 1977b, Rochon et al., 1999). Due to the significant morphological variability of Spiniferites bentorii, Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Sütőné-Szentai, 1990 and Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai (1991) erected several subspecies. These are Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “pseudooblongus” Sütőné-Szentai, 1983, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. budajenoensis Sütő-Szentai, 1986, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. oblongus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. pannonicus Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “matraensis” Sütőné-Szentai, 1988, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “piriformis” Sütőné-Szentai, 1988, Spiniferites bentorii subsp. “coniunctus” Sütőné-Szentai, 1990 and Spiniferites bentorii subsp. granulatus Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai, 1991. The subspecies in quotation marks are not validly published (Fensome and Williams, 2004, Fensome et al., 2008).
Distribution. Spiniferites oblongus (Sütőné-Szentai, 1986) stat. nov. has been recorded from the Pannonian of Hungary by Sütőné-Szentai, 1982b, Sütőné-Szentai, 1986, Sütőné-Szentai, 1999, Sütőné-Szentai, 2000, Sütőné-Szentai, 2003, Sütőné-Szentai, 2004, and from the Vienna Basin by Fuchs and Sütőné-Szentai (1991).